On 22 May 2021, 15 journalists from the Gambia gathered to join a virtual meeting with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa. The journalists desired to ask questions to Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa.
The first journalist thanked Huzooraa for the opportunity and noted that it was his fourth meeting with Huzooraa. On this, Huzooraa smiled and remarked, “And the first virtual mulaqat”.
The journalist referenced Hazrat Amirul Momineen’s book, World Crisis and the Pathway to Peace, and said that Huzooraa had paid a lot of emphasis on global peace. He asked about the importance of justice and why it was crucial to speak out against injustices. In response, Huzooraa said:
“Not only with regard to world affairs do you have to maintain justice and establish justice, but in every sphere of life, you have to show justice. Even if there is no justice in your house – for example, if you have two wives and you are not doing justice to the both of them – then there will be fights in the house […]
“Similarly, in the case of worldly affairs, if there is no justice, there is no peace. If you have double standards, as we can see in today’s world shown by the big powers, they cannot maintain peace in the world. This is what happened when the League of Nations was formed. The League of Nations was formed to maintain justice and give equal rights to each and every nation, but it failed. Resultantly, there was an eruption of the Second World War. And the same is happening with the UNO – they are not maintaining justice, they have double standards for poor countries and for the rich countries, for Western countries and African and Asian countries. This is why you can see there is disturbance in the world today. So, if there is no justice, there is no peace.
“This is why the Holy Prophetsa said that you have to establish justice, maintain justice and then you will see peace in society – at your local level, in your houses and at the international level, at large.
“This is why I always say it is very crucial. Even if you do not do justice to your children, after some time, one will stand against you. This is why I always emphasise [it] and it is the teaching of Islam, that always do justice. And justice is the best way to maintain peace and harmony in this society.”
The next journalist referenced a hadith of the Holy Prophetsa in which he said that a believer, when they see a wrong deed, should try to rectify it with their hands, or denounce it with their mouth or if these are not possible then at least dislike the deed in their heart. In light of this hadith, he asked what the Ahmadiyya mission was doing about the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Huzooraa replied:
“The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said that if you see something bad, try to rectify it by hand, or by mouth, or at least with your prayers. If you have the power to stop it with force, you use your hand. If you don’t have the power, you should at least use your mouth and tell them that it is not a good thing. Even if you don’t have that much courage to speak out against those who are fighting or doing bad things, then at least pray for them […]
“How does it [this hadith] apply to the Israel-Palestine [conflict] for Ahmadis? You see, we don’t have worldly power; we are not ruling any country. So here, with regard to power, we cannot use it. As far as disliking, stopping it verbally or saying something is concerned, that is what we have been doing all this time. In my last Eid sermon, I spoke against the cruelty and brutality that was, or is being committed against Palestinians. And there is no balance of power – Israel is the fourth [largest] superpower of the world and Palestinians are a small resourceless people who cannot reply in the same way. They cannot practice tit-for-tat. They are just bearing all this cruelty.
“What the Ahmadiyya Community is doing – within its sphere, within its reach and what it can do – is speaking out against cruelty and brutality being committed. And [through] our contacts with politicians of the big powers of the world, for example the UK and America, we try to meet the politicians and those people who are in power, those who are in contact with us or those who listen to us, that [they must] try to use their resources, their influence to stop this brutality and cruelty. And here also, we have to maintain justice; whoever is cruel, whoever is destroying the peace should be stopped from doing it. So this is what the Ahmadiyya Community is doing in the case of Palestine, or in any case, wherever justice is not being properly done.”
The next journalist asked, “As a Muslim Jamaat, what is your take on the statement that ‘Muslims are involved in so many atrocious acts’?”
In response, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:
“Our message is quite clear and in my addresses and discourses, I have spoken on this subject at length; that all those groups which are creating disturbance and destroying the peace of society, committing atrocities, brutalities, are doing it against the teachings of Islam. But they are using the name of Islam, they are actually trying to defame the name of Islam. So, we always speak out against them.
“If you read my book – there are some addresses in this book – Pathway to Peace, it is clearly, categorically written – I have spoken on it – that these groups, whatever they are doing, it is against the teaching of Islam […]
“If they want to reform the world, this is not the way of reforming the world […] Islam never said that you commit such type of atrocities and harm any person without any reason. The Holy Quran says that the killing of a person without any genuine reason is like the killing of the whole of mankind […]
“In the name of Islam, actually, they want political power. Boko Haram, or Al-Shabab or Al-Qaeda, or whatever it is, are doing all these things in the name of Islam, but actually, they are trying to defame the name of Islam.”
Next, a journalist said, “We wake up every day and see a lot of news and injustices happening around the world, not only in Palestine or Israel. So, as young people, what we do is post on all social media pages and say, ‘Pray for these countries’ or ‘Pray for these people’ […]”. She then asked what Huzooraa thought was the proper solution and way to react.
Huzooraa answered by saying:
“I have already spoken on this that the practical issue is that we should, if you have power, use power to fight against those people who are destroying the peace of society. And at different platforms, you have to speak out against injustices and ask the people of the world and the powers of the world to maintain peace.
“In the case of Palestine, if the Muslim world is united – there are almost 54 countries of the Muslim world; if they are united and their words are the same, they are using the same language for asking to maintain the peace of the world, then you will see a big change. But regrettably, the Muslim world is not united – every Muslim leader has their own vested interests.
“Our opponents know – those people who are against Islam, know – that [Muslims] are not united, so they can do whatever they like. And this is the result of what is happening in the Muslim world. This is a result of not only what is happening in Palestine, this is a result of all those militant groups, the formation of the militant groups. Had there been justice and one single stance of all of the Muslim world on this issue, there would not have been any militant group […]
“As far as Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya is concerned, we have been doing whatever is within our resources or within our means.”
While conversing with another journalist from Star TV, who asked about how Muslim nations could unite, Huzooraa further said:
“[…] It is a big pity! Regrettably, they are not united; all have their vested interests […] They only want to save their power, their chair and the supremacy of their parties or their nation instead of considering the unity of the Muslim ummah.
“The Holy Prophetsa said that in the Latter Days, this would happen. The Muslims would not be united; every country, or society, or group would have their own interests and would not consider the larger interests of the Muslim ummah. And at that time, they would even forget the teachings of Islam. In the name of Islam, they would be doing bad things. At that time, the reformer of the age would come and [the Prophetsa instructed that we] follow that reformer. If we followed that reformer, he would give us the true teachings of Islam and get us united.
“So, in my view, this is the only solution, that instead of seeing their own national and political interest, or personal interest, each and every leader should consider and try to think of the larger interest of the Muslim ummah and try to unite.
“If they are not going to accept the reformer of the age, they [should] at least try to unite. They say there is an organisation of Islamic countries, but that has failed. What is it doing? That organisation does not have one voice. Had there been one voice of the Muslim ummah, of Muslim leadership, then there would not have been such things as I have already explained.
“The only thing is that the Muslim ummah should unite. And the solution which Allah the Almighty has given us, the Holy Prophetsa has told us, is that when the reformer of the age comes, we accept him.”
Addressing the question of another journalist from Home Digital FM, whose question was about the Israel-Palestine conflict, Huzooraa discussed the root causes of the conflict and the injustices of land being taken from the Palestinians.
Huzooraa said:
“[…] if the government, who has the power and who is a big power of the world, tries to encroach and snatch the other part of the land, which was, according to the agreement, given to the Palestinians, then there will be a conflict […]
“[Israel] doesn’t want to maintain justice, it doesn’t want to maintain peace and harmony in society. They have greed and until and unless their greed is finished, they will keep on doing it. And that can only be stopped, as I have already said, if all the Muslim countries unite together; they should speak in one voice and when they speak in one voice and show their force, then you will see a big change in this present existing conflict between Israel and Palestine.”
A journalist from The Standard newspaper said he desired to know more about the causes behind why Muslims were facing so many injustices and atrocities.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa said:
“[…] I have already told you in response to another question that because our leaders are not fair, they are not sincere with their objectives, all of them have their own vested interests. You see, now we can see that Israelis killed almost more than 200 Palestinians. Then, if you see what Saudi Arabia did with Yemen, thousands of people were killed, displaced and removed from their houses. And then what happened in Syria and Iraq?”
Another journalist asked, “Why has it been extremely difficult for this generation […], with unprecedented technological advancement and awareness, to achieve peace and unity?”
Hearing the question, while smiling, Huzooraa remarked, “All your questions are circling around unity and peace.” He then went on to answer, saying:
“You see, it is not a matter of this generation only. For the past 50-60 decades, we have been seeing this disturbance in the world. It is almost 107 years since the First World War erupted and later on, the Second World War, which occurred more than 70 years ago.
“It is a pity that although we are advancing; we claim to be civilised, we claim to be more advanced than the previous generation, still, we are trying to snatch each other’s rights. We are usurping the rights of each other and without feeling any shame. Everybody thinks that he is right. So, now, in this materialistic world, although we have technologically advanced, our greed has increased […]”
Huzooraa said that as the world has turned into a global village now, countries and people begin to compare themselves with others. This, in turn, leads to frustration. Huzooraa said:
“This technological advancement has created frustration and because of this frustration we are trying to snatch others’ assets and properties, by hook or by crook. We don’t bother to think whether it is fair or not. The big powers, despite the fact that they have the power and have the resources, are trying to usurp and snatch the resources of the smaller powers. Millions of dollars are being collected from the African nations by the big powers in the name of establishing peace in their countries, or for the development of their countries, but in reality, it is not being spent on them. Had it been spent properly on the African countries, or the poor countries of the world – whether it is in Asia, or Africa, or elsewhere – there would not have been a poverty level as you see today.”
“There are so many causes that are creating disturbances in society in the whole world. So we have to consider all these things, that how can we live together? […]
“This is why the reformer of the age came to unite the whole of mankind on one hand. And until and unless the people of rich countries or the people of poorer countries realise the rights of each other and realise the rights they owe to their Creator, there can never be peace in society.”
Another journalist asked if the peaceful motives and teachings of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat would influence and help other Muslim communities to share this realisation of establishing peace.
Huzooraa said:
“We have been doing our job. We were interested to try and create peace and let people understand their duties they owe to their Creator and which they owe to their fellow beings. And until and unless both duties are discharged, there cannot be peace of mind. And if there is no peace of mind, you cannot establish peace and you cannot do justice in the world.
“So, we have been doing our level best to try to make people realise that these are their duties, and quite a number of audience members who come to attend our peace conferences or other conferences, listen to our speeches and agree. Quite a number of politicians also come to attend our conference and they say, ‘Whatever you have said is really what can create peace in society’.”
However, Huzooraa said, when they go back to their normal lives they forget what they listened to from the Jamaat’s platform.
Huzooraa said:
“Quite a number of people do understand what we are saying and at least, as time goes on, we can see there is a big change. Now people have started realising that whatever Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya is saying, is the real solution for creating peace in society and in the world. But they have their own interests and their hands are tied; they are not free to say whatever they like. This is why they cannot, entirely do whatever they wish. Or sometimes, they even say, ‘Whatever you are saying is right, but we have our own interests.’”
Huzooraa said, “Our work is to keep on saying whatever is right and we are not going to give up. Whether somebody understands it or not, we hope that one day, people will realise their duties – these two duties that I have mentioned [the rights of man and the rights of God] – then, when they realise their duties, they will practice whatever we are saying and act upon whatever is necessary for creating peace in society and the world.”
The same journalist also asked how the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, became an instrument in eradicating the injustices of the world and bringing about peace.
In response Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:
“He claimed that Allah the Almighty sent him to bring the whole ummah on one hand and [to enable] the whole of mankind to realise their duties to their Creator and to each other. So this is the mission of the Imam Mahdi and the Promised Messiahas. During his lifetime, he discharged his duties and tried to spread his message as far as it could reach. Now, we are trying to spread the message of the Imam Mahdias and people have started realising its truth. Those who understand it, come to join us.
“You cannot say that within two or three years or within a short period of time, you can achieve your target”.
Another journalist asked, “What proof is there in the Holy Quran that Islam is the only true religion?”
Huzooraa responded by saying:
“The Holy Quran said that all the religions and all the prophets were sent by Allah the Almighty […] The Quran says that all the teachings of the previous prophets had been gathered in the Holy Quran and all the previous prophets always said – it is in the Bible and the Quran as well – that they came to their own people, in different pockets. And there was a time, when, at the same time, there were more than one prophet in different areas, as you can see Abrahamas and Lotas – the example in the Holy Quran and even in the Bible.
“But here, the Holy Quran claims and says that the Holy Prophetsa was sent for the whole of the mankind – he is Rahmatun-lil-Aalamin [mercy for mankind] – and he is for all nations. This is why all the true teachings which were preserved till the time of the Holy Prophetsa were all included and revealed to the Holy Prophetsa again and they were mentioned in the Holy Quran.
“So this is one reason, that we say that all the previous prophets, although they were rightly guided and sent by Allah the Almighty, never claimed that they were for the whole of the mankind. But the Holy Prophetsa claimed this and it is in the Holy Quran, that he was for the whole of mankind and for the whole world and his message is complete […]
“Even Jesus Christas did not say that he had come for the whole of mankind. He said he had come for the tribes of the Israelites.
“Then, a common attribute of all the prophets is they always said to ‘worship Allah’ and that they were true followers of Allah the Almighty. They tried to maintain the unity of Allah – all of them said Allah is the All-Powerful and the Omnipotent. This is the common thing which all prophets said and even this was said by the Promised Messiahas. This is the short answer to your question.”
Next, a journalist from King FM asked what the meaning of “Ahmadiyya” was.
Replying, Huzooraa said:
“You see, there are different sects in Islam – there are some Hanafis, Malikis, Shafi‘is – then there are sub-sects and in this way, there are almost 72 sects in Islam. When the census of 1901 was being conducted, the founder of the Ahmadiyya Community said that we should distinguish ourselves as a sect […] But the name of the sect would be ‘Ahmadi’. So, at that time, those who were the followers of the Promised Messiahas or Mahdias were given the name ‘Ahmadi’ because of that census of 1901.”
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa then explained the reason the Promised Messiahas gave for this name he chose for his community. The Promised Messiahas said that other sects have named their sects according to the names of their founders, for example, Imam Abu Hanifarh, Imam Shafi‘irh, Imam Hanbalrh etc. Contrary to this, Huzooraa explained, the Promised Messiahas said, “I am giving this name – Ahmadi – because this is the name of the Holy Prophetsa. The name of the Holy Prophetsa is Muhammad and Ahmad.”
Huzooraa said that for this reason, Ahmadis are distinct from other sects, as our sect is named after the name of the Holy Prophetsa “and not after the name of the founder of the Ahmadiyya Community”.
The last question asked to Huzooraa was how one could purify their heart and strengthen their faith to have a spiritual connection with Allah the Almighty.
In response Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa said:
“The best way is to pray to Allah the Almighty, that He purifies your heart.” Huzooraa further said that the Holy Quran says to do istighfar. He said, “Istighfar is the best way to purify your heart. Istighfar is the best way to free yourselves from your previous sins and to give you the power to stop committing any sin again. So, this is the best way.
“And then, Allah the Almighty has instructed us, true Muslims, to offer the five daily prayers. If we fervently pray in our five daily prayers and observe our prayers in the best way, with full concentration, then we will see a big change in our lives.
“So the best way is to offer five daily prayers, seek Allah’s guidance, seek Allah’s help to purify your heart and do istighfar and Durood Sharif as much as you can. That will also help you to purify your heart and to increase you in your faith and belief.”
At this, Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa noted to Amir Sahib that an hour had passed and he thanked all those who attended the meeting and said to convey his salaam to all the Jamaat members of the Gambia.
At this, the meeting ended and Huzooraa said salaam.
(Report prepared by Al Hakam)
