5,000 soldiers of Tahrik-e-Jadid

Awwab Saad Hayat, Al Hakam

Since the very first day, Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya has been witnessing triumph after triumph. This is of no surprise as this is God’s Jamaat and was founded by Him. No earthly power has the capacity to hinder its progress.

As the Jamaat set on its journey to reach the ends of the Earth, in 1934, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih II^ra came to learn that certain opponents of the Jamaat and some officials in government were planning to intensify the opposition against the Jamaat. Huzoor^ra realised that their intentions were detrimental to the progress of the Jamaat as they planned to spark chaos and disorder throughout the country in an attempt to wipe out the Jamaat from the face of the Earth.

It was at that time when claims were being made of effacing Qadian. Blasphemous intentions were made with regard to the holy places of Qadian, for example, Bahishti Maqbarah (where the Promised Messiah^as is buried).

Those days were startling for members of the Jamaat. It was then that God Almighty descended from the seventh heaven to provide divine succour to His chosen one, the Imam of the Jamaat and the Second Khalifa^ra of the Promised Messiah^as, and revealed a scheme that would act as the growing opposition’s antidote – Tahrik-e-Jadid.

At the outset, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra announced certain requirements and demands that needed to be met for joining this scheme. Huzoor^ra said that members should:

• Lead a simple life
• Prepare answers to the foul literature of opponents
• Endeavour to call others towards (da‘wat ilallah) God in foreign lands
• Financially contribute to this special scheme
• Partake in the da‘wat ilallah survey
• Dedicate their free time to the service of religion
• Include the youth who should offer their lives for the service of religion
• Spare their holidays for the service of religion
• (Those who can should) deliver lectures in different events
• Establish a permanent reserve fund
• Pensioners and retired people should offer themselves for the service of religion
• Send students to the Markaz for increasing their education and tarbiyat
• (Those who can should) seek guidance with regard to the future of their children
• (Those who are unemployed should) find jobs, earn money and call others unto Allah
• Make it a habit to work with their own hands
• (The unemployed should) find any job, no matter how minor
• Make a house in the Markaz (Qadian)
• Especially pray for the success of Tahrik-e-Jadid’s objectives
• Establish an Islamic environment
• Promote honesty in society
• Protect the rights of women
• Maintain cleanliness in the streets
• Establish an Ahmadiyya Dar-ul-Qaza and accept their decisions
• Sacrifice their offspring for the sake of religion
• Partake in sacrificing personal wealth and income
• Make an oath similar to Hilf-ul-Fudhool, in that they will care for rights of others and establish justice and integrity

Despite extreme poverty and unfavourable circumstances, members of the Jamaat immediately responded to the call of their Imam^ra and offered their wealth for him. They made incredible sacrifices and continued to do so. It was then that Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra appealed for 27,500 rupees for broadening the tabligh of the Jamaat.

In this regard, Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih V^aa once said:

“Upon reflecting on the donation made by this beautiful Jamaat of the Promised Messiah^as of not 27,500 rupees in three years, but 100,000 rupees in just the first year and 400,000 rupees within a three-year period, our hearts praise Allah profusely. We cannot appreciate this amount properly as firstly, the rupee was worth a lot more in those days … and secondly, the financial state of members of the Jamaat was such that we cannot assume that wealthy and affluent members made this sacrifice.

“In fact, these were people who could offer only two or three annas or one or two rupees and the amount of people making such donations was large. These sacrifices were possible by compromising what they ate; by feeding their children dry bread because God’s Khalifa had made an appeal to them as his servants. He asked them to establish simplicity once more in their lives and offer their wealth – which they were in need of – and sacrifice it in Allah’s way and leave it with Him because the enemy intended to wipe out Qadian, uproot Ahmadiyyat and act blasphemously against the holy sites of Qadian.

“These were the circumstance in which the Ahmadis of the time … exceeded one another in offering sacrifices. The Ahmadis at the time presented a donation that was 14 or 15 times larger than what Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II^ra had instructed because they desired to please God by serving His religion … Most people placed themselves in difficult situations by offering these donations …

“Thus, it was these very people who, despite a lack of affluence, offered these sacrifices to please God and then devoted their lives [for the service of religion]; it was through their efforts that the message of Ahmadiyyat began to spread outside of India in a more organised manner. Among them were those who endured hardships in foreign jail cells …

“Thus, the people of that time offered countless sacrifices for this scheme which was launched by Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra … And now, we are witnessing the progress of Ahmadiyyat in different countries of the world, which is a result of the sacrifices offered by these people who came before us.

“Aside from the progress of the Jamaat, individually, Allah the Almighty never wasted the effects of their sacrifices. The progeny of most of those who donated a mere few annas and rupees are now living in comfort and much better conditions and earning hundreds of thousands. Financially, they are in a much better state. Some from among their offspring might even be able to individually offer an amount equivalent to the budget of that time; however, their sacrifices can never be forgotten.” (Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa, Friday Sermon, 5 November 2004)

The constant financial sacrifices made by the Ahmadis of that age resemble a divine vision seen by the Promised Messiah^as, about which Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra said:

“Those who repeatedly take part in this scheme are those who are living embodiments of the vision of the Promised Messiah^as, which was shown to him by God in 1891. In this vision, the Promised Messiah^as was given 5,000 soldiers.

“Blessed are those who take part in this scheme. The names of these 5,000 soldiers, out of respect and reverence, will remain alive in the history of Islam forever.”

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra went on to say:

“But it is our responsibility also to establish a permanent memorial to these 5,000 soldiers because it is the right of each and every one of them who participated in this scheme till their last breath to be remembered with reverence and it is their right to be prayed for continuously.”

Then, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra said, with regard to Tahrik-e-Jadid on 23 January 1953:

“Now, this 19-year period is drawing to a close, which was an extraordinary time. Although we will continue to offer chanda towards it afterwards, but that phase has ended wherein we termed ourselves as ‘sabiqun al-awwalun’ and ‘daftar awwal’. It is the end of an era. Therefore, in my view, a booklet should be published to maintain a record of their sacrifices upon the end of this 19-year period so that they can be cited as an example for others. The names of all such people should be given who assisted in the propagation of Islam and the amount they donated towards this cause.

“In future also, similar plans should be made to preserve the names [of these 5,000 soldiers] so that the generations to come strive to follow in their footsteps and so that we can present these people as an example for the generations to come. However, you should remember that this chanda is for life and this scheme shall live on forever.”

It was in following this instruction that on behalf of Tahrik-e-Jadid Anjuman Ahmadiyya Pakistan, Chaudhry Barkat Ali Khan Sahib (Wakil-ul-Mal) published a 500-page book at Nusrat Art Press, Rabwah, in which the name of every contributor has been given, along with details of their residence and their contributions.

After presenting the sacrifices of the Promised Messiah’s^as family members, a list has been given of staff members of Tahrik-e-Jadid Anjuman Ahmadiyya, staff members of educational institutions in Rabwah and contributors from various mahallas (neighbourhoods) of Rabwah.

After giving details of Qadian and Eastern Punjab (India), details of regions of Pakistan have been given, e.g. Karachi, Jhang, Sialkot, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Lyallpur, Sargodha etc.

After that, details of contributions from Eastern Pakistan (Bangladesh) have been cited, followed by Yangon, Hyderabad Deccan, Sikandarabad, Malabar, Colombo, Kashmir etc.

Towards the end, details of foreign countries have been given, for instance, Indonesia, Nairobi, Tanganyika, Mombasa, Mauritius, Ethiopia, Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt and Iraq.

After mentioning contributions from Asia, the sacrifices made by Ahmadis living in the continents of the Americas and Europe have also been provided.

In 1982, after delivering a powerful Friday Sermon on financial contribution, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV^rh addressed the progeny of the soldiers of daftar awwal and said:

“How can such a one be deemed dead whose chanda is still being offered? For this reason, daftar awwal should be reorganised. It is my wish that daftar awwal remains open forever and the names of those who have offered exemplary services for the cause of Islam should not be forgotten till the Day of Judgment. Their progeny should continue to offer sacrifices in their name and not a single day should come when we say that a person from the first line has passed away. They should remain alive in God’s eyes and through sacrifices, we should see signs of their life.”

In the same vein, Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih V^aa said on 5 November 2004:

“It was for this reason that Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV^rh expressed that the accounts of those who made financial contributions in the early days of Tahrik-e-Jadid should be kept alive and continued, something which their progeny should take upon themselves. They should assume this responsibility and never let their sacrifices die. The sacrifices of the 5,000 mujahideen should never expire …

“The progeny of those contributors should realise this responsibility and come forward and revive the accounts of their forefathers that had once expired [with their demise]. Their names should remain [alive] in the registers and contributions in their names should continue. Even though their contributions were a few rupees; however, their names should remain; this should continue till the Day of Judgment.

“It is not a difficult task to revive their accounts … The [financial] condition of many people will permit them to easily accomplish this.

“In any case, the office of Tahrik-e-Jadid, upon Huzoor’s^rh guidance, was able to reactivate the accounts of 3,400 mujahideen … However, due to a lack of attention towards this, or after emigrating (from Pakistan) or for whatever reason, this ceased to be the case. It is possible that after emigrating from Pakistan to other countries, people continue to pay chanda in their forefathers’ names, but the contributions are not noted in their forefathers’ names in those countries. And if they are, then they are not recorded in the centre under their names.

“It is also possible that you are offering sacrifices in the name of your forefathers, but they are getting noted as your contributions … The easiest way to overcome this is to contact the centre in Rabwah and enquire about the donations they made, or their promises, and make the payments there so that the record is accurate … Their names, nonetheless, should be kept alive. May Allah enable the progenies of all these [mujahideen] to do so.” (Khutbat-e-Masroor, Vol. 2, p. 795)

The names of the 5,000 soldiers of Tahrik-e-Jadid can be searched on:

(English)

www.alislam.org/tj/panch-hazar-mujahedeen-daftar-awal.pdf

(Urdu)

www.alislam.org/tj/Panch-Hazari-Mujahideen.pdf

Ahmadis living in every part of the world can easily access the data and find out who from among their ancestors was part of this noble army so as to keep their names and sacrifices alive.

As we grow from strength to strength and move on with every passing day, we – members of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya – continue to see triumph after triumph. However, great nations never forget their past. Similarly, we must continue to keep alive our ancestors and forefathers who, in trying and difficult times, offered everything they had to ensure that we witnessed the present conditions that we enjoy.

Long live the 5,000 soldiers of Tahrik-e-Jadid! May every passing day bring forth a new army of 5,000 mujahideen for the service of Islam Ahmadiyyat. Amin.