Al Hakam - 21 October 2022

The Ahmadiyya Mission to America: A brief look at the pre- and post-9/11 challenges

As Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa arrives back from America, we take a brief look at what makes the Ahmadiyya message to the USA so special.

“It is now clear that the attacks on the American homeland and the responses to them have created a new prism of global affairs, a tension between a state and a religion that plays out on an international level as never before. Relations between the world’s undisputed superpower and the world of 1.4 billion Muslim believers can only be viewed as inexorably changed since 9-11.”

This is an analysis by Peter W Singer, a foreign affairs analyst and director of the Twenty-first Century Defense Initiative at the Brookings Institute. Published five years after the infamous 9/11 attacks, it remains true today, twenty-one years on.

Although the 9/11 attacks have worked as a turning point in souring the relationship between Islam and America – or the entire West, for that matter – history cannot be ignored when it tells a different story.

One might agree with Springer in that the relations between America and Islam have “inexorably changed since 9-11”,1 but Maxime Rodinson speaks loud enough to catch our attention when he says that “Western Christendom perceived the

of

Holy Prophet Muhammadsa

Knowledge that benefits

Hazrat Jabirra narrates that Allah’s Messengersa said:

for knowledge that benefits and seek refuge with Allah from knowledge that

benefit.”

Preoccupation with worldly affairs results in a loss in the hereafter

A young man presented himself before the Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, and began to relate his story of the worldly misfortunes with which he was confronted, as well as his countless woes and sorrows. The Promised Messiahas advised him at length and said:

“To become fully engrossed in such matters causes a person to be deprived in the hereafter. A believer must not wail and mourn over their circumstances in this way.”

Then the young man began to weep loudly and profusely at which the Promised Messiahas expressed extreme displeasure and disapproval. He said:

“Enough! It is my belief that such weeping leads a person to hell. In my estimation, tears which fall out of grief and sorrow for the world are a fire that burns the very one who sheds them. My heart turns cold when I witness the state of such a person who mourns, longing for this carrion of a world.”

Hadith-e-Rasul

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, In His Own Words

(Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, Malfuzat

Muslim world as a menace long before it began to be seen as a real problem.”2

Thus, the issue that has come to be seen as a purely political one has its roots, and deep ones, in the encounter of two conflicting faiths. Albert Hourani notes that Christians had for centuries held that “Islam is a false religion, Allah is not God, Muhammad was not a prophet; Islam was invented by men whose motive were to be deplored, and propagated by the sword.”3

Fawaz Gerges traces the roots of this impression to crusaders like Oliver of Paderborn, who very plainly declared that “Islam began by the sword, was maintained by the sword, and by the sword would be ended.”4

This Christian-Muslim conflict had swollen to a stage where they were seen as both “contending for the mastery of the human race.”5 Held together by spiritual and  material ties of certain commonalities in faith, Christians and Muslims gradually turned into a religiopolitical and military challenge for each other6 and remain so to this day. What has changed, though, is that Islam remains Islam while its contender has shortened its identity from Western Christendom to “The West” – becoming more of a geopolitical and cultural phenomenon than a faith.

America’s first rendezvous with Islam

While some studies suggest that Islam had touched the shores of America even before Christopher Columbus’ expedition, more authentic works tend to suggest the first migration of Muslims to America happened in the three centuries of the slave trade, where “an estimated 10 to 50 per cent of the ten million Africans brought to these shores

against their will were Muslims.”7

These generations of Muslim slaves – “five chronologically overlapping generations,”8 as Ira Berlin classes them – had remained victims of “a system of domination of human beings that was endorsed by the state”.9

Even after the 13th amendment of the US constitution in 1865 – that resulted in the abolition of slavery – and the subsequent 14th and 15th amendments that established equal rights of citizenship, this tweaking of the constitution could not erase the hard line that segregated the slaves – mostly of African origin – from the rest of society.

Colour was not the only dividing line after the Reconstruction. The mass conversions of slaves to Christianity –usually under government orders10 – meant that the abolition of slavery thrust into society a huge population belonging to two major circles: Former slaves who were Christian and those who were ‘heathen’. The heathen were in the minority, of which the Muslims formed a fraction. Studies suggest that most African slaves “adhered to nonIslamic beliefs”.11

It was not only the body of state agencies that undertook conversion and baptism, but missionaries from various Christian denominations remained devoted towards this cause.12 This meant that when freed, these slaves had an in-group where they could find a sense of belonging and, hence, find it easier to integrate into society at large. This was not the case for Muslim converts.

Studies on Muslim slaves – limited and narrow as they have remained – have found that this religious class not only practised their faith within their families but also that “they may have converted slaves who were not relatives”.13 While Christian conversions happened under the controlled and organised efforts of dedicated bodies, Muslim conversions remained confined to

individual, personal circles. Hence, observes Gomez, “As Africanized Christianity became more of a force, Islam necessarily suffered”.14

The politics behind converting slaves to Christianity, yet reluctance to have them baptised for the rights that the latter could potentially offer, is not the scope of this essay. Thus, we refrain from it and move straight to looking at American society, with a huge population of African origin, and the predicaments that existed therein.

The Reconstruction era that ensued the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments might have granted African Americans equal rights to citizenship, but laws cannot govern certain elements of the human mind. The sentiment of racial supremacy, or any sense of supremacy for that matter, lives deeper in the psyche than apparent gestures of goodwill.

What came twined with the Reconstruction, was the Redemption Movement, where White Americans, in the Southern states particularly, called for any legislation giving equal rights to the Black population to be repealed. The pressure was immense – violent and militant in nature – and most of the Southern states saw themselves slip back into their preReconstruction patterns.15 American sociologist DuBois describes this phase as such:

“The slave went free; stood a brief moment in the sun; then moved back again toward slavery.”16

This era of existential crisis started with the Reconstruction (the last decade of the nineteenth century) and lasted until the early decades of the twentieth century.17 Historian Rayford Logan termed the coin “Nadir” for this era – meaning the lowest point.

It was in this state of “Nadir” – a very crucial point in American society – that

an Indian-Muslim missionary arrived in America. Interesting it is that the word “Nadir” in Arabic means “precious” and “unique”.

(peace be upon him)

Ahmadiyya Muslim mission to America

The Ahmadiyya is a reform movement in Islam established on the belief that the founder, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, was the Promised Messiah of the latter days. Founded in 1889 in the British-IndianPunjab, the Ahmadiyya had become famous for its missionary zeal through its outreach programme through being the first to establish an organised mission in London at the onset of the twentieth century – 1912 to remain precise.

One of the early missionaries sent to the London mission was Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra. The London mission had been established based on a dream of the founder of the Ahmadiyya community where he had seen himself speaking to a large gathering in London. He saw that he had caught some white birds. Zealous to materialise the dream, albeit posthumously, his first successor, Hazrat Maulvi Nuruddinra had gone beyond the community’s humble resources to establish a mission in London.

The success of the London mission in proselytising Islam in Great Britain proved very encouraging. By 1919, the second successor and son of the founder, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra, saw a dream that he narrated to his congregation in Qadian in March 1919:

“I saw that the Promised Messiah hurriedly enters the house. I say to him, ‘You have come after a very long time. Please stay for some time.’ He replied, ‘No. I cannot stay. I have lived in America for five years and am now headed to Bokhara.’ From this, I have implied that America is now ready to accept the truth […] and, therefore, a mission should definitely be established there.”18

Hazrat Mufti M Sadiqra arrived in America in the spring of 1920, but before his arrival, the stage had been set for Ahmadiyya Islam to be introduced to the Americans. Richard Turner states:

“The roots of a new American Islam can be traced to modernist reform in the Indian Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam. In the nineteenth century, the Ahmadis began to formulate plans to revitalize Islam as a world religion by missionizing the Western hemisphere. Although they did not formally begin their work in America until 1920, the spirit of their movement was embodied in the activities of a white American named Mohammed Alexander Russell Webb, the

primary representative for Islam at the World’s Parliament of Religions.”19

This Parliament of Religions was held in Chicago in 1893. Reports indicate how this European-American Muslim was booed by the audience when he spoke about the permission of polygamy in Islam.20 He managed to introduce other aspects of Islam and closed his presentation with the following words:

“There is no system that has been so wilfully and persistently misrepresented as Islam, both by writers of so-called history and by the newspapers and press. I feel that Americans […] are disposed to go to the bottom [of the] facts […] and when they have done so, I feel that we shall have a universal system which will elevate our social system to the position where it belongs.”21

Webb spoke in a climate where the winds of hatred against Islam were too gusty to even walk a single step. Americans had generally come to see Islam as “mysterious, unchanging and ultimately inferior”.22

What sadly sums up the American view of Islam are the words of a comedian who had attended the meetings of the Parliament of Religions and had observed the Muslims pray:

“A lot a fellers was blacker than a pair o’shoes on Sunday morning […] You can’t tell whether they’re at prayer or a dog fight, but I suppose it’s all the same in Arabia.”23

Webb had identified one particular area that, if fixed, could change the image of Islam in American thought: Islam is not a religion of the sword. That Jihad no longer meant fighting with the sword but through peaceful means of dialogue was, and remains to this day, the biggest jewel in the Islamic understanding of Hazrat Ahmadas Webb was introduced to Islam through Hazrat Ahmadas, as he clearly stated in his

letter to the former:

“After reading your circulars, an idea occurred to me which I will present to you for your consideration, knowing or rather feeling confident that you, who are so much more spiritual than I, so much nearer to God, will answer me in a way that will be for the best.

“[…] The public mind, I think, is now more than ever fitted to receive Muhammadanism as well as Buddhism and it may be that through you it is to be introduced in my country. I am convinced that you are very much in earnest. I have no reason to doubt that you are inspired by God to spread the light of truth […]”.24

The above is from his letter dated 24 February 1887, replied to by Hazrat Ahmadas on 4 April 1887. Although Webb never became a registered follower of Hazrat Ahmadas, historians agree that his correspondence with the latter played a key role in his conversion to Islam. This correspondence is from the years leading up to the Parliament of Religions (1893) where Webb had introduced the American minds to Islam – the Ahmadiyya Islam.

Thus, the dawn of the Ahmadiyya mission in America happened at a time when the American mind generally despised Islam, and the African American soul, in particular, was faced with an existential crisis – or, as rightly termed by Logan, had sunk to the “nadir” of its existence.

The ethos of the Ahmadiyya mission to America can be summarised, in the words of Jane Smith, as follows:

“The first Ahmadi missionary to the United States was Mufti Muhammad Sadiq in 1920. He began a society for the preservation of American Islam and in 1921 started publication of the periodical Moslem Sunrise […]

“Ahmadi missionaries played a

significant role in the early decades of the century in attacking what they saw as the blatant racism of American society.”25

To sum up, the Ahmadiyya mission sought to demystify Islam for American understanding, proselytise the peaceful version of Islam as taught by Hazrat Ahmadas, and tackle the chronic issue of racism in American society.

Historians see this mission of Hazrat Ahmadas to be the first in modern history “to reach the New World, and his teachings opened up novel spiritual possibilities for many”.26

Moustafa Bayoumi sees the story of the Ahmadiyya mission to America as “particularly unusual”27 as the mission styled itself as “pioneers in the spiritual Colonization of the Western world”.28

Bayoumi takes the latter quoted line from the message of Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra, the then head of the Ahmadiyya community, that he sent for the Americans and published in the first issue of  The Moslem Sunrise. It is important to present the message in full as it places the Ahmadiyya ambition for America in perspective:

“The Pioneers in the Colonization of American land are always looked back upon with great honor and respect. Their work was temporal but now, my dear Brothers and Sisters, Allah the Almighty has made you the Pioneers in the spiritual Colonization of the Western world. If you will work with the same love, zeal, sincerity and loyalty as they did your honor and respect and name will be still greater than their’s, as you will have moreover the Reward at the Last day and Allah’s pleasure, the grandeur and beauty of which no one can estimate here in this world. Mirza Mahmud Ahmad”.29

This message clearly defined the Ahmadiyya manifesto and agenda towards

America – all about spiritual well-being and no political interests. This set the Ahmadiyya mission aside from being classed as what is now known as “political Islam”; the same remains to this day.

Hazrat Mufti M Sadiqra made full use of his publication,  The Moslem Sunrise, to quell the impression of which he had personally become a victim. Upon arrival on the American shore, he was refused entry for being an adherent of a faith that permitted polygamy. It took many weeks for his plea against the decision to be heard by the authorities before he could be set free from detention and let out into American society.30

This image of Islam in the American mind many decades before 9/11 was not much different to what it is in the post9/11 era of America-Muslim relations – a radically charged political force against the West.

In a society where racism had become the greatest vice, the Ahmadiyya mission emerged as “unquestionably one of the most significant movements in the history of Islam in the United States in the twentieth century, providing as it did the  first multiracial model for American Islam.”31

The Ahmadiyya mission signified what it stood for: A Jihad through words, not swords. The publication of  The Moslem Sunrise stirred a new wave of re-introducing Islam to the American mind, as Turner observes:

“The Ahmadis disseminated Islamic literature and converted black and white Americans. They attacked the distortions of Islam in the media, established mosques and reading rooms, and translated the Quran into English.”32

But introducing the multi-racial model of Islamic pluralism did not prove an easy sail for the Ahmadiyya mission. Although Hazrat Mufti Sadiqra had succeeded in converting a significant number of Americans, black and white both, he faced tough resistance in bringing Americans to accept Islam as a part of their own society. His frustration can be felt in his editorial columns of  The Moslem Sunrise in a few months’ time from its launch. He was experiencing an innate resistance to Islam by the American society – a resistance best described by Eric Lincoln:

“Being ‘American’ presupposes the Judeo-Christian heritage of experience […] and the religion of Islam is not in any substantial way a part of the critically valued American experience.”33

However tough the status quo was, the Ahmadiyya mission had not arrived to retreat. Mufti Sadiq had made this clear to the immigration officials at the point of his very arrival in America when they attempted to deport him back to India. Identifying this “Judeo-Christian” basis for eligibility to be seen as American, the Ahmadiyya mission focused on introducing the truth about Christianity, and about Christ himself for that matter – it was a vital part of the Ahmadiyya belief anyway.

The Moslem Sunrise set out on a mission to introduce the alternative understanding of the orthodox Christian Jesus. According to the Ahmadiyya belief, Jesusas had not died on the cross, had survived the crucifixion and lived to preach his mission. And that he

Cutting from The Philadelphia Inquirer (14 March 1920) in which news was given on Hazrat Mufti Sahib’s detention upon arrival in the USA | Ahmadiyya ARC

had later died a natural death.34

This Ahmadiyya Jesus made perfect sense to many Christians and it started to attract followers in amazing numbers.  The Moslem Sunrise would carry lists of converts as well as their correspondence with the Ahmadiyya mission in America.

Sinclair Upton’s novel “They call me carpenter” had as its lead character a Jesus who returns to the modern world to learn that while he is worshipped by millions, he still finds no place in the modern world. This novella was serialised by The Hearst’s International from July to October 1922, before being published in book form.

Sinclair believed, as he stated in his other works quite plainly, that Jesus was very human and not the divine son of God. The Moslem Sunrise published a review of Sinclair’s work, highlighting how White Americans too were weary of the Christian orthodox persona of Jesus.

The Ahmadiyya mission had read the pulse of the Western world in general and the American mind in particular. It carried articles like “The supreme need of the hour” which brought to light how priests and missionaries were all longing for an “adequate spiritual leader” and that “the Master at the door” and urging people to open their “eyes and recognize him”.

By the time Mufti Sadiqra left America in 1923, the Ahmadiyya message of Islam was well-engrained in the American mind.

The mission continued to demystify Islam,  preach the truth about the second coming of the Messiah and call the American peoples to Islam Ahmadiyya. The mission published many books and epistles for this purpose and distributed them among the American population. Mosques were built and missionaries were appointed in all their mosques to address any queries that the American people may have.

The 9/11 turning-point

Then came 9/11 and the Ahmadiyya contribution towards demystifying Islam had to be accelerated manifold. This meant the mission statement remained the same but had to be disseminated at a much larger scale and that too, in a world where media propaganda against Islam was at an all-time high – not to speak of the unimaginable levels reached by the birth of social media on an already murky horizon.

The 9/11 attacks of 2001 led the West, spearheaded by the media, to revisit Islam and refashion it to be seen as a religion that incites and practices violence. Brutality and inhumanity were painted as the two representative features of Islam. It was portrayed as a political power that aimed to gain control, through fair or unfair means, of the whole world, particularly the West.

It was only two years after these attacks that Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa assumed office as global head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community. The 9/11 attacks were still a painful scar and a basis for aversion towards Islam. Islam faced the biggest challenge of its history, the age of the Crusades inclusive.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, under the leadership of Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa, took it upon itself to dispel such a derogatory image of the whole body of Islam. Hazrat Mirza Masroor

Ahmadaa made it clear to the world that the “terrorists have no knowledge of Islam”.35 He told the world it was not Islam that prompted violence and terrorism but, “Muslim leaders and their so-called religious scholars are blinded to Islam’s true teachings and are leading their nations on a destructive and ruinous path.”36

Addressing the US Congress at Capitol Hill in 2012, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa reminded the superpower of the world that “God Almighty has made it clear that whilst our nationalities or ethnic backgrounds act as a means of identity, they do not entitle or validate any form of superiority of any kind.”37

Speaking to the dignitaries of the Congress, he reminded them clearly and plainly that “all people should be granted equal rights without any discrimination or prejudice” and that “the United States […] should play its role in acting with true justice”.38

After almost a century of consistent efforts, the Ahmadiyya message of Islam is now more warmly welcomed by the American nation than ever.

Upon his visit to the House of

Representatives in 2012, a resolution was passed in his honour, that read:

“Welcoming His Holiness, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the worldwide spiritual and administrative head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, to Washington DC, and recognizing his commitment to world peace, justice, nonviolence, human rights, religious freedom and democracy.”39

This warmth of acceptance encouraged the Ahmadiyya Muslim community to further enhance their efforts of spreading the peaceful message of Islam to the American people. Mosques began to dot the skylines of many towns and cities in the US, with Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa visiting frequently and laying their cornerstones and inaugurating them. Such events have seen dignitaries, from local authorities to the federal government alike, attending and expressing their acknowledgement of the peaceable message of Islam brought to them by the Caliph of the Ahmadiyya community.

Most recently, the American nation has seen two new Ahmadiyya mosques emerge in two states: one in Zion, Illinois and the other in Allen, Texas.

Addressing a reception to mark the inauguration of The Great Victory Mosque (Masjid Fath-e-Azeem) in Zion, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa reiterated the Ahmadiyya message of Islam:

“Our only mission and our sole aspiration is to win the hearts of mankind through love and to bring people closer to God Almighty. So to become true worshipers of Him and fulfil the right of one another.”

This statement is representative of the Ahmadiyya understanding of Islam and clearly removes Islam from the political tug-of-war and places it where it belongs: Spiritual and moral realms of human wellbeing.

With this call to God Almighty, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa made it clear that the Ahmadiyya hope and objective remained undeterred:

“It is the paramount objective of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community to direct

mankind to the path of spiritual salvation and to ensure that all people irrespective of their cast, creed or colour live together with the spirit of goodwill and harmony and in true peace and security.”

The Mayor of the City of Zion, Hon Billy McKinney, welcomed Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa and expressed his thoughts about the Ahmadiyya community:

“Blessed to be guided by His Holiness, the community has reached out to people of all faiths with a message of peace, justice, universal human rights and service to humanity. So, it is with deep gratitude for the outstanding services rendered by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community […] that we present the key to the City of Zion to His Holiness.”

Addressing the inaugural reception of Bait-ul-Ikram Mosque in Allen, Texas, US Congressman Michael McCaul (Texas, 10th District) expressed his views before Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa and the dignitaries that comprised the audience:

“It was the Ahmadiyya Muslims that stood up for the United States of America after 9/11; it was the Ahmadiyya Muslims that stood up for freedom of religion […] so I say congratulations on this mosque.

“[…] With His Holiness, I talked about the teachings of Jesus, the teachings of Ahmadiyya, the New Testament, the gospels […] I think we can learn a lot from the Ahmadiyyas.”

Despite the welcoming words of the dignitaries that spoke on these occasions, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa understood well the underlying concerns that the local residents might have about Islam, not to speak of having a mosque erected amidst their neighbourhood. In very simple and plain words, he addressed the issue:

“Indeed, when we have built mosques in other places, some people expressed their fears or reservations that the new mosque and increased presence of Muslims might lead to being a detriment to the peace and security of their town or city. If anyone holds such concerns, I wish to immediately

reassure them that a sincere Muslim who understands and values Islam’s teachings can never act in a way that defames or misrepresents Islam, he can never be a cause of grief or distress for non-Muslims.”

The message he left for the residents of Texas summarised the missionary activity of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in not only the US but the whole wide world:

“A true Muslim is one who shoulders the burden of others and feels their pain and sorrow as though it were their own. So it is with this spirit of sympathy for all mankind and an understanding that Allah the Almighty’s grace and mercy are universal that we build mosques.”

Conclusion

A journey that started a century ago remains consistent: Equality, peace, justice and, above all, connecting to the Creator of mankind.

So true were the emphatic words of Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra when, told by the immigration officers that he will be sent back without setting foot in America, he replied: “I am not here to return”.

Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra, during his overnight stay in Liverpool before boarding the steamer to America, had seen in a vision the words:

Fateh Muhammad Bahadur

Meaning: Victory of Muhammadsa, the Great

The words have finally seen fulfilment in the time of Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa, when America opened its arms to the message of Islam.

Hence, pre-9/11, or post-9/11, the Ahmadiyya mission of Islam has remained a constant in American society. The resolute steadfastness and relentless, untiring efforts of demystifying Islam and calling people to the only path of salvation have started to show the blossom that will one day fill with its colour the bleak horizon of materialism.

With this, we congratulate Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa, on his very successful tour of America. Long live  Khilafat-eAhmadiyya!

(By Asif M Basit, ARC)

[1] Singer, Peter Warren. “America, Islam, and the 9-11 War.” Current History 105, no. 695 (2006): 415–22. https://doi.org/10.1525/curh.2006.105.695.415.

[2] Maxime Rodinson,  Europe and the Mystique of Islam, p. 3, Translation by Roger Veinus, IB Tauris, London, 1987.

[3] Albert Hourani,  Islam in European Thought, p. 8, Cambridge University Press, New York, 1991.

[4] Norman Daniel,  Islam and the West: The Making of an Image, p. 127, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 1960; quoted by Fawaz Gerges,  Islam and Muslims in the Mind of America, in America and Political Islam: Clash of Cultures or Clash of Interests?, Cambridge University Press, London, 1999.

[5] Friedrich Schleiermacher,  The Christian Faith, Ed. HR Mackintosh and JS Stewart, English translation, T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1928.

[6] Hourani, Op Cit, p. 8; John Esposito,  The Islamic threat: Myth or reality? Oxford University Press, New York, 1992;

[7] The First American Muslims, The Pluralism Project, Harvard University,  www.pluralism.org (accessed on 2 October 2022)

[8] Ira Berlin,  Generations of Captivity: A History of African-American Slaves, Harvard University Press, Massachusetts, 2003.

[9] Ibid.

[10] The instructions given by the King of England to the Council for Foreign Plantations, recorded in  Documents relating to the Colonial History of New York, III

[11] Michael A Gomez,  Muslims in Early America, in  The Journal of Southern History, Vol. 60, No. 4, Southern Historical Association, 1994.

[12] Marcus W Jernegan, Slavery and conversion in the American Colonies, in The American Historical Review, Vol. 21, No. 3, Oxford University Press, 1916.

[13] Gomez, Opt Cit [14] Ibid.

[15] Details:  Reconstruction vs. Redemption, National Endowment for the Humanities, USA,  www.neh. gov (accessed 3 October 2022)

[16] WEB Du Bois,  Black Reconstruction in America, 1935.

[17] Rayford Logan,  The Betrayal of the Negro: From Rutherford B Hayes to Woodrow Wilson, p. 62, Collier Books, New York, 1965.

[18] Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, Khitab Jalsa Salana (Address to the annual convention), 17 March 1919,  Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 4, p. 421,  www.alislam.org/ urdu (accessed 4 October 2022)

[19] Richard Turner,  Islam in the African-American Experience, p. 63, Indiana University Press, Indianapolis, 1997.

[20] Ibid.

[21] Richard H Seeger,  The World’s Parliament of Religions: The East/West Encounter, Chicago, 1893, Indiana University, Bloomington, 1995.

[22] Turner

[23] Seeger, Opt Cit

[24] Published in Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad’s book,  Shahna-e-Haqq, included in Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 4, pp. 439-444 and quoted/referred to by historians of Islam in America, the likes of Jane I Smith, Yvonne Haddad, and biographers of Webb, the like of Umar F Abd-Allah

[25] Jane I Smith,  Islam in America, p. 74, Columbia University Press, New York, 1999.

[26]  From India to America and Back Again, Cornell University Press,  www.cornellpress.cornell. edu (accessed 4 October 2022)

[27] Moustafa Bayoumi,  East of the Sun (West of the Moon): Islam, the Ahmadis, and the African America, in Journal of Asian American Studies, Vol. 4, No. 3. [28] Ibid.

[29]  The Moslem Sunrise, July 1921, Vol. 1, No. 1, USA (Capitalisation and punctuation as in the original and not the author’s.)

[30] Turner, p. 115

[31] Ibid., p. 110 (italics as in original) [32] Ibid.

[33] C Eric Lincoln, The Muslim Mission in the Context of American Social History, in African American Religious Studies: An Interdisciplinary Anthology, Duke University Press, Durham, 1989.

[34] For details of Ahmadiyya view of Jesus Christ: Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Jesus in India (English rendering of original Urdu  Masih Hindustan Mein,  www.alislam. org/library/books/Jesus-in-India

[35] Friday Sermon, 29 July 2016 [36] Ibid.

[37] Khalifatul Masih (aba) makes historic address at Capitol Hill, www.pressahmadiyya.com [38] Ibid.

[39] Congress.gov. "H.Res.709 - 112th Congress (2011-2012): Welcoming His Holiness, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the worldwide spiritual and administrative head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, to Washington, DC, and recognizing his commitment to world peace, justice, nonviolence, human rights, religious freedom, and democracy." June 27, 2012. www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/ house-resolution/709.

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V returns to Islamabad following successful tour of United States

Scores of Ahmadis gathered in Islamabad, Tilford on 18 October 2022 to welcome their beloved Imam, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa, who has just completed a blessed and successful tour of America.

Jamaat members started arriving in Islamabad well before Fajr prayer. After the prayer, the members had breakfast, and then

awaited their beloved Imam who arrived at approximately 8 am.

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa came out and greeted the Jamaat members. Children were reciting choral poems and all members were jubilant about the return of their beloved Imam.

Divorcing out of anger

Someone from Yemen requested the guidance of Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa regarding three divorces (talaq) he had issued to his wife. Huzoor-eAnwaraa, in his letter dated 23 August 2021, provided the following guidance regarding this issue:

“As a matter of fact, when a man divorces his wife, he takes this step out of anger at her behaviour that he considers unbearable and absurd. No man divorces his wife when he is happy with her. Therefore, divorce issued in such a state of anger is also effective. However, if the person was raging to such an extent that he was in a state of insanity and he hastily divorced his wife without considering the consequences, but became remorseful once the state of madness subsided and he finally realised his mistake, then for this kind of situation, the Holy Quran has said:

Divorce, body piercing, Dhul Hijjah, ghusl of the deceased, hardships of a believer, sadaqah

Guidance regarding basic Islamic issues – which Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa has given on various occasions in his written correspondence and during MTA programmes – is being officially published below for everyone’s benefit.

husband’ (Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.2: V.231)] has been fulfilled.

“Anyway, in the light of these points, you should evaluate yourself and decide about yourself whether your divorce was genuine or whether it falls into the category of vain [laghw].”

Body piercing

A lady from Germany asked Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa about the issue of boys and girls getting pierced on different parts of their bodies. Huzoor-eAnwaraa, in his letter dated 23 August 2021, gave the following reply to her question:

“Besides rulings about what is lawful or unlawful, Islam also teaches that some things are good [tayyib] or non-tayyib and some things are vain [laghw].

“The custom of girls having their ears and noses pierced in order to wear jewellery has been around since the beginning and there is nothing wrong or unlawful about it. However, it is undesirable and absurd for boys to have even their ears or noses pierced.

“‘Allah will not call you to account for such of your oaths as are vain, but He will call you to account for what your hearts have earned. And Allah is Most Forgiving, Forbearing.’ (Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.2: V.226)

“Based on your description of the situation, it appears that you divorced your wife three times on different occasions, thereby exercising the right to issue up to the maximum number of three divorces as granted to a Muslim by the Holy Quran. Now, you do not have the right to reconcile [ruju‘

“Everything has its limits. When one exceeds those limits, even a lawful practice can sometimes fall into the category of unlawful or laghw, which has been forbidden to the believers. (Surah al-Mu’minun, Ch.23: V.4)

wear jewellery, while also staying within the limits of purdah. Exceeding that would be considered laghw and unlawful even for them.”

First ten days of Dhul Hijjah and the last ten days of Ramadan A murabbi from Denmark wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa and asked whether the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah carried more merit than the last ten days of Ramadan. Huzoor-e-Anwaraa, in his letter dated 22 August 2021, gave the following answer to his question:

“‘The chief of all months is the month of Ramadan, and the most inviolable and sacrosanct of them is the month of Dhu al-Hijjah.’ (Shu‘ab al-Iman by Imam alBayhaqi, Fasl takhsisi ‘ayyami l-‘ashri min dhil hijjah, Hadith 3597)”

Ghusl after having touched a dead body

with your wife until the condition of هریﻏ

marries another

“In any case, having the mamillae and other parts of the body pierced, which Islam has commanded to be veiled, is indecent and against the sharia. Other than that, piercing on the tongue and in and around the lips can lead to many types of diseases and infections. Therefore, in my view, even for women, it is only permissible to have their noses and ears pierced in order to

“Neither the Holy Quran nor the ahadith of the Holy Prophetsa provide a comparative assessment of the excellence of these two months. However, the abundance of virtues and blessings of the two months and of the worship performed in them have indeed been described. These virtues have been described in general terms and sometimes the Holy Prophetsa has also described them based on the circumstances of the questioner or the situation.

“Based on those virtues described in the Holy Quran and the Hadith, in some ways, the last ten days of Ramadan, the acts of worship performed during them and the commands revealed during them appear to be more excellent, but in some respects, the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah and the acts of worship performed during them seem to be superior. Hence, the Holy Prophetsa said on one occasion:

Someone from Ghana wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa and asked whether it was obligatory for someone who had touched a dead body to perform ghusl al-janabah or whether he could join in the funeral prayer without performing ghusl al-janabah? Huzoor-eAnwaraa, in his letter dated 25 August 2021, provided the following guidance regarding this issue:

“Hazrat Ibn Abbasra narrates that the Holy Prophetsa said:

“‘When you perform the ghusl of one of your deceased, it is not obligatory on you to perform ghusl afterwards because your dead are not impure [najas]. It is sufficient to wash your hands (after washing the dead body).’ (Al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn by Hakim al-Nishapuri, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab laisa ‘alaikum fi ghasli mayyitikum ghusl)

“Similarly, it is mentioned in Muwatta Imam Malik about Hazrat Asma’ bint ‘Umaisra that when she performed ghusl of her husband Hazrat Abu Bakr al-Siddiqra upon his demise, she asked the Muhajirun

who were present, ‘Is it now necessary for myself to perform ghusl?’ In response, they said, ‘No’. (Muwatta Imam Malik, Kitab alJana’iz, Bab ghusli l-mayyit)

“Hazrat ’Abdullah bin ’Umarra narrates, ‘We used to wash the deceased, and some of us would perform ghusl afterwards while others would not.’ (Sunan al-Daraqutni, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab at-taslimu fi l-janazati wahidun wa t-takbiru ’arba‘an wa khamsa)

“Contrary to these ahadith, there is a narration by Hazrat Abu Hurairahra in Sunan Abu Dawud wherein it is mentioned that the Holy Prophetsa said, ‘He who washes the dead should perform ghusl.’ [Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab fi l-ghusli min ghasli l-mayyit] Likewise, there is another narration by Hazrat Aishara according to which, ‘Allah’s Messengersa used to perform ghusl on account of four things: Janabah, Fridays, cupping and washing the dead.’ [Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab fi l-ghusli min ghasli l-mayyit] However, the scholars of Hadith have declared the narrations of this kind to be weak and have rejected them. They have interpreted the term ghusl used in these narrations as only referring to the washing of hands.

“According to the four preeminent Islamic jurists too, it is not obligatory [wajib] but rather only recommended [mustahabb] to perform ghusl after having washed a dead body. This is to allow that if the person becomes impure or splashes of dirty water fall on them due to washing the deceased, they may become clean again by performing ghusl

“Thus, if even someone who has washed a dead body, is not obligated to perform ghusl, how can the person who touches the deceased be obligated to do so? Thus, the person who washes the deceased can join in the funeral prayer without first performing ghusl. There is no prohibition in this regard. However, Islamic jurists have written that just as ablution [wudu] is necessary for the rest of the prayers, it is also necessary to perform wudu for the funeral prayer. So, that should be done.”

Lifestyles of believers and disbelievers

Someone from Canada wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa and asked whether those disobedient to God Almighty lived in pain and suffering in this world or believers. Huzoor-e-Anwaraa, in his letter dated 25 August 2021, replied

as follows:

“Our Lord and Master, the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa, explained this subject in the following words of sheer wisdom: رفاكلا ةنجو نمؤملا نجس ايندلا

“‘The world is a prison for a believer and paradise for a disbeliever.’ (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Zuhd wa al-Raqai’q, Bab 1)

“In these comprehensive words, the Holy Prophetsa has explained to us that a believer gives up the worldly desires, declared forbidden and undesirable by Allah the Exalted, for His sake. To achieve the pleasure of Allah the Exalted and to show obedience to Him, he strives and endures hardships. In this sense, this world appears to become a prison for him. However, when he dies, as a result of his temporary sacrifice, he is blessed with lasting relief from these hardships and difficulties in the eternal life of the Hereafter and he is declared the heir to the eternal blessings that God Almighty had promised him. A disbeliever, on the other hand, ignores the commands of God Almighty and takes advantage of the temporary provisions of this world, regardless of whether they are lawful or unlawful, and looks upon this world as heaven. Consequently, when he dies, he may have to face divine punishment in the eternal life of the hereafter for his misdeeds in this world.

“Therefore, it is necessary for a true believer to always remember that the worldly life is in fact transient and so is its suffering. Allah the Exalted removes the suffering of the eternal life of the hereafter for those who suffer in this temporary life. Hence, it is mentioned in a hadith that whatever troubles a believer suffers in this world, even a thorn that pricks him while walking, Allah the Exalted records its reward in his account of deeds or forgives his sins. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Birri wa s-Silati wa l-Aadaab, Bab thawabi l-mu’mini fi ma yusibuhu min maradin aw huzn...)

“Allah the Exalted puts His loved ones through the hardships of this worldly life the most. Hence, the Holy Prophetsa said that among the people, the prophets were tried the most, and then according to their rank, the rest of the people were tried too. Hazrat Aishara states, ‘I have never seen someone suffer more than the Holy Prophetsa.’ (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Marda, Bab shiddati l-marad)

“Hence, we know that many of his

children died, even though the loss of one child can be a cause of great sorrow. The Promised Messiahas states:

“‘In another place in the Holy Quran, there are the following verses:

“‘[And there is not one of you but will come to it. This is a fixed decree with thy Lord. Then We shall save the righteous and We shall leave the wrongdoers therein, on their knees. (Surah Maryam, Ch.19: Vs.7273)]

“‘In fact, these verses also refer to the exalted attribute of zulumiyyat [i.e. being disregardful of the consequences of fulfilling one’s mission]. The translation of these verses is as follows:

“‘There is not a soul among you who will not enter a fire. This is a promise that your Lord has made binding on Himself to fulfil. Then, after casting them into that fire, we save the righteous and leave the wrongdoers, i.e., those who are polytheists and rebellious, in hell lying on their knees[…]

“‘In these verses, it has been stated that even the righteous are not exempt from the touch of a certain fire [naar]. This statement means that the righteous, with great bravery, throw themselves into a fire in various ways in this very world, which is a place of trial. They throw their souls into this blazing fire for the sake of God. All kinds of divine fates afflict them in the form of a fire; they are persecuted and inflicted with pain and such great earthquakes hit them that no one except them could withstand such earthquakes. Moreover, it is also mentioned in an authentic hadith that even the fever that a believer suffers from is of hellfire. A believer, due to fever and other afflictions, takes a share of that fire in this very world. Then, in another hadith, it is stated that for the believer, paradise appears in the likeness of hell in this world, that is, the extreme hardships in the way of God Almighty become visible to him in the form of hell. Thus, when he leaps into this hell with delight, he suddenly finds himself in paradise.’ (A’ina-e-Kamalat-e-Islam, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 5, pp. 142-145)

“Many divine pearls of wisdom are hidden in worldly suffering and trials, which are sometimes not accessible to the human intellect. Thus, one should endeavour to bear them with patience and prayer. The Promised Messiahas states:

“‘Sometimes, divine wisdom prevents man from achieving any goals in this world and one has to face various kinds of calamities, afflictions, diseases and misfortunes, but one should not be discouraged by them.’ (Malfuzat, Vol. 5, 2016, p. 23)”

Menstruating women performing ghusl of a deceased person

A murabbi from Germany wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa and asked whether a menstruating woman was permitted to perform the ghusl of a deceased woman. He also asked whether, when giving charity, one must inform the recipient that it was sadaqah. Huzoor-eAnwaraa, in his letter dated 15 September 2021, provided the following reply to his question:

“There seems to be no explicit prohibition in the Holy Quran or the Hadith preventing a man in the state of janabah or a menstruating woman from performing the ghusl [washing] of a dead body. However, there is a difference of opinion regarding this matter among the companions and their followers [tabi‘un] as well as among the Islamic jurists. Some are its proponents and they base their argument on the following statement of the Holy Prophetsa:

“‘Indeed, a Muslim is not impure [najas].’ (As-Sunan Al-Kubra by Imam AlBayhaqi, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab man lam yara al-ghusla min ghasli l-mayyit)

“Therefore, according to them, there is no problem with a man in the state of janabah or a menstruating woman washing a dead body.

“According to a second group of people, it is makruh for men in the state of janabah or menstruating women to wash a dead body.

“A third opinion is that if there is a compelling situation and there is no other person present to perform the ghusl for the deceased except a man in the state of janabah or a menstruating woman, then under such compelling circumstances, a man in the state of janabah or a menstruating woman can wash the dead body, but under normal circumstances, they should not do so.

“I too, am of the view that, under normal circumstances, the deceased should not be washed by a man in the state of janabah or a menstruating woman, but if no one else is present, there is no issue with any of them performing this duty.”

Giving charity and informing the recipient, it is sadaqah

“The answer to your second question is that when giving sadaqah, the recipient should

be informed (that it is sadaqah) because many people do not like to take sadaqah

Then, it is also mentioned in the Hadith that if something was given to the Holy Prophetsa in the form of sadaqah, he would not use it for himself or his family, but would send it to the Ahl al-Suffah. However, if someone offered a gift, he would eat from it himself and would also send it to the Ahl al-Suffah

This seems to prove that those who offered alms and gifts to the Holy Prophetsa used to inform him whether they were giving sadaqah or a gift. That is why he used to differentiate, when it came to its use. (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Riqaq, Bab kaifa ’aishu n-nabiyyisa wa ashabihi wa takhallihim min ad-dunya)

(Compiled by Zaheer Ahmad Khan, Head of Records Department, Private Secretariat, London. Translated by Al Hakam)

سيل ملسملا نإ

This Week in History

21 October

21 October 2011: During his Friday Sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa mentioned the details of his tours of European countries such as Germany, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Huzooraa spoke of the blessings and help of Allah the Almighty during his tours and stated the details of the propagation of Islam’s beautiful teachings through newspapers, radio and television channels, and electronic media. Huzooraa also mentioned some faith-inspiring incidents that exhibited the sincerity of the Jamaat members.

21 October 2016: During his Friday Sermon on this day, from the Baitul-Islam Mosque in Canada, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa mentioned Bashir Rafiq Khan Sahib and Dr Nusrat Jahan Sahiba, who had passed away in England on 11 October.

After the Friday Sermon, Huzooraa led the bai’at ceremony in which several people took the pledge of allegiance at the hand of the Khalifa for the very first time.

22 October

22 October 2004: During his Friday Sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa mentioned the financial sacrifices of the Jamaat for the construction of mosques in Hartlepool and Bradford. Huzooraa expressed his hope that Allah the Almighty may enable the Jamaat to build a mosque in each city of the UK.

22 October 2013: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa arrived in Brisbane, Australia after a short flight from Sydney to inaugurate the Bait-ulMasroor Mosque.

22 October 2016: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa delivered the keynote address at the First National Peace Symposium hosted by Jamaat-eAhmadiyya Canada at the Baitul-Islam Mosque in Peace Village,

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa addressing the first National Peace Symposium at Peace Village, Ontario, Canada

Bai'at ceremony at Bait-ul-Islam Mosque, Peace Village, Ontario, Canada

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa delivering his address at a special session of the Standing Committee for Foreign Affairs at the Dutch National Parliament

History

Vaughan, with an audience of over 600 people, comprising government officials, including the Mayor of Vaughan, Hon. Maurizio Bevilacqua, member of parliament Deb Schulte, and City Councillor Marilyn Iafrate.

23 October

23 October 2009: During his Friday Sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa mentioned Zulfiqar Mansoor Sahib of Quetta, Pakistan, who had been martyred on 11 October. Huzooraa mentioned that Zulfiqar Sahib’s paternal uncle, Abbas Ahmad Sahib, was also martyred in April 2008.

23 October 2015: During his Friday Sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa mentioned the details of his tours of Germany and the Netherlands and narrated the blessings and help of Allah the Almighty during his tours. Huzooraa stated the details of the propagation of Islam’s beautiful teachings through newspapers, radio and television channels, and electronic media. Huzooraa mentioned that an event was held at the Dutch parliament, organised by the Foreign Affairs Committee, which MPs, ambassadors and dignitaries from various countries attended.

24 October

24 October 2008: During his Friday

Sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa mentioned the details and history of the Ahmadiyya mosque built in Paris, France. Huzooraa also stated the details of the propagation of Islam’s beautiful teachings through newspapers, radio and television channels, and electronic media during his recent tour of Germany. Huzooraa stated that news about the Khadija Mosque in Berlin was published around the world in 148 different periodicals and on radio and television channels.

24 October 2016: Bonnie Crombie, the Mayor of Mississauga, visited Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa at the Baitul Islam Mosque in Peace Village, Canada.

25 October

25 October 2013: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa inaugurated a mosque in Brisbane, which was the first Ahmadiyya mosque in Queensland State.

25 October 2015: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa delivered the concluding address at the 37th annual Ijtema of Lajna Imaillah UK. During his address, Huzooraa said that Ahmadi Muslims should continuously seek moral and spiritual development according to the true and peaceful teachings of Islam.

26 October

26 October 2012: During his Friday Sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa mentioned the sacrifices of the Jamaat in Pakistan and said:

“The number of life sacrifices presented by the Jamaat in Pakistan during the previous two years was unprecedented. Anyway, these sacrifices will not go in vain, rather, they will pave the way for future victories.”

Huzooraa also mentioned some martyrs, Saad Farooq Sahib, Bashir Ahmad Bhatti Sahib and Dr Raja Abdul Hameed Khan Sahib of Karachi, and Riaz Ahmad Basra Sahib of

26 October 2014: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa delivered the concluding address at the 36th annual Ijtema of Lajna Imaillah UK.

27 October

27 October 2006: During his Friday Sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa mentioned a new wave of the Jamaat’s opposition in many countries, such as Pakistan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Bulgaria, and called the attention of the Jamaat towards prayers (dua).

Bonnie Crombie, Mayor of Mississauga meeting Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa at Peace Village, Ontario, Canada

Left: Nasir Mosque, Hartlepool, UK

Right: Al Mahdi Mosque Bradford, UK

Ghatialian, District Sialkot.

Jazib Mehmood Student, Jamia Ahmadiyya International Ghana

Seize the day! That is what carpe diem literally means. It means to make the most of the present, the here and now.

In the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, more people are realising there’s more to life than money, work and status. Many are actively opting for a less busy schedule to make time for family and personal growth.

Hundreds of thousands have quit their jobs, either to take early retirement or live off savings. Those who can’t afford to opt out of work altogether, meanwhile, are less invested in it. This is symptomatic of a growing sense of inequality that is undermining trust in both society’s institutions and capitalism. People no longer believe hard work will lead them to a successful, better life.

Not long ago, an article in The Guardian explained this phenomenon and quoted an ex-corporate executive: “Ambition used to mean a bigger paycheque, a bigger brand, a more senior position […] Now I’d actually rather go and watch the sunset.” (www. theguardian.com/money/2022/jul/19/abigger-paycheck-id-rather-watch-the-sunsetis-this-the-end-of-ambition)

Dissatisfaction with modern work rigid hierarchies, bad management, boundaries that flex only one way had been mounting for decades, says Julia Hobsbawm, the author of The Nowhere Office

She states that the upheaval of 2020 not only revealed our jobs to be more flexible than many of us had been led to believe; but we were also reminded of the importance of health, hobbies and relationships our careers often seeming hollow by comparison. Now, says Hobsbawm, “there’s a widespread sense of ‘carpe diem’”.

So what does Islam say about all this? Does Islam wholeheartedly agree with the idea of carpe diem? What guidance can Islam offer in the wake of the anti-ambition age?

Ch.73: V.21)

Even when asking Muslims to sacrifice their sleep for worship, the Holy Prophetsa still demanded that, “When any one of you stands up for Salat at night and finds it difficult to recite the Holy Quran accurately and he is unaware of what he is reciting, he should go back to sleep [until he is able to regain consciousness].” (Riyadus-Salihin, Kitabul-Fazail, Hadith1186)

Therefore, to attain lofty spiritual heights, Muslims need not subject themselves to unnecessary burdens, thinking such hardships would please Allah. Instead, one ought to follow the commandments of the Holy Quran and strive to follow the model of the Holy Prophetsa

In this vein, the Promised Messiahas states:

Living a balanced life

First, let’s observe how Islam asks us to approach religious responsibility. Islam wholeheartedly supports living a balanced life. Islam puts it to Muslims that:

“Thus have We made you the people of the middle.” (Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.2: V.144)

This means Muslims have been directed to adopt a balance in all matters of life –including work, home and everything in between.

An example from the life of Prophet Muhammadsa makes this matter clearer. Once, a man became so engrossed in religion that he began to fast daily and pray all night. News of this reached the Holy Prophetsa and he advised the companion to fast for some days and give up fasting for some days; pray and sleep, stating: “your eyes have a right on you, and your body and your family have a right on you.” (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab asSaum, Hadith 1977)

In another narration, the Holy Prophetsa said to a companion:

“We [Muslims] were not commanded to practise asceticism.” (Musnad Ahmad Bin Hanbal, Musnad as-Sadiqah Aisha Bint As-Sadiq, Hadith 25893)

This narration proves Islam does not allow us to shun the daily pursuits of life. Instead, we are encouraged to engage and interact with the world, all the while worshipping Allah and following His commandments. We must find that perfect balance between the world and our Lord. This is the meaning of life according to Islam.

The Holy Quran also affirms this principle, and encapsulating all acts and forms of worship, commands us that:

good for yourselves.” (Surah at-Taghabun, Ch.64: V.17)

Allah does not desire hardship Success, then according to the Holy Quran means to do your best to follow the commandments of Allah without putting yourself in unnecessary hardship. Allah states:

“Allah desires [to give] you facility and He desires not hardship for you.” (Surah alBaqarah, Ch.2: V.186)

Reaffirming this principle, the Holy Prophetsa states:

“Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the glad tidings that you will be rewarded; and gain strength by worshipping in the mornings, the afternoons, and during the last hours of the nights.” (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Iman, Hadith 39)

On another occasion, the Holy Prophetsa stated:

“O people! Do only those good deeds which you can do, for Allah does not get tired (of giving reward) until you get tired, and the best deeds to Allah are the incessant ones even if they are few.” (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Libas, Hadith 5861)

This applies to even the most fundamental practices of Islam. Muslims are commanded to read the Holy Quran every day, but Allah still reminds Muslims that:

“There is no need for forty-day retreats in order to purify your soul. The companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, did not engage in such retreats, or perform the Sufi ‘invocation of the saw’ (dhikr-e-arra), or engage in meditative practices of ‘negation and affirmation’ (nafi-o-asbat), and so on. Quite the contrary, they had something entirely different at their disposal. They were engrossed in obedience to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.” (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 1, p. 195)

Therefore, if Islam does not require such rigorous religious duties, the same should apply to the world.

Islamic work ethics

Islam tells Muslims to do all sorts of acceptable jobs and earn a pure livelihood. However, they should always remember that whenever they are asked to make time for Allah, they must give priority to their worship. The Holy Quran states:

“[By] men, whom neither merchandise nor traffic diverts from the remembrance of Allah.” (Surah an-Nur, Ch.24: V38)

Similarly, speaking of attending the Friday prayer, Allah states that when the call is made for prayer on Friday, Muslims should hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave off all business. When the prayer concludes, they may freely go back to work and seek the bounties of Allah, keeping Allah’s name alive in their hearts.

However, Allah also states that:

“But when they see some merchandise or some amusement, they break up for it, and leave thee standing. Say, ‘That which is with Allah is better than amusement and merchandise, and Allah is the Best Provider.’” (Surah al-Jumuah, Ch.62: V.12)

Muslims have been admonished in the verse not to neglect their spiritual wellbeing in the pursuit of material gains and pastimes. This makes it clear that one should work, but make time for remembering Allah. During his work, he should continue to remember Allah.

“So fear Allah as best you can, and listen, and obey, and spend [in His cause]; it will be

“Recite, then, as much of the Qur’an as is easy [for you]. He knows that there will be some among you who may be sick and others who may travel in the land seeking Allah’s bounty, and others who may fight in the cause of Allah. So recite of it that which is easy [for you]” (Surah al-Muzzammil,

This also means we should not forget why we are working; to earn a livelihood so that we may help ourselves and those around us, and to continue worshipping Allah in sound health.

Similarly, the Holy Prophetsa also emphasised that a person should work

to earn a living. Issuing a strong rebuttal against begging as opposed to working, he stated:

“It is better for any one of you to tie a bundle of firewood and carry it on his back and sell it than to beg a person.” (Sahih Muslim, Kitab az-Zakat, Hadith 1042)

Similarly, the Holy Prophetsa states:

“Nobody has ever eaten a better meal than that which one has earned by working with one’s own hands. The Prophet of Allah, David[as], used to eat from the earnings of his manual labour.” (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Buyu’u, Hadith 2072)

All the above narrations make us understand that Islam is not against work. Rather, it looks upon those who work, especially with their hands, with great admiration. Islam also emphasises that we should work, but all the while remembering Allah, and not let our work get in the way of discharging our religious and moral responsibilities.

The Holy Quran, describing the purpose of man’s life, states:

“And I have not created the Jinn and the men but that they may worship Me.” (Surah adh-Dhariyat Ch.51: V.57)

Commenting on this verse, the Promised Messiahas states:

“The world must not be the centre of your aspirations. I reiterate this single point again and again because, in my estimation, worship is the sole purpose for which man has been created and it is this very instruction of which man is negligent.

“I do not say that you should abandon your worldly businesses, or forsake your wife and children to retreat to a jungle or a mountain. Islam does not deem this to be permissible and Islam does not allow asceticism. Islam desires to make man active, diligent and able.

“Therefore, I say that you ought to engage in your businesses with toil and labour. It is narrated in a Hadith that a person who owns land but does not use it for agriculture, will be accountable in the sight of God.

“Therefore, if someone understands this instruction to mean that they should detach themselves from the affairs of the world, they are mistaken. Not at all. The fact of the matter is that you ought to ensure that the pleasure of God Almighty is intended in the business that you engage in, and you must not ignore His will to give precedence to your own motives and emotions.” (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 1, p. 191)

At another occasion, the Promised Messiahas states:

“Islam does not make anyone slothful. You ought to engage in business and employment as well, but I do not approve that you should have no time at all for God.

“When it is time to engage in business, engage in business; but even then, keep the fear and awe of Allah Almighty in view so that even your businesses become a form of worship. When it is time for the Prayer, do not miss your Prayer. In every situation, whatever it may be, give precedence to religion.

“Let not the world itself become your objective; instead, religion ought to be the actual objective that you seek. When this becomes your way, even your worldly engagements will be deemed religious.” (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 3, pp. 51–52)

Ahmadi delegation meets Minister of Mass Media, Sri Lanka

A. Abdul Aziz Sri Lanka Correspondent

On 11 October 2022, a two-member delegation from Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Sri Lanka visited the Ministry of Mass Media in Colombo. The ministry officials welcomed

the delegation and arranged a meeting with Hon. Bandula Gunawardena, Minister of Mass Media.

Before the presentation of the Holy Quran’s Sinhala translation to the minister, the delegation briefed about Jamaat-eAhmadiyya and showed pictures of the

Promised Messiahas and Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa. The delegation also explained about the Ahmadiyya Peace Award to promote peace.

The minister was delighted and respectfully accepted the Holy Quran with Sinhala translation and the Sinhala translation of the books, Life of Muhammad and World Crisis and the Pathway To Peace

In regards to the book, World Crisis and the Pathway to Peace, the minister said, “Peace is very important and I will read it.”

Mrs Deepani, the Coordinative Secretary to the Minister, showed much interest in these matters and requested this literature for her as well, which was then gifted to her by the delegation.

Message of Islam conveyed at the High Sheriff of Warwickshire’s Legal Service

Shahzad Ahmad Missionary, Midlands, UK

Every year, a thanksgiving legal service is held by the High Sheriff in different counties of the UK, and with this legal service, the

new year starts.

One such legal service was held by the High Sheriff of Warwickshire and they invited Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Leamington Spa as well.

During this service, my humble self had

the opportunity to read out the last sermon of the Holy Prophetsa, which he delivered at the Farewell Pilgrimage.

In this way, Allah enabled the Leamington Spa Jamaat to convey the peaceful message of Islam to the attendees.

Tracing the roots of early Islam Ahmadiyyat in the

Years Ago...

Difference between the Ahmadiyya Community and the Other Muslims – Part II

The Review of Religions [English], October & November 1922

Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra MA (18931963)

The difference about revelation sketched in the previous pages [i.e. Part I of this article] developed into another very important and extremely interesting point of contest between Ahmad[as] and his Muslim opponents. Can the world receive any prophet after the great law-giver of Arabia,

[the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa]?

Ahmad, peace be with him, holds that though undoubtedly the law has found its completion in the Quran which is consequently meant for all peoples and all ages to come, even now one can attain prophethood by closely following in the footsteps of the Seal of the Prophets[sa] just as Ahmad[as] had done.

But the opponents of Ahmad[as] flatly

reject the coming of any prophet after the great Prophet[sa] of Islam, for “is not the Quran a perfect book?” Quite so, says Ahmad[as], but that does in no way concern the point in question. For the Israelites that lived before the Prophet[sa] of Islam, the Mosaic dispensation was quite perfect and yet they received scores of prophets after Moses[as]. Thus, the whole controversy centres around one point.

What is a prophet? Is it necessary that every prophet should bring a new book with him? Let Ahmad[as] speak first:

“The true significance of the term prophet has not been comprehended by my opponents. A prophet is none other than the one who is the recipient of Divine revelation and is in constant and very close communion with the Almighty. He may or may not be a law-giver. Similarly, it is not necessary for him to be not among the followers of any other greater prophet.”

But his opponents would not accept this definition, holding that every prophet must need make some changes in the teachings of the one who has gone before him or at least must have an independent position. Thus, anyone who claims to be a prophet after the Holy Founder[sa] of Islam is an infidel in their eyes deserving to be treated as an enemy of Islam.

Ahmad[as] sounded his loudest note to clear his position and repeatedly said that he had no independent position but was raised by God to serve the cause of Islam only. He wrote no book, published no handbill and made no speech in which he did not refute this objection in his usual eloquent way. But the very idea of the advent of a prophet after the seal of the prophets was alien to the minds of the Mullahs that Ahmad[as] had to deal with, and the masses, of course, were with the Mullahs.

The spirit of opposition can well be imagined from the fact that anyone who shook hands with Ahmad[as], nay, one who knowingly looked at him, was declared an outcast. Ahmad[as], however, was not to be baffled by such measures. He sharply turned on his assailants. Did they not themselves expect Jesus Christ to appear among them as a reformer of the latter days? What was Jesus, but a prophet that appeared among the Israelites nineteen centuries ago? Surely, if Jesus could come as a prophet after the Great Prophet[sa] of Arabia, why not Ahmad[as]? The more so when we see that Jesus got his prophethood independently of the Prophet[sa] of Islam, while Ahmad[as] was a servant of Muhammad, peace be with him, and was raised to the rank of a prophet only by closely following in his footsteps.

This was surely a home thrust. But the opponents of Ahmad[as] at once shifted ground. If prophethood only meant close communion with God, and anyone who received clear revelation from Him containing secrets of the future was a prophet, then the number of the Muslim prophets must have been pretty large. Ahmad[as] had a ready answer. A single pice [a unit of currency formerly used in the

subcontinent, equal to 1/64 of a rupee] is no doubt wealth, but the possessor of it is never called a wealthy person. So, with the point in question. It is true there have been many who dreamt true dreams and heard the voice of God revealing to them some secrets of the future, but they cannot be called prophets for they did not enjoy so close a communion with Him nor were they the recipients of such an extraordinarily large number of Divine revelations containing deep secrets of the future, which alone could entitle one to prophethood. This is why none save Ahmad[as] ever laid claim to that exalted rank after the Holy Founder of Islam.

The matter, however, was not to be settled so easily. The opponents of Ahmad[as] quoted passages from the Quran and the sayings of the Prophet[sa] which clearly said that Muhammad, peace be with him, was the last of the prophets. The Quran says, “Muhammad is the Seal of the Prophets,” which, they argued, evidently means that there is no prophet after him. But Ahmad[as] would not accept this explanation of the verse. Muhammad[sa] was the Seal of the Prophets, not in the sense that he was the last of the line, but in the sense that after him no one would attain to prophethood unless he had his impress attesting to his credentials. The seal was the verifying seal and not the closing one, as is amply borne out by the context. The whole verse runs thus: “Muhammad is not the father of any male among you, but he is an Apostle of God and the Seal of the Prophets.” Now there are two kinds of offspring, spiritual and of the body. In the above verse, the absence of the male heirs of the body is clearly mentioned. Now if the word ‘seal’ means the last, the verse would mean ‘Muhammad[sa] is the last of his line physically but the last of his line spiritually,’ which is absurd and does not make any sense. Hence, the seal is none other than the seal of verification. In this sense, Muhammad, peace be with him, is also a seal for those that lived before him. We have no proof of the truth of Abraham[as], Moses[as], David[as] or Jesus[as] or any other of the previous prophets save that they are mentioned as true prophets in the Quran. If we were to start independent inquiries about the truth of the previous prophets, setting aside Muslim literature on the point, we would surely find many among them that will fall too short of the true measure of truth on account of the ugly figures in which they are mostly represented in older scriptures. It is the Quran alone that shows them in their true colours and hence the epithet.

Ahmad[as] also quoted other verses from the Quran which supported the meaning he put upon the verse discussed above. In the Quran, we read, “Those who follow the Prophet of Islam are among those on whom God showered His blessings, i.e., the prophets, the siddiqs [i.e. the truthful], the martyrs, and the righteous.” Now, this verse clearly opens the door of prophethood for the followers of the Prophet[sa] of Islam. And again, in the very first Surah of the Quran, the most Merciful God teaches the faithful to pray to Him for the favours and blessings that He showed to those that have gone before them. Now if Muhammad[sa] was to be the last of the prophets in every sense of the word, the prayer taught by God becomes useless, for how can he pray [for this when] the door to prophethood, the greatest of the

Divine favours, is closed upon the Muslim! How extremely derogatory is this view to the Holy Founder[sa] of Islam! Minor prophets came and opened the doors of Divine favours to their followers, but here comes the greatest of the line, shutting those that were previously open as if he were a scourge of God sent to chastise those that happened to follow him. God forbid!

Then there is the hadith, i.e., the saying of the Prophet[sa]. But before viewing the problem from that point of view, it seems necessary to describe Ahmad’s attitude in regard to the traditions. I quote Ahmad[as] himself:

“The Book of God, (i.e., the Quran) is the most authenticated of all the literature of Islam. When any saying of the prophet is interpreted in accordance with the spirit of the Quran, it also becomes binding on every Muslim. But such of the traditions, as run counter to the clear verses of the sacred book, will have absolutely no weight. We will try as far as lies in our power to interpret such traditions in accordance with the spirit of the Quran, but if we fail, we will reject them as forged ones, though they may be quite genuine according to the traditionists.”

And again, “Even at their best, the sayings of the Prophet[sa] carry with them a tincture of doubt as to the genuineness of their origin. How can we then look upon them as equally authentic with the Book of God to which no such doubt attaches itself?” This Ahmad[as] wrote in answer to those who, while discussing his claims, clung to a few sayings of the Holy Quran. I may mention also that Ahmad[as] distinguished Sunnah from Hadith which are very often confused together and treated as one while, as a matter of fact, they are two entirely different things.

Sunnah is the practical ritual of the Prophet[sa] handed down to us not in the form of some written book or oral teaching but by the constant practice of the faithful. The sayings of the Prophet[sa] were collected more than a century after his death, but sunnah had its existence since the very days of the Prophet[sa]. An illustration will clear the point. In the Quran, the faithful are enjoined to say prayers. The number and the time of the prayers are not clearly mentioned. But by his practice, the Prophet[sa] showed to his immediate Companions[ra] that the number of the prayers enjoined was to be five and the times such and such. Those who came after them followed the example of their predecessors and so on. Thus, we see that sunnah is the theological practice of the Muslims handed down from age to age. It is true that sunnah also forms a part of the books of hadith, but the purely hadith portion is that which consists of those sayings of the prophet which have no practical bearing on the Islamic ritual.

Now to return to the subject. The Prophet[sa] is reported to have once said, “There is no prophet after me.” The sentence is too simple to have any hidden meaning and hence, anyone who claims to be a prophet after Muhammad, peace be with him, is an impostor. This is how the opponents of Ahmad[as] argue.

But Ahmad[as] says that the words of the above tradition only mean that there is no independent prophet after Muhammad, blessings of God be upon him, or else why does Muhammad[sa] himself call the reformer of the latter days by the name of

prophet in another well-known saying of his?

Moreover, there is a saying of Ayesha[ra], the favourite wife of the Prophet[sa] which determines the meaning of the tradition in question. It runs thus, “Say ye that Muhammad is the seal of the prophets but say not that there is no prophet after him.” This also determines the meaning of the word ‘seal’ used in the Quranic verse discussed above. In one sense, however, Muhammad[sa] was really the last of the prophets, and Ahmad[as] though himself claiming to be a prophet of God often calls him as such. Because after Muhammad[sa] there can be no independent prophet which means that after him none can attain to prophethood unless he so closely follows him in his footsteps, that like a mirror he begins to reflect in full the excellences of his master and merges himself into the person of Muhammad[sa] so completely as to lose his independent individuality and thus become one with him.

It is obvious that such a one will, along with his other excellences also, inherit the prophethood of his master and thus be called a prophet. His prophethood, however, will be no new prophethood but the same old one mirrored in a new form.

In this sense, it makes no difference, if we take the word ‘seal’ used in the Quran in the sense of a closing seal, for surely such a prophethood will not break that seal as explained above. “Yes, if Christ were to appear in person,” Ahmad[as] would often humorously remark, “then indeed the seal will be broken, for Christ was an independent prophet and so his prophethood can never be called a reflex of that of Muhammad, peace be with him.”

The readers will remember that the [other] Muslims expect Christ to descend in person from the heavens to the earth as the Promised Reformer of the Latter Days which Ahmad[as] claimed to be.

Then there is another saying of the

prophet which runs thus, “If the door of prophethood be open after me, Omar would be one.” In this, the opponents of Ahmad[as] see clear proof of Muhammad’s being the last of the prophets in every sense of the word.

But if we consider this tradition carefully and interpret it in the light of history, it will not be difficult to see the weakness of the argument. It is not unknown to the students of Islamic history that Omar[ra] was a great statesman. This fact eminently appears in the period of his caliphate, but even in his early life, when he was only in the background as a disciple of the Prophet[sa], we see clear instances of this natural gift of law-making in him. It sometimes happened that Omar[ra] gave his opinion on some important matter and while the Prophet[sa] still hesitated to act, he received the Divine revelation that told him that Omar[ra] was right. It was this that led the Prophetsa to say that if the door of the prophethood be open after him, Omar[ra] would be a prophet of God. This shows that in the tradition mentioned above, the word prophet is used in the sense of a prophet with a law and surely, in this sense, the Prophetsa of Islam is absolutely the last.

I conclude this subject with a quotation from Ahmad[as], “All the doors of prophethood are closed save one, i.e., that of completely losing one’s individuality in that of the Prophet[sa]. One that approaches the Almighty through this door begins to reflect the same old prophethood of Muhammad[sa]. He becomes a prophet, but we cannot call him a new prophet, for he is one with his master.”

And again, “I am a prophet because I am one with Muhammad[sa]. I got this rank by losing myself in the person of the Prophet[sa] and hence the seal remains intact, but Christ cannot descend to the earth without breaking it.”

(Transcribed by Al Hakam from the original, published in The Review of Religions, October and November 1922)

A beloved remembered

[Imams for leading salat in Qadian]

In the early days when I went to Qadian, there would be only three to four worshipers in Masjid Mubarak and Hafiz Moinuddin Sahib used to lead the prayers.

When Hazrat Maulvi Nuruddin Sahibra migrated to Qadian in 1902, the Promised Messiahas appointed him as the imam in the [Ahmadiyya] mosques and he used to lead the prayers.

([The date 1902] seems to be a scribal error as Hazrat Maulana Hakim Nuruddin Sahibra had migrated to Qadian by March 1893. — Publisher)

Thereafter, when Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahibra also migrated to Qadian, Hazrat Maulvi Nuruddin Sahibra requested him to lead the prayers and he continued to be the imam till his final years of life.

The Promised Messiahas would often perform the Jumuah prayer in Masjid Mubarak [adjacent to his residence] because of his health condition. As all the worshipers could not be accommodated in Masjid Mubarak, the Jumuah prayers were also held in Masjid Aqsa on a regular basis.

In Masjid Aqsa, Hazrat Maulvi Nuruddin Sahibra used to lead the Jumuah, and Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahibra used to lead the Friday prayers in Masjid Mubarak. When Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahibra would go out of town and Maulvi Muhammad Ahsan Sahibra was present in Qadian, he would lead the Jumuah prayers [in Masjid Mubarak]. When Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahibra migrated and settled in Qadian, he served as the imam and would lead the prayers.

Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahibra used to regularly recite basmalah out loud before reciting Surah al-Fatihah, and in the last rakat of Fajr, Maghrib, and Isha, after ruku, he would generally recite some prayers aloud. For example, he used to recite:

[“O Allah, support Islam and the Muslims with a Hakim and Adil (Judge and Just Arbiter) Imam.”]

In the absence of Hazrat Maulvi [Abdul Karim] Sahibra, whilst he would be on a journey or could not come for salat due to some other reasons, Maulvi Hakim Fazluddin Sahibra, this humble one or a certain other person was called by the Promised Messiahas to lead the prayer. The Promised Messiahas himself would not [lead the prayers]. After the demise of Hazrat

Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahibra, Hazrat Maulvi Nuruddin Sahib, Khalifatul Masih Ira, always [led the prayers] as an imam.

[Hakim Fazluddin Sahib]

Hakim Fazluddin Sahibra, who was my compatriot and a benefactor, may Allah grant him high ranks in paradise, was one of the early companions of the Promised Messiahas. He was a Hafiz [one who has committed the entire Holy Quran to memory] and a scholar of religious sciences. On certain occasions, he also used to be the imam of salat. Hakim Sahibra had the

problem of flatulence due to haemorrhoids in the later years of his life and thus his ablution would not last. Consequently, he used to perform the ablution once and start his prayer, and then he would continue to pray despite the repeated discharge of flatus. He would perform a fresh ablution for each prayer. During the days of his illness, the Promised Messiahas once asked him, “Hakim Sahib! Please lead us in prayer.” He said, “Huzoor! You know that my ablution does not last.” The Promised Messiahas smiled and said, “Is your prayer deemed valid or not?” He said, “As far as this issue

[“O

of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and make me one of them; and humiliate those who humiliate the religion of Muhammadsa and do not make me one of them.”]

مہللا

Masjid Mubarak, Qadian: The Promised Messiahas would spend many evenings in this mosque, where he would explain the true message of Islam. As part of the spiritual and moral training of his Companionsra, he held these sittings to motivate them.

is concerned, my prayer is considered valid.”

The Promised Messiahas said, “If your prayer is deemed valid, then ours will be considered valid as well, so please lead us in prayer.”

[The Promised Messiah’s manner of leading the prayer]

In the beginning, when there were not more than three or four worshipers at the time of prayer in Qadian, Hafiz Moinuddin Sahib in Masjid Mubarak and Mian Jan Muhammad Sahib Kashmiri used to lead the prayers in Masjid Aqsa as an imam. It has been narrated that sometimes the Promised Messiahas used to lead the prayer, but this happened before I came here [in Qadian]. In the last years of his life, when the Promised Messiahas mostly could not come out, he used to lead the women of his family in Maghrib and Isha prayers combined. As an imam of salat, the Promised Messiahas would neither recite the basmalah out loud nor perform rafa yadain [raise hands more than once while offering salat], rather he would fold his arms on his chest and raise his index finger in tashahhud Apparently, the Promised Messiahas would perform the rest of the prayer in the manner of the Hanafis

[Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahib]

Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahibra always recited the basmalah out loud in the prayer and in the last rakat, he would stand up after ruku‘ and recite some prayers aloud. The Promised Messiahas and other elders of Islam prayed for years behind Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahibra and this is the reason why some companions of that time, like Sufi Ghulam Muhammad Sahibra, missionary to Mauritius, still follow the same style.

Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahibra was a very zealous person and used to strictly stop people from doing bad deeds and draw their attention towards good deeds. One day, while sitting in the clinic, he stopped Mian Allahdin Philosopher Sahib from doing something, but he resisted. Consequently, a strong man present there caught him and beat him. The Maulvi Sahib also beat him.

The Philosopher Sahib made a very loud sound and crying aloud he passed through the yard and entered the street where the Promised Messiahas could hear his voice.

Hearing his cries, the Promised Messiahas sent a man and inquired about the matter. He then sent him some money and food and assured him that those who had caused the harm would be held accountable. A message was also sent to Maulvi Sahibra and he was questioned about the matter. It was summer. When the Promised Messiahas came for Maghrib prayer, he was walking on the rooftop of the first floor of Masjid Mubarak, which had not been extended by that time, and his face was red. The Promised Messiahas admonished Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahibra and said, “How was it appropriate for you to dare to do such a thing when the Messenger of God is among you?” Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahibra was very ashamed. He cried and apologised. Consequently, the Promised Messiahas sat on the shah-nasheen [an elevated platform] and raised his hands to pray and the whole congregation prayed and many cried. Everyone had a strong emotional effect and Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahibra called the Philosopher Sahib and apologised to him and made him happy by

giving him something.

Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahibra had a healthy body, was of short stature, but was disabled in one foot. Due to that, he used to walk with the help of a stick. He was disabled in one eye and always wore glasses. He had birthmarks on his face, but he was very good-looking and had a very strong voice. His voice was very loud and pleasant. When he would recite the Holy Quran in the Fajr prayer, his voice was heard in entire Qadian and all the listeners enjoyed it very much.

[Mufti Muhammad Sadiq]

At the end of 1890, I [Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahibra] entered into the bai‘at of the Promised Messiahas. After that, as long as I was employed in Jammu, I used to visit Qadian almost every summer and sometimes I would attend the service of the Promised Messiahas twice a year.

After passing the FA examination in 1895, which I passed privately from Jammu, in the months of August and September, I left employment in Jammu State and joined

the Lahore Islamia School. After working there for six months, I became a clerk in the office of the Accountant General, Punjab, Lahore, and remained there until my migration, which took place in January 1901. When I moved to Lahore, I was able to visit Qadian more frequently.

When I left the job in Jammu and decided to take up a job in Lahore and consulted with the elders about this matter, they all appreciated it and said that the main reason for endorsing it was that in Lahore, the opportunity for excelling in knowledge and advancing in other fields was very high. However, when I presented this matter before the Promised Messiahas, Huzoor liked it and said that the reason for appreciating it was that Lahore was closer to Qadian than Jammu.

Whenever I used to come to Qadian, whether for a day or for three or four days, I would get the opportunity to do some religious service. I would also get special delight in worshipping and praying. Consequently, my mind gradually shifted

away from worldly activities and the duties of the government job and I felt the desire to give up my employment and move to Qadian and perform some religious service.

It was probably the year 1898 and I was living in the neighbourhood of Mozang, Lahore, as that place was near the office of the Accountant General. I sent the first written request to the Promised Messiahas to allow me to discontinue my job and migrate to Qadian. In response to this, the Promised Messiahas wrote to me that, “It is necessary for a believer to stay ���ا ماﻗأ ام ﻰف [‘where Allah has made him stay’]. That is, where Allah the Exalted has made him stand and provided him sustenance, he should stand there with patience. Unless there arises a reason for you to be called to Qadian for some work, [you should stay there]. However, since you have decided to migrate, you will continue to get its reward.”

(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu in Zikr-e-Habib, pp. 17-21)

“Ahmadiyya Park”: Canadian city renames park, recognising community support by Ahmadi Muslims

Syed Mukarram Nazeer Canada Correspondent

The city of Brampton is home to the Mubarak mosque of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Canada, located about 20 km west of the Bait-ul-Islam mosque. Close to 10,000 Ahmadis call it their home. They are active members of the city, giving back in any way possible. This includes cleaning parks, raising funds for the local hospital and actively participating in local civic life.

The city of Brampton recently recognised this by renaming a city park as the “Ahmadiyya Park”. The formal ceremony took place on 24 September 2022.

The ceremony commenced with a recitation from the Holy Quran with its English translation. The opening remarks by Mayor Patrick Brown, who recognised the services of Jamaat Canada in his city, were given next. He mentioned the raising of over $100,000 to support various community

and charity programmes that the Jamaat achieved and appreciated the setting up of multiple Covid-19 vaccine clinics, food drives and blood donation clinics at the Mubarak mosque. He concluded by saying that he hoped the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community would also feel the love from the city of Brampton and thanked the Jamaat for all they have done in Brampton.

The mayor was followed by a long list of dignitaries, each of whom appreciated the contributions of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya in Brampton. These included federal ministers and members of parliament, provincial ministers and members of provincial parliament, regional councillors, city officials, police and fire chiefs and local media personalities.

Amir Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Canada, Lal Khan Malik Sahib, delivered a speech at the end and emphasised the vital role parks play in the lives of residents. He said:

“It is a place to bring together families,

children to play, or just to take a break from a hectic day. To know that our Brampton neighbours will find peace and sanctuary to reflect and play right here in Ahmadiyya Park gives us immense feelings of gratification.”

He thanked mayor Patrick Brown, regional councillor Michael Palleschi and Brampton City Council for the naming of Ahmadiyya Park. He also thanked all the dignitaries and members of the Jamaat for attending.

On behalf of the government of Canada, a member of the federal parliament from Brampton North, Ms Ruby Sahota awarded Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee pin to amir sahib Jamaat Canada for his outstanding commitment and services.

Souvenir pens engraved with the Jamaat logo, “Ahmadiyya Park Brampton” and “Love For All Hatred For None”, were gifted to dignitaries and guests.

Over 650 individuals attended the historic ceremony.

Ago...

The first English weekly “Al-Bushra” and news from Ahmadiyya missions

The Moslem Sunrise, October 1922

Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra (18721957)

Ahmadia news [Qadian]

The various activities at the headquarters (Qadian, India) are all making good progress. Our weekly Al Fazl prints a large list of new members every week. His Hazrat, the Khalifatul Masih [IIra], has been busy writing an epistle addressed to His Majesty, the Amir of Afghanistan. Brother Abdullah Allahdin, the famous editor and author of many books for the [Ahmadiyya] Movement, has recently secured three more new converts to Islam. His Hazrat, the Khalifatul Masih, has not been enjoying very good health, but [despite] all this, he continued working strenuously for the cause of truth just the same.

Maulvi Muhammad Din BA, late manager of Talim-ul-Islam High School Qadian and editor of The Review of Religions, has been appointed to work in this country and is expected to reach here in the month of October 1922. He has been living at the headquarters of the Ahmadia Movement and studying and practising the Sacred Knowledge under the directions of the Promised Messiah[as] and his successors for more than twenty years and is thus a very fit person for the mission work abroad. May Allah help him and make him successful.

The result of our Qadian High School examination in the number of successful candidates has been very good, which evinces the diligence of the headmaster, Qazi Abdullah, and his assistants in the teaching work. The Punjab University has granted the title of Maulvi Fazil (Honors in Arabic) to three more students of our Divinity School this year.

[London]

Our missionary in London, England (Maulvi Mubarak Ali), helped by his young voluntary associates, delivered the message of truth to many of the celebrities in England, including the various foreign ambassadors, and delivered several lectures in the open public park and in the Mission House. One of his recent converts from the English people is Mr Sydney Blashill.

Brother Azizuddin, during his commercial tours in the British Isles, loses no opportunity to deliver the message of Islam to those he comes in touch with, and Messrs. Augusto, Khalid, Zubair, Allahdin and Chaudhry devote all the time they can spare from their studies to the work of God and His Holy Prophet[sa] Jaza-hum Allahu Khaira [May Allah grant them the best of rewards].

[Africa]

Professor AR Nayyar is busy educating his vast and widespread fold of African Ahmadi Moslems and has published a very useful short and pithy circular, named “What Is the Ahmadia Movement?”

Maulvi FR Hakeem, our missionary in Gold Coast, has secured 117 new converts

to the Ahmadia Movement.

[Ceylon]

The Message (published weekly at 30 Short Rds., Colombo, Ceylon, subscription $2 per annum) of 28 June [1922] has among others, a very interesting article by Ali Muhammad Abdullah, a civil service student in London.

[Eygpt]

Shaikh Mahmud Ahmad has started his work at 19 Shara Khairiat Street, Cairo, Egypt.

[Australia]

Mr H Musa Khan has been doing good work in sending communications in favour of Islam and Ahmadia Movement to the periodicals of Australia at an average rate of one every day. He names his articles as Moslem Sunshine, and as he informs us in his letter dated 11 July 1922, he had sent up fifty-one communications up to that date. He had also a strange experience of giving the message [of Islam] to the original inhabitants of Australia where, lying sick in a forest camp, he was miraculously helped by Allah and enabled to return to Perth in better physical and financial conditions. His address is GPO, Box 305, Perth, West Australia.

[Eid celebrations in London]

The Eid celebrations in our London Mosque have been reported by London Press as a complete success. We quote the following lines from Southfield Boro News of London, dated 11 August 1922, and West Africa of 3 June 1922:

“Id-ul-Azha or the Muslim festival of Sacrifice, was celebrated at the Ahmadia Mosque, Southfields, on Friday. Prayers were offered in the garden behind the Mosque at 11:30 am. The Imam gave a sermon in English, in which he compared the Islamic idea of sacrifice with the Christian idea of atonement.

“A Spanish lady, a student of the London University, joined the fold of Islam, and in a neat little speech gave her reasons for her conversion. The visitors were treated to luncheon with Indian dishes, and with tea in the afternoon.

“His Excellency Sardar Abdul Hadi Khan, the Afghan Ambassador, the Afghan Consul, and their staff, members of Riff (Morocco) delegation, Prof. HM Leon, Madame Leon, and many other ladies and gentlemen came in the afternoon.

“A meeting was held at 5 pm, in which the imam or head of the Ahmadia Islamic Mission in London, read his annual report. After that Mr MB Janjua, barrister-at-law, gave a lecture on “Islam and Socialism,” in which he contended that no real socialism existed before the advent of the great prophet (Muhammad[sa]), and that Islam was the only cure for Europe’s unhappy groping after a Socialism that was based on a true religious foundation.

“The Afghan Minister, the President, Mr WH Owen, President of the National

Secular Society, and several other gentlemen spoke in appreciation of the work of the London Ahmadia Mission. A Riff delegate also spoke, and expressed his pleasure to meet Moslems from different parts of the world.

“In a sermon, Mr Mubarak Ali reminded his hearers of what the last of the great prophets of the world, Muhammad[sa] of Arabia, had laid down for Islam; that the festival observed by the Moslem at the end of the lunar month, which began this year on 28 April [1922] and ended the previous day, was for self-discipline and hygienic reasons. During the month of fasting Moslems were strictly enjoined to lead a good life. The object of this was to prove to a man that if he could practise and lead a good life for one month, he could lead a good life for the rest of the year. Mr Mubarak Ali stated that this Movement was destined to be the salvation of India in the near future, for it was welding the Hindu and the Moslem neighbours for a thousand years who had never really come together before. Ahmad’s message had a deep significance for India and the world. The highest ideal for India was not political freedom. Ahmad’s was a spiritual message. India was an epitome of the world, and it was not for nothing that so many races and communities met there. Islam had received a great impetus from the Ahmadia movement.

“Some explanation of the origin and strength of the movement, which is spreading all over the world, will not be out of place here. Its founder was Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad[as], who, the Promised Messiah, died in 1908. The Movement began in the Punjab. Ahmad[as] lived as an unassuming man, with about 400,000 followers, chiefly in India – the northwestern parts. Today, there are probably 500,000 members in the Movement, but the number is steadily growing. Ahmad’s first successor was Hazrat Maulvi Nur-ud-Din. He died in 1914. Today, Hazrat Mirza Besheer-udDin Mahmud Ahmad[ra] is the head of the Ahmadiyya community.

“What is he like, then, the high priest of truth and piety, who represents the Ahmadiyya Movement today?

“In a small peaceful town, increased from a small village, owing to the prosperity of the Movement, some 11 miles northeast of Batala, Punjab, lives the social and religious reformer. The road to Qadian is always crowded with pilgrims, who come to pay homage from all parts of the globe. What Jerusalem is to a Christian or Benares to a Hindu, that or more is Qadian to an Ahmadi.

“Imagine the head of the movement, seated on a small patch of carpet. He is in neat and simple dress. His head is bent, his eyes are half closed. He lifts up a majestic head. You see a face half pleasant, half prophet-like. Sympathy thrills in his voice. His manner is meek. Yet he is wise. That is the leader of the movement, distinguished by its discipline and organization.

“The word Islam means the pure, divine, intelligent existence. In Islam, no church

has ever had seats reserved for anybody. If an African or a European entered first, and took the front seat, the Sultan, if he happened to follow, would not think of removing him from that seat. ‘I tread under the feet the racial prejudice,’ said the Prophet Muhammad[sa]. Arabic is the common language of all Moslems, and Moslem is not the name of a particular exclusive nationality. He belongs to no one country, and he knows no distinctions of colour.

“While a great deal of misconceptions exists regarding the Ahmadia Movement in Islam – chiefly among those who will not trouble to understand it, though a wellknown writer the other day dragged in Islam when considering the fate of Turkey – there is nothing concerning it that cannot be grasped. It is of supreme importance, however, to appreciate that Ahmadia is a religious movement purely, having nothing to do with politics. Its adherents do not eat pork or drink wine, and they follow the religious observances imposed by the Master-Prophet Muhammad[sa]. Its headquarters are at Qadian, Punjab, and there are branches all over India, Burmah, Ceylon, China, Australia, Mesopotamia, Persia, Arabia, Egypt, East Africa, Mauritius, West Africa, England and the United States.

“In West Africa, from where, it is understood, the Movement arrived here, the branch is at Saltpond, with Professor AR Nayyar, Phil B, as a missionary; in Lagos, at 62 Bangabose Street; and in Sierra Leone. During the last 12 months, 16,000 people in West Africa have joined the Movement. It is one of the articles of faith that members of Ahmadia should obey the laws of the country in which they live.

“The last-named fact explains much concerning the welding of Hindu and Moslem in India under Ahmadia and – the ideals of the Movement – that the Muhammadans of India before Ahmad[as] did not recognise the prophets of the Hindus. Ahmad[as] taught them differently. This paved the way for the unity of Hindus and [Muslims] on a spiritual basis and led to the extension of the Movement to Britain. All the followers of Ahmadia devoutly believe in the prophecy of Ahmad[as] that Islam will spread to all parts of the world and eventually become the predominant religion. The important thing is that the Ahmadia Movement in Islam teaches the highest ideals – peace [and] submission to the will of God. Islam is the name of the religion of Muhammadans, who do not regard Muhammad[sa] as a god, but as a man, a prophet. Nor do they call themselves Mohammedans, but Moslem.”

Al-Bushra

We have now on our table the first four numbers of “Al-Bushra,” the first English weekly started at Qadian (Punjab, India). It is full of readable, interesting matter. Friday Sermon and the table-talks of our Blessed Leader are very instructive features. Subscription $4 per annum. We strongly recommend it to the Moslems and the Seekers of truth in this country. The subscription can be sent to the office of The Moslem Sunrise, 4448 Wabash Ave., Chicago, Illinois.

(Transcribed by Al Hakam from the original, published in The Moslem Sunrise, October 1922)

Develop leadership qualities and benefit from your God-gifted abilities: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s advice to the Ahmadi youth

Ata-ul-Haye Nasir Al Hakam

On 24 August 1953, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IIra delivered a speech at an event held by Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Karachi, Pakistan at the Ahmadiyya Hall.

In the beginning, Huzoorra said that in addition to establishing majalis in different areas, the members of Majlis Khuddam-ulAhmadiyya were required to fulfil the aims and objectives behind the establishment of this auxiliary. If such a realisation was instilled within khuddam, it would bring about a huge revolution within the Jamaat.

Huzoorra continued by saying that the progress of a nation depended on its youth. Therefore, the Ahmadi youth needed to inculcate leadership qualities within themselves and be prepared to fulfil any kind of responsibility. While elaborating on this point, Huzoorra presented an example:

“For instance, if every soldier of an army instils within themselves a mindset that they

might become the commander-in-chief in the future, they will strive to mould their actions and character in a manner that will make them eligible for that post, and thus, a time will come when all soldiers of that army will have the capability to hold the

endeavours, the two crucial factors are immense knowledge and perfect implementation. The attainment of vast knowledge requires a person to deeply learn about their respective community, religion or political group. Similarly, the perfect

Himself] in a different state.’ (Surah arRahman, Ch.55: V.30)

“The word ناش implies an unexpected and unprecedented thing, therefore موی لک ناش یف

means that the attributes of God Almighty have such glory that every day He transforms the circumstances in this world.

“Therefore, human beings – who have been created [by God] as a means to fulfil His Will in this world – are required to make continuous efforts [to bring about a revolution]. [...] To ensure one’s efforts produce the best results, they are required to think innovatively and out of the box, however, once a person leaves aside these traits, their efforts prove to be unfruitful.” (Daily al-Musleh of Karachi, 25 August 1953, pp.1-2)

While advising Ahmadi youth to make full efforts in preaching the message of Islam, Huzoorra said:

“You need to ponder as to how you can make your tabligh efforts fruitful. In this regard, you cannot satisfy your heart by saying ‘our duty is to make efforts, however, the result is in the hands of God, and if we did not get any satisfactory result, we are not to be blamed’. There is no doubt that it is only in Allah’s hands to produce results, however, God is not an oppressor that He would let someone’s efforts go to waste.

“The point is, why did God not let the efforts of Abrahamas, Noahas, Mosesas, Buddhaas, and Ramchandaras go to waste? The only reason was that they fulfilled their responsibilities in their true essence.

“Therefore, you are required to increase your efforts, instead of sitting idle. It is completely wrong to say that ‘we failed because the result was in the hands of God’. [...] God grants a result for a reason. Our God has His laws. He is not like a dictator.

position of commander-in-chief.

“On the contrary, if every soldier in that army has a mindset that ‘I can never become the commander-in-chief’, then that army will gradually weaken and a time will come when there will be not a single person who could hold the responsibilities of that post.

“Therefore, it is necessary for the progress of a community that each member instils within themselves a passion that they can fulfil the responsibilities of any nature.

Until everyone strives to leap forward with such a mindset, a nation cannot have the required capability for its protection, survival and progress. Thus, every one of you is required to strive in such a manner that enables you to fulfil the responsibility of any nature upon need.

“To succeed in such efforts and

implementation requires one to abide by the discipline, rules and regulations of [their respective] community. Moreover, one also needs to instil within themselves a habit of contemplation and thinking out of the box, since one cannot leap forward and progress until one inculcates within themselves these traits.

“From a national perspective, one cannot deem a certain level of progress to be the highest possible level. There has been no nation in this world which could have claimed that ‘we have progressed to such a level, beyond which no one can progress’.

“The Holy Quran has stated the glory of Allah the Almighty by saying:

“Meaning that ‘Everyday He [reveals

“There is wisdom behind each of His acts. [...] He says that if one becomes deserving, He will surely reward them. [...] The result is undoubtedly in the hands of God, however, He has set some laws to turn the results in one’s favour.” (Ibid, p. 2)

Huzoorra continued:

“If you ever wonder as to why the world opposes us [Ahmadis], you should ponder over the reason behind this opposition. The reason is that truthful communities have always been opposed. It is true, however, you also need to ponder whether such opposition will continue forever. Didn’t the people of the past find a way to tackle such opposition? Did Adamas, Noahas, Abrahamas, Mosesas and Jesusas surrender to

Huzoor’s departure from Dallas, arrival in Silver Spring, Maryland and other activities

Faran Rabbani USA Correspondent

9 October 2022 was the day of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V’saa departure from Dallas, Texas. The day began with the Fajr prayer. Afterwards, Huzooraa went to his residence and then came out at around 11 am. The local Jamaat  amila had the honour of having a group photo with Huzooraa Various departmental  nazimeen also had their group photo with Huzooraa, followed by the Ziafat department volunteers.

After the group photos, Huzooraa went around the complex to see and greet everyone before leading everyone present in silent prayer. After the  dua, Huzoor’s  qafila left Bait-ul-Ikram Mosque complex for the airport, where a chartered plane was awaiting Huzooraa and the accompanying entourage. This brought the second leg of the tour to a successful end. During

Huzoor’s stay in Dallas, Huzooraa met 716 members of the Jamaat, alhamdulillah.

There were around 70 members of Huzoor’s entourage that travelled on the “Khilafat Flight” KF2022 from Dallas to Baltimore. The “Khilafat Flight” departed Dallas at around 12:30 pm for Baltimore, Maryland.

It was a short 2.5-hours flight to Baltimore. After landing at around 4 pm, one of the  naib amir of the USA Jamaat, Falahuddin Shams Sahib, along with general secretary Mukhtar Malhi Sahib and Sadr MKA Dr Madeel Abdullah Sahib received Huzooraa and the members of the entourage at the airport. After exiting the airport, the entourage was quickly escorted by the police and was on the way to the national headquarters of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya USA at Baitur Rahman Mosque in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Around 3,000 members had gathered to welcome Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa. Once again, the members had come from different places to see and welcome their beloved Khalifa. The members had gathered here from at least 10 countries: USA, Canada, the UK, Mexico, Bangladesh, Sweden, Bolivia, Brazil, Pakistan, and Belize.

After arriving at the Baitur Rahman Mosque, Huzooraa got off his car and then walked towards his residence while he was welcomed and greeted by the members that had gathered there and had been waiting for several hours for beloved Huzooraa. Young Nasirat and Atfal were reciting taranas while the elders were raising various slogans to express their love for Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya.

At around 5:30 pm, Huzooraa went to the mosque and led everyone in Zuhr and Asr prayers.

At Baitur Rahman complex, there were

several marquees that have been set up for the overflow of worshippers. The Lajna were being accommodated in their respective hall on the upper floor of the mosque as well as in their own overflow marquees outside. There was a separate  Langar arrangement for men and women.

As the evening drew near, the mosque started to get filled with worshippers lining up hours ahead of the Maghrib prayer in order to get a spot inside the main prayer hall of Baitur Rahman Mosque. After the mosque was filled, the members were directed to fill the overflow marquees. At about 8:30 pm, Huzooraa went to the mosque and led everyone in Maghrib and Isha prayers and then retired to his residence for the night.

10 October 2022

The next day, Huzooraa inaugurated

the national headquarters of the Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya USA,  Sira-eKhidmat, that had been acquired in January 2020. Motamid MKA USA, Zafir Ahmed Sahib reports that Huzooraa arrived at the property at 1:20 pm, unveiled the plaque and then led everyone present in silent prayer.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, attendance at the inauguration event was limited to about 75 people, which included the national  amila  of USA Jamaat and MKA USA amila. The property is spread over 0.55 acres, and located half a mile away from the

Baitur Rahman Mosque in Silver Spring, MD.

After this, Huzooraa returned to Baitur Rahman Mosque and led the Zuhr and Asr prayers. In the evening, the family mulaqats began.

11 October 2022

The Ghanaian ambassador to the US, HE Hajia Alima Mahama came to meet Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa. Afterwards, Huzooraa met 32 Ahmadi families, comprising of 151 members. And then, later in the evening, Huzooraa met around 500

Continued from page 17

such opposition? If they did not surrender, then why should we surrender and why shouldn’t we find such a way through which the opposition automatically wipes off? [...]

“The Holy Prophetsa had created within his companionsra a habit of contemplation and thoughtfulness, which gave them a great passion to make practical efforts. For this reason, there was never a vacuum after the demise of a certain individual; rather, in every instance, a certain leader would come forward and the Muslims continued to move towards success and progress. [...]

“Therefore, one should always act with wisdom and contemplation. If you act like this, then every one of you will become eligible to be a leader. The characteristic which protects a nation from various kinds of danger is that each of its members instils within themselves leadership qualities. [...]

“There is no doubt that afflictions may befall any nation; they can be murdered and thrown out of their homes, however, if they have the habit of contemplation, they can surely find ways to escape those troubles.” (Ibid)

During his Friday Sermon on 17 September 1954, Huzoorra said:

“There are two kinds of ‘wealth’ in this world; one which is earned by a person and second which has been granted to mankind by God Almighty [i.e. the intellectual abilities].” (Al Fazl, 6 October 1954, p. 1)

Huzoorra said that intellectual abilities are granted to mankind equally by Allah the Almighty, which includes wisdom, memory, sagacity and the capability to contemplate. Huzoorra added that it was unfortunate for

Ahmadis in group mulaqats

Huzooraa also gave time to 46 new converts and current tabligh contacts. One of the  tabligh contacts, Mr Christopher Meyer II from Orlando, requested Huzooraa that he would like to convert and give his  bai’at at the hands of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa Huzooraa graciously approved his request for the next day after Zuhr and Asr prayers.

12 October 2022

The ambassador of Sierra Leone to the US, HE Sidique Abou-Bakarr Wai had the honour of meeting Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa in the morning. Afterwards, Mr Shobana Shankar, a professor at Stony Brook University had an audience with Huzooraa Next to have an audience with Huzooraa was the first secretary of the Gambian Embassy, Mr Saikou Ceesay.

After meeting with the dignitaries, the  mulaqats with Ahmadis resumed and Huzooraa met with 36 Ahmadi families, comprising of 162 individuals.

After Zuhr and Asr prayers, Huzooraa held a  bai’at ceremony at the mosque. Mr Christopher Meyer II had the honour to give his oath of allegiance to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa by giving his hand in Huzoor’s hand. Everyone present made the human chain by placing their hand on the shoulder of the person in front. The entire mosque was full of worshippers and the overflow marquees also had a significant number of rows filled. Everyone was able to take part in this extraordinary experience of bai’at

one to not value this “wealth”. Those who valued their intellectual capabilities and properly utilised them were destined to be successful in their respective fields and objectives.

After narrating some incidents which exhibited the wisdom of Ayaz (a servant of Sultan Mahmud Ghazanvi) and Christopher Columbus, Huzoorra said:

“God-gifted abilities are thousands of times more precious than material wealth. I have time and time again called the attention of the Jamaat members towards benefitting from their God-gifted abilities.” (Ibid, p. 4)

While advising the Jamaat, Huzoorra said:

“Therefore, I advise you to make a habit of acting with wisdom and sagacity, and if you do so, no community can ever compete with you. Although the Europeans are acting with wisdom and sagacity, they do not have the nur [divine light] of faith. It is as if they have eyes but without light and they have hands but without any movement. [...]

“You have been granted with nur [divine light] of the Holy Quran. If you act with sagacity and wisdom, you will have a shining eye and an active hand. As a result, even the European nations will be unable to compete with you.” (Ibid, pp. 4-5)

Huzoorra said it was the duty of parents and teachers to enlighten the minds of the new generation.

In the end, Huzoorra said:

“Certainly, if you benefit from the Godgifted wealth [intellectual abilities], you will attain so many achievements that you will begin to feel ashamed for asking God Almighty for any more.” (Ibid, p. 5)

At around 6 pm, Huzooraa visited the MTA earth station at the Baitur Rahman complex. Huzooraa received a tour and a brief report from Chaudhry Munir Sahib, director of MTA International Masroor Teleport North and South America.

A few minutes later, Huzooraa came to the main prayer hall where 200  Waqifaate-Nau were awaiting Huzooraa for their  Gulshan-e-Waqf-e-Nau class. This class went on for about an hour, followed by a class with the  Waqifeen-e-Nau. This class also went on for about an hour and was attended by 209 boys. A separate report of these classes will be shared later,  inshaAllah

13 October 2022

Huzooraa met 49 Ahmadi families, comprising of 206 individuals from 24 different jamaats across the USA. The weather was cold and rainy, hence, for the evening prayers, Huzooraa used the inside entrance to the main prayer hall. On his way back to his residence, there were several hundred Ahmadi Muslims eagerly waiting to catch a glimpse of their beloved Imam, despite heavy rain. This show of immense love between a master and his servants cannot be found anywhere on earth.

14 October 2022

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa led the Jumuah prayer from the Baitur Rahman Mosque in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Ahmadis hold inter-faith events across Northern Canada

Kalim Ahmed Media Coordinator, Imarat Calgary, Canada

Since 2004, Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Calgary, Canada has been holding annual tabligh (preaching) events in various smaller towns and villages. This has resulted in tremendously blessed outcomes in reaching out to a much larger and receptive audience to introduce Islam’s peaceful teachings and develop cordial relations with community leaders and influencers from all walks of life.

One such initiative which has been established since 2008 is the “North Tabligh Tour”. In this tour, a dedicated team from Calgary travels to the extreme northern towns of Alberta, British Columbia and Northwest Territories, and holds outreach events and interfaith conferences in these regions.

Continuing the tradition, this year, a 21-member delegation embarked on a fourday journey to hold events in Grande Prairie AB, Peace River AB, Dawson Creek BC, Hay River NT, K’atl’odeeche First Nation Reserve NT, and Yellowknife NT.

A pre-event visit to prepare for these events was made earlier, the detailed report of which was published in the 26 August 2022 issue of Al Hakam, titled “Seven days and 5500 km to spread Ahmadiyyat’s message to First Nation peoples in Canada”.

The theme of the events to be held was “Absolute justice and global peace”. Given the current condition where the world is becoming ever more restless, bloodshed

and mayhem are increasing. Scant attention is being paid towards discharging the rights of others. Fear and respect for the law seem to be diminishing and street crime is on the rise. Despite the facilities of communication, walls of hatred have been erected and hearts are being distanced from each other. The effects of the economic depression are unfolding day by day and the cost of living is increasing. Animosity and feelings of hatred are growing amongst various strata of society and nations.

Presenters from faith and non-faithbased communities were asked to address the following questions:

• What are the root causes of the unrest prevailing in society, the looming financial crisis and the increase in selfishness at every level?

• Why it is vital to uphold the standards of equity and justice to establish peace on a societal and global level.

• Do scriptures warn of a time when nations would come on the verge of a global calamity and what do they advise to avert it?

• What do the scriptures and oral traditions say to discharge due rights in fairness on personal, societal, national and global levels to fulfil the obligations of justice?

• What are the teachings and traditions to promote love and affection and to remove enmity from society?

• How do we build a peaceful multicultural society, where people of all faiths, races and

beliefs can live side by side with mutual respect?

The delegation left Calgary on the evening of 16 September 2022, where the local amir led a silent prayer at the Baitun Nur mosque. The team stayed overnight at Bait-ul-Hadi, Edmonton where three local members also joined the team. From here, the team spread in three directions.

Grande Prairie, AB

The first event of this series was held in Grande Prairie, AB. Grande Prairie is a major urban centre in Northwest Alberta located approximately 456 km from Edmonton. The 7th Annual World Religions Conference was held at the Northwestern Polytechnic, which is the largest educational institution in the region. Scholars from Christianity, Aboriginal Spirituality, Humanist Philosophy and Islam presented their viewpoints on the topic. The mayor of the town, HW Jackie Clayton, who couldn’t attend the event in person, sent her deputy mayor to bring greetings to the participants of the conference. The attendees, representing the intelligentsia and general public, showed keen interest in the Islamic perspective and asked various questions. The audience stayed late after the event and engaged in one-on-one discussions with the presenters and organisers.

Dawson Creek, BC

The second event was held in Dawson Creek, BC. Dawson Creek is a city of about 13,000 people in Northeastern British Columbia. It is also known as the “Mile Zero City”, referring to its location at the southern end of the Alaska Highway. The 5th Annual World Religions Conference was held at the prestigious Energy House at the Northern Lights College. This was the first time this event was organised at this leading educational institute, for which the college president and the teaching and administrative staff extended full support.

The presenters from Christianity and Islam shared their viewpoints at the conference. The conference was widely publicised through fliers. The local media also published the conference news, enabling the peaceful message of Islam to reach thousands of readers.

Peace River, AB:

The third event of the day was held in the Northern Alberta town of Peace River. Peace River is a town of 7000 people approximately 486 kilometres northwest of Edmonton. Calgary Jamaat has developed strong connections with the community leaders in this town. The town council visited the Baitun Nur Mosque in 2009.

The 7th annual World Religions Conference was held at a local hotel. The conference was widely advertised through fliers. Representatives from Christianity and Islam spoke at the event. Councillor Mark Boychuk presented the special message on behalf of the town council, welcoming this forum. The attendees took a special interest in Islamic presentations and asked questions regarding Islamic beliefs about the death of Jesusas and his second coming.

After successfully holding the three events, the teams travelled to Hay River, NT, where Chief April Martel was our host for

the next three days at the K’atl’odeeche First Nation Reserve.

Yellowknife, NT

The next event was scheduled at Yellowknife NT. This was the 14th Annual World Religions Conference in the capital city of the Northwest Territories. By the grace of Allah, the consistent efforts of Jamaat have established its presence and the World Religions Conference is well known among the community leaders, intelligentsia, religious clergy and citizens from all walks of life. The past three mayors of the city have been participating in and moderating the conference for about a decade and a half. The current Premier of the Northwest Territories has also attended the event in person. This year’s conference was planned at the prestigious Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. This beautiful auditorium is offered to the Jamaat at no cost due to the educational and community-building nature of the event.

The Christian, Humanist, First Nation and Muslim representatives addressed the event. The renowned scholar and Truth & Reconciliation Commissioner, Dr Marie Wilson, was also among the speakers. The sitting mayor of the town, HW Rebecca Alty, moderated the conference. Members representing a cross-section of society were in attendance. The event was widely publicised through fliers while local media, including CBC, which aired news and features conveying the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat to a wider audience.

In her message after the event, Mayor Alty thanked the organisers for another great conference at Yellowknife and their message of support for her being acclaimed as mayor for the next term.

K’atl’odeeche First Nation Reserve, NT

The next morning, the Jamaat hosted a friendship BBQ to honour our hosts at the K’atl’odeeche First Nation Reserve. The BBQ was attended by a large number of community members, including Chief April Martel and other prominent leaders. The members of the travelling team spent quality time with the leadership and had one-on-one discussions on various matters of mutual interest. The tabligh team offered to establish a scholarship at the local school on the reserve.

During the day, members of the team also distributed fliers in the town centre, consisting of an introduction to Islam Ahmadiyyat.

Town of Hay River, NT

On the same evening, a World Religions Conference was held in the town of Hay River. The event was moderated by the mayor of the town, HW Kandis Jameson, while representatives from Aboriginal Spirituality, Christianity and Islam addressed the audience. The participants took great interest in the Islamic presentation and asked several questions during and after the programme over the refreshments.

This blessed tour concluded with this last event. The team experienced the help of Allah throughout this journey of four days and nights and approximately 3800km to travel.

Friday Sermon

23 September 2022

Men of Excellence: Hazrat Abu Bakrra

After reciting the tashahud, ta‘awuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa said:

The qualities of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiqra were being mentioned and I will continue narrating them today as well. Hazrat Aishara relates that with regards to the verse:

“Those who answered the call of Allah and the Messenger after they had received an injury — such of them as do good and act righteously shall have a great reward.”

[Surah Aal-e-Imran, Ch. 3: V. 173]

Regarding this [verse] Hazrat Aishara said to Urwah:

“O son of my sister! Your father, Hazrat Zubairra and Hazrat Abu Bakrra were among those individuals [who answered the call of the Messengersa], when the Holy Prophetsa was injured on the day of Uhud and the idolaters had fled and the Holy Prophetsa feared that they would return. The Holy Prophetsa asked, ‘Who will go after them?’

Upon this, 70 men presented themselves for this task.”

Urwah said, “Hazrat Abu Bakrra and Hazrat Zubairra were among them as well.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Maghazi, Hadith no. 4077)

When the Battle of Uhud came to an end, Abu Sufyan was in a valley and he promised to wage another war at Badr during the same days the following year. The Holy Prophetsa agreed to this, upon which Abu Sufyan immediately took his army and set off towards Mecca. Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra has mentioned

the subsequent incidents in the following manner.

“The Holy Prophetsa immediately dispatched a party of seventy Companions, which also included Hazrat Abu Bakrra and Hazrat Zubairra, in pursuit of the army of the Quraish. This is the narration of Bukhari The manner in which most historians describe the account is that the Holy Prophetsa sent Hazrat Alira, or in light of various narrations, Sa‘dra bin Abi Waqas in the footsteps of the Quraish and instructed

him to bring news as to whether the army of the Quraish intended to attack Medina. The Holy Prophetsa went on to tell him that if the Quraish were mounted on their camels and were taking their horses along unmounted, then they should rest assured that they were returning to Mecca, and did not intend to attack Medina. However, if they were mounted on horses, then they would know that their intention was not good. The Holy Prophetsa strictly instructed him that if the army of the Quraish was heading towards Medina, he should be informed at once and in a state of great passion, he said, ‘At this time, if the Quraish attack Medina, by God, we shall fight them and give them a taste of their own.’ Thus, the men dispatched by the Holy Prophetsa went and quickly returned with the good news that the army of the Quraish was proceeding towards Mecca.” (Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra [English Translation] Vol. 2, p. 344)

Hazrat Anasra bin Malik relates that following the demise of the Holy Prophetsa, Hazrat Abu Bakrra said to Hazrat Umarra, “Come with us to Umm-e-Ayman. Let us pay her a visit just as the Holy Prophetsa would visit her.” Hazrat Anasra says that when we reached her, she started crying. Both of them asked, “Why do you cry? Whatever is with Allah is better for His Messengersa.” Upon this, she said, “I know that whatever is with Allah is better for His Messengersa However, I weep because the revelation that came down from the heavens has now come to an end.” Hazrat Anasra says that Umm-eAyman caused them to become emotional as well and they started crying with her.

(Sunan ibn Majah, Kitab-ul-Janaiz, Hadith 1635)

The Holy Prophetsa once stated, “O ye people! Allah has sent me to you, but you said, ‘you are a liar’. However, Abu Bakr said that ‘you are truthful’ and he demonstrated his sympathy towards me through [sacrifices of] his life and wealth.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Fazail Al-Sahab-ul-Nabi, Hadith 3661)

In relation to this, Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra says, “It was Hazrat Abu Bakrra alone in relation to whom the Holy Prophetsa said, “every one of you rejected me, but it was Abu Bakr in whom I did not find any weakness.”

(Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 26, pp. 277-278)

On the occasion of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, when a peace agreement was being made between the Holy Prophetsa and the Quraish and when the Holy Prophetsa returned Abu Jandal in accordance with the conditions of the agreement, the companions were overcome with passion. Mentioning this, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra has written:

“The Muslims were witnessing this scene and in religious indignation, their eyes became gorged with rage, but out of respect, they remained silent before the Holy Prophetsa. Finally, Hazrat Umarra could bear it no more. He came to the Holy Prophetsa and inquired in a trembling voice, ‘Are you not the truthful Messengersa of Allah?’ The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘Yes, indeed I am.’ Umar responded, ‘Are we not upon the truth and our enemy upon falsehood?’ The Holy Prophetsa responded, ‘Yes, indeed it is so.’ Umar said, ‘Why then should we bear this humiliation in the matter of our true religion?’ Upon seeing this state of Hazrat Umarra, the Holy Prophetsa concisely said,

‘Look hither Umar! I am the Messenger of God. I understand the will of God and I cannot act against it; and it is He Who shall be my Helper.’ But the indignation in the mood of Hazrat Umarra was growing, moment by moment. He began to say, ‘Did you not say that we would perform Tawaf around the Ka‘bah?’ The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘Yes, indeed I did, but did I also say that this Tawaf would definitely be this year?’ Umarra said, ‘No, you did not.’ The Holy Prophetsa responded, ‘Then be patient. God-willing, you shall indeed enter Mecca and perform Tawaf of the Ka‘bah.’ However, in this state of emotion, Hazrat Umarra was not satisfied. Nonetheless, due to the unusual awe of the Holy Prophetsa, Hazrat Umarra left and came to Hazrat Abu Bakrra. In his emotion, he asked the same question again, and Hazrat Abu Bakrra also responded in the same way as the Holy Prophetsa. However, Hazrat Abu Bakrra also advised him, ‘O Umar, look hither! Control yourself. Do not allow your grip to loosen from the rope of Allah’s Messengersa. By God, this man, in whose hand we have given our own, is without a doubt, truthful.’ Hazrat Umarra said that at the time, because of his emotions he said such things, but later he felt exceedingly repentant. Moreover, in order to wash away the effects of this weakness as a form of repentance, he performed many voluntary acts as an expiation. In other words, he gave charity, fasted, offered voluntary salat and even freed numerous slaves, so that this blemish of weakness could be cleansed.”

(Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra [English Translation] Vol. 3, pp. 140-141)

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra has also mentioned this incident. He writes:

“Once, the Holy Prophetsa addressed the companions and said, ‘I have given you many commandments and have observed that there is a sense of apprehension even in some of the sincerest among you. However, I have never observed such to be the case with Abu Bakr.’ At the incident of the treaty of Hudaybiyyah, an individual the likes of Hazrat Umarra became perturbed and, in that very state, went to Hazrat Abu Bakrra and said, ‘Was it not God’s promise to us that we would be able to perform Umrah?’

Hazrat Abu Bakrra replied, ‘Yes, God had promised us this.’ Hazrat Umarra then said, ‘Was it not God’s promise to us that He would help and support us?’ Hazrat Abu Bakrra replied, ‘Yes, it was.’ Hazrat Umarra said, ‘In that case, were we able to perform the Umrah?’ Hazrat Abu Bakrra replied, ‘O Umar, God did not say that we would be able to perform Umrah in this very year.’ Hazrat Umarra then said, ‘Were we granted help and victory?’ Hazrat Abu Bakrra replied, ‘God and His Messengersa know better what it means to be granted help and victory.’ These answers, however, were unable to comfort Umar, and in that state of anxiousness he went to the Holy Prophetsa and humbly submitted, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, was it not God’s promise to us that we would enter Mecca whilst performing the Tawaf?’ The Holy Prophetsa replied in the affirmative. Hazrat Umarra then said, ‘Are we not a divine community that was promised help and victory from God?’ The Holy Prophetsa replied in the affirmative. Hazrat Umarra then said, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, were we able to perform Umrah?’ The Holy Prophetsa replied, ‘When did God decree that we

would perform the Umrah in this very year? It was my belief that we would perform Umrah this year; God had not specified this in His promise.’ Hazrat Umarra then asked, ‘Then what is meant by the promise of being granted help and victory?’ The Holy Prophetsa replied, ‘The help of God will surely come, and His promise to us will be fulfilled no matter what.’ The answer given by Hazrat Abu Bakrra was the same answer given by the Holy Prophetsa.” (Khutbat-eMahmud, Vol. 20, p. 382)

Both these narrations differ only in that in the first instance, Hazrat Umarra goes to the Holy Prophetsa first and Hazrat Abu Bakrra afterwards, whereas Hazrat Muslehe-Maudra has mentioned the same incident but has said that Hazrat Umarra first went to Hazrat Abu Bakrra and then the Holy Prophetsa

Hazrat Abu Hurairahra narrates, “There were two men who were slandering one another; one man was a Muslim and the other was a Jew. The Muslim said, ‘I swear by Him Who has granted Muhammadsa superiority over all the worlds.” On the other hand, the Jew said, “I swear by Him Who granted Mosesas superiority over all the worlds.” Upon hearing this, the Muslim raised his hand and slapped the Jew in the face. The Jew went to the Holy Prophetsa and recounted what had occurred between the Muslim man and him. The Holy Prophetsa summoned the Muslim and inquired of him what had happened. The Muslim man explained everything, upon which the Holy Prophetsa said, “Do not give me superiority over Mosesas.”’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab alKhasomaat, Hadith 2411)

In the commentary of this hadith, the Muslim who slapped the Jew is stated to be Hazrat Abu Bakrra. (Umdat al-Qari, Vol. 12 [Beirut: Dar-ul-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, 2001], p. 251)

This hadith has been narrated in Bukhari Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra mentions this incident in the following manner, “The Holy Prophetsa cared immensely for the sentiments of the followers of other faiths. Once, in the presence of Hazrat Abu Bakrra, a Jew said, ‘I swear by Mosesas, who was granted superiority by God over all prophets.’ Upon hearing this, Hazrat Abu Bakrra slapped him. When the Holy Prophetsa learned of this, he admonished a man such as Hazrat Abu Bakrra.”

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra further states, “Notice that under a Muslim government, a Jew gives superiority to Mosesas over the Holy Prophetsa and speaks in a manner that angers even a soft-hearted man such as Hazrat Abu Bakrra, causing him to slap the Jew. However, the Holy Prophetsa admonishes Hazrat Abu Bakrra and states, ‘Why have you done such a thing? He has the right to hold whatever belief he wants.’” (Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 6, p. 531)

If this was his belief, he is allowed to declare it.

Whilst mentioning Hazrat Abu Bakr’sra love and devotion to the Holy Prophetsa, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states:

“Hazrat Abu Bakr’sra relationship with the Holy Prophetsa was one of pure love. When the Holy Prophetsa left Mecca for Medina, even at that time, this bond was of great love, and when the time of the Holy Prophet’ssa demise came, that love was still the same. At the time when the Holy Prophetsa received the Divine revelations of,

[When the help of Allah comes, and the victory, And thou seest men entering the religion of Allah in troops, Glorify thy Lord, with  His praise, and seek forgiveness of Him. Surely, He is Oft-Returning  with compassion. (Surah an-Nasr, Ch. 110: V. 2-4)], which indirectly conveyed the news of his impending demise – he was delivering a sermon and mentioned the revelation of these verses. He stated, ‘Allah the Almighty has allowed for a servant of His to choose between His closeness and companionship, or worldly success. Thus, I have given preference to the closeness and companionship of Allah the Almighty.’ Upon hearing these verses, the companions’ faces lit up with joy and they all glorified Allah the Almighty and said, ‘All praise is due to Allah for such days are upon us.’ However, whilst everyone was joyful, Hazrat Abu Bakrra let out a cry and began to weep uncontrollably and said, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, may our mothers and fathers and wives and children be sacrificed for you. We are prepared to sacrifice anything and everything for you.’

Just as a goat is slaughtered for the sake of a sick loved one, Hazrat Abu Bakrra offered to sacrifice himself along with all his loved ones for the Holy Prophetsa Upon seeing and hearing him weep, some companions enquired, ‘What has happened to this old man? Allah the Almighty gave a man the option of choosing either His companionship or worldly success, and he preferred Allah’s companionship, thus, why is he crying?’ In these verses, the promise of victories for Islam was being foretold and even the great companions like of Hazrat Umarra were expressing their astonishment.

The Holy Prophetsa was witnessing the approval of the people and the distress of Hazrat Abu Bakrra. To comfort him, the Holy Prophetsa stated, ‘Abu Bakr is so beloved to me that if it was permissible to make someone other than God Almighty a Khalil (an immensely close companion), then I’d choose him as my Khalil. However, even now, he is my friend and companion.’

The Holy Prophetsa then stated, ‘I ordain that from today onward, those whose windows open into the mosque should be closed except for the window of Abu Bakr.’ This is the manner in which the Holy Prophetsa acknowledged the love of Hazrat Abu Bakrra. This love was perfect and enabled him to understand that behind the glad tidings of [divine] help and victory was the news of the demise of the Holy Prophetsa

Upon this, Hazrat Abu Bakrra offered himself and his loved ones as a sacrifice in place of the Holy Prophetsa in that they die, but the Holy Prophetsa does not. Even at the demise of the Holy Prophetsa, Hazrat Abu Bakrra demonstrated an excellent example of true love. Furthermore, whilst in the Cave of Thaur, Hazrat Abu Bakrra did not express concern regarding the safety of his own life, but was concerned for the life of the Holy Prophetsa. It was for this reason that Allah the Almighty granted him special assurance and comfort.” (Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 16, pp. 814-815)

Whenever he expressed concern, it was due to his love for the Holy Prophetsa

On one occasion, Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra stated:

“It is recorded in the hadith that once,

Hazrat Umarra and Hazrat Abu Bakrra had a disagreement which continued to prolong. Hazrat Umarra was rather short of temperament, which is why Hazrat Abu Bakrra deemed it best to step away in order to avoid the disagreement escalating unnecessarily. When Hazrat Abu Bakrra tried to leave, Hazrat Umarra stepped forward and took hold of Hazrat Abu Bakr’sra shirt so as to tell him to respond before leaving. When Hazrat Abu Bakrra pulled himself away in an attempt to leave, his shirt ripped. Hazrat Abu Bakrra left from there and headed home, however, Hazrat Umarra suspected that Hazrat Abu Bakrra might go and complain about him to the Holy Prophetsa Hence, he followed him in order to relate his side of the story, but along the way, Hazrat Umarra lost sight of Hazrat Abu Bakrra Hazrat Umarra thought that he was going to complain to the Holy Prophetsa, so he too went straight to the Holy Prophetsa. Upon arriving, he realised that Hazrat Abu Bakrra was not there, but because he had started to feel regret, he said, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, I made the mistake of treating Abu Bakr in a strict manner. Hazrat Abu Bakr was not at fault, in fact, I was the one at fault.’ When Hazrat Umarra arrived in the presence of the Holy Prophetsa, someone had gone to inform Hazrat Abu Bakrra to tell him that Hazrat Umarra was complaining about him to the Holy Prophetsa. It occurred to Hazrat Abu Bakrra that he too should go in order to express his innocence, so that the story was not one-sided and he could present his point of view. When Hazrat Abu Bakrra reached the gathering of the Holy Prophetsa, Hazrat Umarra was saying, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, I made the mistake of disputing with Abu Bakr and I ripped his shirt.’ Upon hearing this, signs of anger were visible on the Holy Prophet’ssa countenance. He said, ‘O people, what is the matter with you? When the entire world rejected me and you were also against me, it was only Abu Bakr who believed in me at that time and he helped me in every way.’ Then he said, in a sorrowful manner, ‘Will you still not leave me and Abu Bakr alone?’ It was just as he said this that Hazrat Abu Bakrra entered.

Whilst mentioning the subsequent details of what Hazrat Abu Bakrra did when he walked in, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states:

“This is an example of true love. (Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra made reference to this incident of Hazrat Abu Bakrra walking in to explain the true love he had for the Holy Prophetsa). Instead of presenting an excuse and saying ‘O Messengersa of Allah, it was not my fault but it was Umar’s fault’, when he saw that the Holy Prophetsa was upset, being a true lover he could not bear for the Holy Prophetsa to be in any discomfort on his account. As soon as he arrived, he fell to his knees before the Holy Prophetsa and said, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, Umar was not at fault, rather I was the one at fault.’ Observe the degree to which he was a true lover. He could not bear for his beloved to be in distress. Seeing the Holy Prophetsa displeased with Hazrat Umarra did not make Hazrat Abu Bakrra happy. Generally, when people see their rivals being admonished or reprimanded, they are prone to becoming happy. However, this true lover could not bear to see the Holy Prophetsa in distress, no matter the reason. He decided that he would take the blame instead of seeing his

beloved’s heart in pain and so he said with utmost humility, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, Umar was not at fault, rather I was the one at fault.’”

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states, “If Hazrat Abu Bakrra was able to say that he was in the wrong despite being the one who was wronged, only so that he may ease the pain in the Holy Prophet’ssa heart, then how could any other believer forgo any opportunity to do something which may please God and draw them nearer to His pleasure.” (Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 27, pp. 313-314)

It is the hallmark of a believer that they strive to attain the pleasure of Allah the Almighty and avoid doing anything that would displease Him. Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra quoted this example with reference to this.

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra then stated:

“Hazrat Umarra once brought a copy of the Torah to the Holy Prophetsa and said, ‘O Messengersa of Allah! This is the Torah.’ Upon hearing him, the Holy Prophetsa remained quiet. Hazrat Umarra then opened it and began to read from it. Upon this, there was an expression of dislike on the Holy Prophet’ssa countenance. When Hazrat Abu Bakrra saw this, he became upset with Hazrat Umarra and said, ‘Can you not see that the Holy Prophetsa is not pleased with this?’ Upon hearing him, Hazrat Umarra looked towards the Holy Prophetsa and when he also saw an expression of dislike on his countenance, he apologised and sought forgiveness from the Holy Prophetsa.” (Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 6, p. 253)

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra related this incident in the commentary of a verse of the Holy Quran. The Holy Prophet’ssa displeasure upon Hazrat Umarra reading out a portion of the Torah was due to it being contrary to Islamic teaching, not because the Torah was being read out. If anyone is interested in reading this commentary, they can refer to Tafsir-e-Kabir, volume 6, chapter 24, verse three, under which they can find further details.

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states, “The manner in which the Companions followed the Holy Prophetsa is exhibited through an incident relating to Hazrat Abu Bakrra After the Holy Prophet’ssa demise, when various Arab tribes refused to offer Zakat, Hazrat Abu Bakrra prepared to wage war against them. It was a sensitive time, to the extent that someone like Hazrat Umarra suggested that such people should be dealt with leniently. However, Hazrat Abu Bakrra responded, ‘What power does the son of Abu Quhafa have to abrogate something which was commanded by the Holy Prophetsa? By God, if these people used to give so much as the rope used to tie their camels as Zakat, then I will take that as well. I will not rest until they offer Zakat.’ This is recorded in Bukhari. Hazrat Abu Bakrra said, ‘If you do not support me in this matter, then don’t. I will face them on my own.’ This was the high level to which they followed the Holy Prophetsa even in the most dangerous of circumstances. Despite senior Companions advising against fighting, he was prepared to face any threat for the sake of fulfilling a command of the Holy Prophetsa. Similarly, Companions urged to stop the deployment of Usama’sra army, however, Hazrat Abu Bakrra said, ‘Even if the enemy gains so much power that they conquer Medina

and dogs wander about dragging along the corpses of Muslim women, I would still not stop the army which had been prepared for deployment by the Holy Prophetsa.’” (Tafsire-Kabir, Vol. 8, pp. 108-109)

Hazrat Jabirra relates that the Holy Prophetsa said, “If I receive wealth from Bahrain then I will give you such and such amount” indicating with his hand. However, the wealth arrived after the Holy Prophet’ssa demise. When the wealth from Bahrain arrived, Hazrat Abu Bakrra instructed a caller to make an announcement, and he said, “Anyone who had a loan with the Holy Prophetsa or a pledge should come to us.” He says that upon hearing this, he also went to them and said that the Holy Prophetsa had made such and such promise to him and so Hazrat Abu Bakrra gave him three Lapp. Ali bin Madini says Sufyan would put both his hands together to show how it was given three times in a Lapp. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Farz Al-Khums, Hadith 3137, Urdu translation, Nazarat Ishaat Rabwah, Vol. 5, pp. 485-486)

Hazrat Abu Sa’eed Khudrira relates that when the wealth from Bahrain arrived, he heard Hazrat Abu Bakr’sra caller saying, “Anyone who had been promised something by the Holy Prophetsa should come.” People went to Hazrat Abu Bakrra and he would give them [from the wealth]. Then, Hazrat Abu Bashir Ma’zani went and stated that the Holy Prophetsa said, “O Abu Bashir, whenever we receive something, come to us.” Upon this, Hazrat Abu Bakrra gave him two or three Lapp which turned out to be 1,400 dirhams. (Ibn Sa’d, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 2 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar alKutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1990], p. 243.)

Lapp refers to both hands being joined and filled.

Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiqra was in deep conversation with the companionsra when he said to a worker to bring some water. After a short while, the worker brought water in a clay jug. Hazrat Abu Bakrra held the jug with two hands and had just raised it to his mouth in order to drink it when he noticed that the vessel was full of honey, and also contained water. He put the jug away and did not drink from it. He then turned to the worker and asked him what was in the container. The worker replied that he had mixed water with honey. Hazrat Abu Bakrra looked intently at the container. Only a few moments had passed when tears began to gush forth from Hazrat Abu Bakr’sra eyes and he began crying profusely. His weeping began to grow louder and a state of intense emotions overtook him. People began to console him and asked, “O Khalifa of the Messengersa, what is the matter? Why are you crying so profusely? May our parents be sacrificed for your sake, why are you crying in this manner?” However, Hazrat Abu Bakrra did not stop weeping, rather, upon seeing Hazrat Abu Bakrra in this state, all the people present also began to cry. After they had let out their emotions, the people stopped crying, Hazrat Abu Bakrra continued to weep. When his tears abated, the people asked, “O Khalifa of the Messengersa of Allah, why were you crying? What has caused you to weep so much?” Wiping away his tears with the edge of his cloak and composing himself, he replied, “I was present with the Holy Prophetsa during the days of his final illness. I saw that the Holy Prophetsa was moving something away

from him with his hand, but I could not see what it was. With his weakened voice, he was saying: ‘get away from me, get away from me.’ I saw all around but could not see anything. I said to him, ‘O Messengersa of Allah! I saw that you were trying to move something away from yourself, but I could not see anything around you.’ Turning to me, the Holy Prophetsa replied, ‘It was in fact the world, which came before me with all its allure and comforts. I told it to move away from me.’ (He was shown this in a state of vision). The Holy Prophetsa then stated, ‘It [i.e. the world in the vision] moved away from me, but said, “You may have managed to escape from me, but all those that come after you will never be able to escape from me.”’” Overcome with anxiety, Hazrat Abu Bakrra shook his head and, in a worried tone, asked, “I am afraid of this honey mixed with water, lest the world has taken hold of me. It was for this reason that I wept profusely.” (Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiqra Ke 100 Qisse, [Lahore: Bait-ul-Aloom], pp. 68-70), (Huliyatul Auliya Wa Tabqatul Asfiya, Vol. 1, [Maktabatul Iman Al-Mansurah, 2007], pp. 30-31)

This was the level of his fear of Allah the Almighty within him.

In the conquest of Iraq, the Muslims acquired an expensive cloak [from the spoils of war]. After seeking counsel from the army, Hazrat Khalidra bin Walid sent the cloak as a gift for Hazrat Abu Bakrra and wrote to him to accept it as it was being sent for him. However, Hazrat Abu Bakrra did not want to keep it for himself, nor did he send it to any of his relatives. Instead, he gave it as a gift to Hazrat Imam Hussainra. (Syedna Siddiq Akbarra Ke Shab-o-Roz, [Lahore: Maktabatul Bahrain, 1437 AH] p. 107)

The remaining accounts will be narrated in the future, God willing.

At present, I wish to speak about two deceased members and, God willing, lead their funeral prayers in absentia.

The first mention is of Samiullah Sayal Sahib, who was serving as the Wakil-ulZara’at in Tahrik-e-Jadid. He passed away at the age of 89.

[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]

By the grace of Allah the Almighty, he was a Musi. His father was Rahmatullah Sayal Sahib. Samiullah Sayal Sahib’s family accepted Ahmadiyyat through his father, Rahmatullah Sayal Sahib and he did the bai’at in 1938, during the era of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra. At the time, Samiullah Sayal Sahib was four years old. When his mother learnt that her husband had done the bai’at, she took Samiullah Sayal Sahib with her and left her husband. When this matter was brought to the attention of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra, he stated to his father that he should file a legal case to be granted custody of the child. And so, he filed a case and was granted custody of the child, who then grew up in the care of his father.

Samiullah Sayal Sahib’s father was martyred during the disturbances in eastern Punjab.

Thereafter, all of his non-Ahmadi family members tried convincing him to return and to move away from the Jamaat However, he did not leave Ahmadiyyat. Samiullah Sayal Sahib completed his matriculation exams from Talim-ul-Islam High School in 1949. He then did his BA in 1954 from Talim-ul-

Islam College and in 1956 he did his MA in statistics from Government College Lahore. He has two sons; one of them is a doctor in Canada and the other son is Iftikharullah Sayal Sahib, who is a life-devotee and serves in Tahrik-e-Jadid, Rabwah. Sayal Sahib dedicated his life to the Jamaat in 1949 and along with the other life-devotees he sat an exam and also an interview and the exam had been prepared by Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra himself. Following this, upon the instruction of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, Samiullah Sayal Sahib enrolled in Talim-ulIslam College in Lahore to pursue further studies where he first did a BSC degree and then later an MSC degree in Statistics. His initial posting was in 1953 in the offices of the Jamaat and he continued to serve in various Jamaat offices. From 1960 to 1963, he had the opportunity to serve in Sierra Leone. In 1983, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh appointed him as Wakil-ul-Zara’at and San’at-o-Tijarat. From 1988 to 1999 he served as Wakil-ul-Diwan and from 1999 to 2012 he had the opportunity to serve as Wakil-ul-Zara’at and Sana’at-o-Tijarat and from 2012 until his demise he served as Wakil-ul-Zara’at. His total duration of service spanned 69 years. Apart from this, he was also a member of many committees of Sadr Anjuman and Tahrik-e-Jadid. He was also the director of various registered companies. He also had the opportunity to serve as a Mohtamim in various departments of Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya for a very long period of time.

His wife, Amatul Hafiz Sayal Sahiba says: “In our 64 years of marriage, I observed that he was an extremely pious and compassionate individual. He always placed his trust in God and was a very loving person. He would always give preference to others over himself in everything and he would give precedence to the instruction of the Khalifa over everything.”

She further says, “When I got married, he told me right from the beginning that he was a life-devotee and the wife of a lifedevotee is also a life-devotee.”

She further says, “He was very caring towards the poor and extremely hospitable at home.”

His son, Iftikharullah Sayal, says, “His loyalty and love for the Jamaat was instilled in him right from his childhood. During the disturbances of 1947 when his father was martyred, he was left completely alone. (As was mentioned previously, only his father was Ahmadi among all his family and his mother had also left them.) The rest of the family told him that if he left Ahmadiyyat they would take on all the expenses for his worldly needs and education. However, owing to his love for Ahmadiyyat and having a firm belief in its truthfulness, he replied, ‘Even if I were to die of hunger, I would still not leave Ahmadiyyat.’ Thereafter, he remained firm in his faith. He had an ardent desire for his progeny to also dedicate their lives to serving the faith. And so, when I dedicated my life, he was extremely happy. At the time, he was in London and personally informed Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh of this news. Upon this, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh also expressed his happiness and stated that true Waqf [life-devotion] is when this spirit continues through one’s progeny. Whenever he was faced with any religious

or worldly difficulty, he would prostrate before God and would pray fervently for the difficulty to be resolved.”

His son writes, “I never saw him miss offering even a single Tahajjud in all my life. He would help the poor in every possible way he could. Upon his demise, many people came to me and particularly mentioned that whenever they needed any money, they would immediately go to Sayal Sahib and he would always help them. At times, if ever there was an issue at home and at the same time there was an opportunity to serve the Jamaat, he would go to fulfil the Jamaat work and would leave the household matter in the hands of Allah.”

He further says, “He always taught me to love the Jamaat and to become a loyal servant of Khilafat. He had great belief in every word spoken by the Khalifa of the time. In relation to this, he would mention that when he presented himself before Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra with regards to dedicating his life to the service of the Jamaat, at that time, Churchill became Prime Minister at the age of 80 for the second time. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra said to them, ‘If Churchill can become a Prime Minister at the age of 80, then why can’t you serve the Jamaat till that age as well?’ He would say that from these words he knew that all of the people who were present in that group of life-devotees would certainly live till the age of 80 at least and that Allah the Almighty would grant them the opportunity to serve till the age of 80. Chaudhry Hameedullah Sahib was his colleague and so was Muslehud-Din Sahib and they all lived till over the age of 80.”

His daughter-in-law says:

“My father passed away while I was quite young, however, I received the love of a father in the form of my father-in-law. In the 22 years of my marriage, I have always received affection and love like that of a father. He was a true devotee of the Jamaat and had a deep love for Khilafat. He looked after the poor and was a very hospitable and truthful person. He would always be occupied in the remembrance of Allah the Almighty and would express his gratitude to Him over the smallest of things. He also played a great role in the upbringing of my children. He would draw their attention towards learning the translation of the Holy Quran and reading the books of the Promised Messiahas and then he would also test them on this as well. Whenever the children would sit with their grandfather, he would narrate to them, accounts from the history of the Jamaat and the love and affection of the Khulafa. Even if a young child came into the house, he would not let them leave until they had been served and taken care of.”

Basil Sahib, who is serving as Naib Wakilul-Zara’at writes, “Samiullah Sayal Sahib was an extremely compassionate individual. He had immense love and devotion for Khilafat. He would also financially assist the workers in the office. He would always advise us to have a connection with the Khalifa of the time. He would always tell us that we should protect every bit of the Jamaat’s wealth and he would remind them that the Promised Messiahas had mentioned that he was not concerned as to how the Jamaat would receive money, rather he was

concerned about finding people who would look after it properly.” (Al-Wasiyyat, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 20, p. 319)

He further says, “Whenever a lifedevotee, a Jamaat worker or any Ahmadi would come to meet him, he would always tell them that there were great blessings in serving the Jamaat. Those who serve the Jamaat, Allah the Almighty grants them abundantly and continues to fulfil their needs. He would give his own example and say that he was nothing and Allah the Almighty granted him in abundance and this was all owing to his life-devotion.”

Nasreen Haye Sahiba says, “He was among our most important members of the family. My parents would always show him great respect. He did not have any daughters of his own and when I was around 7 or 8, he and my aunt adopted me and I stayed with them until my wedding. They both raised me like their own daughter and right from my childhood, looked after my needs. They provided me with an excellent education and got me married to a missionary.”

Mahmood Tahir Sahib, who serves as the Secretary of the Fazl-e-Umar Foundation, says, “He once told me that after completing his BA, in his initial posting, he was sent to pursue an MA upon the instruction of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra. At that time, someone in the office expressed their concern to Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra that he was sending him to study for an MA, but he feared that perhaps he may leave [his service for the Jamaat] and find a job elsewhere. Upon this, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra stated, ‘Sayals cannot be disloyal.’”

Imran Babar Sahib, who is a Waqife-Zindagi and oversees the Ja’idad department of Tahrik-e-Jadid, says, “I had the opportunity to work with him for 15 years. He had great control over his emotions. He would never hesitate if he had to speak to a government official. I also had the opportunity to travel with him on the train and he would always do tabligh whilst on a journey and he would do so with a loud voice, so that everyone near and far could hear him.”

Luqman Sahib, who is serving as Wakilul-Maal Awwal, says, “He would always immediately respond to the instruction of Khilafat and would also draw the attention of others to do the same. As soon as the new financial year for Tahrik-e-Jadid would be announced, he would immediately come to the office and make his contribution and also write down his promise.”

Sheikh Haris Sahib, who serves in Tahrik-e-Jadid, says, “When I dedicated my life to the service of faith, he guided me at every step of the way. He was very loving and caring. He was an extremely brave and courageous life-devotee. He would always take great care in saving the Jamaat’s money.”

Haris Sahib further writes:

“In 2015, Engineer Javed Sahib, who is the chairmen of Pakistan’s Engineering Council came from Islamabad to especially visit Rabwah. Apart from the various other elders of the Jamaat, he was also introduced to Sayal Sahib. In this short meeting, Sayal Sahib did not let the opportunity for tabligh go to waste and did tabligh to him in a very excellent manner.”

May Allah the Almighty grant the deceased His mercy and forgiveness. May

He also grant the ability for his Waqif-eZindagi son to also fulfil his Waqf. May He enable his progeny to remain attached to Khilafat and the Jamaat and grant peace and comfort to those who he leaves behind.

The next mention is of respected Siddiqa Begum Sahiba, wife of the late Ali Ahmad Sahib, who had served as a Muallim for Waqf-e-Jadid. She passed away recently at the age of 85.

[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]

Her son is Abdul Hadi Tariq Sahib, who is a missionary and currently serving as a teacher in Jamia Ahmadiyya Ghana. She was born in Pherochechi close to Qadian. Her father passed away while he was quite young in 1944. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra took care of their widowed mother, Nawab Bibi Sahiba and her children. They were called to Qadian and Hazrat Nawab Amatul Hafeez Begum Sahibara gave them a place to stay in her bungalow. The missionary says that his maternal grandmother had the opportunity to serve Hazrat Nawab Amatul Hafeez Begum Sahibara. He further states that after the partition of India, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra sent his grandmother to Nasirabad in Sindh and that is where they grew up.

The deceased was the daughter-in-law of a companion of the Promised Messiahas, Hazrat Mian Allah Ditta Sahibra. She was the wife of a life-devotee and also the mother of a life-devotee. She lived with her husband, who was a life-devotee with the same spirit of life-devotion and supported her life-devotee husband in their times of hardship. She never made any kind of demand in all her life from anyone. She possessed countless qualities, among which the most notable were her humility, devotion to God, simplicity, hospitality, kind nature, contentment with whatever she had, covering the shortcomings of others, patience and a great level of steadfastness. In all her life, she never complained about anyone. She never listened to people who spoke about the ills of others and nor did she ever commit any ills. She always treated everyone with love and sincerity. Apart from her five daily prayers, she regularly offered the Tahajjud prayer. Similarly, she would regularly recite the Holy Quran. During the final days of her life, her health had deteriorated a lot owing to which she could not properly pray, she would pray, “O my Lord! Grant me enough health and strength so that I may be able to worship you properly.”

She is survived by two daughters and three sons. As I mentioned earlier, one of her sons, Abdul Hadi Tariq Sahib, is a missionary of the Jamaat in Ghana and due to serving in the field he was not able to attend his mother’s funeral.

May Allah the Almighty grant all of them patience and steadfastness and enable them to continue her virtuous deeds and may He grant her His forgiveness and mercy and elevate her rank.

Qaasid Muin Ahmad | Design & Layout: Jalees Ahmad | Sub-Editorial: Ataul Fatir Tahir, Aqeel Ahmed Kang | News: Ata-ul-Haye Nasir

© Al Hakam

نوعجر ہیلا اناو ہلل انا

(Official Urdu transcript published in Al Fazl International, 14 October 2022, pp. 5-9. Translated by The Review of Religions.)