The day of 17 March 1925, holds a significant place in the history of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat, as it marks a momentous occasion when Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] inaugurated a school dedicated to the education of women in the sacred and blessed abode of the Promised Messiahas – a town about which God Almighty vouchsafed numerous glad tidings.
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud[ra] has repeatedly expressed his deep concern for the education of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat’s women on various occasions. It is this very concern and commitment that led him to formally establish a structured institution for women’s education.
Fortunate indeed are the women who have been granted the honour of admission to this school, as they shall, God willing, serve as the foundation for the educational advancement of the female members of our Jamaat. May Allah bless their determination and grant them steadfastness in their resolve so that they may fulfil the grand aspirations and noble objectives that the Khalifa envisions for the education of women – objectives that, by the will of Allah, shall one day be fully realised.
The inauguration of this school at the Markaz [centre] of the Jamaat, along with the special efforts and diligence of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] in this regard, serves as a compelling model for the entire Ahmadiyya Community to focus on the cause of women’s education without any delay or negligence. As evident from the announcement by the Nazir Talim-o-Tarbiyat [Head of Education and Edification], published in the very newspaper [Al Fazl], those outside the centre who wish to contribute to this cause shall receive full support and encouragement in their endeavours.
Therefore, it is incumbent upon all responsible members of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat to promptly turn their attention to this matter and recognise the crucial importance of women’s education. To better appreciate this necessity, they should carefully read the following address delivered by the Khalifa on the occasion of inaugurating the Ahmadi Women’s Training School at the markaz of the Jamaat on 17 March after Zuhr prayer. On this occasion, Huzoor[ra] had also invited the heads of various departments and other responsible office-bearers. The women were seated inside the room behind a veil, while the men remained outside. […]
[The summary of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II’sra address is as follows:
The issue of education is of such fundamental importance that, as far as we can observe, human beings have been concerned with it since the very beginning of history. The very first act of divine grace bestowed upon humanity after its creation was the teaching of knowledge, as indicated in the Quranic verse: عَلَّمَ آدَمَ الْأَسْمَاءَ کُلَّھَا (“And He taught Adam all the names”). This signifies that Adam was granted all the necessary knowledge required at the time.
This also implies that all forms of knowledge originated through divine revelation, and the very first foundation laid after human creation was that of knowledge. God Himself laid the foundation of knowledge and entrusted its advancement to humankind. Just as He created the first fire, after which its preservation and use were entrusted to human beings. Similarly, all things were initiated by God, and their further development was placed in human hands. The same principle applies to knowledge.
At the same time, history also reveals that there have always been individuals who fail to appreciate the value of knowledge. Such individuals have existed since the earliest times and are symbolically referred to as Iblis – one who is engulfed in despair. In reality, hope is the driving force behind the pursuit and progress of knowledge. A person who harbours hope will strive to acquire knowledge, whereas one who loses hope will remain ignorant. The very essence of Iblis is his refusal to seek knowledge; he believed that whatever could be attained had already been given to him, and whatever he had not received was unattainable to anyone. In other words, he lost hope.
Concerning Iblis, God states: أَبَىٰ وَاسْتَکْبَرَ وَکَانَ مِنَ الْکَافِرِیْنَ (“He refused and was too proud and he was of the disbelievers”). That is, he chose not to engage in the effort of acquiring knowledge. Furthermore, istikbar also means perceiving something to be so great (that it is beyond one’s reach). Iblis deemed it impossible to acquire the knowledge being offered, dismissing it as mere deception. Consequently, he refused to become a student of Adam. This rejection of knowledge led to his deprivation, and as a result, he was disgraced, while Adam, who embraced knowledge, established a dominant lineage.
Thus, from the very beginning, human dignity and progress have been linked to emulating Adam – that is, acquiring knowledge – while despairing of knowledge is akin to becoming Iblis. It follows, then, that the pursuit of knowledge is essential for every human being.
It is, therefore, the duty of every Muslim to seek knowledge and to strive for its dissemination. Just as the term “Muslim” addresses men, it also includes women. However, it is God’s law that prophets are always sent to the most unenlightened nations so that He may demonstrate how He elevates the fallen. In accordance with this divine principle, the Promised Messiahas was sent to India – a nation that, at the time, was in a state of severe decline in terms of civilisation, politics, and education – so that from this very land, a Community of people might emerge who would become teachers to the world.
Now, it is imperative that women turn their attention to this cause. It is with this objective in mind that this school has been established and is being inaugurated today. Initially, there may be limited interest in it, as is the case with any new initiative. However, one should not be discouraged by the humble beginnings. Growth will come in due time, and such remarkable progress will be achieved that its extent cannot even be imagined at present, for it will be a manifestation of divine grace. And no one can foresee the magnitude of God’s blessings even a minute before they descend.
Huzoorra said:
“With this hope and this appeal for women to work with determination and perseverance, I hereby inaugurate this school.”]
At the conclusion, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] led everyone in a long and heartfelt silent prayer. Following this, Syed Zain-ul-Abideen Waliullah Shah Sahib[ra] delivered the first Arabic lesson while the principles of purdah were fully taken care of. After him, Maulvi Sher Ali Sahib[ra] taught English, and then Huzoor[ra] provided general knowledge on geography.
The female students, who numbered 13, were seated in a separate room, separated by a curtain. For the present, Huzoor[ra] appointed the following companions as teachers for the school:
- Maulvi Sher Ali Sahib[ra] – Teacher of English
- Syed Zain-ul-Abideen Waliullah Shah Sahib[ra] – Teacher of Arabic
- Master Muhammad Tufail Sahib – Teacher of History and Geography (However, as Master Sahib was occupied with exams at the time, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] personally taught his subject.)
(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu, published in the 21 March 1925 issue of Al Fazl)