50 Arab Ahmadi men living in Canada had the opportunity to meet Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa through a virtual mulaqat on 11 December 2021.
After conveying his salaam, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa invited Muhammad Khair Sahib to recite a portion from the Holy Quran, after which Yasin Dalal Sahib recited a qasidah of the Promised Messiahas.
Huzooraa then called Musleh Shanbur Sahib, a Palestinian missionary serving in Canada, to present a report of the activities of Arab Ahmadis in Canada. Musleh Sahib reported that since 2015, many Arab Ahmadis had begun relocating to Canada – prior to that, only a few Arab Ahmadis lived in Canada. The total Arab Ahmadi population of Canada is currently 333 – out of these, 93 are ansar, 77 khuddam, 45 atfal, 94 Lajna members, 51 nasirat and 33 children who were below seven. Musleh Sahib reported most Ahmadi families lived in and around Toronto.
He said that on the instructions of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa, to take care of Arab Ahmadis living in Canada, the Arabic Desk Canada was formed in 2013. Another initiative started by Huzooraa was that every year, since 2011, representatives from the Central Arabic Desk in the UK would visit Arab Ahmadis living in Canada. This year, Tahir Nadeem Sahib from the Central Arab Desk UK visited Canada and met with almost all Arab Ahmadi families. During his visit, two Arabs accepted Islam Ahmadiyyat.
The Arabic Desk in Canada has made a target of achieving 10 bai‘ats during the Jamaat year, three of which have already been completed. Musleh Sahib reported that 25 ansar and 25 khuddam were present in the meeting with Huzooraa and they were thankful to Allah the Almighty for giving them the opportunity to meet Huzooraa and thanked Huzooraa for allowing the meeting.
Hearing the report, Huzooraa said “Jazakallah Shanbur Sahib. Now, what do the brothers say?”
At this, the Arab Ahmadis had the opportunity to ask any questions they had to Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa.
Rafe Zindafi Sahib was the first to ask a question. He asked whether two Ahmadis who were in dispute over a matter should go to the court of the country or to dar-ul-qaza within the Jamaat.
Huzooraa said it should always be kept in mind that the dar-ul-qaza of the Jamaat would always serve as a mediator and act within the law of the land. Huzooraa said:
“In the Jamaat, the system of qaza was established so that if there was any dispute or quarrel between two Ahmadis, the problem was resolved through the qaza.”
Huzooraa said it was not necessarily true that every qazi (judge) made the correct decision on every occasion. Therefore, there are many stages in the qaza of the Jamaat and at every stage, people listen – sometimes one judge, two, three or, at times, five – so that any errors in judgment could be found and corrected immediately.
The system of qaza was established to deal with disputes between Ahmadis internally. “This is better”, Huzooraa said. The aim of qaza is to sit together and deal with the problem amongst Ahmadis. Huzooraa referred to the Holy Quran which counselled to have two just arbiters during marital problems, who then sat with the families involved and resolved the disputes. The qaza system of the Jamaat aimed to do the same.
Huzooraa said some matters, however, were not within the confines of qaza – it was a meditator that acted within the jurisdiction of the law of the land. Disputes between a couple etc. and matters of a similar nature could be dealt with by qaza, but other laws of the government such as some business or banking laws could not be overruled by qaza. The government allows mediators, but the mediators have laws within which they are allowed to operate.
Huzooraa said if one party went to a court other than the qaza to settle a dispute, then the qaza would not deal with their matter as they had decided to take it elsewhere.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:
“The way to establish the example of brotherhood and one Jamaat is this – we sit together and resolve our issues ourselves. Certainly, if the country’s law does not permit to have certain issues resolved [through a mediator], they should follow the law of the land.”
Huzooraa said some Ahmadis would first decide to go to the country’s courts for their disputes and when the decision would be against them, they would go to qaza and say “give us our rights according to the Shariah”. Others gained their rights from the country’s law and then also came to qaza and said they wanted their rights according to the Shariah as well.
Huzooraa replied, “This is wrong. It is greed.” Huzooraa said it was better to resolve disputes between ourselves.
Speaking about the decisions made by qaza, Huzooraa said:
“Sometimes, in qaza, the qazi [judge] doesn’t understand the matter properly and makes a wrong decision.” Huzooraa gave the example of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, who said that someone who was able to speak better and more convincingly and as a result, had the Prophetsa make a decision in their favour. It was not the fault of the Prophetsa. The person deceiving and achieving a decision in their favour – while usurping someone’s rights – would be “filling their stomach with fire”.
“Thus, one should always keep in mind that wrong decisions can be made. This is why there are different stages in qaza too. And the requirement to establish love and brotherhood amongst each other is that we collectively deal with issues ourselves.”
The next question was by Abdul Qadir Aabideen Sahib who asked how Ahmadis, without being hypocrites, could show love and humanity to those who opposed the Jamaat and Ahmadi views.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa stressed that the question was misguided as showing humanity and love to others, even to those who opposed Ahmadi views, could not be hypocrisy at all. “Our very purpose is to serve humanity” and, in fact, to serve all of Allah’s creation, Huzooraa said.
Huzooraa said Allah had commanded to keep a close connection with family members. “Nowhere did He say to only keep a connection with those family relations who shared your faith and not with those who did not share your faith.” Huzooraa said Allah had commanded to keep a close connection, be good towards and take care of parents, even if they disagreed with one’s religion. If the parents opposed Allah’s religion, their opinion and views could not be followed; however, one should still be good and very caring towards them.
Huzooraa said this was the lesson given by Allah – without any kind of hypocrisy in religion, a believer should be close to others and good towards them.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:
“[…] we say we are to love everyone and we should have humanity within our heart […] The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, was called ‘A mercy for all peoples’. He was not just ‘A mercy for Muslims’ or only for Ahmadi Muslims.”
Huzooraa stressed that Allah was the Gracious and Merciful and the Holy Prophetsa was called a mercy for all peoples, and every believer should manifest these attributes.
Huzooraa said we should be good and moral towards everyone and in matters of religion, we could differ; however, this difference should not affect our humanity.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:
“The Promised Messiah, peace be on him, said that if he found one of his friends, who he had a connection with, drunk and fallen in a gutter, he would take him home and help him. And when he would gain consciousness, he would quietly allow him to leave the house.
“This is not hypocrisy; it is service to humanity which is our purpose. Always remember, it is incumbent on a believer to recognise and respect human values. When you honour human values, you will not have hypocrisy. You will be serving humanity with a pure heart.”
Bilal al-Jasim Sahib asked how Hazrat Gabrielas would manifest before the Holy Prophetsa and how revelation would descend on the Prophetsa.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa went through the first revelation the Holy Prophetsa received, which the Archangel Gabrielas gave to him. Huzooraa said that as Hazrat Gabrielas squeezed the Prophetsa during the first revelation, it showed that his manifestation was a physical one. At other occasions, it is mentioned in the ahadith that Hazrat Gabrielas would come in the form of a man and ask questions to the Holy Prophetsa and other companions would see and listen to him too. However, when he would leave and the companions would go outside to see, there would be no one to be seen.
“Then, there are lots of narrations of Hazrat Aishara and other companions that when the Holy Prophetsa would receive revelations, his body would suddenly get heavy as if several tons had been placed on him or he would begin to sweat and revelations would descend during that time. The companions, in such instances, would not see Gabrielas.” The Holy Prophetsa would later tell the companions that he received a revelation through Gabrielas.
Huzooraa said there were different ways through which the Holy Prophetsa would receive revelations.
Rakan al-Misri Sahib said there had recently been huge political, economic and social changes in the world that had negatively affected both developed and developing nations all across the earth. He asked how long the current condition of the world would last and whether we had reached the darkest of ages or if there was to come an even worse stage for the world.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa said this condition had started 130 years ago when Allah – according to His promise – sent the Promised Messiah and Mahdias. This age was also foretold by the Holy Prophetsa who gave glad tidings to true believers who accepted the Promised Messiah and Mahdi that they would be saved from such conditions.
Huzooraa said that the detrimental conditions of the world continued today. However, at the same time, Allah gave lots of prophecies to the Promised Messiahas, some of which were fulfilled and others that have not yet been fulfilled.
Huzooraa continued:
“The majority of the world has forgotten Allah the Almighty, and when it has forgotten Allah, then beseeching Allah is out of the question. They desire to beg the world instead. A politician believes his strength is the public; he doesn’t believe God to be his strength because [the public] is to give him votes. In the same vein, a businessman thinks his strength is to convince the public in some way or another – whether unjustly and by spreading corruption, or through proper means – whether through good or bad, as they say in English, ‘By hook or by crook. We are to achieve our purpose’. When these things are given birth to, then the logical consequences are manifesting.
“However, with this, we have the hope that as Allah has given the promise to the Promised Messiahas, if we continue to fulfil our responsibilities with sincerity, be firm in our faith […] then, insha-Allah, these prophecies will be fulfilled in our time too.”
Huzooraa said these prophecies could be fulfilled in a short period of time and would not be like the long era of waiting (for prophecies to be fulfilled) experienced by the people of Mosesas.
Huzooraa said:
“And we will see that slowly, the world will come back to its Creator and believe in Him.
“For this reason, I am not unhopeful, so long as Ahmadis transform themselves and fulfil their rights – we ought to fulfil the rights that God Almighty has on us and we should fulfil the rights that humanity has on us. I constantly stress this. If we fulfil these two rights – and it is these very rights that the Promised Messiahas said he had come to establish, which are according to Islamic teachings, then we will see ourselves exiting this crisis swiftly. Otherwise, a long time will pass.
“However, a time will come when we will pass through this crisis and there will be a peak of Ahmadiyyat, insha-Allah. And then, after that, there will come a time again which will be close to Judgement Day. Though we are currently going through that age according to the Promised Messiahas – the last 1,000 years – an age of success for Islam will come before and that will, insha-Allah, arrive. However, whether we are to see that era in our lifetimes or our generations, this Allah knows better – we cannot say anything about this.”
Abdul Hakim al-Khalid Sahib asked how we could get our prayers accepted by Allah. Abdul Hakim Sahib expressed that when a matter arose, he would pray himself, but when he would write a letter to Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa for prayers on the matter, before the letter even reached Huzooraa, his prayers would often be accepted and the matter resolved.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa responded by saying:
“This is Allah the Almighty’s grace that in order to strengthen your faith, He resolves your matters as a result of writing a letter to Khalifatul Masihaa. This is His grace.
“Now, what is left concerns us – how should we pray? Regarding this, always remember that Allah has said یُؤْمِنُوْا بِىْ – ‘Perfect your belief in Me’. We should look at our level of belief.”
The Promised Messiahas said that Allah told him that He accepted the prayers of one who was muztar – helpless. “Therefore, one must develop the condition of a muztar – desperation and helplessness is needed [for the acceptance of prayers].”
Prayers are not accepted when praying without fervour and anguish or if one only prayed when an issue arises and after it gets resolved, Allah is abandoned. Huzooraa said the five daily prayers and other voluntary prayers, nawafil, should be offered with fervour and utmost humility.
Huzooraa said that if one had a strong belief in Allah, prayed with anguish during their prayers and also vowed to Allah that they would not falter in their faith and level of prayers even if their prayer was accepted, then often Allah accepted prayers. However, Allah did not have to accept every single prayer, Huzooraa noted. Even prayers of prophets were sometimes accepted and at other times, they were not.
“This is an atmosphere of friendship”, Huzooraa said. “Sometimes, you listen, sometimes, you don’t. This is the concept of prayer that the Promised Messiahas explained.”
Huzooraa said that in the ahadith, it was said that prayer was the kernel of Salat. “Prayer actually takes place in Namaz. For this reason, one should offer their Namazassiduously. If we offer our five daily prayers assiduously and include nawafil, then this becomes the best means [for the acceptance of prayer]. And then, vow that this will not be temporary.”
Outlining how a believer should not abandon Allah after their prayers were accepted, Huzooraa gave the example of an Urdu proverb:
فصلى بٹیرے
“Seasonal quails”, (which is roughly close in meaning to “fair-weather friends” in English).
Explaining the proverb, Huzooraa said that when there were crops, quails would arrive to eat; however, when the crops finished, they would fly off. Huzooraa said:
“So it should not be that when we are in need, we arrive before Allah and begin to pray and when our issue is resolved, we forget [Allah] and get engrossed in materialism again.
“Consistency is needed for prayer as well, and sheer humility and perfection in belief is needed.”
Muhammad Khair Sahib asked how Ahmadi parents could protect their children from the negative effects of modern-day ills they learned at schools.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said he had addressed this issue on many occasions.
“For this, both the mother and father will have to make sacrifices. Are you ready for sacrifice? Having children alone is no great achievement – this is Allah’s the Almighty’s grace that He gave you children.”
Huzooraa said Allah had put certain responsibilities on parents towards their children which they were to fulfil. These duties and responsibilities, Huzooraa said, were to “develop a friendship with your children. From childhood, the child should know that ‘my mother is my friend and I can share everything with her.’ They should know that ‘my father is not strict. He doesn’t look at me with anger. He does not tell me off and hit me; rather, he is my friend’. As a result, the child shares everything with their father. Especially when children reach 12, 13, 14 years of age, they begin to fear their fathers more and distance themselves. At that time, fathers should bring their children close and befriend them.
Huzooraa said parents should have discussions with their children on modern-day matters they hear about. Giving an example, Huzooraa said that it should not be the case that if someone’s child came home and told them about a lecture they heard at school about homosexuality, that the parent scolded them and told them off for talking about such matters.
Huzooraa said if children asked about matters like homosexuality at very young ages; for example, six or eight years old, parents should tell them that when they reached 10 or 11, they would discuss the matter with them and give the Islamic view.
“You will have to tell children about these issues and discuss them if they ask questions. However, if you scare them off, then those children will say, ‘Well, my father doesn’t have an answer, neither does my mother, therefore what we are doing outside is okay. My parents are ignorant and uneducated’.
“For this reason, you will have to acquaint yourselves with this new environment. You will need to know everything yourselves too. You have to leave that [old] mentality. Now that this age has changed, to save our new generations, we will have to acquire new insights”.
Huzooraa said children should be taught the benefits of keeping away from modern-day ills and how Allah blessed and rewarded those who did so. In this way, they should be taught the negative aspects of an immoral deed and also the positive results of avoiding such a deed. This could happen by telling children accounts and stories of those who were blessed by Allah.
With regard to the use of the Internet and TV, Huzooraa said children should be allowed, to a certain extent, to watch educational programmes. Huzooraa said:
“The Internet should not be banned for them completely”; rather, children should be given permission to watch those programmes that were beneficial for them and permissible according to faith in terms of gaining knowledge and education.
Following these guidelines, “Most children can be saved”, Huzooraa said.
Aqeel al-Khameesi Sahib was next to ask a question. After Huzooraa heard him speaking in Urdu, he asked Aqeel Sahib where he had learned Urdu. Aqeel Sahib said he was studying in Jamia Ahmadiyya Canada. Huzooraa said, “You have learned Urdu well.”
Aqeel Sahib asked Huzooraa what the reason for the destruction of Arab countries was. Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa said:
“What is the reason? The reason still exists today – abandoning God, the One and Unique, while a person makes big powers their gods […] Allah the Almighty’s hand is then lifted from them.”
Huzooraa said this was the condition with the kings of Saudi Arabia to the leaders and kings of smaller Arab states. In such a case, one does not act according to the commandments of Allah and they begin to unjustly benefit from the wealth they get. Huzooraa said such people did not heed the lesson from the Holy Quran that such wealth leads to the destruction of nations. Despite having wealth, what have these countries done for serving Islam, Huzooraa asked.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa said:
“Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya is a small Jamaat which is working to preach and spread the Holy Quran in the world by collecting chanda.”
Huzooraa said the monthly governmental expenditure of even small Muslim countries surpassed the annual budget of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya. “But what services are they rendering for the Holy Quran?”
Such countries merely opposed the Ahmadiyya Jamaat and issued edicts of kufr on the Promised Messiahas.
When such a condition arose where people moved away from religion, took worldly people as their gods, started innovations in the name of the true God and falsely interpreted His religion, without fulfilling the rights of God or people, “then the logical consequence is what is happening now”, Huzooraa said.
Huzooraa said that when these countries would begin to truly believe in Allah and act on His commandments, they would begin to excel.
Talking about the possible collective strength and influence of Muslim countries, Huzooraa noted:
“This is no small power in the world; there are 54 Muslim countries. They can achieve a lot. But falling into sectarianism or materialism, we have created rifts amongst each other. And this was in the hadith of the Holy Prophetsa that ‘when this discord develops amongst you [Muslims], your success will stop. It will be destruction. And when the person comes to amend it, attach yourself to him and you will be saved – if you do not stand by him, you will not be saved.”
Ahmad Darwesh Sahib came to the microphone to speak next. In his expression of love on seeing Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa, Darwesh Sahib echoed the words of a female companion of the Holy Prophetsa who said that if the Prophetsa was well, then:
بعدہ كل مصیبۃ جلل
Meaning, “After this, all difficulties are easy.” Darwesh Sahib said that after seeing Huzooraa, certainly ‘all difficulties became easy’.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa asked if it was Darwesh Sahib who had come to see him when he visited Calgary. To this, Darwesh Sahib smiled and said that it was indeed him.
Darwesh Sahib asked why the Jamaat did not pay more attention to Prophet Jesus’as death and the existence of his tomb so that the Promised Messiah’sas advent to “break the cross” became manifest.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said that certainly “breaking the cross” was a purpose of the Promised Messiah’sas advent; however, another great purpose of his advent was to prove the oneness and the existence of God Almighty. Huzooraa said that today, most Christians had become atheists or were not practising anyway.
Secondly, the Jamaat did talk about the Promised Messiah’s breaking of the cross i.e. false Christian beliefs. It was for this reason that the Jamaat was translating and publishing the Promised Messiah’s book Jesus in India into many languages.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:
“I recall that an advisor of Trump on religious affairs came to see me in America. I started the conversation with him in this manner – there was a priest with him too – that they spoke about the advent of Jesusas, but we believed Jesusas died and the Jesus who was to come, we believed in him.
“A long conversation then ensued and he listened to me. I thought that afterwards, he might not speak in favour of the Jamaat and in turn, might try to harm us because I spoke very openly. However, he proved to be an honourable man as did the priest who came with him. Despite that, they supported us and spoke in our favour and said, ‘Yes, as far as the persecution was concerned, [Ahmadis] are persecuted.’
“Anyhow, where there is a need, Jesusas is discussed too. However, in this age, the biggest issue that has developed is forgetting God Almighty: atheism. And the Promised Messiahas has written, ‘I have come against atheism too’ – one should always keep this in mind as well.”
Huzooraa said the Promised Messiahas did not only speak about “breaking the cross”; rather, on many occasions, he wrote that he came to establish the oneness of God Almighty while also guiding people to follow His commandments and developing a close connection with Him. Secondly, he came to guide people to fulfil the rights of mankind too. Huzooraa said the Promised Messiahas, throughout his writings, would refer to these two tasks constantly.
Huzooraa said the Jamaat was fighting on all fronts and fulfilling all the aims the Promised Messiahas came for.
Another Arab Ahmadi spoke with Huzooraa. He thanked Huzooraa for giving them time. He asked about the conditions in Syria and the presence of the armies of various countries like Russia and America. He asked whether their presence was beneficial for Syria or it would have negative consequences.
On Muslim countries and foreign involvement, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:
“When we begin to rely on others and Muslims begin killing other Muslims – whereas Allah says one Muslim killing another Muslim is a great sin – and then help is taken from outsiders to kill Muslims, then when the outsiders come for your assistance, they will bring their conditions too. And those conditions will mean that they will take a portion of your country’s wealth. And when these dajjali nations take a portion, they don’t take a small portion – they take 70% themselves and give 30% to the country. And as honesty ceases to remain, the leadership in those countries takes most of that 30% for themselves. The public gets poorer as a result.
“Then these powers get another opportunity and they say, ‘Look, your people are poor now, we will give you aid again’ – they then re-enter the country for this.
“This is a satanic loop that is taking place and will continue until Muslims understand that ‘we are to stand on our own two feet, we are to use our wealth and resources with our own intellect and benefit from it in the correct manner and spend it for the betterment of our populace.’”
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said that some leaders of Muslim countries had personal bank balances that outweighed the wealth of their country.
Huzooraa said that for this reason, there was no honesty in Muslim countries and seeing this dishonesty, foreign countries took advantage of Muslim countries. As a result, such countries get weak and their population suffers poverty and thus, another satanic loop begins through religious extremists who get the opportunity to recruit the destitute population and give them the false promise of freedom. However, all they bring is destruction.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said the public continued to suffer and would suffer in future too, “until and unless the leadership begins to fear Allah.”
Huzooraa said that in Muslim countries experiencing the above, “The dajjal will take benefit, big powers will take benefit, religious powers will take benefit and there will be nothing left for the public. And this loop will continue.
“For this reason, we should pray for the Muslim ummah” that Allah gives the Muslim leadership understanding and genuine care and sympathy for their people. The Muslim leadership, political or religious, should not think only about their own benefits. The sheikhs of mosques should not just speak on spreading hate through their speeches; rather, they should talk about love and peace. They should create a sense in the Muslim population that they are to work harder for their countries and in return, the Muslim governments should also make means available for those striving for the betterment of their country. When this takes place with mutual collaboration, it is only then that we will get respite from these foreign, dajjali powers and extremist religious entities.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said that the time had finished and conveyed his salaam, after which the meeting ended.
(Report prepared by Al Hakam)