Global media continues to cover the Hajj season in the Holy house of Ka‘bah, located in Mecca.
The weekly Al Hakam has already published a series of brief articles on this subject in its recent issue.
In the coming lines, we will discuss a widespread misconception by the opponents of the Jamaat that its members supposedly do not perform Hajj in Mecca and they do not give precedence to the journey of traveling to this most sacred place for Muslims.
It is reported that the Promised Messiahas used to receive guests and sometimes, he would simply uncover his forearms while talking to them. By doing so, in a very effective and subtle manner, he used to refute a false allegation leveled against him by his opponents, which was that his skin had been damaged due to leprosy or similar ailments.
The Promised Messiahas could have made a long speech like his rival camps, but instead of all that, he plainly made his point by only presenting the reality.
Following this method, here we present short accounts of Hajj performed by members of the Jamaat.
Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Nuruddinra had the blessed opportunity to travel to the holy land in Arabia as a student. There, he performed Hajj more than once.
Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra embarked on his Hajj journey from Qadian on 26 September 1912. He went along with his maternal grandfather, Hazrat Mir Nasir Nawabra and Syed Abdul Muhy Arabra. The details of this long journey spanning many months are so faith-inspiring and captivating that one remains engaged till they finish reading this lengthy account.
Hazrat Chaudhry Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khanra performed Hajj as the special guest of the Saudi Shah Faisal in 1967. Before this, in March 1958, Sir Zafarulla Khan Sahibra performed Umrah and, at the same time, visited the shrine of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa in Medina, Saudi Arabia. During his visit, he met with the King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia, and stayed at the Royal Palace as a personal guest of the king. Later, in 1967, he performed Hajj, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in a lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so.
Once, Sir Zafarulla Khan Sahibra recalled his parents’ Hajj journey, saying:
“In the summer of 1924, my parents went on the pilgrimage to the House of Allah. They took with them Mian Jumman, the family steward. The sea voyage in both directions was made in the monsoon season. My father suffered greatly from sea-sickness, but my mother enjoyed every moment thoroughly. At Mina and Arafat, there was a great scarcity of drinking water that year and the pilgrims experienced acute circumstances for that reason. Thousands died of thirst.
“The news caused me grave anxiety, which was relieved only by their safe return. My mother had taken with her the sheets that were to serve as shrouds for my father and her at the time of their departure from the world, and she washed them with the water of Zam Zam, the perennial spring that runs close to the Ka‘bah. Two years later, they used that sheet for my father and for my mother, twelve years thereafter. The journey left my father in a reduced state of health.”
Among the martyrs of the Lahore massacre on 28 May 2010 was Mian Muhammad Saeed Sahib, who is reported to have performed Hajj about six times in his life.
Al-Haj Muhammad Abdul Hadi Italo Chiussi, an orientalist from Germany and translator of Holy Quran into Espranto language visited Mecca and Medina, went to Qadian and travelled to Jalsa Salana Rabwah in 1970. His travelogue, containing his spiritual experiences during his visit to the holy city of Mecca was much loved by Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmadrh.
The Jamaat’s rich history expands more than a century. To cover this vast period of time, two examples are presented from both ends, i.e. from 1885 to 2019. On 19 September 1885, which was 9 Dhul Hijjah 1302 AH, Hazrat Sufi Ahmad Jan Sahib read out a prayer in the field of Arafat, which was written by the Promised Messiahas.
In the early days of this year, when Hazrat Sufi Sahib was about to embark on Hajj, the Promised Messiahas wrote down a prayer and asked him to read it upon witnessing the veil of the Ka‘bah. The wording and gist of this prayer shows his steadfastness, righteousness and love for the revival of Islam.
Most recently, upon the inauguration of the Mubarak Mosque in Islamabad, Tilford, the worldwide head of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa prayed:
“May the journey to Mecca and Medina – the home of our guide and master, the Holy Prophetsa and the permanent headquarters of Islam – be made accessible for us. May the people living there receive the true message of Islam and may they accept it and attest to the truth of the Ardent Devotee of the Holy Prophetsa. May God Almighty enlighten all those who harbour prejudice [against Ahmadiyyat] owing to their ignorance and may He hold all those accountable who are instilling hatred amongst the people against Ahmadiyyat only because of their hatred and to fulfil their agendas.”
Hence, it is clearly evident that the first two Khulafara of the Promised Messiahas had the blessed opportunity to perform Hajj before they were commissioned with the successorship of the mission of the Holy Founder of the Jamaat. Surely, that day will soon arrive when the esteemed Khalifa of the Promised Messiahas shall lead the Hajj congregations. Insha-Allah!