Friday Sermon
19 April 2024
Muhammadsa: The Great Exemplar
After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:
I will present some further incidents in relation to the Battle of Uhud, through which one can better understand the beautiful character of the Holy Prophetsa.
Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullahra relates, “When Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr passed away, he was still in debt. I sought help from the Holy Prophetsa and submitted, ‘Please explain [the situation] to the lenders so that they reduce his debt somewhat.’ Upon this, the Holy Prophetsa expressed this desire to them, but they refused to reduce it (i.e., those he was indebted to). Following this, the Holy Prophetsa said to me, ‘Go and separate the various kinds of dates you possess.’ (Make separate piles of each of the various kinds of dates you possess.) The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘Separate the ajwah dates and also the idhq bin zayd dates and then inform me.’ Hence, I did as he asked and informed him. The Holy Prophetsa came and sat down on or in the middle of these piles of dates. Following this, he said, ‘Measure them and distribute them to these individuals.’ I then measured and distributed them to these individuals until I had given them the amount they were due. However, I still had dates left over and it was as if they had not decreased at all.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-buyu’, Bab al-kayli ‘ala l-ba’y’i wa l-mu’ta, Hadith 2127)
The Holy Prophetsa prayed for the martyrs of Uhud in the following manner: “O Allah! Create good well-wishers for the bereaved of the martyrs of Uhud.”
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra has mentioned details of this. He mentioned the elderly and weak-sighted mother of Hazrat Mu’adhra – which has previously been mentioned – who left Medina out of her love for the Holy Prophetsa. As I said, the details of this have already been mentioned in the previous sermon. After mentioning these details, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states:
“When the Holy Prophetsa halted his horse and saw the elderly woman, he expressed his condolences to her over the martyrdom of her son.” Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states: “Reflect over these incidents and observe how attentive the Holy Prophetsa was towards showing sympathy to anyone who had suffered an affliction. Thereafter, the Holy Prophetsa said to this elderly woman, ‘Glad tidings to you and convey glad tidings to all the sisters whose relatives were martyred during battle in that all our men that have been martyred today, Allah the Almighty has gathered all of them together in paradise. Furthermore, all of them have prayed to Allah the Almighty, “O Allah! Be the Well-Wisher of those left behind by us.”’ Following this, the Holy Prophetsa personally prayed as well, ‘O Allah! Create good well-wishers for the bereaved of the martyrs of Uhud.’ From this, we can see the manner in which the Holy Prophetsa consoled and expressed his sympathy to those left behind by the martyrs of Uhud, even before he entered Medina and even though he was personally wounded as well. Relatives most dear to the Holy Prophetsa had been martyred, and his most beloved Companions had been martyred, yet he consoled the people of Medina with every step he took. He was least concerned about his own pain. There could be no one besides the Holy Prophetsa who could sympathise with others at a time of such pain, suffering and tribulation. At such a time, people are not even prepared to speak to others, let alone sympathise with them.” (Masa’ib ke neeche barkaton ke khazane makhfi hote hain, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 19, pp. 57-58)
Then we find mention of another prayer of the Holy Prophetsa which he offered for the widow of a martyr. That prayer was, “I pray that God Almighty grants you an even better person than your husband to care for you.”
Explaining the details of this statement, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra writes:
“The Battle of Uhud was one that truly put the patience of the Holy Prophetsa to test. Up until this battle, an attack on his life had not been made in battle. And it wasn’t just this that made it uniquely taxing. Nor was it just because his teeth were broken or because of the wounds he sustained or the fact that when he fell unconscious, the enemy trampled over him and his Companions in their wake of destruction. Rather, it was because this was the first time in his life that he witnessed such a sequence of chaos.
“But even through all this, we see the tremendous determination and lofty moral standards he exhibited, expressing a great deal of empathy and compassion for his people. This battle reveals the towering heights upon which the Holy Prophet’ssa morals were situated and the matchless sacrifices that his Companions made.”
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra continues:
“I’m speaking now of the time when the Holy Prophetsa was returning from the battle back home to Medina. The women of Medina who – anguished and distraught at hearing the false rumour of the Holy Prophet’ssa demise – upon learning of his return home, raced all the way to the outskirts of Medina to welcome him. Amongst these women was also the Holy Prophet’ssa sister-in-law Zainab bint Jahshra who had lost three of her close family members in the battle.”
Let me clarify here that in this incident there is a mistake in the name as recorded in Anwar-ul-Ulum, or by the individual who transcribed it, or perhaps Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra may have said it in this way. Hazrat Zainab bint Jahshra was actually the blessed wife of the Holy Prophetsa, not his sister-in-law. The name of the Holy Prophet’ssa sister-in-law was Hamnah bint Jahshra and she was the wife of Hazrat Mus’ab bin ‘Umairra. In any case, wherever this mistake has been made, I will correct it as I go on. The correct name is Hamnah.
“When the Holy Prophetsa saw her return, he said, ‘Express your grief at your loss.’ This is an Arabic idiomatic expression to convey that the addressee has lost a loved one. So, the woman – whose actual name was Hamnah bint Jahsh – responded, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, for whom should I be aggrieved?’ The Holy Prophetsa replied, ‘Your maternal uncle, Hamzah, has been martyred.’
“Hearing this, Hazrat Hamnahra proclaimed:
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
“‘To Allah we belong and to Him shall we all return. May Allah elevate his station in paradise – what a beautiful way to die.’ After this, the Holy Prophetsa said to her, ‘Hamnah, express grief at another loss.’
“Hazrat Hamnahra asked, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, for whom shall I be aggrieved?’ The Holy Prophetsa responded, ‘Your brother, Abdullah bin Jahsh, has also been martyred.’ Hearing this, Hazrat Hamnahra replied:
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
“‘To Allah we belong, and to Him shall we return. All praise belongs to Allah. My brother has died a noble death indeed.’
“After this, the Holy Prophetsa said to her, ‘Hamnah, express grief at yet another loss.’
“Hazrat Hamnahra asked. ‘O Messengersa of Allah, for whom should I be aggrieved?’ The Holy Prophetsa responded, ‘Your husband has also been martyred.’ Hearing this, Hazrat Hamnah’sra eyes welled with tears, and she verbally expressed pain at her deep loss.
“Seeing this, the Holy Prophetsa observed, ‘Look at how deep the relationship is that exists between a husband and wife. When I informed Hamnah of her maternal uncle’s passing, she simply said:
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
“‘To Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.’ When I told her that her brother had met the same fate, she again repeated:
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
“‘To Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.’ But when I told her that her husband had been martyred, she let out a sigh of anguish and expressed her profound loss. She couldn’t hold back her tears and became worried.’
“In moments like this, a woman momentarily forgets about her nearest of kin and blood relatives; what she remembers is a loving husband. Then, the Holy Prophetsa asked Hamnah why she said what she said at hearing of her husband’s demise. She responded, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, I thought of his sons and wondered in that moment who would take care of them?’
“The Holy Prophetsa replied, ‘I pray that Allah the Almighty grants you someone who can take even better care of them than your husband.’ And so it happened that as a result of this prayer, Hazrat Hamnahra married Hazrat Talhahra, and Muhammad bin Talhahra was born from this marriage. Rather, historians have recorded that Hazrat Talhahra did not show the level of love and affection to his own son Muhammad as he did to Hamnah’sra children born to her from her first marriage. And people used to observe that there was no one to eclipse the great love with which Talhahra had raised her previously born children. This was the result of the Holy Prophet Muhammad’ssa prayers.’” (Ibid., pp. 55-57; Ali Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah fi Ma’rifat al-Sahabah, Vol. 7 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2003], p. 71)
Then, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra has also recounted this incident in the following way:
“When the Holy Prophetsa conveyed his condolences to Hazrat Hamnah bint Jahshra, and then said, ‘look at how deep the relationship of love is between a husband and wife,’ he intended to convey that men should treat their wives with due love and respect. (This is a general principle for all men that they should deal with their wives in kindness), and not resort to abusing or hurting them for trivial matters. (Such men make the excuse that they are permitted to strike their wives. Even today, these things persist. Wives ought to be treated with love and respect.) When the wives of these men leave their own family members (to live with their husbands), justice demands that these women be honoured rather than engaging in perfidious bickering on trivial matters and thereby causing disharmony.
“By saying this, on the one hand, the Holy Prophetsa consoled Hazrat Hamnah’sra grieving heart and, on the other, commanded all men to treat their wives in a loving and kind manner.” (Masa’ib ke neeche barkaton ke khazane makhfi hote hain, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 19, pp. 55-57)
In every statement of the Holy Prophetsa, there is a lesson; if we listen carefully and deeply reflect, it becomes clear that the statement of the Holy Prophetsa was not just for the person to whom he spoke. Rather, it was a general instruction for each and every one of us.
Then, regarding this aspect of the Holy Prophet’ssa life, as to how much consideration he had for the sentiments and feelings of people, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states:
“When the Holy Prophetsa entered Medina, because he felt weakness due to his injuries, the Companions supported him and helped him off of his mount. It was time for the Maghrib prayer, so he offered the prayer and went home. The news of the men who had been martyred in the battle had reached the female relatives. Thus, they started crying. When the Holy Prophetsa heard the lamenting of these women, he once more felt the pain of the Muslims, and his eyes started shedding tears. Then he said:
لَكِنْ حَمْزَةَ فَلَا بَوَاكِيَ لَهُ
“Our uncle and foster brother has also been martyred but there is no one to lament for him.’ Upon hearing this, the Companions, who wished to honour the sentiments and emotions of the Holy Prophetsa – who did not want even the most minuscule sentiment or smallest emotion to escape without being fulfilled – they ran towards their houses, went to their wives and said, ‘Now stop lamenting over your own relatives. Go to the home of the Holy Prophetsa and cry over Hamzahra.’
“During this time, because the Holy Prophetsa was tired upon arriving [in Medina], he went to rest. Hazrat Bilalra made the call to prayer for Isha, but upon surmising that the Holy Prophetsa was tired, he did not wake him up from his sleep. When a third of the night had passed, Hazrat Bilalra woke him up for the Isha prayer. When the Holy Prophetsa woke up, at that time the women were still lamenting over Hazrat Hamzahra in the home of the Holy Prophetsa. The Holy Prophetsa asked, ‘What is happening?’ It was said, ‘O Prophetsa of Allah, the women of Medina are lamenting and wailing over the death of Hazrat Hamzahra.’ He replied, ‘May Allah the Almighty have mercy on the women of Medina; they have expressed empathy towards me.’ He then stated, ‘I had already known from before that the Ansar have great love for me.’ He then stated, ‘To lament and wail like this is displeasing to Allah the Almighty.’ The Companions stated, ‘O Prophetsa of Allah, this is the custom of our nation, and if we do not cry in this way, our emotions cannot dissipate.’ The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘I do not forbid you from crying, but the women should be told that they should not slap themselves in the face nor pull their own hair.’ (They would lament and hit themselves as well. They should not pull their own hair; they shouldn’t slap their own faces.) And they should not rip their own clothes. And if they wish to cry with such sorrow (because it is natural to cry out of sorrow), then they may cry. From these matters, we witness the moral character of the Holy Prophetsa, that despite being injured and in pain, he was extremely considerate of the sentiments and emotions of people.” (Ibid., pp. 58-59)
Then, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra relates this incident in a different manner, “When the Holy Prophetsa saw that the women of Medina were lamenting and wailing over their deceased, then bearing in mind the thought that the Muhajirin and the relatives of Hazrat Hamzahra would feel that they have no one here [in Medina]; this is why, taking into consideration their feelings, he said: ‘there is no one to cry over Hamzah.’ Thereafter, when the women of Medina started to wail over [the death of] Hazrat Hamzahra, then he prohibited it, that it is not permissible to wail in this manner.
“It is understood from this that if, in reality, the Holy Prophetsa thought that people should indeed wail over Hazrat Hamzahra, then he would not prohibit it later. When he expressed sadness at the fact that no one was crying at the death of Hazrat Hamzahra, at this time, he only sought to comfort others. And when he prohibited those who were lamenting, at that time, he only sought to comfort [others] because he stopped those women from lamenting and howling, and alongside this, he said that they expressed their empathy to him. Then, he also stated, ‘I had already known from before that the Ansar empathised with me greatly.’ And by saying this, he wanted that they should not take offense to his prohibition of lamenting. (He stopped them from doing this but also thanked them.) What a marvellous and amazing path we see that the Holy Prophetsa treading at a sensitive time, even though at such a time when close and beloved relatives are killed, and the person is himself injured, and he senses danger in the coming days, an ordinary person cannot display such an example that the Holy Prophetsa displayed.” (Ibid., pp. 60-61)
There is mention in the books of history of the Companions whose swords did justice during the Battle of Uhud. When the Holy Prophetsa entered his own house, he handed his sword to his daughter Hazrat Fatimahra and said:
إِغْسِلِيْ عَنْ هَذَا دَمَهُ يَا بُنَيَّةُ فَوَاللّٰهِ لَقَدْ صَدَقَنِيَ الْيَوْمَ
“O my beloved daughter, wash the blood from this sword. By Allah, today, this sword has indeed done justice.” Then Hazrat Alira also said while handing his sword to Hazrat Fatimahra, “Also wash the blood from this sword.” At this time, the very same words were on his tongue that the Holy Prophetsa had said, that “I swear by Allah, today this sword did excellently.” Upon hearing this, the Holy Prophetsa said:
لَإِنْ كُنْتَ صَدَقْتَ الْيَوْمَ الْقِتَالَ لَقَدْ صَدَقَ مَعَكَ سَهْلُ ابْنُ حُنَيْفٍ وَأَبُوْ دُجَانَةَ
“If today you displayed excellence during the battle, then alongside you, Sahl bin Hunaifra and Abu Dujanahra also displayed excellent bravery.”
In another narration it is mentioned that the Holy Prophetsa said, “If you displayed excellence swordsmanship, then Sahl bin Hunaifra, Abu Dujanahra, Asim bin Thabitra, and Harith bin Simmahra also displayed excellent bravery.” (Da’irah Ma’arif Sirat Muhammadsa, Vol. 7 [Lahore, Pakistan: Bazm-e-Iqbal], p. 62)
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states:
“It is recorded in history that when Hazrat Alira returned from Uhud, he gave his sword to Hazrat Fatimahra and said, ‘Rinse this blade, for today it has been incredibly useful.’ The Holy Prophetsa was listening to Hazrat Ali’sra words, upon which he said, ‘O Ali! It was not only your sword that was of great service; rather, many of your brothers’ swords also showed wonders.’ Whilst naming six to seven Companions, the Holy Prophetsa said, ‘Their swords were no less than yours.’ Thus, the Holy Prophetsa did not tolerate his own son-in-law saying something that would dishearten other Companions. From this, we learn that the Holy Prophetsa was watchful over even the minutest matters. The Battle of Uhud was a major event that had a lasting impact, and many were anxious that, as a result, the enemy had become emboldened and the future was uncertain. Despite this precarious state, during which one may not pay heed to such small matters, the Holy Prophetsa showed compassion to everyone and became a source of encouragement for all.” (Masa’ib ke neeche barkaton ke khazane makhfi hote hain, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 19, pp. 59-60)
The events surrounding the Battle of Uhud come to a close here. Now, I will speak about another battle known as the Battle of Hamra’ al-Asad, which took place in Shawwal 3 A.H. This battle was actually part of the Battle of Uhud and its actual conclusion; in light of the outcome that transpired from the Battle of Hamra’ al-Asad, Muslims are considered to be the true victors of the Battle of Uhud. (Da’irah Ma’arif Sirat Muhammadsa, Vol. 7 [Lahore, Pakistan: Bazm-e-Iqbal], p. 119)
Hamra’ al-Asad is located eight miles from Medina, on the left side of the route to Dhu al-Hulaifah. (Sayyid Fadl al-Rahman, Farhang-e-Sirat [Karachi, Pakistan: Zawwar Academy Publications, 2003], p. 106; Mu’jam al-Buldan [Urdu translation by Dr Ghulam Jilani Barq], Vol. 4 [Lahore, Pakistan: Al-Fasil Nashiran wa Tajiran Kutub], p. 123)
Regarding the cause of the Battle of Hamra’ al-Asad, it is recorded that after the conclusion of the Battle of Uhud, the Holy Prophetsa returned to Medina in the evening. Despite being severely wounded, he came to the mosque whilst being supported by his Companions and offered the Maghrib prayer [evening prayer]. Similarly, he also came to the mosque to offer the Isha prayer [night prayer]. After the Isha prayer, the Holy Prophetsa did return to his home, but we find that he was awake throughout the night because there was a danger that Abu Sufyan would bring his army to attack Medina. For this reason, Medina was in a state of emergency, and there were guards outside the Holy Prophet’ssa home at all times. The Holy Prophetsa also made efforts to ascertain Abu Sufyan’s intentions and whether he was preparing to attack Medina. Although initially, there were reports that Abu Sufyan was swiftly returning to Mecca with his army, the Holy Prophetsa was not heedless of anything. After all, the Holy Prophet’ssa intuition was proven true; the night had not yet passed, and he received news that Abu Sufyan was fully prepared to attack Medina with his army.
What happened was, during their return from Uhud, the polytheists were taunted by those who learned of the outcome of the battle. People would say, “You did not kill Muhammad[sa], nor did you seize their women, nor did you return with any prisoners of war or spoils. What victory do you speak of?” This army continued to hear these taunts until they arrived at Rauha, where they set up camp, a place about 74 kilometres from Medina, or, according to others, 55 kilometres. They began to discuss amongst each other that they truly did not have any prisoners, nor any spoils, and that was troublesome for them. They thought that they should turn back and attack Medina.
Another chieftain in the army, Safwan bin Umayyah, emphatically suggested against this, saying that they should not even consider attacking Medina because they would face utter defeat. However, Abu Sufyan and the majority of his other conspirators decided that they should attack Medina, otherwise they would have nothing to show for in Mecca. On one side, these discussions were taking place in Abu Sufyan’s army, and on the other, Hazrat Bilalra gave the call for Fajr prayer and waited for the Holy Prophetsa to come outside. At the same time, Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr bin Auf Muzni came looking for the Holy Prophetsa. When the Holy Prophetsa emerged, he stood up and informed him that he was returning after visiting his family when he passed by Abu Sufyan and his army. He heard them telling one another, “You have accomplished nothing. You did not inflict any harm or pain on the Muslims. You let them go and did not destroy them.” Some of the disbelievers said, “There are many prominent people among those Muslims who will gather against you. Thus, let us turn back and uproot those that remain.” Safwan bin Umayyah sought to dissuade them and said, “O my people! Do not take this course of action, for those people have just fought a war, and I fear that those who could not participate among them will valiantly gather against you. Let us return, for we are already victorious. I fear that if you turn back towards them, you will be defeated.” Upon hearing this, the Holy Prophetsa said, “Safwan is not that wise, however, what he has said on this occasion was prudent,” referring to him dissuading Abu Sufyan from attacking Medina. However, at the same time, the Holy Prophetsa said with great fervour, “I swear by Him to Whom my life belongs, if they attack Medina, their names have already been engraved on stones which will erode in the rain like ancient ruins.” (Da’irah Ma’arif Sirat Muhammadsa, Vol. 7 [Lahore, Pakistan: Bazm-e-Iqbal], pp. 63 and 120; Mustafa ‘Abd al-Wahid, Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad fi Sirat Khair al-‘Ibad [Translated], Vol. 4 [Lahore, Pakistan: Maktabah Rahmaniyyah, 1993], pp. 267-268)
Nonetheless, I will mention more details about this in the future, God willing. The second matter which I have been continually mentioning is a request for prayer. Continue to pray. As was thought and feared – and as everyone is aware – Israel has directly attacked Iran. This will further exasperate the current situation. May Allah the Almighty grant wisdom to these world leaders who seek to further fan the flames of a world war. May He also grant wisdom and insight to the Muslim Ummah and enable the Muslims to unite so that they can defend themselves and act with wisdom.
At this time, I would also like to mention two deceased members. The first is Maulana Ghulam Ahmad Nasim Sahib, who was a missionary. He was previously a professor at Jamia Ahmadiyya Rabwah and was currently residing America. He passed away recently, at the age of 93.
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[“Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”]
His father’s name was Salah Muhammad Sahib, who began his search for the Mahdi after witnessing the signs of the solar and lunar eclipses. He spent many years in this search, and in 1901, he had the honour of taking the pledge of allegiance. Due to being from a distant region, he could not visit Qadian. By the grace of Allah the Almighty, Mir Salah Muhammad Sahib was a musi. He endured severe opposition on account of accepting Ahmadiyyat. His was the only Ahmadi household in his village.
Mir Ghulam Ahmad Nasim Sahib wrote to dedicate his life in 1947 whilst he was studying. His pledge of devotion was accepted and was instructed to continue his studies. In 1948, he began studying at Madrasa Ahmadiyya in Ahmad Nagar. After the partition [of India], he passed the Maulvi Fazil in 1954, and followed to receive the Shahid Degree from Jamiat-ul-Mubashirin. He began serving in the field in 1957. In 1960, he arrived in Sierra Leone and served there for three years as a missionary and as Headmaster for the Ahmadiyya School in Bo. Upon returning to Pakistan, he was appointed to Jamia Ahmadiyya. There, he served as the manager of the library. When a professor was unavailable, he would also teach classes in their place. During this time, he also graduated from Punjab University with an MA. in Arabic. In 1966, he was appointed to Guyana. There, he served for just over four years. In 1970, he returned back to headquarters [in Pakistan]. From 1970 to 1975, he served as a professor in Jamia Ahmadiyya and especially taught the foreign students. From 1975 to 1979, he served as a missionary in Zambia in Africa. Then, from 1980 to 1997, he served as a professor of history and tasawwuf in Jamia Ahmadiyya [Rabwah].
It is recorded in his incidents that he served in Sierra Leone, Guyana, and Zambia for 11 years, and he remained abroad during this entire time without his family. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh once mentioned his wife and her sacrifices in a speech. His wife, Amatul Mannan Qamar Sahiba was the former headmistress of the Fazl-e-Umar Girl’s School in Rabwah. Allah the Almighty granted him four children who are at the forefront of service, and all of them are well-educated.
One of his daughters is Dr Amatul Shakoor Sahiba, wife of Dr Abdul Hafeez of the United States. She also served in The Gambia and Tanzania for 11 years under the Nusrat Jahan Scheme.
He also penned scholarly works; he is the author of three books: Qamus al-Ru’ya (The Interpretation of Dreams according to the numeric values of the Arabic Letters) and “Tassawuf; The Spiritual Science of Mysticism was his second book. The third book is Yaad-e-Ayyam, which is his autobiography.
Inamul Haq Kausar Sahib, Missionary in-Charge of Australia, writes, “He taught his students with humility and meekness and he would take care of them.” He says, “I went on a tour of British Guyana and visited three or four villages where the Community was established through him; all the longstanding residents there remembered him fondly and had kept a picture of him. Through him, Allah the Almighty established a strong Community in British Guyana.”
Laiq Mushtaq Sahib, a missionary in Suriname, writes, “During his time in Guyana, Maulana Mir Ghulam Ahmad Naseem Sahib visited Suriname three times between 1967 and 1969, where he would stay for weeks and re-activate the Community. At that time, due to various reasons, most members of the Community had separated themselves [from the Community] with only a few Ahmadis remaining but even they did not have any communication with the headquarters. It was under these circumstances that respected Maulana Ghulam Ahmad Naseem Sahib came to Suriname from Guyana and conducted the first programme on 15 September 1967, which was attended by six people who pledged to form an unbreakable bond with the Community. In those days, Maulvi Shah Ahmad Noorani had also come to Suriname from Pakistan and was going from one place to another, delivering hateful speeches against the Community. Maulana Naseem Sahib also held numerous gatherings and responded to his allegations and also conducted three programmes on the radio about the truthfulness of the Promised Messiahas.
In May 1968, during his second tour, he laid the foundation for a mission house beside the mosque that was already under construction and it was completed within a few years. He challenged Abdur Raheem Jaggu, the Imam of the Lahori community and also the Imam of the Sunni community, to a debate. He also published various works of literature on the truthfulness of the Promised Messiahas.
On 21 June 1968, during a question-and-answer session being held at one of the members’ homes, some miscreant Muslims launched an attack against members of the Jamaat.” He says, “The head table was placed in front of the door in one of the rooms. Those sitting on either side of Maulana Sahib pushed him into the room and closed the door from the outside. The attackers severely beat the members of the Jamaat and would strike them with wooden chairs. During the incident, not only men but women were also severely injured. Maulana Sahib was shouting from inside the room to be let out so that he could confront them. He was very courageous. The miscreants also took one of Maulana Sahib’s briefcases, which contained his passport and other belongings. It was a few days later that the police were able to recover it. After this incident, he communicated extensively with the police and relevant officials in an effort to ensure the safety of the Jamaat members.
He delivered a lecture at the Cultural Centre on Islam and Contemporary Issues. He encouraged members of the Community to maintain contact with the headquarters. Hence, as a result of his efforts, a scattered Community regained its footing.” By the grace of Allah the missionaries who went there further strengthened Community.”
May Allah the Almighty elevate the deceased’s station and enable his children and progeny to carry on these virtuous qualities.
The next mention is of Dr Ahsanullah Zafar Sahib, former Amir of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya USA. He recently passed away at the age of 81.
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[“Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”]
By the grace of Allah the Almighty he was a musi. He served for a long time as the local president, then Naib Amir and then from 2002 to 2016 he had the opportunity of serving as the Amir of the Jamaat in the USA. He possessed many good qualities; he was very loving, kind and very forbearing. He is survived by two daughters. His wife died in an accident a few years ago and his son also died in the same accident. He bore this loss with great patience and forbearance and never uttered a complaint.
His daughter, Dr Hana Maryam, says, “My father was very virtuous and religious. Along with being regular in offering prayers, reciting the Holy Quran and offering financial contributions, he always strove to strengthen his connection with God Almighty. There would be many times during the day when, either alone or while sitting in a gathering, he would raise his hands and pray. He never worried about what others might think of him. Despite facing difficulties in life, he always taught his children to be grateful to God Almighty in all circumstances.” She says, “My father was extremely sincere and loyal to Khilafat. His religious, historical, and political knowledge was very vast. Even on the day he went to the hospital for the final time, he read the newspaper, listened to the Friday sermon and watched some interviews pertaining to history and asked me to watch them along with him.
He never considered his knowledge or opinion to be superior to the knowledge and opinions of others; rather, he would carefully listen, ponder over it and then test it. He had a deep knowledge of the Holy Quran and its translation.” She says, “Along with teaching us the meanings of the words of the Holy Quran, he would also teach us about the impact of their teachings on our lives.
His love for the Holy Prophetsa was also evident in his personal life. Similarly, he was also very grateful to Allah the Almighty.” She says, “One day as he was eating, he started to pray, and he told us that sometimes, the Holy Prophetsa and his Companions had so little to eat that they would eat dates and bread dipped in vinegar. Despite having so much, we still desire for more. We should remain content. He had a special passion for helping the needy. He had the opportunity of going to Mecca in 1967, where, along the way, he saw a person who didn’t say anything, but his eyes were expressive of needing help and his hunger.” She says, “My father gave him some money that he had, and with his eyes, the man thanked him and went towards the food stall.” She says, “A few years ago, he brought home three Turkish rugs that he had bought. Seeing them, my mother said to him that they were very expensive and that we didn’t even need them. He replied, saying that this was the only source of income for the woman whom he bought them from, and upon seeing her passion, he desired to help her. He always saw the good in others rather than their weaknesses. He always advised his children to never worry in the face of difficulty, to always seek everything from God Almighty and to be content with whatever God bestows.” She says, “He used to give this guidance for all of us and did so repeatedly.”
Dr Naseem Rehmatullah Sahib writes the following about him, “I had been working with Dr Ahsanullah Zafar Sahib since 1989. He was an extremely pious and righteous person. He had a very deep love for Khilafat.”
Dr Mubasher Mumtaz Sahib from the USA writes, “He would give instructions to the Amla members in a very gentle tone. If he did not agree with any suggestion from anyone then he would decline that suggestion by giving reasons. It was not the case that he would simply impose his instructions upon them. Even when he would address a serious matter, he would not have any strictness in his tone. Whenever he would explain something it would be done in a manner whereby it would deeply touch the hearts.”
Mirza Ishan writes, “I had the opportunity to work with Ahsanullah Zafar Sahib for a very long time. As an Amir, I observed how he would form a strong connection between the members of the Jamaat and Khilafat. He had a very simple disposition and was very sympathetic and peace-loving and had great compassion for the poor. He was free from any kind of pretentiousness and artificiality and also from any form of miserliness and greed. He was always willing to spend his wealth for the Jamaat and the poor. He would always remain occupied in studying the commentary of the Holy Quran and the books of the Promised Messiahas. He was free of any kind of arrogance, self-conceit and vanity. He would become restless upon even the slightest displeasure expressed by the Khalifa of the time.”
I have also seen this for myself as well. If I wrote to him about some matter with even the slightest mention of this nature, he would always express great anxiousness and immediately apologise and would try to implement things accordingly.
“He had great love for books and he had such unique books in his personal library that one would be amazed. He had great love for the Holy Quran. In any gathering or meeting, he would be reflecting upon some verse of the Holy Quran. His gatherings would always draw people towards him in a loving and relaxed manner. He never had any official protocol organised for himself whilst serving an Amir. He had a very simple disposition.”
Zaheer Bajwa Sahib writes, “A friend told me that Dr Ahsanullah Sahib would quietly come to the mosque, and when no one else would be present, he would begin to clean the mosque and the bathrooms. When he was asked the reason why he did this, he replied that through this he would get the opportunity to cleanse his soul. He was very humble.”
He further writes, “Dr Sahib was exemplary in his love for God, the recognition of the lofty status of the Holy Prophetsa and his love for the Promised Messiahas and his Khulafa. His love for the Holy Quran cannot be described in words. Whenever I sat with him in his car, he would always have a CD of the Holy Quran playing and MTA would always be on in his house. Whenever he would come to Bait-ul-Rahman he would play MTA or the recitation of the Quran. His house was filled with [copies of the] Quran and the commentaries. There were countless books on shelves in almost every room. They were not only displayed but he would regularly read them.
“While he was studying in Rabwah, it was the wish of Dr Sahib’s mother that he would daily meet Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra and Hazrat Maulana Ghulam Rasool Rajeki Sahibra and request them for prayers. Dr Sahib would say, ‘I tried my level best to do this, and both these elders have played a great role in the success of my education and my moral training.’
“He loved everyone but the special love I witnessed he had for the poor Ahmadi members cannot be put in words. He could never think ill of anyone, but if an affluent Ahmadi did not come forward to offer [financial] sacrifice for the Community, then he would have a pain in his heart, which he would at times express. It was his ardent desire for every Ahmadi to recognise the true status of the Promised Messiahas. He wished that people would understand the true status of the Promised Messiahas and to act accordingly and then to propagate it to others. For this he would think of new and different ways (and he would also write to me as well at times). He paid great attention towards building mosques, and many mosques were built during his tenure. He had a strong belief in prayer. Once, during an Amila meeting, someone said something which underestimated the greatness of prayer, and I had never seen him express such anger in the Amila meeting as I did on that occasion.
“He lived a very simple life. If he desired something, then it was to build mosques. He would listen to everything anyone would mention, but if someone would say not to build a mosque, it would displease him greatly. Until his health permitted, every Thursday he would clean the entire Bait al-Nasr in Willingboro. Allah the Almighty granted him the opportunity to partake in financial sacrifices.”
Mirza Maghfoor Ahmad Sahib, the current Amir of the USA, writes:
“Allah the Almighty granted Dr Ahsanullah Zafar Sahib the opportunity to serve for a long time as National Vice-President, and then later as the Amir of the USA.”
During his tenure as the Amir, I visited the USA three times; he organised the visits in an excellent manner. He [Mirza Maghfoor Sahib] further writes: “For many years, his mobility was limited, but he happily managed his responsibilities as an Amir with diligence. When speaking, he would often make reference to extracts of the Promised Messiahas. When he would speak on a topic, he would quote from the books of the Promised Messiahas, which highlighted his special bond with the Promised Messiahas. He had a deep bond of loyalty towards Khilafat,” The Amir of the USA has further written to me, stating that all the guidance issued by me, he would relay it to the members of the Community immediately. Nonetheless, as mentioned earlier, I have also seen that his obedience to Khilafat was exemplary. He would abandon his personal opinion and would do so happily.
May Allah the Almighty bestow His forgiveness and mercy upon him and elevate his station. May Allah the Almighty protect his children and enable them to continue his virtuous deeds.
(Official Urdu transcript published in the Daily Al Fazl, 10 May 2024, pp. 2-6. Translated by The Review of Religions.)