The Review of Religions, August & September 1919
England
Chaudhry Fateh Mohammad Sayal and Mr Abdul Rahim Nayyar who left Qadian for England in the middle of July last, reached London on 6 August 1919.
For the present their activities are confined to the lines already followed by our missionaries. But they are now thinking of improving on the present method of preaching, and it is hoped that they, being fresh, will commence their work on some improved lines with increased knowledge, experience and enthusiasm.
They mean to open an agency there and start a weekly paper for the purpose of giving religious instruction to the new converts. They have already made some converts there and it is reported that a Nigerian Prince has recently been converted to Islam through the efforts of Mr Abdul Rahim Nayyar.
Another important convert is Mr Sagar Chand, Bar-at-Law, who has made up his mind to devote his life to the service of Islam. We are glad to note that the new converts in England have begun to contribute their quotes to the mission funds like other Ahmadis. Qazi Abdulla will soon come back to Qadian and Mufti Muhammad Sadiq has been instructed to proceed to West Africa. His travelling expenses have been paid by Mr Pedru of Nigeria. Mr Sayal will lead the Ahmadia propaganda in London after Mufti Muhammad Sadiq leaves for Africa.
Nigeria
Mr Abdul Rahim Smith reached Qadian on the morning of the last Eid-ul-Adha. He means to stay here for 4 or 5 years and return to his native country as an Ahmadi Missionary. He has already begun his studies in right earnest.
Although no Ahmadi missionary has yet set his foot on Nigerian soil, yet, through God’s grace, we have a regular Anjuman there with about 60 members.
East Africa
The Ahmadiyya Association, Nairobi, presented the following address to His Excellency the Governor of British East Africa and it has been published in some of the daily papers of that country:
“May [it] please your Excellency,
“We, on behalf of the Ahmadiyya Moslem Association of Nairobi, the entire Ahmadiyya Community of British East Africa, desire, though rather late owing to certain unavoidable circumstances, to bid Your Excellency and family the most hearty welcome and offer sincerest congratulations upon the honour bestowed upon Your Excellency by His Most Gracious Majesty The King Emperor for your meritorious services in connection with the world-war.
“We are sure your Excellency is not unaware of the great movement to which we belong. The Founder of our Ahmadiyya Movement was the late Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, Punjab, the Blessed Messenger of the Latter Days whose advent was foretold by almost all the prophets of the world. His present and second successor is His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Basheerud Deen Mahmood Ahmad; the First Successor being Hazrat Maulvi Noorud Deen who died in 1914.
“Among the grievous errors which the said Messenger or the Promised Messiahas found prevailing among the Moslems were the doctrines of Ghaziizm [the movement of Ghazis who swore to destroy all infidels in age] and bloody Mahdi. He saw that the most revolting of crimes were committed in the name of religion. The belief in such a doctrine commonly known as “Jehad” was so very rampant among the entire Moslem World that to wage war against non-Moslems was held to be a means of salvation. The Promised Messiah from the very beginning of his career to the end of his days worked hard to weed out this deep-rooted evil. The result of his efforts was marvelous. Not only those who accepted him as the Promised Messiah and Mahdi (and they are counted by hundreds of thousands residing in the various parts of the world) abandoned these doctrines – but so reasonable and powerful was his refutation of these erroneous beliefs that all sensible men, among his opponents, realised the absurdity of “Ghaziizm and Jehad.” The Movement founded by him has been and is doing its level best to spread these doctrines throughout the Moslem world not only in India but also in Afghanistan, Persia, Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, etc.
“Two of his followers were put to a most horrible death by the late Amir and his father in Kabul for their preaching against Ghazi Mahdi and the doctrine of ‘Jehad’. The Promised Messiahas who was the recipient of Divine revelations prophesied that the late Amir and his accomplices shall meet with a horrible fate as a punishment for their tyrannical act and we have today seen the fulfilment of this grand prophecy to the very letter, Amir Habibullah Khan hiving been shot dead in a similar cruel manner.
“We cannot help adding here a few words regarding some of the hundreds of prophecies regarding the Partition of Bengal, the defeat of Russia and the annexation of Korea by Japan. The Persian Revolution, the outbreak of plague in India, occurrence of earthquakes of unparalleled severity in diverse parts of the earth, the defeat of Turks in Thrace and their subsequent victory over Bulgarians, the downfall and death of Dr Dowie, the false prophet of America, etc., and many still await fulfilment. He published a very remarkable prophecy in 1905 regarding the late world-war which has been fulfilled to the very letter. (Please refer to pamphlet, Mighty Signs). His warnings and prophecy regarding the prevalence of the present mysterious disease in Europe and other Christian countries are also worthy of note:
‘Thou, O Europe! art not safe, nor thou O Asia; and ye that dwell in islands, no self-made deity will assist you on that day. The omnipotent God has kept silent for a long time while detestable deeds were done in His sight; now He will show His face with great awe. Let him who has ears hear that that time is not distant.’ (1905)
‘In Europe and other Christian countries there will appear a kind of plague which will be very severe.’ (13 March 1907)
“His teachings, inter alia, enjoin upon the Moslems in general and Ahmadis in particular the duty of loyalty to the British Government. He always dwelt upon the numerous blessings of the British Rule and declared it a sin to be disloyal to the Government. As for his own followers, he made loyalty to the British Government as one of the conditions of Baiat (initiation into the Movement). The result is that every Ahmadi thinks loyalty to the Crown as part of his religion. It may also be noted that Ahmad’s teachings demand loyalty not only to the British Government but also to every other Government under which an Ahmadi may happen to live.
“We beg to assure your Excellency of our loyal cooperation with the Government.
“We have much pleasure in presenting Your Excellency with a copy of each of the following books of our propaganda with the earnest hope that Your Excellency will be pleased to accept them:
i. English Translation of the Holy Quran Part I
ii. The Teachings of Islam
iii. Mighty Signs of the Living God
“We Ahmadis by reason of being staunch adherents to these teachings and consequently keeping aloof from all kind of agitation are sometimes persecuted and placed under various disabilities by those differing from us in our convictions. We do not, however, propose to dwell on these in the present address, as it would make it unnecessarily long and therefore close this humble address with a fervent prayer to Almighty Allah that Your Excellency’s term of office in the Protectorate may be crowned with that remarkable success which your activities have achieved in other spheres and that Your Excellency and family may enjoy continual good health and happiness during Your Excellecny’s stay in the Protectorate.
“We, beg to remain,
Your Excellency’s most obedient servants. Sultan Mahmud Khan, President Ahmadiyya Association, Nairobi. Syed Mohammad Meerajud Deen, Contractor, Nairobi. Choudhari Akbar Ali Khan, Railway Contractor, Mombasa. Khawaja Qamerud Deen, Merchant, Nyeri. Malak Mohammad Hussain Ahmadi, Nairobi. Sheikh Ghulam Farid Khan, Nairobi. Malik Ahtnad Hussain, Secretary, Ahmadia Association, Nairobi.
Mauritius
The Mosque case between Ahmadis and non-Ahmadis is going on as before and about 2,500 rupees have already been spent by Anjuman Ahmadiyya Mauritius. An interesting feature of the case is that the points of difference between Ahmadis and non-Ahmadis, such as the natural death of Jesus and the claims of the Promised Messiahas are being discussed at great length and these discussions naturally draw large audiences. Thus, whatever the result of the case may be, the proceedings are serving at least one good purpose. They are serving as a means for propagating Ahmadiyya doctrines in the island of Mauritius.
Three Mauritius students are at present studying at Qadian.
Egypt
Brother Abdul Karim Khan and his friends are very earnestly engaged in propagating Ahmadiyya doctrines. They have recently published a tract in Arabic explaining the distinguishing doctrines of the Ahmadiyya movement. The language is very simple and the message of the Promised Messiah (peace be with his soul) has been successfully conveyed to the people of Egypt.
Ceylon
Our Ceylon brethren are very energetically busy is the propagation of Ahmadiyya doctrines. Their enthusiasm, zeal and sincerity can be measured by the fact that they have recently sent six young men from their country to receive instruction at Qadian. When they left Ceylon, one of our Ceylon brethren wrote to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih, saying:
“We are fully alive to the interest Your Holiness takes in the cause of the Ceylon Ahmadis and we trust you will kindly pray for the safety, welfare and success of the six students who are leaving Ceylon today.” Four of them have been admitted in the TI High School and the rest are being taught Urdu. It is proposed that a regular teacher be appointed to teach Urdu, Arabic and other subjects to all those who come from foreign countries to study and learn Islam at Qadian.
Australia
Mr Hasan Musa Khan writes:
“Non-Ahmadi Christian friends are kind enough to publish my articles in their esteemed papers while the non-Ahmadi Musalmans are so bitterly opposed to the Ahmadiyya movement that they do not even allow me to enter their mosques. For the former I pray and for the latter my heart deeply mourns.” Among other papers, he sends a cutting from the Register, Adelaide, dated Monday, 21 July 1919, containing an article from his pen, entitled Peace and Prophecy.
India
Maulvi Ghulam Rasul Rajeki was sent on a preaching mission to Malabar where he remained for about four or five months. And it is a great pleasure to note that the mission has been entirely successful. In spite of illness and severe pain, the learned Maulvi carried on the sacred work with unwearied zeal and enthusiasm. He was lecturing, preaching and teaching even from his bed of sickness and we are glad to note that he succeeded in making 50 new converts there. For the better organisation of propaganda work Hazrat Khalifatul Masih has ordered that missionary secretaries be appointed in every Ahmadia Anjuman, whose duty will be to make proper arrangements for the propagation of Ahmadiyya doctrines and to send regular reports about the work carried on in their respective districts and to help the Nazir Talif-o-lshaat (secretary for propagation) in his work. To strengthen the financial status of the missionary department it has been proposed to open different kinds of commercial agencies in big cities and some of the principal firms in the country have been consulted on the point and it is hoped that the work will soon be started on some suitable lines.