Guiding words from Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V
As 2024 comes to an end, 118 years have passed since the publication of the Promised Messiah’s renowned book, Haqiqat-ul-Wahi. In this work, he stated:
“O Europe! You are not safe! And O Asia! Neither are you secure! And O the dwellers of Islands! No artificial ‘God’ will come to your aid. I see cities falling and habitations in ruin. That One and Unique God remained silent for a long time. Abominations were committed before His eyes and still, He remained silent. But now He shall reveal His countenance in an awe-striking manner. Let him who has ears hear that the Hour is not far.” (Philosophy of Divine Revelation, UK, 2023, p. 328)
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, the Promised Messiah, passed away one year after making this prophecy. However, his Successors continued to remind people of this warning, as conditions rapidly advanced towards the fulfilment of this prophecy.
Then a whole century passed, and dawned upon the world a new century, and with it, a new millennium. It was now a transformed world, dragging itself towards the destruction foretold in the aforementioned prophecy. The world had become engulfed in multidimensional crises – political, geographical, military, economic, social, and moral – in every aspect.
In such a world faced with multifaceted problems, the fifth era of the Promised Messiah’sas Khilafat began. When Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa assumed the office
of Khilafat, he faced not only the heavy responsibility of leading the Ahmadiyya Community but also the weightier call for guiding the entire Muslim Ummah in the right direction. Above all, the education and training of the whole world through Islamic teachings were also entrusted to him.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa not only repeated the Promised Messiah’sas warning verbatim, but also consistently explained the proximity, direction, and intensity of the storm mentioned therein.
Through his addresses, sermons, and messages, Huzooraa has always cautioned the Islamic world about these dangers, the clouds of which were, and are, looming over the entire world. He has also repeatedly drawn attention to the fact that the West is united while the Islamic
world suffers from discord and division. He has, time and again, made it clear that without unity, even the very survival of the Muslim world is impossible, let alone any prosperity or success.
Huzooraa has been giving this warning and its constant reminders for 21 years. And today, when I was present in his service, the twilight of the year 2024 was fading into night, and 2025, the twentysecond year of Huzoor’saa Khilafat, was ready to dawn upon us.
In this mulaqat, Huzooraa mentioned the current situation in Syria:
“I have been saying for quite some time that the Muslim world needs to unite. Perhaps everyone acknowledges this need, but no one takes practical steps toward it.
“The entire Muslim world only concludes and believes that Israel is behind
Hazrat Anas bin Malikra narrated that the Prophetsa said: “No one will truly taste the sweetness of faith until he loves a person solely for the sake of Allah; and until being cast into the Fire is more beloved to him than returning to disbelief after Allah has delivered him from it; and until Allah and His Messenger are dearer to him than anything else.”
whatever bad is happening to the Muslim countries. As for what the Zionist agenda is, and what steps the Muslim world should take, all Muslim countries remain oblivious.
“Anti-Islamic forces don’t just want political power. They now want to extend geographical boundaries into the Islamic
Hadith-e-Rasul – Sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa
Sweetness of faith
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab as-adab, Bab alhubbi fillah, Hadith 6041)
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, In His Own Words
Make Use of Your GodGiven Faculties to
Become a Saint
There are many people who lead a licentious and dissolute life and they seek the renown, honour, property and wealth of this world. They exhaust their entire life making plans and devising strategies to fulfil such longings and desires. Their yearnings have yet to reach their end when death comes knocking. Now, even people of this nature were given various faculties. If they had made use of these very faculties, they could have attained to the truth. Allah the Exalted was not miserly, but these people failed to employ their own faculties. This is their own misfortune. Fortunate and blessed is the one who employs his faculties.
There are many who, when told to fear God Almighty and to act upon His commandments while abstaining from God’s prohibitions, will respond by saying, ‘Are we out to become saints?’ Such statements
<< Continued from previous page
world. This agenda is coming to the fore so clearly that even Western analysts are becoming vocal about it.
“I have not only drawn attention to unity, but have also said each time that the solution is not merely political. If Muslims ignore the spiritual aspect of the problem, how can a solution emerge? As far as the Holy Land is concerned, Allah has made it dependent on amal-e-saleh (righteous deeds).
“Righteous deeds are not possible without prayer; unity is not possible without prayer. And unless the Muslim world unites, no success can be achieved in the name of Islam.
“Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra had already stated while explaining the intentions of anti-Islamic forces that their eyes are not just on Jerusalem but also on Mecca and Medina. They will make every possible effort to reclaim Khyber. So the question is not just about any anti-Islamic group or state; the question is about Khyber and Mecca and Medina. Muslims should unite to protect them because the enemy is united.”
I can say with a great level of certainty that I have heard all of Huzoor’saa sermons and addresses where he has mentioned the importance of Muslim unity. But this was the first time for me to hear Huzooraa speak on this topic outside the environment of a public event or Friday sermon, and to hear this discourse alone and in person; or rather, to observe it, as I saw signs of anguish on Huzoor’saa blessed countenance as he spoke about the discord of the Ummah. I had never experienced noticing this before in person during an
constitute disbelief in my view. This is to think ill of God Almighty. Is God Almighty faced with a shortage? After all, these are not limited government jobs which will finish once they are filled. On the contrary, anyone who develops a sincere relationship with God Almighty will benefit from the bounties that were granted to the pious individuals of the past.
No task is difficult for the valiant. Allah the Exalted refers to His beloved as saints. Now is it difficult for someone to become a saint in the sight of God Almighty? It is extremely easy. Of course, it is necessary for a person to stand firm in virtue, and tread on the path of God with patience, determination and loyalty, and to not waver in the face of any grief, pain or misfortune. When an individual develops a true relationship with God Almighty and distances themselves from those things which cause His displeasure, and in fact, adopts purity and piety, abstaining from that which is foul, God Almighty also forges a relationship with such a person and
audience.
After this, Huzooraa explained the profound meanings of verse 75 of Surah Al-Baqarah:
“The Holy Quran refers to the hearts of disbelievers becoming as hard as stones, rather even harder than stones. But in the same verse, it is also stated that even from stones, rivers and streams can sprout.
“The problem now is that the hearts of Islam’s enemies have become as hard as stones against Islam, but the hearts of Muslims have become like stones toward each other.
“Among non-Muslim analysts, some are now emerging who have begun to expose the intentions of anti-Islamic forces. In these circumstances, I look at this verse along with the hadith where the Holy Prophetsa said that in the Latter Days, even stones will speak up to tell that an enemy of Islam is hiding behind it.
“Because in real life, stones don’t speak. So just as the Holy Quran has likened hearts to stone, a new way of understanding this hadith about the end times comes to the surface.
“But the problem is that while water has sprouted from the stone-like hearts of some non-Muslims, and they have begun to identify anti-Islamic elements, the hearts of Muslims remain hard as stones toward each other. In such an unfortunate state, even if water falls on them, they remain just as hard and bear no fruit. And unfortunately, this stone-heartedness is not just for opponents of Islam, but for their own Muslim brethren too.
“The unrest that exists in the Muslim world right now is all down to the hearts that are badly split among themselves, and the subsequent lack of unity. In such
grants them His nearness. However, if someone continues to move away from God Almighty and does not make an effort to pull themselves out of impurity, then God Almighty also does not care for such a person, just as He states:
So when they deviated from the right course, Allah caused their hearts to deviate. (
65-66)
circumstances, how can Allah’s support come to their aid?
“I have been saying for a long time that without prayers, the Muslim world will always remain subdued and oppressed like it is right now. The Holy Quran has placed the possibility of water streams bursting forth from stones in spirituality, not in political alliances. So if there is no prayer and righteous deeds, neither can springs of water burst forth from stone hearts, nor can any strategy be effective.
“At this time, righteous deeds are not possible without accepting the Imam of the Age. For the rest, I continue to explain, and my prayer is that Allah may grant them the ability to recognise and accept the Promised Messiahas.”
I was blessed with this audience at the confluence of a passing year’s fading dusk and a new year’s rising dawn. As this audience came to its end, Huzooraa mentioned the Jalsa Salana of Qadian – two days of proceedings had passed, and the final session was the following day, where Huzooraa was to deliver the concluding address.
“There has been unexpected rainfall in Qadian. The proceedings couldn’t be held in the jalsa gah and arrangements had to be made in Masjid Aqsa and other covered places. Now let’s see what the weather there will be like tomorrow.”
There was something special in these words. The desire contained in these words for the weather to improve was evident. The next day when Huzooraa delivered his address, Qadian could be seen live through the lens of MTA. Thousands of Jalsa participants were present in the jalsa gah Beautiful, golden sunlight, typical of an Indian winter, shone brightly on the jalsa
Interfaith event held by Lajna Imaillah Fazl Mosque, London, UK
Saba Rehman
Lajna Imaillah Fazl Mosque, UK
On 15 December 2024, Lajna Imaillah Fazl Mosque, London, UK, held its local interfaith event, titled “Women: Initiating a great moral and spiritual revolution.” The programme began with the recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by a short presentation that covered the Promised Messiah’sas claims and the purpose of his advent, the commonality between faiths, the deep-rooted teaching of religious tolerance in Islam, an introduction to Lajna Imaillah and the need for world peace. This was followed by a discussion with our guests, among them were neighbours from various backgrounds, including ladies from our local Hindu Society, who shared their desire to work for the betterment of the world. We then toured the mosque and ended the day with dinner, where discussions continued. The programme was well received by guests, who expressed their interest in continuing to meet and work alongside each other for good causes, and also invited us to visit them in the future.
gah. The town of the Promised Messiahas was gleaming and the faces of those present in the jalsa gah glowed in this sunshine. Allah the Almighty accepted as a prayer the words expressed in the style of His beloved’s desire.
May Allah the Almighty accept all the desires and prayers of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa. May the clouds of despair and terror looming on the horizons of the world disperse, and may the sun of 2025 rise with the heat and light of life. (Amin.)
(Asif M Basit)
Photo courtesy of Tahmeed Ahmad
Malfuzat [English], Vol. 2, pp.
This Week in History
A glimpse into the rich history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat
3 - 9 January
3 January 1898: The Promised Messiahas had expressed multiple times his intention to open and establish a middle school in Qadian to meet the educational requirements of the growing Community. On this day, this historic milestone was achieved and Talim-ul-Islam School was inaugurated in Qadian. (Tarikhe-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 2, p. 3)
3 January 1986: On this day, while delivering the Friday sermon at the Fazl Mosque in London, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh conveyed the glad tidings to members of the Jamaat that a property has been purchased to establish a formal mission in Brazil, a significant and major country in South America. (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 5, p. 1)
4 January 1992: During his historic tour of India, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh, on this day, departed from Qadian for Delhi. (Silsila-eAhmadiyya, Vol. 4, p. 869)
5 January 1944: In the night between 5 and 6 January 1944, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra was shown in a vision that he was the person mentioned in the Promised Messiah’sas announcement of 20 February 1886 that spoke of a ‘promised son’. At the time, Huzoorra was staying in Lahore at Sheikh Bashir Ahmad Sahib’s residence located on 13 Temple Road.
To read more about the background and fulfilment of this divine prophecy and heavenly sign, read: “Friday Sermon – Musleh-e-Maud: The Prophecy and The Man (23 February 2024)” at alhakam.org (22 March 2024, pp. 21-24).
6 January 1945: On this day, Hazrat Hafiz Mirza Nasir Ahmadrh , then principal of Talim-ul-Islam College, was elected as a member of the academic council of Punjab University for 1945-46. The
principals of concerned intermediate colleges elected him unanimously.
As soon as Talim-ul-Islam College was established, its reputation grew due to its teaching standards. This had an effect not only on the province of Punjab but also on the whole country. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 9, p. 63)
6 January 1992: During his tour of India, on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh was interviewed by the Sunday Times of India. (Silsila-eAhmadiyya, Vol. 4, p. 869)
7 January 1910: On this day, Hazrat Mir Qasim Alira launched his paper, Al Haq, from Delhi. (Tarikh-eAhmadiyyat, Vol. 3, p. 313)
To learn about the services of this magazine, see: www.ahmadipedia.org
7 January 1938: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra delivered a Friday sermon from Masjid Aqsa in Qadian, which was relayed through loudspeakers for the first time. On this occasion, Huzoorra also said that a day would come when a dars of the Holy Quran and hadith would be delivered from Qadian and simultaneously listened to across the world.
It was this very sermon that Huzoorra stated that although the Jamaat’s circumstances did not permit, seeing the speed at which Allah was spreading and causing the Jamaat to flourish, with the grace of Allah the Almighty, the day was not far that the dars of the Holy Quran and hadith would be delivered in Qadian and the people of Java, and America, and England, and France, and Germany, and Austria, and Hungary, and Arabia, and Egypt, and Iran – people from all over the world – would listen to the dars in their location. What a wonderful sight that would be, Huzoorra said. (Tarikhe-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 7, p. 539)
7 January 1947: Jamaat’s missionary Maulana Nazir Ahmad Mubashar Sahib,
who rendered invaluable services on the African continent under the guidance of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra, returned to Qadian on this day after spending over 10 years in the field, serving as a missionary.
To read more about his sacrifices and achievements, see: “Pioneer Missionaries: Part 10 – Eleven years in Gold Coast: A lesson of sacrifice, resilience and love for Islam Ahmadiyyat” at alhakam.org (9 June 2023, p. 16).
7 January 1992: During the tour of India by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh, on this day, Huzoor’srh engagements in Delhi included a meeting with some Jamaat officebearers, followed by an interview with a representative of The Indian Express. (Silsila-e-Ahmadiyya, Vol. 4, p. 869)
8 January 1937: Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra spoke of the looming Second World War during his Friday sermon on this day and stressed the need for fervent prayers. It should be noted that these were warnings from almost two years before the outbreak of World War II in which Huzoorra explained the intensity of the then situation the world was in. (Khutbaat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 18, p. 6)
9 January 1908: On this day, Al Badr, published the glimpses of Jalsa Salana Qadian 1907, which proved to be the final Jalsa Salana in the blessed life of the Promised Messiahas.
To read more about the engagements of this historic gathering, see: “The first and last Jalsa Salanas in the time of the Promised Messiah” at alhakam.org (25 December 2020, pp. 15-17).
9 January 1970: On this day, while delivering his Friday sermon, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh expressed his
desire for Jamaat to establish its state-of-the-art printing press and a radio station. (Khutbat-e-Nasir, Vol. 4, pp. 11-29)
9 January 1980: On this day, Evening Express, a newspaper based in Aberdeen, under the title, “Saudis behead 63 for attack on mosque”, reported: “Sixty-three people were beheaded in Saudi Arabia today for their part in an attack last November on the Grand Mosque in Mecca. (Evening Express, 9 January 1980, p. 3)
To learn more about the details of this sad event in Islamic history, see: “The devastating 1979 siege of Mecca and the blood-thirsty Mahdi” at alhakam.org (19 November 2021, pp. 11-12).
9 January 2004: During his Friday sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa mentioned that 7 January marked the 10th anniversary since MTA had started broadcasting. Huzooraa commended the efforts of volunteers, and instructed the Jamaat to remember them in prayers. (Khutbat-eMasroor, Vol. 2, p. 23)
Al Haq
Promised Messiah’s unparalleled love for the Holy Prophet Muhammad
Huzoor addresses concluding session of Jalsa Salana Qadian 2024
Islamabad, Tilford, UK, 29 December 2024:
Just after 10:30 GMT, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, arrived at the Masroor Hall, Islamabad, for the concluding session of Jalsa Salana Qadian 2024. After his arrival, Huzooraa invited Naseem Ahmad Bajwa Sahib to recite verses from Surah al-Ahzab (39-49), followed by the Urdu translation. Thereafter, Nasir Ali Usman Sahib presented parts of a poetic work of the Promised Messiahas titled Shan-e-Islam, written in praise of Islam and its Holy Founder, the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa
Following these recitations, Huzooraa took to the podium to deliver the concluding address. After tashahhud, ta‘awwuz and the recitation of Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa began his address.
Introduction
Huzooraa said that the Promised Messiahas asserted that he is the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, whose coming was foretold by the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa. The Promised Messiahas emphasised that no other Messiah would descend from the heavens and no other Mahdi would appear from Allah, since this era was precisely the appointed time for the Messiah and Mahdi to be raised. Hence, Allah the Almighty sent him in fulfilment of all the signs and prophecies detailed by the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa
Furthermore, the Promised Messiahas invited the entire world – and in particular
the Muslims – to examine the prophecies of the Holy Prophetsa. He urged them to reflect on these signs and to act upon the commandments of Allah and His Messengersa. Huzooraa made it clear that accusing the Promised Messiahas of, God forbid, insulting or disrespecting the Holy Prophetsa was a baseless allegation. The Promised Messiahas said he came only to serve the Holy Prophetsa and to spread his blessed message, for true love of the Holy Prophetsa is ingrained in his heart.
Huzooraa explained that the Promised Messiahas consistently expressed love and devotion to the Holy Prophetsa throughout his writings, gatherings and personal conduct. This devotion, Huzooraa added, is unparalleled and cannot be matched. With this in mind, Huzooraa announced he would present certain extracts to illustrate the Promised Messiah’sas unmatched love for the Holy Prophetsa.
Promised Messiah’sas reverence for the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa
Huzooraa presented the following extract from Haqiqat-ul-Wahi that provides a glimpse of the love that the Promised Messiahas had for the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa:
“Thus, I always wonder what a sublime Prophet this Arabian Prophet is, whose name is Muhammad (thousands upon thousands of blessings and peace be upon him). One cannot fathom the limit of
his sublime status and it is not given to man to estimate the extent of his spiritual effectiveness. It is a pity that his rank has not been recognized as it should have been. He is the champion who restored to the world the Tauhid which had disappeared from the world; he loved God to the extreme and his soul melted to the extreme out of sympathy for mankind. Therefore, God, who knew the secret of his heart, exalted him above all the Prophets and all the first ones and the last ones and bestowed upon him all that he desired within his lifetime. It is he who is the fountainhead of every grace, and anyone who claims any superiority without acknowledging his grace is not a human being but is the spawn of Satan, because he (the Holy Prophetsa) has been bestowed the key to every exaltation and he has been given the treasure house of every understanding. He who does not receive through him is deprived forever. I am nothing and possess nothing. What am I and what do I amount to? I would be ungrateful if I were not to confess that I have found true Tauhid through this very Prophet. I have attained the recognition of the Living God through this same perfect Prophet and through his light. The honour of converse and communion with God, through which I behold His countenance, has been bestowed upon me through the same Great Prophet. The rays from this Sun of Guidance fall upon me like sunshine and I continue to be illumined only so long as I am facing towards it.” (The Philosophy of
Divine Revelation, pp. 137-138)
Hecne, Huzooraa explained that the Promised Messiahas regarded the Holy Prophetsa as the fountainhead of Allah’s grace, asserting that no one can attain salvation or spiritual insights without entering his fold. He categorically stated that every blessing he, the Promised Messiahas, received, was entirely a reflection of the Holy Prophet’ssa own spiritual light.
Huzooraa highlighted the Promised Messiah’sas description of the exalted status of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa. The Promised Messiahas stated that among all the Prophets, the Holy Prophetsa stands as the most beloved of God, the chief of the Prophets, and the pride and crown of the Messengers. He explained that walking under the shadow of the Holy Prophetsa for just ten days brings spiritual light and blessings that could not be attained in a thousand years before his advent.
The Promised Messiahas emphasised the unique impact of the Holy Quran, revealed to the Holy Prophetsa, as a scripture that revives those who are spiritually dead. Unlike other scriptures that fail to transform hearts, the Holy Quran provides unparalleled spiritual light and guidance. (Siraj-e-Munir, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 12, pp. 82-83)
Sincere devotion
Huzooraa narrated an incident that underscored the Promised Messiah’sas
profound devotion. On one occasion, the Promised Messiahas recited durood upon the Holy Prophetsa so intensely that in a subsequent vision, he witnessed angels bringing vessels of divine light, telling him that these were the blessings he had sent upon the Holy Prophetsa. Similarly, he saw water skins filled with pure light, symbolising the abundance of divine favours descending as a result of his fervent salutations upon the Holy Prophetsa. (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part IV, pp. 378-379)
Huzooraa presented the following revelation which the Promised Messiahas received:
“Call down blessings on Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad, who is the Chief of the children of Adam and is Khatamul-Anbiya’ [the Seal of the Prophets], may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.”
Huzooraa said that the Promised Messiahas explained:
“This indicates that all these ranks, munificence, and favours are on account of him [the Holy Prophetsaw], and a reward for loving him. Subhanallah [Holy is Allah]! What high ranks Sarwar-e-kā’ināt [the Chief of all creation] has in the presence of the One True God and what kind of nearness does he have to Him that his lover becomes the beloved of God, and his servant is appointed the master of a whole world!
“At this time, I recall that one night this humble one recited Durud Sharif [calling down blessings on the Holy Prophet] so abundantly that my heart and soul became fragrant therewith. The same night I saw in a dream that people were carrying into the house of this humble one waterskins filled with divine light in the form of pure water and one of them said, ‘These are the very blessings which you had sent to Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.’
“I recall a similar wonderful experience. Once I received a revelation which indicated that there was a vigorous discussion in the High Assembly in Heaven. That is, God’s will for the revival of the Faith was surging, but the appointment of the man to revive the Faith was not yet disclosed to the High Assembly, and this is why they were in disagreement. It was at this time in the dream that I saw people searching for a revivor. A man appeared before my humble self and, pointing towards me, he said:
“Meaning that, this is the man who loves the Messengersa of Allah.
“The meaning of this statement was that the principal qualification for this mission is the love of the Holy Prophetsaw and that this quality was definitely found in me. Similarly, the secret behind the direction to call down blessings on the Holy Prophet’s progeny in the revelation mentioned above is that the love for Ahle-Bait [the members of the household of the Holy Prophetsaw] plays a great part in acquiring divine light.” (Ibid.)
Unwavering love of the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophetsa
Huzooraa shared an extract from the Promised Messiah’sas writings highlighting the unparalleled power of the Holy Quran and the spiritual greatness of the Holy Prophetsa:
“Among the extraordinary powers of the Holy Quran is that those who adhere to it are granted miracles and great signs. These signs are granted in such abundance that the world cannot compete with them. Thus, I openly declare that if all the opponents, whether they be in the East or the West, were to all gather in one place and challenge me in demonstrating such signs and miracles, I shall be granted victory over them by the grace and help of God Almighty. This victory will not be because I have any superior power in my soul, rather it will be because God has desired that I give proof of the extraordinary power of the Holy Quran and the spiritual strength
Turning to the question of Khatm-eNubuwwat, Huzooraa stated that opponents often allege the Promised Messiahas broke the seal of the Holy Prophetsa by claiming prophethood. Citing the Promised Messiah’sas own words, Huzooraa clarified that any station of prophethood claimed by the Promised Messiahas was nothing but a shadow or reflection of the Holy Prophet’ssa prophethood, bereft of any new law. Huzooraa emphasised that the Promised Messiahas repeatedly declared he was a servant and follower (ummati) of the Holy Prophetsa
The Promised Messiahas said that every achievement and all honour he had attained were granted purely through obedience to Muhammad, the Chosen One, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. He explained that no new law-bearing prophet could appear, for the Holy Prophetsa was
and lofty status of His Messenger, Hazrat Muhammadsa Mustafa. And it is not owing to any personal quality, rather it is purely due to His grace that I follow this great Prophetsa and His powerful book and have love for it and believe in this revealed book, which is known as the Holy Quran and is a manifestation of God’s powers.” (Chashmae-Ma’rifat, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 23, pp. 409-411)
Huzooraa emphasised that this excerpt, written near the end of the Promised Messiah’sas life, refutes the baseless allegation that his love for the Holy Prophetsa diminished over time. On the contrary, the Promised Messiah’sas love remained unwavering and only deepened with time.
Profound expressions of love
Huzooraa elaborated that the Promised Messiahas repeatedly highlighted his indebtedness to the Holy Prophetsa. He attributed his communion with God and all spiritual progress to the obedience he rendered to the Holy Prophetsa. Huzooraa quoted the Promised Messiahas, who said that if he had possessed piety equal to all the mountains of the world, he would still have been deprived of divine converse had he not been a follower of the Holy Prophetsa Seal of Prophethood
Messiahas regularly reaffirmed that, had it not been for the Holy Prophetsa, he would never have attained divine communion or advanced in spirituality. Rather than dishonouring him, the Promised Messiahas always elevated the stature of the Holy Prophetsa before the world.
Promised Messiahas: The most ardent servant of the Holy Prophetsa and the Holy Quran
Huzooraa explained that in his very first book, Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, the Promised Messiahas stated that the revelation and communication with Allah granted to him were purely by virtue of his obedience to the Holy Prophetsa. The Promised Messiahas emphasised that all blessings, success, and spiritual enlightenment stem from the Holy Prophetsa alone. He declared that he merely received this divine light through the Holy Prophetsa and spread it further.
The Promised Messiahas affirmed that anyone who claims to bring a new light outside of the Holy Prophetsa is a fabricator and accursed. He emphasised that no lawbearing Prophet could come after the Holy Prophetsa, and any Prophet appearing thereafter was only to do so as a perfect follower, fully within the framework of the Holy Prophet’ssa prophethood. He maintained that such a claim does not break the seal of prophethood but rather demonstrates the continuing light of the Holy Prophetsa, even 1,300 years after his passing.
the Seal of the Prophets. However, a ‘nonlaw-bearing’ subordinate prophet who completely follows the Holy Prophetsa could arise to revive and promote the true teachings of Islam.
Huzooraa stated that Allah the Almighty is supporting the Jamaat in every way, taking the Jamaat into His own hands. Huzooraa explained that, given the intense opposition, if this were not the work of God, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat would have been wiped out long ago.
Further illustrations of the Promised Messiah’sas esteem
Huzooraa highlighted the Promised Messiah’sas deep reverence for the Holy Prophetsa, describing him as the “perfect man” and “perfect Prophet” who revived a spiritually dead world. The Promised Messiahas emphasised that the Holy Prophetsa was the Seal of the Prophets and the source of all blessings and spiritual light.
He stated that had the Holy Prophetsa not come into the world, there would have been no proof of the truth of other Prophets such as Jonahas, Jobas, Jesusas, and others, even though they were beloved of Allah. The Promised Messiahas attributed all spiritual knowledge, divine communion, and blessings he attained to the Holy Prophetsa, praying for unparalleled mercy and blessings upon him.
Huzooraa remarked that the Promised
The Promised Messiahas expressed that all honour and respect he attained were solely through the Holy Prophetsa, whose unparalleled status is often misunderstood by the world. He refuted the notion that Jesusas is physically alive in heaven, asserting that the signs of a living Prophet can only be found in the Holy Prophetsa Through the Holy Prophetsa, he explained, believers have found a Living God and witnessed the reopening of the door of revelation, which remains closed to other faiths. The Promised Messiahas noted that miracles described as mere legends in other religions are actively witnessed in Islam through the blessings of the Holy Prophetsa
In summarising his beliefs, the Promised Messiahas affirmed that there is no book except the Holy Quran, no messenger except the Holy Prophetsa, and no religion other than Islam. He underscored the Holy Prophetsa as Khatam an-Nabiyyin (the Seal of the Prophets) and the Holy Quran as Khatam al-Kutub (the Seal of the Books). He cautioned against reducing religion to trivialities, declaring himself nothing but a servant of Islam, with no claim beyond that of servitude to the Holy Prophetsa and the Quran.
Huzooraa concluded that the Promised Messiahas consistently maintained that all his work was entirely in service of Islam and the Holy Prophetsa and that the continued divine support for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community serves as a testament to the truth of his mission.
Huzooraa then narrated some incidents from the life of the Promised Messiahas that demonstrate his deep love for the Holy Prophetsa
Answers to Everyday Issues
Part 75
Is it permissible to hold two Jumu‘ah services in one place?
Someone asked Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, “Can two Friday services be held at one location? If we are on security duty during the usual time of Friday prayer, can we perform another Friday prayer after our duty ends? Moreover, what should we do during Friday prayer at the Kaaba? Should we follow the non-Ahmadi imam and then perform our own Jumu‘ah later?”
Huzoor-e-Anwaraa, in his letter dated 11 January 2023, provided the following answer to this question:
“As far as the question of offering two separate Jumu‘ah prayers in one mosque [by two groups of people] under compelling circumstances is concerned, remember that just as the repeating of other congregational prayers is confirmed by ahadith of the Holy Prophetsa (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Kitab assalah, Bab ma ja’a fil l-jama‘ati fi masjidin qad sulliya fihi marrah) and also by the permission granted by the Promised Messiahas for it on account of some necessity (Badr, Qadian, Vol. 6, No. 1, 10 January 1907, p. 18), Friday services may also be held twice if necessary, and there is no objection to this.
“However, it is necessary to take precautions to ensure that the Friday prayer is not offered again in the same spot in the mosque where it was already performed. Instead, the on-duty khuddam should deliver their separate sermon and offer their Friday prayer in a different spot. An example of this can be found during the blessed era of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira; Al Fazl (Qadian) recorded this in a column titled ‘Madinatul Masih’ as follows:
“‘On Fridays, men and women used to go to Aqsa Mosque. This also provided an opportunity for some mischievous people to cause trouble, which resulted in financial loss for a couple of individuals. Therefore, the following recommendation of Dr Khalifa Rashiduddin Sahib[ra] was accepted by Hazrat Maulvi Sahib (Khalifatul Masih Ira): He suggested that to achieve peace of mind, a group of believers should hold a vigil from noon until the Friday prayer has been offered, and then these sincere Ahmadis should observe their separate Friday prayer at Mubarak Mosque. Therefore, on that Friday, Babu Wazir Muhammad Sahib,
Two Jumu‘ah prayers in one place and surrogacy
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.
a sincere and enthusiastic Ahmadi from Lahore, along with some twenty to thirty Ahmadi boys, some Afghan Ahmadis and Munshi Akbar Shah Khan Sahib, held the vigil. Then, Khan Sahib led the separate Jumu‘ah prayer, as was instructed by Amir(ul-Momineen, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira), after the people had returned from the Aqsa Mosque.’ (Al Fazl, Qadian, Vol. 1, No. 4, 9 July 1913, p. 1)
“Thus, while it is possible to hold another Friday service after one has already been held, it should be noted that such a situation should only arise out of necessity or compulsion, as confirmed by the above reference. Additionally, obtaining permission from the local administration is also a necessary step for this. Furthermore, [according to this particular reference], it is necessary not to offer the Friday prayer again in the same mosque where it has previously been offered, but rather to find a different location. If another location is not feasible, then the second Friday prayer may be held in the courtyard of the same mosque, behind its prayer niche [mihrab], or in a corner of that mosque.
“Regarding the performance of congregational prayers or Friday prayers at the Kaaba during Hajj or Umrah, the stance of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat is that the daily prayers or Friday prayers should not be performed behind a non-Ahmadi imam. Instead, if possible, Ahmadis should arrange their own congregational prayers. However, if this is not feasible, they should perform their individual prayers separately. If a situation arises where it becomes absolutely necessary to pray behind a nonAhmadi imam, and there is no alternative without risking causing fitna or facing a
trial for not participating, then prayers can be performed there to avoid strife. However, these prayers should also be performed separately afterwards. In this context, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra once shared the following incident regarding such a scenario:
“In the year 1912, I went on a pilgrimage to Mecca in company with Sayyid Abdul Muhyi Arab, visiting Egypt on our way. My maternal grandfather, Mir Nasir Nawab Sahib[ra], also went on a pilgrimage the same year. He went to Mecca directly from Qadian. We met at Jaddah, and from there journeyed together to Mecca. On the very first day at Mecca, while we were circumambulating the Kaaba, the time came for the evening prayers. I wished to withdraw, but our way was barred and the service had already commenced. Mir Nasir Nawab Sahib[ra] told me that Hadrat Khalifatul Masihra had ordered that, while at Mecca, we might pray behind nonAhmadi Imams. Upon this, I joined the service. Later on, when we were still in the precincts of the Kaaba, came the time for the night prayers, and we joined as before. When we returned to our residence, I said turning to Sayyid Abdul Muhyi Arab, ‘The prayers we offered were only to comply with the command of Hadrat Khalifatul Masihra, let us now offer our prayers for the sake of Allah. Such prayers cannot rightly be offered behind non-Ahmadi Imams.’ We then repeated both the services. The next day, I believe, we joined another service behind a non-Ahmadi Imam. But I began to feel that although we subsequently repeated the service, a certain weight was oppressing my mind, and I felt that if I continued like that, I should certainly fall ill. At last, on the second day, I was compelled to speak on the subject to Sayyid Abdul Muhyi Arab. I said. ‘My regard for my grandfather prevents me from putting the question to him, but will you kindly enquire of him whether Hadrat Khalifatul Masih’s[ra] orders in this matter were given to him directly or was it that he learnt of them from a common report.’
Upon inquiry, it transpired that there were no direct orders but that my grandfather had heard that some such orders had been given to some person. I thanked God for the news and from that time, in spite of objections from various quarters, we always offered our prayers in our own congregation. We were in Mecca for about
20 days. At all times we offered our prayers either in our own house or in the Kaaba in a congregation of our own. And it was a special favour of God that although, as a general rule, none save the few recognised sects were allowed to form a congregation within the quadrangle of the Kaaba, no one objected to our congregation; and it often happened that many latecomers joined us in our prayers and swelled our congregation to a considerable size. My grandfather felt apprehension lest his part in the matter might in future, prove a source of trouble. He, therefore, said that he would bring the question to the notice of Hadrat Khalifatul Masihra on his return to Qadian. When at last we returned, our friends one after another invited us to functions arranged to welcome us. Among others, Miyań Hamid Ali an old servant of the Promised Messiahas, who had attended upon him for 40 years, invited us to tea. The guests included Hadrat Khalifatul Masihra, Mir Nasir Nawab Sahib[ra], Sayyid Abdul Muhyi Arab and myself. One gentleman, Hakim Muhammad Umar, put the question to Hadrat Khalifatul Masihra. The latter replied that he had never given any fatwa of that kind, that his permission was given only to such people as were weak and timorous. Such people, if they found themselves begird, by non-Ahmadis, might perform their prayers behind non-Ahmadis, and repeat their prayers when they returned to their places. Thanks to God that my action thus accorded both with the fatwa of the Promised Messiahas and with the views of the Khalifa of the day.’” (Ainah-e-Sadaqat, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 6, pp. 155-156 [as quoted in Truth About the Split (2007), pp. 157-160])
Is surrogacy allowed in Islam?
Someone sent a letter to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, asking, “Does the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat permit surrogacy, and what is the status of surrogate mothers?” [...]
Huzoor-e-Anwaraa, in his letter dated 16 January 2023, provided the following answer to this question:
“In surrogacy, the biological material from a husband and wife is developed within the womb of a woman who bears no
Unsplash | David Monje
lawful physical connection to this matter. Consequently, this practice is categorised under acts of indecency in light of Islamic teachings and is considered both illicit and sinful. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh also elucidated this matter in response to a query. He said:
“‘Dismiss from your heart the idea that if a woman is infertile or a husband lacks the capacity to sire a child, then our endeavours through artificial means are inherently sinful. This is not a sin; rather, it represents a method to attain the favour of Allah. And should He decree otherwise, no amount of human effort can yield a child not destined to be born. Here [in the UK], I have observed several Ahmadi women who, with my permission, endeavoured to conceive via in vitro fertilisation. Despite repeated attempts—once, twice, even up to ten times—no success was forthcoming. The innate defensive mechanisms that preclude conception continued to prevail, and no medical prognosis proved accurate. On the other hand, there was one young woman who sought my permission [for medical treatment]; I advised her to pray and see what transpires. Subsequently, she appeared with two delightful children in her arms. Thus, such blessings can only be conferred by the will of Allah the Almighty. Nevertheless, assisting in the schemes devised by God does not amount to opposing His works nor does it constitute a sin.
“‘One aspect is indeed sinful, which I will explain: In their pursuit of methods other than natural conception, some individuals, out of ignorance, try to get a child through a surrogate mother. This, in particular, is sinful. Just yesterday, I received a letter from a new Ahmadi in America expressing considerable anguish and seeking forgiveness. They said, ‘Before I embraced Ahmadiyyat, I was unaware of these issues. Since my wife was infertile, I inadvertently engaged in an act where, with the help of doctors, I had another woman bear my child, and now the child is with us.’
“‘Therefore, this method is unlawful as it contravenes the sacred laws of marriage and nikah established by Allah the Exalted. It represents a challenge to the system He has ordained for procreation. It is akin to forming a relationship with another woman without the bonds of marriage, or nikah, and then lauding the resultant child as virtuous. The child will invariably remain innocent, but the one who engages in such acts incurs sin. Hence, I counsel you that venturing into this particular domain constitutes sin. However, when legitimate efforts involve the gametes of both husband and wife, and assistance in conception is sought through their mutual relationship, it is not only permissible but also fitting, and in no way sinful.’
(“Urdu Mulaqat” with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh, 29 April 1994)
“Thus, according to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, surrogacy is fundamentally at odds with Islamic teachings and is an illegitimate method. Consequently, surrogate mothers do not possess any lawful status in Islam from an Islamic standpoint.” [...]
(Compiled by Zaheer Ahmad Khan, Head of Records Department, Private Secretariat, London. Translated by Al Hakam.)
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Poetic expressions of unparalleled love
Huzooraa related how the Promised Messiahas would often quote the couplet of Hassan bin Thabitra in memory of the Holy Prophetsa with great emotion. One Companion recounted finding the Promised Messiahas in Masjid Mubarak, alone and overcome with tears, reciting:
“You [O Muhammadsa] were the pupil of my eye; with your demise, my eye has gone blind. Now, after you, anyone may die – I care not, for I only feared your departure.”
Huzooraa noted how, even in solitude, this love flowed purely and powerfully from the Promised Messiahas. It was clear evidence that no one could rightly accuse him of blaspheming against the Holy Prophetsa, for his writings and actions consistently demonstrated the depth of his reverence.
A heartfelt plea to the Arabs
Huzooraa pointed out that the Promised Messiahas addressed the Muslims of the Arab lands with deep emotion, referring to them as the best of communities because the Holy Prophetsa arose among them. The Promised Messiahas wrote of his longing to visit those places sanctified by the Prophet’ssa footsteps, declaring his desire to place the dust of those lands upon his eyes. Huzooraa emphasised that such passionate yearning exemplifies the humility and veneration the Promised Messiahas held for Allah’s Messengersa
Huzooraa said:
“Thus, this is the heartfelt sentiment that [the Promised Messiahas] expressed. Would that today’s Muslims in the Arab world also be granted the ability to act upon this advice and align their deeds in a manner that makes them true followers of the Holy Prophet’ssa teachings and genuine adherents of his ummah. By sincerely practising the Holy Prophet’ssa shariah [divine law], they can regain the lofty station they have lost.”
Love beyond measure
In light of these heartfelt testimonies, Huzooraa urged critics to consider how an individual could be accused of insulting the Holy Prophetsa when his entire life and mission were grounded in propagating the Prophet’ssa grandeur. The Promised Messiahas, Huzooraa stated, even affirmed that if those who opposed him were to destroy his property and family, it would not wound him as deeply as seeing any insult hurled at the Holy Prophetsa
Huzooraa shared the following words of the Promised Messiahas:
“The heart, while weeping uncontrollably, testifies that if these people were to kill our children before our very eyes, and were to tear apart our loved ones –those dear to us in this worldly life—and if they were to kill us in the most humiliating manner, and seize all of our wealth, then, by Allah, and again by Allah, we would not feel grief, nor would our hearts ache to the extent that they ache from the insults and abuse directed at our beloved Messenger, the Noble Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).” (Aina-e-
Kamalat-e-Islam, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 5, p. 52)
Huzooraa stated that opponents, particularly those claiming love for the Holy Prophetsa, should reflect on whether their baseless opposition is causing Allah’s displeasure. He urged them to consider whether the challenges they face are a result of their own actions and to deeply reflect on their conduct.
Compassion for the Muslim ummah
Huzooraa further said:
“As far as our relationship with Muslims and our sentiments of compassion towards them are concerned, we follow the guidance of the Promised Messiahas expressed in this couplet:
“This means, O heart, be considerate of these people, as ultimately, they profess love for my Prophetsa
“With this perspective, we are devoted to loving every Muslim, praying for their wellbeing, and making every possible effort for their benefit. We harbour sincere emotions and sentiments for them and supplicate for them. However, they must also awaken to the truth and, instead of declaring the one sent by Allah — the most ardent devotee and servant of the Holy Prophetsa — a disbeliever, they should listen to and strive to understand his message. They should not hastily issue fatwas of disbelief. In any case, we shall continue to assert our love for Muslims, for they claim to love the Holy Prophetsa, even if such love is expressed outwardly.”
Huzooraa prayed that Allah grants wisdom to the Muslim ummah, urging them to refrain from baseless opposition and reflect.
Responsibilities of Ahmadis
Huzooraa urged:
“May Allah also enable us [Ahmadis] to prove our claim of love for the Holy Prophetsa through every aspect of our actions. We should reflect upon and deeply consider these matters that the Promised Messiahas has explained […]. Our love and devotion to the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa should
continuously grow. Let not our words alone speak for us; rather, let us demonstrate through our actions that we truly honour our acceptance of the Promised Messiahas We must strive to establish a standard of love and devotion for the Holy Prophetsa that reaches the highest levels in the sight of Allah.“We must constantly evaluate ourselves: do the feelings and sentiments of the Promised Messiahas resonate within our hearts? Are we making the efforts demanded of us to establish the oneness of Allah in the world, fulfilling the rights of this great responsibility? We should be ever-ready to make every sacrifice needed to raise the banner of the Holy Prophetsa high across the world. For the sake of establishing the oneness of Allah, we must be prepared for every sacrifice at all times, and we should not rest until we have achieved the purpose for which we joined the community of the Promised Messiahas.”
Conclusion
Concluding his address, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa prayed that Allah the Almighty keeps all attendees of Jalsa Salana Qadian 2024 under His protection and grants the same to those listening from their homes. He prayed that all Ahmadis are enabled to truly act upon the teachings of Islam, express genuine love for the Holy Prophetsa, and fulfil the rights of their bai‘at Huzooraa mentioned that jalsas were also taking place in various other countries, including Togo, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea Conakry, Niger, Senegal, GuineaBissau, and the western coast of the United States. He highlighted the purpose of these gatherings as efforts to understand and propagate the message of the Promised Messiahas while also striving for personal reformation. Huzooraa highlighted these conventions’ purpose as spreading the Promised Messiah’sas message and personal reformation, praying for participants’ success.
Afterwards, Huzooraa announced the attendance figures and led a silent prayer. Following the prayer, participants from Qadian and other countries presented poems. Huzooraa then led the Zuhr and Asr prayers, and inspected the arrangements made for Jalsa Salana at Islamabad.
(Report prepared by Al Hakam)
100 Years Ago... True path to peace: Response to Dr Walter Walsh’s idea of fraternisation
Hazrat Maulana Abdur Rahim Dardra (1894-1955)
In a letter addressed to the editor of The Review of Religions (1925), Dr Walter Walsh makes the following remarks:
“It seems to me that the real object of religious people everywhere and of every name should now be to fraternise rather than to proselytise. It is certain that no one religion will ever become the common belief of mankind, and that therefore it is not enough to tolerate one another but that we ought to recognise and acknowledge that which is good in each and all, and on the basis of that common goodness to come together to confer on the great practical questions that concern humanity at the present critical time, especially the allimportant question of the establishment of world peace. I regard this as the paramount duty of all religious teachers and professors, and that duty can be discharged only in proportion as they cease to proselytise and commence to fraternise.”
Dr Walsh’s opinions are susceptible of two interpretations. If he means that in propagating a religion its missionaries should confine their preaching solely to the exposition of the truth and beauty of their religion and not seek to give it kudos by derogatory reference to other religions, then we are in complete accord with his views. The truth of one religion can never be proved by drawing invidious attention to defects in the structure of another, but only by reference to the ethical worth of its own teachings. This is what is taught by the holy Founder of our Movement, [Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas].
If, on the other hand, Dr Walsh is arguing that the propagandist activities of the various religions and missionary societies, all holding different views, should cease and no effort be made by them to call people to the truth as they respectively understand it, we take leave to differ with him on the following grounds:
Dr Walsh says that “we ought to recognise and acknowledge that which is good in each and all.”
Only a Muslim can understand, feel, and enjoy the full significance of these words. The attacks upon Islam and its Holy Founder[sa] by the adherents of other religions are fresh in his mind. He remembers the indiscriminate abuse to which the Holy Prophet[sa] of Islam has been so mercilessly subjected. For centuries the Muslim has had to listen, with bridled tongue, to the blackest and most shameful calumnies showered upon his Holy Master,
may peace and the blessings of God be upon him. The etymology of the words “Mawmet,” “Mammetry,” and “Paynim” is not forgotten. Writers in the East and in the West have applied to him [countless hurt] epithets [...].
What is the answer of the Muslim? Does he in return abuse the various founders of other religions? Does he speak in a derogatory fashion of Rama Chandra, Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster, Moses, or Jesus? No. He is forbidden to do so by his noble Prophet[sa]
A Muslim knows that none of these leaders of other religions could ever be a God. He is convinced that the religions preached by all of them are far from perfect, but he dares not retort to the abuse. He controls his temper and acknowledges the good points in them even in the face of the most provocative remarks of his adversaries.
Christ, he regards as a true and righteous servant of Allah; he reveres him and fights for his honour. He believes that Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster, and Moses, peace be on them, were all righteous and honourable people, and that they were the chosen ones of God; not because the record of their personal perfection as handed down by their followers demands such belief, but because his magnanimous Master has taught him so. What more convincing display of generosity and brotherhood could be expected from a human being?
A Muslim can make peace with the most venomous reptiles of the world; he can reconcile himself to the most ferocious wolves of the forests, but he can make no compromise with those who calumniate his beloved Master, for whose sake he is ready to sacrifice his life, his relatives, his friends, his all. He would rather die than stoop to any such disgraceful surrender.
Surely, a Muslim is the only person who truly appreciates and acknowledges the good points of his enemies. All his teaching has been directed towards making him ready to perceive the good in others and improve himself by such influences, whilst casting from him all that is worthless. The Muslim searches for truth everywhere, always [Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 4169]. He is taught to entertain no malice, jealousy, or enmity towards his fellow beings. He is enjoined to treat his enemies as he would himself be treated by them. The Holy Quran says that Allah loveth those who act with fairness and deal towards others with kindness. [Ch.5: V.43]
He is not only to tolerate others, but to treat them kindly. Again, the Holy Quran says that let not the enmity of a people lead
you to transgress, but rather be helpful to one another in good and righteous deeds. [Ch.5: V.3]
Islam does not teach its followers alone to recognise and acknowledge the good in others, but also adjures those others to keep this precept in view. The Holy Quran says that the Jews say, the Christians are on nothing (have nothing good in them), and the Christians say, the Jews are on nothing, while they both read the book; likewise said those who had no knowledge according to their saying [Ch.2: V.114]; i.e., it is the work of the ignorant to ignore each other’s good points and not to discriminate between merits and demerits.
A Muslim, however, is not blind to vice and virtue. He cannot be expected to help or take part in what he considers to be wrong and untrue; because the Holy Quran, which is a perfect law for all ages, lays down:
, i.e., “And be not helpful to one another for sin and transgression.” [Ch.5: V.3]
Again, it says: اوملَﻇ
, i.e., “Do not incline towards the oppressors and the unjust.” [Ch.11: V.114]
So, he is taught to cooperate even with the sinners and wrongdoers in all matters, but he is not allowed to help vice, sin, or wrong. He must despise the act and not the actor. Good in others he must recognise, but not allow the recognition to deter him from remonstrance against their faults merely for the sake of expediency.
Islam is preeminently the religion of peace. The one idea dominant in Islam is that of peace. Peace is the greeting of one Muslim to another. Peace he has to practise in this life (Ch.43: V.90). He is to walk in the paths of peace (Ch.5: V.17). He shall talk and practise peace in the face of great provocation (Ch.25: V.64). In short, Islam is the only religion that teaches practical peace and holds out the promise of a world at peace. But, notwithstanding all this, Islam does not permit any compromise with evil, falsehood, or injustice. And it is for the establishment of world peace and brotherhood that Islam orders Muslims to preach and propagate the truth always by urging men to do good and keeping them from doing evil (Ch.22: V.42).
True brotherhood does not consist of the mere passive recognition of the good points of others. Other religions have much that is good in the tenets of their faith. No Muslim would deny this for an instant. But this admission does not carry with it any obligation upon the Muslim to refrain from missionary work in the interests of what he regards as the good of mankind. It would
surely be carrying the idea of “toleration” too far to demand o f the missionaries of Islam that they should relax their efforts to effect the conversion of people to what they feel to be the only true religion.
Such an invertebrate line of action does not constitute brotherhood, the central idea of which is something active and practical: the positive desire to help and improve others translated into proper action.
He is a poor sort of brother who, when called upon to aid a fellow being suffering, let us say, from tuberculosis, merely points out to the sufferer that his limbs are strong and his eyesight good and makes no attempt to diagnose and find a line for his complaint. And are not moral and religious defects after all a form of spiritual consumption due to a lack of the sunshine of truth and the nourishment that true knowledge gives? Surely, if we really know, as we honestly believe we know, the truth, we cannot refrain from bringing its healing power to the help of those whom we see suffering from the want of it.
It is no use hiding the face of the sun. Truth is like the sun to the world. Obstruct its rays and darkness and diseases follow. No restraint should be imposed upon the proclamation of truth by any measure of expediency. The light of truth can never shatter the peace of the world.
The more truth we spread, the more peace there will be on the face of the earth. To injure the feelings of others and to transgress upon their rights in the name of truth can, of course, never be tolerated. But, at the same time, it is obvious that there
Hazrat Maulana Abdur Rahim Dard
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can be no real progress towards universal peace without the propagation of truth and that the missionaries of every religion have a right to call people to the truth as they themselves understand it.
Intolerance, prejudice, and persecution are the greatest obstacles in the way of peace. Remove these impediments, and if, in accordance with the beautiful teachings of Islam, a distinction is always made between the wrong and the wrongdoer, if the sinner is treated with kindness, and a strong appeal is properly made to his better self with a view to reforming his defects, peace will most surely prevail in the whole world. If the advocates of world religion and world peace really are of the opinion that the propaganda [i.e., preaching] work carried on by the various missionary societies and religions for the increase of their respective adherents is detrimental to the cause of universal brotherhood, they should first cease their own propaganda before asking others to do so. The very fact that they continue, by means of lectures, meetings and other forms of publicity, to propagate their views shows that, in their opinions, proselytisation is essential and that mere fraternisation of communities of differing religions is insufficient if genuine world peace is to be secured. There is nothing wrong or objectionable in the simple effort of proselytisation so long as it takes the form only of an appeal to reason and conscience. It is when proselytisation is conducted with undue stress and by improper methods and when an intolerant and unbrotherly attitude is adopted that the seeds of a dangerous discord are sown.
We believe that the world is corrupted and needs guidance. It has lost its way. People no longer walk in the paths of goodness and righteousness. They have forsaken their Creator and do not want to be bothered even with the idea of Him. They are too busy for Him. Irreligion and iniquity prevail all round. And it is only on account of this that there is no peace in the world.
We believe that God has raised the holy prophet, Ahmad[as], the Prince of Peace, for the reformation of mankind. He is the one doctor for a sick world. He is calling people to the truth. His aim is to bring the world to God, and to the peace that can only be restored through Him. He claims that God sent him to bring peace to the universe so that men may be gathered in the fold of one faith and thus find outward and inward peace.
Now, to ask such a one to stop his preaching and recognise instead the good points of all other religions is tantamount to demanding of him the surrender of prophethood. This is out of his power to do, even if he would. If he were to pose as a doctor, while he were not really so, and if he were not really commanded and deputed by some Higher Authority, the advice would have perhaps been not so impertinent. But as he repeatedly declares, he has no choice in the matter. He says:
“Why draw against me such a dagger of thy tongue,
Not from self am I but from the Mighty, High and Great.
Heaven commissioned, I have had no choice myself,
(If you don’t like it) Go and say the same to Him who is the Commissioner.
70th Jalsa Salana held in Nigeria
Muhammadul-fareed Ajimoti Nigeria
Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Nigeria held its 70th Jalsa Salana, marking the platinum jubilee, on 20-22 December 2024, at the Conference Ground, Jamia Ahmadiyya Ilaro, Ogun State, Nigeria.
The Jalsa was inaugurated with the flag hoisting by Amir Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Nigeria, Alhaji Barr. Alatoye Folorunso Aziz Sahib, followed by a silent prayer. The Jalsa Salana proceeded with the introduction of guests and recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by an Arabic qasida. The special message from Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa was read out by Amir Sahib, followed by his inaugural address.
On the next day, the second session commenced with Amir Sahib Jamaat Nigeria presiding. The session had a number of dignitaries in attendance –including government officials, traditional rulers, educators and representatives of other communities, such as the United Kingdom and neighbouring countries, who were all introduced and recognised. After the recitation from the Holy Quran, an Urdu poem and an Arabic poem, a speech was delivered by Dr Olurotimi Timehin Sahib, Member of the Qadha Board, Nigeria. Subsequently, the annual academic awards were distributed. Some of the guests were invited to give short speeches as well. The programme was brought to a close by a silent prayer, which was followed by the visitation of the exhibition stands by the
O thou that fliest at me with a hundred axes,
Fear the Gardener, I am the fruitful branch.
The orders from heaven I convey to the earth,
Should I hear them and convey them not, say what shall I do with them.
Let not my words, my people, make you uneasy,
Foam not at the very outset, endure to the end.
I say it not myself, the divine slate has it the same way,
Wipe off that divine writing if thou can’st.” [Izala-e-Auham, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 3, pp. 181-82]
We cannot fully agree with Dr Walsh’s assertion that no religion will ever become the common belief of mankind, and that therefore we should not proselytise or propagate the truth. If this principle were to be strictly followed in practice, the world would be a chaos of nullifying influences. As diversity cannot be avoided, no efforts for unity should be made? As all men cannot agree on any one point, no effort should be made for reconciliation between those who happen to fall out on account of a misunderstanding? As disease cannot disappear from the world, no effort should be made to learn, practice and improve medicine and surgery? As evil cannot be stamped out of existence, no attempt should be made to fight with it? Everyone cannot
guests.
The third session was presided over by Missionary-in-Charge Nigeria, Adnan Tahir Sahib and began with the recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by a qasida. This was followed by a speech on “Inherent blessings in the prayers of Khulafa” by Dr Lateef Busari Sahib, Naib Amir Jamaat Nigeria. The second day ended with a question-and-answer session and dinner.
The fourth and closing session commenced on Sunday immediately after the Fajr prayer. The recitation from the Holy Quran and a qasida was followed by
be virtuous; therefore, nobody should try to practice virtue? The argument can be carried ad infinitum. We do not think any advance would have been made in the world towards truth and universal contentment had this doctrine of peace and tranquillity been preached down the ages.
Let us conclude with a quotation from the writings of the Prince of Peace, which sets at rest all such doubts and misgivings. He says:
“Let the whole world bear witness that I prophesy in the name of the Lord of the Earth and Heaven that He will spread my followers in all countries and make them overcome every other people by reasons and arguments. The days are approaching and are very near when the religion preached by me will be the only religion that will be regarded with honour upon the face of the earth. Almighty God will bless this religion and this movement in a wonderful manner, and will bring to naught everyone who thinks of destroying it. The victory which it will gain will be a lasting victory and its supremacy will continue to the end of days. It matters little if I am scorned now, for there is no prophet who was not laughed at. It was necessary that the Promised Messiah should have been laughed at, for says the Holy Quran, ‘Alas for the people, no apostle comes to them but they laugh him to scorn.’ Everyone that comes from God is bound, therefore, to be laughed at and scorned. But it is impossible that men should laugh at a
a speech on “Essence of Love and Mercy in Matrimonial Homes” by Dr Sanni Taofiq Sahib, Naib Sadr Saf-e-Dom, Majlis Ansarullah Nigeria.
The Jalsa Salana was brought to an end by the closing remarks by Amir Sahib Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Nigeria. Jalsa Radio continued to provide live translations of the proceedings in three different languages: Yoruba, Hausa, and Etsako. Jalsa Salana Nigeria 2024 recorded a total checkedin attendance of 36,283 individuals, comprising 5,703 guests.
man who descends from heaven before their eyes and is accompanied by hosts of angels. Every sensible person can see from this that the descent of the Messiah from heaven is an absurd and false theory. Bear in mind that no one will ever descend from heaven. All those who oppose me will die, but they will not see the Messiah coming down from heaven. Their children will then pass away without witnessing the descent of the son of Mary. The children of their children will also pass away, but they too will not witness such a strange sight. Then the upholders of this theory will be confounded, for the time of the supremacy of the cross will have passed away and the world will have entered a new era, but Jesus will not come down from heaven. All sensible men will then feel an aversion to such a belief. The third century from this day shall not have passed away when all those who look for the descent of Jesus from heaven, whether Christians or Muhammadans, will despair of it and will forsake the false belief which is now so fondly cherished. Then there will be one religion in the world and one leader. I have been sent to sow a seed and I have sown it. It will now grow and bear flowers and fruit in due season and there is none who can uproot it.” [Tadhkiratush-Shahadatain, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 20, p. 66-67]
(Transcribed and edited by Al Hakam from the original English, published in the January 1925 issue of The Review of Religions)
Image courtesy of AMJ Nigeria
Islamic immigration: A 1400-year profound legacy
Al Hakam
Immigration debates in the West often blame migrants for societal issues, with narratives of crime and job loss dominating headlines. Amid this, recently, figures like Elon Musk have highlighted immigrants’ contributions, sparking nationalist backlash. Islam, however, emphasises mutual responsibilities: hosts provide refuge, and migrants integrate and contribute.
The West & its immigration issue
Europe is committing suicide, with immigration as the weapon – a sentiment we’ve recently come across a lot more than before. Many X accounts with large followings, like visegrad24, exclaim this as a fact, and at the very least some large accounts like Elon Musk agree with this statement.
The blame for this attempted suicide of Europe is often placed on non-Europeans. The influx of migrants, whether they have arrived through legal or illegal means of immigration, is believed to be the cause of this downfall, since the media heavily reports on crimes committed by certain races and backgrounds more so than others. (“Race and Ethnic Representations of Lawbreakers and Victims in Crime News: A National Study of Television Coverage”, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, 1 May 2010)
Lately, Elon Musk has been facing a lot of backlash for his opinion that highly skilled tech workers from India who settle in the US through the H-1B migration visa for foreign-born workers are a net positive addition to the country. In response, many right-wing leaning accounts have caused an uproar, claiming that born and bred Americans should be given priority. He went on to highlight the importance of immigrants and their contribution to American society.
Another factor is that for many native Europeans and Americans, finding out that an immigrant has committed a crime seems like a recurring theme, or they feel that their jobs are being taken by these “aliens.” Why must Europe and the US bear the burden of hosting and settling migrants from war-torn countries?
The answer might not be so simple, because the trail can lead to Western intervention and wars in these developing countries. However, what we can learn is what the Islamic perspective on migration is, and what the responsibilities of immigrants and their host countries ought to be.
Islamic teachings regarding hospitality of migrants
The first source of guidance for Muslims is the Holy Quran, in which Allah the Almighty states:
“And if anyone of the idolaters ask protection of thee, grant him protection so that he may hear the word of Allah; then convey him to his place of security. That is because they are a people who have no knowledge.” (Surah at-Taubah, Ch.9: V.7)
This verse makes it clear that Muslims have a responsibility to provide protection (which includes shelter and legal rights) to anyone who seeks it, even if they are a polytheist – this injunction is not exclusive to Muslims or theists.
The Prophet Muhammadsa similarly states:
“Whoever relieves a Muslim of a burden from the burdens of the world, Allah will relieve him of a burden from the burdens on the Day of Judgement.” (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-birr wa as-silah ‘an rasulillah, Bab ma ja’a fi as-satr ‘ala al-muslim, Hadith 1930)
In many instances throughout history, such refugees settled in Muslim lands and became permanent minorities; their treatment was also often carried out in line with Islamic injunctions. This provides us with the understanding that anyone who helps Muslims in their time of need will be rewarded for it, which is an important aspect for every Muslim migrant to remember in relation to their host country and accept that as a favour rather than taking it for granted.
Abyssinia: The first migration
The first example of any form of migration within Islamic sources is the migration to Abyssinia. In the early years of the nascent Muslim community, either in the year 7 or 9 before Hijra (613/615 CE), a group of Companionsra of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa migrated to the Christian Kingdom of Aksum (parts of modern-day Ethiopia & Eritrea) to escape the persecution they were facing at the hands of the Quraysh at Mecca.
The King of Aksum, Najashi (Negus), a Christian king, gave refuge to these early migrants. Despite being visited by an envoy from the Quraysh who requested the return of these immigrants, Najashi refused in the following words: “No, by God, I
will not surrender them. No people who have sought my protection, settled in my country, and chosen me rather than others shall be betrayed…” (Ibn Ishaq, Al-Sirah alNabawiyyah [English], 1998, pp. 146-151)
This shows that the practice of migration and finding refuge in other lands (when necessary) is part of Islamic tradition. The Negus provided an excellent example as to how those fleeing their homelands ought to be treated, but the obligations of migrants to their new countries are equally important. However, before that, it would be beneficial to mention how Muslims historically dealt with immigrants.
Crusades
The Crusades – a series of military campaigns initiated by Christian Europe against the Muslim states centred in and around Palestine and the Levant – took place from 1095 to 1291 CE. These warlike conditions created instability and displaced many people from their homeland. (Barbara B Pemberton, The Islamic View of the Crusades and Why It Matters: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives, 2016, p. 4)
Many of these people, who were part of various faiths, became refugees and found sanctuary in great cities like Baghdad and Damascus, which, despite the Crusades, offered relative security and served as centres of culture and learning, attracting scholars and individuals seeking safety alike. (“Damascus: Administration and society”, britannica.com, 26 December 2024)
Mongol invasions
In the 13th century, Genghis Khan and his descendants swept across the Eurasian steppe, creating the largest contiguous land empire in the world. During these Mongol conquests, many Islamic lands were conquered, looted, and sometimes decimated, such as Samarkand, Bukhara,
and even Baghdad. (Ata-Malik Juvayni, The History of the World Conqueror [Tarikh-i Jahangushay], Translated by John Andrew Boyle, 1958, Harvard University Press, Vol.1, pp. 97-123)
These invasions created a significant upheaval in the Muslim world, causing forced mass migrations and permanently changing the distribution of the world’s major religions. (Mohammad Iqbal, Impact of Mongol Invasion on the Muslim World and the Political, Economic and Social Ramifications, p. 6)
The response of the Islamic world – or at least the regions relatively unaffected by the invasions, which were able to offer sanctuary to these refugees – provides an excellent example of how a host country should treat them:
“No other civilization in premodern history experienced so much in-migration, especially of alien and disruptive peoples, or showed a greater ability to assimilate as well as to learn from outsiders. Nowhere has the capacity of a culture to redefine and incorporate the strange and the foreign been more evident.” (“Islamic world: Migration and renewal [1041-1405]”, britannica.com, 13 December 2024)
Ottoman Empire & the Sephardic Jews
In 1492 CE, the Alhambra Decree was issued by the joint Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Isabella I and Ferdinand II. This decree ordered the expulsion of all Jews from the land previously known as “al-Andalus” (modern-day Spain & Portugal). In response to this, in an act of great empathy, Sultan Bayezid II of the Ottoman Empire sent the Ottoman navy to save the Jews who were being expelled – a stark contrast to the current migrant boat issue, where the roles are reversed, but the host countries are not keen on accepting these refugees.
Daniyal Mahmood Ahmad
The Sultan went on to grant these Jews –who became known as Sephardic Jews – full Ottoman citizenship and also threatened anybody who treated them badly or refused them admission into the empire with death. (“Sultan Bayezid II Welcomes Jewish Refugees from Spain”, historyofinformation. com, 15 December 2024)
The treatment of these Jewish refugees by the Ottomans can be deduced from the following words of the Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community of Edirne, Yitzhak Sarfati:
“I proclaim to you that Turkey is a land wherein nothing is lacking, and where, if you will, all shall yet be well with you. The way to the Holy Land lies open to you through Turkey. Is it not better for you to live under Moselems than under Christians?”
(Elli Kohen, History of the Turkish Jews and Sephardim: Memories of a Past Golden Age, 2007, p. 155)
Muslim migrants: Functional members of society
The above are only a handful of examples of how Muslims treated refugees and immigrants well during various parts of their history. The other side of the coin is how Muslim migrants assimilated and benefited their host countries, which might not have been Muslim lands at all.
Arabs in East Africa (7th century onwards)
Almost immediately after the advent of Islam, within the first few decades, Arab Muslim traders set out to various parts of the world to engage in trade and commerce. East Africa, due to its proximity to the Arabian peninsula, was one of the first places these traders landed. In the 8th and 9th centuries, these traders, along with other Arab settlers, established flourishing city-states such as Zanzibar, Mombasa, and Kilwa.
In addition to these new cities, they contributed to East Africa in various ways, such as developing extensive trade networks connecting Africa with Arabia, India, and Southeast Asia. Their influence also extended to the cultural sphere, as the Swahili language, a blend of Bantu and Arabic, emerged as a lingua franca in the region, and is still spoken to this day. (“Trade and the Spread of Islam in Africa.”, metmuseum.org, October 2021)
Moors in Spain (711
– 1492 CE)
Many Muslim “Moors,” who were originally inhabitants of North Africa, settled in “alAndalus” (modern-day Spain & Portugal) after the Umayyad conquest in 711 CE.
The contributions of these Muslims over the next few centuries were immense and varied widely. They built iconic architectural structures such as the Alhambra Palace in Granada and the Great Mosque of Cordoba. Significant advancements in science and medicine were also made in various fields, which are credited with influencing the European Renaissance centuries later. Even new agricultural irrigation techniques were introduced which enhanced agricultural productivity.
These are only a handful of the many contributions these Muslims made to European society. (“Islamic world: Consolidation and expansion, Indian ocean
Islam”, britannica.com, 13 December 2024)
Muslim traders in Southeast Asia (7th century onward)
Southeast Asia was another part of the world to which Arab Muslim traders, as well as Indian Muslims, set their gaze. Throughout the centuries, they would visit and eventually settle in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
The Muslims integrated and assimilated with the local people, establishing trade networks and maritime routes connecting Southeast Asia to the rest of the Indian Ocean world. This resulted in the exchange of ideas, technologies, and cultural practices. (“Islam in Southeast Asia to c. 1800”, oxfordre.com, 26 March 2019)
Modern Muslim migrants
These examples aren’t merely limited to the past – modern-day examples can be found in abundance. One of these is the geologist Farouk al-Kasim, an Iraqi-born Muslim who migrated to Norway and made such significant contributions to the country that the question, according to the BBC, had to be asked: “Did one man from Iraq make Norway rich?” (“Did one man from Iraq make Norway rich?”, www.bbc.co.uk, 29 February 2024)
With a background in the petroleum industry in Iraq, upon arrival in Norway, he presented his services to the Ministry of Industry, from where he went on to play a pivotal role in shaping Norway’s oil industry by developing policies that ensured sustainable resource management and economic stability and kept the country the main beneficiary of this natural resource. (“The Iraqi who saved Norway from oil”, ft.com, 29 August 2009)
Professor Dr Abdu Salam, the worldrenowned Pakistani physicist also lived in Europe as an immigrant, and achieved great success in his field by winning the Nobel prize in Physics in 1979 CE.
Hazrat Sir Chaudhry Muhammad Zafrulla Khanra is also an exemplary example of achieving success as an immigrant. After serving as the first foreign minister for the newly created state of Pakistan, he spent decades living in Europe where he served as president of the United Nations General Assembly (1960-1961 CE) and president of the International Court of Justice (1970-1973 CE).
All of these relatively modern-day examples are success stories of positive migration.
Hijra & Muakhaat
The greatest migration in the history of Islam is undoubtedly the migration of the early Muslim community, including the Prophet Muhammadsa, from Mecca to Medina. This migration is known as the “Hijra”, and its significance is so great that Hazrat Umarra marked the beginning of the Islamic lunar calendar in the year that Hijra took place.
After the Hijra, the Prophetsa established bonds of brotherhood (muakhaat) between the emigrants (muhajirun) from Mecca and helpers (ansar) from Medina. The benefit of this was that the emigrants who had left everything behind had a pillar of support to assist them in settling down and establishing themselves, whilst the helpers were given the responsibility to help these refugees
who were escaping severe persecution in their hometown. This system worked immaculately to assimilate the new arrivals into Medina.
Abdur Rahmanra bin Auf: An example for all immigrants
Abdur Rahmanra bin Auf was an esteemed companion who also took part in this migration. He left behind all of his wealth and family in Mecca and arrived in Medina almost empty-handed. The Prophetsa established the bond of brotherhood between Abdur Rahmanra and Saadra bin arRabi, one of the most affluent residents of Medina. Saadra offered Abdur Rahmanra half of his wealth and even offered to divorce one of his two wives so that Abdur Rahmanra could marry one of them.
However, rather than relying on anybody else and becoming dependent on them, Abdur Rahmanra bin Auf politely declined the offer and asked for directions to the marketplace. Being the successful trader that he was, he used his business acumen to build his own wealth and success in the markets, becoming one of the wealthiest citizens. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab manaqib al-Ansar, Bab ikha’ al-nabiyy salla-Allahu alaihi wa sallam bayna al-Muhājirīn wa alAnsar, Hadith 3780)
In addition to attaining wealth, he also contributed immensely to his community by aiding in financing military campaigns and supporting the poor, orphans, and widows. He didn’t merely benefit from the state,
rather he generously utilised his wealth for the betterment of it.
Conclusion
The above examples, especially that of Abdur Rahmanra bin Auf, stand as a testament to what Muslims should strive for, whether they are migrants or hosts. Even according to worldly morals, the obligation lies upon the state to grant refuge and sanctuary to those who are struggling (“The 1951 Refugee Convention”, unhcr.org), and also upon the immigrants settling into these lands to be beneficial, self-sufficient citizens, wherever possible.
The West can learn lessons from the Islamic tradition on how to welcome and deal with immigration, whilst immigrants can learn how to integrate, assimilate, and benefit those societies as functional members and beneficial citizens, rather than becoming dependent on government handouts and benefits.
This is in line with the opinion of the head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa who acknowledges the potential security threats of mass immigration and highlights the responsibilities of countries that are receiving this influx of migrants. (“‘Our Goal and Objective should be Nothing Less than to Establish Peace in Every Village, Town or City of Every Nation In The World’– Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad”, pressahmadiyya.com, 9 September 2018)
Peace Symposium held by Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Brazil
Hafiz Ihtsham Ahmad Moman Missionary, Brazil
Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, organised a Peace Symposium on 28 November 2024 at the parliament of Rio de Janeiro that gathered participants from various sectors of society, including religious leaders, government representatives, academics and members of civil society, to promote harmony, interfaith dialogue and the protection of religious freedom. The symposium featured notable contributions from three state deputies alongside representatives from other parliamentary members. Their presence underscored the legislative commitment to fostering interreligious dialogue and promoting peace.
President of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Brazil, Wasim Ahmad Zafar Sahib, delivered a speech emphasising the peaceful and tolerant teachings of Islam and highlighting the ongoing efforts of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in promoting peace and harmonious coexistence. Another notable moment of the symposium was the speech by the rector of the Catholic University in Rio de Janeiro, ranked as Brazil’s top private university. He commended the event’s impeccable organisation. As a gesture of appreciation, he presented my humble self with a book by Pope Francis. In my speech, I highlighted the urgency of promoting peace
in the face of an impending global crisis. Another highlight was the presence of the coordinator of the Cultural Committee within the Ministry of Culture, who is an anthropologist, writer and professor. She delivered a talk on the culture of peace. Representatives from the Civil Police, Military Police, Municipal Guard, and the State Commission for the Promotion of Religious Freedom were present as well. The event honoured key figures in promoting peace and religious diversity in Rio de Janeiro. The Parliament’s TV channel documented the event, including an exclusive interview with my humble self, which is now available on YouTube. The programme also received extensive coverage from various news outlets, which highlighted the importance of the initiative and the efforts to promote peace and interfaith dialogue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Unsplash | Samuel Costa Melo
2024 West Coast Jalsa Salana held in the USA
The 37th West Coast Jalsa Salana USA took place on 27-29 December 2024 at the Baitul Hameed Mosque in Chino, California. Around 2,000 members from throughout the country, but primarily the 11 chapters of the Western states, attended the Jalsa, which first started in 1985 to cater to the many Ahmadis living in the western parts of the country but has now grown to an international event. The theme of this year’s Jalsa Salana was “Success Comes to the Believers”, highlighting the opening verses of Surah al-Mu’minun. After the flag-hoisting ceremony, the opening session took place, wherein Dr Sahibzada Mirza Maghfoor Ahmad, Amir Jamaat-eAhmadiyya USA, addressed the attendees and emphasised strengthening of an Ahmadi’s core beliefs and convictions. This was followed by a speech on Allah’s attributes of Al-Ghafur and Al-Wadud delivered by Waqas Nazir Malik Sahib. Zain Chowdhry Sahib then spoke on the Holy Quran – the means to draw nearer to God.
Saturday morning speeches this year covered a variety of topics, including the concept of angels, delivered by Tofik Khan Sahib, a discourse on Zakat by Nasir Boakye-Boateng Sahib; and a speech on the story of Hazrat Muhammad Abdul Haqq (formerly Charles Francis Sievwright), a convert to Ahmadiyyat during the Promised Messiah’sas time, delivered by Sherjeel Rauf. Haasher Ahmed Sahib then delivered a speech on humility in prayers, the first characteristic of a successful believer outlined in Surah al-Mu’minun.
This year’s Jalsa featured an additional afternoon session, featuring two speeches on “Falling into the quicksand of addiction, and how to be rescued” by Dr Mutahir Farhan Sahib and “The Promised Messiahas and Hazrat Amma Janra: A heavenly match rooted in Taqwa” by Jaleese Dar Sahib.
The evening guest session drew nearly 200 non-Ahmadi Muslim guests, including local and state government officials, members of local enforcement, professors, university students and interfaith congregations. The feature presentation was entitled “Fostering Compassion and Peace in Times of Conflict” by Amjad Mahmood Khan Sahib, Secretary of Public Affairs Jamaat USA. Various dignitaries gave short addresses, moderated by Asif Arif Sahib.
This year’s session featured a special presentation of the “Jalsa Cares” service initiative in partnership with a local food donation non-profit, God’s Pantry, and the organisers were acknowledged for their service. Several volunteers from the Jamaat
spent the day before the start of Jalsa assisting with food packaging. The guests then enjoyed dinner on Zahir Basketball Court and many were taken through the Voices for Peace Jalsa exhibition, and also were interviewed on MTA.
Lajna Imaillah’s separate session included a speech on Wasiyyat delivered by Unber Shah Sahiba, an address on giving precedence to faith over worldly matters by Faiza Shah Sahiba and a discourse on how to save children from societal ills by Kinza Azim Sahiba. Tooba Laique Sahiba delivered a speech on “Hold on to the Rope of Allah for Everlasting Success” and Aziza Rahman Sahiba spoke on pursuing higher education.
The closing session on Sunday began with a speech in Urdu by Malik Tariq Mahmood Sahib on the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa as the perfect preacher. Qudus Malik Sahib then delivered a speech on “Khilafat: Illuminating Journeys of Faith and Transformation.”
During the closing session, the attendees listened to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V’saa concluding address at the Jalsa Salana Qadian 2024, delivered earlier in the day. During his address, Huzooraa mentioned the West Coast Jalsa Salana towards the end of his address, sharing how several Jalsa Salanas around the world are simultaneously taking place with the Qadian Jalsa Salana.
MTA USA ran live on-site interviews, both roaming and in studio, throughout the Jalsa and the entire Jalsa was livestreamed on YouTube and on the official Jalsa Salana website. Spanish, Urdu and Pashto live translation of all speeches was also provided. Additional programmes were held by the Tabligh, Waqf-e-Nau and Nau-Muba‘ieen (new converts) departments, along with the Ahmadiyya Association of Muslim Scientists (men and
women) and Ahmadiyya Muslim Medical Association. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Medical Association also convened a meeting. This year an Amin ceremony (formal recognition of the completion of the first reading of the Holy Quran) was conducted by the National Talimul-Quran Department, in which several boys and girls participated. The national Rishta Nata Department once again held a “Meet and Greet” programme to facilitate introductions of families in a prearranged
way. Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya USA hosted the MKA Hub where khuddam and atfal could enjoy games and food and inspiring talks. A Lajna Hub was similarly arranged on the ladies side. This year’s Jalsa also featured a food bazaar and a larger bookstall featuring the newest publications of the Jamaat. Humanity First USA also hosted a stall.
This year’s Jalsa Salana had 110 international guests, 210 non-Ahmadi guests and 10 countries were represented.
Ahsan Mahmood Khan
Afsar Jalsa Gah
Friday Sermon
Mubarak Mosque, Islamabad, Tilford, UK
6 December 2024
Muhammadsa: The Great Exemplar
After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz, and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:
I will continue to mention further details regarding the Treaty of Hudaibiyah today.
In The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra has mentioned a particular incident as follows:
“It is common for flaws to be left undetected in agreements, which later on become the result of significant outcomes. Likewise, even in the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, a deficiency went undetected, as although the return of Muslim men was clearly stipulated, there was no mention of such women from the people of Mecca, who would accept Islam and join the Muslims. However, shortly thereafter, such circumstances began to reveal themselves as made this flaw evident to the people of Mecca. Only a short time had passed in the settlement of this agreement, when some Muslim women managed to escape the hands of the infidels and reach Medina. Among them, the first was a daughter of a dead idolater, the chieftain ‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu‘ait, named Ummi Kulthum. On her mother’s side, she was also the sister of Hazrat Uthman bin Affanra. Exhibiting commendable courage, Ummi Kulthum reached Medina by foot, (she undertook this long journey by foot) and, presenting herself before the Holy Prophetsa expressed her acceptance of Islam. However, two of her close relatives also followed behind to capture her and demanded her return.
“These people claimed that although the word ‘man’ has been used in the treaty, in actuality, the agreement was general and effected both men and women equally. However, in addition to the words of the treaty, Ummi Kulthum contended for an exception in the case of women because a woman belongs to a weaker gender. Moreover, in comparison to men, she holds a subordinate position to men, so for this reason to return her, would be equivalent to tossing her into the mouth of spiritual death and thus depriving her of Islam. Therefore, to consider women exempt from this stipulated agreement
was not only in complete accordance with this agreement, but logically speaking, it was closer to justice and necessary. For this reason, naturally and equitably, the Holy Prophetsa gave a verdict in favour of Ummi Kulthum and sent her relatives back. Furthermore, God the Exalted also supported this decision. Consequently, during these days, the Quranic verse was revealed that, ‘When believing women come to you as refugees, examine them, and if they prove to be virtuous and sincere, send them not back to the disbelievers but if they are married women, return to their disbelieving husbands their dowries.’ Thereafter, whenever a woman would leave Mecca and arrive in Medina, she would be thoroughly examined and her intention and sincerity would be thoroughly assessed. Then, as for those women who proved to be well-intentioned and sincere and there was no materialistic or personal purpose behind their migration, they would be kept in Medina. However, as for those women who were married, their dowries were paid to their husbands and after that they were free to marry amongst the Muslims.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 3, pp. 147-149)
With regards to the conditions of the treaty, there is an incident that is recorded relating to Hazrat Abu Basir. The details of this incident are as follows:
“Among the conditions of the agreement of Hudaibiyah, one condition was that if an individual from among the Quraish becomes Muslim and came to Medina, the people of Medina should not grant him protection, instead, they should return him. If however, a Muslim denounces Islam and heads towards Mecca, then the people of Mecca would not return him. At the outset, this condition seemed to be a means of disgrace for the Muslims. It was for this reason that many Muslims were averse, so much so, that even a venerable and remarkably understanding companion like Hazrat Umarra, in the emotional situation of that time (when people had become
severely impacted and shocked over the fact that they were forsaking their rights), he became very displeased and restless concerning this condition. However, soon thereafter, it was proven that in reality, this condition was a means of weakness for the Quraish and strength for the Muslims.
Just as the Holy Prophetsa had stated in the
beginning, that if a Muslim became apostate and left Medina, then he was a rotten limb. (Only those who were hypocrites or those who were not truly sincere could have left Islam. Therefore, there was no harm in them leaving and there was no reason to bring them back to Medina. Thus, the Holy Prophetsa had mentioned from the outset
that he had no issue with them not being returned because he was a rotten limb), whose amputation was actually better. However, in comparison to this, if an individual became Muslim pure-heartedly and left Mecca, whether he find a place in Medina or not, he would become a means to strengthen Islam, irrespective of where he resided, and ultimately, Allah would clear a way for his deliverance. This perspective quickly proved truthful, because it had not been long since the Holy Prophet’ssa arrival back in Medina, when a man named Abu Basir ‘Utbah bin Usaid Thaqafi, who was a resident of Mecca, and was an ally of the Banu Zuhrah, became Muslim, and escaped from the Quraish and fled to Medina. The Quraish of Mecca sent two men in his pursuit and implored the Holy Prophetsa to hand Abu Basir over, as per the conditions of the agreement. The Holy Prophetsa summoned Abu Basir and ordered him to go back. Abu Basir lamented, ‘I am a Muslim; these people shall give me grief in Mecca and shall coerce me to denounce Islam.’ The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘We are bound by the agreement and cannot keep you here. If you are patient for the sake of God, He will open a way for you. We are constrained by the treaty and cannot act in offense to the agreement.’ (This was the degree to which the Holy Prophetsa would fulfil his oaths.) Helpless, Abu Basir left to return with these people but was extremely terrified that upon reaching Mecca, many cruelties would be inflicted upon him and that he would be compelled to hide a blessing like Islam, rather, due to oppression and persecution, perhaps wash his hands of it altogether. Therefore, when this party reached Dhul-Hulaifah, which is situated a few miles from Medina enroute to Mecca, finding the right opportunity, Abu Basir managed to kill one of his attendants, who was also the leader of that party. He was about to take aim at the next, but he fled for his life in such a manner that he reached Medina even before Abu Basir.
“Behind him, Abu Basir also reached Medina. When this person reached Medina, the Holy Prophetsa was in the Mosque. Upon seeing his fearful state, the Holy Prophetsa said, ‘It seems as if he has been afflicted by some fear or terror.’ Panting for breath and trembling, he said to the Holy Prophetsa, ‘My companion has been killed and I am also as if in the mouth of death.’ When the Holy Prophetsa heard of this occurrence, he consoled him. Meanwhile, clutching a sword in hand, Abu Basir also reached there and as soon as he arrived, he began to say to the Holy Prophetsa, ‘O Messengersa of Allah! You handed me over to the Quraish and now your duty has been fulfilled. However, God has granted me deliverance from a cruel people and now you have no responsibility over me.’ The Holy Prophetsa spontaneously said:
of Bukhari are:
“When Abu Basir heard these words of the Holy Prophetsa, he knew that he would be returned to the Meccans.
“Upon this, he quietly left from there, and instead of going to Mecca, where he foresaw both his physical and spiritual deaths, he reached Siful-Bahr towards the coast of the Red Sea.
“When the other weaker and hidden Muslims of Mecca found out that Abu Basir had set up a separate abode, they slowly began to leave Mecca and reached SifulBahr. Among them was Abu Jandal as well, who was the son of the chieftain of Mecca, Suhail bin Amr, and about whom we have already read that the Holy Prophetsa sent him back from Hudaibiyah. Gradually, these people reached approximately 70 in number, or as per some narrations, 300.
“In this manner, it was as if, in addition to Medina, a second Islamic sovereignty also came into being, which in terms of religion was under the Holy Prophetsa, but was separate and independent in terms of government. On the one hand, the existence of an independent political system within the region of Hijaz was dangerous for the Quraish, and on the other, the Muhajirin of Siful-Bahr were deeply wounded by the Quraish of Mecca. For this reason, after only a short while, relations between these Muhajirin of Siful-Bahr and the Quraish of Mecca, took on a form almost identical to that, which initially existed with the Muhajirin of Medina. Furthermore, since Siful-Bahr was situated very close to the route which ran from Medina to Syria, for this reason, confrontations between the caravans of the Quraish and these Muhajirin began to take place. This new war took on a very dangerous state of affairs for the Quraish. Firstly, because the Quraish had become very weak after the last war and secondly, their number had drastically decreased. Furthermore, in comparison to them, the Islamic State of Siful-Bahr, which was led by zealous companions such as Abu Basir and Abu Jandal, was full of the fresh fervour of faith and the strength springing from the bitter memories of cruelties committed against them, which knew no opposition.
reached Siful-Bahr, Abu Basir was ill and bedridden and he was becoming weak. Abu Basir clutched the blessed letter of the Holy Prophetsa very affectionately, and shortly thereafter, he passed away in this very state. After this, Abu Jandal and his companions buried their brave and gallant leader in Siful-Bahr and reached the Holy Prophetsa with bittersweet feelings of delight and grief. Grief because their brave leader, Abu Basir, who was the hero of this account, remained deprived of paying respects to the Holy Prophetsa, and delighted due to the fact that they themselves reached the company of the Holy Prophetsa and were thus, granted deliverance from the bloodthirsty onslaughts of the Quraish.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 3, pp. 150-154)
As per usual, non-Muslim historians distort historical accounts and seek to level allegations against Islam. Regarding the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, there are certain allegations raised by Christian historians. In relation to this, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra has written:
“There is perhaps not a single notable account in the life of the Holy Prophetsa that Christian historians have left without objection and the Treaty of Hudaibiyah also comes under this principle. Putting aside various secondary and insignificant allegations, Christian writers have raised two objections in relation to the Treaty of Hudaibiyah:
“(The first allegation is) the fact that the Holy Prophetsa excluded women from the conditions of the Treaty of Hudaibiyah was not permissible in light of the conditions of the agreement because its words were general, wherein both men and women were included.
“(The second is that) with relevance to the account of Abu Basir, the Holy Prophetsa broke the spirit of the agreement, rather, by indicating to Abu Basir that instead of returning to Mecca he could establish a separate party and run his affairs independently. So, the Holy Prophetsa acted against this agreement.
years later, to whom many finer details were hidden, and were not fully informed as to the background of this agreement, have the right to raise an allegation? (The idolaters at the time did not raise this allegation, yet the orientalists of today raise allegations against Islam.)
“This is totally illogical that those to whom this entire account occurred, deemed it to be right at the time and remained silent, whereas those who came 1300 years later, made a huge fuss. After all, what is the reason that the Quran, ahadith and the history of Arabia are replete of allegations that the infidels of Mecca and the other infidels of Arabia would level against the Holy Prophetsa and Islam, but there is not even the slightest hint of an allegation being raised that the Muslims acted against the Treaty of Hudaibiyah. (For such a long period of time no such allegation had been raised, yet only now has it occurred to them to raise this objection.)
“Additionally, it is proven by the most authentic testimony that after the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, when the Holy Prophetsa sent a letter to the Caesar of Rome inviting him to Islam, it so happened that Abu Sufyan bin Harb, the chieftain of Mecca, was also in Syria. Heraclius, the King of Rome, summoned him to his royal court and asked him certain questions about the Holy Prophetsa. Among them was also the question, ‘Has this claimant to prophethood from your people ever broken an agreement?’ In response to this question, the words uttered by Abu Sufyan who at the time was the chief of the disbelievers and was the most vehement of the enemies of Islam were:
“‘Nay, Muhammadsa has never proven treacherous in the matter of his covenants. However, these days, we are at a truce with him, but I do not know how he shall deal until the conclusion of this agreement.’ Abu Sufyan said that throughout the entire course of this dialogue, except for this phrase, he could say nothing more to produce a possible doubt in the heart of Heraclius against the Holy Prophetsa
“‘Woe to his mother (in the idiom of the Arabs, these words are used to reproach someone or express astonishment), this man is kindling the fire of war. If only there was someone to control him.’
“When Abu Basir heard these words, he understood that in any case, the Holy Prophetsa would order him to go back due to the treaty. In relation to this, the words
“The outcome was that after a short period in time, the Quraish threw in its arms and becoming distressed by the attacks of the party of Abu Basir, by means of a delegation, they came to the Holy Prophetsa and pleaded on account of their relation to him, to call the Muhajirin of Siful-Bahr to Medina and make them a part of his political system. Moreover, along with this, they happily forfeited the condition of the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, which stipulated that, ‘New Muslims of Mecca shall not be granted protection in Medina,’ to the Holy Prophetsa of their own accord. (They themselves removed the condition that anyone who became a Muslim and went to Medina would be returned, saying that the Holy Prophetsa could keep them with him). The Holy Prophetsa accepted this request, and sent correspondence to Abu Basir and Abu Jandal, that since the Quraish had amended the treaty of their own accord, they could now come to Medina. When the ambassador of the Holy Prophetsa
“In response to these allegations, first and foremost, it should be remembered that this agreement was with the Quraish of Mecca and the Quraish of Mecca was such a people as were at war with the Holy Prophetsa from the very beginning. (Even when the agreement was being written, we find how their representatives were objecting to even the smallest things). Furthermore, they were accustomed to criticising and raising objections against even the smallest of things. Even so, they were not a far-off foreign people; rather, they were the people of the Holy Prophetsa, who were well-informed of all the circumstances. (The Quraish, with whom they had this agreement, were from the tribe of the Holy Prophetsa and were well aware of everything. They were also aware of whether or not men and women were both included in this agreement. In any case, he further writes). Moreover, the complete details of the conditions of the agreement and their complete background were also before their eyes. Hence, if the Quraish of Mecca who were the involved party in this agreement, did not object to this action of the Holy Prophetsa, and did not consider it to be against the agreement, then how can those people who came 1300
“This dialogue between Abu Sufyan and Heraclius did not occur immediately after the Treaty of Hudaibiyah. Rather, it must have taken some time for the Holy Prophetsa to prepare and then send a letter to Heraclius inviting him to Islam, and then for that letter to reach Heraclius, and then for the assembly of the royal court of Heraclius, and to find Abu Sufyan and summon him to that court, etc. (as travel was not easy in those days). It is conceivable that by then the fleeing of Abu Basir to Medina and the incidents of Ummi Kulthum and other Muslim women leaving Mecca and reaching Medina had already taken place. It is for this reason that all historians mention the account of Abu Basir and Ummi Kulthum first and then the account of the letter to the Caesar of Rome later. However, despite this, Abu Sufyan could not raise the allegation of breach of contract against the Holy Prophetsa, even though his words indicated that it was his desire to raise an objection if possible. Despite this, critics born 1300 years later do not fear God while levelling the allegation of breach of contract against the Holy Prophetsa. Alas! How unfortunate it is!
“Then, if we delve deeper into the details of these allegations, their weakness
becomes even more evident. For example, the first allegation is that both men and women were in fact included in this agreement. However, the Holy Prophetsa acted tyrannously and declared women exempt. As we have already mentioned (this was discussed earlier), this allegation is false and baseless because the words of the agreement, as are recorded in the most authentic narration, clearly mention that only men were the object of this agreement and not both men and women. (As it was mentioned earlier), the words of the agreement as recorded in Sahih Bukhari, they are as follows:
“‘Any man from among us who comes to you, shall be returned to us, even if he be a Muslim.’
“In the presence of these clear and indisputable words, to object that in actuality both men and women were intended in this agreement, is not only unjust; rather it is utter dishonesty. Then if it is asserted that in various historical narrations, the word rajul or ‘man’ is not used in the words of the agreement, but that general words are used which refer to both men and women, then the answer to this is that firstly, the more authentic narration should be preferred and when the word rajul or ‘man’ has been used in the most authentic narration, then definitely, it must be deemed the correct word. Additionally, if the words mentioned in historical narrations are studied, they also support the explanation we have provided. For example, in the most wellknown and renowned book of history, Sirat Ibni Hisham, the following words are mentioned:
“‘Any individual from the Quraish who comes to Muhammadsa without the permission of his guardian, shall be returned to the Quraish.’
“Undoubtedly, in these Arabic words, the word ‘man’ has not been mentioned distinctly, but an individual who possesses even the most elementary knowledge of the Arabic language is aware that in Arabic, unlike various other languages, separate tenses and pronouns are used for men and women. In the above-mentioned passage, the male tenses and male pronouns have been used, from beginning to end. Therefore, as per the principle of the elaboration of the language of treaties, only men should be deemed in this phrase and not men and women collectively. No doubt, in common idiom, the male tense is used to refer to both men and women at times, but it is obvious that the phrase in question is not this kind of a phrase. Quite the contrary; it is the phrase of an agreement, which possesses the rank of law, rather, a rank higher still. For each and every word is penned down after strict contemplation and the choice of words is made after the cross-examination and approval of both parties. Therefore, in the case of such a phrase, the meaning which is most limited and specific should be accepted. (In any case, we heard the account and its details in the previous sermon, as to how much detail the representative of the disbelievers went
into for this treaty.) Hence, the conclusion derived from this perspective would be that only men were implied in this agreement and not men and women inclusively.
“Additionally, as mentioned, to return a woman who is of the weaker gender, and is generally at the mercy of her husband or male relatives, would mean to cast her back to disbelief and polytheism with one’s own hands, which is not only far from emotions of mercy and compassion, but also equality and justice. No doubt, that by returning a man the risk existed that the infidels of Mecca would subject him to different kinds of torture and grief, but still, a man is a man. Not only can he bear more suffering but as is needed by hiding or fleeing, or by creating a partnership, etc., he can open many ways for his own deliverance (just as Abu Basir did); but what can a helpless woman do? In such circumstances, there was the case of forcefully depriving her of Islam or death. In these circumstances, it was completely impossible for a merciful and noble person like the Holy Prophetsa to return helpless and vulnerable Muslim women back to the cruelties of the tyrannous infidels. Thus, whatever was done, was not only correct and in complete accordance with the agreement but it was also completely appropriate and correct as per the sound principle of equality and justice, mercy and compassion. Nothing more than deplorable shame came to the lot of those who objected, in that they did not hold back their tongues of criticism, even regarding an arrangement for the protection of oppressed and helpless women.
“The second allegation relates to the account of Abu Basir. However, upon reflection, this allegation also proves to be completely weak and feeble. Undoubtedly, the Holy Prophetsa concluded an agreement stating that any individual, i.e., any man who flees to Medina from the infidels of Mecca, he shall be returned even if he be a Muslim. However, the question is, did the Holy Prophetsa act in opposition to this agreement? Not at all! Not at all! Instead, the Holy Prophetsa demonstrated such a complete and magnificent fulfilment of this agreement that the world is unable to present its likeness. Just contemplate – becoming convinced of the truth of Islam, he flees from Mecca, and in order to save himself from the persecution of the Quraish and to save his faith, he secretly reaches Medina. However, his cruel relatives also pursue him and by the power of the sword, they wish to forcefully turn him from the truth of Islam. Upon this, both parties present themselves before the Holy Prophetsa. In an emotional tone and terrified manner, he says to the Holy Prophetsa, ‘O Messenger of Allah! God has inferred upon me the blessing of Islam. The life of grief and danger which lies before me if I return to Mecca is known to you. For the sake of God do not send me back!’ However, in opposition to this, the relatives of Abu Basir demand from the Holy Prophetsa that it is his agreement with them that any man who comes to Medina, shall be returned. The grief of Abu Basir, and the indignation of his companions is before the eyes of the Holy Prophetsa, and his own emotions produce a buffeting in his heart (it pained the Holy Prophetsa a great deal); but this embodiment of honesty
and truthfulness, remaining firm upon his covenant in the likeness of a rock says in such beautiful words indeed:
“‘O Abu Basir, verily you know that we have entered into a treaty with these people and being dishonest to one’s covenant is not permissible in our religion. (Observe how even when a person’s life was at stake, he stated that to break one’s oath was not permitted in our religion. Those of us, on the other hand, who break even the smallest of oaths should assess the state of their faith. He then stated:) You should go with these people and if you remain firm upon Islam with patience and steadfastness, then God shall Himself open a way of deliverance for you and other helpless Muslims like yourself.’ (And we observe that a way to their deliverance did indeed open up.)
“In light of this instruction of the Holy Prophetsa, Abu Basir left with the Meccans. On his way back, when he physically overcame those who had imprisoned him and returned to Medina again, upon seeing him, the Holy Prophetsa angrily said:
“‘Woe to his mother. This man is kindling the fire of war. Alas! If there was someone to control him!’
“Upon hearing these words, Abu Basir becomes certain that the Holy Prophetsa would send him back either way and so secretly left Medina, and established an abode for himself in a far-off place. Now, if this entire account is justly analysed, how was the Holy Prophetsa responsible for this and what allegation could be raised
against him? Instead, the truth is that the Holy Prophetsa suppressed his emotions and fulfilled the covenant not only once, but sent Abu Basir back twice. Moreover, the Holy Prophetsa sent him back with such magnificent words that the history of the world cannot present its likeness. The Holy Prophetsa suppressed his own emotions, he suppressed the emotions of his companions, he suppressed the emotions of Abu Basir, and he fulfilled the covenant at every cost. If then, Abu Basir freed himself from the people of Mecca and went somewhere else, what allegation can be levelled against the Holy Prophetsa and what condition of the treaty stipulated the obligation of the Holy Prophetsa to return someone who had fled from Mecca, irrespective of where he may be? Alas! How unfortunate it is! The enemies of Islam did not deal justly with Islam on any matter.
“Furthermore, if it is alleged that the Holy Prophetsa could have dispatched an order to Abu Basir in his established camp to return to Medina, and since he did not do this, therefore, although the Holy Prophetsa did not break the words of the agreement, he did act against its spirit. (This is another weak allegation which is raised.) As such, this allegation is also one of sheer ignorance and the words of the agreement and the spirit of those words reject it. The condition of the agreement that if a Muslim resident of Mecca fled to Medina, the Holy Prophetsa would return him, clearly proves that the purpose of this condition was to ensure that such a person, despite his being Muslim, would not be accepted into the circle of Medina’s Islamic government. In
other words, although he should be Muslim in terms of belief, the Holy Prophetsa would not include him in the government of Medina. If then, such an individual had been expelled from the Islamic government as per the conditions of the agreement, how can a demand be made with relation to him that the Holy Prophetsa would order him to return no matter where he may be? Therefore, how grave an injustice it is that if the Holy Prophetsa was to keep such an individual in Medina, it was alleged that the Holy Prophetsa had an agreement that he would not include him in his Government, even if he be a Muslim. Then, if the Holy Prophetsa was to hand him over to the people of Mecca, expelling him from the government of Medina and sending him out of Medina, it is alleged that why did the Holy Prophetsa not include him in his government and dispatch an order to him? Hence, politically speaking, this allegation is so weak and so feeble and so meaningless, that no sensible individual can pay heed to it.
“Furthermore, the truth is that this unreasonable condition which was included in this agreement by the infidels, that no Muslim Muhajir would be granted protection in Medina, was turned into a punishment by God. Moreover, they were told that their Messenger was true to his covenant either way, but that they planted thorns in their own path and cut their own hands by weapons produced by themselves. Furthermore, when they themselves said that any Muslim youth from Mecca who came to Medina would not be kept in Medina and that he would be considered expelled from the government of Medina, how can they then demand from the same mouth that the Holy Prophetsa impose the rule of his government upon such people and order them back to Mecca, wherever they may be residing? (This is completely illogical.) They presented the condition themselves that the Holy Prophetsa may rule the souls of these people and their matters of the hereafter, but should not become the ruler of their government and worldly affairs. (Politically, administratively and by law he would not have any right over them, even if they were Muslim. Spiritually, they made a pledge to the Holy Prophetsa and were considered Muslims; however, they placed the condition that they would not belong to him politically. He accepted that they would not remain with him.) Then, when they excluded them from the government of the Holy Prophetsa themselves, then what objection can there be upon the Holy Prophetsa? In any case, this was a plot of the Quraish of Mecca which was overturned upon their very selves, and either way, the person of the Holy Prophetsa was pure and remained pure. The Holy Prophetsa fulfilled the words of the covenant and dismissed Abu Basir from Medina, handing him over to the people of Mecca. Moreover, the Holy Prophetsa also fulfilled the spirit of this agreement, as was the actual purport of this condition. The Holy Prophetsa excluded Abu Basir and his companions from his own government. So, the Holy Prophetsa remained truthful in every respect and the infidels became the victims of their own trap. Ultimately, they
Editor-in-Chief:
Qaasid
“ These have always been the double standards of those who claim to be proponents of justice, which has resulted in the disorder in the world, and this is the same disorder we are witnessing today. May
Allah the Almighty grant sense to the world today, especially the Muslims and safeguard them against the ploys of the antichrist.
came to the Holy Prophetsa humiliated in that they themselves desired to take this clause out of the agreement.
“Then, to assert that by saying,
“‘Woe to his mother, this man is kindling the fire of war. If only there was someone to control him’, (they raise the allegation that) the Holy Prophetsa indicated to Abu Basir that he should make his own party and wage war against the Quraish, is such injustice and such a corrupt mentality, and in light of the situation, is such ignorance! These words are clear proof of the truthfulness of the Holy Prophetsa and his abhorrence of unnecessary war. (The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘does he wish to ignite a war? It was not an indication for him to wage war.) Furthermore, these words proved that the Holy Prophetsa was expressing his immunity from and disgust towards this action of Abu Basir, and not that he wished to entice him to wage war by some hidden message.
“Then, one may think, as Sir William Muir has concluded, that the last words of the Holy Prophetsa
“could also mean, ‘If he had but with him a body of adherents!’ Some might think that this shows that the wish of the Holy Prophetsa was that if Abu Basir was to find a companion, he may be able to ignite the fire of war, and in this phrase there
seems to be an indication of instigating war. The answer to this is that firstly, the translation we have done is in complete accordance with Arabic idiom, examples of which are found copiously in Ahadith In addition to this, if hypothetically the second meaning is accepted (as Sir William Muir takes it), even then, in the context of the expression, the meaning of this phrase would be nothing more than, ‘If Abu Basir was to find a like-minded companion, he would inflame the fire of war. Thankfully, however, he has no such companions in Medina.’ (It can be concluded that if he finds anyone, that is all well and good, but there are no such people here to help him.) Therefore, whichever meaning is taken, the context of this expression and its initial parts are sufficient evidence of the fact that the intent of the Holy Prophetsa was to rebuke Abu Basir, not to incite him to war. Can an individual who begins his sentence with words of displeasure and reproach such as, ‘Woe to his mother, he is about to kindle the fire of war,’ then immediately utter such words in his mouth, ‘Yes! indeed, ignite the fire of war’? After all, in the eagerness of raising an allegation, one should not forfeit common sense! (Clearly, such orientalists consider themselves to be well-educated, but when it came to the Holy Prophetsa and the history of Islam, they start making completely uninformed claims.) Furthermore, the greatest thing to note is what effect these words of the Holy Prophetsa had upon Abu Basir and what did he understand from the Holy Prophetsa. In relation to this, in this very narration, the
following words are mentioned:
“‘When Abu Basir heard these words of the Holy Prophetsa, he understood that the Holy Prophetsa would return him to the people of Mecca in any case,’ upon which he secretly fled and left for somewhere else.
“Alas! How unfortunate it is that the individual who was directly addressed by these words understood that the Holy Prophetsa was displeased by this action of his and that the Holy Prophetsa would, either way, return him to Mecca; yet the gracious ones who came 1300 years after, have asserted that in reality, the Holy Prophetsa enticed Abu Basir to make his own party and wage war. May prejudice be destroyed! There should be a limit to injustice.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 3, pp. 154-162)
These have always been the double standards of those who claim to be proponents of justice, which has resulted in the disorder in the world, and this is the same disorder we are witnessing today. May Allah the Almighty grant sense to the world today, especially the Muslims and safeguard them against the ploys of the antichrist.
(Official Urdu transcript published in the Daily Al Fazl International, 27 December 2024, pp. 2-6. Translated by The Review of Religions.)
Muin Ahmad | Executive Editors: Ataul Fatir Tahir, Aqeel Ahmed Kang | Research: Awwab Saad Hayat, Iftekhar Ahmed | Associate Editors: Jalees Ahmad, Ata-ul-Haye Nasir
Translations: M Adam Ahmad | Design: Tahmeed Ahmad | Social Media: Romaan Basit | © Al Hakam 2024