Friday Sermon
18 November 2022
Men of Excellence: Hazrat Abu Bakrra
After reciting the tashahud, ta‘awuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa said:
Accounts from the life of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiqra were being mentioned. The status of Hazrat Abu Bakrra in the eyes of the Holy Prophetsa has already been mentioned along with further details. In light of these, it becomes evident that the Holy Prophetsa wanted to appoint Hazrat Abu Bakrra as his successor. As a matter of fact, he indicated that Allah the Almighty would appoint Hazrat Abu Bakrra as his Khalifa and successor. As such, Hazrat Aishara relates that the Holy Prophetsa said to her during his days of illness, “Bring Abu Bakr and your brother to me so that I may have something written down. I fear that a person who is desirous of this [position] may lay claim to this, or that someone may say that they are more deserving. However, Allah and the believers will reject anyone besides Abu Bakr.” (Sahih Muslim, Kitab Fazail-ul-Sahaba, Hadith 6181)
In other words, if another person makes this claim, they will be rejected and Abu Bakrra alone will become the successor.
Then, there is a narration of Hazrat Hudhaifahra bin Yaman. He has related that the Holy Prophetsa said, “I do not know how long I will remain amongst you. Therefore, obey me and those who will follow me.” At that moment, he pointed towards Abu Bakrra and Umarra. (Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab-ul-Sunnah, Hadith 97)
Hazrat Abu Hurairahra related that he heard the Holy Prophetsa say, “Once, I was asleep and saw myself at a well in which there was a bucket. I drew as much water from this well as Allah desired. Ibn Abi Quhafah then took hold of this bucket and drew one or two buckets of water, but there was weakness in his pull. Allah will conceal this weakness of his and pardon him. Thereafter, this bucket turned into a large water-skin made of leather and Ibn al-Khattab took hold of it. I have never seen anyone with such great strength, who could extract the water in the same manner as Umar. He extracted such a large amount that everyone drank to their fill and sat down in their dwellings.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Fazial-ul-Sahaba, Hadith 3664)
In other words, he mentioned that both Hazrat Abu Bakrra and Hazrat Umarra would be his successors.
The details of the conduct and moral excellences of Hazrat Abu Bakrra in relation to the incident of ‘Ifk’ [the Great Calumny] have already been stated while mentioning previous companions. At present, I would like to mention only a brief account, which makes it absolutely clear that although an allegation – one that could rent the mountains asunder – was levelled against Hazrat Aishara, the love and honour her parents had for the Holy Prophetsa was far greater than their love for her. This reached the extent that during this entire period and for a long time, they left their daughter in the same state in which the Holy Prophetsa considered it appropriate for her to remain, so much so that when Hazrat Aishara came to the house of her parents on one occasion, Hazrat Abu Bakrra immediately sent her back home.
As such, it is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari that during the incident of ‘Ifk’, Hazrat Aishara received permission from the Holy Prophetsa and went to her father’s house along with a servant. Hazrat Aishara relates, “I entered the house and saw my mother, Umm-e-Rumman, at the rear end of the house and Hazrat Abu Bakrra on the upper floor. He was reciting the Quran. My mother said, ‘My dear daughter, what brings you here?’ I informed her of the entire incident.” Hazrat Aishara says, “What I saw was that she [her mother] was not as astounded upon hearing the incident as I was. I had thought that upon hearing the incident she would be shocked.” Her mother replied, “My dear daughter, do not think much of this matter, for by Allah, there is rarely a time when a beautiful woman is married to a person, who loves her dearly and that her husband also has other wives and they do not get jealous of her or abstain from making things up about her.” Hazrat Aishara says, “I saw that my mother was not affected by this incident as much as I was.” Hazrat Aishara asked, “Does my father know about this incident?” She replied in the affirmative. Hazrat Aishara then asked her mother, “What about the Holy Prophetsa?” She replied, “Yes, the Holy Prophetsa also knows.” Hazrat Aishara says, “Upon hearing this, tears began to flow and I started to cry. When Hazrat Abu Bakrra heard my cries, he came down from the upper floor where he was reciting the Quran and asked my mother, ‘What has happened to her?’ She replied, ‘She has heard the things that have been said about her.’ Upon this, Abu Bakrra also began to cry and said, ‘My beloved daughter, I say to you on oath, please return back to your home.’” Hazrat Aishara says that she then returned home. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Tafsir-ul-Quran, Hadith 4757)
With regards to the heinous plot in the incident of ‘Ifk’ [the Great Calumny] and the virtues of Hazrat Abu Bakrra, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states:
“We should ponder over who were those people whom the hypocrites or their leaders would gain benefit from by their slander and who were those people against whom they wished to take out their enmity?” Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states, “Even from a cursory glance, one will realise that their enmity was directed towards two people: one of whom was the Holy Prophetsa and the other being Hazrat Abu Bakrra; because she was the wife of one and the daughter of the other. Both these personalities were such that by defaming them, some people would benefit from it politically, economically or to fuel their enmity, or that the goals of certain people depended upon slandering them. Otherwise, simply defaming Hazrat Aishara alone was of no interest to anyone. At the most, the only parties interested in this could have been the other wives of the Holy Prophetsa. It could have been that, seizing the opportunity to degrade Hazrat Aishara and increase their own repute in the eyes of the Holy Prophetsa, the other wives of the Holy Prophetsa, could have taken part in this issue. However, history bears testimony to the fact that none of the other wives of the Holy Prophetsa took part in the calumny. On the contrary, in her own testimony, Hazrat Aishara says that among the wives of the Holy Prophetsa, the only one she considered a rival was Hazrat Zainabra. Aside from her, she did not consider any other wife to be a rival to her.
“However, Hazrat Aishara says, ‘I will never forget the beneficence of Zainab upon me. When this allegation was levelled against me, the one person who strongly refuted it was Hazrat Zainabra.’ Hence, if anyone could have any personal resentment against Hazrat Aishara, then it could have only been the other wives of the Holy Prophetsa and if they wished, they could have partaken in the slander so that Hazrat Aishara would be degraded in the eyes of the Holy Prophetsa and by means of this, they could have elevated their own standing.
However, history attests to the fact that the other wives did not involve themselves in the matter at all. If any of them were asked, they only commended Hazrat Aishara. It is recorded regarding another wife that when the Holy Prophetsa mentioned the matter to her, she said, ‘I have found nothing but good in Aisha.’ If there could have been any potential for enmity against Hazrat Aishara, it would have been from the other wives, however, their involvement in the matter cannot be established. Furthermore, there is no reason for men to harbour enmity against women. Thus, this allegation against her was either because of enmity against the Holy Prophetsa, or enmity against Hazrat Abu Bakrra.
“There was no way for the proponents of this allegation to snatch away the status granted to the Holy Prophetsa, however, what they feared was that even after the Holy Prophetsa, they would be unable to fulfil their objectives. They saw that if anyone was capable of being a successor to the Holy Prophetsa, it was Abu Bakrra. They saw this as a threat and thus created an allegation against Hazrat Aishara so that she would fall out of favour in the Holy Prophet’ssa sight as a result of which the stature of Hazrat Abu Bakrra among the Muslims would also diminish. The Muslims would begin thinking ill of Hazrat Abu Bakrra and would abandon the love that they had for him, thereby closing the door for Hazrat Abu Bakrra to become the Khalifa after the Holy Prophetsa.”
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra continues, “Just as in the time of the First Caliph [of the Promised Messiahas], the Paighamis would create allegations against me in constant attempts to slander me. It is for this very reason that, after mentioning the incident of the calumny against Hazrat Aishara, God Almighty also mentions Khilafat. It is clearly stated in the Hadith that in their conversations with each other, the Companions would say that if anyone held a rank after the Holy Prophetsa, it was Hazrat Abu Bakrra.
“Then, it is recorded in the ahadith that once, a person came to the Holy Prophetsa and said, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, fulfil such and such need of mine.’ He replied, ‘Not now, return later.’ He was a Bedouin and was unacquainted with the principles of civility and politeness, and bluntly said, ‘You are human after all. If you have passed away by the time I return, then what should I do?’ The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘If I am no longer in this world, then go to Abu Bakr. He will fulfil your needs.’ Similarly, it is mentioned in the ahadith that once, the Holy Prophetsa said to Hazrat Aishara, ‘O Aisha, I wished to appoint Abu Bakr after me; however, I know that Allah and the believers will not be content with anyone but him, which is why I do not say anything.’ Thus, the Companions naturally understood that if anyone from among them possessed any rank after the Holy Prophetsa, it was Hazrat Abu Bakrra and he alone was worthy enough to become the Khalifa.
“Life in Mecca was such that the custodianship of government was not even plausible, but in Medina, after the arrival of the Holy Prophetsa, his rule was established and naturally, this question arose among the hearts of the hypocrites because, upon the Holy Prophet’ssa arrival, many of their hopes were foiled. When Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul realised that any possibility of him coming into power was dwindling, he was infuriated and although he had apparently assimilated among the Muslims, he always tried to fracture Islam. Seeing as there was nothing else he could do, the only remaining desire he could have was to become the ruler of Madinah after the Holy Prophet’ssa demise. However, as soon as worldly leadership came about among the Muslims and they saw a new order, they began asking the Holy Prophetsa various questions regarding the manner of Islamic governance; i.e., what would be the state of Islam after him and what should the Muslims do? When Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul saw this happening, he grew fearful because Islamic rule would be established in such a way that he would have no part in it. He wished to stop this from happening, and when he pondered over it, he realised that if there was anyone who could establish an Islamic government based on Islamic principles, it was Abu Bakr, and after the Holy Prophetsa, the Muslims looked towards him (Hazrat Abu Bakrra). They regarded him in higher esteem than all others. Hence, he saw his own benefit in slandering him and defaming him in the sight of others, even in the sight of the Holy Prophetsa.
“He found the opportunity to do this when Hazrat Aishara was left behind [whilst returning] from a war and that wretched person levelled an abhorrent allegation, that has been hinted at in the Holy Quran and is mentioned in detail in the ahadith. Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul’s aim was the humiliation of Hazrat Abu Bakrra in the public eye and to sour his relationship with the Holy Prophetsa, thereby hindering the establishment of an institution that he saw to be inevitable (he could see that it was bound to happen). Its establishment would completely ruin all his hopes. It was not only Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul who dreamed of leadership after the Holy Prophetsa, but there were also others steeped in this illness. Hypocrites always perceive their own deaths as far off, yet they estimate the demise of others; as such, Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul considered his own death to be in the distant future. Little did he know that he would die a distressing death during the lifetime of the Holy Prophetsa. He would conjecture that after the demise of the Holy Prophetsa, he would become the king of Arabia. However, he realised that Muslims profess to Abu Bakr’s virtue, piety and esteem; if the Holy Prophetsa did not lead prayer, then Abu Bakr would lead the prayer in his stead. If one was unable to seek an edict from the Holy Prophetsa, the Muslims would seek the edict from Abu Bakrra. Realising this, Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul became extremely worried about his hopes for future leadership and so he sought to remove [this worry]. Hence, in order to remove it and to diminish the renown and esteem of Hazrat Abu Bakrra in the sight of Muslims, he created an allegation against Hazrat Aishara, so that the Holy Prophetsa would develop an aversion to Hazrat Aishara. As a result of developing an aversion for Hazrat Aishara, he sought to diminish Hazrat Abu Bakr’sra honour in the sight of the Holy Prophetsa and all Muslims, thereby halting any chance of him becoming the Khalifa.
“This same matter has been mentioned by Allah the Almighty in the Holy Quran, when He says,
اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ جَآءُوۡ بِالۡاِفۡكِ عُصۡبَةٌ مِّنۡكُمۡ
‘Verily, those who brought forth the lie (against Hazrat Aishara) are a party (of so-called Muslims) from among you.’ However, Allah the Almighty also states,
لَا تَحۡسَبُوهُ شَرّٗا لَّكُم ۖ بَلۡ هُوَ خَيۡرٞ لَّكُمۡ
‘Think it (this allegation) not to be an evil for you; nay, it is good for you (and a means of success).’”
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra continues, “Allah the Almighty stated that he would now expound upon a principle related to Khilafat and states that the hypocrites can try their utmost, but they will fail and He will certainly establish Khilafat, because Khilafat is connected to prophethood and is a means of safeguarding the divine light.” (Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 18, pp. 451-455)
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states:
“Observe how, from the beginning of Surah al-Nur till the end, the same subject matter is being mentioned. First, the calumny against Hazrat Aishara is mentioned, and seeing as the actual reason for this calumny against her was to humiliate Hazrat Abu Bakrra and to ruin his relationship with the Holy Prophetsa and subsequently diminish his honour in the sight of Muslims so that he would not become the Khalifa after the Holy Prophet’ssa demise – because Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul had realised that if the Muslims looked towards anyone after the Holy Prophetsa, it was Abu Bakrra and if Khilafat was established through Abu Bakrra, then Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul’s dreams of leadership would never be fulfilled. Therefore, right after mentioning this allegation, Allah the Almighty mentions Khilafat and says that Khilafat is not a monarchy. Rather, it is a means of maintaining the divine light, which is why its establishment rests in the hands of Allah the Almighty. For it to falter would mean the ruin of the light of prophethood and the divine light. Hence, He will certainly establish this light, and after prophethood, He will never allow the establishment of a monarchy and will appoint whoever He chooses as the Khalifa. In fact, He promises that he will not just make one, but will grant the mantle of Khilafat to many among the Muslims and thus extend the era of this spiritual light. This matter is just as Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira used to describe; Khilafat is not like soda water [beverage] from Kaisari’s shop, which anyone can drink. Similarly, Allah states that if you wish to create allegations, then go ahead; you cannot erase Khilafat, nor can you hinder Abu Bakr from becoming the Khalifa, because Khilafat is a light. This light is one of the manifestations of Allah and no human effort can erase it.
“Then, He says that the light of Khilafat can be found in other homes as well and no human can stop its manifestation through their own efforts or ploys.” (Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 18, p. 457)
In any case, he covered the topic of Khilafat in the sermon that he delivered. This shows the status of Hazrat Abu Bakrra in the eyes of the Holy Prophetsa and furthermore, the practical testimony given by Allah the Almighty proved that after prophethood, the institution of Khilafat would remain, as prophesied by the Holy Prophetsa, and so it did. Thereafter, if there was a monarchy, it was something that happened later. Then, in accordance with the promise of Allah the Almighty, the institution was re-established through the Promised Messiahas.
With regards to Hazrat Abu Bakr’sra humility and meekness, Hazrat Sa’eed bin Musayyibra narrates that once, the Holy Prophetsa was sitting in a gathering with some of his Companions, when someone began disputing with Hazrat Abu Bakrra and caused him distress. Hazrat Abu Bakrra remained silent. That person again caused him distress, upon which Hazrat Abu Bakrra remained silent.
After being discourteous towards Hazrat Abu Bakrra a third time, Hazrat Abu Bakrra retaliated. When Hazrat Abu Bakrra retaliated, the Holy Prophetsa stood up. Hazrat Abu Bakrra humbly submitted, “O Prophetsa of Allah, are you angry with me?” The Holy Prophetsa replied, “There was an angel that descended from the heavens who was refuting all that the other man said against you. When you retaliated, Satan appeared, and I do not remain seated in a gathering intruded on by Satan.” (Sunan Abi Daud, Kitab-ul-Adab, Hadith 4896)
Furthermore, the Holy Prophetsa stated, “O Abu Bakr, there are three things that are true for everyone: [Firstly,] a person who is wronged by means of something and shows forgiveness is honoured by Allah through His help. [Secondly], a person who gives gifts in an effort to better and improve relationships, Allah increases their wealth for them thereby. Thirdly, one who adopts begging as a means to amass wealth, Allah decreases their wealth and causes a shortage thereby.” (Majmu Al-Zawaid, Vol. 8, p. 247, Kitab-ul-Birr Wa Al-Sillah, Hadith 13698, Dar-ul-Kutb Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2011)
Whilst mentioning the qualities of Hazrat Abu Bakrra, the Promised Messiahas states:
“He possessed complete understanding, he was enlightened about Allah, he was forbearing, he had an exceptionally benevolent nature, and he spent his life with humility and simplicity. He was exceedingly forgiving and an embodiment of kindness and mercy. He was known and recognised for the light visible on his face. He had a deep connection with the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa, and his soul was bound to the soul of The Best of All. The light which enveloped his Leader and Master and beloved of God [i.e., the Holy Prophetsa] also enveloped him. He was shaded beneath the wondrous shadow of the light of the Holy Prophetsa and his grand blessings. He was distinguished amongst all for his understanding of the Quran and his love for the Leader of All Prophets and the Pride of Humankind [i.e., the Holy Prophetsa]. When heavenly wonders and divine secrets were unfolded before him, he severed all worldly ties, threw aside his physical relationships and took on the character of his beloved. He discarded all his desires for the sake of the Singular Divine Being and was purified of all physical impurities, taking on the colour of the One True God. He became absorbed in the majesty of the Lord of All the Worlds. And when true divine love began to flow in his every vein and established itself in the depths of his heart and in every particle of his being, and when his every word and action – his reason to sit or stand – began to manifest light, then he was bestowed the title of al-Siddiq. Thus, among the abundance of novel and deep knowledge he was bestowed, the best of what he received was from the court of God. Honesty was a quality deeply ingrained in him and a distinctive trait of his nature. It was this very honesty and light that emanated from his every word, action, movement, pause, sense, and breath. He was included amongst those upon whom blessings were bestowed by the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth. He was a beautiful piece from the book of prophethood and was the imam of distinguished saints and the courageous youth. He was amongst a select few who possessed a nature the likes of prophets.”
Furthermore, the Promised Messiahas states:
“Do not take these words as an exaggeration or a form of warm treatment or reverence, nor consider them as words flowing out from the fountain of love. In reality, this is a truth revealed to me from the court of the Lord of Honour.”
In respect to the status of Hazrat Abu Bakrra and the many aforementioned virtues, the Promised Messiahas says that Allah the Almighty revealed these qualities and traits to him directly.
The Promised Messiahas states:
“Hazrat Abu Bakr’sra drink was the water of ‘faith in God’ and he would rely less on any other means. As far as morals are concerned, he was a reflection of our Prophetsa and Mastersa and he held an eternal affinity to the Best of Creation. It was owing to this that in just a brief moment, he attained from the blessings of the Holy Prophetsa what others could not attain in lengthy periods and in far-off lands.” (Sirrul Khilafah [Urdu translation], pp. 101-103)
In regards to Hazrat Abu Bakrra being amongst the 14 companions of the Holy Prophetsa, there is a narration of Hazrat Alira. He narrates, “The Holy Prophetsa once said, ‘Surely, every prophet has been given seven noble companions (or he simply said companions), however, I have been given 14.” We asked him who they were. He replied, “You and your two sons (i.e., Hazrat Alira and his two sons), Hazrat Ja’farra, Hazrat Hamzahra, Hazrat Abu Bakrra, Hazrat Umarra, Hazrat Mus’ab bin Umairra, Hazrat Bilalra, Hazrat Salmanra, Hazrat Ammarra, Hazrat Miqdadra, Hazrat Hudhaifahra, and Hazrat Abdullahra bin Mas’ud.” (Jami at-Tirmadhi, Kitab-ul-Manaqib, Hadith 3785)
Hazrat Abu Bakrra was also once given leadership of the Hajj (pilgrimage) delegation by the Holy Prophetsa. In this regard, it is recorded that in the year 9 Hijri, the Holy Prophetsa appointed Hazrat Abu Bakrra as the Amirul Hajj (Leader of Hajj) and sent him towards Mecca. When the Holy Prophetsa returned from the Battle of Tabuk, he desired to perform Hajj. He was told that the polytheists also perform the pilgrimage amongst everyone else, chant polytheistic chants, and circumambulate the Ka’bah naked. Upon this, the Holy Prophetsa abandoned his desire to perform Hajj that year and sent Hazrat Abu Bakrra as the leader of Hajj. (Al-Rauz-ul-Unf, Vol. 4, p. 318, Dar-ul-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut), (Umdatul Qari, Sharah Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 9, p. 384, hadith 1622, Dar Ihya Al-Turath, 2003)
Hazrat Abu Bakrra departed from Madinah with a party of three hundred companions. The Holy Prophetsa also sent 20 sacrificial animals with them and adorned them with a neckpiece to mark them for sacrifice. Hazrat Abu Bakrra himself took five animals for sacrifice. (Ali bin Burhan al-Din al-Halabi, Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 3, [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah], p. 295)
According to the narration, Hazrat Alira announced the opening verses of Surah at-Taubah during this Hajj. The details of this were presented in a sermon about Hazrat Alira and in the initial mention of Hazrat Abu Bakrra. Nonetheless, I will briefly mention it here. When Surah Bara’ah (Surah al-Taubah) was revealed to the Holy Prophetsa, he had already sent off Hazrat Abu Bakrra as the leader of Hajj. It was humbly submitted to the Holy Prophetsa, “O Prophetsa of Allah, perhaps you should send this chapter to Hazrat Abu Bakrra so that they may recite it there.” The Holy Prophetsa replied, “No one can fulfil this obligation except for a member of my household.” Thereupon, the Holy Prophetsa summoned Hazrat Alira and said, “Take the beginning of Surah al-Taubah, and on the day of sacrifice when the people have gathered at Mina, announce that no disbeliever shall enter paradise and no polytheist will be permitted to perform Hajj in the future, nor will anyone be permitted to circumambulate the Ka’bah unclothed. Moreover, any covenant made by the Holy Prophetsa to anyone will be duly fulfilled.”
Hazrat Alira departed with this instruction. En route, he encountered Hazrat Abu Bakrra. When Hazrat Abu Bakrra saw or encountered Hazrat Alira, he asked, “Have you been appointed the leader or will you follow my lead (Hazrat Abu Bakrra asked Hazrat Alira)?’ Hazrat Alira replied, “I will follow your leadership.” Thus, the two continued on their journey. [Hazrat Alira said,] “I am under your leadership, but I will be the one to recite these verses.” Nevertheless, Hazrat Abu Bakrra oversaw the people performing Hajj, and that year, the Arabs set up their camp in the same place that they would during the period of ignorance. When the day of sacrifice arrived, Hazrat Alira stood up and made the announcement he was instructed to make by the Holy Prophetsa. As I have mentioned, the details of this incident have already been mentioned. (Ibn Hisham, Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2001], p. 836)
This mention of Hazrat Abu Bakrra will continue in due course, God willing. At this time, I would like to speak about a few deceased members.
The first is respected Muhammad Dawood Zafar Sahib, who was a missionary serving in the Raqeem Press and was the son of Chaudhary Muhammad Yusuf Sahib. He passed away on 16 November at the age of 48.
اِنَّا لِلّٰهِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡهِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[“Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”]
His funeral prayer will be offered, God willing. I will lead his funeral prayer following the Friday prayers. In 1998, he completed the Shahid course from Jamia Ahmadiyya Rabwah. Thereafter, he served as a missionary in various places. In 2001, he came here to England and was posted to the Raqeem Press in Islamabad. He very passionately rendered his services. He held a deep bond of love with Khilafat. Whilst living in Islamabad, he also had the opportunity of serving as Sadr (president) jamaat Islamabad. He also had the honour of performing the Umrah. He was a musi. He is survived by his parents, wife, three sons and a daughter.
His father, Chaudhary Yusuf Sahib says, “When I encouraged Dawood to become a missionary, he fully obeyed this desire of mine. Some people told him that if he was to strive just as much in seeking secular knowledge, then he would be able to find much better employment and improve the financial circumstances in his home. However, Dawood Sahib disregarded such suggestions straight away. From becoming a Shahid missionary up until his demise, he upheld his waqf (life-devotion) with loyalty. He was a very obedient son.” His father further states, “He would obey everything I said without ever refusing. He always desired to give me peace of mind. Despite facing financial problems, he never once thought of abandoning his waqf.” He further says, “During his education in Jamia, he would not even have enough money to repair a punctured tyre on his bicycle due to financial constraints. He would inflate the tyre at home and manage to reach Jamia and would do the same upon his return. He never once complained or expressed any discontent. He was a missionary who was obedient to the Khalifa of the time and understood his desire.”
His wife, Mubarika Sahiba, says, “Our relationship lasted 22 years. He was very tender-hearted and hardworking, had complete and utter trust in God and selflessly helped and served others. There were many instances during our lives when some things seemed apparently impossible and I would question what could be done. He would say to trust Allah and that everything would be alright, and by the grace of Allah, this would transpire. He would always advise the children to become good humans and that they should never be a cause of pain to others.” She continues, “He would seat the children and tell them that whatever he has achieved has only been possible because of his connection with Khilafat and because of the Community. It was always his aspiration that Allah enables him to duly fulfil his waqf [dedication].”
His daughter, Darmana Sahiba, says, “He only desired one thing from us, that we become good Ahmadi Muslims, to look after those around us, and to never be a source of pain for anyone.”
His eldest son Rauhaan says, “My father was always concerned for our spiritual upbringing. Whenever we asked a question, as a missionary, he would always try to answer it in light of the teachings of the Holy Quran and in religious terms.”
His youngest son, Fouad Dawood, who is 15 years old, says, “In the final days of his illness, when he was suffering from cancer, it became very intense, and in those final days, he told me, I wanted to see you live a beautiful life, however, my Allah desires something else for me and I am content with His will.’”
In any case, he would always advise his children to do good, and to develop a bond with the Community and with Khilafat. May Allah the Almighty enable them to act upon his advice and may He accept his supplications for them. Be they life-devotees, workers, or missionaries, everyone has generally written that Dawood Sahib was a very cheerful, sociable, friendly and amiable individual, and that he was very skilled in his profession in computer and artwork. He was a missionary, but his mind was also very sharp in technical tasks and in editing etc. He carried out great work at the Raqeem Press and he had the wonderful opportunity to utilise his skills. He always saw services to the Community as a means of honour for himself.
A relative has written that he would help others in secret. He would quietly help those in need and his relatives financially. May Allah the Almighty grant him forgiveness and mercy. May He grant his children patience and forbearance, enable them to continue to carry out his good deeds and grant his parents patience and forbearance.
The second funeral prayer – there are two in absentia – the first of which is of Ruqayya Shamim Bushra Sahiba, wife of the late missionary in Spain, Karam Ilahi Zafar Sahib, who had served as a missionary in Spain. She also passed away a few days ago.
اِنَّا لِلّٰهِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡهِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[“Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”]
She was born in Qadian in 1932. By the grace of Allah the Almighty, she was a musia. She had the honour of serving as the Sadr Lajna in Spain for a number of years. She has three sons and three daughters. One of her grandsons, Ataul Mun’im Tariq, is a life-devotee who is serving as the in-charge of the central Spanish desk. One of her granddaughters is also married to a missionary. Two of her sons are active in their services to faith, by the grace of Allah the Almighty and her elder son is serving as the Naib Ameer.
Ruqayya Sahiba’s paternal grandfather was Maulvi Fakhruddin Sahibra and her grandmother was Bibi Sahibara, who were originally from Bhera. In the time of the Promised Messiahas they migrated to Qadian after pledging their allegiance. Her maternal grandfather was Bhai Abdur Rahim Sahibra who was from Ajmer. He was originally a Sikh, but then he had the honour of pledging allegiance at the hand of the Promised Messiahas. He too migrated to Qadian to study after pledging his allegiance. In this way, her grandparents on both sides were companions of the Promised Messiahas.
In relation to Ruqayya Sahiba, her son writes, “She had a special connection with Da’wat-ul-Amir and had read it a number of times. She would say that after reading this book, many of the questions and doubts in her mind would be answered. She had a deep affection for prayer from the age of 12. She would supplicate to Allah the Almighty to keep her on the paths of faith, and on the right path. She would pay great attention to observing the purdah. She was an example for the women of the Community. She had compassion for the sick and the needy and was ever-ready to help them in every way possible.
In the early days after arriving in Spain with Maulana Sahib, she had to face great difficulties in Spain. Due to his preaching efforts, the police would often detain him or raid his home. The police would search for evidence of his outreach activities, but by the grace of Allah, she remained firm in her conviction – just like her husband – that in the end Allah the Almighty would certainly come to their aid and remove all their difficulties.
When Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh instructed Maulana Sahib to find a suitable land in Cordoba to construct a mosque, she also assisted in this to the best of her abilities.” Her son then writes, “When the construction of Masjid Basharat commenced she would travel almost every day with her husband by bus etc. from Cordoba to Pedro Abad to inspect the construction work and its progress. She had the records of all the expenditures and she served as an accountant for the construction of the mosque.”
Her son Fazl Ilahi Qamar says, “My mother always bore in mind the instructions of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra. He instructed her, ‘Always keep your duties in mind and counsel your husband. You are going to a country where you must not allow your husband to become slack in his outreach efforts, rather, you should make him even more active therein. You shall have plenty of time together after passing away, therefore, based upon this, you must strive to make these days of your life in your work as beneficial as possible.’” As it were, she continued to act upon these instructions, and no matter the circumstances, she always acted with patience and forbearance with the pleasure of Allah the Almighty in mind. The initial days were extremely difficult, yet she endured them with great fortitude, and she always gave precedence to her faith over the world.”
Whilst acting upon the instructions of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, she set an example in a European country where it was a crime to even utter the name of Islam. She played a distinct role in the propagation of Ahmadiyyat in Spain. May Allah the Almighty grant her forgiveness and mercy and elevate her rank. May He enable her children to continue her good deeds.
The third mention is of respected Tahirah Hanif Sahiba, who was the daughter of Syed Zain-ul-Abideen Walliullah Shah Sahibra and the wife of the late Mirza Hanif Ahmad Sahib, who was the son of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra. She also passed away recently.
اِنَّا لِلّٰهِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡهِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[“Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”]
By the grace of Allah the Almighty, she was a musia. As I mentioned, she was the daughter-in-law of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra and she was my maternal aunt. She was born in 1936 in Qadian. As I mentioned, her father was Syed Zain-ul-Abideen Walliullah Shah Sahibra, who wrote the commentary of [Sahih] Bukhari which comprises many volumes. He was a great scholar and spent time in Arab countries. Tahira Begum Sahiba’s mother’s name was Syedah Sayyarah Sahiba. She was originally from Damascus and was an Arab. Ahmadiyyat entered the family of the deceased through her paternal grandfather, Dr Syed Abdul Sattar Shah Sahibra, who pledged allegiance at the hands of the Promised Messiahas in 1901. Allah the Almighty guided the entire family, the children and the elders as well, through dreams and thus strengthened their faith. Hazrat Dr Syed Abdul Sattar Shah Sahibra was the maternal grandfather of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh and so she was his cousin. Respected Tahira Sahiba served as the Secretary Islah-o-Irshad for Lajna Imaillah Rabwah from 1972 to 1990. She also spent some years in Sierra Leone along with her husband, who was a waqif-e-zindagi. Allah the Almighty bestowed them with three daughters and a son.
Her eldest daughter, Amatul Momin, says, “Aside from the five daily prayers, we observed that our mother was very regular in offering the Tahajjud prayer, observing the fasts and reciting the Holy Quran. In fact, she would also offer the Ishraq prayer as well [a voluntary prayer offered after the sun has risen]. She would always keep to her routine. She would carry out all her work in a loving and diligent manner and this was also the case with her worship.”
She further says, “I would be amazed as to how she was able to fulfil all her other tasks in addition to this, for example, fulfilling the rights of her in-laws and the rights of the neighbours, looking after our father, preparing food for the children and passionately serving the guests. She had great love for the Community and had a sincere bond with every Khalifa in her lifetime. She was extremely loyal to Khilafat. She would be particularly mindful of paying her Wasiyyat. She would always advise others to write to His Holiness and she would say that after writing to the Khalifa of the time one feels a sense of contentment. (She would also write to me regularly. In fact, after every sermon, I would receive letters from her, in which she would express her thoughts about its various aspects and mention those points that she particularly liked). She never expressed any words of complaint and if ever something was said like this in which we were present, she would tell us that there was no need to engage in such talk as she always found that such people always incurred their own loss as a result of it and gained no benefit from it.”
As I mentioned, she had an extraordinary bond with Khilafat. She greatly looked after the poor. Akhtar Sahib wrote to me that their father left their mother and them, and so the deceased gave them a place in her house and looked after them like her own children and took care of all their needs, including food and drink, clothes, studies and did not let them feel [affected by their circumstances].
May Allah the Almighty always grant her His forgiveness and mercy. May He grant her station in the company of her elders and enable her children to continue her good deeds.
(Official Urdu transcript published in Al Fazl International, 9 December 2022, pp. 5-10. Translated by The Review of Religions.)
