Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra, (1872-1957)
Missionary Epistles
Royalties and rulers
Letters of congratulations with the message of Islam were written to Dr. Sun of China and Dr. Alfred Zayas of Cuba, respectively, for their being elected as presidents of their Republic, and HH the Sultan of Egypt.
King Alfonso and Queen Victoria of Spain were congratulated on behalf of the Ahmadia Community in America for the lucky escape from injuries when their automobile overturned.
In reply to my letter and literature sent to HM the Sultan Shareef Hussain of Hedjaz (Arabia), the following has been received:
El Dewan-el Hashimee, Casr Gaza Mecca, 24-III-1921.
Sir:
His majesty wishes me to inform you that he has been very pleased to receive your letter and greetings and thinks that the sacred mission you are so courageous serving would certainly receive retributions it merits from Heaven.
(Sd.) Mezher-Nedim,
Private Secretary of his majesty.
To: Prof. Mufti Muhammad Sadiq, Muslim missionary, Chicago, USA.
Empress Mary
The following letter was received from her imperial majesty Queen, Empress Mary of England, in reply to my correspondence:
Indian office, Whitehall, London, SWI, 5 August 1920.
P. 5673.
Sir:
I am directed by the secretary of state for India to inform you that your letter of 7 July to the Queen has been laid before her majesty, who has graciously expressed her thanks for the congratulations of the Ahmadia community in America on the escape his royal highness, the prince of Wales, from injury in a railway accident.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant, (Sd.) LD Dunlop.
To: Mufti Muhammad Sadiq, 1897 Madison Ave, New York city USA.
A letter of sympathy on behalf of Ahmadia Brotherhood was written to Mr. Deschanel, ex-president of France, on the occasion of his railway accident in acknowledgement of which he sent me his autographed thanks on his personal card and his ambassador in Washington sent a letter of thanks.
Letter from the king of Belgium:
No. 4824.
Palias de Bruselles, le 29 decembre, 1920.
Le cabinet du Roi a ete charge d’avoir l’honneur d’exprimer a Monsieur Muhammad Sadiq les vifs revoeux qu’il Lui a adresse’s a l’occasion du renouvellenment do l’annee.
Translation:
The cabinet of king has been requested to have the honor to express to Mr. Muhammad Sadiq the best thanks of the king for the good wishes which he sent him for the New Year.
Cablegram from the president of Brazil:
1 ch gs 16 75 o am, Rio De Janiro—an 17-21, Mahmm Sadiq, 4334 Ellis Ave., Chicago:
Agredeco retirbito votos boas festas felicidade ano novo. Epitacia Pessoa.
Card from the president of Panama:
To: M. Muhammad Sadiq.
El Presidente de la Republica , y la senora de Porras. Le desean unas felices pascuas y un prospero ano nuevo.
Panama, Deciembre de 1920.
Sacred messages were also epistled to Prince Casimir Lubomirski of Poland and Prince Michael of Saxony and the commander-in-chief of the British armies.
Celebrities
Letters and literature were sent to the many famous person in and out of United States taking advantage of events and occurrences about them – including Thomas A Edison, the famous inventor; Rev. Russell H Beady who is considered to be the most popular minister.
A letter of appreciation with Moslem literature was sent to attorney Silas B Axtell for representing some poor Indian sailors in the court on charity basis.
Message to president nominates
During the election days following letter with some pamphlets was sent to all those who were nominated by their admirers to be elected as president. Their number was more than one hundred.
Sir,
I congratulate for your being nominated and voted for the candidacy of presidency in this country. All the candidates cannot secure the post, but it is plain that even being nominated by a number of people is an honour in itself and shows your popularity and ability of administration. To elect a ruler with so great powers as the United States’ president has, shows the great confidence in their abilities and ruling capacities of the nation, and if a nation has no such men in it and then it is not worthy of its name. It is quite natural for humanity to have a head, a chief, a supreme ruler over it. The best of such chiefs have been those appointed by the very Creator of the Universe. Such were the prophets, the holy messengers and avatars as name in East India.
Thanks to God, this age has also seen one great prophet and messenger of God, “Ahmad,” the righteous of the east, some particulars of whose mission are given in the literature enclosed for your perusal. Next to the prophet come the successors of the prophets who thought apparently elected by the majority of the believers are the supported and helped by the Almighty in such a way that no one can doubt their authority. Such is the present leader of the Ahmadia movement “His Hazrat Muhmud.”
Wishing you good luck, I am, yours sincerely, Mufti Muhammad Sadiq.
New year’s card
To keep in New Year’s day is no Moslem ceremony, but just to respect the feelings of the people in which we have to work, I wrote New Year’s greetings which were turned into verse is by the learned Madam Rahatullah (Mrs Garber), and printed in green colour, it was sent along with some literature on Islam to all the kings and presidents in the world, the officials and noted men and women in United States, specially in Chicago. Following is a copy of the message:
I wish you all happiness in the New Year;
And may you attain all the blessings, my dear,
Which Allah the Gracious has ordained to send
Through Ahmad, the guide, the prophet, the friend
And his master and teacher Muhammad[sa], the elect
Who was the prophet, the most perfect.
Miss Wolf of Montmorency, France, whose prophecy that Jesus Christ will be reborn in the present year has suddenly aroused the greatest interest among religious workers all over France, has been informed by me that the promised one has already appeared in India.
Some appreciation
(a) Mme. LM Barbour, lecturer of New York City, writes from Switzerland, “I love your beautiful religion, I hope to find teachers in India. I will never find another like you.”
(b) Mrs. Billings (California): “I have read those booklets on Islam—it is a very good teaching and would tend to make people better.”
(c) Mrs. Beasley (Detroit): “You are doing a wonderful work and many in Detroit are waiting to get your message. The future for your looms bright in my somewhat limited vision.”
(d) Mr. R Sheibe (London): “Your religion must appeal, especially when one sees the miserable failure of others.”
(e) Mrs. Maudling: “Perhaps they (the Americans) overlooked, or they do not realise, that they are entertaining angels unaware.”
(f) Mrs. Probsthaine: “If the authorities (in America) only had known what an acquisition you are to any country they would have welcomed you as a citizen to practice your deeds of mercy and charity.”
(g) Attorney Wilcox, founder of the mission of Love church, writes:
Dr. M Sadiq, Chicago, 7 February 1921.
My Dear Brother Sadiq,
I cannot tell you how delighted I have been and how pleased the mission of Love Church has been the lectures that you have delivered with me Sunday mornings. Your presence and work have given a great stimulus to this movement for worldwide human brotherhood, and I do not know where we could have obtained such assistance had you not so kindly, freely and cheerfully rendered it.
We will always be pleased to have you with us whenever you feel inclined.
Very sincerely yours, (Sd.) Henry S Wilcox.
(h) From: Miss Mary Amelia Hunt, Aurora Poet Laureate and author of “The Universal Bible”, “Scientific Life”, etc.
To: The editor of Review of Religions, Qadian, India.
Dear Sir:
Having attended some of the lectures delivered in Chicago by the learned and eloquent Dr. Mufti Muhammad Sadiq, on the religion of Islam, the great Prophet Muhammad[sa], and the famous champion of Mohammadanism, the Prophet Ahmad of blessed memory; I feel it is my duty to send my thanks to the Indian Moslems for sending so brilliant and able missionary to our land. Dr. Sadiq explains the faith of Islam in such a reasonable way, and is so lucid and forceful language, that an intellectual person feels well satisfied and quiet enjoys his talk. In writing this I am expressing the feelings of gratitude from the American literary public who has had the opportunity of hearing the Doctor. In his several speeches I did not hear a single word with which I could not fully agree.
Some of the titles of his popular lectures and sermons are: Unity of Allah; Universal Spirit of Islam; Mohammad[sa], the Master Prophet; Zoroaster of Persia; Confucius of China; Krishna of India; Ahmad[as], the Prophet of the Day; Quran, the Complete and Final Law; No Religious Wars; Continuance of Revelation; Live and let Live; Serve God and Humanity; Be Broad-Minded; Practical and Practicable Religion; Jesus Christ’s Tomb in India; No exclusive son of God.
Hoping that you will kindly publish this letter in your valuable Journal – I am,
Sincerely yours, Sd. Miss Mary Amelia Hunt, Kimbark Ave., Chicago, 1 March 1921.
(i) Mrs. Zeineb Eldeen, Dowagiac: “Your letters are always very welcome, as from them your own excellent personality enmates. You are on a glorious mission and Allah will not let you fail.”
(To be continued…)
(Transcribed by Al Hakam from the original in The Moslem Sunrise, July 1921)