Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Irfanira (1875-1957)
Arrival in Europe
On 16 August 1924, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] set foot in Europe for the first time, after a journey of one month and four days, arriving in the country known as Italy. The first city where he landed was Brindisi, a famous port once renowned for its global significance due to its role as a major postal route. However, its prominence had waned since the mail route shifted to Marseilles. The same evening, at 6:38 pm, Huzoor[ra] departed for Rome, arriving there around 9 am on 17 August [1924], where he stayed until the evening of 20 August at the Continental Hotel.
Rome’s significance and connection with Islam
During the blessed era of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, there were two major powers: the Persian Empire in the East and the Roman Empire in the West. The keys to the treasures of both empires, i.e., Qaiser-o-Kisra [Caesar and Khosrow], were given to the Holy Prophetsa, a prophecy fulfilled during the caliphate of Hazrat Umarra, the second Khalifa of Hazrat Muhammadsa. The visit of the second Caliph of the Promised Messiahas, Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra, to Rome holds great significance, a reality that will become manifest in due time, insha-Allah.
Muslims once ruled the land of Caesar for a long time, and Sicily still mourns the loss of that glorious Muslim rule, serving as a lesson for Muslims today.
A brief historical note
Rome was founded 800 years before the birth of Prophet Jesusas, making it a nearly 3,000-year-old city. Like Delhi, it has been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, serving as a cradle of civilisation and knowledge, and has always been distinguished in the field of fine arts. It was the first government to officially accept Christianity, and it was also the land where Christians were severely persecuted.
Why Huzoor[ra] visited the origins of Christianity
The history of Roman civilisation is extensive, detailed in Gibbon’s “The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire.” Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] visited the birthplace of Christianity, Jerusalem. And then, upon entering Europe, the first place he visited was the one that transformed Christianity into an empire and a governing power. Huzoor’s[ra] purpose in visiting these locations was to understand how Islam could prevail over the origins and abode of Christianity.
In Jerusalem, there are hundreds of significant sites, but Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] focused only on a few, indicating his specific goals for the journey, which he never lost sight of. Human nature tends to seek wonders, and after travelling such distances, one naturally desires to visit famous or remarkable places. However, Huzoor[ra] demonstrated that his actions were solely aligned with God’s will, practically confirming the truth of the following divine revelation:
قُلۡ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُکِي وَمَحۡيَايَ وَمَمَاتِيْ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِيْنَ
“Say, ‘My Prayer and my sacrifice and my life and my death are [all] for Allah, the Lord of the worlds.” (Surah Al-An‘am, Ch.6: V.163)
Objections from Paighamis
Some unkind and unjust individuals accused Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] of undertaking this journey for leisure. If they had accompanied Huzoor[ra], they would have realised that the trip was far from a mere vacation but involved tremendous sacrifice.
Financial sacrifice, in my view, is relatively minor, as people often spend money freely on their desires. In Europe, it becomes clear that material wealth holds little value when it comes to fulfilling personal joys. In such an environment, refraining from even permissible desires, simply to save time for the service of faith, represents a significant sacrifice.
Visiting famous sites holds intellectual value, but Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] chose only to visit places relevant to his mission and objectives. In Jerusalem, Huzoor[ra] prayed at the graves of Hazrat Ibrahimas, Hazrat Yaqubas, and Hazrat Ishaqas. It was an extraordinary sight when the [spiritual] grandson of Hazrat Ishaqas stood at his grave and carried out a long prayer.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] also visited the birthplace of Prophet Jesusas in Bethlehem, the site of his crucifixion and the tomb where he was placed afterwards. Prayers were offered at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Mosque of Hazrat Umarra. These were the places we visited with our Imam[ra] in Jerusalem.
In Rome, the only site visited was the Catacombs, where the people of the cave took refuge. Despite Rome being rich in historical, intellectual, and religious landmarks, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud[ra] visited only the Catacombs, providing a practical rebuttal to those who criticised the journey, exposing their ill intentions.
Activities and reception in Rome
On the morning of 17 August 1924, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] arrived in Rome and departed for London on the evening of 20 August. From 18 to 20 August, Huzoor[ra] was continuously engaged in the work of spreading Islam. During this time, newspapers correspondents and photographers interviewed him and took photos for publication. He also met with the Prime Minister of Italy, Mussolini, and intended to meet with the Pope to convey the message of Islam. However, due to ongoing renovations at the Pope’s residence, a meeting was not possible for two weeks. Despite this, the message of truth and the purpose of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih’s[ra] visit was conveyed through other means, as Rome’s most famous and widely circulated newspaper, “La Tribuna”, published it.
Interview with La Tribuna
La Tribuna is a widely circulated newspaper in Italy, published three times a day, with a total circulation of around 450,000 copies daily. Additionally, it has a weekly illustrated edition and publishes 10 editions daily from different cities simultaneously.
On 18 August 1924, after the Zuhr and Asr prayers, Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad Sahib[ra], Maulvi Rahim Bakhsh Sahib[ra], and this humble one met with its editor, who expressed a keen interest in conducting an interview. He was so eager that he said he would be willing to come at any time, even in the middle of the night. The interview was scheduled for 10:15 pm and lasted for two long hours.
La Tribuna’s editorial staff consists of 25 editors. The editor appointed to interview Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] was the head of the Near East section, responsible for all the articles related to countries like China, Japan, etc., published in the newspaper under his supervision. Similarly, there are other editors for different editorial sections. In his interview, the aforementioned editor discussed various religious and political matters.
A gift for the Pope: The call to Islam
During the interview, the editor asked what Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] would have said to the Pope if they had met and what he thought of the Pope.
Huzoor[ra] responded that he considered the Pope an honourable person due to his position as the religious leader of a community. However, just as he did not consider the current form of Christianity to be the truth and invited the world to Islam, he would have presented the best gift he had to offer the Pope, which was the invitation to Islam. He would have called him to the light that leads humanity to God, not just in words, but through the signs of divine closeness found in Islam. Huzoor[ra] said:
“Many people claim to be righteous and pious, but these are mere claims. If they lack the signs that God has promised to the believers, then, as Prophet Jesus himself said, if one has faith as small as a mustard seed, they could move mountains (Matthew 17:20). However, today, no Christian can demonstrate such a sign to prove their faith. Prophet Jesus showed signs that are found in believers and those close to God, but today, why are those signs not given to anyone?
“We have repeatedly asked Christians to show such signs, but no one has dared to come forward and demonstrate them. Many great people are considered righteous and pious among Christians, but even they cannot show any sign to prove their truthfulness. This indicates that this is not the way to attain closeness to God.
“It is a fact that God Almighty has sent the Promised Messiahas to the world to prove that such power and strength now remain only in Islam. He has come to instil this power within us so that we may see God, converse with Him, and partake in the blessings granted to the pious and believers.
“In my community, there are thousands of people who have partaken in these blessings, and I myself have experienced them. We cannot recognise or accept anyone, no matter how great, without the signs that God has designated for His chosen ones.
“Therefore, I would have given the Pope the glad tidings of Islam and informed him that we have been given the signs that are bestowed upon God’s chosen ones.”
Revelation of God
Hearing this, the interviewer went on to ask Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra if God had ever spoken to him.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra answered, “Yes, He [God] has conversed with me. However, it is not in man’s power to converse [with God] at will. I have conversed with God in the same manner in which I am speaking with you. I do not mean that something merely crossed my mind and I inferred that it is [God’s] words; it was similar to how I am conversing with you.
“They are not thoughts, but words revealed [directly] from God. If it was merely a thought, then one could be deceived; but when God’s words are revealed, one cannot be deceived because with [His] words, new knowledge is also conveyed. In this manner, through His grace, God has conveyed a vast amount of knowledge [to me].”
– Yaqub Ali Irfani.
(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu, published in the 23 September 1924 issue of Al Fazl)