Al Fazl, 23 April 1923
Khawaja Ghulam Nabi Ballanwi (1894-1956)
How fortunate are those children who are brought up in the arms of such mothers whose hearts are passionate for the promulgation and preservation of Ahmadiyyat, the True Islam, and in whom the desire to serve Islam is ever-growing. This letter, which is being published below, shows that Ahmadi women are not at all oblivious to their duty but are in fact anxious to somehow soar into the field of tabligh [preaching]. Those jamaats will be blessed with eternal life whose women are watchful of their responsibilities and whose every generation will continue to train the next generation to stay resolute in their true beliefs and fulfil their duties. Ahmadi women must bear in mind that it is their duty to teach their children from the very beginning an unforgettable lesson of devotion, self-sacrifice and service to Islam and to instil in them a never-ending passion [for the service of Islam] so that the angels of God may sing songs of their praise in the heavens. (—Editor, Al Fazl)
An Ahmadi lady’s letter to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II
In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Peace and blessings of Allah be upon His Noble Messengersa
My leader, master, and guide!
His Holiness, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra],
With utmost respect, I state that I have read in the newspaper Zamindar that 20 Muslim women have become Hindus. Eighteen of them are from Amritsar district and two women are from Lahore district. I respectfully state that my heart is deeply hurt after reading about this incident. My heart longs to soar towards them at this very moment and desires to preach to them. If Hazrat Khalifatul Masih considers it appropriate and gives the order, I am ready for tabligh. There is no Ahmadi sister here whom I can take with me. Huzoor[ra] may send a sister with me from Qadian who has a great passion for the service of Islam. I will do as instructed.
Your humble servant,
Saeeda,
Lahore.
Al Fazl, 10 May 1923
Another Ahmadi lady writes to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II
In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Peace and blessings of Allah be upon His Noble Messengersa
My master! Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra],
as-salamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,
I saw the letter of dear Sister Saeeda addressed to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih in the 23 April [1923] issue of Al Fazl. As soon as I read that letter, I became extremely anxious and concerned. Since I was not well at the time, I could not promptly write to Huzoor[ra]. However, now I respectfully state that this servant is wholeheartedly ready for the service of Islam. I humbly request that Hazrat Khalifatul Masih, the treasure trove of blessings, may grant us a suitable opportunity to vent our heart’s desires so that we can present to our sisters in need the same message that was given to us by the Promised Messiahas. May my soul and body be sacrificed for him.
Just as Huzoor[ra] gave us the opportunity to become worthy of reward by donating to the Berlin Mosque, please grant us a chance to serve Islam in such a way that we never fall behind men. I am envious of men. If I had known the address of Sister Saeeda, I would have immediately written to her to say that I am fully prepared to discharge my duty of tabligh and that I have no less an aching heart in my bosom [to preach]. So, come quickly, and let’s spread the message of Islam after getting permission from our dear Khalifa.
We will be glad if Hazrat Khalifatul Masih grants us permission, but otherwise, my dear sister may immediately agree to my proposal that she should bear the expenses of one missionary, and I will sell my jewellery to cover the expenses of another missionary. In this way, dear sister, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih will send two missionaries to work on behalf of both of us and we may be able to give vent to our passion [for the service of Islam]. But alas, I do not know the address of my dear Sister [Saeeda], so I present this matter to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih.
Wassalam,
I am your humblest servant,
Mahmuda Khatun Ahmadi,
Malerkotla.
(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu, published in the 23 April and 10 May 1923 issues of Al Fazl)