With Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’sra arrival in London on 22 August 1924, a series of engagements commenced. The nine weeks of his stay in London were full of engagements, including meetings, receptions and lectures. One such engagement was a visit to Brighton, a city on the seaside located south of London. On 29 August 1924, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra visited Brighton, the Royal Pavilion (used as a field hospital during the war) and the Chattri Memorial (a monument erected in honour of the Indian soldiers who fought during World War I).
Press coverage before the visit
Press coverage was the norm by this point in the journey. The press would make preparations in advance to get the best coverage of Huzoor’sra engagements. The Glasgow Herald and the Belfast Telegraph both reported on Huzoor’sra intent in visiting Brighton. The Daily Telegraph published an extensive report, stating:
“Arrangements are being made for the visit to Brighton next Friday of his Holiness the Khalifa Mahmud-Ahmad[ra], one of the leaders of Islam, who is coming principally to view the Indian chattri erected on the Downs at Patcham as a tribute to the Indian soldiers who died in the war. He will also visit the memorial gateway at the Royal Pavilion, which was the gift of the Indian Council to Brighton.”(The Daily Telegraph, 26 August 1924)
Two days later, on 28 August, they wrote:
“Arrangements have been completed for the visit to Brighton tomorrow of [Khalifa]Tul-Masih Alhaj, the Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmoud Ahmad[ra], to inspect the chattri erected on the downs near Patcham as a tribute to the Indian soldiers who died in the Great War, and the memorial gateway at the Royal Pavilion, which was the offering of the peoples of India to the town in grateful acknowledgment of the generous grant for the use of the celebrated palace as a hospital for the Indian wounded soldiers. The Mayor of Brighton (Alderman Milner Black) is absent on holiday, but Mahmoud Ahmad[ra] will be met by the deputy Mayor, the Town Clerk, Mr. J. H. Rothwell, and Mr. H. D. Roberts, director of the Pavilion and Publicity Department, and other representative people. There will be a drive to Patcham, and afterwards to the Royal Pavilion, where it is proposed that there shall be a religious ceremony in accordance with the rites of the caste.”(The Daily Telegraph, 28 August 1924)
Journey to Brighton
Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Irfanira narrates that Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra departed for Brighton from the London Victoria Station via train at 10:35 am. As mentioned above, the press had taken great interest in this journey. Hazrat Bhai Abdur Rahman Qadianira writes that two journalists accompanied Huzoorra from London to Brighton. From Brighton Railway Station, they boarded motor cars and reached the chattri. Three photographers were already in a position to capture Huzoor’sra arrival. At the chattri, Huzoorra offered a silent prayer and left for the Royal Pavilion, which was used as a hospital during the war. Due to it being Friday, Huzoorra asked a site manager for any suitable place to offer Jumuah prayer. He arranged for carpets in the grassy area, on the southeast side of the hospital. Everyone laid down their prayer mats, Azan was called and Huzoorra delivered the Sermon and led the Jumuah and Asr prayers. Several photographs were captured of this historic moment. After the Jumuah prayer, the entourage had lunch at a nearby restaurant. After a short visit to Brighton Beach, they took the train from Brighton Station at 5:35 pm and returned to London. (Al Fazl, 27 September 1924 and Safar-e-Europe, pp. 167-170)
Films and photographs
Remember the two journalists who followed Huzoorra from London? They were carrying film cameras and captured the above-mentioned incident perfectly, from Huzoor’sra arrival at the chatri to his leading Jumuah prayer on the grounds of the Royal Pavilion.
Multiple newspapers published photographs of Huzoor’sra visit to the Royal Pavilion. The Daily Chronicle of London published the photograph of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra leading his entourage in prayers and two Australian newspapers, The Observer of Adelaide and The Sydney Mail also published the same photograph.
However, The Daily Sketch published two photographs of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra; one capturing the moments during the prayers under the heading:
“The Khalifa-tul-Masih, who is in England for the Conference of Empire Religions to be held at Wembley, went yesterday to Brighton, and prayed in the grounds of the Royal Pavilion, which was used as a hospital for Indian soldiers during the war.” (The Daily Sketch, 30 August 1924)
The other rare photograph captioned, “The Khalifa-tul-Masih on the steps of the Pavilion.” (Ibid.)
Extensive coverage
Apart from images and films, other newspapers wrote extensive reports on various aspects of the trip. Grimsby Daily Telegraph reported on 30 August, “His Holiness Khalifat-ul-Masih visited Brighton yesterday; he gave an address in the Pavilion, and afterwards attended a religious service.”
The Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Sussex Express and South-Eastern Advertiser and The Westerham Courier & Kentish Advertiser all gave similar reports. The paper that stood out the most was The West Sussex Gazette who published an extensive report on Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’sra visit to Brighton under the heading “Islam to England: Ahmadiyya Khalifat Masih at Brighton”:
“On Friday His Holiness the Khalifatul Masih Sani, head of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, who has been attending the religious conferences at Wembley and elsewhere in London, visited Brighton with his twelve secretaries and four resident missionaries from London, Chicago, Africa, Berlin in order to see the Chatri, the Pavilion, and its Indian memorial gateway, and to speak to the people of Brighton for his followers. The object of the visit to Europe of this leader of a wide Mohammedan movement was to acquire some idea of conditions here by personal inspection with a view to rendering more effective the missionary work which is one of the Ahmadiyya activities. In 1891, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (the full title given by his disciples) founded the Ahmadiyya Movement in Qadian, in the Gurdaspur district of the Punjab. He claimed to be the Promised Messiah and Mehdi of the age in accordance with the prophecy in the Quran that ‘at the beginning of every 100 years Allah would raise a reformer who should revive’ the religion. His revelation took the form of spoken words and ‘voices’, and his successor (Khalifatul Masih Sani means second successor of Messiah) have also received such revelations. His recorded prophecies concern the European War, the death of the Tsar, &c. His followers now number hundreds of thousands (one of the secretaries gave a million as the figure) and the movement differs from normal Mohammedanism [sic., incorrect inferences by the contemporary Muslims] in asserting that the Quran does not authorise propagation of Islam by force of arms. Support is given to all governments in authority that tolerate unestablished religions, in the belief that when freedom of speech and publication is allowed, the truth will prevail without force. It is the hope of the Ahmadiyya movement to convert Europeans and reconcile East and West in a pacific communion with the One God. The holiness (though not the Godhead) of Christ, Gautama, Zoroaster, Krishna, and Confucius are acknowledged.
“It is an interesting point that his Holiness owes his Khalifat to election, not to heredity: yet this leader of a great religious movement is only 36 years old. To Brighton he came dressed in the large white pagri and white trousers, which are his normal attire in India; his secretaries wore a green attire to distinguish them from the resident missionaries. Arriving at Brighton in the morning, the party drove without ceremony to the Chattri. Rain fell up to the moment when the cars were left at the bottom of the hill. Then the sun lit up the Downs and the little white monument in the distance. Mud prevented the cars from driving up to the enclosure. A long walk up the slippery hill-side brought the party to the Chattri steps, up which His Holiness led the little procession. In a short speech, translated on the spot by Maulvi Abdur Rahim Nayyar (missionary in London), his Holiness spoke of the small Pavilion (the Chattri) ‘erected in memory of the Indian soldiers that loyally fought for the protection and guarding of the honour of the Empire’ as a reminder of ‘that great spacious and glorious Pavilion of Eternal Peace’ which he and his companions prayed would be built up by the peace movement God Almighty had established through the Promised Messiah of this age (Ahmad), ‘under which the Eastern and Western people would learn to respect each other and walk in the path of peace on earth and goodwill towards men.’ He much appreciated the spirit in which the Chattri was erected; ‘it shows the mind of England.’ A moment’s silent prayer followed […].
“At the porch of the Royal Pavilion Mr. H. D. Roberts, M.B.E, met the party, and after showing them over the Pavilion was thanked by His Holiness. The latter then delivered an address to the people of Brighton, of which a translation by one of the party, who is a Pleader, was given in admirable English, and prefaced with the words, ‘With the blessing and mercy of God: He alone is the helper.’ The address said that Brighton aroused in the heart of an Indian ‘an uncontrollable rush of emotion.’ He spoke of the sacrifice of the Indian soldiers and their care at the Pavilion; of the dead who were commemorated by the Gate of the Chattri. Indissolubly united to the determination of Indians who remembered these things to put forth every effort towards the establishment and maintenance of peace and justice was the feeling of loyalty to the British Empire. There might be differences, even squabbles, among the different members of this great family of nations, but India could not now be severed from the Empire, for thousands of brave Indians, of whom their Motherland was proud, many of whom received the last […] of mercy and charity in Brighton, had laid down their lives for the Empire and the ideals for which it stood. The sons of India would never tolerate the destruction of that for whose preservation so many of their brethren had sacrificed their lives. He thanked the Corporation and people of Brighton, and through them the people of the British Isles, on behalf of his community and the people of India, for their hospitality and brotherly treatment of his fellow countrymen. He thanked the Prince of Wales, who unveiled the Memorial. Also, Sir John Otter, the then Mayor, who offered the Pavilion, and the doctors and nurses.
“Cooperation
“The Great War had demonstrated the value of Fraternal Cooperation: how helpless even a great Empire was without it! Of cooperation, the British Empire had given a practical demonstration to the world. ‘The British Empire is the real League of Nations’, he continued, ‘and I trust that this fact which, though understood before the war, was fully brought home only during the war, will not now be permitted to be lost sight of. India, the country to which I have the honour to belong, has arrived at the threshold of maturity, and its longings and ideals must now be viewed from a different standpoint. On the success of the British Empire to a large extent depends the future and prosperity of the world.’ Brighton, he was sure, which had honoured the dead heroes of India, would be foremost in establishing fraternal relations with India, ‘for the dead are honoured only for what they accomplish in their lives.’ His Holiness desired finally to assure Brighton and the units of the Empire of the loyalty of the portion of his community which lives under his flag. The Holy Founder, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace and the blessings of God) had laid down as cardinal principles full assistance to the Government to which allegiance was owed, and ‘that we should give our love and sympathy to all mankind.’ He prayed for peace, justice, and liberty throughout the Empire, and that it might cause the Empire to endure on these foundations. A deep ‘Amin’ from the companions greeted these last words. Mr. Roberts’ reply impromptu was very aptly expressed.
“Public devotions and gifts
“Today is Jumaa, the Moslem Sabbath, on which day a short sermon is included in the first afternoon prayer. In full sight of the public, a carpet was placed on the eastern lawns of the Pavilion. It was aligned S.E. Shoes were removed, and the delegation seated themselves for the sermon, which was preceded and followed by prayers. The ceremony was carried out in full including the extreme prostrations. Luncheon was taken at Morley’s Pavilion Creamery. […] being served, since meat could not have been correctly slaughtered. […]
“[T]o the Maulvi Zulfaqar Ali Khan, Maulvi Chaudhari Fateh Mohamad Sayal, Secretaries for general and missionary affairs to his Holiness, we are indebted for much information concerning the Ahmadiyya Movement and the visit to Europe. […] The party returned to London in the afternoon.” (The West Sussex Gazette, 4 September 1924, p. 11)
The Daily Sussex News also published a detailed report on this visit.
(Prepared by the Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre)