Friday Sermon
12 April 2024
Muhammadsa: The Great Exemplar
After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:
Prior to Ramadan, I was mentioning the expeditions of the Holy Prophetsa. In this regard, I was discussing incidents related to the Battle of Uhud, which also included aspects of the life of the Holy Prophetsa. Today, I shall continue to speak about this.
It is recorded in a narration that the mother of Hazrat Sa’d bin Mu’adhra came to the Holy Prophetsa when the Holy Prophetsa was riding on a horse and Hazrat Sa’d bin Mu’adhra was holding its reins. Seeing her, Hazrat Sa’dra said to the Holy Prophetsa, “O Messengersa of Allah! This is my mother.” The Holy Prophetsa replied: “Welcome her!” He stopped his horse for her until she came near and started looking at the Holy Prophetsa. The Holy Prophetsa expressed his condolences on the martyrdom of her son, Hazrat Amr bin Mu’adhra. Upon this, she said, “Having seen the Holy Prophetsa safe and well, all my grief and sorrow have vanished.” The Holy Prophetsa said to Umm Sa’d, “O Umm Sa’d! Glad tidings to you and convey glad tidings to the families of every martyr in that all of those that have been killed are companions of one another in paradise and that all of them have interceded for their families before Allah the Almighty.” That is, all of the martyrs have also interceded for their families before Allah the Almighty. Hazrat Umm Sa’dra replied, “O Messengersa of Allah! We are all content and happy with the will [of Allah] and who can weep for [the martyrs] following this glad tiding?” How magnificent is the standard of their faith and being content with the will of Allah the Almighty? Following this, she requested the Holy Prophetsa saying, “O Messengersa of Allah! Pray for the bereaved families of every martyr.” Subsequently, the Holy Prophetsa prayed for the bereaved families of every martyr of Uhud in the following words:
اَللّٰهُمَّ أَذْهِبْ حُزْنَ قُلُوْبِھِمْ وَاجْبُرْ مُصِيْبَتَهُمْ، وَأَحْسِنِ الْخَلَفَ عَلٰى مَنْ خُلِّفُوْا
“O Allah! Remove the sorrow and pain from their hearts, remove their difficulties and grant excellence to the ones left behind by the martyrs.” (Sirat al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 2, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, p. 345)
Speaking on the devotion of the people of Medina, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states:
“When the Holy Prophetsa returned from the battlefield of Uhud, the women and children of Medina had left the town in order to welcome [him]. An old and brave companion from among the Ansar [Muslims native to Medina], Sa’d bin Mu’adhra, was holding the reins of the Holy Prophet’ssa camel and he was advancing with pride. Close to the city, he met his elderly mother, whose eyesight had deteriorated. During the Battle of Uhud, one of her sons was killed as well. A cataract was forming in the eyes of this elderly lady and her eyesight had deteriorated. Standing in front of the women, she started looking here and there and inquired where the Holy Prophetsa was. Sa’d bin Mu’adhra thought that if his mother were to receive the news of her son being martyred, she would be in shock. This is why he wanted the Holy Prophetsa to give her courage and grant her solace. Therefore, right when he saw his mother, he said, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, my mother [is here], O Messenger of Allah, my mother [is here].’ (Meaning he said twice that his mother was coming.) Upon stopping there, the Holy Prophetsa said, ‘O woman, it is a matter of great sorrow that one of your sons has been martyred in this battle.’ The vision of the old woman was weak, so she couldn’t see the face of the Holy Prophetsa. She started looking left and right, and eventually, her eyes stopped at the countenance of the Holy Prophetsa. She came close to the Holy Prophetsa and began saying, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, when I have seen you safe, then consider that I have roasted this affliction and swallowed it.’
“Now observe how this woman, whose support [i.e. her son] was broken in her old age, bravely said, ‘Why should my sorrow regarding my son eat away at me? If the Holy Prophetsa is alive, then I will roast this sorrow and swallow it. My son’s death will not be the cause of my demise; rather, the fact that the Holy Prophetsa is alive, and my son gave his life while protecting him will only increase my strength.’” (Quroon-e-Ula ki Musalman Khawatin, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 25, p. 441)
While stating another incident in this manner, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra once asked Ahmadi women:
“Does this same passion for your faith surge within you?” Then, after stating the aforementioned incident, he addressed the women of the Jamaat while bringing their attention to the responsibility of tabligh [propagation of Islam], and said:
“These were the women who, in the cause of the propagation of Islam, would walk in stride with men, and these are the women about whom the Islamic world takes great pride. It is also your pledge (meaning the women who accepted the Promised Messiahas) that you believed in the Promised Messiahas, and the Promised Messiahas is the reflection of the Holy Prophetsa. In other words, you are the reflection of the female Companions, but truly tell me: Does the same passion for your faith surge within you that surged within the female Companions? Do you possess the same light that was found within the female Companions? Is your progeny righteous, just as the progenies of the female Companions were? If you reflect on this, you will find yourselves much farther behind than the female Companions.”
He further states, “The sacrifices they made while risking their lives were so loved by Allah the Almighty that He very quickly granted them success, and that work which could not be completed in centuries by other nations, was completed by both the male and female Companions within some years.” (Fariza-e-Tabligh Aur Ahmadi Khawatin, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 18, pp. 400-401)
Thus, if we wish to see progress, we must create the same faith and passion within us, and instil the same sincerity and sacrifice. Though some incidents like the one I just narrated have been mentioned before as well, they have been stated in light of different narrations; however, when one listens to these incidents over and over, and in varying angles, it creates a wondrous spiritual state and a sense of zeal. When Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra presents these incidents, we experience them in a more holistic, rather than plainly stating the incident. In the same manner, while mentioning the incidents of the early female Muslims, on one occasion, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra stated:
“The battlefield of Uhud was 8 or 9 miles from Medina. When news of the martyrdom of the Holy Prophetsa reached Medina, the women exited the city whilst profusely crying and sobbing and ran towards the battlefield. Most women received the news of the Holy Prophetsa being alive while on the way and so they stopped there, but one woman ran to Uhud in a state of frenzy. This woman’s husband, brother, and father were all killed in Uhud, and according to some narrations, one of her sons was killed as well. When she arrived at the Muslim army, she asked one of the Companions as to the condition of the Holy Prophetsa. Because the Companion who was giving the news was at peace knowing the Holy Prophetsa [was alive], he said, ‘I am sorrowful, O woman, that your father has been killed in this battle.’ Upon hearing this, the woman said, ‘You are quite odd. I am asking about the Holy Prophetsa, and you give me the news that my father has died.’ Upon hearing this, the Companion said, ‘I am sorrowful, O woman, that your husband has also been killed in this battle.’ Upon hearing this, the woman responded, ‘I did not ask you about my husband. I have asked about the condition of the Holy Prophetsa.’ Upon hearing this, the Companion once more said, ‘I am sorrowful, O woman, that your brother has also been killed in this battle.’ This woman passionately said, ‘I did not ask you about my brother; I asked you regarding the Holy Prophetsa. Tell me about the wellbeing of the Holy Prophetsa.’ When the people saw that she was not worried about the death of her father, husband and brother, and she only wished to ask about the condition of the Holy Prophetsa, they understood her true emotions, and they said, ‘O woman, the Holy Prophetsa is alive and well.’ Upon this, she said, ‘Tell me where he is,’ and then quickly ran towards the direction where the Holy Prophetsa was standing. When she arrived there, she fell to her knees, clutched the clothes of the Holy Prophetsa and said, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, may my mother and father be sacrificed for you. If you are alright, then I do not care who has passed away. I only need for you to be alive. If you are alive, then I am not worried about the demise of anyone else.’”
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra further states, “Look at how much this woman loved the Holy Prophetsa. One after the other, people informed her of the death of her father, brother and husband, but she kept giving the same response that ‘tell me about the condition of the Holy Prophetsa.’ Thus, this was another woman who demonstrated a profound love for the Holy Prophetsa.” (Quroon-e-Ula ki Musalman Khawatin, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 25, pp. 439-440)
Whilst describing the circumstances that followed the Battle of Uhud and aspects of the Holy Prophet’ssa life, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra writes about the condition of early Muslim women, and the love and compassion his male and female Companions had for him. Thus, in The Introduction to the Study of the Holy Quran, he writes:
“When the Islamic army returned to Medina, the false rumour of the Holy Prophet’ssa demise and news of the blows sustained by the Muslims had already reached Medina. The women and children of Medina raced with great fervour and concern towards Uhud. Most of them learned the truth on the way there and stopped, but one woman who belonged to the Banu Dinar tribe ran fervently all the way to Uhud itself to find out if the news was true. When this woman was running frantically towards Uhud (her husband, brother and father were all killed in the battle, and according to some narrations, even her son saw the same fate), the first narration reveals that when she was informed of her father’s demise, she responded only by asking about how Allah’s Messengersa was doing.
“Because the person informing her was already at ease, knowing that Allah’s Messengersa was alright, He kept apprising her of the family members that she had lost.
“But she insisted on repeatedly asking:
مَا فَعَلَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰہِ صلي اللّٰہ عليه وسلم
“‘What has the Holy Prophetsa done?’
“Apparently, this phrase appears to be incorrect at first glance (Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states that at first glance it seems incorrect to say ‘What has the Holy Prophetsa done?’). This is why historians have interpreted it to mean, ‘What happened to the Holy Prophetsa at Uhud?’”
In other words, they have taken the statement in a different direction. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra explains, “The truth is that according to the linguistic expression of women, it’s absolutely correct. A woman’s emotions run high, and at times, she addresses the dead as though they are living. Like when the sons or husbands of certain women die, they address them as though they are still alive, saying things like, “Why are you leaving me in this state?” or “Son, why have you abandoned me in my old age?” This is an extremely delicate phenomenon that the human condition exhibits in times of deep distress.
And thus, it was the case of this woman upon hearing the false rumour that the Holy Prophetsa has died. She wasn’t ready to accept his passing, nor could she deny that he could have passed away, so in a state of the deepest grief, she just kept repeating, ‘What has the Holy Prophetsa done?’
What she meant was how it is conceivable that such a faithful person bring himself to cause us such pain [by dying]. When people observed that she cared not for her husband, father, or brother’s passing and realised the real intent behind her questions, they reassured her, “O mother of so-and-so, the Prophetsa is as you wish to see him – he is fine by Allah’s grace.”
She asked people, “Show me where he is.” They told her to proceed a little further and that she would see him standing just up ahead. The woman ran up to him and held him by his mantle, saying, “O Messengersa of Allah, may my parents be sacrificed for you. When you are alive and well, I care not for anyone else’s death.”
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states, “Observe, the men demonstrated a tremendous example of faith in battle, and the women showed their sincerity in the way I have just illustrated before you. The Christian world takes great pride in the heroism of Mary Magdalene and her female companions circumventing the enemy to enter the sepulchre of Jesus Christ.
“I say to them: Come and see the selfless devotion of my Beloved’ssa devotees! [Look at] the precarious conditions in which they supported him and through it, all kept aloft the flag of God’s unity […]
“After burying the martyrs, when Allah’s Messengersa returned to Medina, he was met on the town’s outskirts by women and children welcoming him back home. Sa’d bin Mu’adhra, a Chief in Medina, was holding the reins of the Prophet’ssa camel (I’ve mentioned this incident before as well) and kept running up ahead with pride, perhaps announcing to the people that look, we have brought Allah’s Messengersa back home safely.
“(This was a form of expression.) While entering the town, Hazrat Sa’dra was met by his aged mother whose eyesight had grown weak. Her other son, ‘Amr bin Mu’adhra, had also been martyred at Uhud (as I’ve mentioned in detail before as well). When the Holy Prophetsa saw her, he said, ‘I feel great sympathy for your loss.’ The pious woman responded, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, now that I’ve seen you alive and well, consider that I have cooked and eaten away all my other sorrows.’ What a strange idiomatic expression – to cook and eat away all of one’s sorrows.
“What a deeply profound calibre of love it conveys. Normally, grief consumes a person. But this woman, who, in her advanced age, lost her means of support and livelihood in her son, declared with such vivacious courage that, let alone grief consuming her, when the Messengersa of Allah is alive, I will instead consume my grief. My son’s untimely death will not be a means of my demise. Rather, the knowledge that he gave up his life for the Prophetsa of Allah will rejuvenate me.”
This is true passion.
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, praying for the Helpers of Medina, and expressing his sentiments about them declared, “O Helpers of Medina, may my life be sacrificed for you all; what a truly great reward you have earned.” (Dibacha Tafsir-ul-Quran, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 20, pp. 255-257)
What was the example of the Holy Prophetsa upon the conduct of the hypocrites and Jews of Medina and Hazrat Umar’sra display of passion in response to them? It is recorded that when the Holy Prophetsa reached Medina after the Battle of Uhud, the hypocrites and Jews of Medina began to celebrate and speak ill of the Muslims. They would say, “Muhammad[sa] desires to rule (God forbid), and to this day, no prophet has suffered as much loss as he has. He himself was injured, and so were his companions.” They would also say, “If those among you who lost their lives had remained with us, they would never have been killed.”
Hazrat Umarra sought permission from the Holy Prophetsa to slay the hypocrites who were saying these things. The Holy Prophetsa said, “Do they not bear witness that there is no god besides Allah – do they not recite لَا اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہ – and that I am the Messenger of Allah – محمد رسول اللّٰہ. In other words, they recite the Islamic creed. He then asked, “Do they not recite the Islamic creed?” Hazrat Umarra replied, “Yes, they do. They may proclaim it, but at the same time, they speak hypocritically.” Hazrat Umarra added, “They only recite the creed or accept Muhammad as the Messenger of Allah so out of fear of the sword. Their matter is clear, and now that they have displayed what is in their hearts and Allah has manifested the malice they harbour, we must take revenge against them, and punish them.” The Holy Prophetsa replied, “I have been forbidden to kill those who proclaim the creed. (Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 2, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut 2002, p. 348)
The Holy Prophetsa was forbidden from slaying those who proclaim that, “There is no God besides Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger.” [He said] “I have been prohibited from killing one who recites this Islamic creed.”
This is sufficient to silence those self-proclaimed clerics who say that Ahmadis are disbelievers and their killing is permissible, despite the fact that Ahmadis recite the Islamic creed from their hearts and harbour, not even a hint of hypocrisy within them. In fact, these so-called scholars deem Ahmadis to be disbelievers and regard their killing to be permissible as a result of which there have been some martyrdoms. These are the very clerics, or self-proclaimed clerics, who have put the name of Islam in disrepute.
There are several narrations regarding the funerals of the martyrs of Uhud. I have presented them previously, but now I would like to mention a narration of Sahih al-Bukhari, from which one can understand the rank and station of the Companions who partook in the Battle of Uhud and the prayer of the Holy Prophetsa for them.
Hazrat Uqbah bin Amirra relates that the Holy Prophetsa offered the funeral prayers of the martyrs of Uhud eight years later, as if bidding farewell to the living and the dead. Then he ascended the pulpit and said, “I am your predecessor before you, and I am a witness for you, and your promised place [on the Day of Resurrection] to meet me will be Al-Haud [a place of drink] and I can see it from where I stand. I am not afraid that you will worship others besides Allah, but I am afraid that the worldly life will tempt you and cause you to compete with each other for it.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghzai, Bab Ghazwah Uhud, Hadith 4042)
Incidents that unfolded later prove that this fear of the Holy Prophetsa was warranted.
Hazrat Ibn Abbasra relates that the Holy Prophetsa said, “When your brothers were martyred at Uhud, Allah placed their souls in green birds which go down to the rivers of paradise, eat its fruits and nestle in lamps of gold in the shade of the Throne. Then, when they tasted their favourite food and drink and rested as they pleased, they asked who would tell their brethren about them that they were alive in paradise and given provisions, lest they become reluctant to perform Jihad or take up arms in war. Allah Almighty has said that He would inform them about them. Then Allah revealed:
وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللّٰهِ اَمْوَاتًا۔
“(The Holy Quran, 3:170)
“‘Think not of those, who have been slain in the cause of Allah, as dead.’” (Sunan Abi Da’ud, Kitabl al-Jihad, Bab fi Fadl al-Sahahdah, Hadith 2520)
Some authors of commentaries on the Holy Quran or narrators of Hadith often assert that this does not necessarily have to be the reason this verse was revealed. Even before this [revelation], every martyr – and the martyrs of Badr – were granted a lofty rank. In fact, this verse is also found in Surah al-Baqarah.
Then, there is another narration from Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullahra, who says, “The Holy Prophetsa used to say, ‘By God, when I think of the martyrs of Uhud, I wish that I had stayed with my Companions in that mountain valley.’ In other words, he would say, ‘Alas! If only I was martyred along with them.’” (Al Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihain, Vol. 5, Kitab al-Maghazi wa al-Saraya, Hadith 4318, Maktabah Nazar Mustafah, 2000, p. 1627)
Abdullah bin Abu Farwah narrates on account of his father, “When the Holy Prophetsa visited the graves of the martyrs of Uhud, he said:
اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنَّ عَبْدَكَ وَنَبِيَّكَ يَشْهَدُ أَنَّ هٰؤُلَاءِ شُهَدَاءُ، وَأَنَّهٗ مَنْ زَارَهُمْ۔ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِلٰى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ رَدُّوْا عَلَيْہِ
‘O Allah, indeed, I, your servant and messenger, testify that these people are martyrs, and they will reply to those who visit them and send peace upon them until the Day of Judgement.’” (Al Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihain, Vol. 5, Kitab al-Maghazi wa al-Saraya, Hadith 4320, Maktabah Nazar Mustafah, 2000, p. 1627-1628)
Regarding the martyrs of Uhud, the Holy Prophetsa also said:
هٰؤُلَاءِ أَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِمْ
“These are the people for whom I testify.”
Upon this, Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiqra submitted, “O Prophetsa of Allah, are we not their brothers? We accepted Islam just as they did, and we performed jihad just as they did.” The Holy Prophetsa replied, “Indeed. However, I do not know what you will do after I am gone.” Hazrat Abu Bakrsa started weeping and said, “Will we be able to live after you?” (Al-Muwattah li Imam Malik, Kitab al-Jihad, Bab al-Shuhada fi Sabeelillah, Hadith 1004, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut, p. 282)
Hazrat Abu Bakrra began to weep in sorrow from the thought that he may live longer than the Holy Prophetsa.
Abbad bin Abu Salih narrates, “The Holy Prophetsa would go to visit the graves of the martyrs of Uhud at the beginning of each year. There, he would say:
سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِمَا صَبَرْتُمْ فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ
‘Peace be upon you for the patience you displayed. How delightful is your final abode!’”
The narrator states that afterwards, Hazrat Abu Bakrra, and then Hazrat Umarra, and then Hazrat Uthmanra also went to visit their graves. (Tarikh al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, Vol. 1, Hadith 381, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, pp. 85-86)
Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra writes:
“Close to the era of his demise, the Holy Prophetsa especially offered a funeral prayer for the martyrs of Uhud, and prayed for them with great anguish. The Holy Prophetsa would remember the martyrs of Uhud with special love and respect.
On one occasion, when the Holy Prophetsa passed by the graves of the martyrs of Uhud, he said, ‘These are such people whose faith I am a witness to.’ Hazrat Abu Bakrra submitted, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Are we not their brothers? Have we not also accepted Islam as they did? Have we not also partaken in Jihad for the sake of Allah as they did?’ The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘Indeed! But how do I know of what you shall do after my demise?’ Upon this Hazrat Abu Bakrra began to weep and continued to weep profusely. Then he said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Shall we be able to live after your demise?’”
Such a thought was akin to death. Then, he further writes:
“The Companions also held the martyrs of Uhud in high esteem, and always kept the memory of Uhud alive in their hearts as a sacred event. As such, on one occasion after the demise of the Holy Prophetsa, Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Aufra was presented with some food to break his fast, which was perhaps somewhat elaborately prepared. At this, he was reminded of the time of Uhud, when the Muslims did not even possess enough cloth to shroud their martyrs, and they would cut grass to cover their bodies. Abdur Rahman bin Aufra was so greatly disturbed by this memory that he began to weep restlessly and left without eating, although he was fasting.” (Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 2, pp. 347-348)
Then there are incidents of the Holy Prophetsa consoling the families of the martyrs of Uhud and mention of how he expressed love to the children of martyrs. Hazrat Bishr’sra father Hazrat Aqrabahra has been mentioned among the martyrs of Uhud. Some have also recorded Hazrat Bishr’s name and Bashir. When Aqrabah was martyred, his son Bishr was sitting beside him, crying. The Holy Prophetsa passed by and said:
اُسْكُتْ ،اَمَا تَرْضٰى اَنْ اَكُوْنَ اَنَا أَبُوْكَ وَعَائِشَةُ اُمُّكَ
“Be quiet. Does it not please you that I become your father and A’ishah becomes your mother?”
Bishr replied, “Why not? Of course, it pleases me.” His previous name was Bahir, and the Holy Prophetsa named him Bashir. He had a lisp, however the Holy Prophetsa [prayed and] blew on his mouth as a result of which his lisp was cured. The Holy Prophetsa also passed his blessed hand over his head. When he became advanced in age, all the hair on his head became white, but the hair at the place where the Holy Prophetsa had passed his hand over remained black. He lived a long life and passed away in Palestine in 85 AH. (Sirat Encyclopaedia, Vol. 6, Darus Salam Research Center, p. 357;Al-Asabah, Vol. 4, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, p. 437; Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 1, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, p. 388)
There is an incident of the Holy Prophetsa consoling Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullahra. Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullahra relates, “Once, the Holy Prophetsa saw me and stated, ‘O Jabir! What is the matter, for you seem very sad?’ I submitted, ‘O Messengersa of Allah! My father was martyred during the Battle of Uhud and he has left behind his progeny and a debt.’
“The Holy Prophetsa replied, ‘Shall I not give you glad tidings regarding the manner in which your father met Allah?’ I submitted, ‘Yes, O Messengersa of Allah.’ The Holy Prophetsa stated, ‘Allah the Almighty conversed with everyone behind a veil; however, He brought your father back to life and spoke to him directly and said, “O My servant ask of Me whatever you will, and I shall grant it to you.” He submitted, ‘O my Lord, grant me life [on earth] once again so that I may be martyred in Your way once again.’”
According to another narration, it states that on this occasion, Hazrat Abdullahra submitted, “O my Lord! I was unable to fulfil the dues of Your worship. Thus, grant me life once again so that I may stand next to Your Prophetsa and fight in Your way and embrace martyrdom once again for Your sake.” Upon this, Allah the Almighty stated, “I have decreed that once someone dies, they shall never return to the earth.”
Hazrat Abdullah bin Amrra requested, “O my Lord, convey this to my loved ones in the world. Subsequently, Allah the Almighty revealed the following verse:
وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِيْنَ قُتِلُوْا فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللّٰہِ أَمْوَاتًا بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّہِمْ يُرْزَقُوْنَ
(The Holy Quran, 3:170)
“Think not of those, who have been slain in the cause of Allah, as dead. Nay, they are living, in the presence of their Lord, and are granted gifts from Him.” (Sunan al-Timidhi, Abwab al-Tafsir al-Quran, Bab Wa min Surah Aal-Imran, Hadith 3010;Baihiqi, Dala’il al-Nabuwwah, Vol. 3, Dar al-Rayyan li al-Turaf al-Qahirah, 1988, p. 298;Al-Isti’ab, Vol. 3, Dar al-Jayl, Beirut, pp. 955-956)
In any case, as I mentioned before, it is not certain whether this was the exact reason for the revelation of this verse, but what is true is that the martyrs are living and they attain the loftiest stations in heaven after dying; in fact, immediately after passing away they attain the loftiest ranks in heavens. This incident of Allah the Almighty speaking with Hazrat Abdullah bin Amrra was also detailed by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh in a speech with reference to the life of the Holy Prophetsa. It demonstrates the Companions’ connection and love for the Holy Prophetsa and the manner in which Allah the Almighty lovingly looked down upon them. Whilst mentioning this, he states:
“This incident is filled with countless aspects of beauty. From whichever perspective one looks at it, it manifests its grace and splendour. Among many other things, we learn how the Holy Prophetsa remained in constant communication with His Lord; on the one hand, he was filled with benevolence towards his people and at the same time, his heart remained attached with His Lord. One aspect of his being was devoted to his Companions and the other was always firmly attached and bonded to his Beloved, the Most High.
“During a time of peace and security, he remained steady at the loftiest spiritual heights at the stage of:
ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلّٰى
“(The Holy Quran 53:9)
“Then, he did not waver from this station for even a moment, even during times of war. One eye would be overseeing the battlefield, whilst the other would be engaged in witnessing the wondrous signs of his Lord. One ear would be compassionately listening to his Companions whilst the other would be engaged in listening to the delightful sound of divine revelation. His hands were working whilst his heart remained occupied in the remembrance of God. The Holy Prophetsa would be consoling and reassuring his Companions whilst God Almighty Himself would be granting him comfort and solace.
“By revealing the heartfelt desire of Abdullah bin Amrra, Allah the Almighty was informing the Holy Prophetsa, ‘O one who loves Me more than anyone else, I have filled the hearts of My righteous servants with so much love for you that even after passing away from this transient world, they continue to have a heartfelt longing for you (in other words it was there [in the afterlife] that he asked to go back so he could fight alongside the Holy Prophetsa) and to have left you alone in the battlefield pains their heart. They do not even desire the gardens of Paradise when it comes to you because for them, their paradise is to be at your side, and even if they are repeatedly killed by the sword, their only desire is to be with you again and again and again.’” (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Jalsa Speeches before Khilafat, Speech at Jalsa Salana 1979, pp. 349-350)
The rest I will, God willing, continue in the future.
Continue to pray for Palestine and the world in general as the situation is increasingly worsening. There is the risk of an attack on Iran, which will cause the war to further spread. May Allah the Almighty bestow His mercy.
Also, news was received that the majority of the Ahmadis imprisoned in Yemen were freed yesterday. Pray for the remaining few prisoners; may Allah the Almighty bring a change in the hearts of those who are in authority over them. And especially pray for the Sadr Lajna who is also in prison; may Allah the Almighty grant the means for her swift release.
After the prayers, I shall lead two funeral prayers in absentia; I will mention some details about them.
The first funeral is of respected Mustafa Ahmad Khan Sahib, who was the son of Hazrat Nawab Abdullah Khanra and Hazrat Nawab Amatul Hafeez Begumra, who recently passed away.
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[“Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”]
The deceased was the youngest grandchild of the Promised Messiahas and was the youngest son of the Promised Messiah’sas youngest daughter, Amatul Hafeez Begum Sahibara. He was the youngest grandson of the Promised Messiahas. By the grace of Allah the Almighty, he was a musi. In 1966 he started his employment as the general manager at Sui Northern Gas Company. Even after his retirement, he once again became the director of the company. When the situation [against Ahmadis in Pakistan] worsened, the company completely side-lined him and would not give him any good level of work. He discussed this matter with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh and he advised him that the circumstances would eventually improve and he should not worry and continue working there. Following this, the circumstances improved, Allah the Almighty bestowed His grace upon him and the circumstances turned in his favour.
He looked after the poor a lot and fulfilled his relations with his family members. He was married twice. His first wife passed away and then he later married his wife’s younger sister, who already had children [from a previous marriage]. He looked after her children as his own. This second marriage was upon the advice of his sisters and he fulfilled this marital bond in an excellent manner. As I mentioned earlier, his second wife was the younger sister of his first wife. She was divorced and had two daughters from her previous marriage. For a long time she raised her daughters on her own, but later married again.
She writes, “He treated even the non-Muslims with great kindness. There was a Hindu child in Sindh and he bore all the costs for his education and helped him attain an education to a level that he later became an assistant commissioner and he would always say, ‘I have attained this rank because of Mustafa Khan Sahib.’ Nonetheless, this was purely due to the blessings of Allah. He took great care of the poor. He also established a trust in the name of his parents on his Nasirabad farm, which he received as part of his father’s inheritance. He built a clinic near the land where free medical clinic camps would be organised and Dr Abdul Mannan Shaheed Sahib would also serve in these medical camps. He never asked any outsider to help run this clinic and would cover all the costs through his means.
He was also very hospitable. (His father, Nawab Abdullah Khan Sahibra was also very hospitable and this quality was instilled in him through his father.) He also had a very loving relationship with his children. He fulfilled all his relations in an excellent manner.” His second wife has written this. He treated and cared for her daughters just like his own. If ever he had to be strict to make them understand something then he would do so in a way that they would learn from it.
Dr Khalid Tasleem Sahib, his nephew, says that he was an extremely helpful person. He held a very high office in the department of Sui Gas. If ever anyone needed any help, he would never refuse them and he would particularly look after the poor. Mirza Hanif Ahmad Sahib once stated that if you send a poor person to him for any task, he would most certainly do it. He also helped to install gas in the homes of many of the poor families of Rabwah.
35 years ago, he was diagnosed with cancer, and he underwent major surgery. It greatly affected his day-to-day life, but despite this, he always remained cheerful. It never impeded him in his hospitality and helping others. He had a vast circle of friends. Even opponents of the Community had great reverence and respect for him and would meet with him because he would confer a favour upon everyone. He would never take a favour from someone, but instead always tried to do good to others. If someone did confer a favour upon him, he would always remain grateful for that. I have seen these qualities in him myself. He would look after the poor. He was an excellent son who cared for his mother the most. Despite being the youngest from among his siblings, he demonstrated his level of maturity. His mother, Nawab Amatul Hafeez Begum Sahiba had entrusted him with looking after all the land that was inherited and he fulfilled this responsibility most ably. He improved the farm manifold. For this reason, his brothers and sisters trusted him greatly. Aside from this, he would look after the poor workers. Nonetheless, he was an excellent husband, an excellent son, an excellent father and an excellent brother. May Allah the Almighty bestow His forgiveness and mercy upon him.
The second funeral prayer I will lead in absentia is of Dr Mir Dawood Ahmad Sahib, who lived in the USA and passed away recently:
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[“Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”]
He was the son of Dr Mir Mushtaq Ahmad Sahib and Bilqis Begum Sahiba. He was married to the respected Amatul Baseer Sahiba, who was the daughter of Mian Abdur Rahim Ahmad Sahib and Sahibzadi Amatul Rashid Begum Sahiba. Sahibzadi Amatul Rashid Begum Sahiba was the daughter of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra and the granddaughter of the Promised Messiahas and she [Amatul Baseer Sahiba] is the great-granddaughter. Sahibzadi Amatul Rashid Begum Sahiba was the paternal granddaughter of Hazrat Hakeem Maulvi Noor-ud-Din, Khalifatul Masih Ira.
Dr Dawood Sahib graduated from the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, after which he went to the USA to do his PhD. He then went on to work for the World Bank for 35 years as a Senior Development Professional and as a highly skilled practitioner. He worked in many countries, particularly across Asia working on international development projects and schemes. He was one of the early members of the USA Jamaat. In the ‘70s, he worked in the team for Langar Khana [the kitchen established by the Promised Messiahas] despite being such a high-ranking official. He served for many years as National Secretary Properties USA. He always worked with passion and religious zeal. He worked tirelessly on the construction of Baitur Rahman Mosque and its expansion. Even though he was a high-ranking official, he served the Jamaat with great humility.
He spent time in China, and the missionary who served there at the time stated that when the deceased was studying there, despite the circumstances being unfavourable, he strove to spread the message of Islam in China. He was extremely modest and would meet everyone with great humility and joy. He would always be ever ready to offer financial sacrifices and hospitality was one of his salient qualities. He would show kindness to everyone he knew and to those he did not, without distinction. May Allah the Almighty bestow His forgiveness and mercy upon the deceased.
(Official Urdu transcript published in the Daily Al Fazl International, 3 May 2024, pp. 2-6. Translated by The Review of Religions.)
