137 minute read
Mr Ataullah Sahib, an MA student
to start from the moment he would receive the news of the departure of the caravan. He would continuously walk in the veranda, praying and reciting the Holy Quran until it was reported that the caravan had safely entered Pakistani soil. In the meantime, Huzoor ra would keep issuing necessary instructions to the private secretary and the staff, while various other engagements and works used to continue as normal.
Tahajud
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra has himself written at one place, “I offer Tahajud [predawn prayer] for three hours.” I have heard an incident that might not have been heard by anyone else.
Once, the wife of Hazrat Musleh-eMaud ra , Hazrat Choti Apa ra [Syeda Maryam Siddiqa] and my mother were talking while standing in the courtyard of Hazrat Amma Jan ra in Qadian. As the conversation continued, Hazrat Choti Apa ra , who was the maternal aunt of my mother, said to her, “Chachi Jan, his [Hazrat Musleh-eMaud’s ra ] state when he offers Tahajud prayer is like a person who takes out his life and places it in the palm of his hand and presents it before God.”
Expertise in sciences
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra used to say that if a person with exceptional expertise in any worldly knowledge raised an objection against the Holy Quran, he could answer it. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II ra was revealed that he was the Musleh-e-Maud in Sheikh Bashir Ahmed Sahib’s bungalow, situated at Temple Road, Lahore. I have seen that room. After that, he gave a speech in the Jalsa at Masjid Aqsa, Qadian. I remember that scene very well and I also remember where I stood. Huzoor ra used to say, “I have certainly read through those parts briefly where the Promised Messiah as has mentioned the Musleh-e-Maud in his writings, but how is it possible for me to announce that I am the Musleh-e-Maud until Allah Almighty tells me to do so Himself.”
Though members of the Jamaat used to call him Musleh-e-Maud, Huzoor ra himself never acknowledged it. Even the Paighamis, the people of the Lahori Jamaat, used to object that Huzoor ra had never called himself the Musleh-e-Maud. However, when Allah revealed it upon him, he made a grand announcement. During that address, Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahib ra , overwhelmed with emotions, began to say out loud on behalf of the members Jamaat:
ا و صدقنا ّ آمن “We believe and testify to its truth.” Therefore, Hazrat Mir Muhammad Ismail Sahib ra stated:
ا ہعمج ےک دن ی ک ٰ حلصمِ وموعدےن دوعی ا اہک ہعمج ےک دن َ ّ ن َ م ٰ ا ور امجتع ےن یھب ا “Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra claimed [that he was the Musleh-e-Maud] on the day of Jumuah and members of the Jamaat said ‘Aamanna’ [we believe it] on the same day of Jumuah.” (Bukhar-e-Dil, p. 181) If I talk about his extensive study, then this instance is from a very early age. I heard from Sheikh Mubarak Ahmed Sahib that Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra said that he had read 18,000 books. I was reading a book of a Christian that had been under the study of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra . I saw that Huzoor ra had taken notes on each of the opening pages of the book, but I did not see any more notes after a few pages. I thought that Huzoor ra might not have taken any further notes. However, when I reached the last pages of the book, I saw that Huzoor ra had taken notes there as well.
The passion for research and study was such that even in his final illness, according to my knowledge, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra continued to study, except for the last two weeks of his life. Habibur Rahman Sahib was [a professor] at Talim-ul-Islam College. One of his books was about the wonders of the sea and the other was about the vastness of the universe. These books were under the study of Hazrat Muslehe-Maud ra . In fact, I have seen those books placed by his pillow.
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra was very much interested in perfumes and fragrances. If Huzoor ra had any hobby, then it was surely this and it might have developed due to the Holy Prophet’s sa love for perfume. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra used to make and invent perfume himself. For instance, he himself prepared the perfume of the Queen of the Night’s flower and transformed it into a very pleasant fragrance. Never before had such a nice and appreciated perfume been made available. There was a plant of the Queen of the Night’s flower in our house located at Darul Anwar, Qadian. Its scent was smelled by all the people of the neighbourhood during the moonlit nights. By getting a branch and a special part cut from the Queen of the Night’s plant, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra had its perfume prepared under his supervision.
The country of France holds great international reputation for their perfumes and fragrances. One such expert came to Lahore from France, and the members of the Jamaat sent him to Rabwah because they were aware of Hazrat Musleh-eMaud’s ra interest in perfume. That man came to Rabwah, stayed there and met him. He showed some of his perfumes to Huzoor ra [without naming the ingredients] as it is the secret of every company. However, Huzoor ra smelled it and remarked that the perfume contains such and such ingredients. When Huzoor ra disclosed all the ingredients of the perfume, the man’s eyes were filled with wonder as their secret was revealed entirely.
The man came out and started to praise Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra highly before Pir Muinuddin Sahib, who also used to take part in perfume work with Huzoor ra . When Pir Sahib mentioned the incident of praise by the French person with Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra , Huzoor ra humbly said, “Look, that person presented a thing for us to smell which we already knew and recognised. This was a blessing of Allah Almighty. Otherwise, if he had offered a perfume that I did not know, then what could have been said?”
Hence, the greater the skill, knowledge and wisdom of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra , the humbler he was before Allah the Almighty.
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s ra style of giving advice was very special. For instance, whenever I would go before him to meet, he used to tell me that my name was Mahmud. I once said to him, “Yes Huzoor, I was named after your name, Mahmud.” He stopped after listening to my answer and said, “But my name is Bashiruddin Mahmud.” In that way, Huzoor ra advised me that if I wanted to become Mahmud, I would have to become Bashiruddin first. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra did not like idleness and fragility. Hard work was his nature and he liked to put in great effort.
When I was a student at Jamia Ahmadiyya, there was a two-month holiday for some reason and I was told to pursue matriculation. My mother also said the same but our lives were such that even if a straw was to be plucked, we had to take permission from Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra . One day when Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra came out of the building made of clay after leading the prayer, I stood in the doorway and asked Huzoor ra that I am being advised to do matriculation. Huzoor ra stopped for a few moments when he heard this and said, “Go ahead and pursue the matriculation, but keep in mind that your actual goal is the study of Jamia [Ahmadiyya].”
We were three persons at that time who used to go via car to Talim-ul-Islam High School, which was located in Chiniot at the time. I took up science subjects. We used to study English from Hazrat Syed Mahmudullah Shah Sahib.
One day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra called me in the courtyard of Hazrat Mehar Apa ra and said, “Do you go to Chiniot by car? A bicycle is standing over there. Take it and start going to school on bicycle.”
Majlis-e-Irfan used to take place after Maghrib prayer at Masjid Mubarak in Qadian. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra had the following poem read out for three days [in Majlis-e-Irfan]:
اروں یک تبسن رہ زگ ہن رکوں اگ دنسپ یھبک ی پ اےنپ � ی م ی � ی � ن � و ہ وھچےٹ درہج ہپ رایض وہں ا ور ا ن یک اگنہ رےہ “I shall never expect from my loved ones that they are satisfied on a lower status and that they belittle themselves.” He said, “I have written this poem for Waqifeen-eZindagi [life devotees].”
I have endeavoured not to mention too many incidents of Hazrat Musleh-eMaud’s ra personal compassion towards me. On one occasion, I have myself witnessed the instance when he received a revelation. Although I did not know at the time that a revelation was descending upon him, I still noticed it through the movement of his eyes and the state [of his body]. In that moment, only I was with him. It was the occasion of Jalsa Musleh-eMaud in Ludhiana. After announcing the proclamation of Musleh-e-Maud at Masjid Aqsa, Qadian, another Jalsa took place in Hoshiarpur. The leader of the caravan of that Jalsa was my father, Hazrat Mir Muhammad Ishaq Sahib ra . As I was present at Masjid Aqsa, I also went to Hoshiarpur with my father. Then, another Jalsa took place in Lahore and after that, our father passed away. The next Jalsa was in Ludhiana and Huzoor ra took me with him in his motor car and we stayed together during the entire journey.
When we left Qadian, it was raining. There was a village called Harchowal near Qadian. When we reached that place, there was a canal and a bridge. A bungalow was also built over there. When we advanced onto the canal track, the people of that place stopped the motor cars. There were three cars in total and the people said that as it was a dirt track, the motor vehicles would be damaged. The private secretary was talking to those people when Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib ra went there to talk as well.
Thereafter on one side of the canal, only Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra and I were present and then he received a revelation: تہب یس ربوتکں ےک اسامن وہےگن۔ “There will be a downpour of abundant blessings.”
Editor: Al Hakam is indebted to Mir Mahmud Ahmad Nasir Sahib for sharing these memories with us. We pray that this devout servant of Islam, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, may Allah be pleased with him, continues to live on through the triumphs and victories of Islam and may we all live up to the standard set for us as described by Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud himself:
نم زنمل یک التش َ ھجت وک ےہ ا ک رُپ ا ی ش ن مہ � ھجم وک ا ک ٓاشت اشفں رُپ وولہل دل یک التش “My friend, while you search for a place to rest, I am in search of a revolutionary, volcanic soul.”
Naveed Iqbal Qadiani, Missionary Regina and Arslan Ahmad, National Secretary Umoor-e-Kharja
In November 2016, during Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V’s, may Allah be his Helper, visit to Calgary, several leaders from the indigenous community of Canada met with Huzoor aa . It was during this visit that Huzoor aa instructed to increase connections and build relations with their community.
On 5 February 2020, a team consisting of three members of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Regina, Naveed Iqbal Qadiani Sahib (missionary), Safeer Ahmad Sahib and Luqman Bashir Sahib had a meeting with the First Nation Community at Standing Buffalo, Dakota First Nation Reserve.
The meeting was attended by five councillors; Kimberley Goodfeather, Sandra Jean Redman, Beckie Yuzicappi, Dwayne Redman Jr and Brendon Wajunta.
During the meeting much of the emphasis was made towards enhancing bonds and conducting collaborative events. The team also had a chance to present Jamaat literature consisting of Life of Muhammad sa , and World Crisis and the Pathway to Peace to the community.
The team also toured a well-known community park built by the Jamaat-eAhmadiyya volunteers on that Reserve in 2018. Councillors appreciated the visit and showed interest in visiting our Mosque in Regina in the near future.
Quranic
strategy of military
My Dear Prime Minister, 20 June 1940
defence in war
Advice of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud to Winston Churchill
Nauman Ahmad Hadi Missionary, Islam International Publications Ltd
The Second World War, by early 1940, had overwhelmingly turned against Britain. Hundreds of thousands of British troops had been withdrawn from Dunkirk to England in May as German forces extended their territory in France. Operation Dynamo, as it was called, is also referred to as the Miracle of Dunkirk pointing towards the plight of the British army as it barely made it beyond mainland Europe. Over the following several weeks, events unfolded dramatically as Winston Churchill, the then Prime Minister, delivered a series of speeches at Parliament that worked towards motivating and mobilising the nation. His famous speech, “We Shall Fight on the Beaches” (delivered in the House of Commons, 4 June 1940) carried in it the warning that Britain might face a Nazi invasion.
It was against this backdrop that a letter dated 20 June 1940 arrived in Downing Street addressed to the Prime Minister. This historic letter, published below for the first time, was written by Hazrat Sir Chaudhry Zafrullah Khan Sahib ra on behalf of Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad ra , the second successor of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, who had not only actively been following the British War effort, but had been the recipient of various dreams and visions pertaining to World War II. He communicated all such dreams and visions to the British authorities.
In this insightful letter, Sir Zafrulla Khan ra informed Winston Churchill of the efforts of Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad ra , in aiding the British War effort by way of prayer. He further explained the prophecies of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II ra regarding the war that had come to pass. However, the excerpt from the letter explains the main purpose of the letter:
In what can be described as a remarkable letter, we find Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II ra conveying the teachings of the Holy Quran to the British Prime Minister so that peace may once again prevail through the victory of Great Britain. He draws the attention of the Government towards the strategy of defence that ought to be applied in case of a Nazi invasion – a strategy similar to that of Hazrat Dhul-Qarnain mentioned in the Holy Quran.
Undoubtedly this adds to the already common belief that the history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is adorned with efforts made to secure peace at every level. Most importantly, we find that Sir Zafrullah Khan Sahib ra emphasises the key message of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II ra : “We must at this very grave stage in the world’s history purge our minds and hearts of all that is selfish and impure and bend both our bodies and our souls in humble and sincere supplication before the Universal Creator whose help alone can at this stage save mankind from the doom that threatens to overwhelm them”.
This letter is further accompanied with correspondence between British bureaucrats that illustrates the high esteem and regard given to this blessed message.
I am sure in the middle of your many and serious preoccupations you will forgive me for intruding upon your valuable time if I were to explain at the outset that were I not personally convinced of the importance and seriousness of the communication that I have to make to you I would not have ventured to take this liberty.
You are probably aware that I have the honour to be a member of the Ahmadiyya community which is an intensely alive Movement in Islam and the only Movement which today represents the real spirit of Islam. The Head of the Movement is Sahibzada Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad. Lord Halifax knows him personally and has some knowledge of the ideals and activities of the Movement.
Long before this war started the Head of the Movement had
through visions and revelation been vouchsafed knowledge of a
good deal of that which has since come to pass. In July or August of
last year he had a vision in which he saw certain documents which
purported to have passed between His Majesty’s Government and
the French Government. One of these documents contained the
text of a proposal from His Majesty’s Government to the French
Government for a complete union between the two countries and
their respective Empires. Among other people he had communicat
ed this to me some months ago. At the time when he related this
to me he thought that this was so extraordinary a proposal that his
vision was probably susceptible of some interpretation rather than
of literal fulfilment. As you are aware, the vision has been literally
fulfilled. Again on the night of the 24 th May last when he was travel
ling from Karachi to Qadian (the Head Quarters of the Movement)
in order to arrange for prayers with the King’s wishes and while
he was himself engaged in prayers for the Allies during the course
of the journey he saw in a waking state a King and also received in
revelation the single word “abdicated.” He related this experience
to the people gathered at Qadian on the afternoon of the 26 th on
the occasion of the prayers in the course of his speech. Within three days the revelation was fulfilled by the virtual abdication of King Leopald of Belgium.
The Head of the Movement has made no secret during the course of the last year or two of the fact that the Empire would be faced with, and would have to pass through, a severe ordeal in the course of which much damage, injury and suffering would be experienced. In the other hand, he is himself the most loyal subject of the King that I know of anywhere and is most intensely and keenly interested in the welfare of the Empire. He has directed that prayers should be offered throughout the present period of crisis and has fixed Thursday the 20th June and five succeeding Thursdays as days of fasting on which days and on the respective Fridays following which special prayers must be offered.
I have said all this by way of introduction in order to impress upon you the fact that I have not been prompted by a mere idle fancy to take up your valuable time in writing this letter to you. The Head of the Movement has asked me to convey to you that certain verses in the Holy Quran which appear indubitably to refer to the present conflict indicate that in case of invasion of Great Britain by Germany the only defences that would ultimately operate as a check against the invading forces are steel fortifications which have been smoothed or reinforced with molten bronze. He says it may be that these fortifications may at places have to be in the shape of steel walls sunk to a certain depth into the earth and standing above the earth up to certain heights and at other places to be in the shape of pill-boxes which could accommodate a certain number of soldiers fully equipped and provisioned who could deal both with parachutists and with advancing tanks. The Quran distinctly specifies molten bronze being poured over the iron or steel fortification. For facility or reference I have the particular verses of the Quran referring to this matter at the present moment before me. These pill boxes should command all roads and approaches all over the country. The Head of the Movement also suggests that it would be just as well to construct tanks where the armoured plate has been treated in the same manner with molten bronze as he feels that the mention of molten bronze in the Quran is not without significance and it may be that the treatment of iron and steel with molten bronze may have some reference to some weapon or the other still undisclosed which the Germans might employ against Great Britain.
Another suggestion he has made is that in case Germany succeeds in carrying out an actual invasion of Great Britain some arrangement might be made whereby some notice might be given from the air to parties in the pill boxes of advancing tanks in certain directions so that the men in the pill boxes would be ready to deal with the tanks. If there are a sufficient number of these pill boxes scattered all over the country commanding all roads at short distances it would not be possible for tanks to penetrate very far in any direction.
Still another suggestion is that such petrol pumps on the roadside as are still in service in the case of an invasion should be enclosed within similar pill boxes, so that in the event of the enemy advancing in any particular direction these points could be defended and the enemy kept from obtaining the use of little stores of petrol at these points.
I am afraid these suggestions might appear ridiculous to your advisers, but both the Head of the Movement and myself feel that at this stage no false sense of modesty should prevent my conveying these suggestions to you. You are in no way bound to make use of them, but so many extraordinary things have happened during the course of the last two months and so many more may have to be contended with that perhaps the suggestions contained in this letter may start a line of thought in the mind of some of your expert advisers which may to a small or large degree help in the defence of Great Britain which at the present moment means the defence of all freedom, justice, culture, civilisation, and above all the defence of all faith that mankind have in their Creator.
May I venture on my own account to say that I have throughout been heartened by your speeches which breathe a spirit of clam and courageous determination. I am convinced in my own mind that victory will not be achieved by material means alone and that even material means can prevail only with the help of spiritual means and powers. Therefore whilst doing all that I can in my humble way to help with regard to the expansion and acceleration of supplies from India I am not neglecting the spiritual aspect of things and have made repeated appeals in private circles and to the country by means of the radio and otherwise that we must at this very grave stage in the world’s history purge our minds and hearts of all that is selfish and impure and bend both our bodies and our souls in humble and sincere supplication before the Universal Creator whose help alone can at this stage save mankind from the doom that threatens to overwhelm them and to lead them into the paths of true peace and progress and fruitful co-operation so that future generations may be enabled to dwell on earth in the enjoyment of prosperity and in obedience to the will of God. Apologising again for taking up so much of you very valuable time,
Yours Sincerely
Zafrulla Khan
Mishaal Baten Paraguay Correspondent
On 19 January 2020, Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Paraguay along with a local Ophthalmologist went to a village near the capital, Asuncion to hold a medical camp named “Gift of Sight.”
Seventy-four patients of humble fi nancial backgrounds were attended to and free glasses were donated to forty people. We also further plan on providing glasses to people with special prescriptions.
One of the main purposes of the camp was to look for possible cataracts within patients and we encountered four patients that were blinded because of cataracts. We now plan on sponsoring their surgeries. Insha-Allah
A fi sherman who was almost completely blind became overwhelmed with emotion that he has now received the opportunity to regain his vision through the Jamaat’s Gift of
Sight program in Paraguay.
Th ere is one Ahmadi convert who lives in this village and several tabligh contacts who were especially grateful for the humanitarian eff ort in their impoverished community. By the grace of Allah the Almighty, this medical camp was well received and appreciated by the locals. As a result of this camp another village has reached out and asked the Jamaat to provide medical attention to them.
It had been eight years since the Jamaat had been established and it still had no newspaper of its own.
The Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, and his companions felt the need but financial constraints were a hindrance.
Finally, a courageous and enthusiastic youth of the Jamaat, Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab, Allah be pleased with him, (who was then based in Amritsar and was by then an acclaimed journalist in the intellectual circles) was inspired to write a request to the Promised Messiah as . The Promised Messiah as replied to his request in his own writing, the summary of which is:
We have no experience in this field. There is a need for a newspaper but our Jamaat comprises of poor people and is unable to bear financial strains. If you can do this through your experience, then you may do so. Allah bless this effort.
Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra too had no financial resources. Some of his friends were adamant that he join the civil service, but Allah the Almighty helped him and an esteemed newspaper like Al Hakam was materialised in Urdu.
The first issue of Al Hakam was published on 8 October 1897 and up to the end of the year, was printed at Riaz-e-Hind Press in Amritsar and was based also in Amritsar. It was in the beginning of 1898 that it started to be published from Qadian. With a few breaks here and there, Al Hakam was successfully published until July 1943.
In the second phase of its publication, it was edited by Sheikh Mahmud Ahmad Irfani (son of Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra ), and successfully did so until his death.
Recalling the early days of Al Hakam, Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali ra states:
“In August 1897, Henry Martyn Clark brought about a lawsuit against the Promised Messiah as . I recorded the minutes of this courtcase under the title Doosri Jang-e-Muqaddas [literally meaning the second holy war; named after Jang-e-Muqaddas which was an account of the debate between the Promised Messiah as and the Christian clergy held in Amritsar]. I strongly felt the need of a newspaper to express the viewpoint of the Jamaat and also to refute the allegations of political and religious nature that were brought about against the Jamaat. So, Al Hakam was launched in October 1897. The Government was against the press in those days and the present Press Act was about to be passed, but in these unfavourable circumstances, I launched the paper purely relying on Allah.
“At the end of 1897, a relaunch of the Paisa Akhbar was being considered and I had accepted the offer of Munshi Mahbub Alam to be on the editorial staff. I was of the opinion that Al Hakam should be based in Lahore, and based on this, I had joined the Paisa Akhbar. But when I attended the Jalsa Salana, Qadian in December 1897, a resolution was moved for the establishment of a madrasah [school], for which I offered my services; thus, destiny brought me to settle in Qadian.
“At the launch of Al Hakam, discouraging factors like the decline in religious taste and the rise in opposition of Ahmadiyyat were brought to my attention, asserting that Al Hakam would result in failure.
“The Editor of Al Hakam [referring to himself] came to Qadian in January 1898, sacrificing, for the sake of Qadian, the newfound ties with the Paisa Akhbar and other prospective benefits associated with Lahore; by the Grace of Allah, I feel I have been prosperous. It was a great challenge to access a press in Qadian; there was no press, no designers and no copywriters, nor did any of these want to come and settle in Qadian. However, the Editor continued to handle these challenges.” Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra was gifted with the wonderful skill of fast-writing. Whether the Promised Messiah as spoke during his walks or the evening audience, Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra would immediately transcribe every word and publish it in Al Hakam straight away.
Through Al Hakam, the latest revelations of the Promised Messiah as also got published instantaneously. Events taking place in Qadian started to get coverage and articles written not only by scholars but also by the Promised Messiah as himself were published; members of the Jamaat were thus able to enlighten themselves with the spiritual provisions of the Promised Messiah as . The newspaper turned into a treasure house of the writings of the Promised Messiah as , an authentic source of history and a milestone for the Jamaat.
Al Hakam served this unique cause singlehandedly up to 1901, making it an extraordinary example. Then the newspaper Al Badr joined in sharing the sacred responsibility of publicising the sayings and writings of the Promised Messiah as alongside the blessed revelations he would receive. The Promised Messiah as would refer to Al Hakam and Al Badr as “the two arms of the Jamaat”.
At the second launch of Al Hakam in 1934, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad ra , the second Khalifa of the Promised Messiah, issued a special message stating:
“Al Hakam is the first ever newspaper of the Jamaat and the service it has rendered, as well as Al Badr in the last years of the Promised Messiah as , can never again be done by any newspaper even in exchange of millions of rupees.
“I declare that whether Al Hakam survives in its present form or not, its name will survive forever. No significant work on the Jamaat can be complete without its mention as it carries the history of the Jamaat.” It had been eight years since the Jamaat had been established and it still had no newspaper of its own.
The Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, and his companions felt the need but financial constraints were a hindrance.
Finally, a courageous and enthusiastic youth of the Jamaat, Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab, Allah be pleased with him, (who was then based in Amritsar and was by then an acclaimed journalist in the intellectual circles) was inspired to write a request to the Promised Messiah as . The Promised Messiah as replied to his request in his own writing, the summary of which is:
We have no experience in this field. There is a need for a newspaper but our Jamaat comprises of poor people and is unable to bear financial strains. If you can do this through your experience, then you may do so. Allah bless this effort.
Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra too had no financial resources. Some of his friends were adamant that he join the civil service, but Allah the Almighty helped him and an esteemed newspaper like Al Hakam was materialised in Urdu.
The first issue of Al Hakam was published on 8 October 1897 and up to the end of the year, was printed at Riaz-e-Hind Press in Amritsar and was based also in Amritsar. It was in the beginning of 1898 that it started to be published from Qadian. With a few breaks here and there, Al Hakam was successfully published until July 1943.
In the second phase of its publication, it was edited by Sheikh Mahmud Ahmad Irfani (son of Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra ), and successfully did so until his death.
Recalling the early days of Al Hakam, Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali ra states:
“In August 1897, Henry Martyn Clark brought about a lawsuit against the Promised Messiah as . I recorded the minutes of this court-case under the title Doosri Jang-e-Muqaddas [literally meaning the second holy war; named after Jang-e-Muqaddas which was an account of the debate between the Promised Messiah as and the Christian clergy held in Amritsar]. I strongly felt the need of a newspaper to express the viewpoint of the Jamaat and also to refute the allegations of political and religious nature that were brought about against the Jamaat. So, Al Hakam was launched in October 1897. The Government was against the press in those days and the present Press Act was about to be passed, but in these unfavourable circumstances, I launched the paper purely relying on Allah.
“At the end of 1897, a relaunch of the Paisa Akhbar was being considered and I had accepted the offer of Munshi Mahbub Alam to be on the editorial staff. I was of the opinion that Al Hakam should be based in Lahore, and based on this, I had joined the Paisa Akhbar. But when I attended the Jalsa Salana, Qadian in December 1897, a resolution was moved for the establishment of a madrasah [school], for which I offered my services; thus, destiny brought me to settle in Qadian.
“At the launch of Al Hakam, discouraging factors like the decline in religious taste and the rise in opposition of Ahmadiyyat were brought to my attention, asserting that Al Hakam would result in failure.
“The Editor of Al Hakam [referring to himself] came to Qadian in January 1898, sacrificing, for the sake of Qadian, the newfound ties with the Paisa Akhbar and other prospective benefits associated with Lahore; by the Grace of Allah, I feel I have been prosperous. It was a great challenge to access a press in Qadian; there was no press, no designers and no copywriters, nor did any of these want to come and settle in Qadian. However, the Editor continued to handle these challenges.” Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra was gifted with the wonderful skill of fast-writing. Whether the Promised Messiah as spoke during his walks or the evening audience, Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra would immediately transcribe every word and publish it in Al Hakam straight away.
Through Al Hakam, the latest revelations of the Promised Messiah as also got published instantaneously. Events taking place in Qadian started to get coverage and articles written not only by scholars but also by the Promised Messiah as himself were published; members of the Jamaat were thus able to enlighten themselves with the spiritual provisions of the Promised Messiah as . The newspaper turned into a treasure house of the writings of the Promised Messiah as , an authentic source of history and a milestone for the Jamaat.
Al Hakam served this unique cause singlehandedly up to 1901, making it an extraordinary example. Then the newspaper Al Badr joined in sharing the sacred responsibility of publicising the sayings and writings of the Promised Messiah as alongside the blessed revelations he would receive. The Promised Messiah as would refer to Al Hakam and Al Badr as “the two arms of the Jamaat”.
At the second launch of Al Hakam in 1934, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad ra , the second Khalifa of the Promised Messiah, issued a special message stating:
“Al Hakam is the first ever newspaper of the Jamaat and the service it has rendered, as well as Al Badr in the last years of the Promised Messiah as , can never again be done by any newspaper even in exchange of millions of rupees.
“I declare that whether Al Hakam survives in its present form or not, its name will survive forever. No significant work on the Jamaat can be complete without its mention as it carries the history of the Jamaat.” It had been eight years since the Jamaat had been established and it still had no newspaper of its own.
The Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, and his companions felt the need but financial constraints were a hindrance.
Finally, a courageous and enthusiastic youth of the Jamaat, Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab, Allah be pleased with him, (who was then based in Amritsar and was by then an acclaimed journalist in the intellectual circles) was inspired to write a request to the Promised Messiah as . The Promised Messiah as replied to his request in his own writing, the summary of which is:
We have no experience in this field. There is a need for a newspaper but our Jamaat comprises of poor people and is unable to bear financial strains. If you can do this through your experience, then you may do so. Allah bless this effort. Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra too had no financial resources. Some of his friends were adamant that he join the civil service, but Allah the Almighty helped him and an esteemed newspaper like Al Hakam was materialised in Urdu.
The first issue of Al Hakam was published on 8 October 1897 and up to the end of the year, was printed at Riaz-e-Hind Press in Amritsar and was based also in Amritsar. It was in the beginning of 1898 that it started to be published from Qadian. With a few breaks here and there, Al Hakam was successfully published until July 1943.
In the second phase of its publication, it was edited by Sheikh Mahmud Ahmad Irfani (son of Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra ), and successfully did so until his death.
Recalling the early days of Al Hakam, Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali ra states:
“In August 1897, Henry Martyn Clark brought about a lawsuit against the Promised Messiah as . I recorded the minutes of this courtcase under the title Doosri Jang-e-Muqaddas [literally meaning the second holy war; named after Jang-e-Muqaddas which was an account of the debate between the Promised Messiah as and the Christian clergy held in Amritsar]. I strongly felt the need of a newspaper to express the viewpoint of the Jamaat and also to refute the allegations of political and religious nature that were brought about against the Jamaat. So, Al Hakam was launched in October 1897. The Government was against the press in those days and the present Press Act was about to be passed, but in these unfavourable circumstances, I launched the paper purely relying on Allah.
“At the end of 1897, a relaunch of the Paisa Akhbar was being considered and I had accepted the offer of Munshi Mahbub Alam to be on the editorial staff. I was of the opinion that Al Hakam should be based in Lahore, and based on this, I had joined the Paisa Akhbar. But when I attended the Jalsa Salana, Qadian in December 1897, a resolution was moved for the establishment of a madrasah [school], for which I offered my services; thus, destiny brought me to settle in Qadian.
“At the launch of Al Hakam, discouraging factors like the decline in religious taste and the rise in opposition of Ahmadiyyat were brought to my attention, asserting that Al Hakam would result in failure.
“The Editor of Al Hakam [referring to himself] came to Qadian in January 1898, sacrificing, for the sake of Qadian, the newfound ties with the Paisa Akhbar and other prospective benefits associated with Lahore; by the Grace of Allah, I feel I have been prosperous. It was a great challenge to access a press in Qadian; there was no press, no designers and no copywriters, nor did any of these want to come and settle in Qadian. However, the Editor continued to handle these challenges.” Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra was gifted with the wonderful skill of fast-writing. Whether the Promised Messiah as spoke during his walks or the evening audience, Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra would immediately transcribe every word and publish it in Al Hakam straight away.
Through Al Hakam, the latest revelations of the Promised Messiah as also got published instantaneously. Events taking place in Qadian started to get coverage and articles written not only by scholars but also by the Promised Messiah as himself were published; members of the Jamaat were thus able to enlighten themselves with the spiritual provisions of the Promised Messiah as . The newspaper turned into a treasure house of the writings of the Promised Messiah as , an authentic source of history and a milestone for the Jamaat.
Al Hakam served this unique cause singlehandedly up to 1901, making it an extraordinary example. Then the newspaper Al Badr joined in sharing the sacred responsibility of publicising the sayings and writings of the Promised Messiah as alongside the blessed revelations he would receive. The Promised Messiah as would refer to Al Hakam and Al Badr as “the two arms of the Jamaat”.
At the second launch of Al Hakam in 1934, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad ra , the second Khalifa of the Promised Messiah, issued a special message stating:
“Al Hakam is the first ever newspaper of the Jamaat and the service it has rendered, as well as Al Badr in the last years of the Promised Messiah as , can never again be done by any newspaper even in exchange of millions of rupees.
“I declare that whether Al Hakam survives in its present form or not, its name will survive forever. No significant work on the Jamaat can be complete without its mention as it carries the history of the Jamaat.” It had been eight years since the Jamaat had been established and it still had no newspaper of its own.
The Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, and his companions felt the need but financial constraints were a hindrance.
Finally, a courageous and enthusiastic youth of the Jamaat, Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab, Allah be pleased with him, (who was then based in Amritsar and was by then an acclaimed journalist in the intellectual circles) was inspired to write a request to the Promised Messiah as . The Promised Messiah as replied to his request in his own writing, the summary of which is:
We have no experience in this field. There is a need for a newspaper but our Jamaat comprises of poor people and is unable to bear financial strains. If you can do this through your experience, then you may do so. Allah bless this effort.
Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra too had no financial resources. Some of his friends were adamant that he join the civil service, but Allah the Almighty helped him and an esteemed newspaper like Al Hakam was materialised in Urdu.
The first issue of Al Hakam was published on 8 October 1897 and up to the end of the year, was printed at Riaz-e-Hind Press in Amritsar and was based also in Amritsar. It was in the beginning of 1898 that it started to be published from Qadian. With a few breaks here and there, Al Hakam was successfully published until July 1943.
In the second phase of its publication, it was edited by Sheikh Mahmud Ahmad Irfani (son of Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra ), and successfully did so until his death.
Recalling the early days of Al Hakam, Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali ra states:
“In August 1897, Henry Martyn Clark brought about a lawsuit against the Promised Messiah as . I recorded the minutes of this courtcase under the title Doosri Jang-e-Muqaddas [literally meaning the second holy war; named after Jang-e-Muqaddas which was an account of the debate between the Promised Messiah as and the Christian clergy held in Amritsar]. I strongly felt the need of a newspaper to express the viewpoint of the Jamaat and also to refute the allegations of political It had been eight years since the Jamaat had been established and it still had no newspaper of its own.
The Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, and his companions felt the need but financial constraints were a hindrance.
Finally, a courageous and enthusiastic youth of the Jamaat, Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab, Allah be pleased with him, (who was then based in Amritsar and was by then an acclaimed journalist in the intellectual circles) was inspired to write a request to the Promised Messiah as . The Promised Messiah as replied to his request in his own writing, the summary of which is:
We have no experience in this field. There is a need for a newspaper but our Jamaat comprises of poor people and is unable to bear financial strains. If you can do this through your experience, then you may do so. Allah bless this effort.
Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra too had no financial resources. Some of his friends were adamant that he join the civil service, but Allah the Almighty helped him and an esteemed newspaper like Al Hakam was materialised in Urdu.
The first issue of Al Hakam was published on 8 October 1897 and up to the end of the year, was printed at Riaz-e-Hind Press in Amritsar and was based also in Amritsar. It was in the beginning of 1898 that it started to be published from Qadian. With a few breaks here and there, Al Hakam was successfully published until July 1943.
In the second phase of its publication, it was edited by Sheikh Mahmud Ahmad Irfani (son of Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra ), and successfully did so until his death.
Recalling the early days of Al Hakam, Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali ra states:
“In August 1897, Henry Martyn Clark brought about a lawsuit against the Promised Messiah as . I recorded the minutes of this courtcase under the title Doosri Jang-e-Muqaddas [literally meaning the second holy war; named after Jang-e-Muqaddas which was an account of the debate between the Promised Messiah as and the Christian clergy held in Amritsar]. I strongly felt the need of a newspaper to express the viewpoint of the Jamaat and also to refute the allegations of political and religious nature that were brought about against the Jamaat. So, Al Hakam was launched in October 1897. The Government was against the press in those days and the present Press Act was about to be passed, but in these unfavourable circumstances, I launched the paper purely relying on Allah.
“At the end of 1897, a relaunch of the Paisa Akhbar was being considered and I had accepted the offer of Munshi Mahbub Alam to be on the editorial staff. I was of the opinion that Al Hakam should be based in Lahore, and based on this, I had joined the Paisa Akhbar. But when I attended the Jalsa Salana, Qadian in December 1897, a resolution was moved for the establishment of a madrasah [school], for which I offered my services; thus, destiny brought me to settle in Qadian.
“At the launch of Al Hakam, discouraging factors like the decline in religious taste and the rise in opposition of Ahmadiyyat were brought to my attention, asserting that Al Hakam would result in failure.
“The Editor of Al Hakam [referring to himself] came to Qadian in January 1898, sacrificing, for the sake of Qadian, the newfound ties with the Paisa Akhbar and other prospective benefits associated with Lahore; by the Grace of Allah, I feel I have been prosperous. It was a great challenge to access a press in Qadian; there was no press, no designers and no copywriters, nor did any of these want to come and settle in Qadian. However, the Editor continued to handle these challenges.” Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra was gifted with the wonderful skill of fast-writing. Whether the Promised Messiah as spoke during his walks or the evening audience, Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra would immediately transcribe every word and publish it in Al Hakam straight away.
Through Al Hakam, the latest revelations of the Promised Messiah as also got published instantaneously. Events taking place in Qadian started to get coverage and articles written not only by scholars but also by the Promised Messiah as himself were published; members of the Jamaat were thus able to enlighten themselves with the spiritual provisions of the Promised Messiah as . The newspaper turned into a treasure house of the writings of the Promised Messiah as , an authentic source of history and a milestone for the Jamaat.
Al Hakam served this unique cause singlehandedly up to 1901, making it an extraordinary example. Then the newspaper Al Badr joined in sharing the sacred responsibility of publicising the sayings and writings of the Promised Messiah as alongside the blessed revelations he would receive. The Promised Messiah as would refer to Al Hakam and Al Badr as “the two arms of the Jamaat”. had no newspaper of its own.
The Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, and his companions felt the need but financial constraints were a hindrance.
Finally, a courageous and enthusiastic youth of the Jamaat, Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab, Allah be pleased with him, (who was then based in Amritsar and was by then an acclaimed journalist in the intellectual circles) was inspired to write a request to the Promised Messiah as . The Promised Messiah as replied to his request in his own writing, the summary of which is:
We have no experience in this field. There is a need for a newspaper but our Jamaat comprises of poor people and is unable to bear financial strains. If you can do this through your experience, then you may do so. Allah bless this effort.
Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra too had no financial resources. Some of his friends were adamant that he join the civil service, but Allah the Almighty helped him and an esteemed newspaper like Al Hakam was materialised in Urdu.
The first issue of Al Hakam was published on 8 October 1897 and up to the end of the year, was printed at Riaz-e-Hind Press in Amritsar and was based also in Amritsar. It was in the beginning of 1898 that it started to be published from Qadian. With a few breaks here and there, Al Hakam was successfully published until July 1943.
In the second phase of its publication, it was edited by Sheikh Mahmud Ahmad Irfani (son of Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra ), and successfully did so until his death.
Recalling the early days of Al Hakam, Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali ra states:
“In August 1897, Henry Martyn Clark brought about a lawsuit against the Promised Messiah as . I recorded the minutes of this court-case under the title Doosri Jang-e-Muqaddas [literally meaning the second holy war; named after Jang-e-Muqaddas which was an account of the debate between the Promised Messiah as and the Christian clergy held in nature that were brought about against the Jamaat. So, Al Hakam was launched in October 1897. The Government was against the press in those days and the present Press Act was about to be passed, but in these unfavourable circumstances, I launched the paper purely relying on Allah.
“At the end of 1897, a relaunch of the Paisa Akhbar was being considered and I had accepted the offer of Munshi Mahbub Alam to be on the editorial staff. I was of the opinion that Al Hakam should be based in Lahore, and based on this, I had joined the Paisa Akhbar. But when I attended the Jalsa Salana, Qadian in December 1897, a resolution was moved for the establishment of a madrasah [school], for which I offered my services; thus, destiny brought me to settle in Qadian.
“At the launch of Al Hakam, discouraging factors like the decline in religious taste and the rise in opposition of Ahmadiyyat were brought to my attention, asserting that Al Hakam would result in failure.
“The Editor of Al Hakam [referring to himself] came to Qadian in January 1898, sacrificing, for the sake of Qadian, the newfound ties with the Paisa Akhbar and other prospective benefits associated with Lahore; by the Grace of Allah, I feel I have been prosperous. It was a great challenge to access a press in Qadian; there was no press, no designers The newspaper turned into a treasure house of the writings of the Promised Messiah as , an authentic source of history and a milestone for the Jamaat.
Al Hakam served this unique cause singlehandedly up to 1901, making it an extraordinary example. Then the newspaper Al Badr joined in sharing the sacred responsibility of publicising the sayings and writings of the Promised Messiah as alongside the blessed revelations he would receive. The Promised Messiah as would refer to Al Hakam and Al Badr as “the two arms of the Jamaat”.
At the second launch of Al Hakam in 1934, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad ra , the second Khalifa of the Promised Messiah, issued a special message stating:
“Al Hakam is the first ever newspaper of the Jamaat and the service it has rendered, as well as Al Badr in the last years of the Promised Messiah as , can never again be done by any newspaper even in exchange of millions of rupees.
“I declare that whether Al Hakam survives in its present form or not, its name will survive forever. No significant work on the Jamaat can be complete without its mention as it carries the history of the Jamaat.” It had been eight years since the Jamaat had been established and it still had no newspaper of its own.
The Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, and his companions felt the need but financial constraints were a hindrance.
Finally, a courageous and enthusiastic youth of the Jamaat, Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab, Allah be pleased with him, (who was then based in Amritsar and was by then an acclaimed journalist in the intellectual circles) was inspired to write a request to the Promised Messiah as . The Promised Messiah as replied to his request in his own writing, the summary of which is:
We have no experience in this field. There is a need for a newspaper but our Jamaat comprises of poor people and is unable to bear financial strains. If you can do this through your experience, then you may do so. Allah bless Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra too had no financial resources. Some of his friends were adamant that he join the civil service, but Allah the Almighty helped him and an esteemed newspaper like Al Hakam was materialised in Urdu.
The first issue of Al Hakam was published on 8 October 1897 and up to the end of the year, was printed at Riaz-e-Hind Press in Amritsar and was based also in Amritsar. It was in the beginning of 1898 that it started to be published from Qadian. With a few breaks here and there, Al Hakam was successfully published until July 1943.
In the second phase of its publication, it was edited by Sheikh Mahmud Ahmad Irfani (son of Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra ), and successfully did so until his death.
Recalling the early days of Al Hakam, Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali ra states:
“In August 1897, Henry Martyn Clark brought about a lawsuit against the Promised Messiah as . I recorded the minutes of this courtcase under the title Doosri Jang-e-Muqaddas [literally meaning the second holy war; named after Jang-e-Muqaddas which was an account of the debate between the Promised Messiah as and the Christian clergy held in Amritsar]. I strongly felt the need of a newspaper to express the viewpoint of the Jamaat and also to refute the allegations of political and religious nature that were brought about against the Jamaat. So, Al Hakam was launched in October 1897. The Government was against the press in those days and the present Press Act was about to be passed, but in these unfavourable circumstances, I launched the paper purely relying on Allah.
“At the end of 1897, a relaunch of the Paisa Akhbar was being considered and I had accepted the offer of Munshi Mahbub Alam to be on the editorial staff. I was of the opinion that Al Hakam should be based in Lahore, and based on this, I had joined the Paisa Akhbar. But when I attended the Jalsa Salana, Qadian in December 1897, a resolution was moved for the establishment of a madrasah [school], for which I offered my services; thus, destiny brought me to settle in Qadian.
“At the launch of Al Hakam, discouraging factors like the decline in religious taste and the rise in opposition of Ahmadiyyat were brought to my attention, asserting that Al Hakam would result in failure.
“The Editor of Al Hakam [referring to himself] came to Qadian in January 1898, sacrificing, for the sake of Qadian, the newfound ties with the Paisa Akhbar and other prospective benefits associated with Lahore; by the Grace of Allah, I feel I have been prosperous. It was a great challenge to access a press in Qadian; there was no press, no designers and no copywriters, nor did any of these want to come and settle in Qadian. However, the Editor continued to handle these challenges.” Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra was gifted with the wonderful skill of fast-writing. Whether the Promised Messiah as spoke during his walks or the evening audience, Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra would immediately transcribe every word and publish it in Al Hakam straight away.
Through Al Hakam, the latest revelations of the Promised Messiah as also got published instantaneously. Events taking place in Qadian started to get coverage and articles written not only by scholars but also by the Promised Messiah as himself were published; members of the Jamaat were thus able to enlighten themselves with the spiritual provisions of the Promised Messiah as . The newspaper turned into a treasure house of the writings of the Promised Messiah as , an authentic source of history and a milestone for the Jamaat.
Al Hakam served this unique cause singlehandedly up to 1901, making it an extraordinary example. Then the newspaper Al Badr joined in sharing the sacred responsibility of publicising the sayings and writings of the Promised Messiah as alongside the blessed revelations he would receive. The Promised Messiah as would refer to Al Hakam and Al Badr as “the two arms of the Jamaat”.
At the second launch of Al Hakam in 1934, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad ra , the second Khalifa of the Promised Messiah, issued a special message stating:
“Al Hakam is the first ever newspaper of the Jamaat and the service it has rendered, as well as Al Badr in the last years of the Promised Messiah as , can never again be done by any newspaper even in exchange of millions of rupees.
“I declare that whether Al Hakam survives in its present form or not, its name will survive forever. No significant work on the Jamaat can be complete without its mention as it carries the history of the Jamaat.” It had been eight years since the Jamaat had been established and it still had no newspaper of its own.
The Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, and his companions felt the need but financial constraints were a hindrance.
Finally, a courageous and enthusiastic youth of the Jamaat, Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab, Allah be pleased with him, (who was then based in Amritsar and was by then an acclaimed journalist in the intellectual circles) was inspired to write a request to the Promised Messiah as . The Promised Messiah as replied to his request in his own writing, the summary of which is:
We have no experience in this field. There is a need for a newspaper but our Jamaat comprises of poor people and is unable to bear financial strains. If you can do this through your experience, then you may do so. Allah bless this effort.
Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra too had no financial resources. Some of his friends were adamant that he join the civil service, but Allah the Almighty helped him and an esteemed newspaper like Al Hakam was materialised in Urdu.
The first issue of Al Hakam was published on 8 October 1897 and up to the end of the year, was printed at Riaz-e-Hind Press in Amritsar and was based also in Amritsar. It was in the beginning of 1898 that it started to be published from Qadian. With a few breaks here and there, Al Hakam was successfully published until July 1943.
In the second phase of its publication, it was edited by Sheikh Mahmud Ahmad Irfani (son of Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Turab ra ), and successfully did so until his death.
Recalling the early days of Al Hakam, Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali ra states:
“In August 1897, Henry Martyn Clark brought about a lawsuit against the Promised Messiah as . I recorded the minutes of this courtcase under the title Doosri Jang-e-Muqaddas [literally meaning the second holy war; named after Jang-e-Muqaddas which was an account of the debate between the Promised Messiah as and the Christian clergy held in Amritsar]. I strongly felt the need of a newspaper to express the viewpoint of the Jamaat and also to refute the allegations of political Listen to it The Weekly Al Hakam Articles on various topics now available for you to listen on the go and the Christian clergy held in Amritsar]. I strongly felt the need of a newspaper to express the viewpoint of the Jamaat and also to refute the allegations of political and religious newspaper but our Jamaat comprises of poor people and is unable to bear financial strains. If you can do this through your experience, then you may do so. Allah bless this effort. Visit : www.soundcloud.com/alhakamweekly
Women’s role as peacemakers: An event by Lajna Imaillah Ireland
Shahzad Malik Ireland Correspondent
Th e women auxiliary organisation, Lajna Imaillah Ireland, hosted its second “Interfaith Peace Conference” at Finnstown Castle Hotel Lucan Co Dublin on 2 February 2020.
Th is event was solely for ladies and the theme was “Pathway to peace, women’s role as peacemakers”.
Th is Conference drew people ranging from all walks of life including the Mayor of Dublin, politicians, councillors, religious leaders, teachers and many others.
Th e aim of this conference was to integrate amongst local women and exchange views and believes on the theme “Pathway to Peace”. It was to initiate the conversation of the responsibility of women in establishing peace. It has been noted in various studies and discourses, that sustainable peace can only be achieved with the involvement of women at its core. Th ere was also an exhibition set up in the entrance hall, consisting of Jamaat books, Lajna magazines and banners on the concept of hijab and the status of women in Islam. Th ere were several posters on the theme made by student Lajna. A table of free literature was also set up for the guests. Th e chief organiser and moderator of the event, Ms Shamifa Zaheer Sahiba, National Secretary Tabligh, welcomed all the guests at the start of the event which was immediately followed by the recitation of the Holy Quran with English and Irish translations. Th ereaft er, an introductory presentation on the brief history of Ahmadiyyat and the activities of Lajna Imaillah Ireland was delivered.
Aft erwards, representatives of various faiths spoke about their religion and its perspective on the role of women as peacemakers.
Ms Maria Murphy represented Christianity. She is a writer, radio presenter, story gatherer and a minister of the word in St Patrick’s parish. She outlined some of the vital roles that Irish women played to keep peace in Ireland and explained how mothers tried to keep peace in Ireland during the Civil War. She also described that Christian teachings are laid out in the “Beatitude”.
Ms Minu Mishra representing Hinduism, spoke about the unique qualities that only women possess in order to bring peace in the world.
Guest Speaker Vicki Casserly, Mayor of South Dublin County Council, praised the Ahmadiyya Muslim Ladies and acknowledged the eff orts carried by them for integration into the wider community. Th e keynote address was delivered by Ms Nudrat Malik Sahiba (National Secretary Tarbiyyat) who elaborated on the Islamic perspective regarding the vital necessity of peace at all levels of society. She mentioned that Quranic teachings directs us to love our parents and look aft er our neighbours, the poor and the orphans in society. She also highlighted how mothers have a special status within Islam by narrating the beautiful hadith, “Paradise lies under the feet of the mother”. She also mentioned that according to Islam, education of women is essential in establishing peace and harmony across society. Islam puts great emphasis on establishing peace within one’s home and women play a vital role in this regard. Islam is all about humanity, equality, fairness justice, love, kindness and peace. Quoting Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah be his Helper, she said:
In the end, Sadr Lajna Ireland, Sajida Aleem Sahiba concluded the event by thanking all the guests for their time and enlightening speeches. She requested all the guests to spread the name of our community and help us in building a mosque in Dublin. Sadr Sahiba also praised the Irish people and the country by saying that Ireland is a peaceful country and its populace are very friendly individuals.
Each speaker delivered their message with great passion, zeal and insight. Th e common goal of love, respect, peace and recognition came through strongly from each speech. Everyone acknowledged that the mother, being the focal point in the family unit and in the larger community, plays a very crucial and important role.
Th e formal function ended in tradition with a silent prayer. Th is was followed by dinner.
Th e conference was attended by total of 55 women including 36 invited guests. Guests expressed their appreciation for arranging the event and gave positive feedback in both the guest book and interviews before they left .
May Allah the Almighty enable Lajna Imaillah Ireland to continue to hold successful events in order to spread the true teachings of Islam.
Reminiscing the Promised Reformer
Respected Fauzia Shamim Sahiba, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s niece (daughter of
Hazrat Nawab Amatul Hafeez Begum Sahiba ra ) recalls the great personality of her
uncle, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad ra
I extensively remember meeting Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra and receiving his prayers when I went to Rabwah on the occasion of the 1952 Jalsa. At that time, I was 14 years old. Before that, my father, Hazrat Nawab Muhammad Abdullah Khan Sahib ra , was serious ill and our mother, Hazrat Nawab Amatul Hafeez Begum Sahib ra was engaged in looking after him around the clock and we used to mostly stay in our house in Lahore.
There is an earlier incident which is, to a greater extent, related to myself but it manifests a great show of love and obedience of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra for the Promised Messiah as . It so happened that my mother saw in a dream that the Promised Messiah as had come and Fauzia was standing nearby. The Promised Messiah as looked at Fauzia with great love and kindness, holding her face with special affection as the face of young children is held in both hands. Then he kissed her on the forehead for such a long period of time that my mother felt in the dream as if the face of the Promised Messiah as was immersed in the forehead of the blessed face of Fauzia.
When my mother narrated this dream to Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra , he immediately called me in, and after asking my details, held my face like in the dream and in the same way he kissed my forehead for a long time. All praise belongs to Allah! My age was around 10 at the time.
I have no status. It was only the love of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra for the Promised Messiah as that after hearing a dream and being informed about the action of the Promised Messiah as , he practically performed that action.
Most probably, my mother [Hazrat Nawab Amatul Hafeez Begum Sahiba ra ] was 4 years of age when the Promised Messiah as [her father] passed away. Everyone felt the end of a compassionate patronage of a father vanishing from over the head of the little girl but Hazrat Amma Jan ra and Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra took that loss in very unique way. Hazrat Amma Jan ra , as a precautionary measure, started to minimize the name and mention of the Promised Messiah as in the house, so that the innocent girl’s pain and her father’s loss may not deepen. Moreover, [Hazrat Amma Jan ra thought that] hearing her father’s reminiscences and incidents of love and compassion in the house from other children and the members of family, the little girl might regret in her heart that she received so little from the love and compassion of her great father. Perhaps this is why my mother showed hesitation towards the word and the relationship of “father” but it was all to save her from the pain of being an orphan.
The other important part was that of my maternal uncle, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra who, after the passing of the Promised Messiah as , raised my mother not as a brother but like a father, and duly fulfilled his responsibility.
For instance, when the proposal of Hazrat Nawab Muhammad Abdullah Khan Sahib ra came for my mother, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra undertook the same necessary measures as the Promised Messiah as had taken at the time of Hazrat Nawab Mubaraka Begum Sahiba’s ra proposal. I would say that owing to his feeling of concern, Hazrat Musleh-eMaud ra acted anxiously and even more carefully than the Promised Messiah as . For example, [he made sure that] the two sisters lived in separate houses and that their rights were safeguarded. He tried to protect the two from mutual differences and misunderstandings. [He did so] because both the father and the son, Hazrat Nawab Muhammad Ali Khan Sahib and Hazrat Nawab Muhammad Abdullah Khan Sahib had a shared income, and there were many problems of state properties during the English rule.
My grandfather had come to Qadian, leaving everything behind. My mother’s pocket money and resources were very limited. Moreover, we were 9 siblings, born in quick succession. Concerned about the lack of resources, [my mother] kept praying that may Almighty God generate new sources of income.
During one of those days, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra saw his younger sister and just by looking at her face, he noticed that she was worried. Despite the fact that Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra had extremely important Jamaat and familial responsibilities and every moment of his was occupied, he recognised his younger sister’s distress.
Upon the query of Hazrat Musleh-eMaud ra , my mother started weeping while expressing the situation and the condition of the children. Thereupon, Hazrat Muslehe-Maud ra condoled her and said, “Amatul Hafeez! The horse that is left behind in the race, sometimes jumps to the front towards the end.”
That changed my mother’s emotional state and she attained peace at heart. Beyond any doubt, Hazrat Musleh-eMaud ra raised his younger sister not as a brother but a father.
I will now shed some light on the observation of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra : It is the incident of Ratan Bagh, Lahore, following the year 1947. The living room of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra was on the top floor and there was a small lawn on the backside and an open space. One day, I was cycling over there. At that time, I may have been 10 or 11 years old. I was very keen on sports. On the other hand, I was also anxious to hide myself and I was conscious about covering my body. As I was in the lawn with the bicycle, Hazrat Musleh-eMaud ra saw me from the above. Later that evening, I went to Huzoor’s ra room and he said, “Fauzia, were you cycling today?” Believe me, imagining that Huzoor ra saw me riding a bicycle, my blood ran cold. I did not know what he would say. However, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra very kindly said that there was nothing wrong in riding a bicycle and so I was relieved. Moreover, I received his guidance and attention as well. Huzoor ra did not express displeasure but encouraged me and showed how girls can also participate in sports on their own at a safe place with the observance of purdah [covering oneself]. I often recall an incident during the migration and partition of the country in 1947, and that is that the bus in which I had departed from Qadian, Hazrat Amma Jan ra was also present in it.
During his stay in Rabwah, an assassination attempt was carried out on Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra . At the time, I remember my mother left for Rabwah immediately after hearing about the news of the attack. I was studying in Sacred Heart Convent School in Lahore. The next morning, I could not go to school but when I went to school a day later, the entire school was aware of the attack on Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra . Even my Christian female teachers expressed sympathy and condemned that the attack was inhumane, etc.
If I describe the incidents of the year 1955, [I remember that] Hazrat Muslehe-Maud ra left for Europe for treatment and rehabilitation and on his return, we too arrived in Karachi to welcome him back. On that occasion, all of us were amazed and astonished at the sight of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s ra memory, sharpness and love because despite his busyness and responsibilities, he brought a suitable gift for each and every young and adult member of the family. I was blessed with a suit and a bottle of perfume. I have kept that suit to date. However, I find it surprising even today when I remember the extraordinary mind, memory, love and affection of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra , as it is altogether exceptional to first think and then buy a gift for each relative keeping in view their age and nature.
During his last illness, I remember
going to Rabwah several times and meeting Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra and receiving his prayer. We, the children, were blessed with a separate mulaqat in which we were all introduced. Every child wished to have a separate relationship with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih.
We used to live in Lahore but we were well-informed about Hazrat Musleh-eMaud’s ra visits from Rabwah to Quetta, Khyber Lodge, Murree and Nakhla etc. I have also seen that room of Hazrat Muslehe-Maud ra in Nakhla, in which he used to work on Tafsir-e-Saghir. Actually, my mother was always occupied owing to my father’s illness, and we, the children did not go anywhere.
During the days of my father’s illness, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra saw a vision in his dream after praying that Nawab Muhammad Abdullah had recovered.
It was only through these prayers and the glad tidings that my father survived such a severe heart attack and his condition recovered. Even though he was not like every other healthy person, but surviving such a severe attack was nothing short of a miracle.
When Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra passed away, I remember that I was newly married at that time, my marriage was on 27 October 1965. The illness of Huzoor ra intensified in November and his journey to the next world had come closer. By that time, there were planned programmes in Rabwah for my pre-wedding celebrations and gathering of young girls. Around the same time, my beloved elder mother, Hazrat Nawab Mubarak Begum Sahiba ra sent me a letter and explained, “My daughter, I know that you are getting married, so certainly rejoice. You may celebrate but keep in mind that the time for the return of an exalted
figure is drawing near. Hazrat Musleh-eMaud’s ra illness has intensified. So, do not let the regard of this great being disappear from your mind.”
On that occasion, my mother also taught me with wisdom that, “My daughter, you should be happy because it is a special day of your life, but the death of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra is not an ordinary and trivial matter. You may not wear your heavy embroidered dresses. You should give preference to simplicity.”
I remember that occasion very well, everyone was sad. My mother was overwhelmed [with grief]. Her condition was bad due to constant crying and her eyes were swollen because she had not lost only a single relationship; in fact, she had lost almost everything, a brother, a father, an Imam and patronage.
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra was absolutely bed ridden in his final illness. I have myself witnessed Huzoor ra lying in bed. At the time, Huzoor ra could not write, so in the last years, he would dictate his speech which was in the form of a message. He would speak himself and express that a certain message should be delivered on his behalf at a particular occasion. I have been told that the Al Hakam newspaper has been launched for young boys and girls. Taking advantage of this opportunity, I would like to express that when I observe divorces these days, I recall my elders for their vast capacity of forbearance. I cannot forget their patience, their simplicity, their absolute trust upon Allah and their diligence. Their selflessness was extraordinary. My father dealt with all kinds of situations. He worked really hard. He remained fully obedient towards Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra . Wherever he was sent to carry out any task, he gave preference to the Jamaat. For instance, when the matter of the land in Sindh surfaced, he encountered many hardships and selected good and beneficial land for the Jamaat and completed all the steps. After that he began searching for his own personal land.
My mother, who was the daughter of the Promised Messiah as , always stood by patience and prayer. Whatever the circumstances, she would always seek help through prayer.
My parents were an ideal couple. When Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra gave my mother’s hand in marriage to my father, my parents remained committed and did not allow their differences in nature to cause any effect [on their relationship]. Every observer knows that my mother had a literary mindset and my father was a simple person. There were many other differences but they always fueled love. I have observed both of them very closely for a long time. I never saw them arguing or fighting. They remained together in one room and respected, honoured, loved, and cherished each other.
Now, the boys and girls who are studying the accounts of their elders, it is their responsibility to try to create these high moral values within themselves. They should remove misunderstandings and keep away from wrong ways and pray, so that we all become beneficial individuals of the Jamaat and servants of Khilafat.
Advice to Muslim Students
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra
, addressing students, advised:
“I particularly advise students to primarily foster love for religion in their hearts, and to improve themselves. They should anchor the love of God the Almighty in their hearts because love alone produces the ability of discourse, greatness and influence. Thus, students should particularly establish love for the Almighty God in their hearts. They should develop such love that nothing in the world can withstand it. When their state becomes like this, they will see that a special light and glow will arise inside them and they will find no hurdle in convincing anyone about anything. Furthermore, they will shatter any kind of knowledge which will be introduced [in an attempt] to falsify Islam.”
(Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 5)
A walk along the coast and lessons on life by Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra
Ataul Fatir Tahir
Poets are known to echo their opinions about society, often drawing on the changing world around them. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra was a man who would reverberate the realm of spirituality and lessons of life not only through his prose, but, as a well-established poet, his poetry would disseminate spiritual pearls to understand the nature of God, while also enabling his readers to take action and lead a practical life.
In 1940, during his stay in Karachi he took an evening stroll with his family along the coast. The Moon was shining bright that night and as a result, Hazrat Muslehe-Maud ra spontaneously began to utter couplets with relation to the Moon, God and World War II. The (Urdu) couplets were later published as a poem entitled “Yoon anderi rat mein ay chand tu chamka na kar”, “O Moon of the dark night, why shine so bright”.
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra , when publishing the poem, also wrote a prologue to the couplets and how they developed as he walked along Clifton Coast with his family. I have taken some extracts from this fascinating prologue and wish to share them with the Al Hakam readers as a means of inspiration. It shows how Hazrat Muslehe-Maud ra was able to merge reflection upon nature into beautiful and inspiring couplets. He was truly an epitome of the Quranic verse:
“Those who remember Allah while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and ponder over the creation of the heavens and the earth...” (Surah Aal-e-Imran, Ch.3:V. 192)
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra writes: “A walk along the coast during a moonlit night is very pleasant indeed. One night, during our stay in Karachi, we went for a walk along Clifton Coast. I was accompanied by my youngest wife, Sadiqa Begum Sahiba, may Allah bestow her peace, my three daughters, Nasira Begum, Amatul Rashid Begum, Amatul Aziz and Amatul Wadud, may Allah bestow peace on them, and also Mansoor Ahmad, may Allah bestow him peace.
“At 11pm, during the night, the shimmering of the Moon reflected through the waves of the sea made the Moon look beautiful and up in the sky, it looked yet more wonderful. As we walked along the sand, the pleasure [of such an atmosphere] increased and we could see the omnipotence of Allah the Almighty … My gaze, once again, fell upon the sky and I saw the Moon displaying its glow in the most unique manner. At that moment, the memory of a night that had passed 50 years prior flashed before my eyes, when a holy man who possessed divine insight, a beloved of God, after observing the Moon drew a sad sigh. Then, the next day, in his memory, the world was given the following message:
As I gazed at the Moon last night, I became extremely restless;
For its glow was reminiscent of my Beloved’s beauty
“For a while I recited this couplet and then, addressing the Moon, I uttered some couplets of my own in memory of that Beloved [God]:
O Moon of the dark night, why shine so bright;
And why remind a lover, of his vibrant beloved’s sight
“My attention then drew to the true Beloved, who the Promised Messiah, peace be upon him, was referring to in his couplet. Remembering that Beloved friend [God], I said some couplets of my own while looking at the Moon:
Keeping distance from your lover, indeed is not appropriate;
You tend to shine far in the sky and watch me in despair
“It is certainly possible to see the beauty of Allah within the Moon. At times, however, for a lover, this does not suffice. They desire their Beloved not to merely glance at them from above, but to enter their heart and manifest Himself before their eyes. [They desire] for Him to apply an ointment to their wounded heart and become the very medicine for their sorrow because without this remedy there is no treatment.” Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra then begins to draw lessons from the sea that was reflecting the glowing Moon:
“My gaze then fell upon the waves of the sea which were reflecting the Moon. As I stepped closer [to the reflection of the Moon], it grew further away. I again moved closer but the reflection drew further. As a result, my heart ached and I said it is exactly in this manner that sometimes a seeker is treated; he tries to meet God but his efforts apparently arrive face-to-face with failure. His worship, his sacrifices, his remembrance and his cries bear no fruit. This is because Allah the Almighty tests his steadfastness and, as a result, the seeker believes his efforts to have no effect. Many of the faint hearted lose hope while others who are courageous continue their efforts until their goal is achieved. However, these days are extremely testing and the heart of a seeker remains discouraged at every moment; his morale diminishes.
“The best example of the Moon’s reflection drawing further away is while one is aboard a ship that travels for miles on end, yet the Moon’s reflection still runs further away from it. Due to this reason I said:
When I glide in the boat of love, to come, O’ beloved, your way;
Why, but, like the Moon, do you slowly drift away” Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra then teaches the meaning of this couplet to his daughters while entering into the sea with them; he points out how the Moon’s reflection was drawing further away as they advanced into the sea. Discussing this he writes:
“In the same way, at times, one’s efforts towards meeting with God are rendered useless and the more he strives to draw closer, the further away Allah the Almighty moves. At such an instance, there is no cure except for imploring Allah the Almighty’s mercy. One should only desire His beneficence so that God puts an end to the trial and grants His communion.”
World War II was at its peak during the time of this incident, particularly on the shores of France in Dunkirk. Hazrat Muslehe-Maud ra , as with all our Khulafah, was a man very aware of the world around him; he deeply understood politics, business, the sciences, comparative religion, modern history and the current affairs of the time. With regard to the war, Hazrat Muslehe-Maud ra draws inspiriting and inspiring motivation from the sea:
“My sight then fell upon the waves of the sea that were rising like mountains in the moonlight. [At that point] my eyes began to look at that side of the sea towards which hundreds of thousands were giving their lives in the battlefield of France. I thought to myself, that on the one hand there are those courageous and brave people who, for the honour of their country, are offering sacrifices. And on the contrary, there are our people of India who are constantly engrossed in seeking ease and rest. I began to think of our women; how they are being wasted and bereaved of true effort and striving.
“O’ how I wish that our men and women also develop a passion to act, exert effort and practically do something. May they understand that, after all, those [people in France] are also humans who are risking their lives on the waves of the sea for their nation. They are adorning the battlefield with their blood and care not about the fate of the loved ones they leave behind. At this point I uttered:
Dread not the high tide, leap forward into the wave [of endeavour]” Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s ra passion and desire for his nation to wake up and venture for the betterment of their country was a constant theme throughout his life. He was a passionate, motivational and inspiring leader who would enable people to take action, eschew laziness and become proactive towards development and success. As he said this couplet, Hazrat Amatul Wadood Sahiba began to profusely tremble. When Huzoor ra asked her the reason, she simply brushed it off as nothing. Later, when she passed away, Hazrat Musleh-eMaud’s ra wife, Hazrat Sadiqa Begum Sahiba told him that Amatul Wadood Sahiba, after the incident of her body trembling at the couplet, once told her that she thought Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra said the couplet about her and inadvertently she trembled hearing it.
Commenting on this Hazrat Musleh-eMaud ra wrote: “She had just given her [final] exams and as her journey of education was ending, her practical life was about to begin. Her pious nature gathered that I was addressing her when I said this couplet; that now you should step into the practical life and, enduring every danger, should achieve something for Islam. It was God’s decree that she was not able to see success in her practical life but Allah the Almighty granted her life through death. He is the All Powerful, as He wills, He is able to grant life:
Dread not the high tide, leap forward into the wave [of endeavour]” Every poem of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra carries lessons and insight into the world of spirituality and Islam; often sprouting from his observations of nature and world events. Since the time of the Promised Messiah, peace be upon him, the poems written by the Khulafa-e-Ahmadiyyat have always aimed to serve Islam and Muslims in one way or another; their purpose was not to be poets, rather to inspire people towards the truthfulness of Islam, serving religion and establishing a relationship with Allah.
Freedom Square, Tbilisi: Georgia’s lajna hold women leaders event
Tahmeena Shamim Tahir Sadr Lajna Georgia
“Is it true that if a Muslim kills a Christian they go to heaven?” This was one of the many questions asked in all seriousness by a Christian gentleman at the Jamaat’s bookstall in the national book fair in Tbilisi. There was no malice in the question, just genuine curiosity. If this was the thinking of the educated, the mind wonders what the remaining 3.7 million Georgians believe or had been informed about Muslims.
Georgia was the second country in the world (after Armenia) to adopt Christianity as the official state religion in 326 CE. It has seen its fair share of conquerors; from the Muslim, Byzantine and Ottoman empires (to name a few), to the recent independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. One can understand why this Christian nation may see other cultures as a threat. For the 15% nonOrthodox Christian’s it is a challenge to assert themselves in this small country – especially the Muslims who represent about 10% of the population.
In a country where traditions and culture still play a significant part in daily life, there has been a concerted effort to promote women’s rights. To be a Muslim woman in Georgia presents its own challenges, which is reflected by the virtually non-existing Muslim women leaders in the country. To this backdrop, the Georgian Lajna sought guidance from Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah be his Helper, to hold a women’s only peace symposium; to promote not only women’s rights, but also Muslim women and the true teachings of Islam.
Following guidance and prayers of Huzoor aa , Alhamdulillah the event was successfully held on 26 January 2020 at the Marriott Hotel in Freedom Square, Tbilisi. This was the first of its kind in Georgia and was well received by the 125 attendees. There were talks by present and former Members of Parliament, diplomats, religious leaders and scholars on the topic of ‘Women in Society – Empowering Women in the 21 st Century’. To promote dialogue and sharing of ideas, an open floor session was held at the end of the formal talks where participants shared their thoughts and asked questions to the panellists. The event concluded with a working dinner. Literature was distributed during the event, including Hazrat Khalifatul Masih’s aa book, ‘World Crisis and the Pathway to Peace’ (English, Russian and Turkish), leaflets on women in Islam and Jamaat. Alhamdulillah most of the literature was distributed and we had a few guests who wished to receive more. The event was in both English and Georgian, with simultaneous translation. The speakers included: • MP Elene Khoshtaria (MP European Georgia Party)
• Tamar Kordzaia (Lawyer and Political Secretary of the Republican Party of Georgia) • Nino Kukhianidze (Tolerance Centre under the Public Defender of Georgia) • Julie Giorgadze (Former Diplomat, Communications Consultant) • Kristy Mordhorst (Political Officer, US Embassy in Georgia) • Mariam Gavtadze (Human Rights Lawyer, Tolerance and Diversity Institute) • Khola Hübsch (Journalist and Author, Germany)
Coffee Morning with Royal Airforce Cadets Omagh, Northern Ireland
Shahzad Malik Ireland Correspondent
The Northern Ireland region of Jamaat-eAhmadiyya organised a coffee morning with Royal Air Force Cadets (RAF) from Omagh to raise funds for RAF Omagh. The event took place on 18 January 2020 at the Royal Airforce training camp building in Omagh, St Lucia Barracks, Northern Ireland. People started gathering outside the camp and then were escorted to the building with the Royal Airforce cadets.
A welcome address was delivered by Dr Nauman Iftikhar Sahib, President Northern Ireland region, and Flying Officer Royal Airforce Cadets Omagh, Graham Dodds thanked the guests for gathering for this
noble and charitable cause.
The chief guest of the event was Mr Jim Shannon, Member of Parliament for Strangford. Mr Shannon greatly commended works of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Northern Ireland, in terms of blood donation drives and community events which have proven to be a source of bringing the communities together. He also applauded the work of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in promoting peace.
The next speech was made by Cllr Diana Armstrong, Vice Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council. Cllr Armstrong greatly admired the charitable work done by the Jamaat in Omagh and emphasised on the importance of holding such event as means of building bridges and better understanding.
Ibrahim Ahmad Noonan Sahib, Missionary in-charge Ireland, addressing the event spoke about the importance of such events to enhance religious tolerance and informed the audience about the work carried out by the Jamaat in promoting peace, highlighting the motto “Love for all hatred for none”. Ibrahim Sahib further talked about Hazrat Amirul Momineen’s aa role as a man of peace. A presentation was delivered by Dr Nauman Iftikhar Sahib, President Northern Ireland about the peaceful message of Islam Ahmadiyyat and its charitable activity.
Another presentation was given by Deputy Flying Officer royal Airforce Cadets about the history of the RAF, its activities countrywide, in general and in Omagh and Fermanagh regions. People from all walks of life attended the event.
Non-Ahmadi Irish and British guests were 60 and 7 Jamaat members were also in attendance.
Most participants did not know what to expect; after all this was a relatively big and inclusive event, hosted by a Muslim community and for women only! But Alhamdulillah it is safe to say that the event was enjoyed by all, with many requesting further events. Some comments included: “I thought this was a really amazing event. It was an honour to speak amongst so many other amazing women, and also to hear [in the open floor session] other women give their perspective and
Continued on page 18
72 nd Independence Day of Sri Lanka
A Abdul Aziz Sri Lanka Correspondent
Sri Lanka celebrated its 72 nd Independence Day on 4 February 2020 to commemorate its internal political independence from British rule on 4 February 1948.
To mark the event, local chapters of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Sri Lanka arranged National Flag hoisting ceremonies at their respective premises.
After the flag hoisting, silent prayer and the National Anthem, Akram Sahib, a Missionary of Pasyala Jamaat, addressed the attendees and said that we, Ahmadi Muslims, love our motherland as the citizens of this beautiful Island. He quoted the saying of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in relation to patriotism; “Love of your country is a part of faith.”
Akram Sahib then detailed, in brief, the 2500 year ancient history of Sri Lanka and said that Ahmadi Muslims have always obeyed the law of the land and respected their country.
Continued from page 2
25 February 1921 : A Sikh religious leader from Kartarpur district Jalandhar visited Qadian and enjoyed the blessed audience of Hazrat Musleh-eMaud ra .
25 February 1927: A delegation representing the Jamaat met the Viceroy of India. During their meeting, Jamaat members stressed the need for separate voting electorates instead of the combined voting system, in the backdrop of Indian communal and religious divides.
25 February 1934: Upon the retirement of a Hindu Chief Justice of Lahore High Court, the appointment of an English judge as the new Chief Justice was opposed by the Jamaat. The Jamaat debated that by not electing a more capable candidate, who was a Muslim, the authorities were sowing the seeds of unrest amongst the Muslim population of that province.
25 February 1945: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra delivered a profound speech about the economic system presented by Islam. Huzoor’s ra thorough and valuable research on the topic was presented at the Ahmadiyya Hostel in Lahore, under the presidency of the Advocate, Mr Ram Chand Machanda. Mr Ram Chand greatly applauded Huzoor’s ra in-depth knowledge. This speech was later published in book form in August 1945.
25 February 1947: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra was foretold in a vision that lawlessness and disturbance would erupt in Punjab. The very next month, the world witnessed this truth. Owing to the information received from this vision, Huzoor ra told Jamaat members to remain prepared for sacrifi ces in order to safeguard the Markaz in Qadian.
25 February 1952: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra set out for a tour of Sindh, Pakistan that would last a month. He appointed Maulana Jalal-ud-Din Shams as the Amir-e-Muqami.
25 February 1956: The Jamaat welcomed dignitaries who had travelled to visit Qadian. Amongst the guests were the Indian High Khan Gohar ra passed away. This companion of the Promised Messiah as performed Bai’at in 1900.
26 February 1954: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra went to Lahore where his stay remained until 1 March.
Commissioner appointed in Karachi, the Indian High Commissioner appointed in Lahore and the Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India.
25 February 1957: Lt Col Montagu William Douglas passed away at the age of 93. He presided over the court hearing in a case against the Promised Messiah as ; acquitting the Promised Messiah as and declaring the accusation made by Dr Clarke against the Promised Messiah as as fabricated.
25 February 1965: Rabwah hosted the 7 th All Pakistan Basketball Tournament. Twenty-six teams took part and the tournament spanned over three days.
26 February 1914: Hazrat Sahibzada Mirza Bashirudin Mahmud Ahmad ra inaugurated the newly built mosque in Wazir Abad, near Gujranwala.
26 February 1919: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra delivered a lecture at the Islamiyyah College, Lahore organised by the Martin Historical Society. The lecture was in Urdu and entitled “The outset of dissention in Islam”. The event enabled the audience with a chance to understand the accurate historical events of confl icts that arose after the Holy Prophet sa during, mainly, the khilafat of Hazrat Uthman ra .
26 February 1922: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra went to inspect a mosque of the Jamaat in Mughal Pura, Lahore.
26 February 1927: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra travelled towards Lahore in order to facilitate the Muslims of India regarding their political matters. Huzoor ra remained in the city until 5 March.
26 February 1936: Hazrat Maulvi Sher Ali ra set out for England with an aim to translate the Holy Quran into English.
26 February 1946: A delegation comprising of fi ve missionaries arrived in Free Town, Sierra Leone. The group was led by Maulana Nazir Ahmad Ali Sahib.
26 February 1954: Hazrat Khan Zulfi qar Ali 26 February 1955: The suffering of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra that had resulted from a knife attack, on this day, grew manifold and became critical after Maghrib prayer. The new complications in his health forced doctors to tell Huzoor ra to seek further treatment in Europe that would be better and of higher standard.
26 February 1962: A new building of Nusrat Girls High School in Rabwah was inaugurated.
27 February 1914: Upon the advice of physicians, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I ra moved to the house of Hazrat Nawab Muhammad Ali Khan which was named “Kothi Darus-Salam” and was in the suburbs of Qadian. It was thought that fresh air from the countryside would help in his recovery.
27 February 1922: The Prince of Wales visited India who also later became the King of England, Edward VIII. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra penned a book for him as a gift. Jamaat members donated one Ana per person to cover the cost of printing etc. On this date, a delegation from the Jamaat met the royal guest and presented him with this valuable gift. Hazrat Chaudhry Zafarulla Khan ra beautifully translated the book into English.
27 February 1922: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra delivered a lecture about the second renaissance of Islam at a gathering organised by the Ahmadiyya Intercollegiate association.
27 February 1943: The respected wife of Maulana Muhammad Sharif Sahib, the Jamaat’s missionary appointed in Palestine, passed away and was buried there. She is thought to be the fi rst ever Ahmadi Muslim lady who passed away in foreign land. It is reported that Maulana Muhammad Sharif Sahib did not let this tragedy to hinder his duties.
27 February 1945: Hazrat Mian Roshan Din ra passed away. This companion of the Promised Messiah as performed Bai‘at in 1902.
27 February 1946: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra instructed Jamaat members living in Bengal, Behar, UP and Bombay etc. to vote and support the candidates of the Muslim League during elections.
27 February 1949: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra travelled to the front lines of the war between Pakistan and India to raise the morale of the Furqan Force volunteers who were fi ghting to defend their country. A group of established journalists also accompanied Huzoor ra .
27 February 1953: The jamaat’s Al Fazl newspaper that was being published from Lahore was banned by the government for a year. To fi ll the vacuum, Faruq was launched. On 4 March, its introductory paper was published but soon after it's printing ceased.
27 February 1954: Hazrat Chaudry Sir Zafarulla Khan ra presided over and addressed the award ceremony of Talim-ul-Islam College, Rabwah, Pakistan.
27 February 1962: Hazrat Saith Abdullah Allah Din passed away in Sikandar Abad, India. This generous and loyal follower of the Promised Messiah as tried his utmost to spread the books and message of the Promised Messiah as as much as he could.
18 Friday 21 February 2020 | AL HAKAM On 6 February 2020, at 2pm, a mosque belonging to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in Qasur, Pakistan was illegally and forcefully ceased by an organised mob. The mosque (which cannot be called a mosque in Pakistan due to legislation) had belonged to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat for more than a hundred years. It was stormed despite police presence by a crowd led by Muslim clerics. After entering the mosque, the mob smashed CCTV cameras and called the azan through a loudspeaker and offered prayers; supposedly marking the mosque as now “worthy” of being a “mosque”.
According to the official press release by Nizarat-e-Umoor-e-Ama, Pakistan, the police presence had no effect and they allowed the organised mob to take over the Ahmadiyya Mosque without any resistance. The press release also panned out that this act was completely against the law and Ahmadiyya Mosque in Qasur, Pakistan illegally stormed by an organised mob opposes the decision made on 19 June 2014 by The Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The disturbing act has, once again, endangered the lives of Ahmadi Muslim across Pakistan, particularly in the locality of Qasur. The Jamaat has taken legal action against the raid and hopes the authorities and legal system of Pakistan will show justice.
Ahmadi Muslims have been subjugated to hate, discrimination and violence by organised and well-established groups in Pakistan for decades. The attack on the Ahmadiyya Mosque in Qasur is just the latest on-going injustice against the community. The Khulafa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat have always strongly instructed Ahmadi Muslims to respond with prayers, and prayers alone. The following is the official press release by Nizarat-e-Umoor-eAma: Press release Ahmadis deprived of their place of worship and their right to worship in Kharappar, district Qasur.
Spokesperson of Pakistan’s Ahmadiyya Community asks the government to take note of the blatant violation of the verdict issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2014.
Chenab Nagar (PR) The Spokesperson of the Ahmadiyya Community in Pakistan has said that the seizure of an Ahmadi place of worship in Kharappar, District Qasur, is a clear violation of the community’s fundamental right to religious freedom. The site in question has been in possession of the community for over one hundred years. However, under duress from certain agitating parties, the local authorities have handed it over to the ringleaders of a mob that had formed to forcefully take control of it. Prior to this, the local Ahmadi community in Kharappar was subject to constant pressure to relinquish the building themselves.
According to the spokesperson of the community, on 6 February 2020 at approximately 2pm in the afternoon, a mob forcefully entered the place of worship. Once inside, they smashed the security cameras and installed a loudspeaker through which they called the Azan. Afterwards they performed prayers inside the main hall. Once news reached them, a heavy police contingent arrived at the site, but took no action against the mob. Instead they locked the place of worship down, and without any authority or jurisdiction announced that the place of worship would be handed over to the ringleaders of the disturbance.
Citing earlier a judgment by the Supreme Court of Pakistan issued on 19 June 2014 the spokesperson of the Ahmadyya Community added that the forceful acquisition of the place of worship is in clear violation of the verdict issued by the then Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani. Under his authority a three-member apex bench devised a framework and reached a historical decision (S.M.C.No1of2014/ PLD2014SC99) which outlined 8 guidelines instructing the government to form a special police task force in order to ensure the security of places of worship. One of the recommendations focused on the need to take swift action against those who were found to be involved in defiling any place of worship in the country.
The spokesperson said that the Ahmadiyya Community is a peaceful, lawabiding, and a patriotic community which continues to work towards the progress and betterment of Pakistan. Despite this, not only are Ahmadis consistently denied their freedom of religion, but their historical places of worship are also being illegally taken away from them. This only leads to heightened religious discord and hostility.
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comments, and there should be more events like this.” - Kristy Mordhorst, Political Officer, US Embassy in Georgia “I was excited to be invited and to be speaking here, but I was even more excited after the meeting because I have heard very different perspectives on the issues, and all and each of them, the speakers and also the participants, was something that is very serious food for thought [that] I am taking away with me.” - MP Elene Khoshtaria, MP European Georgia Party “This was an amazing experience, to see all the diverse wonderful different women from different backgrounds, from different religious ethnic backgrounds and from different countries. All this cultural diversity is one big empowerment how in different parts of the world people and women are empowering each other and bringing their voices together. It is very important to go on with this kind of work and I am really happy that Ahmadiyya Community is supporting empowerment of women and generally human rights and quality. Thank you for having me here.” - Mariam Gavtadze, Human Rights Lawyer, Tolerance and Diversity Institute “Very personal, very interesting, informative, inspirational ... Powerful, women orientated, human oriented, love orientated, very happy to be a member of this panel. I just wish we unite our efforts more in order to make women stronger all over the world especially Georgia.” - Julie Giorgadze, Former Diplomat
“I’m so grateful for the generous invitation to speak at the symposium. I had an amazing experience. It was a pleasure to hear distinguished speakers speak about their diverse experiences as well the audience. I leave with great inspiration and I leave with great empowerment.” - Nino Kukhianidze, Tolerance Centre under the Public Defender of Georgia
One professor wrote after the event “…I would like to thank the conference organizers. All speakers proposed measures to improve equality between men and women. Khola Maryam’s report was more interesting for me”.
A representative from a youth centre, Tetriskaro wrote “…there were a lot of good messages and interesting impressions, thank you for representing different organisations and sharing their experiences. Thank you for the calm and pleasant atmosphere that you created at this symposium”.
A few organisations showed their eagerness to work with Lajna in the remote regions of Georgia, helping minority groups.
One Muslim student wrote, “I appreciate the effort of bringing in women of different backgrounds. There was a good spectrum of topics that were touched. Although I personally didn’t agree with few of the speakers, I’m glad I got to hear Ms Khola’s speech. She was eloquent. The event was about discussions and I liked the way people stood up and did put forward their views. All in all, it was an honest effort. May Allah bless everyone involved. Ameen.”
A friend of the Jamaat who also attended Jalsa Germany 2019 wrote, “It was interesting and motivating. I was pleased that you invited me to such a great event, thanks once again. Me and my daughter, we are really excited that we attend such a great event”.
Four Lajna members from Germany assisted at the event, one of whom, Khola Hubsch Sahiba, the daughter of the late Hadayatullah Hubsh Sahib, also spoke at the event. She had the following to say:
“It was a really beautiful experience for me and was not like I expected. The talks were deep. I’m used that such kind of events are superficial, and they are not going into depth. This time I had the feeling that [there were] so many different perspectives … and I think it is a good step for joining together in the future.” - Khola Hubsch, journalist and author, Germany
By the grace and mercy of Allah, and the prayers and guidance of Khalifatul Masih aa the event was a success. It showed Georgia that there are Muslim women’s organisations that promote peace, love and harmony, and that Muslim women can also be leaders in society. This event was part of several smaller events the Lajna have been holding to build contacts, make friends and introduce people to the true teachings of Islam.
Lajna Georgia are grateful for the people who assisted in making the event a success, and foremost to Allah and for Khalifatul Masih’s aa prayers and guidance. We ask Jamaat members to continue to prayer for the success of Lajna Imaillah in promoting Islam in Georgia.
Friday 21 February 2020 | AL HAKAM
Friday Sermon
Men of Excellence 24 January 2020
Aft er reciting the Tashahud, Ta‘awuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V aa stated:
Th e account of the companion whom I will mention today is Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha. Th e name of Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha’s father was Rawaha bin Th a‘labah. His mother’s name was Kabshah bint Waqid bin Amr, who belonged to the Banu Harith clan of the Khazraj tribe of the Ansar. Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha participated in the Bai‘at at Aqabah and was the leader of Bani Harith bin Khazraj. His title was Abu Muhammad. Some have also reported his title as Abu Rawaha and Abu Amr. (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, p. 235, Dar-ul-Kutub alIlmiyyah, Beirut, 2008)
It is narrated by an individual from the Ansar that the Messenger sa of Allah established a bond of brotherhood between Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha and Hazrat Miqdad ra . According to Ibn Saad, he was one of the scribes of the Holy Prophet sa . (Al-Isaba Fi Tamyeez Al-Sahaba, Vol. 4, p. 73, Dar-ulKutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, 2005) Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha participated in all the battles alongside the Holy Prophet sa , including the battles of Badr, Uhud, Khandaq, Treaty of Hudaibiyah, Khaybar and Umratul Qadaa. He was martyred during the Battle of Mautah and was one of the commanders during this battle.
It is mentioned in one of the narrations that Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawaha came to the Holy Prophet sa , while he was delivering a sermon. During the sermon, the Holy Prophet sa instructed the people [inside the mosque] to sit down. When Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha heard these words, he was still standing outside the mosque, but he sat down immediately. When the Holy Prophet sa fi nished his sermon and he came to know about this incident and said to him: ٖ ہ ِ ل ْ و ُ س َ ر ِ ۃ َ ی ِ اع َ و َ ط َ و ِ ہ ٰ ّ الل ِ ۃ َ ی ِ اع َ و َ ی ط ٰ ل َ ا ع ً رص ِ ح ُ ہ ٰ ّ الل َ ك َ اد َ ز i.e. “May Allah increase you further in your obedience to Allah and His Messenger sa .” A similar incident is also found in the books of hadith, regarding Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Masud. I have already narrated that incident in the sermon that I delivered with regard to him. Th e narration regarding Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Masud is similar in that he was also standing outside and as soon as he heard the command, he sat down just outside the door and then went inside the mosque whilst remaining in a seated position. Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha used to be the fi rst to depart from his home for any expedition and the last one to return. Hazrat Abu Darda ra narrates: “I seek refuge with Allah from a day in which I fail to remember Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha. When he used to walk towards
me to meet me, he used to place his hand on my chest.” i.e. they would meet on a daily basis and he had a fond memory of each time they met and worth mentioning. Hazrat Abu Darda ra then further narrates, “When he used to walk towards me to greet me, he used to place his hand on my chest and when he used to meet me before departing he used to place his hand between my shoulders and used to say to me: ً ۃ َ اع َ س ْ ن ِ م ْ ؤ ُ ن ْ ل َ ف ْ س ِ ل ْ ج ِ ، ا ْ ر ِ � ْ ی َ و ُ ا ع َ ی
‘O Uwaimir! Come, let us sit down for a while and rejuvenate our faith.’ Hence, we used to sit down and remember Allah the Holy Prophet sa said, “May Allah have mercy on Abdullah ra bin Rawaha. He loves such gatherings, of which even the angels are pleased with.”
Hazrat Abu Huraira ra relates that the Holy Prophet sa said: َ ۃ َ اح َ و َ ر ُ ن ْ ب ِ ہ ٰ ّ الل ُ د ْ ب َ ع ُ ل ُ ج َ ّ الر َ م ْ ع ِ ن
the Almighty, for as long as Allah desired. Th en, Abdullah ra bin Rawaha would say, ‘O ‘Uwaimir! Th ese are gatherings which revive our faith.’” (Usdul Ghaba Fi Marifat AlSahaba, Vol. 3, p. 235-236, Dar-ul-Kutub alIlmiyyah, Beirut, 2008) (Al-Isti‘ab Fi Marifat Al-Sahab, Vol. 3, p. 34, Dar-ul-Kutub alIlmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, 2010) (Sunan abi Daud, Kitab-ul-Salat, Hadith no. 1091) It is mentioned in Kitab al-Zuhd, a book by Hazrat Imam Ahmad rh that when Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha used to meet one of his companions, he used to say, “Come, let us sit down and rejuvenate our faith in our Lord.” It is mentioned in the same book that Meaning, “What an excellent man Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha is!” Following the conquest of Khaybar, the Holy Prophet sa sent Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha in order to make an estimate of the fruit yield and land etc.
Once, Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha fell so severely ill that he became unconscious. Th e Holy Prophet sa came to visit him and said, “O Allah! If his appointed time is nigh, then make it easy for him.” In other words, if the time of his demise is near, then make it easy for him and if his appointed time has not yet approached, then grant him health. Following this prayer, Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha’s fever subsided. Sensing this improvement [in his health], he said, “O Prophet sa of Allah! During my illness, my mother would say regarding me, ‘O my rock and my support!’ I saw [in a vision] that an angel was standing before me holding an iron club and asked, ‘Are you truly like this?’ Upon this, I replied that I am. Subsequently, he hit me with the iron club.”
Th ere is another similar narration, and it seems to be more accurate. He says that an angel was holding an iron club and asking him that is he truly as his mother describes him; i.e. as a mountain and her support? (Th e angels enquired because this was a form of Shirk [associating partners with God].) Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha replied, “If I was to say that I indeed was like this, he would certainly have struck me with the iron club.” (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 2, p. 417, Dar-ul-Fikr, 2012)
Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha was also a poet and among those who would respond to the insults of the opponents in defence of the Holy Prophet sa . Some of these verses are as follows:
ُ ہ ُ ف ِ ر ْ ع َ ا َ ر ْ ی َ خ ْ ال َ ک ْ ی ِ ف ُ ت ْ س َ ّ ر َ ف َ ت ْ ی ّ ِ ن ِ إ ُ ر َ � َ ب ْ ال ْ ی ِ ن َ ان َ ا خ َ م ْ ن َ أ ُ م َ ل ْ ع َ ی ُ ہ ٰ ّ الل َ و ُ ہ َ ت َ اع َ ف َ ش ْ م َ ر ْ ح ُ � ْ ن َ م َ و ُ ّ ی ِ ب َ ّ الن َ ت ْ ن َ أ ُ ر َ د َ ق ْ ال ِ ہ ِ ی ب َ ر ْ ز َ أ ْ د َ ق َ ف ِ اب َ س ِ ح ْ ال َ م ْ و َ ی ٍ ن َ س َ ح ْ ن ِ م َ اك َ ا آت َ م ُ ہ ٰ ّ الل َ ت َ ّ ب َ ث َ ف ا ْ و ُ ر ِ � ُ ن ْ ی ِ ذ َ ّ ال َ ا ک ً ر ْ � َ ن َ ی و ٰ س ْ و ُ م َ ت ْ ی ِ ب ْ ث َ ت Th at is, “I recognised the goodness in your blessed being (that is the Holy Prophet sa ) and
Allah knows that my eyes were not deceived. You indeed are the Prophet. Whoever will be deprived of your intercession on the Day of Judgement has certainly been decreed to be worthless. Thus, may Allah grant him [i.e. the Holy Prophet sa ] steadfastness in the qualities He has endowed him with, just as He granted Moses as steadfastness, and may God help him just as the prophets of the past were helped.” Hearing these verses, the Holy Prophet sa said, “O son of Rawaha! May Allah grant you steadfastness.” Hisham bin Urwah said that as a result of this prayer, Allah grated him great steadfastness, so much so that when he was martyred and the doors of heaven were opened for him, he entered therein.
Ibn Saad relates that when the following verse was revealed: َ ن ْ و ُ او َ غ ْ ال ُ م ُ ہ ُ ع ِ ب َ ّ ت َ ی ُ اء َ ر َ ع ُ ّ الش َ و
“And as for the poets – it is the erring ones who follow them” (Surah al-Shu‘ara, Ch.26: V.225)
Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha said that Allah the Exalted is well aware if he is from among them. Upon this, the following verse was revealed: ِ ات َ ال ِح َ ّ وا الص ُ ل ِ م َ ع َ ا و ْ و ُ ن َ آم َ ن ْ ی ِ ذ َ ّ ا ال َ ّ ل ِ ا “Save those who believe and do good works.” (26:228) The author of Mu‘jam-ush-Shu‘ara writes that even during the era of ignorance [i.e. prior to advent of Islam], Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha was well-respected and even in Islam, he holds a high and lofty status. Hazrat Abdullah ra composed a couplet in praise of the Holy Prophet sa and can be said to be one of his greatest couplets. This couplet captures the state of his heart in which Hazrat Abdullah ra addresses the Holy Prophet sa and says:
ٌ ۃ َ ن ّ ِ ی َ ب ُ م ٌ ات َ ی ٰ ا ِ ہ ْ ی ِ ف ْ ن ُ ک َ ت ْ م َ ل ْ و َ ل ِ ر َ ب َ خ ْ ال ِ ب َ ک ْ ی ِ ب ْ ن ُ ت ُ ہ ُ ت َ ھ ْ ی ِ د َ ب ْ ت َ ان َ ک This means, “O Muhammad sa ! Even if you were without the countless signs that speak of your truthfulness and veracity, your countenance alone is enough to declare your truthfulness.”(Al-Isaba Fi Tamyeez AlSahaba Li ibn Hajar Asqalani, Vol. 4, pp 72- 75, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2005) (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, p. 236, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2008) (Al-Tabaqaatul-Kubra li ibn Saad, Vol. 3, p. 401, Dar-ulKutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990) Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha was able to read and write in the era of ignorance, a time when the practice of writing was not common amongst the Arabs. After the Battle of Badr, the Holy Prophet sa sent Hazrat Zaid ra bin Haritha from Badr to Medina and Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha to Awaali to announce news of the victory. Awaali is the name of the area situated 4-8 miles north of Medina in which the village of Quba and some tribes are located.
Hazrat Saeed ra bin Jubair relates that the Holy Prophet sa entered Masjid al-Haram on his camel and out of reverence for the Hajre-Aswad [black stone], he touched it with his staff. Alongside him was also Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha, who was holding the reins of the Holy Prophet’s sa camel whilst reciting the following couplets: ْ ہ ِ ل ْ ی ِ ب َ س ن َ ع ِ ار َ ّ ف ُ ک ْ ی ال ِ ن َ ا ب ْ و ُ ّ ل َ خ ْ ہ ِ ل ْ ی ِ و ْ أ َ ت ٰ ل َ ع ْ م ُ اک َ ن ْ ب َ ر َ ض ُ ن ْ ح َ ن ْ ہ ِ ل ْ ی ِ ق َ م ْ ن َ ع َ ام َ ہ ْ ال ُ ل ْ ی ِ ز ُ ّ ا ی ً ب ْ ر َ ض meaning, “O disbelievers, make way for the Holy Prophet sa , for after accepting him, we have dealt you such a blow that removes the head from its resting place.” Hazrat Qais ra bin Abi Hazim relates that the Holy Prophet sa told Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawaha ra to dismount and have our camels moving, i.e. recite such poetry that shall cause our camels to move swiftly just as was the tradition of the camel riders. He replied, “O Messenger sa of Allah, I have abandoned such poetry. Hazrat Umar ra then said, “Hear and obey”. Consequently, Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha dismounted his camel and recited the following couplets: ا َ ن ْ ی َ د َ ت ْ ا اہ َ م َ ت ْ ن َ ا أ َ ل ْ و َ ل ّ ِ ب َ ا ر َ ی ا َ ن ْ ی َ ّ ل َ ا ص َ ل َ ا و َ ن ْ ق َ ّ د َ ص َ ا ت َ ل َ و ا َ ن ْ ی َ ل َ ع ً ۃ َ ن ْ ی ِ ک َ س ْ ن َ ل ِ ز ْ ن َ أ َ ف ا َ ن ْ ی َ اق َ ل ْ ن ِ إ َ ام َ د ْ ق َ أ ْ ال ِ ت ّ ِ ب َ ث َ و ا َ ن ْ ی َ ل َ ا ع ْ و َ غ َ ب ْ د َ ق َ ار َ ّ ف ُ ک ْ ال َ ّ ن ِ إ That is, “O Lord, if it were not for You, we would not have attained guidance, given alms or offered prayers. Send down peace and tranquillity upon us and grant us steadfastness when we meet the enemy, for the disbelievers have attacked us.”
Waqee‘ has also narrated this, with the addition of:
ا َ ن ْ ی َ ب َ أ ً ۃ َ ن ْ ت ِ ا ف ْ و ُ اد َ ر َ أ ْ ن ِ إ َ و “And if they desire to create disorder, we oppose it” i.e. they would put an end to this disorder and not allow it to spread. The narrator then states that the Holy Prophet sa said, “O Allah, have mercy on them”, to which Hazrat Umar ra answered, “It has been ordained”. In other words, through the prayers of the Holy Prophet sa , mercy had been decreed.
Hazrat Ubadah ra bin Samit relates that the Holy Prophet sa went to visit Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha whilst he was sick and was unable to get up from his bed. The Holy Prophet sa asked, “Do you know who the martyrs of my ummah [people] are?” The people answered, “The martyrs are those Muslims who are slain.” The Holy Prophet sa said, “In that case, there would be very few martyrs in my ummah” and then said, “The Muslim who is slain is a martyr, the one who dies due to an ailment of the stomach is a martyr, the one who drowns is a martyr and the woman who dies during childbirth is a martyr – all these are various types of martyrdom.” (AlTabaqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 3, pp. 398-400, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, 1990) (Mujam-ul-Buldan, Vol. 4, p. 187) (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 2, p. 13, Dar-ulKutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990) Hazrat Urwah ra bin Zubair relates that the Holy Prophet sa appointed Hazrat Zaid ra bin Harithah as the commander of the army on the occasion of the Battle of Mu‘tah and stated that if Hazrat Zaid ra was martyred then Hazrat Jafar bin Abi Talib ra would be the commander. If he too was martyred, then Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha would take control. If Abdullah ra too was martyred, then the Muslims should appoint whoever they desired as their commander. When the army was ready and about to depart, the people were seeing off the appointed commanders of the Holy Prophet sa and praying for their safety. When they saw off the commanders of the Holy Prophet sa , Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha began to weep. The people enquired as to why he was weeping, to which he replied, “By God, I have absolutely no love nor any desire for the world. However, I heard the Holy Prophet sa speaking with regard to the Quranic verse: ا ً ّ ی ِ ض ْ ق َ ّ ا م ً م ْ ت َ ح َ ک ّ ِ ب َ ی ر ٰ ل َ ع َ ان َ ا ک َ ہ ُ د ِ ار َ ا و َ ّ ل ِ ا ْ م ُ ک ْ ن ِ م ْ ن ِ ا َ و ‘And there is not one of you but will come to it [referring to Hell]. This is a fixed decree with thy Lord.’ (Surah Maryam, Ch.19: V.72) Hence, after having treaded this delicate path [i.e. the Day of Reckoning,] I do not know what my condition will be.” In the preceding verses, God Almighty has mentioned HellFire, which caused him concern, whereas in other verses, it is clearly stated that this is not the case of a believer and one who takes up Jihad in the way of Allah. Nevertheless, the people told him that God Almighty was with them and He would bring them back safely. It is written in a footnote of Tafsir-eSaghir, and also in Tafsir-e-Kabir, that this would not be the fate of a believer but only for the disbelievers. The Promised Messiah as has explained this further in light of some ahadith. The summary of the footnote from Tafsir-e-Saghir is as follows: “The Holy Quran mentions two types of Hell – one is in this very life and the other is in the Hereafter. Where it is stated, ‘All shall enter Hell,’ it does not mean to say that the believers shall also enter therein, rather it means that believers shall experience some aspect of Hell in this very life, i.e. the disbelievers inflict them with all sorts of suffering. Otherwise, from the Holy Quran, it is evident that the believers shall never enter the Hellfire, because according to the Holy Quran, regarding the believers it states: ا َ ہ َ یس ِ س َ ح َ ون ُ ع َ م ْ س َ ا ی َ ل i.e. the believers shall remain so far from Hell that they will not hear the slightest sound thereof. Hence, the meaning behind believers entering the fire is that they shall suffer afflictions in this life. The Holy Prophet sa has even declared fever as a type of fire, where he states:
ِ ار َ ّ الن َ ن ِ م ٍ ن ِ م ْ ؤ ُ م ّ ِ ل ُ ک ُ ّ ظ َ ح ٰ ّ م ُ ح ْ ال ‘Fever is a portion of the Hellfire for every believer.’” (Tafsir-e-Saghir, Ch.19: V.72) Nevertheless, this was a brief explanation. The believers saw off the army and prayed for them to be safeguarded from every evil of the enemy. Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha recited the following poetic verses: ً ۃ َ ر ِ ف ْ غ َ م َ ان َ م ْ ح َ ّ الر ُ ل َ أ ْ س َ ا ْ ی ِ ن َ ّ ن ِ ک َ ل ا َ د َ ب َ ّ الز ُ ف ِ ذ ْ ق َ ی ٍ غ ْ ر َ ف َ ات َ ذ ً ۃ َ ب ْ ر َ ض َ و ً ۃ َ ز ِ ہ ْ ج ُ م َ ان َ ّ ر َ ح ْ ی َ د َ ی ِ ب ً ۃ َ ن ْ ع َ ط ْ و َ ا ا َ د ِ ب َ ک ْ ال َ و َ اء َ ش ْ ح َ ا ْ ال ُ ذ ِ ف ْ ن ُ ت ٍ ۃ َ ب ْ ر َ ح ِ ب ْ ی ِ ث َ د َ ج ٰ ل َ ا ع ْ و ُ ّ ر َ ا م َ ذ ِ ا ا ْ و ُ ل ْ و ُ ق َ ی ٰ ّ ت َ ح ا َ د َ ش َ ر ْ د َ ق َ و ٍ از َ غ ْ ن ِ م ُ ہ ٰ ّ الل َ د َ ش ْ ر َ ا ا َ ی “I seek forgiveness from the Merciful God, and I seek the ability to be able to produce such a strike from my sword, which would inflict a great wound and thereby draw out fresh blood that spumes out. And the ability to launch an attack of the spear which is carried out by one who makes full preparation and is thirsty for blood; whose spear pierces through the liver and intestines. [May I continue to valiantly fight] until my death and when people pass by my grave, they will say, ‘O thou who took part in the battle, may Allah grant you good’ and indeed Allah will have done so.’” Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha then presented himself before the Holy Prophet sa and the Holy Prophet sa then bade farewell to the army. The army continued to travel and stopped at a place called Ma‘aan, which is a town situated in Syria towards Hijaz, in the suburbs of Balqaa. It was there that they learnt that Heraclius, along with 100,000 Roman soldiers and 100,000 Arab soldiers, was at Ma‘aab. Ma‘aab is also a town situated in the suburbs of Balqaa, Syria. The Muslims remained in Ma‘aan for two days and discussions amongst themselves ensued that they should send someone to the Holy Prophet sa to inform him of the size of the enemy, i.e. that the enemy were in extremely large numbers. They thought that either the Holy Prophet sa would send reinforcements or he would issue another commandment. However, Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha gave courage to the Muslims and reinvigorated their passion. Subsequently, the Muslims, despite being only 3,000 in number, marched ahead and met the roman army in Balqaa near a place called Mushaarif. There are quite a few areas that went by the name of Mushaarif; one was located near Horan, one was near Damascus and the other was near Balqaa. From this location, the Muslim army moved towards Mu‘tah. (Usdul Ghaba Fi Marifat Al-Sahaba, Vol. 3, p. 237, Dar-ul-Kutub alIlmiyyah, Beirut, 2008) (Tafsir-e-Saghir, 19:72, p. 390) (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 5, p. 247, Al-Mizan, Urdu Bazar, Lahore), (Mujam-ulBuldan, Vol. 5, pp. 179, 37, 153-154) Hazrat Anas ra relates that the Holy Prophet sa announced to the people the news of the martyrdom of Hazrat Zaid ra , Hazrat Ja‘far ra and Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha and this was prior to any news directly reaching them about this incident. In other words, the Holy Prophet sa informed the people before any news had reached them. The Holy Prophet as stated, “Zaid ra was holding the flag and was martyred, then Jafar ra took the flag and he was also martyred and then Abdullah ra bin Rawaha took hold of the flag and he too was martyred.” As the Holy Prophet sa was stating this, tears were flowing from his eyes. The Holy Prophet sa then stated, “The flag was then taken by one of the swords of Allah, and eventually Allah the Almighty granted them victory through him.” (Sahih Bukhari, Kitabul-Maghazi, Hadith no. 4262) When the Holy Prophet sa learnt of the martyrdom of Hazrat Zaid ra bin Haritha, Hazrat Jafar ra and Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha, he stood up to pay tribute. The Holy Prophet sa started with Hazrat Zaid ra and stated: ْ ر ِ ف ْ اغ َ ّ م ُ ھ ٰ ّ لل َ ، ا ٍ د ْ ی َ ز ِ ل ْ ر ِ ف ْ اغ َ ّ م ُ ھ ٰ ّ لل َ ، ا ٍ د ْ ی َ ز ِ ل ْ ر ِ ف ْ اغ َ ّ م ُ ھ ٰ ّ لل َ ، ا ٍ د ْ ی َ ز ِ ل ْ ر ِ ف ْ اغ َ ّ م ُ ھ ٰ ّ لل َ ا َ ۃ َ اح َ و َ ر ِ ن ْ ب ا ِ ہ ٰ ّ الل ِ د ْ ب َ ع ِ ل َ و ٍ ر َ ف ْ ع َ ج ِ ل “O Allah, grant forgiveness to Zaid ra ! O Allah, grant forgiveness to Zaid ra ! O Allah, grant forgiveness to Zaid ra ! O Allah, grant forgiveness to Jafar ra and Abdullah bin Rawaha ra .” (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 3, p. 34, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990) Hazrat Aisha ra narrates that when Hazrat Zaid ra bin Haritha, Hazrat Jafar ra and Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha were martyred, the Holy Prophet sa went and sat in the mosque. Emotions of grief and sorrow were visible from the Holy Prophet’s sa blessed countenance. (Sunan Abi Daud, Kitab-ulJanaiz, Hadith no. 3122)
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra has explained the account of the Battle of Mu‘tah in the following manner – this has already been mentioned once before in reference to Hazrat Zaid ra , however I shall mention it briefly again. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra states: “The Holy Prophet sa had appointed Zaid ra as the commander of the army. However, the Holy Prophet sa also stated, ‘I am appointing Zaid ra as the commander of the army, but if Zaid ra is martyred during the battle, then Jafar ra will take command of the army. If he is also martyred, then Abdullah ra bin Rawaha will take command. However, if he is also martyred then whoever the Muslims collectively agree upon should take the command of the army’. When the Holy Prophet sa stated this, a Jew was also sat in
the company of the Holy Prophet sa and submitted, ‘Although I do not believe you to be a prophet, but if you are truthful, then none of these three individuals would return alive because anything uttered by a prophet is certainly fulfilled.’ The Jew then went to the Hazrat Zaid ra and stated, ‘If your prophet is true, then you shall not come back alive.’ Hazrat Zaid ra replied, ‘Regardless of whether I return from this battle alive or not, for Allah knows best, but it is an undeniable truth that our Messenger sa is truthful.’” Despite not professing belief in the Holy Prophet sa , the Jew knew that the words of the Holy Prophet sa were indeed going to be fulfilled, but this is the stubborn attitude of those who will not accept the truth whatever be the case. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra further writes:
“Allah’s wisdom so ordained that this incident was fulfilled exactly as foretold. Hazrat Zaid ra was martyred. Then, Hazart Jafar ra took up the command and he too was martyred. Then, Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha took up the command of the army and was also martyred. It was possible that in this moment, the Muslim army could have dispersed but Hazrat Khalid ra bin Waleed took the flag in his hand at the behest of the Muslims. Allah gave victory to the Muslims through him and he returned the army safely.” (Fariza-e-Tabligh Aur Ahmadi Khawatin, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 18, pp. 405-406)
The following account which I am going to relate has already been mentioned once before, however this incident reflects the sincerity and devotion of Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha, and also his love for the Holy Prophet sa and Islam. Therefore, I shall relate this once again.
Hazrat Urwah relates that Hazrat Usama bin Zaid ra told him that once the Holy Prophet sa was riding a donkey which had a saddle placed on it. Beneath the saddle was a blanket that was made in Fadak. The Holy Prophet sa placed Hazrat Usama bin Zaid ra behind him and they made their way to the [compounds of] Banu Harith bin Khazraj to enquire about Hazrat Saad ra bin Ubadah, who was ill at the time. The incident being narrated took place prior to the Battle of Badr. Whilst travelling they went past a gathering in which some Muslims, idolaters and the Jews were all sat together. Abdullah bin Ubayy and Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha were also sat in this gathering. Whilst the Holy Prophet sa was riding past, the dust from his mount fell on the gathering, Abdullah bin Ubayy covered his nose and said, “Do not cast dust upon us!” The Holy Prophet sa offered greetings of Salaam [peace] and stopped and dismounted. The Holy Prophet sa then invited them towards Allah and recited the Holy Quran. Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salool replied, “This is not right! If what you say is true, even then you should do not come to our gathering and disrupt it. Rather, you ought to go back to where you came from and inform those who come to you.” Upon hearing this, Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha immediately submitted, “O Prophet sa of Allah! You should come to our gatherings and recite this to us as we greatly enjoy this.”
He did not show any fear of anyone and in fact an altercation ensued as well, but in any case, he demonstrated his character at this occasion. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab-ul-Jihad Wa Al-Sair, Hadith no. 1798) Hazrat Ibn Abbas ra relates that the Holy Prophet sa once sent some of his Companions ra on an expedition and Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha was also part of this delegation. It was a Friday and the rest of the companions ra who were part of the delegation had set off, however Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha said that he would remain behind and offer his Friday prayers behind the Holy Prophet sa and will then join the others. When the Holy Prophet sa saw Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha also offering his prayer alongside him, he stated, “What stopped you from going with your fellow companions?” Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha replied, “It was my desire to offer the Friday Prayer behind you and then join the others.” The Holy Prophet sa stated, “Even if you spend the entire wealth on this earth, you cannot attain the same blessings as those who have already departed.” (Sunan Al-Tirmadhi, Abwaab-ul-Jumuah, Hadith no. 527) The Holy Prophet sa further stated that the delegation he sent for this expedition was more important at the time than the Friday prayers and they could have performed their Friday prayers whilst travelling. Hazrat Abu Darda ra relates that once Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha left with the Holy Prophet sa on an extremely hot day in the month Ramadan. He states that the heat was so intense that they were all covering their heads from the sun with their hands. He states that none of them were fasting at the time apart from the Holy Prophet sa and Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab-ul-Siyam, Hadith no. 1122) Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib ra writes:
“Upon arriving in Medina, the first task was the construction of Masjid-e-Nabawi. The place where the camel of the Holy Prophet sa chose to rest, was the property of two children from Medina named Sahl and Suhail, who lived in the guardianship of Hazrat As‘ad bin Zurarah ra . This was a vacant land, on which a few date palms had been planted in one area. In another area, there were ruins, etc. The Holy Prophet sa selected this plot to construct the Masjid-e-Nabawi, and his own livings quarters. This plot of land was purchased for 10 Dinar, or approximately 90 Rupees. The surface was levelled and cleared of trees, after which the construction of Masjid-e-Nabawi began. The Holy Prophet sa supplicated to Allah and laid the foundation stone himself. Just as in the construction of the mosque at Quba, the Companions worked as builders and labourers. The Holy Prophet sa would also participate at times. Occasionally, while lifting bricks, the Companions would recite the following couplet of Abdullah bin Rawaha Ansari ra :
َ ر َ ب ْ ی َ خ َ ال َ م ِ ا ح َ ل ُ ال َ م ِ ح ْ ا ال َ ذ ٰ ھ ٗ ر َ ھ ْ ط َ ا َ ا و َ ن َ ّ ب َ ر ُ ّ ر َ ب َ ا ا َ ذ ٰ ھ ‘This burden is not the burden of Khaybar’s commercial goods, which arrive loaded on the backs of animals; Rather, O our Lord! This is the burden of virtue and purity, which we bear for Your pleasure.’
At times, the Companions would recite the following couplet of Abdullah bin Rawaha ra :
َ ر ِ خ ٰ ا ْ ال ُ ر ْ ج َ ا َ ر ْ ج َ ا ْ ال َ ّ ن ِ ا َ ّ م ُ ھ ٰ ّ لل َ ا ه َ ر ِ اج َ ھ ُ م ْ ال َ و َ ار َ ص ْ ن َ ا ْ ال ِ م َ ح ْ ار َ ف ‘O Our Allah! True reward is merely that of the hereafter. By Your Grace, send down Mercy upon the Ansar and Muhajirin.’
When the Companions would recite this couplet, at times, the Holy Prophet sa would also join in. In this manner, after a long period of hard work, the mosque was completed.” (Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad ra , pp. 269-270) These were accounts in the life of Hazrat Abdullah ra bin Rawaha, and I would like to mention about a deceased member and lead his funeral prayer, therefore I have only mentioned one companion [of the Holy Prophet sa ]. Now, as I have just stated, I will mention some details of a deceased member, respected Dr Latif Ahmad Qureshi Sahib, son of Manzoor Ahmad Qureshi Sahib. He passed away on 19 January 2020 at around 1pm in the afternoon at the age of approximately 80. ن ْ و ُ ع ِ اج َ ر ِ ہ ْ ی َ ل ِ ا ا َ ّ ن ِ ا َ و ِ ہ ٰ ّ ل ِ ا ل َ ّ ن ِ ا “To Allah we belong and to Him shall we return”.
By the grace of Allah the Almighty, the deceased was a Musi. He was born in Ajmer Sharif, India. His father, Manzoor Qureshi Sahib, did the Bai‘at at the hands of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud ra in 1937. His mother, who is still alive, respected Mansoora Bushra Sahiba, is the maternal granddaughter of Hazrat Munshi Fiaz Ali Sahib Kapurthalvi ra , who was a companion of the Promised Messiah as . She is also the paternal granddaughter of Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Rashid Mirthi ra . Respected Dr Qureshi Sahib’s parents migrated to Lahore after the independence of Pakistan. He passed his matriculation exams from Lahore and attained first position. He then enrolled in the King Edward Medical College. He was amongst the youngest students to have passed his MBBS exams and this was particularly mentioned by the principal of the college. To pursue further education, he travelled to the UK in 1961. He initially did a diploma in child healthcare and then attained a degree in MRCP. He then worked as consultant in a hospital in Yeovil, Somerset and specialised cardiology.
In 1968, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III rh asked Dr Sahib when he was planning to come back to Pakistan and Dr Sahib replied that he would return whenever Huzoor would direct him. And so, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III rh asked him to come back and he left the UK and retuned to Pakistan. Dr Sahib was appointed to serve in the Fazl-e-Umar Hospital in Rabwah and continued to work there for a long period of time.
On 11 July 1983, he was appointed as the Chief Medical Officer at the Fazl-e-Umar Hospital and continued to serve at this post till 1987. He continued to work till the age of 60 at the Fazl-e-Umar Hospital and on 20 August 1998, he took retirement. However, on 6 September 1998, he re-joined the Fazl-eUmar Hospital and continued to serve by the grace of God Almighty until 10 September 2000.
Thus, his total service was approximately 30 years. Aside from serving as a Waqf-eZindagi [life devotee] doctor, Dr Latif Qureshi sahib also had the opportunity to serve in various offices in the central departments of Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya and Ansarullah. Currently, he was serving as the Naib Sadr Ansarullah and was also a member of Majlis Iftaa for the last two years.
He wrote two books which were especially for those living in Pakistan; Principles of Preserving one’s Health and Healthy Living. His wife, who was the daughter of Maulana Abdul Malik Khan Sahib, passed away a few days ago. I mentioned her last Friday and led her funeral prayer [in absentia] as well. He passed away two days after I led her funeral prayer and approximately fifteen days after the passing of his wife.
As I mentioned in regard to his wife, Dr Lateef Quraishi Sahib is survived by three sons and two daughters. His son, Dr Ataul Malik writes:
“From as early as I can remember, I have never seen my father miss the Tahajud [predawn voluntary] prayers. Our mother would tell us that from the first day of their marriage, he offered the Tahajud prayers regularly and continued this practice for more than 50 years. During the last days of my mother’s illness, my father took great care of my mother; he would take her to the hospital and spend hours waiting for her dialysis to finish and would endure a lot of discomfort, but despite all this, he never missed the Tahajud prayers. He had great sympathy for his patients and would look after the destitute. Poor people would travel great distances to obtain medicines and receive treatment. He would not take fees from many of his patients and would sometimes give money from his own pocket. He would always advise us that it is only God Almighty that has the power to cure.” He would especially advise his three children who are doctors that they should always pray for their patients.
His son writes, “Many times, when I would ask my father to pray for a patient of mine, he would phone the following day and enquire about the patient and would mention that he had prayed for them.”
In 1969, he was working as a consultant in England, but he left all worldly luxuries and wealth, and placing his trust in Allah, he moved to Rabwah. He had complete conviction that God Almighty would provide for all his worldly and spiritual endeavours and that his children would receive good education. Thus, God Almighty showered His blessings upon him and Dr Quraishi Sahib never suffered any financial difficulty and his children also received a good education. Most of his children are settled in the USA, three of whom are doctors.
Dr Quraishi Sahib looked after his parents and even until his last days, he would prepare food for his mother and took good care of her. As I mentioned earlier, the mother of Dr Quraishi sahib is alive and was living with him.
Dr Quraishi Sahib’s son writes: “My father assisted me greatly in preparation for [entry] examinations for USA and would encourage us children in all matters. He was averse to any form of pretentiousness and lived a simple life. Prior to doing anything in his life, whether it was something small or significant, he would always write to the Khalifa and seek guidance.”
His other son, Dr Muhammad Ahmad Mahmood Quraishi writes:
“Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III rh said about him that he was not simply a doctor, rather he practiced his profession with the help of prayers. He would pray for every single patient. Before writing any prescription, he would always write:
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم [In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful] and underneath he would write: و الشافیھ [God is the restorer of health]. He would advise other doctors to pray for their patients because only God Almighty has the power to cure.” He further writes, “During the days in which my mother passed away, a patient came to see him from Shorkot. At the time, he was sitting in the car and was preparing to go somewhere. He stopped and attended to the patient and gave him a prescription. Often he would purchase medicines for his patients himself.”
His daughter writes, “A lady informed me that her father had suffered a heart attack and was alone at home (i.e. the father of the woman). He [i.e. Dr Quraishi Sahib] went
to tend to him and informed the person’s children. He sat with him and remained there until the children came home.”
He would attend Jalsa Salana [Annual Convention] in Qadian and the UK each year. He had a habit of working hard and always worked with great diligence. His daughter writes, “Aft er the demise of our mother, he asked me to help in all the arrangements. Aft er I completed everything, he expressed his gratitude to such an extent that I felt embarrassed. During all this, one thing he would repeatedly say to me was to complete everything at fi rst instance, as he did not have much time left . At the time, I did not pay much attention to this, nor did I enquire about it, as he usually never openly shared his dreams. Later on, however, my brother informed me that he had seen a dream about himself and said that he did not have much time left . One hour prior to his demise, he sat in the clinic adjacent to the house from 9am to 1pm. He came home at 1pm, performed his ablution and stated his intention to off er prayers in Masjid Mubarak. As he sat on his bed, he took off his shoes when he suff ered a major heart attack, and thus, departed to meet with his Creator.”
He had a loving relationship with his neighbours and they also took great care of him. He had a passion for poetry and literature; he would recite poems from Durre-Sameen, Kalam-e-Mahmud and Durr-eAdan in a melodious tune. He recorded many cassettes consisting of diff erent verses, and had a scholarly disposition.
Syed Hussain Ahmad, who is a missionary and also married to Dr Quraishi Sahib’s sisterin-law, writes:
“Dr Sahib told me that when he arrived at Lahore from London (when he moved to Pakistan to serve in the Jamaat hospital) he went straight to the Private Secretary’s offi ce. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III rh called him inside and remarked ‘You have arrived.’ Dr Sahib replied in the affi rmative and said that he had come to render his services. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III rh then said that he had
the house of Dr Sahib painted and that he ought to get the keys from the nazir-e-ala and live there. Dr Sahib then said that when he went to the house, he found two charpoys’ [a wooden bed frame strung together with interlaced cords]. He went to the market and purchased two more, as well as other items for the house and began living there. He did not make any demands, nor did he show any pretentiousness that he had come from England. In the fi rst Jalsa, he received a lot of guests. He would sleep on the fl oor himself and off ered his house for the guests. He took great care of his father-in-law, Maulana Abdul Malik Khan Sahib and his mother-in-law.”
Hussain Sahib further writes, “Dr Sahib would oft en say that his colleague doctors, who were serving in various high ranking positions, would ask him what he received in return for working in a small settlement such as Rabwah? Dr Sahib would reply by saying, ‘Th ose people have no idea and can never truly understand what I receive in return for my service in Rabwah. Th e prayers [that one can off er here] are priceless.’”
He had the opportunity to treat Companions ra of the Promised Messiah as , Hazrat Nawab Mubaraka Begum Sahiba ra and Hazrat Syeda Amatul Hafeez Begum Sahiba ra . Dr Quraishi Sahib stayed with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III rh in Islamabad in the days leading up to his demise. He also had the opportunity to tend to other elders of the Jamaat as well.
Dr Abdul Khaliq Sahib writes: “It would not be an exaggeration to write that Dr Quraishi Sahib, who is no longer with us, was a doctor who especially cared for the poor. For more than half a century, he served the poor and destitute of this area irrespective of the patient’s religion or background. When the deceased was serving as the chief medical offi cer of the [Fazl-e-Umar] Hospital, he would personally go to Lahore and check rates for various equipment on the market. He would then purchase the appropriate items and sometimes, this process would take an entire day. One of his characteristics was that he was always mindful of the correct use of Jamaat’s money and resources. He initiated the ultrasound and endoscopy departments in the hospital. Initially he would walk or travel by bicycle to visit renowned personalities and also companions of the Promised Messiah as in their homes and would advise them accordingly. With regard to the Fazl-e-Umar Hospital, he would say, ‘Th e prayers of the Khulafa [Caliphs] of Ahmadiyyat are with this hospital and with respect to the healing and treatment of patients, by the grace of Allah, I have witnessed countless miracles here.’”
Dr Sultan Mubashar Sahib writes: “During his service in the Fazl-e-Umar Hospital, which spanned over approximately 30 years, he had to endure various trials, however, his humble disposition was such that he patiently endured every trial, and as he faced them, he maintained his honour and dignity and off ered supplications before God Almighty.” Sultan Mubashar Sahib is correct in what he writes, as I am aware of certain matters in which Dr Sahib always maintained his dignity and without a word of complaint, he endured the diffi culties he faced. As a result, Allah the Almighty bestowed him with blessings. He never complained against any offi ce bearer, nor did he ever share any grievances or personal injustices of fellow colleagues with anyone.
Dr Sultan Mubashar Sahib states that he was not just a doctor for the rich or noble, rather he treated everyone, and as mentioned earlier, this was one of his attributes. Dr Sultan Mubashar Sahib writes an incident:
“One day, the wife of Rahmat Ali Sahib’s driver was brought to the emergency department. I requested Dr Quraishi Sahib to come to the hospital. He came to the hospital within a few minutes from his home in Darul Uloom Sharqi.” His house was not near the hospital, in fact, his house was situated on the other side of Rabwah, yet he immediately went to the hospital. “He was very loyal to the Jamaat. On occasions, when us junior doctors would be despondent with the strict disciplinary measures of our superiors, Dr Quraishi sahib would sit us down and explain to us that we must obey the Nizaam at all costs and bear everything patiently. When his wife, Shaukat Sahiba passed away, the following day, the Walima [marriage] ceremony of two of his nephews was to take place. On the same of her demise, Dr Quraishi Sahib went to the groom’s house and informed them about the passing of his wife but advised them to continue with the marriage preparations and not to postpone them.”
As mentioned, his wife was the maternal aunt of the two grooms, i.e. the ceremony was of the two sons of Hussain Sahib. However, Dr Sahib advised them to continue with the proceedings and not to cancel them. His son, Dr Mahmood said that he would not attend the marriage ceremony and would instead remain home, but Dr Quraishi Sahib advised him to be content with the Will of God, then further said that it was in these circumstances whereby people are tested and their level of patience and contentment with the Will of God are gauged. He then took his son along with him and participated in the marriage ceremony and out of reverence for the occasion, he ensured that nobody from his area should come to know of the demise until the marriage ceremony was concluded. May Allah the Almighty shower His mercy and forgiveness upon him. Both parents of the children have passed away within a short space of time; may Allah grant his children patience and steadfastness. May Allah enable the children to continue the virtues of both parents. As mentioned, the mother of Dr Quraishi Sahib is alive but is unwell, may Allah have mercy on her and grant His blessings.
(Original Urdu published in Al Fazl International, 14 February 2020, pp. 5-9. Translated by Th e Review of Religions.)
Ahmadiyyat or the True Islam
By Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih II and Musleh-e-Maud, may Allah be pleased with him
Ahmadiyyat or the True Islam was fi rst published in 1924 and has been published many times since. It is an extended treatise of a lecture read at The Conference of Living Religions Within the Empire in London. The treatise exhaustively deals with the subjects as the conception of God, His relation to man and attainment of communion with Him. It also deals with the Islamic teachings on morals and their social aspects – relations within family, the community, between partners in business and between government and people. Nature of the human soul, life after death and the nature of heaven and hell have also been addressed. Most important of all is that all the issues dealt within the book have been supported and documented from the Holy Quran and hadith which places this unique dissertation among the most authentic works on Islam. It is as relevant today as it was when fi rst published to present the true teachings of Islam and to counter hostile propaganda against it.
