Tash-heezul-Azhan, February 1920
The former editor of Paigham-e-Sulah [magazine], Dost Muhammad Sahib ridiculed Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahib in his letter, asking, “Where is your Ahmadiyya Mosque about which you have reported in the newspaper that Eid Prayer was offered in it?”
It is Divine Providence that on the one hand, this taunt was being written in London, against the practice of righteous men. I say this because the ummah of the prophets have to initially follow the instruction of وَاجْعَلُوا بُیُوتَکُمْ قِبْلَۃً [make your houses a qibla (mosque)] and the holy hadith also states جعلت لی الارض مسجدا [the entire earth has been made a mosque for me] and therefore, a room is being used as a mosque in London.
On the other hand, Hazrat Mufti Sahib was writing on the very same day that an Ahmadiyya mosque should be built there with our own efforts.
On 4 January, this taunt was being written and at the same time, God impressed upon the heart of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih to appeal for the Ahmadiyya mosque. Hence, he expressed this subject in Masjid Mubarak on 6 January and 30,000 rupees were already sent to London by 14 January [for the new mosque]. The money reached there with an increase in its value to nearly 52,000, as the rate of the pound dropped in the UK. Owing to the unchallengeable ways of God, the message of 4 January was published on 14 January and so the slander that was about to be conveyed by the brothers of Joseph became a dagger and was stuck in their ribs before it could reach us.
The appeals for chanda are made quite frequently but the enthusiasm present in the participation of this call suggests that God’s will is to build the Ahmadiyya Mosque in London at the earliest possible time, which will attract many blessings. In order to grant an opportunity of doing good deeds, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih has raised the demand of chanda to 100,000 rupees, but the speed of offerings suggest that even this sum will be collected very soon.
Therefore, members of the Jamaat should take part in it with all possible haste, lest this opportunity go out of hand. Let alone London, mosques will be built all over Europe. Moreover, instead of bells ringing, the listeners of “Allah-o-Akbar” [God is great] will surely hear it but the privilege and significance which this first mosque possesses will not be held by the second.
So friends! Once again, in انفاق الاموال فی سبيل اللہ [sacrificing wealth in the way of God], present the model of the companions before the world.
اِنَّمَا یَعۡمُرُ مَسٰجِدَ اللّٰہِ مَنۡ اٰمَنَ بِاللّٰہِ وَ الۡیَوۡمِ الۡاٰخِرِ وَ اَقَامَ الصَّلٰوۃَ وَ اٰتَی الزَّکٰوۃَ وَ لَمۡ یَخۡشَ اِلَّا اللّٰہَ فَعَسٰۤی اُولٰٓئِکَ اَنۡ یَّکُوۡنُوۡا مِنَ الۡمُہۡتَدِیۡنَ
[“Verily, he alone is worthy of maintaining the Mosques of Allah in a good and flourishing condition who believes in Allah, and the Last Day, and observes Prayer, and pays the Zakat, and fears none but Allah; so these it is who are far more likely to be counted among the guided”].
The attributes of
ایمان باللہ، اقامۃ الصلوٰۃ، ایتاء الزکوٰۃ
[having faith in Allah, performing prayer, offering zakat (obligation for a Muslim to donate a certain proportion of wealth each year for charitable causes)] and showing fear before none but Allah, are only present in you, so the mosques would surely be inhabited by you.
May you be granted assistance through the divine power of the Mahdi.