On 4 April 2021, 57 Arab Ahmadi converts in Germany had the opportunity to meet and converse with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa through a virtual meeting. These Ahmadis originated from Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Algeria and Morocco.
The meeting started with a recitation from the Holy Quran by an Arab convert. This was followed by a report given by Hafeezullah Bharwana Sahib, Head of the Arabic desk in Germany, in which he highlighted that preaching activities to Arabs in Germany were underway throughout the year. More than 400 Arabs in Germany have accepted Islam Ahmadiyyat and joined the Jamaat. The Arabic desk in Germany makes efforts to actively include the converts into the system of the Jamaat through the local sadrs and local missionaries.
A total of 70 tabligh events and meetings took place online throughout the pandemic and there is an active 24-hour hotline that receives constant questions from non-Ahmadis. Tabligh in Arabic has also taken place through social media and the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat reached almost half a million in the last year through it. During the last year, seven Arabs converted to Ahmadiyyat, despite lockdown restrictions. Arab Ahmadis in Germany are actively spreading the message of Ahmadiyyat too and various educational classes take place for new converts.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said he would speak to every member present so they could introduce themselves.
Muhammad Qayal Sahib was first to introduce himself. He said he was from Damascus, Syria and performed bai‘at in 2007. Huzooraa asked whether he had children and if his wife and children were Ahmadis. Muhammad Qayal Sahib said he had three children and they were Ahmadis but his wife was not. In response, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:
“Show good morals to your wife so that she becomes Ahmadi too, insha-Allah. Treat your wife in an excellent manner. This helps a lot. She will convert upon experiencing your good treatment.”
Muhammad Waleed Filyun Sahib, who converted in 2016, introduced himself. Huzooraa remarked he had met him before and asked why he had converted and whether his family had seen any positive change in him after his conversion. Waleed Sahib said he converted because “Ahmadiyyat is the true Islam” and his family “certainly sees the change every day”. Waleed Sahib said he was also spreading the message of Ahmadiyyat and was an imam in Syria and had published some books too.
Another Arab Ahmadi, who converted in 2010, Muhammad Ali Azad Sahib, introduced himself next. Huzooraa noted his name was very “Hindustani” and asked if other members of his family had converted. Muhammad Ali Sahib said only his brother and wife had converted. Huzooraa then asked if he had children, to which he said he had four children and one of them was a waqif-e-nau. At this Huzooraa remarked:
“Then your children are Ahmadi too”.
A young Palestinian-Syrian convert, Akram Salam Sahib, who converted in 2014, introduced himself. Seeing him, Huzooraa said that he and his (twin) brother would always be present at Huzoor’s tours in Germany and they would see him off too. With a smile, Huzooraa said, “However, back then, they did not have beards, but now they do.” Bharwana Sahib told Huzooraa the brothers were very active in tabligh and led projects too. Huzooraa confirmed this and said, “Yes, masha-Allah, they are quite active.”
Muhammad Salman Sahib, the second brother, spoke next and told Huzooraa his current educational endeavours at university. Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa asked how old the brothers were, to which he was told they were 27. With a smile, Huzooraa said he asked their aged as they should now get married too. Muhammad Salman Sahib asked Huzooraa to pray so that their non-Ahmadi sister also accepted Islam Ahmadiyyat.
Another young Syrian convert, Anas al-Lababidi Sahib spoke to Huzooraa. He told Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa he accepted Ahmadiyyat in 2011, to which Huzooraa said, “It has almost been 10 years; you are a firm Ahmadi.”
Sami Khalid Sabbagh Sahib from Syria, who is in year 11 at school, introduced himself next and said he converted in 2019. Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa asked how and why he converted. Sami Sahib said, “I did bai‘at after a lot of study and research about the Jamaat and I also saw a dream [in support of the Jamaat] that I wrote to Huzooraa too […]”, after which his bai‘at was accepted.
Fowad Nazal Sahib from Syria was next. Talking about his conversion, he said he accepted Islam Ahmadiyyat a few years ago after a lot of research. He said he spent day and night in preaching and had given the message of the Promised Messiahas to every single family member. Through his preaching, his wife and brother have accepted Ahmadiyyat and also his parents and other family members, who are in Syria, accepted Ahmadiyyat seven months ago. He said his cousin was about to do bai‘at too in a few weeks. Hearing this, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said, “Masha-Allah […] So he is acting on the teaching of the Holy Quran, to preach to family members first.”
A Palestinian-Syrian convert, Mahir Ma‘ani, who converted in 2005, spoke next. Huzooraa said that he had been an Ahmadi for a long time and asked whether his family had also converted. Mahir Sahib said his wider family, who are Salafi, had actually boycotted him; nevertheless, his new family were members of the Jamaat. His wife and children had accepted Ahmadiyyat though.
Sabbagh Sahib, the father of Sami Khalid Sabbagh Sahib, introduced himself. He said his son had converted and he was bringing up his other two young children to accept Ahmadiyyat. He said his wife hadn’t converted yet, to which Huzooraa advised him to show good morals to his wife and to be loving.
Abdur Rahman Badr Sahib, a Yemeni convert who has been an Ahmadi for 26 years, asked Huzooraa for prayers for the Ahmadis living in Yemen, to which Huzooraa prayed that may Allah bless them too.
Abdur Rahman Sahib from Algeria who converted 25 years ago, told Huzooraa the good news that his Italian wife, who was not a Muslim, had accepted Islam Ahmadiyya.
A young born-Ahmadi, the son of Abdur Rahman Sahib, introduced himself and told Huzooraa he currently studied at university. Huzooraa asked what he studied to which he said he was studying nutrition and exercise science. To this, Huzooraa,smiling, said, “Masha-Allah, so make people healthy”.
A 24-year-old Syrian Ahmadi convert, Ayman Sahib told Huzooraa he had met him on Jalsa Salana a few years ago and requested Huzooraa for prayers for his studies and work back then. He said by Allah’s grace, he had now acquired a place to study medicine and had begun his studies.
A Syrian Ahmadi who was a born-Ahmadi introduced himself and said he worked as a journalist. Huzooraa advised him to do Jamaat work too with relation to journalism, to which he said he had written in the past for Al-Taqwa – the Arabic magazine of the Jamaat – but now focused on politics and had a website etc. Huzooraa smiled and said, “Okay, then you can excel in politics.”
Addressing a Palestinian-Syrian Ahmadi, who converted in 2016 and whose wife had not converted, Huzooraa said, “Lovingly tell her about Ahmadiyyat; she will convert, insha-Allah”.
Lu‘ai Sakar Sahib, who converted almost a year ago, spoke to Huzooraa and said he was studying to become a professional hairdresser. Huzooraa lovingly remarked, “You probably cut people’s hair in a very fashionable way.” Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa also asked how he converted. Sakar Sahib said his Ahmadi friend would discuss Ahmadiyyat a lot with him and so he did his own research and found Islam Ahmadiyyat to be true.
Muhammad al-Hamood Sahib, a convert who converted moments before the mulaqat, introduced himself. Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa asked whether his wife knew he had converted and if she was fine with it, to which he said she did and wasn’t happy about it. Huzooraa said he should lovingly tell her about Ahmadiyyat. Huzooraa also asked why he converted. Hamood Sahib said he was very impressed by the morals of his Ahmadi friends, read more about Ahmadiyyat on Facebook and searched YouTube too, after which Allah the Almighty guided him. Commenting on this, Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa said:
“Let it not be, however, that seeing the bad morals of an Ahmadi, you begin to say Ahmadiyyat is not true. You should have full certainty and belief that the Promised Messiahas is that very Messiah and Mahdi who the Holy Prophetsa had prophesied about – strengthen this belief within yourself.”
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa further said:
“Because, if you see an Ahmadi with bad morals, you should show him your own good morals and not think that maybe the teachings of Ahmadiyyat, the morals they have, are just for show. In reality, the teachings that an Ahmadi possesses are the true teachings of Islam and every Ahmadi should abide by them, whether they are old or new.”
Muhammad Hamood Sahib said he truly believed the Promised Messiahas to be the Messiah and Mahdi, and asked for Huzoor’s prayers to stand by this belief.
Another convert, who accepted Ahmadiyyat while living in Spain, asked Huzooraa for prayers so that he was able to speak Urdu, as his wife was also Urdu speaking. Huzooraa affectionately spoke to him in some Urdu and prayed for him to be able to speak and understand Urdu.
While speaking with an elderly Ahmadi gentleman, Huzooraa asked what he did back in Syria. The gentleman said he served in the navy, to which Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa smiled and remarked “that is why you are also wearing a navy coloured jacket with stripes.” The gentlemen enjoyed Huzoor’s comment.
Advising a young convert, Huzooraa said he should get married as one should marry when they have a stable job and are established.
While advising another convert who married an Ahmadi girl, Huzooraa said to increase his belief and faith in Ahmadiyyat too as merely marrying an Ahmadi is of no use.
Nabil Tantoush Sahib, who is originally from Palestine and converted prior to the mulaqat, introduced himself. Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa asked why he converted and whether he did adequate research into Ahmadiyyat before converting. Nabeel Sahib said he believed everything the Promised Messiahas had said to be true and truly believed him to be the Promised Messiah and Mahdi as foretold by the Holy Prophetsa.
Speaking with a gentleman who had not converted to Ahmadiyyat but was still studying and researching about it, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa advised:
“[…] Do deep research, understand everything, read deeply – there is no need to be in a rush when it comes to performing bai‘at.”
At this, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa was told everyone had introduced themselves and after conveying salaam to everyone, Huzooraa closed the meeting.
(Report prepared by Al Hakam)