Friday Sermon
15 November 2024
Muhammadsa: The Great Exemplar
After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz, and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:
Today, I will begin speaking about the Treaty of Hudaibiyyah. The Treaty of Hudaibiyyah took place in Dhu al-Qa‘dah 6 AH, corresponding to March 628 CE. It is also referred to as the Expedition of Hudaibiyyah. Allah the Almighty revealed an entire chapter regarding the Expedition of Hudaibiyyah, Surah al-Fath. It begins with these blessed verses. Allah the Almighty states:
اَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيْمِ
اِنَّا فَتَحۡنَا لَكَ فَتۡحًا مُّبِيۡنًا لِّيَغۡفِرَ لَكَ اللّٰهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنۡ ذَنۡۢبِكَ وَ مَا تَاَخَّرَ وَ يُتِمَّ نِعۡمَتَهٗ عَلَيۡكَ وَ يَهۡدِيَكَ صِرَاطًا مُّسۡتَقِيۡمًا وَّ يَنۡصُرَكَ اللّٰهُ نَصۡرًا عَزِيۡزًا
“I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the rejected.
“Verily, We have granted thee a clear victory, that Allah may cover up for thee thy shortcomings, past and future, and that He may complete His favour upon thee, and may guide thee on a right path; and that Allah may help thee with a mighty help.” (The Holy Quran, 48:1-4)
Why is the Expedition of Hudaibiyyah called the Ghazwah of Hudaibiyyah, and what is its background? I shall briefly explain this. ‘Hudaibiyyah’ was the name of a well, so this area became known as Hudaibiyyah. At the inception of Islam, this well was used by travellers and pilgrims, but there was no permanent settlement there. Hudaibiyyah is located at a distance of one marhala, that is, nine miles from Mecca, and the distance from Mecca to Medina is about 250 miles. Thus, the distance from Medina to Hudaibiyyah is approximately 241 miles. Hudaibiyyah is the western boundary of the sacred boundaries of Mecca. According to some, most of it is found inside the sacred boundaries, and some parts are outside the sacred boundary. It was in Hudaibiyyah that a treaty was formed between the Muslims and the Quraish, which is called the Treaty of Hudaibiyyah.
One narration has also referred to it as the Expedition of Hudaibiyyah. In one narration, it is also called the Expedition of Tihamah. Mecca and its surrounding areas were called Tihamah due to the intense heat and sunlight, which is why it became known as Tihamah. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 70; Atlas Sirat-e-Nabawisa, p. 326; Farhang-e-Sirat, Zawar Academy, Karachi, p. 100; Al-Sahih min Sirat al-Nabi al-A’zamsa, Vol. 15, Al-Markaz al-Islami, lil-Dirasat, p. 59; Encyclopedia Sirat al-Nabisa, Zamzam Publishers, p. 188; Al-Mu’jam al-Awsat, Vol. 2, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 356; Subul al-Huda, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 87)
The background, according to narrations and history, is that the Holy Prophetsa undertook the journey of Hudaibiyyah based on a dream. It is narrated that the Messengersa of Allah was shown in a dream that he entered Mecca with his Companions in a state of peace, shaving their heads and trimming their hair, and that he had entered the House of Allah and taken its key, and had stayed with those who were staying in the plain of ‘Arafat. The Messengersa of Allahsummoned the people of Arabia and the surrounding Bedouin people so that they could all set out with him.
On this journey, the Muslims had no weapons except for swords, which were in their sheaths. In that era, every person would carry a sword with them when leaving their home. It was not considered that any person with a sword would necessarily be setting out to fight. Hazrat Umarra submitted, “O Messengersa of Allah! If you fear danger for the Muslims from Abu Sufyan and his companions, then why did you not bring the necessary weaponry for war?” The Holy Prophetsa replied, “Since I am going with the intention of performing ‘Umrah, I do not wish to carry weapons with me.”
In The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, while mentioning this dream of the Holy Prophetsa, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra has described it as follows:
“Upon seeing this dream, the Holy Prophetsa instructed his Companions to prepare for ‘Umrah. ‘Umrah was as if a lesser Hajj, wherein various rites of the Hajj were left out, and only tawaf of the House of Allah and an animal sacrifice would suffice. Furthermore, unlike the Hajj, there was no specified time of the year for the ‘Umrah either. This worship could be performed at any time of the year. On this occasion, the Holy Prophetsa also announced to the Companions that since this journey was free from any intentions of violent confrontation, it was merely for the purpose of performing peaceful religious worship; the Muslims should not take their weapons with them. Albeit, as per the custom of Arabia, swords could be kept in their sheaths as a wayfarer.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 3, pp. 118-119)
There are differing views on the number of Muslims at the time of the Expedition of Hudaibiyyah. One narration states that there were slightly over 1,000 Companions. Another narration states there were 1,300, while one states there were 1,400. There are also narrations mentioning numbers up to 1,700, meaning various reports range from 1,000 to 1,700. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-maghazi, Bab ghazwah al-hudabiyyah, Hadtih 4152, 4154, 4155; Fath al-Bari, Vol. 7, Qadimi Kutub Khanah, p. 559)
When it came time to depart, the sacrificial animals were entrusted to Hazrat Najiyah bin Jundub Aslamira, who took them to Dhu al-Hulaifah. Dhu al-Hulaifah is a place six or seven miles from Medina.
Whenever departing from Medina, the Holy Prophetsa would always appoint an acting governor in Medina. Before setting out on this journey, according to the narration of Ibn Sa’d, the Holy Prophetsa appointed Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Umm Maktumra as his acting governor in Medina. While Ibn Hisham’s narration states that Hazrat Numailah bin ‘Abdillahra was appointed as deputy. Baladhuri has mentioned Hazrat Abu Ruhm Kulthum bin Husainra. According to some, Hazrat Umm Maktum was appointed as the Imam for prayers, and the rest were appointed as deputies or acting governors. There are different narrations. (Subul al-Huda, Vol. 5,, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, p. 33; Farhang-e-Sirat, p. 105)
The details of the Holy Prophet’ssa and the Companions’ preparation and departure for the journey are described as follows:
The Messengersa of Allah entered his house after this announcement, bathed, and wore two garments made in Suhar. Suhar is a town in Yemen known for its good quality clothes. The Holy Prophetsa then came out to his door and mounted his she-camel Qaswa’ at his doorstep. His blessed wife, Hazrat Umm Salamahra, accompanied him on this journey. The Messenger of Allahsa departed on Monday at the beginning of Dhu al-Qa’dah, and upon reaching Dhu al-Hulaifah, he offered the Zuhr prayer there. Then he called for the sacrificial animals, which numbered 70. He put collars or garlands on them and then he marked some camels, meaning he marked their humps to indicate that they were sacrificial camels. He then ordered Hazrat Najiyah bin Jundubra to mark the rest of the animals. These were also marked and adorned with garlands. The rest of the Muslims also placed garlands on their animals and marked them. The Muslims had 200 horses on this journey.
The following are details regarding the Holy Prophetsa entering the state of ihram: The Messengersa of Allah offered two rak’at [units] of prayer and departed from the mosque of Dhu al-Hulaifah. He donned the ihram for ‘Umrah so that people would know that he had set out to visit and honour the House of Allah. Then he recited this talbiyyah:
لَبَّيْكَ اللّٰهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ۔
اِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَكَ
“Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am. You have no partner; here I am. Verily, all praise and bounty are Yours and the sovereignty. You have no partner.”
To gather information about the Quraish and whether they harboured mischievous intentions, the Holy Prophetsa sent an informant, Hazrat Busr bin Sufyanra, ahead. As a further precaution, he appointed Hazrat ‘Abbad bin Bishrra, and according to one narration, Hazrat Sa’d bin Zaid Ashhali, as leader of 20 horsemen and sent them ahead in advance. (Subul al-Huda, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 33-34 and 80)
Making stops at various locations, when the Holy Prophetsa reached the place of Rauha’, which is 73 kilometres from Medina, he received news that there were some polytheists in the valley of Ghaiqah, located along the coast with Red Sea and there was a possibility of them waging a sudden attack upon the Muslims. Therefore, he sent Hazrat Abu Qatadah Ansarira, who had not entered the state of ihram for ‘Umrah along with a group of Companions towards them. (Fath al-Bari, Vol. 4, Qadimi Kutub Khanah, p. 28; Sirat Encyclopaedia, Vol. 8, Dar al-Islam, p. 50)
There is mention of certain miracles that took place during the course of this journey. During the journey, some people gathered around the Holy Prophetsa while he was performing ablution from a bowl of water in front of him. The Holy Prophetsa enquired from them what the matter was, and the Companions submitted, “Apart from the water you have, none of us have any water from which we can drink or perform ablution.” Upon hearing this, the Holy Prophetsa placed his hand in the bowl, and immediately, water began to gush forth from his fingers, and it was as if water was gushing out from a running spring. Hazrat Jabirra relates, “We all drank from it and performed ablution. Even if there were a hundred thousand of us, the water would have been sufficient for us. However, there were only 1,500 of us at the time.” (Sirat al-Halabiyya, Vol. 3, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 14)
In light of the various books of history, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra has narrated this incident in the following manner:
“During the course of this journey prior to this occasion, when there was such a point when, except for the vessel in use by the Holy Prophetsa, all other vessels had become dry of water. On this occasion, upon the complaint of his Companions, the Holy Prophetsa placed his blessed hand upon the mouth of the vessel, and tilting it forward, he instructed the Companions to bring their own vessels and replenish them. The narrator relates that at the time, water was gushing forth from the fingers of the Holy Prophetsa in such a manner as if it were a running spring. So much so, that everyone took the water according to their needs, and the suffering of the Muslims was dispelled.” (Sirat Khatam al-Nabiyyinsa, p. 751)
The Promised Messiahas has explained this incident. He states:
“When a person arrives at this exalted stage of meeting with God (liqa), he sometimes performs acts that appear to be beyond human power and have the colour of divine power […] There are many other miracles that the Holy Prophetsa worked purely with his power and that were not accompanied by any prayer. On many occasions, he multiplied water so much by dipping his fingers into a cup of water that the whole army and their camels and horses drank of it and yet the original quantity of the water was not diminished. On many occasions, by putting his hand upon three or four loaves of bread, he satisfied the hunger of thousands. On some occasions, he blessed a small quantity of milk with his lips and a company of people drank from it and were filled. On some occasions, by adding his saliva into a well of brackish [bitter and salty] water, he rendered it sweet. On some occasions, he healed severely wounded people of their injuries by placing his hands upon them. On some occasions, he replaced the eyeballs of people which had fallen out as a consequence of some injury received in battle and healed them with the blessings of his hand. In this way, he did many other things by his personal power, behind which worked divine power.” (A’ina-e-Kamalat-e-Islam, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 5, pp. 65-66)
The Promised Messiahas mentioned this in reference to the miracles performed by the Holy Prophetsa.
There are also details regarding the Quraish preparing an army upon learning of the Holy Prophetsa setting off for the journey and also the Holy Prophetsa seeking counsel from his Companions.
Upon learning that the Muslims were not coming for any battle; rather, they were only travelling to visit the House of Allah, the Quraish decided to stop the Muslims from entering Mecca. Every one of them who was capable of wielding the sword stood ready to stop the Muslims even though they were aware of the fact that the Muslims were not coming for any battle. Along with their confederates, they gathered an army of 8,000 and set up camp in a valley in Baldah, which was located to the west of Mecca. In order to stop the Holy Prophetsa and the Muslims in their tracks, they sent Khalid bin Walid along with 200 cavaliers towards a valley called Qura al-Ghamim, which was located eight miles from ‘Usfan. (Bashmil, Sulh Hudaibiyyah, Nafees Academy, pp. 114-119; Farhang-e-Sirat, pp. 61 and 243)
Hazrat Miswar bin Makhramahra and Marwan bin Hakamra relate that the Holy Prophetsa and his Companions reached a water source in Ashtat close to ‘Usfan. The person who had been tasked to gather intelligence by the Holy Prophetsa came to him and informed him that the Quraish had prepared a huge army and had also gathered various other tribes for this as well, who were all prepared to fight against him and stop him from visiting the House of Allah.
The Holy Prophetsa said, “O people, give me counsel. Do you think I should fight against the families and all the people of those who are prepared to stop us from visiting the House of Allah? If they advance towards us, should we leave them utterly defeated? Hazrat Abu Bakrra submitted, “O Messenger of Allahsa! You departed with the intention of going to the House of Allah. You did not have any intention to attack anyone nor to fight with them. Thus, let us proceed to the House of Allah and we will fight against anyone who seeks to stop us.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-magazi, Bab ghazwah al-hubaibiyyah, Hadith 4178-4179)
In other words, they should continue on their journey. Hazrat Usaid bin Huzairra agreed with the suggestion of Hazrat Abu Bakrra. After Hazrat Abu Bakrra, Hazrat Miqdadra submitted, “By Allah, O Messengersa of Allah, we shall not say what the Children of Israel said to their prophet Mosesas that ‘go thou and thy Lord and fight, and here we sit.’ O Messengersa of Allah, proceed and you and your Lord shall fight and we too shall fight along with you.” (Subul al-Huda, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 37)
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra has also narrated this incident in his own manner. He states:
“Upon learning of this, the Meccans came with an army and asked the Muslims, ‘Who gave you permission to come here?’ They replied, ‘We have not come to engage in any battle. We have simply come to perform the ‘Umrah. This place is considered a source of blessing by both you and us. We have come to visit it and not to fight.’ They replied, ‘It is not a question of performing the tawaf [circumambulation of the Ka‘bah].’ The disbelievers rejected this and said, ‘We deem you as our opponents and so if you entered Mecca and performed the tawaf, this would be a cause of humiliation for us before all the Arabs for they would say that “your opponents performed the tawaf in your own home.” We can permit anyone in the entire Arab land but not you.’” (Sair-e-Ruhani (7), Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 24, p. 247)
As has been mentioned previously, Khalid bin Walid, along with 200 cavaliers, was sent to stop the Holy Prophetsa. When the Holy Prophetsa learnt of this, he took an alternate path to avoid them and reached Hudaibiyyah. With regards to the details of this, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra writes:
“After a journey of a few days, when the Holy Prophetsa neared a place called ‘Usfan, which is situated at approximately two days’ journey on the road to Mecca, the messenger of the Holy Prophetsa informed him that the Quraish were furious and firmly determined to stop him to the extent that, in the expression of their rage and barbarity, they had put on cheetah skins and were fully bent on war, in order to stop the Muslims in all instances. It was also ascertained that the Quraish had sent forth a cavalry unit of a few daring riders under the command of Khalid bin Walid, who had not yet become Muslim, and that this cavalry had reached near the Muslims and that ‘Ikrimah bin Abu Jahl was also a part of it. When the Holy Prophetsa heard this news, he instructed the Companions to divert from the known route to Mecca and proceed from the right in order to prevent conflict. So, the Muslims began to move forward from a very difficult and burdensome route near the coast.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 3, pp. 120-121)
The Holy Prophetsa did not wish to fight against them because he had not set out with the intention of any battle; rather, it was to perform the ‘Umrah.
In any case, the Holy Prophetsa left and reached his destination. Khalid bin Walid caught wind of neither the Muslims having changed course, nor of their departure. So much so that when he did finally see the army approaching, he raced to warn the Quraish of their arrival. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 38; Bashmil, Sulh Hudaibiyyah, Nafees Academy, p. 125)
Regarding the arrival of the Holy Prophetsa, the traditions record on the authority of Hazrat Miswar bin Makhzamahra and Marwanra, that in the days of the treaty of Hudaibiyyah, the Messengersa of Allah continued on his journey till he reached the valley, the camel of the Holy Prophetsa sat down while he was still sitting on it. People called out to the camel to try to make it stand up, but it stayed seated. The Companions said, “Perhaps Qaswah is tired,” but the Holy Prophetsa replied, “Nay, Qaswah has not tired, nor is it in her nature to tire out and sit in this manner. The truth is, that the same Supreme Being Who prevented the elephants [of the Ashab al-Fil from proceeding to Mecca], has also stopped this camel.” Then, the Holy Prophetsa said, “I swear by God, that I will give the Quraish whatever they ask which entails glorifying the esteem of Allah.”
After this, the Holy Prophetsa scolded him upon which it stood up. The Holy Prophetsa said that he would meet any demands of the Quraish so long as they did not violate the sanctity of God. In any case, the Holy Prophetsa told his camel to walk, and it stood up. He proceeded away from the Meccan until he reached a well with little water in it on the opposite side of Hudaibiyyah. This is a narration from Sahih al-Bukhari (Kitab ash-shurut, Bab sh-shurut fi l-jihad, Hadith 2731-2732)
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states:
“Here, the Holy Prophet’ssa camel stopped and refused to proceed any further. The Companions said, ‘Messengersa of Allah, your camel has tired – why don’t you sit on another camel instead?’
“The Holy Prophetsa responded, ‘No, no, she has not tired. Rather, it seems to be the will of Allah that we stay here. And it is from here that I shall use every method to request the Makkans to allow us to perform Hajj; no matter what conditions they stipulate, I shall accept them.’ (Dibacha Tafsirul Quran, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 20, pp. 306-307)
Up until now, the Meccan army had been standing at quite a distance from Mecca, awaiting the Muslims. If the Messengersa of Allah so wished, he could have entered Mecca without any resistance. But because he had already made up his mind that he would first try and persuade the residents of Mecca to allow the Muslims to perform the tawaf, and that he would only resort to fighting in the case that the Meccansthemselves attacked the Muslims and left them with no other choice. This is why, despite the entrance to Mecca being open for them, he decided to set up camp at Hudaibiyyah.”
Bukhari records a narration about the reservoir with diminished water near which the Muslims camped that soon people started extracting water from it little by little. As a result, it did not take long before this reservoir ran dry, and people began complaining to the Prophet Muhammadsa about this. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitabl ash-shurut, Bab al-shurut fi l-jihad, Hadith 2731-2732)
Hazrat Najiyah bin A’jamra narrates, “When on the occasion of Hudaibiyyah the Messenger of Allahsa received complaints of the severe lack of water, he called me over, removed an arrow from his quiver and gave it to me. Then he instructed for a bucket of water to be brought to him from that reservoir. The Messengersa of Allah performed ablution and rinsed his mouth, after which he put the water back into the bucket. He then instructed me to pour this water into the reservoir which had run dry, sticking this arrow into it and I did just that. I swear by Him Who sent the Messengersa of Allah with the Truth, that I got out of that well with great difficulty, as the resultant flow of water totally encompassed me. After pouring the water back and sticking the arrow into the well, I stood there until suddenly water began filling up the well, and it was bubbling as water bubbles in a boiling pot. The water continued to rise until it reached the top of the well. People would drink water from its edges until every last person had quenched their thirst.” (Subul al-Huda, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 41)
Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra has written about it raining on this occasion. He writes, based on books of history:
“It also rained that very night or soon after. Consequently, when the Holy Prophetsa arrived for the morning prayer, the plain was full of water. The Holy Prophetsa smiled and said, ‘Do you know what your God has stated upon this occasion of rain?’ As per their custom, the Companions responded, ‘God and His Messenger know best.’ The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘God the Exalted states, “Among my servants, there are some who have awakened this morning in a state of belief, while others have wavered in a state of disbelief. For those who said that this rain was given to us through the mercy and grace of God, they have remained firm upon the essence of faith. However, as for those who said that this rain has come to us due to such and such star, have undoubtedly believed in the star, but disbelieved in God.”’ By this statement, full of the riches of (divine) unity, the Holy Prophetsa taught his Companions that undoubtedly, by the system of means and causes in order to run the universe, God has set up various kinds of means and regarding the issue of rain, etc., we do not deny the effect of heavenly bodies. However, true unity is that despite these middle means, the sights of man should not become negligent of that ever so Hidden Being (meaning one should never become negligent of Allah the Almighty. Allah the Almighty has provided means, but even those means can only be useful by the will of God), Who is the Creator of all these means and is the Cause of all Causes in this universe, without Whom these materialistic means are no more significant than a dead insect.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 3, pp. 122-123)
On this occasion, there is mention of Amr bin Salim and Busr bin Sufyan giving the Holy Prophetsa a gift. It is written that on the occasion of the treaty of Hudaibiyyah, Amr bin Salim and Busr bin Sufyan, who were part of the Khuza’ah tribe, gifted the Holy Prophetsa with goats and camels. Amr bin Salim also gifted Hazrat Sa’d bin Ubadahsa a camel as well. Hazrat Sa’dra and Amr were friends. Hazrat Sa’d bin Ubadahra went to the Holy Prophetsa and informed him that Amr had gifted him a camel. The Holy Prophetsa replied, “Amr has also gifted us a camel as well. May Allah bless the wealth of Amr.” The Holy Prophetsa then instructed for the camels to be slaughtered and [the meat] to be distributed amongst the Companions. He also instructed for the goats to be divided amongst the Companions, and he included himself as part of the distribution. The Holy Prophetsa sent camel meat to Hazrat Umm Salamahra and others. He also gave some meat from his goat to Hazrat Umm Salamahra and ordered for cloth to be given to the person who brought the gifts. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 42)
The Holy Prophetsa ordered for all the gifts given to him to be gathered together and distributed amongst the Companions.
Accounts relating to this will continue, there are further details with regard to how the Treaty of Hudaibiyyah took place. All these details will be mentioned in the future, insha-Allah. At present, I will mention the details of deceased members and also lead their funeral prayers after the Jumuah prayers.
The first mention is of Shehryar Rakin, son of Muhammad Abdullah Wahab Sahib of Bangladesh.
It has been written about this incident that considerable unrest has persisted in Bangladesh in recent days since the government was deposed on 5 August. When the government was deposed, chaos erupted throughout the country, and the opponents of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat also seized the opportunity to launch an attack on the Community in Ahmadnagar. Attacks had occurred here previously as well. The opponents were setting fire to Ahmadi homes and then proceeded to set fire to the mosque. Following this, they proceeded toward Jamia [Islamic seminary] and the Jalsa site. While they were unable to enter Jamia, they approached from behind the Jalsa site and surrounded the volunteers tasked with the event’s security, continuing to assault them. It was during this assault that dear Shehryar sustained severe head injuries. After three months of treatment, he eventually succumbed to his wounds on 8 November and attained martyrdom at the young age of 16.
اِنَّا لِلّٰهِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡهِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
Shehryar was enrolled in the Waqf-e-Nau scheme. He is survived by his parents, grandparents, a sister, and two brothers. Ahmadiyyat was introduced into his family through his great-grandfather, Hazrat Munshi Sirajul Islam Sahib, who pledged allegiance through Allamah Zil-ur-Rahman Sahib, bringing many family members into the fold of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat. The deceased was also an active member of the Jamaat.
He was serving as the Secretary Mal in the amila of Majlis Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya Ahmadnagar. His mother writes that he was steadfast in his prayers and worship from a young age, and showed the keenest interest in serving the Jamaat, even becoming upset if advised to focus first on his studies before participating. Whenever there was an Ijtema or Jalsa in Ahmadnagar, he would be the first to leave home and reach the venue. Being the youngest son, his mother says he was a great help to her, assisting in the kitchen and cooking. He was very sociable, quickly befriending even strangers. His mother also noted that, like his elder brother, he was preparing to seek admission to Jamia. His mother also wrote that she saw dreams that informed her of the impending martyrdom of Shehryar before it took place.
The Qaid of Khuddamul Ahmadiyya in Ahmadnagar, Najmus Thaqib Sahib, states that last year in March 2023, during attacks that occurred at Jalsa, Engineer Zahid Hasan Sahib had been martyred, and I had led the funeral prayer for him and mentioned him in the sermon. He says that while the khuddam were on duty, they were having breakfast and listening to the sermon. During this time, Shehryar Rakin remarked that if he were to be martyred that day, his mention would also be made in the sermon. He writes in detail that when the assailants suddenly attacked on August 5th, this time, a large number of people were present to protect Jamia, while only around fifteen volunteers were on duty to secure the Jalsa site on both sides of the road. Shehryar joined them and participated vigilantly in the security efforts, assisting Qaid Sahib in all matters. Suddenly, the attackers barged in, breaking through the gate, and upon entering, raised slogans and began mercilessly beating the people with sticks, injuring many. Shehryar sustained the most severe injuries, particularly to his head. His lower body had become completely paralysed, which he expressed right there. Soon after, an army vehicle arrived, and with the military’s arrival, the assailants fled the scene, leaving the injured Ahmadis behind.
Qaid Sahib writes that Shehryar was always ready for duty and service. He actively participated in cleaning the mosque and other Waqar-e-Amal activities, and also engaged others in these efforts. He fulfilled the duty of waking people for the Fajr and Tahajjud prayers [pre-dawn voluntary prayers]. Zahir Sahib, a student in Jamia Bangladesh, writes that during Shehryar’s burial, he was on duty in the area of the Jalsa site. He asked a Khadim from Ahmadnagar who often played with him about any special qualities that distinguished Shehryar. The Khadim replied by referring to an exhibition that was held at the Jalsa in 2023 about the martyred Zahid Hasan. They were all viewing the exhibition when suddenly, Shehryar remarked, “I wish I too could have been martyred like brother Zahid, so that my picture would be here, and my mention would be made in the sermon.” They were greatly surprised to hear this from him. Allah the Almighty has fulfilled his desire.
The aunt of the deceased, Zeenat Fauzia, says, “He was the youngest of his brothers, and he listened to everyone and would help everyone in their work. On the day of the attack, when he was leaving the house, he said, ‘I must protect the mosque. If I am not able to, then I will be martyred.’” The deceased martyr set an example of sacrifice for his elders as well. May Allah the Almighty elevate his station and grant patience and forbearance to his parents and family.
The next mention, whose funeral I will lead in absentia, is of a pioneer Arab member, Abdullah Asad Odeh Sahib of Kababir, who recently passed away at the age of 94.
اِنَّا لِلّٰهِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡهِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
He was raised in a household that had the greatest connection of love and sincerity with missionaries in Kababir. The sincere efforts and prayers of these missionaries and, above all, the prayers of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra have resulted in Kababir always remaining under the protection and security of Allah the Almighty. Especially during the Palestine war and in 1948, when there were large-scale displacements, Allah the Almighty kept Kababir safe.
From the time of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, throughout his life, the deceased maintained correspondence with Khulafa-e-Ahmadiyyat and had a deep connection of obedience and sincerity. He was among the initial members of the Wasiyyat scheme. In 1934, Maulana Abul Ata Jalandhari Sahib opened the Ahmadiyya School, which is where the deceased obtained his primary education. Then, in 1948, he enrolled in an English medium school where he completed his matriculation. He then obtained his Master’s degree with honours from Al-Quds University. Then he worked in the Department of Trade and Commerce for twenty years. He then had the opportunity of holding a prominent role in the auditing department of the government. He retired from there in 1995.
After his retirement, he was nominated as the President of Islamic Affairs in the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Some Islamic countries were opposed to him because he was an Ahmadi. He stood firm upon his principles and upon Ahmadiyyat and removed himself from consideration.
In 1945, Hazrat Chaudhry Zafrulla Khan Sahibra visited Palestine as a representative of the United Nations. During this tour, he also visited the mission house and stayed at the home of the late Abu Salah Muhammad Saleh Odeh, who was Sharif Odeh’s paternal grandfather. The deceased, Abdullah Asad Sahib, was 15 years old at the time; he would come to serve Chaudhry Sahib on a daily basis and would also bring him the newspaper.
The deceased always remained close with missionaries. He had the opportunity of serving the Community as the General Secretary, Secretary T’lim and Tarbiyat, External Affairs, Sadr Majlis Ansarullah, and Secretary of the Jubilee.
He assisted the late missionary Jalaluddin Qamar Sahib in the grand project of the new construction of Madrassa Ahmadiyya in Kababir. He was an extraordinary writer. Over the span of seventy years, he wrote tens of articles for the Al-Bushra Magazine. He translated the English commentary of Surah al-Kahf into Arabic, which was published in the Jamaat during the time when the missionary, respected Fazal Ilahi Bashir Sahib, was there.
There was propaganda being spread in Arab countries against the Jamaat that said that Ahmadiyyat and Baha’ism are two sides of the same coin. They grouped the Jamaat together with the Baha’is. In response, Abdullah Asad wrote a book in Arabic titled Al-Mu’amarat al-Kubra which served as a decisive response. Similarly, he also wrote a book on the history of the Jamaat in Kababir titled Al-Kababir Baladi.
He was sincere with a keen sense of honour, and he was a true servant of the Jamaat who took pride in everything to do with the Jamaat and Ahmadiyyat. He was also requested to become a member of parliament. However, he refused, saying that there were certain principles in politics, whereas his principles were in Ahmadiyyat.
The deceased’s son Khalid Abdullah says, “My father would be engaged in Jamaat work, and sometimes when my mother would suggest sitting together for tea or going out somewhere, he would reply saying, ‘I have important Jamaat work to do, and I will only think about other things once I have completed that work.’” His first priority was Jamaat work. He is survived by three sons, three daughters, and 14 grandchildren.
May Allah the Almighty grant the deceased forgiveness and mercy, elevate his station and enable his progeny to follow in his footsteps. As I said, I will offer these funeral prayers in absentia after the [Jumuah] prayer.
(Official Urdu transcript published in the Al Fazl International, 7 December 2024. Translated by The Review of Religions.)