Waqfe Jadeed (The New Dedication

The history of the Community’s financial sacrifices is indeed splendid and enviable. Hadhrat Musleh Mau’ood [ra] had already demonstrated great foresight and leadership with regard to the extraordinary success of the Tehrike Jadeed Scheme that started in 1934. In those days he was a young man whose infectious zeal and enthusiasm energised every member of the Community into action. In 1958, Huzur continued to suffer discomfort and unease from the knife attack, the pressure and strain upon his nervous system only intensified with each passing day. However, despite old age, severe illness, multifarious responsibilities and continuous preoccupation with problems of a baffling variety, this pious leader presented an extensive programme for the spiritual progress and education of the Community, a Community that was trying to get back on its feet after suffering a huge setback as a result of the Partition. He once again proved to the world the elevated and supreme nature of Divine assistance provided to God’s elect compared with worldly leaders and self-appointed saints. The importance and benefits of this scheme can be judged from Huzur’s own proclamation:

“I want such young men whose hearts yearn to march in the footsteps of Hadhrat

Khawaja Mo’een Uddin and Hadhrat Sha’haab Uddin. Just as young men are dedicating their lives under the scheme of Tehrike Jadeed, they ought to dedicate their lives so that they may be able to educate Muslims under my direct instruction…Our country (Pakistan) is well populated but spiritually barren and desolate…Hence,

I want the young members of the Community to be bold and sacrifice their lives for this purpose…and go out and create new Rabwahs and new Qadians…They need to go out and settle in designated places where, according to instruction, they may educate the people by teaching them the Holy Qur’an and Hadith and prepare students who can carry on this work in new areas…”

He also stated:

“This is God’s work and shall be completed successfully. Because this scheme was God’s idea, I shall carry out this obligation even if I have to sell my homes and sell my clothes. God Almighty…shall send down angels from heaven for my support.”

A scheme that started with such conviction, confidence, faith and trust in God and which grew step by step bearing sweet fruits is mentioned in the faith inspiring words of Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad [rh] (Khalifatul Masih IV). He was connected to this scheme in the capacity of Nazim (Manager) Waqfe Jadeed for many years. He states:

“The reason for creating the Waqfe Jadeed scheme was because of poor training and moral decline which for many reasons had grown to dangerous levels especially after the India-Pakistan partition. Hadhrat Musleh Mau’ood [ra] because of his God given wisdom and intellect sensed this danger with great intensity. This could have taken a formidable form if not checked in the nick of time and become out of control. And before we could spread Islam in foreign lands and in other faith communities, there was this danger that God forbid; we ourselves would be in need of guidance anew. In this state, those very people who we would call to Islam would neglect our message and say to us with great contempt, ‘Physician heal thyself!’.”

The other reason for this scheme was much older than this immediate and urgent need. It was connected with a wish of the Promised Messiah [as]. The following words of the Promised Messiah [as] make it quite clear that he wished to start a scheme like the Waqfe Jadeed within India. He states:

“It is the wish of this humble servant that for the spread of Islam, an excellent programme should be set up such that within the country of India, everywhere our representative preachers and speakers are calling God’s creation to the truth

so that the teachings of Islam reach everyone on the face of the earth. However, this intention cannot be fully accomplished by this old and deficient servant.” (The Victory of Islam)

Viewed from this angle, it would not be incorrect to say that the Waqfe Jadeed was initiated to fulfil an intention of the Promised Messiah [as] The intentions of a Prophet are not like the intentions of ordinary men. Their inclinations and aspirations are according to the Will of God Almighty and based on deep wisdom. Hence, on the one hand it was the wish of the Promised Messiah [as] and on the other the creation of those conditions which desperately necessitated the scheme of Waqfe Jadeed.

Regarding the background of Waqfe Jadeed, Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad [rh] states:

“May Allah send down countless blessings upon Hadhrat Musleh Mau’ood [ra] because he fulfilled all the desires of the Promised Messiah [as] or he laid the foundations for their fulfilment during his lifetime. The foundations of Waqfe Jadeed were also destined to be laid by his blessed hands. Therefore, in 1958 on the occasion of Eidul Adha, he announced the establishment of this scheme:

“From Peshawar to Karachi we should cast the net of reformation and rectitude. The truth is that if we are going to encircle East and West Pakistan for the sake of reformation and rectitude, we will need in excess of 10 million rupees.” He continued:

“It is necessary to cast a big net so that through it our teachings can reach every dweller in every village and every town.”

Hence this was the large net cast by the hands of Hadhrat Musleh Mau’ood [ra] which was given the name Waqfe Jadeed, The New Dedication.

The primary objective of the scheme was for the education and training of rural

Ahmadi Communities to divert them from decline towards progress. Just as Ahmadiyyat was founded to breath new life into Islam, in the same way Waqfe Jadeed was initiated to raise the standards of physical, moral and spiritual states of members living in remote communities lying outside the direct gaze of the headquarters to an exalted station and breathe fresh life into them. On his initial assessment Hadhrat Mirza

Tahir Ahmad [rh] (Khalifatul Masih IV) discovered that religious awareness in the rural areas of Pakistan was in a dire state. Mu’allumeen (religious teachers/tutors) were trained and posted to the rural parts of Pakistan to counter this state of affairs. An arduous task achieved by making huge sacrifices.

The Mu’allumeen were provided education and training. An elementary religious school was set up within the department of Waqfe Jadeed for this very purpose. Apart from basic religious education the students were brought up to date with various branches of secular knowledge. They were familiarised to a certain degree in subjects which included mathematics, geography, history, sociology, economics, politics, agriculture, chemistry and physics. Similarly, they were taught housekeeping and domestic duties including how to wash and iron clothes. Hence, in 1965 by the grace of God Almighty eighteen Mu’allumeen successfully completed this course and began serving the Community in the rural areas.

The first duty of a Mu’allam after being posted was to assess the situation and provide feedback to the headquarters. This report detailed the numbers of men, women and children in the village, how many knew the obligatory prayers with translation, the number who could read the Holy Qur’an with or without translation and whether they read it daily, number who offered prayers in congregation, numbers well versed with the fundamental teachings of Ahmadiyyat such as the death of Jesus, the concept of the Seal of the Prophets and the validity of the Promised Messiah [as].

Thereafter, he works day and night to improve the situation and provides figures

to the headquarters outlining the improvements made each month in the areas of education and training.

Apart from these duties he is also entrusted to spread the message of Ahmadiyyat within a five-mile radius and particularly educate the Christian and Hindu communities on the blessings of Islamic teachings. This task is not just work intensive but requires a large degree of tact and wisdom. The Mu’allam must also try and improve the financial contributions of members while increasing the activity within the auxiliary organisations of Khuddamul Ahmadiyya, Ansarullah and Lajna Imaiallah. In the same way, improving literacy also falls into their domain. Many Mu’allumeen are the village doctors and chemists or homoeopathic doctors in areas where these services are lacking. In some areas, primary and middle schools had been established offering education like any other state school.

This institution began to yield beneficent results on a large scale within a short time. There was an extraordinary increase in financial contributions born out of a spirit of sacrifice created and nurtured through education and training. Daily recitation of the Holy Qur’an with translation also increased significantly. In many areas, congregational prayers became firmly established and the numbers offering prayers also doubled.

Prior to 1986 the project was intended mainly for the rural communities of Pakistan. However Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih IV [rh] broadened the scope of this project and now all the countries of the world are within the scope of this plan. (Source: “A Brief History of Movement In Islam”, www.alislam.org/library/history/ahmadiyya/72. html). The Annual donation by members into this fund has grown since its inception in 1958. In 2008, the overall donations received stood at £ 2,575,000. 130