Friday Sermon
4 April 2025
Muhammadsa: The great exemplar
After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz, and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:
Prior to Ramadan, various aspects in relation to the expeditions during the life of the Holy Prophetsa were being discussed. In this regard, incidents relating to the Battle of Khaibar were being narrated, and I will continue doing so today as well.
Along with the joyous victory of Khaibar, in those very same days, another joyous occasion arose for the Holy Prophetsa upon which he said: “I am unable to say whether the victory of Khaibar brought me more joy, or this occasion.” And that was the return of Hazrat Ja‘farra from Abyssinia along with other migrants.
As we are aware, due to the oppression and persecution by the Meccans, some Muslims had migrated to Abyssinia, which included the paternal cousin of the Holy Prophetsa, Hazrat Ja‘far bin Abi Talibra. Following the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, the Holy Prophetsa sent Hazrat ‘Amr bin Umayyah Damrira to King Negus with a letter, which requested that he send all the remaining migrant Muslims to him in Medina. As such, after living away from their homes for 14 or 15 years, they travelled in two boats and reached Medina. When they found out that the Holy Prophetsa had travelled to Khaibar, longing to meet with him, they eagerly set off towards Khaibar as soon as possible instead of staying in Medina. When the Holy Prophetsa saw Hazrat Ja‘farra, he stood up and embraced him, kissed him in the middle of his forehead and said:
مَا أَدْرِي بِأَيِّهِمَا أَنَا أُسَرُّ: بِفَتْحِ خَيْبَرَ، أَمْ بِقُدُومِ جَعْفَرٍ
“I am not sure which of the two occasions has given me greater joy: the victory of Khaibar, or the return of Ja‘far.”
Along with these [migrants], Hazrat Abu Musa Ash‘arira also reached [Medina] with more than 50 individuals from his tribe. The name of Hazrat Abu Musa Ash‘arira was ‘Abdullah bin Qais, and he belonged to the tribe of Ash‘ari. He came to Mecca with some individuals from his tribe, and after accepting Islam, he returned to his tribe. After some time, he, along with two of his brothers and approximately 50 individuals from his tribe, travelled by sea in order to migrate to Medina. However, due to storms on the journey, their boat became stranded on the coast of Abyssinia. Whilst they were there, they met with Hazrat Ja‘farra and settled down with them. When Hazrat Ja‘farra prepared to set off towards Medina, these Muslims from the tribe of Ash‘ari joined him. Apart from them, some individuals from the tribe of Daus also joined them. These included Hazrat Abu Hurairahra, Tufail bin ‘Amrra and his comrades. Some people from the tribe of Ashja‘ also joined them. The Holy Prophetsa gave all these new arrivals something from the spoils of Khaibar as well. (Sirat Encyclopaedia, Vol. 8, Dar-ul-Islam, pp. 402-404; Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 6, Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, 2003, p. 299; Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-maghazi, Hadith 4230; Fath-e-Khaibar, Nafees Academy, p. 200; Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 1, Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, p. 265)
Further details in relation to the elevated rank of the People of the Boat are recorded as follows; Hazrat Ja‘farra and the other Muslims accompanying him travelled by boat and reached [Medina] in this manner. As a result of this, they were called the Ashab al-Safinah [People of the Boat].
When they arrived in Medina, 15 years had already passed, and the Muhajir [Migrant] Muslims had already participated in several battles and had preceded them in migrating [to Medina]. Because of this, it seemed that a sentiment had begun to grow among them that they were superior to the others, i.e., the migrants from Mecca who migrated to Medina with the Holy Prophetsa were more superior than those who had migrated to Abyssinia earlier.
On one occasion, Hazrat Asma bint Umaisra, the wife of Hazrat Ja‘farra, went to visit the mother of the believers, Hazrat Hafsara. Hazrat Umarra also came there and asked, “Who is this lady?” Hazrat Hafsara replied, “She is Asma bint Umais.” Hazrat Umarra began saying, “Ah, the one from Abyssinia, the one who undertook the journey across the sea.”
Hazrat Asmara said, “Yes, indeed.” Upon this, Hazrat Umarra said, “We have preceded you in the migration to Medina, and therefore we are closer to the Holy Prophetsa than you.”
Hearing this, Hazrat Asmara stated with sorrow and anger, “By Allah, this can never be! You all would remain with the Holy Prophetsa; he would feed your hungry and guide your ignorant ones, whereas we were far from our homeland, in a foreign, distant and hostile land. We would be afflicted with different fears and dangers. We bore all these afflictions solely for the sake of Allah and His Messengersa.” She continued, “By God, I will not eat anything until I ask the Holy Prophetsa regarding this. Indeed, I will say only what you said, nothing more and nothing less.”
In other words, she said she would go and relay the entire matter.
So, she went to the Holy Prophetsa and recounted the entire exchange. Upon this, the Holy Prophetsa said:
لَيْسَ بِأَحَقَّ بِي مِنْكُمْ، وَلَهٗ وَلِأَصْحَابِهٖ هِجْرَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ وَلَكُمْ أَنْتُمْ أَهْلَ السَّفِينَةِ هِجْرَتَانِ
“They do not possess more right than you do; for him and his companions, there is one migration, but for you, i.e., for the people of the boat (who migrated to Abyssinia), there are two migrations.”
In this way, the Holy Prophetsa comforted her, and her sorrow faded away. When Hazrat Asmara heard this, she shared this glorious and delightful distinction with her fellow migrants [from Abyssinia]. Hazrat Asmara later narrated, “The people who had migrated to Abyssinia came to me in groups, and would eagerly listen to this blessed saying of the Holy Prophetsa from me. And nothing else in the world brought them greater joy, nor was anything more honourable for them, than this statement of the Holy Prophetsa.” She states that some would come back again and again, just to hear these words of the Holy Prophetsa. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-maghazi, Hadith 4230-4231)
There is also mention here of an Abyssinian slave who had accepted Islam and was later martyred. It is narrated that Yasar, an Abyssinian slave of a man from Khaibar, used to graze his master’s flock. When he saw the people of Khaibar picking up weapons to fight the Holy Prophetsa, he asked the people of Khaibar, “What are your intentions?” They replied, “We will fight this man who calls himself a Prophet.”
At that moment, the mention of the Holy Prophetsa settled in his heart; that is, this statement ingrained itself into his heart, that the Holy Prophetsa had a lofty station, and as he claimed to be a prophet, there must be something significant about this. He then took his flock and left to graze them. The Muslims captured him and brought him to the Holy Prophetsa.
According to another narration, which gives more detail, the slave himself brought the goats to the Holy Prophetsa. The Holy Prophetsa spoke to him. The man asked, “What do you call me towards?” The Holy Prophetsa said, “I am calling you to Islam: that you bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that I am His Messenger, and that you worship none besides Allah.”
The man then asked, “And if I testify to this and believe in Allah, what will I receive?” The Holy Prophetsa replied, “If you believe, then Paradise will be yours.”
Upon this, the slave accepted Islam and said, “O Messengersa of Allah, indeed I am a man with a dark complexion, and an unattractive face; I have a foul smell, and I have no wealth. If I fight in this cause and am killed, will I still enter Paradise?” The Holy Prophetsa responded, “Yes, you will enter Paradise.”
The Abyssinian slave then said, “O Messengersa of Allah, these goats are entrusted to me, what should I do with them?” The Holy Prophetsa replied, “Take them out from the army encampment area and leave them in an open plain. Surely, Allah the Almighty will fulfil your trust on your behalf,” meaning, they would reach their destination.
Now, those who accuse the Holy Prophetsa of waging wars for the spoils of war – and this objection is specifically raised with regard to Khaibar, that this oppression was perpetrated in order to unjustly seize the wealth of the Jews. If this were true, then a flock of the enemy’s goats in the middle of a war, coupled with the condition of the Companions’ hunger at Khaibar, which was that they were fatigued and there was nothing to eat, meant that these goats would be free spoils of war, and they could have used them. However, even during a state of war, the Holy Prophetsa commanded that the goats be returned in order to give due justice to a trust.
And so, he did as he was told– the goats were gathered together, being led by a shepherd who took them along until they reached their respective owner. Then the slave advanced and joined the thick of battle until an arrow struck him, and he was martyred. And this was despite the fact that he had not offered a single prostration yet; having just become a Muslim, he had not even started his daily prayers. The Muslims had simply brought him along in the army. When the Messengersa of Allah instructed the Companions to assign him a group, they put him with the Holy Prophet’s tent. Hazrat Anasra relates that the Messengersa of Allah came to the Abyssinian slave, and he was martyred. The Holy Prophetsa remarked, “Allah has made your face beautiful, and turned your body odour into a pleasant fragrance, and multiplied your wealth.” He prayed for him and announced that God Almighty had granted the man entry into paradise. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, p. 129; Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 2, Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, p. 82)
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra has also mentioned this incident as follows:
“In the days of the expedition of Khaibar, the shepherd of a Jewish chief accepted Islam. After becoming a Muslim, he approached the Holy Prophetsa and said, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, I can no longer return to these people. But I still have these goats belonging to the Jewish chief, which were entrusted to me. What shall I do with them? The Messengersa of Allah instructed: ‘Direct the goats in the direction of the fort and simply nudge them along. God Almighty will take them back to their owners.’ The man did this and the goats went toward the fort, after which the occupants of the fort took them in.” (Dibacha Tafsir-ul-Quran, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 20, p. 327)
On the occasion of Khaibar, there is mention of certain jurisprudential issues that arose. Hazrat Abdullah bin Umarra relates that on the day of Khaibar, consuming the meat of domesticated donkeys was decreed unlawful. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-maghazi, Hadith 4218)
Similarly, a narration on the authority of Hazrat Alira records that on the day of Khaibar, the Holy Prophetsa announced that the practice of mut‘ah [temporary marriages] and consuming domesticated donkey meat was hereby unlawful. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab az-zaba’ih wa s-said, Hadith 5523)
There is also the mention of the people of Fadak making peace with the Messengersa of Allah. Fadak is a place situated six nights’ journey from Medina near Khaibar. (Furhang-e-Sirat, Zawar Academy, Karachi, p. 225)
When the Messengersa of Allah set out for Khaibar and was close to reaching it, he sent Muhayyisah bin Mas’udra toward Fadak, saying, “Invite them to Islam and warn them that they could also be attacked, as they were also involved in mischief-making, engaging in different ways to agitate the Muslims or causing them harm. Thus, he conveyed that they could also be attacked just as Khaibar was being attacked.” Hazrat Muhayyisahra relates that he went to these people and stayed with them for two days, but they continued to delay the matter, saying that “the Jews at Khaibar boast an army of 10,000 soldiers with notable people like Amer, Yasir, Harith and the chief of the Jews, Marhab, amongst them. We do not think Muhammad[sa] will be able to defeat them.”
Hazrat Muhayyisahra relates, “When I observed their mischief and obstinacy, I intended to return.” Then, the people of this tribe suggested that they would send a group along with him to convey a message of peace, thinking that the Holy Prophetsa was not actually going to be victorious at Khaibar.”
They may have agreed to this peace treaty, but they did not actually believe that Khaibar would be conquered. And so they continued in this manner, trying to delay the matter by saying they would send a group. Until some people came to them and informed them that Muhammad[sa] had conquered the fortress of Na’im, at which the people of Fadak became fearful and sent a delegation led by one of their chiefs, named Nun bin Yusha’, to the Holy Prophetsa.
This delegation appeared before the Holy Prophetsa and requested reconciliation in exchange for the guarantee that their lives be spared and that they be permitted to safely leave Fadak with all of their belongings and wealth. The Holy Prophetsa accepted their request. One narration also records that these people sought reconciliation on the condition that they retain half of their lands while the Holy Prophetsa would gain the other half. Because this land was acquired without any warfare, it fell under the category of Spoils of war known as “fay” and so the Holy Prophetsa used to spend out of the income generated by Fadak. (Subul al-Huda, Vol. 5, Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, p. 138; Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 3, Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, p. 74)
About the spoils of war at Khaibar and their distribution, there is a narration. Hazrat Abu Hurairahra relates, “We accompanied the Messengersa of Allah toward Khaibar and its spoils of war did not contain any gold or silver. Instead, we acquired only camels, livestock and gardens.” Another narration records that the spoils comprised money, clothes and other items. The details reveal that only a few forts yielded spoils of 1,000 spears, 400 swords and 500 bows. Bushair bin Yassarra relates that “the Messengersa of Allah divided the spoils of war on the occasion of Khaibar into 36 parts. Half of them – meaning 18 parts were secured for the Muslims, and each part contained a further 100 sections, meaning that there were a total of 1800 sections.”
The Holy Prophetsa also had one part of the share, i.e., the Holy Prophet’ssa share was equal to the amount other people received. According to one narration, the cavalry would receive three shares, and the infantry would receive one share each. The Holy Prophetsa then put aside the remaining half for future exigencies, situations or emergencies that the Muslims may face. This went in the reserve fund, and these were the properties and assets that were in connection to the forts of Watih, Kutaibah and Salalim. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-aghazi, Hadith 4228; Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith 3012 and 3014; Subul al-Huda wa Al-Rishad, Vol. 5, Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, p. 141; Fath-e-Khaibar, Nafees Academy, p. 188)
According to one narration, from the shares from Kutaibah included the khums in the way of Allah the Almighty, the Holy Prophet’ssa share as well as his relatives, his wives, orphans and the poor. It also included shares for those people who worked as envoys between the Holy Prophetsa and the people of Fadak, one of whom was Muhayyisah bin Mas’udra. The Holy Prophetsa gave him 30 wasq of barley and 30 wasq of dates. One wasq is equal to 60 sa‘a and one sa‘a is approximately 2.5 kg. As a rough estimate, this works out to be 4500 kg of barley and 4500 kg of dates. The spoils of war obtained from Khaibar were generally distributed amongst those people who were present during the Treaty of Hudaibiyyah. As an exception, Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah bin Amrra was granted a share. Similarly, the emigrants who had returned from Abyssinia, Hazrat Abu Hurairahra and some others, were also given a share. According to one narration, it is mentioned that with the khums, the Holy Prophetsa bought weapons and clothes, etc. and would give to the members of his household and also the Banu Muttalib. Among them, he would give to orphans, women and the poor.
Ibn Ishaq writes that the people assigned to oversee the distribution were Jabbar bin Sakhr Ansari, who belonged to the Banu Salama tribe and Zaid bin Thabit, who belonged to the Banu Najjar. They would work out the shares and distribute them accordingly. Ibn Sa’d writes that the Holy Prophetsa ordered for the spoils of war to be gathered together, and so they were collected. Farwah bin Bayadira was appointed to oversee the distribution, and Hazrat Zaid bin Thabitra was assigned to keep account.
Hazrat Abdullah bin Mughaffalra narrates, “I found a small bag (in one narration it is mentioned that this bag was full of fat); I said to myself that I would not give this to anyone. I passed by the Holy Prophetsa but felt shy, so I put it under my armpit and went to where my comrades were and concealed it. On the way, I met with the one assigned to oversee the spoils. He held onto one corner of it and said, ‘Bring that here; we will distribute it.’ I said, ‘Absolutely not! By God, I will never give this to you.’ He then began snatching the bag from me. The Holy Prophetsa was watching this and began smiling. He told the one overseeing the spoils: ‘Leave him’ and so he let me go. After this, I took my things and went to my comrades. We then ate from it.”
This was the kind treatment of the Holy Prophetsa towards his Companions [and said], If he has taken something, then let him go.
Ibn Ishaq narrates that the Holy Prophetsa gave domesticated chickens and other animals to Ibn Luqaim; in other words, everything there was distributed. The women who were part of the Battle of Khaibar were also given a share. Ibn Ishaq writes that in the Battle of Khaibar, some Muslim women were also part of it. The Holy Prophetsa gave them a share from the spoils that were obtained without fighting [fay], but they were not given a share from the spoils obtained after a battle ensued. A woman from the Banu Ghifar says: “A few of us women went to the Holy Prophetsa and said: ‘O Messengersa of Allah! We wish to accompany you’, this was when the Holy Prophetsa was departing for Khaibar. The women said: ‘We will tend to the injured and help the Muslims.’ The Holy Prophetsa replied: ‘Proceed with the blessings of Allah the Almighty. You can come along.’ Thus, we went with the Holy Prophetsa. When the Holy Prophetsa gained victory in Khaibar, he granted us from the spoils as well. The Holy Prophetsa took a necklace and put it around my neck.” The narrator states: “By God! That necklace is always around my neck. I do not take it off even for a second.” This female Companion then put in her will that the necklace should be buried with her and that the knot tied by the Holy Prophetsa should not be opened by anyone. The name of this woman from the Banu Ghifar is recorded as Umayyah bint Qais Abu Salt.
Hazrat Abdullah bin Unaisra narrates: “I accompanied the Holy Prophetsa to Khaibar. My wife was also with me and she was expecting. Our child was born during this expedition. When I informed the Holy Prophetsa, he said: ‘Put some dates in water and when they have become fully soaked, give the water to her to drink.’ (I.e., to drink the extract of the dates that had been soaked in water). I did as I was told, as a result of which she did not experience any pain or weakness which occurs during childbirth. When Khaibar was conquered, they did not receive a share of the spoils, but women were given a share from the fay’ spoils, i.e. from the spoils received at Fadak. My wife received a share, and so too did my child, who was born during this expedition.” (Subul al-Huda wa Al-Rishad, Vol. 5, Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, pp. 141-144; Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 1, p. 265 and Vol. 8, pp. 227-228, Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah; Lughat-ul-Hadith, Vol. 2, Numani Kutub Khana, p. 648 and Vol. 4, p. 487)
There is also mention of returning the parchments of the Torah back to the Jews. It is mentioned that when the spoils were gathered together from the various forts, some parchments of the Torah were also among them. The Jews requested the Holy Prophetsa if they could be returned to them, and so the Holy Prophetsa ordered the safe return of those parchments, on which the Torah was written. (Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 3, Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, p. 62)
His religious tolerance and his sense of upholding the religious sentiments of others were exceptional. He even ordered that their Torah ought to be returned to them safely. It was not the case like today, where out of enmity for Muslims, people burn the Quran. The Holy Prophetsa taught that the parchments ought to be kept safe and returned.
On the return from Khaibar, there is mention of the battle of Wadi al-Qura. After conquering Khaibar, the Holy Prophetsa remained there for a few days. He then set off to return home along with the Muslim army when he encountered some Jews in Wadi al-Qura. This was the name of a valley which contained many settlements between Tema and Khaibar. In the olden times, the people of Ad and Thamud resided here. These are two tribes which have been mentioned in the Holy Qur’an. These tribes live here. Prior to Islam, the Jews came and settled here. They made advancements in farming and irrigation and this became a centre for the Jews. (Sirat-il-Nabi, Shibli, Vol. 1, Maktabat-ul-Rahmaniyyah, p. 288)
On this occasion, there is a narration by Hazrat Abu Hurairahra. He narrates: “We conquered Khaibar and then came to Wadi al-Qura along with the Holy Prophetsa. He had a slave with him by the name of Midam, whom the Banu Dibab gave to him as a gift. During this time, he was taking off the camel saddle of the Holy Prophet’sas mount, when an arrow fired by an unknown person came and struck him, as a result of which he died. The people began saying that he was blessed to have attained martyrdom. The Holy Prophetsa replied: ‘No! By the One in whose hands is my life, the cloak which he took from the spoils of war from Khaibar prior to being assigned to him has become a collar of fire around his neck.’ i.e. he had stolen that cloak when the spoils of war were being gathered. A person heard this perilous statement from the Holy Prophetsa and, realising that [aforementioned] person was heading for the hellfire owing to the cloak, he brought a shoe lace to the Holy Prophetsa and said: ‘This is what I had taken. I had also taken it before it was distributed.’ The Holy Prophetsa replied: ‘Whether it is one shoe lace or two, it will be the means to take someone into the fire.’” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-maghazi, Hadith 4234)
Even if something minuscule is stolen, it will become the means of punishment for that person.
Nonetheless, further details of this battle are as follows: the Holy Prophetsa arranged the rows of the Companions for the battle. He gave one flag to Hazrat Sa’d bin Ubadahra, one to Hazrat Hubab bin al-Mundhirra, one to Hazrat Sahl bin Hunaifra and one to Hazrat Abbad bin Bishrra. The Holy Prophetsa then invited the Jews to accept Islam and informed them that if they accepted Islam, they would safeguard their lives and their wealth, and their matter would be entrusted to Allah. However, the Jews rejected this and began preparing for the battle. A Jewish man stepped forward for a duel and was killed by Hazrat Zubairra. Then another Jewish man stepped forward and was killed by Hazrat Alira. Another one stepped forward and was killed by Hazrat Abu Dujanahra. The battle continued until nightfall and a total of 11 Jewish men were killed.
When the next day arrived, before the sun had risen, the Jews surrendered, and the Holy Prophetsa conquered the Valley of Qura. Allah the Almighty granted the wealth of the Jews as spoils of war to the Holy Prophetsa and the Muslims received a lot of wealth and provisions from it. The Holy Prophetsa distributed the spoils of war among the Muslims in the Valley of Qura and entrusted the lands and orchards to the hands of the Jews, making them custodians over them, just as he had made the Jews of Khaibar custodians of their lands, saying, “You may keep it for yourselves; continue to earn from it and contribute from it [the rightful share].”
Allama Baladhuri states that the Holy Prophetsa appointed Hazrat Amr ibn Sa’id bin Aasra as the governor of the Valley of Qura. The Holy Prophetsa remained in the valley of Qura for four days and then returned to Medina. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, p. 149; Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 3, Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, p. 86; Lu’lu Al-Maknoon, Vol. 3, Dar-ul-Islam, p. 465)
Further details in relation to this will, insha-Allah, be mentioned in the future.
At this moment, I will mention some deceased individuals and will, insha-Allah, lead their funeral prayers in absentia after the prayers.
The first mention is of respected Maulana Muhammad Kareem-ud-Din Shahid Sahib, who was the Sadr Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Qadian. He passed away recently in the month of Ramadan at the age of eighty-seven.
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّا اِلَیْہِ رَاجِعُوْنَ
[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
The deceased was also a musi. His father had entered the Ahmadiyya Jamaat by taking the bai‘at, and he worked in various private employments in different locations. They lived in a village where adequate educational facilities were not available. Therefore, Seth Muhammad Muhayuddin Sahib from Chinthakunta, Hyderabad, Kolkata, sent Kareem-ud-Din Sahib to Qadian to receive an education.
In 1954, he enrolled in Madrasa Ahmadiyya for his studies and graduated in 1957. He then prepared for the Maulvi Fazil examination and passed it in 1960 from Punjab University, Chandigarh. Later, he continued his education in Rabwah, where he studied at Jamia Ahmadiyya for two years and earned his Shahid degree. Thus, he became the first missionary from India to obtain the Shahid degree.
He had many opportunities to serve in Qadian, and during this period, he was appointed as a member of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Qadian as an Alim and served as a member [of the Anjuman] until 2021. He was also granted the opportunity to serve as an additional Nazim Irshad Waqf Jadid Bairoon, and as Sadr Umumi, and as Sadr Majlis Waqf-e-Jadid. Furthermore, he served as the Principal of Jamia Ahmadiyya twice. He was also the President of the Qada Board and Sadr Majlis Karpurdaz. In 2021, I appointed him as the Sadr Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya [Qadian], and he continued to serve in this role until his demise.
Inam Ghauri Sahib, who is the Nazir-e-A’la of Qadian, says that the deceased was a person of a very simple nature and lived with extreme contentment. This was indeed the case, as I have also witnessed this myself. The deceased would live within the means of whatever allowance was given to him from the Jamaat and would never take on debt for expenses, which he strongly disliked. He was exceptionally skilled in the art of writing. Until the time when computer-based typesetting started, he was entrusted with writing for the Badr newspaper and various Jamaat books and publications. He was also an excellent orator, a writer, and had the opportunity to deliver speeches at Jalsa Qadian and other Jamaat events and tarbiyat sessions. For a long period, he also had the opportunity to answer questions on the live broadcast of the Rah-e-Huda programme on MTA from Qadian.
Although he suffered from an ailment of the kidneys and became weak, he continued to fulfil his duties with great perseverance. His example was truly commendable. He even presided over the Qadian Jalsa in 2024, and despite his illness and weakened health, he showed tremendous courage and presided over the three-day event and also inaugurated the Jalsa as well. Similarly, he presided over the last Shura as well.
Allah the Almighty granted him the opportunity to serve the Jamaat for a period of sixty-two years. In the final days of his life, he would often express to his family that he was born in the month of Ramadan, and that he would also pass away in the month of Ramadan. He passed away on the 27th day of the blessed month of Ramadan.
As I have mentioned, he was a very hard-working and humble individual. He always sought to do his work himself, without being a burden on others, and also performed his personal tasks independently. He was a scholar who led by his example and did true justice to his pledge of waqf [life devotion]. May Allah the Almighty elevate his ranks.
His first marriage was to Iqbal Begum Sahiba, with whom he had two sons and two daughters. After she passed away, he remarried. His children, daughters, and sons-in-law are all having the opportunity to serve the faith. May Allah the Almighty continue to instil the passion for the service of the faith in their generations to come.
The second mention is of Abdul Rashid Yahya Sahib, who was serving as the President of the Qada Board in Canada prior to his retirement. He passed away recently at the age of seventy-five.
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّا اِلَیْہِ رَاجِعُوْنَ
[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
The deceased was also a Musi. His father, after long discussions, research, and debates with Maulana Sanaullah Amritsari, Maulana Abul A‘la Maududi, and Maulana Muhammad Ali Sahib M.A., he took the bai‘at at the hands of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra in 1945. He was the only Ahmadi in his entire village, and despite religious differences, the villagers held him in great respect.
After receiving his B.A. degree from Talim-ul-Islam College in Rabwah, he enrolled in Jamia Ahmadiyya and dedicated his life to the service of faith. He entered the field of service in 1975 and was initially posted in various places in Pakistan and then later served in the United States, Canada, and Guatemala. He had the opportunity to serve as the National President and Missionary-in-Charge in South Africa, and as a Missionary-in-Charge and National President in Guatemala and South Korea. He also served as the Vice-Principal of Jamia Ahmadiyya in Canada, where he also taught Tafsir-ul-Quran and Ilm-ul-Kalam.
In 2017, he was appointed President of the Qada Board in Canada and served in this capacity until 2023. While in Guatemala, he had the opportunity to engage in a conversation with the spiritual leader of Buddhism, the Dalai Lama, and conveyed the message of Islam to him.
The deceased is survived by three sons and one daughter. His son, Qasim Rashid Sahib, states that his father had immense respect for the Jama’at, and any criticism against it was completely intolerable to him. He would fully respond to any criticism levelled against the Nizam-e-Jamaat. After listening to the entire objection, he would make the person realise their mistake. He says, “Throughout my life, I saw my father maintaining his regularity in congregational prayers, especially the Tahajjud prayer. No matter how severe the illness, he would always try to perform congregational prayers. Even in his final illness, he continued in the same way. He also bore his illness with great patience and gratitude, and always expressed praise to Allah, even in his final year when his illness became more severe. His advice to his children, which he repeatedly mentioned, was always to remain connected with Khilafat.”
He further says, “He would encourage me to write about Khilafat on social media with pride and fearlessness, as he believed this was the true solution for the unity of the Muslim world and all of humanity. He fulfilled his pledge of waqf [life devotion] with utmost loyalty. In the 1980s and 1990s, when MTA had not started formally, he would personally copy and distribute the sermons of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh and Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh to the people within 24 to 48 hours, ensuring that the message of the Khalifa reached everyone and a connection with the Khalifa was maintained.
His nephew, Mansoor Noor-ud-Din Sahib, who is also a missionary in Rabwah, says, “I have witnessed him fulfil the responsibilities of waqf with complete sincerity and loyalty for nearly fifty-three years. I saw him with unwavering commitment to waqf, fulfilling his duties as a representative of the Jamaat, obedient and loving towards the Khalifa of the time.”
When he was appointed at Jamia Ahmadiyya, he would prepare his lectures meticulously to ensure that the students would graduate as the best students, missionaries, and preachers. He always said that since the Khalifa of the time had trusted him with the responsibility of teaching at Jamia, he should fulfil this trust to the best of his ability.
Mirza Muhammad Afzal Sahib also remarks that he was a missionary with a very polite and pleasant nature, very hardworking, and dedicated to the service of the Jamaat. He always prioritised the work of the Jama’at and never hesitated to offer his cooperation in any task.
Abdul Noor Abid Sahib said, “He used to teach us the commentary of the Quran. He taught us with great affection and dedication, making us write extensive notes, which he would meticulously check. He says these notes continue to benefit us even today.”
May Allah the Almighty grant him His forgiveness and mercy.
The next mention is of Mirza Imtiaz Ahmad Sahib, Amir of Hyderabad district, Sindh, son of Mirza Nazir Ahmad Sahib. He recently passed away.
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّا اِلَیْہِ رَاجِعُوْنَ
[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
Ahmadiyyat entered his family through his grandfather, respected Ilm Deen Sahib, who had the honour of pledging allegiance, first by correspondence and then personally during the era of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira at the occasion of Jalsa Salana in Qadian. After completing his BA, Mirza Imtiaz Sahib started his own business, opening a medical store. By the grace of Allah the Almighty, from his youth until his last moments, he remained devoted to serving the faith. He was regular in offering Tahajjud prayers and secretly assisted the poor and needy without anyone knowing. His son wrote that at his funeral, a Shi‘a friend from Sanjar Chang remarked, “I did not know how to pray or fast, nor did I have knowledge about Islamic teachings and etiquette. It was Imtiaz Sahib who taught me how to pray and fast (yet today we are considered non-Muslims there). After his guidance, I never abandoned prayer and began regularly praying.”
Mirza Mashhood Sahib, a missionary, says that Mirza Imtiaz Sahib maintained excellent relations with local Sindhi landlords due to his good nature, honesty, and high moral standards, and even non-Ahmadis trusted him with their valuables. Shahbaz Sahib, a former Qaid of Hyderabad district, describes him as honest, humble, very empathetic, deeply attached to Khilafat, and fiercely protective of the Nizam-e-Jamaat. He would provide medicine free of charge to patients who could not afford it. His passing was deeply mourned by many, who expressed that his departure has created a void in the area. May Allah the Almighty grant him His forgiveness and mercy.
The next mention is of respected Al-Haj Muhammad Bilarabi Sahib of Algeria, who recently passed away at the age of 82.
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّا اِلَیْہِ رَاجِعُوْنَ
[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
Originally from Algeria, he lived in France. He visited the UK Jalsa Salana in 2015 as a guest along with his wife and returned having pledged allegiance, by the grace of Allah the Almighty. On the first day of Jalsa, he experienced a strange attachment to the place, feeling as if he had been there before. He related that for many years, he had dreams about this place and its environment. The day before taking the pledge of allegiance, he had another similar dream, prompting him and his wife to join the Jamaat of the Promised Messiahas. 35 members of his family, Ahmadis and non-Ahmadis, were present from France during that Jalsa, eight of whom followed his example and pledged allegiance during the Jalsa itself.
He strived greatly to instil religious values in his children, enrolling them in religious schools to learn prayer and Qur’anic teachings. His children had accepted Ahmadiyyat before him. They said that their father imparted religious teachings to them, instilled a deep love for faith and obedience in our hearts, and this made it easier for them to accept Ahmadiyyat. Ahmadiyyat entered his family through his eldest son, Muhammad Bilarabi, who discovered MTA while adjusting a satellite channel and saw Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh. After extensive research, particularly about the death of Jesusas, he pledged allegiance during the 1995 Jalsa Salana UK. His father pledged allegiance some 20 years later, however, the son preceded him. Al-Haj Sahib regularly travelled between France and Algeria. In 2017, Algerian police raided his home and arrested his children for being Ahmadis. Displaying immense courage, he openly declared himself an Ahmadi without hesitation when asked by police at the station, stating he abided by the law, but whenever authorities permitted, his house would become the first Ahmadi centre. He said this openly and courageously. He had a profound love for Khilafat and the Khalifa, and was deeply passionate about serving the Jamaat. His house in France served as a venue for meetings and Friday prayers for several years. He leaves behind an 81-year-old wife and eight children, seven of whom are Ahmadis, by the grace of Allah the Almighty. One of his sons is Secretary Tabligh and in charge of the Arabic desk in France, and his daughters are also actively serving the faith.
An Algerian Ahmadi writes that he was a deeply kind-hearted, generous individual who always expressed gratitude to Allah the Almighty for granting him the honour of recognising and accepting the Promised Messiahas. He would say his faith and conviction became stronger after accepting the Messiah of the Age. The National Ansarullah President of Algeria mentions that Al-Haj Sahib regularly offered his home for Jamaat events and meetings, dedicating part of his house as a prayer centre. Another Algerian Ahmadi describes his special bond with Allah the Almighty as an example of righteousness, always eager to pray punctually, maintaining regular Tahajjud prayers even during severe illness, and praying with humility and a strong conviction.
May Allah the Almighty grant him forgiveness, and mercy, and elevate his rank.
The next mention is of respected Muhammad Ashraf Sahib of Kotri, Hyderabad district, who passed away recently at the age of 70.
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّا اِلَیْہِ رَاجِعُوْنَ
[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
He was the father of Naveed Ashraf Sahib, a missionary in Congo, who could not attend his father’s funeral due to being in the field of service. Ahmadiyyat entered their family through his grandfather, Hazrat Noor Elahi Sahibra, a companion of the Promised Messiahas. Naveed Ashraf Sahib, the missionary serving in Congo, writes that his father inherited a love for faith, which was passed down from his ancestors. He was pious, noble, prayerful, and deeply attached to Khilafat, serving the Jamaat actively in various capacities. He was extremely hard-working and hospitable.
In 1992, he had the honour of being imprisoned for a few days due to his faith. He recited the Quran and read writings of the Promised Messiahas and Khulafa with such love and beauty that listeners felt deeply moved. He had a beautiful voice. Upon his passing, even a staunch opponent [of the Jamaat] came to offer condolences, acknowledging his exceptional and pious character. He also said that he had never seen a person like him. During intense opposition in Kotri in 1992, he courageously stood against opponents of the Jamaat for his faith. Just one day before his demise, he attended an amila meeting, and paid his Chanda [alms]. On the day of his demise, he offered the Tahajjud prayers, recited the Holy Quran, offered the Fajr prayer, and passed away around 7:45 AM. Shahbaz Ahmad Sahib, former Qaid Hyderabad, describes him as deeply devoted, courageous, and passionate about preaching Islam.
He further says that the greatest quality he observed was that he offered acts of service for the Jamaat with such regularity as though they were his personal, everyday matters. This is the manner in which he served his faith. Shahbaz Sahib recalls an incident about the company Naveed Ashraf Sahib was working for. On one occasion, opposition of the Jamaat severely escalated, and clerics pressured the management to fire Ashraf Sahib from his job. The General Manager replied, “Leave aside the fact that he is an Ahmadi, Qadiani or Mirzai. Give me a single reason or flaw to justify his dismissal.” Unable to find any fault, the clerics withdrew, and he continued his employment. He is survived by his wife, three daughters, four sons, as well as several grandchildren. May Allah the Almighty bestow His forgiveness, show him mercy and elevate his status.
(Official Urdu transcript published in the Daily Al Fazl International, 25 April 2025, pp. 2-7. Translated by The Review of Religions.)
