Friday Sermon
26 January 2024
Muhammadsa: The Great Exemplar
After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:
The narrations regarding the wounds sustained by the Holy Prophetsa in the battle [of Uhud], are as follows. According to the narration of Hazrat Ibn Abbasra, at that time the Holy Prophetsa stated:
اشْتَدَّ غَضَبُ اللّٰهِ عَلَى مَنْ قَتَلَهُ النَّبِيُّ، اشْتَدَّ غَضَبُ اللّٰهِ عَلَى قَوْمٍ دَمَّوْا وَجْهَ نَبِيِّ اللّٰهِ
“The wrath of Allah is severe upon a person whom the Messengersa of Allah kills (in the way of Allah), and the wrath of Allah becomes severe upon a nation which causes the face of Allah’s Messengersa to bleed.”
There is a narration in at-Tabarani that, when the Holy Prophetsa was injured, he said:
اشْتَدَّ غَضَبُ اللّٰهِ عَلَى قَوْمٍ كَلَّمُوْا وَجْهَ رَسُوْلِ اللّٰهِ
“The wrath of Allah is severe upon a nation which injures the face of Allah’s Messengersa.” Then, after some time, he stated:
اللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِقَوْمِي فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ
“O Allah, forgive my nation for they know not!” This narration is also found in the Sahihayn (al-Bukhari and Muslim) that the Holy Prophetsa kept repeating:
اللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِقَوْمِي فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ
“O Allah, forgive my nation for they know not!” (Sirat Encyclopedia, Vol. 6, Riyadh: Dar al-Islam, pp. 252-253)
Thus his mercy, which was a perfect manifestation of the divine attributes of Allah the Almighty, was prevalent even in such a condition when he was injured and bleeding. Despite this, he prayed that the wrath of Allah erupts when people oppress His Messenger and belovedsa, but O Allah, the oppression that they are committing is due to their lack of knowledge and foolishness. Forgive them! Do not send down Your wrath upon them due to their mistakes.
اللّٰهُـمَّ صَلِّ عَلـى مُحمَّـد، وَعَلـى آلِ مُحمَّد
[O Allah! Bless Muhammadsa and the people of Muhammadsa.]
What a demonstration of kindness and mercy.
In Sahih al-Bukhari, this narration is as follows:
كَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلّم يَحْكِي نَبِيًّا مِنَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ ضَرَبَهُ قَوْمُهُ فَأَدْمَوْهُ، وَهْوَ يَمْسَحُ الدَّمَ عَنْ وَجْهِهِ، وَيَقُولُ ”اللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِقَوْمِي فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ“
Hazrat ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘udra states, “It is as if I see the Holy Prophetsa even now, that he is narrating the condition of a prophet whose nation profusely beat him until he was covered in blood. He was wiping blood off his face and kept saying, “O Allah, forgive my nation for they know not!” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Ahadith al-anbiya’, Hadith 3477)
Regarding this, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra details in his book The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophets:
“Upon reaching the mountain pass, with the assistance of Hazrat ‘Alira, the Holy Prophetsa cleaned his wounds. With great difficulty, Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrahra used his teeth to force out the two rings which had sunk deep into the cheek of the Holy Prophetsa; in this effort two of his own teeth were broken as well. At the time, the wounds of the Holy Prophetsa were bleeding very heavily, and upon seeing this blood, with intense grief the Holy Prophetsa said:
كَيْفَ يُفْلِحُ قَوْمٌ خَضَبُوا وَجْهَ نَبِيِّهِمْ بِالدَّمِ وَهُوَ يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى اللّٰهِ
“‘How will such a people prosper who have tainted the countenance of their Prophet with his own blood, only in the crime that he calls them towards God.’
“After this, the Holy Prophetsa became silent for some time, and then he said:
اللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِقَوْمِي فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ
“‘O My Allah! Forgive my people, for they have committed this mistake out of ignorance and they know not.’
It is narrated that on this occasion, the following verse was revealed:
لَيۡسَ لَکَ مِنَ الۡاَمۡرِ شَيۡءٌ
“‘The matter of punishment and forgiveness is in the hand of Allah. You have no concern of this. Allah shall forgive whomsoever He pleases and punish whomsoever He pleases.’” (Surah Aal-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.129)
He further writes:
“Fatimah az-Zahrara, who had come out of Medina upon hearing terrible reports regarding the Holy Prophetsa, also reached Uhud shortly thereafter. As soon as she arrived, she began to wash the wounds of the Holy Prophetsa, but the bleeding just would not stop. Finally, Hazrat Fatimahra burnt a mat of straw and applied its burnt ashes to the wound of the Holy Prophetsa. It was only then that his blood was staunched. At this time, other women also assisted the wounded companions, thereby gaining reward.” (Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, pp. 497-498)
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra narrates this incident in the following manner:
“During the Battle of Uhud, a rock hit the helmet of the Holy Prophetsa and the [helmet’s] rings got stuck in his face. He became unconscious and fell upon the bodies of those companions who were martyred while fighting around him. After this, the bodies of some other companions fell on top of his blessed body, and people thought that he had been killed. But when he was taken out of the ditch and he regained consciousness, he did not even think about the fact that the enemy injured him, broke his teeth, martyred his family, and loved ones and friends; rather, when he regained consciousness, he prayed:
رَبّ اغْفِرْ لِقَوْمِي فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
“‘My Lord, these people could not recognise my status, so have mercy on them and forgive their sins.’” (Tafsir-e-Kabir [2004], Vol. 7, pp. 67-68)
There is also mention of angels appearing and fighting during the Battle of Uhud. Hazrat Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqasra narrates, “On the day of Uhud, I saw two men to the right and the left of the Holy Prophetsa. They were wearing white clothes and were fighting fiercely. I had never seen these two before this, nor after, i.e., Jibrilas and Mika’ilas, and this has been narrated by Imam al-Bayhaqirh. Mujahid narrates that the angels only fought during the Battle of Badr. al-Bayhaqirh means to say that when the Muslims disobeyed the Holy Prophetsa and did not remain steadfast upon the command of the Holy Prophetsa, at that time the angels did not fight. This is referring to those who guarded the mountain pass, that when they displayed the example of obedience and remained patient, the angels were protecting them. When they showed impatience, then the angels lifted their veil [of protection]. And Allah knows best.
In relation to this, Muhammad ibn ‘Umarra narrated from his elders concerning the following words of Allah Almighty:
بَلٰۤي ۙ اِنۡ تَصۡبِرُوۡا وَتَتَّقُوۡا
“Yea, if you be steadfast and righteous,” (Surah Aal-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.126) that they did not remain patient and ran, which is why help did not come to them. He also narrated that his elders said that when Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayrra was martyred, an angel in the form of Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayrra took hold of the banner, and that the angels appeared on that day, but they did not fight.
While describing those scenes, al-Harith ibn as-Sammahra stated, “On the day of the Battle of Uhud, the Holy Prophetsa was in the valley. He asked me about Hazrat ‘Abdur-Rahman ibn ‘Awfra, so I answered, ‘I saw him by the mountainside.’ The Holy Prophetsa then said, ‘The angels are certainly fighting alongside him.’” al-Harith continued, “When I returned to ‘Abdur-Rahman, I saw seven disbelievers lying dead around him, so I said, ‘Your right hand has been successful. Did you kill them all yourself?’ He replied, ‘I killed these ones, but those ones were killed by people who I did not even witness.’ I then said, ‘How true was the word of God and His Messengersa, in that the angels were aiding him.’”
Ibn Sa‘d has narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn Fazl ibn ‘Abbasra, who stated, “After the Holy Prophetsa conferred the flag to Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr and he was martyred, an angel in the likeness of Mus‘ab took hold of the flag. Upon this, the Holy Prophetsa said, ‘O Mus‘ab! Go forth.’ The angel then turned to him and said, ‘I am not Mus‘ab.’ The Holy Prophetsa then realised that this was an angel and that he was being aided by the angels.”
Muhammad ibn Thabit narrates, “The Holy Prophetsa stated on the day of the Battle of Uhud, ‘O Mus‘ab! Go forth.’ ‘Abdur-Rahman ibn ‘Awfra then said, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, was Mus‘ab not martyred?’ The Holy Prophetsa answered, ‘Indeed. But an angel has been appointed in his place and been given his name.’”
‘Allamah Ibn ‘Asakir narrates on the authority of Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqasra, who stated, “On the day of the Battle of Uhud, I witnessed that as I would shoot an arrow, a beautiful person wearing white clothes would return that arrow to me. I did not recognise him, and I eventually believed that he was an angel.”
‘Umair ibn Ishaqra narrates, “On the day of the Battle of Uhud, the people had been dispersed from the Holy Prophetsa, and as Sa‘d was beside him shooting arrows, a young person would retrieve the arrows and give them to him. Whenever he shot an arrow, the young person would retrieve it. He would say, ‘O Abu Ishaq! Let your arrows fly.’ When the battle had ended, he was unable to find that young person anywhere, nor did anyone know who he was.’”
‘Allamah al-Bayhaqirh has narrated on the authority of ‘Urwah, who stated, “In accordance with Allah the Almighty’s promise of:
وَلَقَدۡ صَدَقَکُمُ اللّٰہُ وَعۡدَہٗۤ
“‘And Allah had surely made good to you His promise,’ (Surah Aal-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.153) that as a result of their patience and righteousness, He would help them with 5,000 angels, he did indeed fulfil this promise. However, when they failed to follow the instructions of the Holy Prophetsa as they vacated their ranks, and the archers – out of their desire for the world – did not heed the instructions of the Holy Prophetsa to not leave their position, the help of the angels was taken away and Allah Almighty revealed the verse,
وَلَقَدۡ صَدَقَکُمُ اللّٰہُ وَعۡدَہٗۤ اِذۡ تَحُسُّوۡنَہُمۡ بِاِذۡنِہٖ
“‘And Allah had surely made good to you His promise when you were slaying and destroying them by His leave.’ (Surah Aal-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.153) It was then that Allah Almighty fulfilled His promise and showed them victory, but when they failed to follow the instructions, He placed them in a trial.” (Mustafa ‘Abd al-Wahid, Subul al-huda wa r-rashad fi sirat Khayr al-‘ibad, Vol. 4 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1993], pp. 205-206)
In one of his sermons, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh narrated this incident that:
“The companions said that on the day of the Battle of Badr, they witnessed the angels wearing black turbans and in uniform. When the companions witnessed the angels in different circumstances, they were seen wearing black turbans. When the narrations were compiled, they were left astonished. However, just as the Holy Prophetsa explained مُسَوّمِين [‘Attacking vehemently,’] it was thus decreed and this was exactly what took place.
“Similarly, the angels that were witnessed during the Battle of Uhud were wearing red turbans as a sign. (ad-Durr al-manthur, Under Surah Aal-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.126)
“The red colour conveys a message of grief. However, the companions had never experienced as much grief in their entire lives as they did during the Battle of Uhud as a result of the wounds sustained by the Holy Prophetsa. They received one news of grief after another, and they became sunken in anguish. Hence, for the sign of the angels during this battle, the colour selected, i.e. red, depicted an aspect of grief, blood and anguish.” (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 2, p. 76, Friday Sermon, 11 February 1983)
There are many incidents highlighting the determination and selflessness of the companions during this battle, and how they sacrificed themselves in order to protect the Holy Prophetsa. Regarding Hazrat Anas ibn an-Nadr al-Ansarira there is a narration in which Hazrat Anasra states, “My uncle Hazrat Anas ibn an-Nadr al-Ansarira was unable to participate in the Battle of Badr, so he said, ‘O Messengersa of Allah! I was absent in the first battle in which you fought the idolaters. If Allah allows me to fight the idolaters in battle, He will surely see what I shall do.’ Thus, on the day of the Battle of Uhud, when the Muslims had dispersed from the battlefield, he said, ‘O Allah, I apologise for what they have done.’ He was referring to his companions, i.e., the Muslims who had scattered. He then said, ‘I hold myself before You free from what they have done,’ i.e., referring to the idolaters. He then went forth and met Hazrat Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adhra. He said to him, ‘O Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh, the tidings of paradise. By the Lord of an-Nadr, I smell the sweet fragrance [of Paradise] from Uhud.’”
While narrating this incident to the Holy Prophetsa, Hazrat Sa‘dra said, “O Messengersa of Allah, I failed to do what he [Anas ibn an-Nadrra] did next in that the way in which he fought so heroically and fearlessly, I was unable to do match him in this.” Hazrat Anasra narrated, “We found more than 80 wounds on him from blows from swords, spears and arrows. When we found him, he had already been martyred and the idolaters had already mutilated his body. No one was able to recognise him aside from his sister, who recognised him from the tip of his finger.” Hazrat Anasra narrated, “We felt that the following verse had been revealed in relation to him and others like him:
مِنَ الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوۡا مَا عَاہَدُوا اللّٰہَ عَلَيۡہِِ
‘Among the believers are men who have been true to the covenant they made with Allah.’ (Surah Al-Ahzab, Ch.33: V.24)” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Jihad wa-s-siyar, Bab qawlillahi ta‘ala ‘min al-mu’minina rijalun…’, Hadith 2805)
Ibn Ishaq states that Anas ibn an-Nadrra, the uncle of Anas ibn Malikra, passed by a group of Muhajirin, including Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydillahra, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattabra, etc., and some Ansar, who were sitting down. Anas [ibn an-Nadr] asked them why they were sitting down. They replied that the Holy Prophetsa had been killed. Anas replied: “Then what use is there in living? You should depart this world in the manner that he did.” Anas then turned his attention towards the disbelievers and bravely fought until he was martyred. Anas bin Malikra was named after him.
Anas bin Malikra states: “On that day, we found Anas ibn an-Nadr and his body had 70 wounds. Nobody could recognise his body, except his sister. She recognised him through his fingertips.” (Ibn Hisham, Sirat Ibn Hisham [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2001], p. 535)
Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra writes:
“At the time, a very dangerous war ensued, and this was a time of great trial and tribulation for the Muslims. As mentioned above, upon hearing news of the martyrdom of the Holy Prophetsa many Companions lost their spirit and thrown in their arms and moved to one side of the battlefield. Hazrat Umarra was also among these people. These people were sitting to one side of the battlefield, when a Companion named Anas ibn an-Nadr al-Ansarisa happened to arrive, and upon seeing them, began to say:
“‘What are you doing here?’
“They responded, ‘The Holy Prophetsa has been martyred. What now, is there to gain from battle?’
“‘This is the very time for battle,’ replied Anasra ‘so that we may also attain the death, which has been acquired by the Holy Prophetsa; and then what pleasure is there in life after the demise of the Holy Prophetsa anyway?’
“Then Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adhra came before him and Anasra said, ‘Sa‘d, I can smell the fragrance of Paradise from this mountain.’ After this, Anasra penetrated the enemy ranks and was martyred in battle. After the war, his body was found to have sustained more than eighty wounds, and no one could recognise his dead body. Finally, his sister identified him by a mark on his finger.” (Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, pp. 494-495)
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra has also mentioned this [incident] as follows:
“The uncle of Hazrat Anas ibn Malikra was also present in the Battle of Uhud and he showed great courage. He fought valiantly and repelled countless attacks on the Holy Prophetsa by the disbelievers. Eventually, they gained the upper hand, and after victory, the Muslims gathered the prisoners of war and busied themselves with gathering spoils and provisions. The ignorant enemy labels this as looting.”
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra says that when the war ended and they were gathering the spoils of war, the enemies [of Islam] labelled this as looting and plundering, whereas this is not looting; rather, this is one way in which the enemy becomes weaker. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states, “He thought that his work was done. He was hungry at the time, and he had some dates with him. He moved a distance away from the battlefield and was striding around in joy of victory and began eating dates. While eating dates and striding around, he went to one side. He saw a rock upon which Hazrat ‘Umarra was seated, crying. Anas ibn an-Nadrra saw Hazrat ‘Umarra and was surprised, as that day was a day of jubilation, happiness and congratulating one another. Why was he crying on such an occasion? And so he addressed Hazrat ‘Umarra, saying: ‘What is all this about? Today is a day to rejoice that Allah the Almighty has granted the Muslims victory, and you sit here crying?’ Hazrat ‘Umarra replied, ‘Perhaps the news did not reach you of what happened after gaining victory!’ He asked what happened, to which Hazrat ‘Umarra said, ‘The enemy army came at us from the rear and attacked us again. This resulted in the Muslim army scattering and the Holy Prophetsa was martyred.’ The Ansari companion said: ‘‘Umar, even then, there is no reason to cry.’ He had one date left in his hand, he instantly threw that away and said – addressing the date – ‘Between you and my God is nothing more than this date.’ (He was either addressing Hazrat ‘Umarra or the date.) Nonetheless, he then turned to Hazrat ‘Umarra and said: ‘‘Umar! If the Holy Prophetsa has been martyred, then what is there left in this world for us? We should also go where he has gone.’ Having said this, he took his sword, and on his own, he launched an attack on the enemy army, which numbered in the thousands. But what could one man do against thousands? He was attacked from all directions and fell as a martyr. After the battle, when the Holy Prophetsa sent a search party for him, they discovered 70 pieces of his body. According to some narrations, his body was beyond recognition. Eventually, his sister – or another relative – recognised him from a mark on his finger.” (Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 23, pp. 442-443, Friday Sermon, 9 October 1942)
Then, mentioning this same incident on another occasion, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra says, “During the Battle of Uhud, when the rumour spread that the Holy Prophetsa had been martyred, he (i.e., Hazrat Anas’ra uncle) saw Hazrat ‘Umarra sitting on a small mound, crying. He asked him: ‘‘Umar, what is the matter, why are you crying when the Muslims have been given victory?’ Hazrat ‘Umarra replied: ‘You haven’t heard? The Holy Prophetsa has been martyred.’ When Hazrat Anas’ra uncle heard this, he was eating dates at the time. He only had one date in his hand, which he threw away, saying, ‘Is there any other barrier between me and my Lord?’ Then, owing to his love for him, he said to Hazrat ‘Umarra in disdain, ‘Umar, if the Holy Prophetsa has gone on to the next world, then why are you sitting here crying? We will follow after him to wherever he may be.’ He went alone and attacked an army of 3,000. The disbelievers perhaps thought of him as mad. He fought valiantly until he was martyred. After the battle finished, when they went in search of him, they found him in 70 pieces; each limb was severed.” (Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 23, p. 373, Friday Sermon, 4 September 1942)
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra has mentioned details about his martyrdom in several places. At times, it is detailed, and at times, it is briefly mentioned. In one instance, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra says, “In a hadith, it is mentioned that Hazrat Anas ibn an-Nadrra was an Ansari Companion who was mistakenly left behind in the Battle of Badr and was not able to take part. When he heard about the feats in the Battle of Badr from those who took part, he was overcome with passion. He stood up and began pacing up and down. He said: ‘Alas! When I get an opportunity, I will show everyone how a believer ought to make a sacrifice.’ Hence, he participated in the Battle of Uhud. When suddenly the enemy attacked from the rear, the Muslims lost their footing. He was pushed back and moved quite a distance from the battlefield. The Holy Prophetsa was left alone and owing to the disbelievers hurling rocks, he was injured. These injuries caused him to fall upon others who had been killed. When the people were unable to see the Holy Prophetsa [on the battlefield] for a brief period of time, they thought he had been martyred. Hence, a few people immediately ran to Medina, which was a short distance away, and informed others that the Holy Prophetsa had been martyred. For the people who were a short distance away from the battlefield, this news struck them like lightning. Among these people was Hazrat ‘Umarra. He was sitting on a rock, crying. Meanwhile, Anas ibn an-Nadrra walked past him and since he had not eaten anything prior to the battle, he was eating a few dates. Anas ibn an-Nadrra had left the battlefield at a time when the Muslims had become victorious and had defeated the disbelievers. Hazrat ‘Umarra, however, had left the battlefield after the enemy had launched another attack from behind and the Holy Prophetsa was injured as a result of it and fell to the ground, and some of the companions thought that he had been martyred. Hence, this was the reason for Hazrat ‘Umarra crying whereas Anas ibn an-Nadrra was happy for the [earlier] victory they had attained. Therefore, Anas ibn an-Nadrra found it rather strange that Hazrat ‘Umarra was crying and looked upon him with astonishment and said, ‘‘Umar, is this a time to rejoice or cry? Allah the Almighty has granted victory to the Muslims and we should rejoice over this.’ Hazrat ‘Umarra raised his head and whilst looking towards him said, ‘Anas, perhaps you are not aware but the momentum of the battle completely shifted. The enemy had come from behind the mountain and attacked once more. Unable to endure this attack, the Muslim army dispersed, and the Holy Prophetsa was martyred.’ At the time, Anas ibn an-Nadrra was holding onto his last date and he threw it to the ground and said, ‘Apart from this date, there is nothing else that stands between me and my beloved.’ He then looked at Hazrat ‘Umarra and said, ‘If whatever you say is true, even then it is not an occasion to cry. We should also prepare to go where our beloved has departed to.’ After saying this, he took his sword out of its sheath and went into the enemy lines. After all, how could a single man fare against an army of hundreds? In just a short while, his body was cut into pieces and scattered across the ground. When God Almighty granted victory to the Muslims, the Holy Prophetsa instructed them to find Anas ibn an-Nadrra, and people informed him that they could not locate him anywhere. The Holy Prophetsa once again gave instructions to find him. By this time, his sister came running to the battlefield upon hearing the shocking news that the Holy Prophetsa had been martyred. She saw the severed limbs of a body and realised that it was her brother, Anasra as she recognised one of his fingers and then informed the Holy Prophetsa. This was the love which the companions had for the Holy Prophetsa.” (Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 7, pp. 585-586)
I shall continue to mention these accounts in the future, God willing.
Pray especially these days for the Ahmadis in Yemen, they are going through extremely difficult times. Similarly, pray for the Muslim ummah. May Allah the Almighty unite them as one and instil within them reason and understanding. Pray for the general state of the world, as it is rapidly heading towards war. May Allah the Almighty have mercy.
After the prayers, I shall lead two funeral prayers in absentia. The first mention is of respected Dr Hafiz Abdul Hamid Gamanga Sahib, who was serving as the Naib Amir of Sierra Leone. He passed away by the decree of Allah following a short illness on 13 January, at the age of 45.
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[“Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”]
By the grace of Allah he was a musi.
Musa Maiwah Sahib, the Amir of Sierra Leone writes:
“Dr Gamanga Sahib was the highest contributor to Chanda Wasiyyat in the whole of Sierra Leone. When I appealed to the members to purchase the land for the new site for our Jalsa Gah, Dr Sahib made the highest contribution towards this and made a donation of 10,000 US dollars before his demise. Dr Sahib dedicated five years of his life to serving under the Nusrat Jhan Scheme. He was initially posted to Nigeria, but while the paperwork was being processed, a doctor from Pakistan was posted there, and so he had the opportunity to serve in a hospital in Freetown. He served very diligently, and whatever allowance he received from the hospital during this time, he gifted it back to the hospital, which helped towards the repair and refurbishment of the hospital. The total amount was 200,000 Leones. He had a great love for Khilafat. His greatest regret in his life was that he was not able to meet the Khalifa of the time. (He made a lot of effort in order to meet me but he was unable to get a visa. He tried twice for this.) During his medical service, he would offer free treatment to those patients who were in financial difficulties. He helped many Ahmadi students whose parents were not able to pay for their college fees. He was very trustworthy, hardworking and would always help others.”
He was married to Kadie Yatta Gamanga, the younger sister of Tommy Kallon Sahib, who resides here [in the UK]. He had two children, a son and a daughter, one of whom is approximately three or four years old and the other is two years old.
Saeed-ul-Hassan Shah, one of the missionaries there, says, “He possessed many qualities that I had personally witnessed. When Musa Maiwah Sahib was appointed as the new Amir, Dr Gamanga Sahib was a key member of his team. He attained a specialist degree in gynaecology from Kenya and then came to Sierra Leone. One of his qualities was that he would work tirelessly. He worked day and night and completely forget the fact that his wife and children would be waiting for him. He knew the Holy Quran by heart and would recite it in a very beautiful voice. Last Ramadan he led the tarawih prayers at the headquarters and the members greatly enjoyed it. Humility was another great quality of Dr Sahib. He would always meet everyone with a smile and he would always keep his illness and pain hidden from others.”
Safeer Ahmad Sahib, who is serving as a missionary says, “Dr Sahib possessed many qualities and was very well-known in the area. Allah the Almighty had blessed him with the quality of healing. People would visit him for treatment, and in addition to providing them with physical treatment, he would also provide them with a spiritual cure by informing them of the teachings of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat. The deceased was regular in his daily prayers, in observing the fasts and also in his Tahajjud prayer. He would always pay his financial contributions on time. He would always leave aside his secular work and always respond to any work of the Jamaat he was called upon. He would show great respect to the office-bearers of the Jamaat and the missionaries. He would pay particular attention towards the Friday prayer and would offer the Friday prayer in the mosque in Port Loko.”
Abdul Haye Koroma Sahib, who is serving as the Naib Amir II says, “Dr Gamanga Sahib was also a committee member for the translation of the Holy Quran into Mende which is the local language of Sierra Leone. He was regular in his five daily prayers and in the observance of the Tahajjud prayer. He was a life-devotee in its true essence. After finishing his duty at the hospital where he worked, he would go to the Ahmadiyya Hospital and would work there till the Maghrib prayer and then go to the mission house. He would work there till late in the night and then go home. He would often see true dreams and they would be fulfilled. In accordance with the instructions of the Khalifa of the time, he had made a ten-year educational plan so that, in the future, the Jamaat would have many skilled members. As a Naib Amir, I had a very close bond with him. He had many good qualities, including his love for the Community, fulfilling the rights of Allah and the rights of His creation, generosity, humility and offering financial sacrifices.”
Almami Cisse Sahib says, “He was admitted to Sierra Leone’s Jamiatul-Mubashshirin in 1989 and completed his education by 1991. He achieved excellent marks and always passed with very high marks. He started to memorise the Holy Quran where he was first posted. He independently memorised the entirety of the Holy Quran. Thereafter, the civil war started and all Pakistani missionaries posted there were forced to leave. Dr Sahib then came to Freetown and continued working as a missionary. During this time, he also served as the acting president of the local chapter there. Some items were sent from headquarters (from here) to Sierra Leone. The rebels found out about this and attacked the mission house. They hid in the ceiling and managed to take hold of me (the one relating this incident). They pointed a gun at my head and told me to give them the keys to the storage. When we realised the circumstances were very dire, Dr Gamanga Sahib, who had the keys, came down immediately and handed them over. The rebels took a few things and left.”
Khalid Mahmood Sahib writes, “Dr Sahib held great love and sincerity for Khilafat. He was a truly sincere person. He was very respectful to everyone. He had great compassion for the Jamaat. He was respectful towards everyone, including those who were older than him or younger. He would immediately accept any proposal given for the advancement of the Jamaat. He would say that there should always be such sincere people in the Jamaat who spend every moment towards the progress of the Jamaat. There are very few people who can honestly distinguish right from wrong. Dr Sahib was a fearless and brave individual. He had a beautiful way with words. He would speak to everyone in a soft tone. He would leave everything to offer prayer. Even if someone spoke to him harshly, he would respond to them gently and also advise that an Ahmadi should not speak so harshly.”
Lajna Imaillah UK is building a maternity hospital in Sierra Leone. This is a very large project, by Allah’s grace. The former president of the Lajna, Dr Fariha went to see the progress. She says, “I observed him to be extremely beneficial to humanity. (She met with Dr Sahib when she went to see the maternity hospital.) He gave very valuable suggestions regarding the Lajna Hospital. He then gave me a tour of the government hospital. His passion for serving mankind truly impacted me. Despite the unfavourable conditions, he greeted the innumerable patients who came to him with a smile on his face and showed them great empathy. He had an extraordinary attachment to serving the poor residents of his country.” She also thought that he would be stationed at the maternity hospital once it was completed, but Allah the Almighty had His own plan.
His wife, Kadie Yatta writes, “My husband was a pious individual; he was a sincere and devout Ahmadi of our Jamaat. He always gave precedence to the Jamaat over his personal matters. Before going to Senegal for his treatment, he said to me, ‘We have full faith and trust in Allah the Almighty. That is everything for us. So, whatever happens, do not worry.’ He would often treat his patients and Ahmadis free of charge and he cared a great deal for them.” She says, “I learned of many of my husband’s qualities from other people after his demise. I testify that he would regularly offer the five daily prayers, and also the Tahajjud prayers. Without fail, he would calculate how much is due for his Wasiyyat and make his contributions. Every year in Ramadan, he would recite the Holy Quran in its entirety at least once and would encourage me to do the same. He was a great husband and father, and he kept us very happy.”
May Allah the Almighty show mercy and grant forgiveness to the deceased, and elevate his station. May He be the Helper and Protector of his wife and children.
The next mention is of Tahirah Nazir Begum Sahiba, who was also known as Tahirah Rashiduddin. She was the wife of Chaudhry Rashiduddin Sahib, a missionary of the Jamaat. She passed away recently.
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[“Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”]
By the grace of Allah the Almighty, she was a musiah. Her family entered the fold of Ahmadiyyat by way of her paternal grandfather, Hazrat Chaudhry Ghulam Husainra. Similarly, her maternal grandfather, Hazrat Chaudhry Ghulam Haidar Dhariwalra was also a companion of the Promised Messiahas. As I mentioned, she was the wife of Chaudhry Rashiduddin Sahib. In December of 1958, her nikah was announced by Maulana Jalaluddin Shams Sahib in the presence of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, who led the silent prayer. She mentions one of her dreams. She says, “In 1980, I had the opportunity of attending the Majlis-e-Mushawarat [Consultative Body of the Jamaat] as a delegate. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh was also present at the gathering. In the gathering, a discussion took place on who could be counted among the Companions [of the Promised Messiahas] based on their age.” She says, “When I came home, I regretfully said, ‘O Allah, if only I was present during that time, then I too would be amongst the companions. At that time, I saw a dream in which I met the Promised Messiahas. He was lying on his right side in my home. I went and stood by his pillow. The Promised Messiahas looked to me with great love and said, ‘What brings you here?’ I said, ‘Your Holiness, I wish to massage you.’ The Promised Messiahas gave me his right hand and I massaged it for quite some time. Thereafter, the Promised Messiahas proceeded to the courtyard for the Maghrib prayer. I also went to the courtyard and saw droves of people, some even perched on the windows and verandas to see the Promised Messiahas. I asked the masses, ‘How did you know the Promised Messiahas was in my home?’ They replied, ‘How could the Promised Messiahas come to your home and we remain uninformed?’ There was an elderly woman from Chak 37 who was making rotis [flatbread]. I addressed her and said, ‘Leave the rotis! The Promised Messiahas has come to my home! Come and see him!’” After this, she stated, “In Shura, it was discussed that those who saw the Promised Messiahas were counted amongst the Companions. The Promised Messiahas stayed in my home for two days and one night, so that makes me a companion. It is the boundless grace of Allah the Almighty. How can I repay my gratitude to Him?”
Her son, Dr Aleemuddin Sahib, lives here [in the UK]. He has also served as the National President [of the Jamaat] in Ireland and currently lives here [in the UK]. He says, “Allah the Almighty granted our mother countless virtues. Salient among them was her connection with Allah, her personal love for Allah the Almighty, and Allah the Almighty’s acceptance of her prayers (in other words, she would receive true dreams and visions). She had personal love and affection for Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya, which remained prominent throughout her life, and she strove to continue the same in her children.” He says, “During our childhood, whenever any elders were mentioned by our mother, they would not be prominent from a worldly standpoint; rather, they would be Khulafa, or we would always hear about pious women. Our mother would always request these elders for prayers.” Just because she was given to prayer didn’t mean that she would not request prayers from others as well; in fact, she would go to others and ask them for prayers. He says, “Aside from this, the most prominent aspect of our mother was the honour she held for the Jamaat. Once in our home, one of our distant relatives used some unbecoming words [regarding the Jamaat]. Generally, people become silent when they hear such things, but my mother sternly responded to him immediately. She first stopped him, then she corrected him. It was well known amongst our family that she could compromise when it came to family disputes, but would not let anyone speak against the honour of the Jamaat.
Her husband, Chaudhary Rashiduddin Sahib, a life-devotee and missionary, went to Africa twice for the task of propagation. She remained in Pakistan and focused all of her efforts towards the upbringing of her children.” He says, “We remember that when it came to us brothers, she always knew our personal friends, who they were and what kind of people they were. She would always tell us not to simply befriend anyone, but those boys in our area who were virtuous and good in their studies.” He says, “Something which I witnessed myself was that she often befriended such women who had a connection of love with Allah the Almighty and she herself would say she did not enjoy sitting with worldly people, but preferred such people who were simple and took an interest in faith.”
Her daughter Zubda Sahiba says, in fact, all three Abida, Tayyiba and Zubda say, “Ever since we can remember, we found our mother to be devoted to worship, prayerful, sociable and kind. She worshipped very fervently, and she passionately offered voluntary prayers and Tahajjud. Whenever there was an issue at hand, she would close herself in her room and remain in prostration for extended periods of time. She also experienced the times of financial difficulties faced by a life-devotee, but she endured those times with patience, forbearance and dedication whilst placing her trust in Allah the Almighty and she would always seek from Allah the Almighty. She also had the honour of performing hajj; Allah the Almighty fulfilled this desire of hers. She performed i‘tikaf [period of devotion in the mosque during Ramadan] 11 times.” Her daughters say, “Those women who came [for condolences] especially mentioned her kindness, good morals, and friendliness. She particularly studied religious books; she especially enjoyed reading books on the life of the Holy Prophetsa. She focused special attention on worship on Fridays and would go to the mosque several hours early to offer voluntary prayers.”
One of her sons, Saleemuddin Sahib, is a missionary and serves as the Nazir Umur-e-Aama in Rabwah these days. He says, “My mother was the wife of a life-devotee and her nikah (as I mentioned before) was announced by Jalaluddin Shams Sahib and Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra led the silent prayer. Her (Tahira Sahiba’s) father used to tell the incident related to this, that her husband’s nikah was actually going to take place with someone else and all the arrangements had been made. Maulana Abul-Ata Jalandhari Sahibra was to announce the Nikah at Masjid Nusrat in Rabwah. All the guests had arrived, however, Hazrat Maulana Abul Ata Jalandhari Sahibrh announced everyone’s nikah except his, saying that since he was a life-devotee, his nikah would be announced by Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra or it takes place in his presence. It so happened that after some time, the girl’s side, where the marriage was originally supposed to take place, informed of their refusal and then his nikah took place with Tahira Sahiba, and this marriage proved to be very blessed.”
She was regular in offering financial contributions. The Secretary of Finance in Canada writes, “I saw in a dream that I opened the register and was accounting for the financial contributions when Tahira Rashiduddin Sahiba came and sat beside me. I told her that if she offered five thousand dollars for Tahrik-e-Jadid, then her name would be included in the Five-Thousand Register, and she expressed her readiness to do so in the dream.” She was visiting Pakistan at the time, and when she returned, she told her the dream and she said that she expected that she would do just that. When she related the dream [Tahira Sahiba] immediately offered five thousand dollars – Allah the Almighty had granted her good financial standing.
May Allah the Almighty grant her forgiveness and mercy and enable her children to carry on the legacy of her virtues.
(Official Urdu transcript published in the Al Fazl International, 16 February 2024, pp. 2-7. Translated by The Review of Religions.)
