The Moslem Sunrise, January 1922
Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra (1872-1957)
An Ahmadi martyr
Syed Abdul Latif
Of blessed memory
I will here relate briefly the story of one of the members of our community which will show how God has strengthened the hearts of the sincere members of this brotherhood.
Maulvi Syed Abdul Latif was one of the leading men of Afghanistan. A Muslim Kingdom situated between India and Russia. He was held in such high respect that at the coronation of His Majesty, the Amir Habibullah Khan, it was he who was selected to perform the function. He heard about the Promised Messiah[as] “Ahmad” founder of the Ahmadia Movement and came down to Qadian to see him. When he returned to Kabul, he was met by a powerful opposition. The Amir was obliged through the outcry of the priest [Muslim scholar] to place him under confinement. He challenged all the priests to meet him in a discussion regarding the claims of the Promised Messiah[as], but nobody ventured to accept the challenge. At last, all the priests announced against him the decree that he should be stoned to death. More than once the Amir urged him to renounce, at least outwardly, his opinion, but he remained steadfast. Again, at the time of the execution, the Amir repeated the request, but only he replied, “Today is the day of my Passover. What way it is you would have me go? It is the covenant of God that I am today going to fulfil.”
When all means failed to persuade him to renounce the truth, then they cruelly stoned him to death. But even under the storm of stones he showed not the least sign of perturbation.
This event will show the nature of the faith the Promised Messiah[as] has implanted in the minds of his followers, and that not in the hearts of the unlettered men, who sometimes venture on such deeds through sheer foolhardiness, but in the minds of learned men, like Maulvi Syed Abdul Latif, who are wont to accept opinions only after thorough deliberation and research. Our beloved Syed is not dead and gone, but his spirit is still working to bring his countrymen to the truth. May he rest in peace and blessings ever and ever.
Jesus has come
Ever since Jesus said, “this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done,” there have been hundreds of fixing the dates about the second coming of the Christ, and he never came in the way they thought he would, so all the dates brought disappointment after disappointment for the Christian World. Now, Rev. John H Rutherford of the International Bible Students’ Association proclaims that Jesus will come in 1925. Well, 1925 is not very far, only four years more and all will see that it will be nothing better than all the previous disappointments. Listen to me, my dear friends, do not fool yourselves anymore with the hope of his appearing like an aeroplane. He has already come and you did not know him. Did he not say that his second coming was to be like that of a thief? Who knows in the dark night when all are asleep that a thief is already in the house? So, wake up and waste no more time. Ahmad[as] is your Messiah, your Saviour and your Guide; accept him through his apostle Sadiq and his successor Mahmud[ra].
In defence of Islam and Moslems
The following article was sent to the American papers in reply to one attacking Islam and Moslems:
“Even to abuse an enemy one must have some reason and Mr Theodore Geasimos has chosen a very curious reason to abuse the Turks of Anatolia and blame them with all sorts of evilness. ‘The Turks have been repeating cruelties in Europe and they should be driven out of Europe,’ this is the reason says Mr Geasimos why the Greeks are fighting against Turks. I wonder if the gentleman has ever seen a map of the countries in the East or studied any geography. Eskishahr and Anatolia are not in Europe, but in Asia Minor. These places are not home to Christians, but of Turks and Moslems. The few Christians there have always been quite free in their religious matters. Had all the stories of the Turks’ atrocities been true long ago, there would not have been left a single Christian. Greeks, now far away from their homes, have gone out to fight against the Turks and drive them away from their very hearths and homes. They are not at all justified in their present advance into a foreign land. Their act is just like the Japanese if the latter take a fancy to cross the ocean and fight against the Americans for California, merely because of the Japanese, living there. The Turks who are so despised by you today for defending their lands and places, had brought the first torch of light and civilization into Europe. They always gave full independence to their subjects. It is a pity that Mr Geasimos, claiming to be a Christian, could use no better words for a million of Moslems living in this country and who are as good citizens as anyone else.”
Justice
The so-called Christian nations have massacred in war their own people and the peoples of other religions, many times [more than] the number of the massacres done by other nations. The Christians have invented and have been using and are always manufacturing instruments for the destruction of the human life in such a huge quantity that the Moslems, Hindus and Buddhists have never dreamed of. The Christians have occupied by force of the arms the Moslem countries of Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, etc. With all this, whenever a Christian takes up his pen to write on history, the first words that drop out of his refined lips are, “The peaceful Christianity is suffering from militant Islam.” When the Moslems advanced in political wars, they were called unjust and dirty heathens and when the Christians found the opportunity to usurp other’s land, they were called pioneers of civilization, justice and meekness. When the Muhammadans prevailed over other countries, it was only on account of their strength of sword, but when the Christians conquered other continents, it is looked upon as a proof of their religion being true and right. Ah! No one likes to be so measured by as he metes out to others.
A Japanese is reported to have said: “We followed the Western people in education, opened schools, colleges, and universities and our educational conditions were nothing short of European standards, but they never acknowledged us to be a civilized nation. Then we made great progress in industry and commerce, but the Christians continued to call us nothing better than heathens. But we had to fight against Russia and came victorious out of it, then and only then, the voice rang out through Europe that the Japanese are a civilized nation.”
After my lectures on Islam in this country, one of the questions often asked is: “If Islam is of such value as you speak of, why did the Moslem power decline?” Well, they have declined because Moslems are no more the Moslems of the old days of real love, sincerity and devotion for Islam. If the Master punishes his servants with the stick, the stick does not become his favorite. The servant will finally turn to his Lord and be accepted, but the final place for the stick is the pit of fire. Allah the Gracious has raised a great leader for Islam in these days, whose prayers and spiritual powers will once more turn the Moslem world to God and make them sit in His lap as they used to in the early centuries of Islamic history.
An urgent appeal
“[The] Moslem Sunrise” is the only periodical in this country to defend Islam against all the false stories fabricated and published in so many papers and magazines. It requires a large amount of money for each number to print and send out post-free to the public of this land to make them acquainted with the truth and facts about our religion and our people. Send donations to continue it for the cause of Islam and thereby you will receive the reward for same. We are in want of the financial help from the sympathisers of our cause. All donations will be thankfully acknowledged. [Editor, The Moslem Sunrise]
Another honor
Press Congress of the World
Columbia, Miss., USA
Sept. 10, 1921
Dr M M Sadiq,
Editor, [The] Moslem Sunrise.
My dear Sir:
I have the honor to inform you upon nomination to the Executive Committee you have been elected to membership in the Press Congress of the World.
I am enclosing your membership card No. 2927.
With fraternal regard.
Very sincerely yours,
(Sd.) Walter Williams, President.
Grand Rapids, Mich.,
Oct. 11, 1921
To whom it may concern:
This is to certify that I am personally acquainted with doctor MM Sadiq and I have had the honor of presenting him to my congregation. His sermons were excellent and enthusiastically received. It is a pleasure to recommend him to any society or church.
Cordially,
Rev. Amanda Flower
Pastor – Church of Truth
(Transcribed by Al Hakam from the original in The Moslem Sunrise, January 1922)