Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Irfanira (1875-1957)
Engagements of the Khalifa
The engagements of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] are increasing day by day, and the number of visitors seeking meetings with him is also rising. Requests for lectures are also being received. Huzoor’s[ra] health is relatively good, though he experiences slight headaches and fever at times.
Despite concerns about his health, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud[ra] remains engaged in the important tasks of the Jamaat. The diary of significant events for this week is as follows:
News of Brother Idowu Yakub’s demise
On the morning [of 19 September 1924], Abdur Rahim Nayyar[ra] from Putney informed us via telephone that Brother Idowu Yakub, President of the Executive Committee of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat Nigeria, passed away on 17 September 1924.
اِنَّا لِلّٰهِ وَاِنَّا اِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُوْنَ
[“Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”]
Brother Yakub was an active member of the community and was always willing to make any sacrifice for the propagation of Islam Ahmadiyyat. At the time of his death, Brother Yakub was around 40 years old, and the Jamaat had high hopes from him. He was highly respected and honoured among the Muslim community in Lagos. Naturally, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] was deeply saddened by the passing of such a sincere member of the Jamaat. However, since this Jamaat is not dependent on any individual but is supported and sustained by Allah the Almighty, we expect that by His grace, He will raise someone else in his place. After the Friday prayer, Huzoor[ra] also led the funeral prayer in absentia for Brother Yakub.
May Allah grant the deceased a high station in Paradise (Jannat al-Firdaus) and bestow patience upon his family members.
Before Jumu‘ah prayer, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] briefly went outside, accompanied by Dr Hashmatullah Sahib[ra]. At 2 pm, Huzoor[ra] led the Friday prayer at the Putney Mosque and emphasised in his sermon the significance of strengthening national character. After the prayer, several funeral prayers in absentia were offered, including that of the late Brother Yakub of Nigeria.
Meeting with Sir Ross
At 4:30 pm, Sir ED Ross, who is the President of the Religious Conference, came to meet Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra]. Sir Ross had previously served as the principal of Calcutta College and is one of the most renowned orientalists. After exchanging pleasantries about one another’s well-being, Mr Ross remarked, “The English press is taking great interest in your [Holiness’s] visit to Europe. Many excerpts have been collected.”
The conversation then shifted entirely to academic matters. Sir Ross encouraged the translation of the Holy Quran and expressed his delight and appreciation for the translation of the first part. He said, “I have read the first part, and I have it with me.” While enjoying tea, various scholarly discussions continued.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] responded by stating, “I have made arrangements for the rest of the Quran to be published soon, but it is a highly laborious task, and I do not consider it appropriate to publish it without the original text.”
In this context, Mr Ross mentioned that he had discovered the source of George Sale’s translation. He revealed that Sale had based his translation on an Italian author’s work, Maracci’s translation of the Quran. Otherwise, Sale had only consulted the commentary of Al-Baydawi, and his translation contains references as well. He added that Sale’s library had been sold, and the collection consisted solely of works by [Qadi] Baydawi.
Mr Ross continued discussing modern library methods, describing how books are organised and how the age of manuscripts can be determined by examining the paper. He explained that this has become a specialised field of knowledge, and he himself teaches it. While discussing ancient copies of the Quran, he mentioned that the oldest manuscript of the Quran he had seen was from 275 AH, which he had viewed in Tunisia. Regarding Arabic script, he noted that the Kufi script had its origins in Western script.
He further elaborated that, in the early days, there was no formal system of writing; instead, oral traditions were relied upon. He cited Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh as an example, which was compiled purely through oral tradition.
The conversation continued on various academic topics, and Mr Ross asked Huzoor[ra] why those who transmit poetry are called rawatiya while those who transmit Hadith are called rawi.
Huzoor[ra] responded, “One reason for this is that a Hadith transmitter attributes the narration to a single source, whereas poets prefer that a group of people memorise and transmit their verses to increase their recognition. Therefore, they are attributed to the group, which is why the term rawatiya is used.”
Mr Ross was very pleased with this immediate explanation.
During the conversation about the conference, Mr Ross remarked, “This conference is just the initial step, and it will generate some interest. Moreover, I believe that it will ultimately demonstrate that Islam is a living religion.”
In response to this intellectual exchange, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] said, “I am personally very pleased to hear your thoughts. I have read many books by English authors, but none gave me such pleasure [as hearing your words].”
Mr Ross then sought permission to leave due to another engagement, and Huzoor[ra] bade him farewell. Before his departure, he was introduced to the honourable Sheikh Abdul Rahman. This introduction was instigated by a discussion about the spread of Islam in India, particularly among the higher castes of Hindus. It was mentioned that some people from their prominent castes had also embraced Islam and completed their education in Arabic studies. One such scholar, [Sheikh Abdul Rahman], who had converted from Hinduism to Islam, was now the principal of the religious school in Qadian. Naturally, Mr Ross was intrigued by this, so Sheikh Abdul Rahman was summoned, and this intellectual evidence served as proof of Qadian’s greatness.
Huzoor’s[ra] lecture at St. Luke’s Hall
In the evening at 8 pm, members of the Reform Club had requested Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] to deliver a lecture at St. Luke’s Hall on the topic of Life After Death. This Reform Club is part of the Spiritual Society, and its president is an intellectual lady. We arrived on time, with Huzoor[ra] travelling by car, while we reached by bus.
Regret over not shaking hands
When we entered the hall, the lady president extended her hand for a handshake towards Zulfiqar Ali Khan Sahib. However, Khan Sahib did not extend his hand in return. According to her own customs, she naturally found this unpleasant. She immediately went to Mr Logreau (a Khawaja Shahi new Muslim) to express her complaint. He approached Khan Sahib to convey the lady’s dissatisfaction. Khan Sahib, with courage, explained that he could not act against his religious beliefs. He clarified that his intention was not to insult her and that he and his community hold women in high regard. However, Mr Logreau, who prioritised the principles of the [spiritual] society over religious values, could not accept this explanation.
Khan Sahib himself went to the president to explain the matter, and she was very pleased to learn that he adhered so closely to his religious beliefs. In the meantime, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] arrived. The president personally came to welcome him, and Huzoor[ra] then ascended to the high platform. The hall was filled to capacity.
In accordance with their club’s traditions, they began the service. However, instead of standing, they remained seated and sang a hymn, one line of which was:
“Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee.”
Lecture on Life After Death
After the hymn, the president led a prayer, and Mr Logreau introduced Huzoor’s[ra] lecture, mentioning that Huzoor[ra] is a distinguished scholar of theology who has come all the way from India. He announced that Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] would deliver a lecture on Life After Death. At 8:22 pm, Huzoor[ra] began his lecture, speaking in English for 42 minutes.
After the lecture, Mr Logreau stood up and expressed:
“You have heard an excellent lecture today. Listening to this lecture, the truth of Islamic teachings becomes evident. Once you have understood a truth through divine revelation, no one can detach you from it. I hope you will reflect deeply on this.”
The president then thanked Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] in the following words:
“I thank my brother for this address. From this address, I have come to the conclusion that the idea of life after death is generally the same.”
Afterward, many of the attendees continued to converse with us individually, expressing their admiration for the impact and quality of Huzoor’s[ra] lecture. This exchange of thoughts continued for about 20 minutes.
Visitors
After lunch [on 20 September 1924], two hujjaj [pilgrims] from Lagos visited Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra]. One of them was an Ahmadi, while the other was inclined towards accepting Ahmadiyyat. The joy they felt upon meeting and seeing Huzoor[ra] cannot be described in words. Huzoor[ra] greeted them affectionately and enquired about their circumstances.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] had an eye examination scheduled for 3 pm. After lunch, he went for the appointment, and at 4 pm, we had invited Indian students for tea. Huzoor[ra] returned before 4 pm for the tea gathering.
21 September 1924
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] is scheduled to deliver a lecture at the religious conference on 23 September 1924. For the announcement of this lecture, a small handbill was printed. It was suggested, for announcement and to ensure the message reached all, that the handbill be distributed in various churches. This responsibility was assigned to different companions. This humble one, Irfani, was tasked with distributing the handbills at Evelyn Hall, where the Spiritual Society holds its meetings. I went there both in the morning and evening to distribute the flyers.
(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu, published in the 21 October 1924 issue of Al Fazl)