On 19 June 2022, members of Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Brisbane, Australia had the opportunity to meet with Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa in a virtual mulaqat.
As the live stream started, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa conveyed his salaam and enquired where they were seated, to which Waqas Ahmad Sahib, Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Australia, replied that they were seated in Masjid Mubarak.
Huzooraa invited Zain Ul Abidin Sharma Sahib to recite a portion from the Holy Quran. After the recitation, Musawir Mirza Sahib presented the English translation. Hassan Mahmood Sahib was called to recite an Urdu poem and Rayyan Faheem Ahmed Sahib presented its English translation.
Haris Khan Sahib then presented a hadith, which was followed by its translation by Afnan Rana Sahib.
An Urdu extract from the writings of the Promised Messiahas was presented by Azmatullah Bajwa Sahib and Danial Ahmed Sahib presented the English translation.
Seeing Azmatullah Bajwa Sahib, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said, “Bajwa Sahib, you look like a [member of] Ansar to me”, to which he replied that he was in his last year of Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya. Hearing this, Huzooraa smiled and replied, “To me, it seems like the last month of the last year.”
Huzooraa asked the khuddam, “How many of you are musis?” The khuddam who had committed themselves to the scheme of Al-Wasiyyat raised their hands. Seeing that over 50% of the khuddam seated were part of Al-Wasiyyat, Huzooraa remarked, “Masha-Allah.”
A video report of various activities in the Queensland region was shown to Huzooraa.
Thereafter, the khuddam had the opportunity to ask Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa any questions they had.
Sarmad Abro Sahib asked Huzooraa how he made time for his family amid such a busy schedule. Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa replied that when he sat down for meals, his family members would also join him and discussions were held on various things. Huzooraa said that this was “the best time.”
Muhammad Jawad Sahib asked if, in the future, a country had an Ahmadi majority and an Ahmadi government was established, whether the Khalifa of the time would govern it.
Huzooraa replied:
“The Khalifa of the time is a spiritual leader; he will not rule any country anywhere. The Promised Messiahas has stated:
مجھ كو كیا ملكوں سے میرا ملک ہے سب سے جُدا
مجھ كو كیا تاجوں سے میرا تاج ہے رضوانِ یار
“[‘What have I to do with countries, for my country is separate from all others? What have I to do with crowns, for my crown is in the pleasure of the Beloved?’” (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part 5, p. 193)]
Huzooraa said that it was the Khalifa’s duty to look after the spiritual upbringing of his followers. The political system or the government system would have a separate system and the Khalifa of the time would be the spiritual guide of all.
Zeshan Arif Sahib asked if khulafa received revelations from angels just as prophets did previously.
Answering Zeshan Arif Sahib’s question, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said that a certain kind of revelation was specific to prophets only. However, there were other categories of revelation such as Allah putting something in one’s heart or ru’ya and kushuf that could be shown or vouchsafed to the khulafa and other people as well.
Affan Zia Sahib said that having tattoos was a vital part of local indigenous cultures. He asked if this was acceptable in Islam.
Huzooraa answered:
“Allah Almighty says that you should not try to change [the form in which] Allah Almighty has made you. So, Allah Almighty has given you a very beautiful shape, physique, body, health and everything. So, why do you want to change the creation of Allah Almighty by doing something like that, making marks, and pictures on your body? So [regarding] tattooing, the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him says it is not permissible for Muslims […] those who have already done it, and [then] accept Islam, we cannot say anything to them. They will be absorbed in our system”.
Mashood Cheema Sahib said that meats prepared in labs were now being sold in the market. He asked if it was permissible to eat such meat.
Huzooraa said that it was permissible to eat so long as it did not contain anything haram.
Huzooraa then gave the example that sometimes it was observed that those parents who were unable to conceive naturally would take aid from a lab in which an egg was removed from the woman’s ovaries and fertilised with the sperm in a laboratory. Then the fertilised egg, the embryo, was returned to the woman’s womb to grow and develop.
Similarly, Huzooraa said, if these things were for the betterment of human beings and fulfilled the requirements of human beings, then it was permissible to benefit from them.
Huzooraa added that as the land in Australia was so vast, there was no need for one to turn to meat prepared in laboratories.
Ahmed Daud Sahib said that he performed bai‘at last year and his parents supported his decision to convert. They had also explained that they did not see themselves joining Islam.
Ahmed Sahib added that he would like to have an Ahmadi Muslim family in the future and asked for Huzoor’saa advice on how he could educate his parents about his beliefs.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa answered:
“When you marry an Ahmadi girl, and you have your children from your wife who is an Ahmadi, and you are living in an environment or in a vicinity where your parents also live, then instead of confronting them directly on small, petty issues, you can just tell them that ‘the basic morals are the same between us […] we say that we should worship God; we say that we should show good morals towards each other; we should refrain from all the bad things.’ So, these are the basic things, and they will agree with this.
“At the same time, if you are living in the same house, or at least in the same area, even if your parents are not Ahmadi, the environment can also influence your children if you are not properly conscientious about their training. You will have to take special care of how they can be brought up in an atmosphere where they know about the religion.
“So, you will have to be a practising Muslim […] your wife will also have to be a practising Muslim. This is the basic requirement.
“Then, in this way, you will also set your example before your children; and then also teach them, train them [and tell them] what is Islam and why we are Muslim. And if they ask you ‘why our grandparents are not Muslims’, then you can tell them that ‘the Quran says, “There is no compulsion in religion”. Allah Almighty says, “There is no compulsion in religion”, so whichever religion they chose, they have adopted that one, whatever we feel is good we have chosen that religion.’ And also tell them why we have chosen this religion, why we like Islam. So, in this way, you can train your children and at the same time, you tell your parents about the beauty of Islamic teachings, and when they learn the beauty of Islamic teachings, then they will always try to listen to you and what you are saying.
“When they see there is some significant change in you and you are somehow different from that of your previous life, then they will know that ‘our son is going on the right path’.
“And also pray for them. The prayers of children for their parents is also accepted very much as the prayer of the parents is accepted for the children”.
Zain Ul Abidin Sharma Sahib asked that with economists talking about hyperinflation – where money may lose a big percentage of its value as it did in 2015 in Zimbabwe – whether there was a way one could protect their savings.
Huzooraa answered:
“The value of money is not the same as it was a few months ago.” With regard to the pound and Australian dollar, Huzooraa said that the “Australian dollar has improved a bit now against the pound, or dollar, but still it is devaluing and the prices of commodities are going up. So, it has already started […] the only thing is that if you have enough money, more than your basic requirements – after meeting your basic requirements – then, yes, if you are that rich person, then you can buy some property, you can invest by buying property, real estate, or even agricultural property will do.
“The best way to save money is either buy gold [or] buy property.”
Usman Ahmad Rana Sahib asked Huzooraa what one could do to bridge the generation gap, which was causing problems for families and the Jamaat alike.
Huzooraa said:
“From the very childhood, you have to train your children. Tell them what religion is, why you are a Muslim, why you are an Ahmadi Muslim, and what is religion.
“If they are attached to religion, you infuse in them what is the importance of religion, then they will try to learn more about religion. And when they are learning about religion, despite the fact that there is a generation gap, they will try to practise their religion and learn more about their religion. So, one thing is that you must attach them with your religion and that is only [possible] when you are teaching, training them – as I have already said – setting your own example before them.
“You see, [children] are educated – when they ask you questions, instead of saying, ‘No, don’t ask this, it is against the teaching of Islam’, no, Islam says you must ask questions and you have to satisfy them. If you don’t have the knowledge, you can ask – with regard to your religious matter – your murabbi that ‘kindly answer this question of my son, or daughter, or my children’, and if the question is related to any worldly thing […] then you will have to see some scholars, then you will have to read some books and tell them to read it. In the Jamaat literature, there are books which can answer your question.
“So, this is how you can fill your generation gap, but there should be very friendly interaction between you and your children”.
Foad Munir Sahib asked Huzooraa how one could become what the Promised Messiahas expected a member of his Jamaat to be.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:
“You offer five daily prayers, fervently. Do you do that? Pray to Allah Almighty that He makes you up to that standard which was expected by the Promised Messiahas of his Jamaat. Read the Holy Quran, know the meaning of the Holy Quran, find out the dos and don’ts given in the Holy Quran, and try to practise that. Try to read whichever available literature there is with regard to the teachings of the Promised Messiahas. So, this is how you can meet the expectations of the Promised Messiahas and be a good Ahmadi Muslim.”
Rahib Siddique Sahib said that some khuddam would get married to non-Ahmadi girls which could result in future generations also getting married outside of the Jamaat. He asked how one could protect themselves from this.
Huzooraa said:
“I have been explaining this thing for a long time even in your meetings, in my sermons, in my speeches and addresses that if you want to save your future generation and if you want that your future generation is attached to the Jamaat and true teachings of Islam, then the first thing is that you yourself should try to increase your religious knowledge, you yourself should know what religion is, and then you should also know what should be your preferences.
“If your preferences are only of the worldly desires, then this, what some of the boys are doing, will be the result – they are trying to get married outside the Jamaat.
“If your preference is religion and that is what you say in your pledge that ‘I will give precedence to my faith over all worldly things’, then you should see to it that you marry an Ahmadi girl. This is why the Holy Prophetsa has said – and I have explained it in the previous mulaqat, I said the same thing – […] you should give preference to those girls who are pious and are religious minded and those who are spiritually good.’”
Huzooraa said that merely worldly desire should not be one’s preference.
Tahsin Ahmed Yousaf Sahib said that people bought houses and business items on loans such as cars and furniture. In the same way, some Ahmadi finance brokers lend money too. He asked if this was the correct method.
Huzooraa explained that if one was to get such a loan, then it would be akin to trapping oneself. This would lead to debt and man would be paying this off till his demise.
Huzooraa gave the example that if a person was dying of hunger, then Allah allowed one to eat pork. So, it depended on the situation. However, when the situation did not demand it, then it was not permissible.
Huzooraa then explained the scenario of someone who was renting a house to live in and about the permissibility of buying out such a house on a mortgage. He also highlighted the need for fresh ijtihad in this era in matters relating to banking and finance.
Owais Ahmad Bajwa Sahib said that Allah Almighty revealed to the Promised Messiahas:
چمک دكھلاؤں گا تم كو اس نشاں كى پنج بار
“I shall show you the flash of this Sign five times” (Tadhkirah English, p. 804). Some people said that this revelation was fulfilled in the form of the two world wars. He asked Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa if it indicated more global warfare, or whether it would be fulfilled in some other way.
Huzooraa said that the Promised Messiahas had also described the earthquake as a great sign, then there have also been two world wars, then the plague was also a sign. Huzooraa said that it could be fulfilled in the case of war, and it seemed that it would happen in such a way. Allah knew best, Huzooraa said.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa then conveyed his salaam to everyone and the mulaqat came to an end.
(Report prepared by Al Hakam)