Friday Sermon
24 November 2023
The need for the Imam: The Promised Messiah and Mahdias
After reciting the tashahud, ta‘awuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:
In his writings and teachings, the Promised Messiahas has stated the need for his advent and the need for a reformer to appear in this era on countless occasions. He has proved that his being sent by Allah the Almighty was exactly in accordance with the need of the time and in accordance with the tradition of Allah the Almighty and the prophecies of the Holy Prophetsa. As such, the Promised Messiahas states:
“I wish to state as a completion of the argument that God Almighty – having found this age full of darkness, and sunk deep in heedlessness, denial and paganism, and having observed the waning of faith, truthfulness, sincerity and righteousness – has sent me so that He may once again re-establish in the world the intellectual, physical, moral and spiritual verities, and to safeguard Islam against the onslaughts of those who design to harm this divine garden in the guise of philosophy, naturalism, innovation, polytheism and atheism. O seekers of truth, contemplate and observe! Is this not the very time, which called for aid for Islam from the heavens? Has it still not become manifest to you, all the atrocities that befell Islam in the previous century, the 13th century, and the intolerable injuries we had to sustain due to the spread of misguidance? Have you still not come to know of all the calamities that have encircled Islam? Have you not yet been told of how many people have left Islam and joined the Christians, become atheists and naturalists, to what extent polytheism and innovations have replaced the unity of God and His traditions and to what extent books have been penned against Islam and published across the world? Hence, contemplate and say, was it not necessary now for someone to be sent by God Almighty in this century, who would defend against these external onslaughts? If there was a need, then do not reject a divine favour knowingly and do not turn away from the person, whose advent took place at the head of this century in accordance with its need and which had been foretold by the Holy Prophetsa from the very outset.” (A’ina-e-Kamalat-e-Islam, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 5, pp. 251-253)
Then, in relation to the merits of testing the truthfulness of a claimant who has appeared, the Promised Messiahas states:
“If it was indeed essential to produce specific prophecies from Divine scriptures, it would be impossible to prove the Prophethood of any Prophet.
“The true criteria for judging the claim of a Prophet is to see whether he has come at the time of need, whether he has made his appearance at the time foretold by the Prophets, whether he has been accompanied by Divine help, and whether he has satisfactorily answered the objections raised against him by his opponents. Only he who meets all these criteria can be considered truthful in his claim.
“As far as the need of the time is concerned, this age is practically crying out for a heavenly reformer who will save Islam from inner dissension and external challenges, re-establish the long-lost spirituality, strengthen the faith by granting certainty, save people from sin and transgres- sion, and draw hearts towards piety and virtue. This shows that I have come at the time of need, and only the most prejudiced will deny this.
“The second condition, that the claimant should appear at the time foretold by the Prophets, has also been fulfilled with my coming. The Prophets had prophesied that the Promised Messiah would appear at the end of the sixth millennium after Adam. The sixth millennium, if we go by the lunar calendar, has already passed; and if we go by the solar one, it is almost coming to its end. (That has now come to an end as well.) Moreover, there is the saying of the Holy Prophetsa that there would appear a Reformer—Mujaddid—at the turn of every century in order to revive the faith. We are in the 22nd year of the fourteenth century (at the time when the Promised Messiahas stated this), and is it not a sign that the Reformer has come?” (Lecture Lahore [English], pp. 58-59)
Irrespective of whether others accept this or our opponents accept the truthfulness of the Promised Messiahas, they are themselves crying out at every place and saying that Islam needs a Mahdi and reformer who will steer the ship of Islam aright. The one promised to come has already arrived in accordance with the prophecies and the need of the time, yet they are not prepared to accept him.
Likewise, the Promised Messiahas did not merely make his claim, rather, he also presented countless signs to support his truthfulness. It is not possible to mention them all here, but in one instance, he stated:
“One magnificent sign is that 23 years ago today, the revelation was written in Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, that ‘People will attempt to destroy this movement, and they will try to implement all kinds of plots and schemes. However, I shall cause this movement to grow and perfect it and it shall become an army. Its supremacy shall last till the Day of Judgment, and I shall make your name renowned in all corners of the earth, people shall come in droves from every direction, and financial support shall come from everywhere. Expand your abodes, for this preparation is being made in heaven.’” The Promised Messiahas states, “Observe as to what era this prophecy was made in, and how it has been fulfilled today. These are the signs of God which are being witnessed by those who possess sight, but according to those who are blind, no signs have been manifested up till now.” (Nuzul-ul-Masih, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 18, pp. 384-385)
Even today, the progress of the Jamaat, hundreds of thousands of people entering the Community, and for them to increase in their levels of sacrifice, are all signs of his truthfulness of the Promised Messiahas. There isn’t a single country in the world today where his [the Promised Messiah’sas] message hasn’t reached, or where pious-natured souls have not been drawn towards Islam and accepted it through his message. In fact, there are such incidents in certain places where Allah the Almighty has Himself guided the people, and they have entered the fold of the Community. In spite of the opposition of our enemies, Allah the Almighty has strengthened the faith of the members of the Community, and continues to do so. Thus, the support of Allah the Almighty that we witness even today is the means of strengthening the faith of the Ahmadis. I now wish to present some of these incidents.
Boboev Islombek is a Russian from Kyrgyzstan. He says, “I am from Kashgar-Kyshtak, Kyrgyzstan, and the reason for writing this letter is that I am joining the true Islam, i.e. the Community, after pledging allegiance to the Imam Mahdias. The reason why I am entering the fold of Ahmadiyyat is that the Imam Mahdias has presented the excellences of Islam in a most wonderful manner. I became convinced that it is only the Imam Mahdi who can present the beauties of Islam in such a manner.” He then writes, “Pray that Allah Almighty makes me a righteous person and enables me to act upon the ten conditions of bai’at [oath allegiance].”
This was the account of a person sitting in a far-off place. This is not just in one place, rather, it is the case in every country.
In the Maniema province of Congo, there is a place called Rodika. A Christian named Feroz Majik received a pamphlet of the Community in which the advent of the Promised Messiahas and the blessing of the system of Khilafat were mentioned. Having read this, he had a complete transformation. He began saying, “This is the Islam I was in search of.” After pledging his allegiance, he entered the fold of Ahmadiyyat.
Similarly, there is another person named Husain Sahib who read a pamphlet of the Community and entered the fold of Ahmadiyyat. In fact, he even went on to preach, and up until the time this report was received, five people had entered the fold of Ahmadiyyat as a result of his preaching. Hence, this is how people are not only themselves joining, but are also preaching. This is a moment to reflect for those who are already Ahmadis, that they should also pay attention to outreach.
In the Shinyanga region of Tanzania, we have a local chapter of the Jamaat in Muwangalanga. After the establishment of the Community there, the Ahmadis used to pray under the shade of trees. During this time, a person named Muhammad Fungagunga began to vehemently oppose the Community, and along with some people, began to announce, “These Ahmadis are not Muslims, and we Muslims will quickly construct a mosque in this area.” This person even got a guarantee from a prominent woman saying that she would provide the funds for the mosque. On the other hand, there was a sincere Ahmadi ma,ed Ramadan Sahib, who donated his land for the construction of the mosque. That person therefore made every effort for that plot of land to go to a non-Ahmadi, yet this Ahmadi remained steadfast from the beginning of the construction of the mosque of the Community until it was completed. During this time, the preaching of the Community reached that opponent’s household. While he was causing opposition, the message of Ahmadiyyat had reached his home, and Allah the Almighty enabled his wife and children to accept Ahmadiyyat, leaving him alone in his opposition. If this person – and there are many people like him – possessed any understanding, he would have seen that this was sufficient as a sign that despite his opposition, Allah the Almighty imbued his wife’s and children’s hearts with the fervour for the true Islam, and that he could assert no influence over them. No human has the power to bring about this faith and transformation. Never! This can only happen due to the special grace of Allah the Almighty.
Then, there is another example of the strengthening of faith and the support of Allah the Almighty. Argentina, a far off country in the Americas – some incidents are from Africa, some from a [former] Soviet [state], and now in America. A woman there named Mariela Sahiba accepted Islam, but she was becoming distant from Islam due to the conduct of certain Muslims. She was not an Ahmadi, but had accepted Islam. When she was introduced to the Ahmadiyya Community, she came to the mission house and joined the Arabic and Islam classes. After a few months, she pledged her allegiance and entered the fold of the Community.
She states, “I felt at peace after taking the bai’at because I saw a consistency between the teachings of the Jamaat and its actions, and I felt a true atmosphere of camaraderie. Everyone is given an opportunity to serve, even if they are new, and there is no kind of discrimination or division.” Her daughter who is a non-Muslim, studies in a Sunni Islamic centre, which functions as a high school. The Arabs spend money on this, and she was studying there. When the school’s administration found out that her mother had joined the Community, they started pressuring her and spreading propaganda against the Community. When the school found out that her daughter, as part of a school project, prepared special decoration pieces for the mission house out of her own free will, the administration of the school was very disappointed and told her that if she suppored the Community, she would face hardships at school. Her and her mother should separate themsleves from the Community. When her mother found out, she immediately and without any hesitation transferred her daughter from the Islamic school herself, and she said, “Now my daughter and I are both at peace that no one will bother us on the basis of our religion. I accepted the Community because I found it to be the truth, so I will happily and proudly declare this in front of others, even if they do not like it.” This is the faith that is taking root within of these people.
There is a pious Ahmadi in the Bukhara region of Former Russia [state], named Sunat Sultanu. He is from the Bukhara region of Uzbekistan, and he works in Russia. He said, “I am the only Ahmadi [in my family] and I consistently introduce the teachings of Islam Ahmadiyyat to my wife and kids. I am eager for my wife and kids to become Ahmadis. I profusely pray that may Allah the Almighty enlighten them with the light of Islam Ahmadiyyat.” He says, “I saw in a dream that the Promised Messiahas visited me, and placing his head upon my heart, he continuously recited Surah al-Ikhlas [Chapter 112 of the Holy Qur’an], due to which my heart received a lot of comfort. In the same manner, I saw in a dream that I am with my wife and son in heaven, and there I saw Prophet Mosesas and Prophet Jesusas. The comfort I received from this dream is that heaven refers to Islam Ahmadiyyat whose teaching are heavenly, and Allah the Almighty will also bring my wife and son into this heaven with His grace. Only a few days had passed since the dream, that Allah the Almighty opened the heart of my 19-year-old son Dyaar Baig Sunat towards Islam Ahmadiyyat, and he took the oath of allegiance. It was a day of immense happiness for me. It is impossible for me to put into words. May Allah the Almighty open the heart of my wife in the same way and bring her into the fold of Islam Ahmadiyyat.” This is the passion and zeal of these people.
There is a new convert in the UK, she says, “I have a Muslim background, I was from a staunch Sunni family.” She says, “We were told that only Sunni Islam is the real Islam.” She says, “One day I heard the Adhan (call to prayer) in the Nasir Mosque near my university in Gillingham. When I came home, I very happily told my father that there was a beautiful mosque near our university. Upon hearing this, my father looked into it and found out that this is the mosque of Ahmadis. He strictly prohibited me [from going], saying, ‘This is the mosque of the Qadianis and they do not believe in the finality of prophethood.’ (These are false allegations.) “They have created their own prophet, etc. etc. So, stay away from this mosque.”
She says, “I initially adhered to what he said, but my heart did not accept it. I felt that I should do more research about Ahmadis, but on the other hand, there was a fear that my family would find out and they would be displeased with me. I also met some Ahmadis at the university. I kept having in-depth conversations with them about Islam Ahmadiyyat. At first, I was just trying to prove to them that Sunni Islam is the real Islam, but because of this kind of conversation, my desire to research about Ahmadiyyat kept increasing. Then I found out about the website of the Community; there I found many videos to watch and much content to read. I had some questions about Islam for which I could not find satisfying answers, but when I did my research of the Community’s literature, I began finding answers to the questions I was asking.” Now Ahmadi youth should also observe that if they try to seek knowledge in the correct manner, rather than being influenced by others, they will find their answers. Some youth do become influenced. She says, “then I started praying that Allah the Almighty shows me a sign.” This is a very grand method to receive guidance and find the right path. Even if they are old Ahmadis or new, we should pray to Allah the Almighty that our faith becomes firm, and that He shows us a sign and keeps bestowing guidance.
Nevertheless, she says, “During this time, I saw a lot of dreams. In one dream I saw that I am on the bank of a river, and on the other bank, the Fourth Caliphrh is entering a hall. I want to cross the river and get to the other bank, but the flow of the river is fast. Upon this, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh stated ‘Allah does not leave His servant alone.’ Right when he said this, the river disappeared, and I reached the other side.” In the same way, she also saw me in a dream, and saw me in such a state, that she was very impacted. She says, “I saw my paternal grandmother in another dream. She said, ‘When you go to Islamabad, then remember me as well.’”
She says, “All of these dreams were a clear sign for me, thus I took the bai’at.” Now, in this manner, if taking hold of someone’s hand and bringing them towards Ahmadiyyat whilst establishing conviction of faith in their heart is not a sign of Allah the Almighty’s help, then what is?
Now observe how Allah the Almighty granted a man in an African village conviction in his faith after enabling him to accept Ahmadiyyat. In the Dori Region of Burkina Faso, an Ahmadi youth named Jabir Sahib of the Taka local chapter was working in the fields. Some terrorists apprehended him and said, “Just as we have killed Ahmadis in Mahdiabad yesterday, we will also kill you.” Then they took his mobile phone, checked it, and found speeches by the missionaries of the Community. After listening to these speeches, they said, “We are in search of all of these men because they preach Ahmadiyyat on the radio.” Furthermore, they inquired from the Ahmadi youth about his father, and said, “Tomorrow we will come to your village.” So, when he found out, he came home, took his father and family members, and went to Muhammadabad, where the local chapter of Dori is quite large, leaving behind his house and all of his belongings. The next day, the terrorists arrived at the village, and after forcing a villager to point it out, they went to the house. They searched the whole house, and threw all of their things outside the house, and kept saying, “Whoever is Ahmadi here we will kill them.” Nonetheless, the family had already left from there, and at this time, they are living in Muhammadabad under [the care of] the administration of the Jamaat.
By sacrificing their lives, the martyrs of Burkina Faso did not weaken the faith of the Ahmadis there. In fact, they are increasing in their faith by the day. Those poor people have left the little means and provisions they had, they have left their homes or even their means of livelihood which they depended on, but they have not let go of their faith. It has only been a few years since they accepted Ahmadiyyat, yet they are ascending in their faith. There is no being besides Allah the Almighty Who is strengthening their faith in this manner.
On the one hand, we see that despite opposition to Ahmadiyyat, the people’s faith is strengthening, and on the other, we see many instances of how God Almighty is inspiring people’s hearts to accept the Promised Messiahas. The Promised Messiahas said that this is the time to seek out [the truth], then Allah the Almighty also sends His help.
There is a place in Central Africa called Yaloke. The mu’allim there writes, “We went there to preach, and 150 men and women gathered to hear our message. I delivered a speech on the signs of the advent of the Promised Messiahas, and people asked questions afterwards. The Central Imam there, Samasa Omer, sought permission to speak and began by reciting the verse
جَآءَ الۡحَقُّ وَزَہَقَ الۡبَاطِلُؕ اِنَّ الۡبَاطِلَ کَانَ زَہُوۡقًا
[‘Truth has come and falsehood has vanished away. Falsehood does indeed vanish away fast’] (The Holy Quran, 17:82)
He then said, ‘We have never heard, nor researched into the message you have brought. Alhamdulillah [All praise belongs to Allah], for the truth has come to our village today. The Holy Prophetsa said that we must accept the Imam Mahdi immediately upon his arrival. Thus, today, I along with my 40 companions enter the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.’ He then said, ‘May Allah the Almighty enable us to remain steadfast upon this truth.’” This is the manner in which people are entering [the Jamaat].
Allah the Almighty is also drawing opponents towards entering the fold of the Jamaat. There are many accounts of this. There is a place by the name of Nema, located in the Koulikoro region of Mali. It was reported this year that, prior to holding the regional Jalsa, the Jamaat in Koulikoro had announcements made on the radio. Due to this village being in a remote area, sometimes you can hear the radio there while at other times you cannot. However, in those days, the radio could be heard. As a result, a non-Ahmadi by the name of Siddique Jarah decided to attend the Jalsa. He brought a friend along with him who would discourage him from listening to the teachings of Ahmadiyyat. He would say, “Do not listen to the [message] of Ahmadiyyat because these people are disbelievers.” Nonetheless, after his friend insisted, they both came to attend the Jalsa after travelling for 80 kilometres in great difficulty. There are no roads there. After asking around for directions, they arrived at the venue for Jalsa two days prior to its start. The local president and members of the Community hosted them. They were introduced to Ahmadiyyat even before the Jalsa commenced. During the days of Jalsa, they listened to the speeches, offered Tahajjud [pre-dawn voluntary prayer] in congregation, and witnessed the mutual love and sincerity of the Jamaat members. They were deeply impacted by this. On the last day of Jalsa, when they were called to share their experiences as guests, they expressed their sentiments and also announced their acceptance of Ahmadiyyat. Immediately after, his friend also wished to share his thoughts. He said, “In truth, I accompanied my friend to give him a negative impression, however, on the contrary, I myself have accepted Ahmadiyyat.” Thus, he also entered the fold of Ahmadiyyat.
Congo-Brazzaville is also an African country. There is a young man by the name of Siril, who completed his FA in higher secondary school. He started to learn about Christianity under the village’s Catholic missionary. After acquiring missionary training, he was to go to university through the church. During this time, he came into contact our local missionary there, who says, “We started to preach to him. He came to the realisation that neither he, nor his missionary teacher could refute the arguments of the Ahmadiyya Community. As a result, instead of becoming a Christian missionary, he pledged allegiance and entered the fold of the Ahmadiyya Community. Now, he is propagating Islam Ahmadiyyat as a preacher.”
A missionary made plans to preach in the Tambacounda region of Senegal. He says, “A few years ago, a man along with his wife and children accepted Ahmadiyyat, however, the people of his village were opposing them. This year, after repeatedly meeting the village’s chief and Imam, a program to propagate Ahmadiyyat was planned. The chiefs, Imams and people of surrounding villages were also invited. The mu’allimeen delivered speeches on the current state [of the world] and the need for the Promised Messiah in this age and the advent of the Promised Messiahas and the Ahmadiyya Jamaat’s role in the progress of Islam. Afterwards, there was time for questions and answers. The people who came from nearby villages said that they had heard the name of Ahmadiyyat in their neighbouring country of The Gambia, however, they were not acquainted with our beliefs. Today, during this gathering, after having heard clarifications about the Community’s beliefs, they have proclaimed to enter the fold of Ahmadiyyat without any questions. Following this, the village’s Imam stood up and announced the truthfulness of Ahmadiyyat. Along with this, the village chief also announced that he and his family were entering the fold of Ahmadiyyat and said that if any attendees had any doubts, they should speak, otherwise there would be no excuses afterwards. Thereupon, all attendees and their families announced that they were entering into the fold of Ahmadiyyat.” In this way, Allah the Almighty draws people in.
Uzbekistan is a country from among the [former] Russian states. There is a new convert there by the name of Muslim Auo Mansoor. He says, “I used to subscribed to the beliefs of Imam Abu Hanifah. One day, my friend took me along with him to an Ahmadi teacher to learn Arabic. Whilst learning Arabic, I also continued to ask my teacher about Islam. I got such excellent answers that I was satisfied.” If you are seeking true answers, such that permeate the heart, are logical and truthful, then you cannot find these answers anywhere besides the Ahmadiyya Community; the Promised Messiahas has given us these answers and has elucidated on them. He further says, “When I would ask our teacher the true source of these answers, he introduced us to the Ahmadiyya Community.” He goes on to say, “My heart was already satisfied, and so I pledged allegiance and joined the Community. Pray for me that Allah the Almighty enables me to remain steadfast on this path.”
Allah the Almighty not only establishes the truthfulness of the Promised Messiahas to people, He also manifests His help for the institution of the Ahmadiyya Khilafat and solidifies people [in their belief] through dreams.
The mu’allim of the Tambacounda region in Senegal went on a tour to preach. He says, “The mu’allimeen began to propagate the message and introduced the Community. One person, Muhammad Diallo, asked, ‘Are you from the Ahmadiyya Community?’ The Mu’allim replied in the affirmative. Diallo Sahib responded, ‘Just a few days ago, a man came to me in my dream and said, “Out of all the sects in Islam, the Ahmadiyya sect is the right and truthful representative of Islam. You should enter it.” Now, the very next day, you people have come, so there must be some truth to this.’” The mu’allim showed him pictures of the Khulafa on a cell phone, including my picture as well. Upon seeing my picture, he said that this was the person who came to him in his dream, and this person also said that he is the Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Community. Whilst relaying this incident, his eyes became teary and, right there and then, he very emotionally announced that he and his family had entered the fold of Ahmadiyyat. He is now also preaching.
Then, there is another incident of accepting Ahmadiyyat through dreams. Congo-Kinshasa is a different country, hundreds of miles away. The president of one of the areas there, Basem Munir, who converted to Ahmadiyyat from Christianity, says, “When the Community’s missionaries came here to spread the message, I considered Islam to be a terrorist religion. (This is the propaganda which non-Muslims spread about Islam.) However, the Islam presented by the Ahmadi missionaries was astounding to me, and I had already grown weary of Christianity. Upon seeing all of this, I grew very worried, and so I started praying. During this time, one night, I saw in a dream that a wise man came to me and said, ‘Leave them and come here’. The explanation which I understood from Allah the Almighty was that I should leave Christianity and come to Ahmadiyyat. Hence, I pledged allegiance and joined the fold of Ahmadiyyat.”
Chad is another African country where another incident took place. Abdullah Muhammad Musa, is from an Arab tribe; the Missionary In-Charge there writes, “A few months ago, our local mu’allim went to meet him [Abdullah Muhammad Musa] as he was in his area for some work related to Humanity First. When the mu’allim went to his area a second time, he gave him the Arabic translation of Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam to read. A few weeks later, Abdullah Sahib came to the capital in Chad and contacted the Mu’allim to ask questions about the death of Jesusas. He said, ‘I have posed many questions to scholars about Jesusas being alive, however, none of them could provide satisfactory answers.’ He spent the night at the Mu’allim’s home. He spent the entire night asking questions about Ahmadiyyat and the Promised Messiahas and said, ‘I will pray to Allah the Almighty to guide me.’ The next morning, after the Fajr prayer, he slept for a little while and then woke up all of a sudden and said to the mu’allim, ‘When I was sleeping, I heard a voice in a dream saying:
یَّاۡتِیۡ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِی اسۡمُہٗۤ اَحۡمَدُ
[“He will come after me; his name being Ahmad”]’ (The Holy Quran, 61:7)
When the mu’allim told him about this verse, and that it is a proof for the truthfulness of the Founder of our Jamaat, Abdullah Sahib said, ‘God Almighty has guided me.’” He had studied Arabic, and this is one of the meanings of the verse. And so, he became an Ahmadi.
Marshall Islands is an island in theAmericas. The missionary there writes that Hermon Lajar taught at a college. The missionary contacted him with regards to translating a verse of the Holy Quran into the Marshallese language. When the missionary went to him to have the translation done, and he learned that this was a verse of the Holy Quran, he became worried, because Islam was completely new to him. He said, “I am afraid to translate any religious text, especially because there are great differences between the Bible and the Qur’an.” In any case, he did the translation. [The missionary] says, “A few months later, I started learning the Marshallese language from him. He would come to the mosque to teach me the language. During this time, we would often talk about Islam. I would introduce him to the teachings of the Holy Prophetsa, as a result of which he became very well acquainted with the teachings of Islam.” Not long ago, I sent a message to the missionary in Marshall Islands to translate the Promised Messiah’sas book, Our Teaching into Marshallese, because new Ahmadis require a great deal of moral training. He says, “I spoke to Mr Lajar about this, and he expressed his willingness to help.” He says, “Now, his perception of Islam has completely changed. This time, he mentioned that he was worried about his job, upon which I advised him to pray, but not in the name of Jesusas, rather he should pray to Allah the Almighty. Hence, he continued to pray, and a few weeks later, the Ministry of Culture opened a new department and gave him a job right away in the field where he had applied. He said, ‘Now when I pray, I stop myself from invoking the name of Jesusas, and instead I pray to God Almighty.’ Sometime later, he received approval for his work. Upon seeing this sign of the acceptance of his prayers and upon reading the words of the Promised Messiahas, Mr Lajar pledged allegiance and the translation of the Promised Messiah’sas book, Our Teaching has also been completed.”
This is how Allah the Almighty is drawing people’s hearts towards Islam and the Promised Messiahas. Christianity used to make claims of raising its flag in the world, yet now, Christians are coming under the flag of the Holy Prophetsa. Despite seeing this, the eyes of the so-called custodians of faith do not open, and so their matter rests with God Almighty. The work which Allah the Almighty is having done to spread the message of Islam to the corners of the world through the Promised Messiahas and the Ahmadiyya Community will continue to prosper and flourish, God-willing. There is no one who can stop God’s work. However, every Ahmadi must understand that it is not enough to merely accept the claim of the Promised Messiahas, rather we must establish those virtuous changes within ourselves which are truly reflective of the true teachings of Allah the Almighty; such that are a practical reflection of the Holy Prophet’ssa practice. It is only when this happens that we will become the recipients of Allah the Almighty’s blessings. May Allah the Almighty enable us to do so.
Please continue praying for the Palestinians, that may Allah grant them salvation from the oppression and injustice being perpetrated against them. It is said that a pause in the war of a few days will take into effect to allow necessary humanitarian aid to be delivered. However, what will happen after? After delivering the aid, will they then start attacking them again? The intent of the Israeli government appears dangerous. Just recently, one of its key ministers threatened to quit should fighting not immediately resume after this temporary pause. So, this is their mindset. Whilst major powers make outward assertions of extending sympathy, they do not act justly. They are not serious towards this matter. They obliviously believe that the situation will remain confined to that region, whereas the sensible among them have started to contend that the war will not remain confined to only that area, rather it will extend in its scope and eventually spread to their countries as well. Some Muslim governments have begun to speak up. For example, I have heard that the Saudi King said that Muslims should act with one voice. So, to achieve this unity, strong efforts will also be necessary. If he has truly realised this, then may Allah enable for this realisation to become a practical reality. Nonetheless, give great emphasis to prayers.
After the [Friday] prayer, I will lead a few funeral prayers in absentia. The first mention is of Abdul Salam Arif, who was a missionary. He recently passed away at the age of 54.
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَیۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
He was a musi by the grace of Allah. Ahmadiyyat was established in his family through his great maternal grandfather, respected Haji Hassan Khan, who accepted Ahmadiyyat in 1937 during the time of the second Caliphate. His wife has also [previously] passed away. Allah the Almighty granted them two sons, both of whom committed the Qur’an to memory. One of them is a missionary, while I believe the other is a life-devotee.
His son Hafiz Abdul Munim, who is a missionary, says, “He was very loving, and he raised us in a loving manner. Not only did he treat his children with love, but he also maintained good ties with his family members and had a loving relationship with them. He had a loving relationship with people in general. It is for this very reason that upon his demise, many people visited and spoke about their relationship with him.” He says, “He firmly established love and honour for Allah, His Messengersa, the Promised Messiahas and Khilafat in our hearts so much that this can never leave our hearts. In fact, he even told us that we should enjoin the same to our children as well.” Yes, both brothers are life-devotees; the other brother is also a life-devotee. He says, “When our mother passed away, he advised us to remain very patient, and he himself remained very patient as well.”
One of his friends who is a missionary, Raja Mubarak says, “I was his class fellow and spent much of my time in Jamia and in the field with him; he was an angelic personality. He was remarkable in his standard of worship and in his piety. I learned a great deal from him. He would speak in an extremely courteous manner and would always speak with strong arguments and would never fight with anyone. People would quarrel with him or treat him unjustly, but he would always meet them warmly and never tried to humiliate or disgrace them. He would take great care of others.” This indeed is the quality a true missionary should have. He further says:
“Wherever he went, he instilled the love of Khilafat in the hearts of hundreds of people. He trained them so well that upon his demise, people came from various places where he had served and they cried profusely upon mentioning Murabbi Sahib and said that it was as if their Communities had become orphaned. He would at times travel on foot for many miles. He would travel 5 to 10 kilometres by foot and when people would tell him that the Community provided travel costs and so he could get a rickshaw, he would say, ‘Why does it affect you if I am saving the Community money?’ He would travel on foot many miles and visit the different Communities.” May Allah the Almighty elevate his status and always continue to grant such loyal and hardworking missionaries to the Community. May He also enable his children to continue his good deeds.
The second mention is of Muhammad Qasim Khan, who had been residing in Canada and was the former Naib Nazir Bait-ul-Maal Kharch and had retired from his service. He passed away at the age of 83.
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَیۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
He was the son of Nazar Ahmad Khan and the son-in-law of Qazi Muhammad Nazir Lailpuri. The deceased’s son, Muhammad Khalid Khan says:
“He had the opportunity to witness four eras of the Khilafat. During the entire era of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh, he served in the Private Secretary’s office. He also had the opportunity to serve the country and his Jamaat by serving as a Captain for the Furqan Force. (The Furqan Force was established during the days of the war and he was also a part of it.) He paid great attention towards offering his five daily prayers and reciting the Holy Quran and he would draw the attention of his children towards this as well. He was an extraordinary example of simplicity and trustworthiness. He would also teach his children to establish a bond with Khilafat. He was like an unsheathed sword for Khilafat.”
May Allah the Almighty grant him His forgiveness and mercy and enable his children to continue his virtuous deeds.
Another mention is of a very famous poet of our Jamaat, Abdul Karim Qudsi, who passed away recently.
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَیۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
Ahmadiyyat entered the family of the deceased through his father, Allah Ditta Sahib, who did bai’at at the hands of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra in 1934. After entering the fold of Ahmadiyyat, he led his life like a life-devotee. He would always be engaged in preaching and helped many families convert to Ahmadiyyat. He continued to serve the Community all his life with a spirit of dedication.
His wife is Bushra Karim and their Nikah [Islamic marriage announcement] was led by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh. They have four children; one of their sons, Abdul Kabir Qamar is a missionary and currently serving as a teacher in Jamia Ahmadiyya Rabwah. Qudsi Sahib also served the Jamaat and for 30 years served as the Finance Secretary for the Jamaat in Rachna Town, Lahore. He also served in various other roles as well. He was a very good poet and composed many collections which have been published, however, one of his notable services was the Urdu and Punjabi translation of the Qaseedah “Ya Aina Faizillah wa Al-Irfani”. Apart from this, he also translated 313 verses of Durr-e-Samin [collection of poetry by the Promised Messiahas] into Punjabi.
It is said that there was a particular time in his life when he became lax in his attachment to the Community. He himself has written, “In 1968, I left my village, Kurtopanduri and travelled to Lahore for the purpose of employment. When I arrived there, it was an opportunity for my secular thoughts to develop.” He would sometimes go to the mosque to offer his prayers and sometimes he wouldn’t as the mosque was located at a distance. Similarly, he would at times offer the Friday prayer and sometimes miss it. He says that once he was invited to a meal at his friend’s house on a Friday and there was a non-Ahmadi mosque close by and so they went to offer their Friday prayer there. The condition he described of the cleric is still resonates today. The cleric spent half of his sermon speaking against Shezan. Shezan is a juice company owned by Ahmadis and is produced in factories owned by Ahmadis.. In any case, he states that among other things the cleric also mentioned that the Ahmadis put sand from Rabwah into the Shezan juice, therefore they should never drink this. He says that he heard the sermon but left from there without offering the prayers behind him. His friend enquired as to what happened upon which he asked him, “Did you not hear the nonsense being uttered by the cleric?” His friend told him not to worry as they always said such things. In any case, he ate the food and after eating when he came out, he saw the cleric standing outside a shop drinking Shezan juice. He says he couldn’t help but approach the cleric and asked him that he was speaking so much against the Shezan juice earlier and now he was drinking it himself. The cleric replied that the doctor had advised him not to drink anything with saccharin [artificial sweetener] but to instead drink Shezan juice as it was a pure juice drink and so he drank it as a medication. He then asked him about the sand of Rabwah being mixed into the drink upon which the cleric began to laugh and said if they did not say such things then how would they run their business? They raise the allegation against us that we are running a business and yet they are the ones who are actually guilty of this.
In any case, he has many accounts like this. He had a great bond with the Caliphate. He also strove to instil this in his children and progeny. As I mentioned, he was a very well-known poet of the Community and he considered this a great honour and he would often recite his poetry in gatherings of the Community for reciting poetry. He had the opportunity to write many poems regarding the Community. May Allah the Almighty grant him His forgiveness and mercy.
The next mention is of Mian Rafiq Ahmad Gondal. He passed away recently at the age of 81:
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَیۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
By the grace of Allah the Almighty he was a musi. Ahmadiyyat entered his family through his grandfather, Hazrat Mian Khuda Bakhsh Gondalra of Kot Momin. He was the only Ahmadi in his family at the time. During the time of the Promised Messiahas, when the plague was widespread, he also developed boils caused by the plague. Various signs were being mentioned earlier and this particular incident is also another sign. He would go to Behra in order to get treatment for this and it was there that he read an extract of the Promised Messiahas which mentioned that whoever entered his four walls would be saved from this. And so he returned home and told everyone that he was leaving for Qadian. When he arrived in Qadian, the Promised Messiahas was sitting in the Mubarak Mosque and was writing something at the time. He wanted to say something but since the Promised Messiahas was engaged in something, he did not say anything. When the Promised Messiahas finished the work he was occupied in, he introduced himself to the Promised Messiahas and informed him that he had come to meet him after reading his writing wherein he had stated that whoever entered his four walls would be protected from the plague. It was there, after some discussions, that he did the bai’at [oath of allegiance], and after this, the boils [caused by the plague] were also cured. He considered this to be a sign of the Promised Messiah’sas truthfulness and would always mention this.
Mian Rafiq Gondal and his son were once taken hold of and beaten by some students in Lahore. While the students were beating his son, he came out of his house to protect him and he also got injured as well and they broke his arm. Thus, they endured physical persecution for the sake of the Community as well. He was the son-in-law of Malik Umar Ali Khokhar. Malik Umar Sahib’s first wife was the daughter of Hazrat Mir Ishaqra. He had one son and two daughters. His son and daughter reside in the USA, and his other daughter, Rifat Sultana is married to Dr Mashood Ahmad, who is serving in the Fazl-e-Umar Hospital in Rabwah.
His wife writes: “He was regular in offering prayers and the Tahajjud prayers. He would look after the poor.” May Allah the Almighty bestow His forgiveness and mercy upon him, and may Allah enable his progeny to carry on his virtuous deeds.
The last mention is of respected Nasima Laiq of the USA. She was the wife of respected Sayyid Laiq Ahmad, who was martyred in Model Town, Lahore. She also passed away recently.
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَیۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
She was born in Bhagalpur, India. Her father, Abul Hasan was not an Ahmadi, her mother, Amatul Wara pledged allegiance herself, and the deceased also joined the Community. At the very least, in those days there were some decent people who would not press their wives as to why they accepted Ahmadiyyat. Nonetheless, her mother accepted Ahmadiyyat and owing to her firm faith and a strong bond with the Caliphate, all her daughters were married into Ahmadi households. All of the deceased’s sisters were Ahmadis.
Her daughter, Humairah, lives in the USA, she says: “She was completely devoted to the Community and the institution of the Caliphate. She had dedicated her life for the service of her faith; she was an embodiment of true love for the Community and humanity. Her heart was filled with compassion, especially for the poor and needy. She exerted all her efforts in order to have a positive impact on all those around her.”
Nuzhat Sahiba, one of her daughters living here in Walsall, UK, says: “She was an incredibly sincere person, she was loyal to the Caliphate and always showed obedience to the system of the Community. She was an incredibly brave woman who would always say what was right and would never back down from that. She disliked every ill-custom and innovation and would always advise her children about this, saying that every Ahmadi Muslim ought to abstain from every kind of vain pursuit.” By the grace of Allah the Almighty she was a musiah. She leaves behind four sons and four daughters. One of her sons lives in the USA, and he remains with us on tour and works very diligently. May Allah the Almighty bestow His forgiveness and mercy upon the deceased, and may He enable her children to carry on her virtuous deeds.
(Official Urdu transcript published in the Daily Al Fazl International, 15 December 2023, pp. 2-7. Translated by The Review of Religions.)