FROM THE
EDITOR
Among those people that leave the Jamaat or who hold hostile sentiments towards the system of the Jamaat, one problem they raise is that the Jamaat interferes in their personal lives. Being reminded about monetary sacrifices, discipline, how to behave on social media, which programmes to watch and which to steer clear of; opponents of the Jamaat allege that the administration takes too much interest in the personal lives of its members. Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa beautifully addressed this issue and explained the reason behind this. Huzooraa in fact agreed that the Jamaat does pay due attention to its members and explained the wisdom behind the great level of care the system of the Jamaat takes for its members. Hazrat Amirul Momineen aa said in his recent address at the 2019 Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya UK Ijtema on 8 September 2019: “Some things are indeed personal in nature, however, where a personal matter interferes with our religious duties, it becomes an issue for the Jamaat because as Ahmadis, we have all pledged to give precedence to faith over all worldly matters. If an Ahmadi violates the demands of his faith, they are breaking their pledge and so it becomes the duty of the Jamaat, whether at a Jamaat level or through the auxiliaries, to take action by trying to guide him back towards the right path. “Therefore, always remembers, if you weaken in your faith or become embroiled in immoral or vain acts, the Jamaat’s nizam [system] will seek to guide you and to explain the importance of reformation.
“Without a doubt, Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya will and should constantly remind the Khuddam and Atfal about the importance of offering Salat and coming to the mosque. It is their duty to make it clear to every Khadim that failure to offer these basic duties will take them away from their faith. “Such matters do not remain personal but are a matter of concern to the Jamaat because if Ahmadis are not fulfilling the rights of Allah and are not prioritising their faith over worldly matters, then they are not only hurting themselves, but also the Jamaat and the wider society. “Where an individual weakens, it weakens the collective and this is the core point underpinning the slogan that ‘Nations cannot be reformed without the reformation of the youth.’” As Waqifeen, these words echo even louder for us. A point of reflection is that if Huzooraa expects this of Khuddam and Atfal generally, how much more of an effort should we make as Waqifeen-e-Nau to ensure that we fulfil our duties. Time and again – week in, week out – Hazrat Khalifatul Masih aa reminds us about our responsibilities and the important and extremely significant role we must play in the world. Suffice to say, this page cannot cover all those duties. But to describe it all in one sentence, we can say that it all falls under the complete obedience to our Imam, Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa. May Allah help us in fulfilling this responsibility and thereby accomplishing all the other roles and tasks assigned to us.
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WELCOME TO
ISMAEL MAGAZINE Quarterly
ISSUE #15
JUL-SEP 2019
CONTENTS 04 The Holy Quran 05 Hadith
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06 Excerpt from the writings of
the Promised Messiahas
08 Ahmadi Muslim Youth and Preserving
Islamic Values - Address By Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V(Aba)
15 Relationship of the Jamaat with Khilafat 16 Abu Lahab in the Holy Quran 18 Two friends & the bear
20 Islam’s journey to Japan Part II
Ahmadiyyat in Japan
26 The four students
28 Thinking ill of others
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MEET THE TEAM
16 08
Chief Editor & Manager Luqman Ahmed Kishwar
Assistant Manager Athar Bajwa
English Editor
Qaasid Muin Ahmad
Urdu Editor
Farrukh Raheel
28
Editorial Team Farhad Ahmad Jalees Ahmad Mudabbir Din Ataul Fatir Tahir
Design & Creativity Zaid Tariq
Front Cover Zaid Tariq
CONTACT WAQF-E-NAU (CENTRAL) 22 DEER PARK ROAD, LONDON. SW19 3TL (UK)
+44 (0)20 8544 7633 +44 (0)20 8544 7643
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َّ ٰ ْ َّ ﴾﴿الر ِح ْی ِم ِب ْس ِم ہّٰللا ِالرح ِن َّ َ َّ ً ْ ُ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َّ َ ْ َّ َ َ ُ ّ َ ٰ ْ َ َ ُ ِ ال بیو ت و ﴾﴿ م الش َج ِر َو ِمَّا یَ ْع ِر ش ْو َن ِ و ا و ح ر بک اِل النح ِل ا ِن ات ِِذ ی ِم ِ الب
“I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan. “In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. “And thy Lord has inspired the bee, [saying,] ‘Make thou houses in the hills and in the trees and in the trellises which they build.” (Surah al-Nahl, Ch.16: V.69)
Commentating on this verse, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih II and Musleh-e-Maudra said: “This verse proves that the God’s revelation is extremely vast. Some people say that after the Holy Prophetsa, revelation is not possible, even though this verse proves that even animals can receive revelation. “This verse points towards natural instincts. Man can also receive this type of revelation momentarily. Many a time, man has a lightbulb moment that turns out to be very favourable. All inventors agree that most ideas for their inventions occurred to them all of sudden or that the idea of the invention came from research but the solution to certain problems or hurdles came from a sudden inspiration of the mind. “[Thomas] Edison, who is considered the greatest of all inventors, has very clearly written about himself that he conceived a thousand inventions, yet the greatest of them came from a sudden inspiration or a lightbulb moment. The reality is that it is this experience that sufis [mystics] refer to as revelation.” (Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 4, p. 194)
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ٌ ْ َّ ٌ ْ َ َ َّ َ ْ َ ْ ٰ ٰ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ ٰ َ َ ْ َّ َ َ َ َّ َ ُ ٰ ٰ َ َّ َّ َ ُ ٰ َ ّ َ َّ ُ ّ ٰ َ حید ِمید ِ اللہم ص ِل ع مم ٍد و ع ا ِل مم ٍد کما صلیت ع اِبا ِہیم و ع ا ِل اِبا ِہیم اِنک َ ٌ ّ ٌ َ َ َّ َ ْ َ ْ ٰ ٰ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ ٰ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َ َّ َ ُ ٰ ٰ َ َّ َّ َ ُ ٰ َ ْ َ َّ ُ ّ ٰ َ ح ْید ِم ْید ِ اللہم ب ِرک ع مم ٍد و ع ا ِل مم ٍد کما برکت ع اِبا ِہیم و ع ا ِل اِبا ِہیم اِنک َّ َّ ُ َّ َ َ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ ُ َ َ َ ْ َ ّ ِ قال الن:اس ـ ر ِض هّٰللا عنما قال ٍ اب َع َّب :ب َصل هّٰللاُ َعل ْي ِه َو َسل َم ِ ع ِ ُ َ ْ َ ُ َّ ّ َ َ ْ ّ م ٌ “ ِن ْع َم َتان َمغ ُب ٌ ون ِفهي َما ك ِث َ ِ ري ِ الن الصحة والف َراغ” ِ ،اس ِ ِ Hazrat Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “There are two blessings which many people squander: [They are] health and free time for doing good.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab-ur-Riqaq)
In keeping with the subject matter of the Hadith presented here, Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah strengthen his hand, said: “Waqifeen-e-Nau should be diligent in their school studies and education. They should always work hard and try to get the best results possible. They should not waste their time on pointless video games that have no benefit or playing games incessantly on their iPad or tablet; rather they should try to develop the habit of reading books and increasing their knowledge. They should read educational books and religious books and can read novels as well. “I have seen children here who are just eight or nine, but due to the good influence of their schools, are very keen readers. “Anyway, all children and youth should read as much as possible and develop this good habit. “As I said, you should also read religious books and you should ask your parents questions about religion so that your knowledge is constantly increasing. If for some reason your parents do not know the answer, you can ask your local missionary and you can also write to me with your question. “It is my desire that you all learn as much as possible about your religion and continue to study it. “I am confident that Insha-Allah you will listen to what I have said and will seek to be the very best possible Waqif-e-Nau that you can.” (Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, 28 February 2016, Address at Waqifeen-e-Nau Ijtema 2016. Ismael, Apr-Jun 2016)
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The
importance of
spending in the way of
Allah
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I now return to the actual subject and reiterate that the wealthy and affluent can serve the Faith very well. This is why God Almighty has declared that one aspect of what characterises the righteous is as follows:
ُ ُ ٰ ِمَّا َر َز ْق ن ْم یُ ْن ِفق ْو َن
“They spend out of what We have provided for them.” [Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.2: V.4]
Here, there is no distinction of wealth alone. Whatever Allah the Exalted has given to a person, they ought to spend in the way of Allah. The purpose in this is for one to show sympathy and give support to humanity. The Shariah of Allah Almighty is based on two things alone: to honour the commandments of Allah and to show compassion to the creation of Allah. Therefore, it is compassion for the creation of God that has been taught in the following:
ُ ُ ٰ ِمَّا َر َز ْق ن ْم یُ ْن ِفق ْو َن
“They spend out of what We have provided for them.” The affluent receive great opportunities to offer services in the cause of faith. On one occasion, our Noble Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, made a financial appeal and Hazrat Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, brought everything that he had in his home, and presented himself before the Holy Prophetsa. The Holy Prophetsa asked: “Abu Bakr! What have you left at home?” Hazrat Abu Bakrra responded: “I have left behind the name of Allah and His Messenger.” Hazrat Umarra brought half of all his property. The Holy Prophetsa asked: “Umar! What have you left at home?” He responded by saying: “Half.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “The difference in the actions of Abu Bakr and Umar, is the difference between them in rank.” In the world, we see that people have an immense love for wealth. This is why it is written in books on the science of the interpretation of dreams that if someone sees that they have taken out their liver and given it to someone, this implies wealth. This is why in order to attain true righteousness and faith, Allah the Exalted states:
ُ ُ ّ ٰ َّ ْ ُ َ َ ْ َ ُ ُ ب َح ت ْن ِفق ْوا ِمَّا ت ِّب ْو َن ِ لن تنالوا ال
Meaning, never shall you attain to true righteousness unless you spend what you most love, because sympathy and good treatment towards the creation of God depends to a large extent on the spending of wealth. Sympathy towards humanity and God’s creation at large is the second aspect of faith, without which one’s faith cannot be complete and firm. Until a person sacrifices for others, how can they give them benefit? Sacrifice is necessary in benefiting others and showing them sympathy. It is this very teaching of sacrifice which has been given in the following:
ُ ُ ّ ٰ َّ ْ ُ َ َ ْ َ ُ ُ ب َح ت ْن ِفق ْوا ِمَّا ت ِّب ْو َن ِ لن تنالوا ال
“Never shall you attain to true righteousness unless you spend what you most love.” [Surah Al-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.93]
Therefore, spending wealth in the cause of Allah Almighty is also a criterion and touchstone by which to judge the good nature and righteousness of an individual. In the case of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, the extent and level to which his life was devoted to God was that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, expressed a need and he came with everything that he owned. (Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Malfuzat [English translation], Vol. II, pp. 268-269) ISMAEL ISMAEL APR-JUN JUL-SEP 2019 2019
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Ahmadi Muslim Youth and Preserving Islamic Values Address By Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (Aba) At The Concluding Session Of The Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya Ijtema 2019
On Sunday 8th September 2019, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, addressed Ahmadi Muslim youth at the concluding session of the 2019 National Ijtema (gathering) of Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya (MKA), UK. MKA is an auxiliary organisation of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community comprising of male members from the ages of 15-40. The event was attended by over 6100, and the speech was beamed live across the world through the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s official TV station, Muslim TV Ahmadiyya (MTA). The objectives of the Ijtema are to educate the Muslim youths of the true peaceful teachings of Islam and to inspire them towards serving both their faith and nation to the best of their abilities. The theme of this year’s Ijtema was ‘The Existence of God.’ The official full transcript of the address delivered by His Holiness on this occasion is presented below.
the conclusion of this year’s Khuddamul Ahmadiyya Ijtema. I am confident that you will all have endeavoured to enhance your moral and spiritual standards and sought to increase your religious knowledge, rather than just spending all of your time in sports or games. Taking part in sports and doing exercise is important, because it enables a person to stay fit and if a person is physically strong and healthy, he is better able to worship and fulfil the rights of Allah the Almighty and His creation. However, your main focus at the Ijtema and throughout the year, should always be on increasing your spirituality and religious knowledge. In order to gain secular knowledge and to advance in education, the majority of Ahmadi youth study very hard; however, in many cases, the same effort and struggle is not being made for the sake of gaining religious knowledge.
After reciting Tashahhud, Ta’awwuz and Surah Al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V(aba) said: ‘With the grace of Allah, you are now reaching
Hence, the main reason we hold Jalsas and Ijtemas is so that all the participants can join
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together to elevate their spiritual and moral standards and increase their religious knowledge and to recognise that they should continually seek to better themselves. Most importantly, attending the Ijtema should focus the minds of all participants on the foremost requirement of strengthening their bond with Allah the Almighty.
Allah the Almighty.
Most of you will be aware of the famous saying of Hazrat Musleh Maud(ra) [second worldwide head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community] in which he addressed Khuddam by saying that:
Thus, it is very important that every Khadim does not simply repeat this slogan, but also ponders over its meaning and grasps what it personally requires of them. You should appreciate that it is no ordinary slogan, but is actually the guarantor of the success and continued prosperity of our Jama’at and indeed the pathway leading to the salvation and advancement of our nations.
Furthermore, only if an Ahmadi understands his faith can he become an example to others, show the world the beauties of Islam and remove the widespread misconceptions that exist about our religion.
‘Nations cannot be reformed without the reformation of the youth.’ These enlightened words have not only become the main slogan of Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya, but have also become the basis of its activities and schemes. However, it is not enough to merely repeat this slogan or to have it printed on posters or badges; rather you must understand its true meaning and the underlying philosophy behind these profound words.
These few words are, in essence, the means to take you towards fulfilling your life’s purpose. They reinforce and reiterate the fact that the success of our Jama’at and our nation is directly linked to the spiritual and moral state of the youth. If every Khadim pays heed to this then it will enable them to follow the commands of God Almighty and to stay away from immorality and wrongdoing.
The reason Hazrat Musleh Maud(ra) assigned this slogan to Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya was to emphasise how important it was for the youth to not only gain secular education, but above and beyond this, to constantly develop their relationship with Allah the Almighty.
Moving on, we can all see that we are living in an era in which mankind is not only moving away from religion, but is also hurtling away from a belief in the existence of God. In such circumstances, every Ahmadi must prove to the doubters and sceptics that God does exist, that He is a living God and that Islam is the final religion revealed by Him.
For example, when offering Salat [obligatory prayer] it should not be that you are standing there out of necessity, to superficially fulfil the requirement of your faith; rather, you should enjoy every moment of prayer and cherish the opportunity to open your hearts before your beloved creator.
Do not underestimate your role in this effort or consider it to be the job of other people to convey this message.
Those words of Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) also demand that the members of Khuddamul Ahmadiyya strive to increase their religious knowledge, because having knowledge of Islam’s teachings will automatically increase a person’s spirituality and bring them closer to
Indeed, Ahmadi youths must lead this effort and wholeheartedly accept this great challenge of our time. For this, you must live your life in a way that fulfils the purpose of your creation and fulfils the
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purpose for which Allah the Almighty made this world. If you are successful, you will be amongst those who are the recipients of Allah’s Mercy and rewards and you will not only attain the fruits of your labour in spiritual terms, but will also reap the benefits in your worldly endeavours. Allah the Almighty will bless you in material terms because you gave priority to your faith over all worldly matters and sought to reform yourselves in accordance with the teachings of Islam. For quite some time, I have been mentioning the blessed companions of the Holy Prophet(sa) in my Friday Sermons. They were the esteemed group of people for whom history bears witness that they not only pledged to give precedence to their faith over all worldly matters, but more importantly, they fulfilled that pledge in the most astonishing fashion. They spared no effort to discharge their oath and gave every possible sacrifice for the sake of their faith. As a result, Allah the Almighty enabled them to excel in spiritual and moral terms and to play an outstanding role in the spread of Islam. At the same time, He also blessed them in worldly terms, so that those who worshipped Him day and night and were truly obedient to the Holy Prophet of Islam(sa), saw their trade or businesses thrive – to the extent that some even became millionaires, in today’s terminology. However, such wealth never took them away from their faith or corrupted them in any way; rather, it led them towards even greater sacrifices for the cause of Islam. Hence, you should always keep in view your obligation to prioritise your faith and you should continually evaluate your efforts to spiritually and morally better yourself. This is imperative not only for your own benefit but also for the benefit of your nation. Each Khadim should serve as a means of pride for their country and be amongst those who take their people towards peace and prosperity.
In today’s world, the tragic reality is that vast majority of people across society have forgotten their creator and have little or no idea how disastrous the consequences will prove to be if they fail to repent and reform. Therefore, every Khadim should take on the responsibility of striving to save their nations from the punishment and anger of Allah the Almighty, which they are currently racing towards at great speed. It is up to you to guide the people of your nation and to bring them back towards God Almighty. For this, you must personally develop the highest standards of spirituality and morality. You must set an example of truthfulness and integrity and practice what you preach. To attain true righteousness it is necessary, according to the command of Allah, to be regular in offering Istighfar. The way to offer Istighfar is not simply to ask Allah the Almighty to forgive your past mistakes or sins; rather, you should not only look to the past, but should also look to the future. Thus, when seeking forgiveness for your previous mistakes, you must also be utterly resolute in your determination to stay away from such vices moving forward. Sometimes I am asked, including by members of our youth, how a person can know if their sins have been forgiven and whether Allah has accepted their repentance. Of course, as ordinary human beings, we cannot expect to be explicitly informed from the heavens whether each of our sins has been forgiven. Nonetheless, Allah the Almighty has Himself taught us that if a person offers Istighfar [seeking forgiveness for one’s sins] sincerely and is unwavering in his resolve of never repeating his past sins or vices then it is safe to assume that his repentance has been accepted. This is
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the philosophy of Istighfar, wherein a person is forgiven his past indiscretions when his heart is purified and becomes filled with hatred for whatever sin or wrong act he was previously involved in. Conversely, if a person offers Istighfar, but continues to repeat the same mistake, it cannot be said that his contrition is sincere and so it will not be accepted. Therefore, it is essential to offer Istighfar with sincerity until you develop a firm aversion to those wrong things you have done in the past. If you reach that stage, you can be fully confident that Allah has forgiven you and that the doors to His mercy, love and bounties have been opened up to you, both in this world and in the next. Apart from Istighfar, you should continually seek the help of Allah by repeating the prayer: That is: ‘Guide us on the right path’. This prayer should be offered with total humility and a firm intention to stay on the path of righteousness and to reject the advances of Satan, who constantly seeks to entice us towards engaging in the type of illicit and deceitful behaviour that will surely incur the wrath of Allah. Hence, every Ahmadi, man or woman, young or old, having accepted the Promised Messiah (as) and pledged to prioritise their faith over all worldly matters, should repeatedly offer this prayer in order to stay rightly guided. Always remember that being steadfast in your faith and showing perseverance is the way to protect yourself from wrongdoing. When a person shows even a hint of weakness or negligence in his faith, it is an invitation to Satan to take advantage and to guide him astray. In today’s world, in all directions, there are
countless temptations and attractions that can easily take a person away from their faith and towards transgression. For example, indecent television programmes and films are constantly being broadcast or streamed and serve to weaken the moral fabric of society. Similarly, the influence of social media is everincreasing and many videos and posts are those which encourage or facilitate immorality. The same is true with many computer games that people play online, especially young children of the age of twelve to fifteen or other teenagers. Unquestionably, the harmful aspects of modern technology can easily take people away from God, away from the worship of Him and, over time, weaken a person’s faith in the existence of God Almighty. Accordingly, if any of the Khuddam or Atfal are falling prey to such vices, they should realise that they are letting themselves come under the utterly destructive influence of Satan, who proclaimed from the outset his intention to take people away from God. And Allah the Almighty has made it clear that those who end up in the clutches of Satan will be held accountable and punished by Him. Remember, Allah the Almighty has given human beings a mind of their own and the right to choose between good and bad. By graciously sending His Prophets to the world, Allah the Almighty has clearly distinguished between what is right and what is wrong and those who oppose the Prophets of God, are those who are assisting Satan in his quest to destroy religion and belief in God Almighty. It is no exaggeration to suggest that in this era, more than ever before, society is engulfed by satanic influences. I have already mentioned how social media can harm a person’s faith and take them on the wrong
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path. In addition, pornography, drugs, online gaming, gambling, immoral and inappropriate relationships, going to nightclubs and many other things are amongst those satanic influences, which are entirely harmful and are taking people away from God Almighty. Very regrettably, some members of our youth are also being lured towards these dangerous and immoral pursuits. As their minds become consumed by these worldly and superficial attractions, they neglect to offer Istighfar. They forget that they have accepted the Imam of the Age, the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi (as). They even overlook the fact that they have accepted the Holy Prophet(sa) as the final law bearing prophet and that the Holy Quran is the final law bearing Book revealed by Allah. It is a source of deep regret for me that there are members of our Jama’at who have more interest in keeping updated with the latest films and social media posts than they have in studying the Holy Quran, offering Salat and seeking to perform righteous deeds. Though our Jama’at makes a lot of effort towards fulfilling the needs of others through Khidmat-eKhalq, services to humanity and charity, the truth remains that the majority of the work is being done by a minority of our members. There are many who remain idle and fail to sacrifice their time and wealth for the benefit of mankind. Similarly, we cannot claim that a majority of Ahmadis are offering their prayers with the devotion and spirit that is required. Nor are they studying the Holy Quran deeply or seeking to act upon its instructions. Ultimately, we cannot claim that the majority of our youth are those who are truly giving precedence to their faith over all worldly matters. How then can we hope to reform our nations, if we are failing to reform ourselves?
This is the stark truth and so until each and every one of us reflects upon our actions and seeks the Help of Allah and repents before Him, we can never be truly successful or fulfil the real objectives of our life. In this regard, some people say that if Allah desires for us to reform then He should reform us Himself. This attitude is wrong and ignorant. I have already explained that Allah the Almighty has given human beings free will. Also, some Ahmadis question the involvement of the Jama’at in certain matters, which they consider as their personal issues. Some things are indeed personal in nature, however, where a personal matter interferes with our religious duties, it becomes an issue for the Jama’at, because as Ahmadis, we have all pledged to give precedence to our faith over all worldly matters. If an Ahmadi violates the demands of his faith, they are breaking their pledge and so it becomes the duty of the Jama’at, whether at a Jama’at level or through the auxiliaries, to take action by trying to guide him back towards the right path. Therefore, always remember, that if you weaken in your faith or become embroiled in immoral or vain acts, the Jama’at’s Nizaam will seek to guide you and to explain the importance of reformation. Without doubt, Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya will and should constantly remind the Khuddam and Atfal about the importance of offering Salat and coming to the mosque. It is their duty to make it clear to every Khadim that a failure to observe these basic religious duties will take them away from their faith. Such matters do not remain personal, but are a matter of concern to the Jama’at, because if Ahmadis are not fulfilling the rights of Allah and are not prioritising their faith over worldly matters, then they are not only hurting themselves, but also the Jama’at and the wider society.
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Where an individual weakens, it weakens the collective and this is the core point underpinning the slogan that ‘nations cannot be reformed without the reformation of the youth.’ If those amongst us are falling prey to wrongdoing and their spiritual, moral and practical standards are all declining, then how can we be those who reform others? Rather, we will ourselves fall into the arms of Satan and become spellbound by his influence and lead others astray. It will reduce the precious slogan of Khuddamul Ahmadiyya to an artificial motto, comprised of hollow and meaningless words. Instead of benefitting society, such people will sow division and spread disorder. Instead of raising the moral and social standing of society, they will be lowering and debasing it. They will be a source of hindering the progress of their society and their nation, rather than being a source of pride and honour for it. Thus, the Jama’at has a fundamental role to guide Ahmadis away from immoral and improper activities. Of course, some things remain personal to us. However, even in those personal matters, there are occasions where it is the duty of the Jama’at to guide members and to intervene. For example, every person has the right to choose their profession or vocation. Islam permits people to establish businesses or to engage in commercial activities. I mentioned before how some of the companions of the Holy Prophet(sa) had businesses or traded goods through which they acquired a lot of wealth. Thus, there is nothing wrong with earning money, so long as it is earned lawfully and in accordance with Islamic values. For instance, Islam does not permit a Muslim to produce, keep, distribute or sell alcohol and the Holy Prophet(sa) cursed those who did so.
Marriage is also a personal matter for each individual, on condition that they are abiding by the instructions of the Holy Quran in this regard. Thus, no one has the right to compel a person to marry against his or her will. If an Ahmadi man finds an Ahmadi woman he likes and she consents, then they are free to marry, and their parents should help them in this regard. However, a man should not marry merely to satisfy his sexual desires and so to ensure the sanctity and true value of marriage is understood and upheld, the Jama’at guides Ahmadis on matrimonial issues where needed. In short, when Ahmadis engage in immoral activities, even in their personal dealings, it is the duty of the Jama’at to protect and preserve the integrity and righteousness of our community, as well as the wider society, by guiding them towards reformation. Satanic influences in the modern world are ever increasing and are being used to curb religion and to weaken moral standards and the only way to save ourselves from such harmful things is by turning towards Allah the Almighty and bowing before Him. This is true for every person, no matter how pious they are and this is the reason that even the Prophets, who were pure in character, offered Istighfar. For example, we see in chapter 12, verse 54 of the Holy Quran how Hazrat Yusuf (as) sought the help of Allah the Almighty by praying in the following words: “And I do not hold my own self to be free from weakness; for, the soul is surely prone to enjoin evil, save that whereon my Lord has mercy. Surely, my Lord is Most Forgiving, Merciful.” Here we see how a person who was destined to be a prophet of God affirmed that without the help of Allah and without His mercy, it was not possible for him to be saved from the wrong path.
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If even the noble Prophets require Allah’s Grace and Mercy to be saved, then what can be said of an ordinary person? Surely, it is only by turning towards Allah with true sincerity and humility, seeking His forgiveness and compassion that a person can remain on a right path. Most certainly, it is the foremost duty of every single person, who has accepted the Promised Messiah (as), to pay heed to this message. The alternative is that a person remains negligent and fails to fulfil the pledge that he made when taking the Bai’at of the Promised Messiah (as). Do not be under the illusion that failing to fulfil one’s pledge is a small matter. Rather, in the Holy Quran, Allah the Almighty has said that each person will be held accountable for their pledges. At the very minimum, every person should be honest, courageous and free from hypocrisy. Thus, if a person does not want to follow the teachings of Islam or does not want the Jama’at to guide him, then he should openly declare that he is not a member of the Jama’at. On the other hand, once you have taken Bai’at [oath of allegiance] and pledged to give precedence to your faith over all worldly matters, you must seek to fulfil its demands to the best of your abilities. You must offer Istighfar as much as possible, so that you can be saved from the socalled freedoms of the modern world, which are actually shackles that serve only to pull mankind away from the path of true prosperity. Each of you should pray that you are saved from modern-day vices and that you remain pure of mind and free from all immoral thoughts and desires.
Be amongst those Khuddam who truly understand that they have been given the duty to reform their nations and for this, they must first reform themselves. Be amongst those Khuddam who are determined to unite the whole world in a firm belief in the unity and oneness of God Almighty and be those who play their role in bringing mankind together, under the glorious banner of the Holy Prophet Muhammad(sa). These are the values that must be instilled within us and it is to embed these values that we hold Jalsas and Ijtemas. It is my ardent and heartfelt prayer that the members of Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya and Atfalul Ahmadiyya are those who cherish and protect their Islamic values and realise that their every success will be based upon staying true to their core identity as Ahmadi Muslims. Otherwise, your pledge and claim will be rendered hollow and will be grounded in hypocrisy and hypocrisy is a vice that is not only hated by religious people, but also by other worldly people.
At the end, I pray that may Allah the Almighty instil in your hearts nobility, purity and may you live your lives upholding the highest moral and spiritual standards. May you continually fulfil the rights of Allah the Almighty and of His creation at every juncture and moment of your lives. May the Almighty continue to bless Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya in all aspects – Ameen.’
Be ever determined to fulfil your pledge, most especially the fundamental pledge to give precedence to your religion over all other things. ISMAEL JUL-SEP 2019
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Relationship of the Jamaat with Khilafat Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IIIrh said: “Most of you understand what is meant by Khilafat in the Ahmadiyya Jamaat, but there are those who do not understand. One characteristic of this Khilafat is that it has been established by God the Exalted, and He has promised that through this institution of Khilafat, He will manifest the mighty hand of His powers. This Khilafat is supported by God the Exalted. This Khilafat has one entity. Khilafat is a soul and it has a body – the Ahmadiyya Jamaat. The combination of the soul and body forms an institution. “In 1967, a few Christian priests visited me in Copenhagen, Denmark. One of them asked me my position in Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya. To this, I replied that his question was wrong because we take the Imam Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya and the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya as synonymous. It means that the Khalifa of the age and the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya are combined to form one body. (Khilafat and Mujaddidiyyat, p. 10)
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ABU LAHAB IN THE HOLY QURAN َّ ب َل َہب َّو َت ْ َت َّب ْ ت یَ َدا َا ب ٍ ِ
hands.
“Perished be the two hands of Abu Lahab, and so perish he”, one may consider this to merely denote the paternal uncle of the Holy Prophetsa, Abu Lahab. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra gives great insight into the commentary of this verse, part of which is presented below: In [this] Surah, “Abu Lahab” does not signify a person, rather it points towards that nation which will prevail over the world in the latter days and will ignite the flames of animosity against the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, or Islam; or they will create such inventions that produce fire or flames. Then, this nation will gather neighbouring nations alongside them and strengthen their bloc. These nations will resemble his [Abu Lahab’s]
Upon observation, we realise that there are two such blocs in the current era that are united against the Holy Prophetsa or Islam. One bloc consists of some Western powers, while the other bloc has some Eastern powers along with allies. “Abu Lahab” here points towards these two blocs. They are like Abu Lahab apparently as their complexion is reddish white, and also intrinsically, for they are working on creating atom bombs and hydrogen bombs, which will result in fire and flames. Another way they resemble Abu Lahab is that eventually, they will be enveloped in the fire of warfare. They kindled a fire by producing harmful literature against Prophet Muhammadsa and this is another warrant for their being
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Material arsenal will not be effective in challenging these anti-Islamic peoples as the Muslims would be weak and feeble, but Allah will listen to the prayers of the Promised Messiah; He will create such circumstances that just as salt dissolves in water, these antiIslamic forces will rise up against one another and be the cause of each other’s destruction.
likened to Abu Lahab. In the verse:
َّ ب َل َہب َّو َت ْ َت َّب ْ ت یَ َدا َا ب ٍ ِ
“Perished be the two hands of Abu Lahab, and so perish he”, the past tense has been used. However, in Arabic, to express the certainty and conviction of an incident about to occur, the past tense is used. In other words, what is being said here is, “Consider this done.”
The Holy Quran has interpreted the allies of the nations worthy of being called “Abu Lahab” as “hands” and has said:
Therefore, tabbat [he perished] here means that it is a fact that they shall perish, and their task of annihilating Islam shall not be accomplished.
َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َّ َ ب ٍ تبت یدا ا ِب لہ
“Perished be the two hands of Abu Lahab”. In a hadith, where the revolts of the latter days have been mentioned, the word “yadaan” [two hands] has been used. This tells us that Allah the Almighty had given news to the Holy Prophetsa of the coming trials in the latter days within his Ummah and had told him that it would not be possible to overcome the forces foretold in Surah al-Lahab through physical power. It is for this reason that the Holy Prophetsa said:
Another point worth noting is that the verse under discussion mentions the destruction of Abu Lahab’s hands, whereas later, his own destruction is foretold. It is clear from this fact that the ones who were to later be termed as “Abu Lahab” – i.e. Western and Eastern powers – would both try and gather as many nations under their umbrella and those nations would unite together and serve their respective bloc as its hands. The “Abu Lahab” nations would take pride in these blocs and count them among its strengths.
ال یدان الحد لقتالہم
“No one shall be able to fight them.” Thus, the verse:
However, Allah will create such means that first, the helpers will be destroyed and then, he who is worthy of being called “Abu Lahab” and the nucleus of these nations will be destroyed.
َّ ب َل َہب َّو َت ْ َت َّب ْ ت یَ َدا َا ب ٍ ِ
“Perished be the two hands of Abu Lahab, and so perish he” has the prophecy contained in it that the nations who attack Islam and the peoples who rise in favour of such nations will all see the pit of destruction and will not be able to destroy Islam.
Another sublime point which must be mentioned here is that when the ahadith mention those schemes that will rise up against Islam, they also mention that in the midst of this mischief, the Almighty Allah would send the Promised Messiah who would challenge those evils, but through prayer, as it is mentioned:
[Editor: As Waqifeen-e-Nau, we have a role to play in spreading the message of true salvation to the corners of the earth. May Allah enable us to understand this immense responsibility and may we carry it out to the best of our ability. Amin]
ال یدان الحد لقتالہم
“No one shall be able to fight them.” (Mishkat, Kitab-ul-Fitan)
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I SLAM ’S J O UR N EY TO J A PA N PA R T I I AHMA D I Y YAT I N J A PA N JALEES AHM AD UK
Jalees Ahmad is a missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat. He graduated from Jamia Ahmadiyya UK in June 2016 and is currently serving as a research fellow at the Ahmadiyya Archives and Research Centre, London and in the weekly Al Hakam.
For a number of decades now, according to the World Christian Encyclopaedia, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat has been noted as the fastest growing sect in Islam.
Japan can be traced back to the time of the Promised Messiahas who expressed his heartfelt desire to spread Islam in Japan. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiahas, on several occasions, expressed this desire and stated that a comprehensive book should be prepared to introduce the teachings of Islam to the people of Japan.
In the previous article that has been published in Ismael, we looked at how the teachings of Islam made its way into Japan. Thus, in this this article, I hope to cover how Islam Ahmadiyyat planted its roots in the land of the rising sun.
6 May 1935 marked a historic day in the history of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat. On this date, for the very first time under the Tahrik-e-Jadid scheme, three missionaries were sent abroad to spread the message of Ahmadiyyat i.e. the true message of Islam, outside Qadian.
Let us go back to the history of the Jamaat, highlighting the main factors and seeing how the teachings of Islam Ahmadiyyat made its way to the country in the Asian continent. The relation between Islam Ahmadiyya and
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Below are listed the three missionaries who will forever be remembered in the history of the Jamaat:
Hazrat Sufi Abdul Qadeer Sahib, after travelling for a whole month by sea, arrived in Japan on 4 June. This date marks the beginning of a new chapter in the land of the rising sun. (Al Fazl, 7 June 1935)
1. Hazrat Sufi Abdul Qadir Sahib, who was sent to Japan
2. Hazrat Maulvi Ghulam Hussain Ayaz Sahib, who sent to Singapore
On 5 June, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IIra received a telegram from Sufi Abdul Qadir Sahib who stated that he had arrived safely in Japan on the 4 June. Sufi Abdul Qadeer Sahib arrived in Japan in the city of Kobe, located on Osaka Bay in central Japan. Once there, he made it a priority to begin learning Japanese and dedicated himself to this task. Day and night, he busied himself in propagating Islam in Japan. He delivered lectures in many places.
3. Hazrat Sufi Abdul Ghafoor Sahib, who was sent to China
(Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 7)
(Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 7, p. 201)
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Later he was accompanied by Maulvi Abdul Ghafoor Sahib to help him in this mission.
missionary
In late 1935, a letter was sent to the editor of The Review of Religions from a person who named himself “One who knows Japan”. In the letter, the Japanese gentleman presented an outlook of religion in Japan and further expressed his desire for a Muslim mission to be established in Japan.
However, at the time, the Jamaat did not have the necessary requirements to send a missionary.
(Friday Sermon, 26 November 1954).
The gentleman wrote: “The Government is and always has been tolerant in religious matters, and so far from meeting with opposition, a well-organised Muslim Mission would probably meet with the most sympathetic treatment from the Imperial authorities.” (The Review of Religions, September 1935) In January 1937, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra, under the Tahrik-e-Jadid scheme, sent Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Ghafoor Sahib to Japan. Before departing, Maulvi Abdul Ghafoor Sahib received a letter of guidance from Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra. In the letter, Huzoorra reminded Maulvi Sahib of his purpose for travelling to Japan. Huzoorra stated that once there, he would face many difficulties such as financial difficulties and advised to always remain steadfast, and to continuously seek Gods help and have firm faith in Him. Huzoorra advised to keep up to date with the current affairs of Japan and to continuously, on a daily basis, read their newspapers.
(Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 8, pp. 219-220)
When Maulvi Abdul Ghafoor Sahib arrived in Japan, he started to learn Japanese from Sufi Abdul Qadeer Sahib. He remained in Japan, preaching the true Islam, for four years. Later, he returned to Qadian in 1941. Due to the Second World War, between 1941 and 1954, no missionary was able to go to Japan. However, although no missionary was there, the name of Islam Ahmadiyyat was so firmly rooted in the soil of Japan that it had not been forgotten. This is evident from the Friday Sermon delivered on 26 November 1954, where Hazrat Muslehe-Maudra stated that he had received a heartfelt desire from the people of Japan to send a
In the late 1960s, focus was once again drawn towards the Japan. On 29 October 1968, Sahibzada Mirza Mubarak Ahmad Sahib, Wakile-Ala and Wakil-ul-Tabshir Tahrik-e-Jadid, visited Japan to assess the situation and once again reignite the propagation of the Ahmadiyya Muslim mission. He remained in Japan until 13 November 1968. (Al Fazl, 19 November 1968) Then a year later, in 1969, Major Abdul Hameed Sahib was sent to Japan. Upon his arrival, he started learning the Japanese language and began printing and distributing Islamic literature. Major Sahib would adopt many methods of tabligh such as setting up stalls and distributing literature at different locations. By the grace of Allah, due to Major Sahib’s efforts, 30 people entered the fold of Islam. In 1970, Major Sahib was invited to the religious conference held in Kyoto, Japan as an imam of the Ahmadiyya community. In early 1975, Ataul Mujeeb Rashed Sahib was sent to Japan as a missionary, who later became the first Amir of Japan Jamaat. Whilst there, Japan held its first Jalsa Salana and first Majlise-Shura. During this time, Ahmadiyyat, the true Islam, caught the attention of Japans press and media. Articles written by Ataul Mujeeb Sahib were published throughout Japan; new literature on Islam, known as Voice of Islam, was printed and made available in Japan.
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During this period, the mission was established in Tokyo, which later relocated to Nagoya in 1981.
in Japan. 28 July 1989 marks a historic day in the history of Ahmadiyyat in Japan. On this day, for the first time in the history of Japan, a Khalifatul Masih delivered a Friday Sermon in the land of the rising sun.
Four years later, in August 1979, Maghfoor Ahmad Muneeb Sahib joined Ataul Mujeeb Rashed Sahib as a missionary. Maghfoor Ahmad Muneeb Sahib very passionately preached the true Islam to the people of Japan. Whilst there, he managed to carry out the tasks of the early missionaries and also started printing new literature of the Jamaat.
In this sermon, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh expressed his amazement upon observing the people of Japan. Huzoorrh stated that he had never been moved by the morals of a nation as much as Japan. Huzoorrh further stated that Japan, after suffering many worldly weaknesses, had brought many great nations to their knees, yet they remain humble.
In August 1987, Faheem Ahmad Khalid was appointed in Japan as a missionary. He joined the Naganuma School, the Tokyo School of Language to learn Japanese. Two years later, in 1989, Ziaullah Mubashar Sahib was sent to Japan, who later was appointed as Amir Jamaat of Japan.
During Huzoor’srh visit, various events were held in propagating the true message of Islam. In October 2000, Naseer Ahmad Badr Sahib was sent to Japan, who remained there until May 2001. After the return of Naseer Sahib, no missionary was sent to Japan for almost four years. Then, in October 2005, Zaheer Ahmad Rehan Sahib was sent to Japan and was appointed as missionary-in-charge. Naseer Ahmad Badr Sahib remained in Japan, doing tabling, for five years. Later, in 2010, he returned to Rabwah.
Then, in 1998, he returned to Rabwah. Since then, for a period or 1-2 years, there was no missionary in Japan. In 1988, after two years of efforts and continuously receiving guidance from Hazrat Khalifatul Masih, the Holy Quran was published in Japanese. This was a means of heralding a new chapter in the East Asian nation’s relationship with Islam.
In 2005, he was joined by Anees Ahmad Nadeem Sahib, who is currently serving in Japan since.
This task was accomplished by Muhammad Owais Kobayashi Sahib, the first Ahmadi Muslim
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During the 2006 visit, as there was no mosque of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat in Japan, Huzooraa instructed the Jamaat to construct a mosque. Thus, a committee was accordingly set up and began looking for a suitable location for a mosque. This was no easy task, however, by the sheer grace and blessings of Allah, the Jamaat was able to overcome the hurdles and the construction of the mosque began.
May 2006 was a very special and historical moment for Japan. Firstly, it was in this very month that, for the first time in history, a Khalifatul Masih attended Jalsa Salana in Japan. Secondly, also for the very first time, the Friday Sermon of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa was broadcast live from Japan on MTA. In his sermon, Huzooraa recounted a brief history of Ahmadiyyat in Japan and stated that it was the Promised Messiah’sas desire to spread Islam in this country as its inhabitants are good-natured people. Giving a brief history of Ahmadiyyat in Japan, Huzooraa mentioned that the first missionary arrived in Japan in 1935. However, with the Second World War, the situation changed and missionaries began facing many obstacles, forcing them to return. Huzooraa further stated that Japan suffered great loss in the war; however, being a courageous nation, it has made great post-war progress especially in the field of technology. This, as a result, has inclined them to worldly things, yet they remain interested in religion and have a desire to learn about Islam.
In 2013, when the construction of the mosque was completed, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa visited Japan and inaugurated Baitul Ahad, the first Ahmadiyya Mosque in Japan, located in Tsushima, on the outskirts of Nagoya.
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In his Friday Sermon, referring to Baitul Ahad, Huzooraa expressed his gratitude to God and prayed that may those who attend the mosque be able to fulfil all the objectives for which a mosque is constructed.
This continuous journey of inner peace is the very reason why Japan is, albeit subconsciously, continuously inclining towards Islam. InshaAllah, the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat will continue to spread throughout Japan and the seeds of spirituality will continue to blossom.
This mosque is not just the first mosque in Japan, but it is the first mosque in all of eastern Asia, and is the second largest, in terms of its overall capacity, in the entire country.
“He it is Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, that He may make it prevail over every [other] religion, even though the idolaters may dislike [it].”
Looking back at history of the Jamaat, one begins to contemplate on the sacrifices our revered elders made. Travelling to a country where the customs are different, language is different and very much tied to its culture, one can only imagine how they managed to preach.
(Surah al-Taubah, Ch.9: V.33)
This is the divine promise of God vouchsafed to the Promised Messiahas, “I shall cause thy message to reach the corners of the Earth.” Today, we are witnessing first-hand this divine promise. Studying the history of the land of the rising sun, one can ascertain that the people are extremely loyal to their culture. It is a well-known fact that the people of Japan possess such high morals which has been the core reason of their worldly success. From the moment they wake, they devote themselves to the complete perfection in every aspect of life. Their example of being so closely connected to one’s culture is a trait extremely rare in other nations; they have completely devoted themselves to a set of moral principles and are a deeply spiritual people. ISMAEL ISMAEL APR-JUN JUL-SEP 2019 2019
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Thinking ill of others
Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra reported that Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiahas said on 22 March 1901: “Once, there was a man who promised to God that he would consider everyone better than him and never look down upon anyone. One day, he saw a man seated near a bridge overlooking a river, where many people passed by. A woman was seated beside him and he had a bottle in his hand. He would take a sip from the bottle and also give a sip to the woman sitting beside him. The man who had made the promise looked down upon the man and thought ill of that man. He thought to himself, ‘I am definitely better than this shameless individual.’ “A boat passed under the bridge and all of a sudden, it capsized and all aboard that boat began drowning. The man [who he thought ill of] jumped in and saved all them except one. He then approached the man who thought ill of him and said: ‘You thought ill of me. I have saved five people from drowning. Now you go and save the last one. God sent me here to test you and had informed me of your intentions. This woman sitting next to me is my mother and the bottle is not filled with wine but with water from the river.’ “The point to take into account here is that a person should not form an opinion about another too quickly.” (Zikr-e-Habib, p. 73) ISMAEL ISMAEL APR-JUN JUL-SEP 2019 2019
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