Ata-ul-Haye Nasir, Al Hakam
In 2020 and 2021, Al Hakam published two articles about the early years of the Waqf-e-Jadid scheme, which covered the time of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra and Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh. Continuing the series, this article will present the history of Waqf-e-Jadid during the time of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh.
During his Friday Sermon on 31 December 1982, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh said that it was the sheer grace of Allah the Almighty that members of the Jamaat participated in the Waqf-e-Jadid scheme with an exceeding passion and a great spirit of sacrifice. This scheme was serving the Jamaat in an exceptional manner, and it was the duty of members of the Jamaat to fulfil its requirements. (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 1, p. 369)
During his Friday Sermon on 6 January 1984, Huzoorrh said:
“During the previous year [1983], God Almighty had showered immense blessings on all departments, anjumans, and auxiliary organisations, and the Jamaat has progressed in a notable manner. In the same way, Waqf-e-Jadid was also the recipient of Allah’s grace, and God Almighty has blessed its chandas [monetary collections] and works in an exceptional way.” (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 3, p. 1)
Huzoorrh further mentioned that there was an increase in the Waqf-e-Jadid collections compared to the previous year.
Huzoorrh continued by saying that there was a great need to increase the number of mu‘allimeen, since in some areas of Pakistan there was a great inclination towards Islam amongst the Hindus, and therefore, life devotees were required in huge numbers.
Huzoorrh commended the efforts and sacrifices of the life devotees who were already serving in those areas, and mentioned that there were more than 200 villages where Islam Ahmadiyyat had been established for the first time:
“The people of those areas used to worship the idols, however, they have now begun to worship the One God, and those who used to oppose the Holy Prophetsa, now utter the name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad Mustafasa with tearful eyes and send salutation on him. Hence, Waqf-e-Jadid has rendered a great service, and continues to do so.
“Therefore, in addition to the financial sacrifices, life devotees are also required. In the same way, such waqifeen-e-arzi are also needed who hold a certain talent, a passion to serve, and sympathy for the poor. Doctors and traders should visit those places to see how the people can be helped.” (Ibid, pp. 2-3)
During his Friday Sermon on 4 January 1985, Huzoorra said that Waqf-e-Jadid had brought about a huge revolution in many areas of Pakistan, and commended the efforts and devotion of the life devotees and mu‘allimeen, who were fulfilling their waqf (devotion) despite receiving a very small allowance. (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 4, p. 5)
During his Friday Sermon on 27 December 1985, Huzoorra said that in 1957, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra had established the Waqf-e-Jadid scheme to reform the youth of Pakistan’s rural areas:
“Therefore, when Huzoorra initiated this scheme, my humble self was also amongst the early members of Waqf-e-Jadid. […] The initial advice he granted to me, was firstly to pay attention to the tarbiyat [moral training] in the rural areas, and secondly to make particular efforts to carry out tabligh [preaching] to the Hindus. Anyhow, the first objective was to carry out tarbiyat in the rural areas, and second to convert the Hindus to Islam who were living in Pakistan.” (Ibid, pp. 1009-1010)
In regards to preaching the message of Islam to the Hindus, Huzoorrh said, when the early mu‘allimeen were sent, they found the Hindus a bit frightened of Islam and not ready to hear anything about Islam. However, with the continuous guidance and prayers of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, the efforts continued and finally, a time came when the same Hindus began to express their eagerness to learn about Islam. Their hatred towards Islam gradually faded away and they started to pay attention to the peaceful message of Islam, and hence, many accepted Islam. Then, many of those new converts devoted their lives to the cause of Islam and progressed in their sincerity in a wonderful way. (Ibid, pp. 1011-1012)
Huzoorrh continued by saying that before the launch of the Waqf-e-Jadid scheme, the Christian preachers were making great efforts to spread Christianity in those areas of Pakistan where Hindus resided in huge numbers, however, with the efforts of Waqf-e-Jadid, the Christian impact gradually faded away and Islam was spreading in those areas, by the sheer grace of Allah.
Huzoorrh continued by saying that “The ilm-e-kalam [argumentation] of the Promised Messiahas is so powerful and strong that the Christians could not compete with it.”
Huzoorrh further said that the Christian priests would hold huge gatherings in those areas, however, when an Ahmadi mu‘allim would ask theological questions, they could not answer them and walked away from those gatherings. As a result, the Christians began to close down their tabligh efforts in those areas. (Ibid, p. 1015)
While setting a target for the future, Huzoorrh said:
“Therefore, in addition to overpowering the [preaching] efforts of Christians in those areas, we are required to speed up our own progress as well. These are the objectives of Waqf-e-Jadid, which I wish to set for the coming few years.” (Ibid, p. 1016)
In regards to Waqf-e-Jadid’s progress in India, Huzoorrh said that Waqf-e-Jadid was also well established in India, and by the grace of Allah the Almighty, it was making very good progress. In Hyderabad Deccan and many places in Punjab, various new jamaats had been established with the efforts of Waqf-e-Jadid.
Huzoorrh further said that they should also pay attention towards preaching the message of Islam in those areas where the Shuddhi Movement had a great impact in the 1920s, however, its impact faded away as a result of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya’s tabligh efforts under Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’sra guidance.
Huzoorrh said that according to the latest report of a mu‘allim, the situation in those areas was deteriorating once again. Therefore, Huzoorrh called the attention of Waqf-e-Jadid India towards making preaching efforts in those areas as well. (Ibid, p. 1019)
Earlier, the scheme of Waqf-e-Jadid was limited to Pakistan and India only, however, during the above-mentioned Friday Sermon – on 27 December 1985 – Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh announced the establishment of this scheme internationally:
“From this year, I announce the expansion of the Waqf-e-Jadid scheme to the whole world, instead of limiting it to Pakistan and India alone.” (Ibid, p. 1020)
During his Friday Sermon on 2 January 1987, Huzoorrh said:
“During the previous year [1986] as well, by the grace of God, the worldwide [Ahmadiyya Muslim] Jamaat had the opportunity to leap forward in the financial, physical and spiritual sacrifices. In the same way, Jamaat has also made unprecedented progress in the field of Waqf-e-Jadid from every aspect, by the grace of Allah.” (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 6, p. 9)
Huzoorrh said that there was a huge increase in the Waqf-e-Jadid collections compared to the previous year, and the most pleasing fact was that the areas of Pakistan, where Ahmadiyyat’s opposition was at its peak, had made greater progress in their financial sacrifices.
Huzoorrh continued by saying that their sacrifices compelled us to remember them in our prayers, since they had proved through their morals, actions and sacrifices that they were the true servants of God and the Holy Prophetsa:
“Therefore, on the one hand, my heart is moved to remember them in my prayers, on the other hand, I wish to urge the jamaats of the rest of the world that they should remember their beloved oppressed brothers in their prayers. They are very brave and the lions of God.” (Ibid, p. 11)
During his Friday Sermon on 25 December 1987, Huzoorrh said:
“It is evident from the facts and figures of Waqf-e-Jadid that, by the grace of Allah the Almighty, this scheme has gone through many ups and downs, and currently it has reached such a level which clearly indicates that it is a fresh and flourishing branch of a living Jamaat and it cannot be harmed by the ill intentions [of the opponents]. That is, it has flourished and will continue to do so in all circumstances, and will leap forward, insha-Allah Ta’ala. […]
“As far as the efforts and services of Waqf-e-Jadid are concerned, this scheme is fulfilling its duties very nicely. Despite very severe circumstances, Allah the Almighty has enabled this anjuman [to serve the cause].” (Ibid, p. 873)
Huzoorrh further said that Waqf-e-Jadid was making good efforts to spread Islam in India, and said:
“Do not ever consider the scheme of Waqf-e-Jadid as an ordinary scheme, but rather, it has a deep connection with the spiritual future of India, and the jamaats of the whole world need to partake in this [financial sacrifice].” (Ibid, p. 883)
While advising Ahmadi parents, Huzoorrh said that they should urge their children to participate in the financial sacrifices under the Waqf-e-Jadid scheme. The main objective of this scheme is to carry out tarbiyat of the younger generation and to create a living relationship with God. (Ibid, p. 884)
During his Friday Sermon on 4 January 1991, Huzoorrh said that Allah the Almighty had granted unprecedented progress to the Waqf-e-Jadid scheme, and it had been at the forefront in terms of achieving the bai’ats as well.
Huzoorrh said that in the area of Thar, Pakistan, Waqf-e-Jadid had served in an exceptional manner, where the Hindu community was in huge numbers, and the Christians were also making great efforts to propagate Christianity there:
“Had the Waqf-e-Jadid scheme not been initiated, and had Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya not been able to serve in the area of Thar, it was quite nigh that Christianity would have spread there rapidly.” (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 10, p. 2)
During his Friday Sermon on 27 December 1991, Huzoorrh said:
“Currently, the fields that are in front of us [to make efforts], also include some new countries [with respect to the establishment of Ahmadiyyat there], which are apparently related to Tahrik-e-Jadid, however, the nature of the task relates to Waqf-e-Jadid.
“For instance, wherever our missionaries have reached in Sikkim, Bhutan, and Nepal, they have found [among the people of] those lands a thirst and desire to be [spiritually] nourished as well. […] Therefore, the efforts which have been made thus far, through our mu‘allimeen, who have been trained in a simple manner, have produced very good results, which are more than what we had expected.” (Ibid, pp. 1000-1001)
During his Friday Sermon on 25 December 1992, Huzoorrh said that it was a great blessing of Allah the Almighty that the scheme, which was limited to Pakistan, India and Bangladesh during its early years, had now become an international scheme, and members of the Jamaat had the opportunity to eagerly and positively respond to this call with great love and sincerity:
“This aspect of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya is such a great proof of the Promised Messiah’sas truthfulness, that the world can never efface this great and distinctive feature, even if the whole world exerts all its efforts.” (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 11, p. 919)
Commending the Jamaat’s spirit of financial sacrifice, Huzoorrh said:
The members of the Jamaat have “maintained this practice with an amazing sincerity, and with every new year, the level of their spirit of financial sacrifices increases, instead of regressing. Such a miracle cannot be manifested by anyone in this world, other than by a truthful person who is God’s chosen one. I ask all the powers of the world to put their heads together, and show us if there is any other community which has a spirit of financial sacrifice similar to the Jamaat of the Promised Messiahas.” (Ibid, p. 920)
During his Friday Sermon on 6 January 1995, Huzoorrh said that the Waqf-e-Jadid scheme had been initiated by Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra under divine guidance, and Huzoorra had such great passion for this scheme that he once expressed that even if the Jamaat did not participate in this scheme, he would himself contribute to this cause even if he had to sell his properties:
“Therefore, later on, the blessings which God Almighty has granted to Waqf-e-Jadid, manifest that this scheme of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra was a heavenly scheme, and the passion which he had [toward the scheme] had been instilled by Allah. It was that heavenly passion, which began to transmit into the hearts of the whole Jamaat, and now this scheme has been consolidated to a great extent, by the grace of God Almighty.” (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 14, p. 2)
During his Friday Sermon on 2 January 1998, Huzoorrh said:
“From now onwards, in every jamaat, there should be a separate Secretary Waqf-e-Jadid dedicated to the new converts, responsible for dealing with them particularly. Any increase in the number of Waqf-e-Jadid participants should also include the new converts, and even if someone gives one anna (1/16 of a rupee), it should be accepted. […] Therefore, from today, every jamaat should appoint a Secretary Waqf-e-Jadid for Nau-Mubai’een.” (Al Fazl International, 20-26 February 1998, p. 8)
Towards the end, Huzoorrh said:
“Waqf-e-Jadid should be utilised to take care of the future generations, and the number of Waqf-e-Jadid participants should be increased; no matter if one offers a very small sacrifice, they must be included. Alhamdulillah, the Jamaat is [already] paying attention to this.” (Ibid, p. 9)
During his Friday Sermon on 5 January 2001, Huzoorrh once again called the attention of the Jamaat towards increasing the number of Waqf-e-Jadid participants, particularly from the new converts. (Al Fazl International, 9-15 February 2001, p. 6)
During the year 2002, the total collection of Waqf-e-Jadid chanda – by 31 December – was £1.52 million. (Silsila-e-Ahmadiyya, Vol. 4, p. 546)
In short, during the time of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh, the Waqf-e-Jadid scheme continued to strengthen, and the Jamaat made extraordinary progress through it.
Today, as we are living in the blessed time of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa, this scheme is continuing to flourish and playing its role more than ever before. The worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat is reaping its great fruits and will continue to do so. Insha-Allah!
By the grace of Allah the Almighty, during the 64th year of Waqf-e-Jadid (2021), members of the Jamaat were able to sacrifice a total of £11.27 million. Alhamdulillah.
(We will insha-Allah publish an article next year that will present the history and progress of Waqf-e-Jadid during the blessed era of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa.)
