6-12 March

A selection of brief incidents from the first and second era of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya

6 March 1932: The third and last session of the Round Table Conference was approaching in London. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra penned detailed guidelines for the Muslim representatives attending the conference for guidance on how to protect the rights of Muslims in India.

6 March 1943: Majlis Ansarullah Qadian started conducting monthly meetings.

6 March 1947: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra was in Karachi where he graced a question and answer session that was attended by scores of non-Ahmadi guests. On the same day, Huzoor^ra attended a reception arranged by the then Chief Minister of Sindh, Sir Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah.

6 March 1953: An angry mob stormed the Ahmadiyya Nur Mosque in Rawalpindi and set it ablaze. The gang also set fire to a nearby printing press owned by an Ahmadi. Further, they looted many shops and businesses of Jamaat members, before attacking the residence of the local amir.

6 March 1953: A frightening and merciless wave of anti-Ahmadiyya agitations, lootings, arsons, murders and brutal attacks on the life and properties of Jamaat members began spreading across Pakistan. In Lahore alone, three Ahmadis embraced martyrdom: Muhammad Shafi Sahib, Jamal Ahmad Sahib and Mirza Karim Baig Sahib. Later, the Government’s Inquiry Commission labelled this day similar to the Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of France in 1572. Due to the failure of civil authorities, a curfew was imposed on this day at 1:30pm in an attempt to prevent the ongoing systematic killings of Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan. This Martial Law was lifted on 15 May.

6 March 1957: On this date, the Gold Coast (now Ghana) gained independence from Britain. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra sent a message of congratulations, prayers and his best wishes to the premier of Ghana. Local Ahmadis actively took part in the celebration ceremonies arranged across the country.

7 March 1923: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra announced the start of a campaign to quash the Shuddhi Movement in India. Huzoor^ra labelled this new endeavor as Jihad.

7 March 1952: The newspaper Badr commenced its regular publication from Qadian.

7 March 1959: Majlis Ansarullah Karachi convened its first ever two-day Ijtema. A recorded message of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra was played at the Ijtema.

8 March 1935: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra invited opponents of the Jamaat to a challenge to see who offered more services in propagating Islam and the physical and financial sacrifices that go with it. As expected, no opponent of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya stepped up to the challenge.

8 March 1944: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra visited and prayed at the grave of the Promised Messiah, peace be upon him, for 40 consecutive days. Huzoor^ra would visit Bahishti Maqbara after Asr prayer and fervently pray for the triumph of Islam. A large number of Jamaat members started joining Huzoor^ra in this practice.

8 March 1947: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra visited the Jamaat’s Tabligh Centre in Karachi and also inspected the proposed land for the construction of a mosque.

8 March 1953: Two members of the Jamaat were martyred in Lahore on this date: Hawaldar Abdul Ghafoor Sahib and an Ahmadi chemist.

8 March 1959: The Chief Commissioner of Karachi visited Fazl-e-Umar Free Dispensary in Karachi which was run by Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya.

9 March 1921: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra delivered a speech in Malir Kotla about the truthfulness of Islam.

9 March 1923: To adequately confront the movement of the Shuddhi, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra voiced the need of 150 devoted and passionate people amongst the Jamaat members and donations worth 50,000 rupees.

9 March 1928: Administrators of the French Mandate in Syria issued expulsion orders for Jalaluddin Shams Sahib, the missionary appointed there. He was told to leave Damascus within 24 hours. Upon the instructions of the Markaz, he moved to Haifa and resumed his missionary duties there.

9 March 1945: Hazrat Maulvi Badruddin^ra passed away. This companion of the Promised Messiah^as performed Bai‘at in 1905 and served the Jamaat as missionary-in-charge for the area of Agra, India for many years.

9 March 1946: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra set out for a tour of Sindh which concluded on 3 April.

9 March 1947: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra was in Nasir Abad, Sindh, where Huzoor^ra inspected the Jamaat’s agricultural properties.

9 March 1950: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra prepared a detailed rebuttal in response to baseless allegations leveled against the Jamaat. This feature was published in an announcement. In it, Huzoor^ra reiterated that the stability and prosperity of Pakistan was coupled with the establishment of Islam.

10 March 1912: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I, Hakim Maulvi Nuruddin^ra made special supplications for the participants of his Dars-ul-Quran sermons and shared that God Almighty would shower His love and pleasure on them.

10 March 1917: Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiq^ra left Qadian for England as a missionary.

10 March 1936: To establish the Jamaat’s mission in Spain, Malik Muhammad Sharif Sahib Gujarati arrived in Madrid. Two gentlemen, Ghulam Ahmad and Mirza Agha Aziz Ahmad, listened to his message and accepted Islam Ahmadiyyat.

10 March 1944: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra introduced a novel scheme to serve the cause of Islam; named Waqf-e-Jaidad (sacrificing property). Upon the call of their beloved Khalifa, within hours, Jamaat members pledged their properties worth 4 million rupees. In fact, in just over a month, the number of people pledging to devote their properties for the sake of Islam reached 2,271. Moreover, Huzoor^ra encouraged the family members of the Promised Messiah^as to devote their lives for the cause of Islam. Upon this call, Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad^rh was the first person to submit to this noble cause.

10 March 1946: Qadian arranged a session to protest the establishment of the Unionist Party’s government in Punjab, instead of the Muslim League. This procession successfully passed a resolution denouncing this recent development.

10 March 1947: The Peace Committee of Qadian issued and circulated a joint statement for the benefit of the general public comprising of all faiths, with effect to remain peaceful and not to pay attention to the mischievous and provocative news prevailing under the political and communal atmosphere of the partition.

10 March 1951: Hazrat Munshi Hasan Din^ra Ruhtasi passed away. This companion of the Promised Messiah^as performed Bai‘at in 1896 and was an established poet of his time.

10 March 1954: A teenager was brainwashed to assassinate Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra. On Wednesday, 10 March 1954, the boy was able to stand in the first row behind Huzoor^ra during Asr prayer. Immediately after the prayer had ended, the man lunged forward and attacked Huzoor^ra by stabbing him twice with a dagger in the neck. Huzoor^ra sustained severe injuries but survived. Huzoor^ra was rushed to his residence at once and from there, Huzoor’s^ra first order was that his attacker should not be harmed. This attack was reported by Radio Pakistan, the BBC and many other media outlets. Ahmadis living in Pakistan and around the globe at once became occupied in supplications for the safety and prompt recovery of their beloved leader. Political and religious leaders condemned this attack in strong words.

10 March 1956: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra invited young members of the Jamaat living in India to devote their lives and fill the vacuum in the offices of Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Qadian. After the partition, Qadian underwent a sudden shortage of manpower in its everyday business.

10 March 1958: A delegation of Jamaat members met with the governor of Madras (now known as Chennai) India.

11 March 1910: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I^ra called for Jamaat members to volunteer and assist in the work for the extension of Masjid Aqsa, Qadian. Huzoor^ra himself took part in the labour work by shifting mud to another place.

11 March 1947: Hazrat Babu Abdur Rahman^ra passed away. This companion of the Promised Messiah^as was amir of Ambala Jamaat.

11 March 1948: During Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s^ra journey of Sindh, on this date, Huzoor^ra arrived at Nasir Abad.

11 March 1955: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra informed Jamaat members through a special message that he would travel to Europe for further treatment to seek expert opinion regarding his deteriorating health that surfaced after the assassination attempt.

Huzoor^ra also initiated a special fund titled Amanat Khas to keep money in circulation through individual deposits.

11 March 1957: The governor of Tamil Nadu was presented with Jamaat literature by a delegation that met him in Madras.

11 March 1959: The foundation stone of an Ahmadiyya Mosque was laid in Yogyakarta (often called “Jogja”) a city on the Indonesian island of Java, known for its traditional arts and cultural heritage. After the completion of construction work, the opening ceremony of this mosque was held on 24 July.

12 March 1916: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra addressed the missionaries after Zuhr prayer in Qadian. These most valuable instructions were later published under Nasaih-e-Mubaligheen.

12 March 1943: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra addressed the annual gathering of provincial workers of the Jamaat, held in Nasir Abad, Sindh. It was attended by 80 representatives of different local chapters.

12 March 1943: Hazrat Chaudhry Sir Zafarulla Khan^ra laid the foundation stone of a mosque in Lagos, Nigeria. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra named it Bait-ul-Fazl Mosque.

12 March 1944: A Musleh-e-Maud Day Jalsa was arranged in Lahore, where Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra delivered a powerful speech. Huzoor^ra also visited the room where he was informed by God that he was the Musleh-e-Maud.

12 March 1948: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra arrived in Karachi from Nasir Abad, Pakistan. While delivering his Friday sermon, Huzoor^ra drew the Karachi Jamaat’s attentions to look for a suitable place to build a mosque, guest house and library, without any further delays.

12 March 1953: The Additional Magistrate of Jhang district served a notice to Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra, with effect that Huzoor^ra was denied the right to comment any further on the ongoing sponsored and systematic persecution and nationwide agitations against members of the Jamaat.

12 March 1958: Hazrat Baba Sultan Ahmad^ra passed away. This companion of the Promised Messiah^as had the honour of serving in Qadian as a darvesh.

12 March 1963: Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Allah Bakhsh Khan^ra passed away. This companion of the Promised Messiah^ra performed Bai‘at in 1905. He was the revered father of the prominent Urdu poet and seasoned journalist Saqib Zeervi.