“I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed.
“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
“We praise Him and send salutations upon His Noble Messengersa.
“By the grace and mercy of God.
“He is the Helper.
للہ الحمد ہرآں چیز کہ خاطر میخواست
آخر آمد زپس پردہ تقدیر پدید
“[‘All praise belongs to Allah – for everything the heart desired, at last emerged from behind the veil of destiny.’]
“All praise belongs to Allah the Almighty that today I am able to announce that, within the prescribed timeframe, God Almighty – out of His grace – granted the Ahmadiyya Jamaat the ability to fulfil the target of the [financial] appeal of ‘One Hundred Thousand’. I had made this appeal on 10 February [1925], which was printed and dispatched from Amritsar on 14. It is estimated that the appeal reached all jamaats across India by around the 20 or 22 of the same month. However, given that the preparation of contribution lists and the appeals for chanda typically requires some time, friends are generally unable to respond fully to it within the first month. For this reason, I announced that the three-month period would commence not from March but from April.
“By the grace of Allah the Almighty, by the end of this period, contributions had exceeded one hundred thousand rupees – amounting to a total of one hundred and four thousand rupees. However, some friends wrote to inform me that the deadline for contributions was understood to be 30 June and they therefore had the right to collect funds until that date and dispatch them via money order on 1 or 2 July. Therefore, I instructed the office to consider the deadline of the first week of July as effectively ending on 30 June. Accordingly, when calculated on this basis, the total contributions amount to one hundred and ten thousand rupees. If the donations received thereafter are also included, the total increases further. In addition to cash donations, some individuals also donated land and others arranged for funds to be transferred from office accounts. If these are also taken into account, then by the time of this announcement, the total value of contributions had reached approximately one hundred and fifteen thousand rupees.
فالحمد للّٰہ علیٰ ذالک حمدًا کثیرًا لانہایۃ لہ
“[‘All praise, therefore, belongs to Allah – abundant, endless praise – for this.’]
“I am deeply pleased that Allah the Almighty has silenced those opponents who used to allege that Ahmadis have grown weary of contributing financially. By His grace, Allah has enabled the Jamaat to offer a practical and collective rebuttal to such criticism, demonstrating that they are far from exhausted in their financial sacrifices. Rather, they remain as fresh and committed as they were on the very first day – and, in accordance with the spirit of true believers, their zeal has in fact grown even stronger. They stand ready to make every sacrifice for the cause of Islam and to bear every burden placed upon them.
“While I rejoice in this success – and rightly so, as should all other members of the Jamaat – I also wish to draw their attention to an important matter. As has been announced subsequently, our annual budget, which was previously fulfilled through chanda khas, has now, after being consolidated and re-evaluated, shown a shortfall of 40,000 rupees. Thus, to meet the budgets of both 1924–25 and 1925–26, we now require more than 150,000 rupees in chanda khas, instead of the initial estimate of 100,000 rupees. If those friends who have not yet participated in this chanda khas – or have not yet paid their promised amounts – recognise their responsibilities, then this deficit can be covered without the need for any further appeal. Even among the existing pledges, a sum of 25,000 rupees is still pending collection. Additionally, as the payment time for landowners was scheduled according to both agricultural harvests, their contributions have yet to be received. If we include these, then nearly 45,000 rupees remain to be collected. Should those who have yet to contribute come forward, the total may increase further – and there may be no need for a chanda khas appeal in the coming year. It is even possible that by 1927, Allah may bring about such means that the routine budgetary requirements may be met entirely through regular contributions alone. Therefore, I once again call upon – indeed, urge – those friends who have not yet fulfilled their share to reflect on this matter. It is not in keeping with the spirit of true believers that they watch their fellow brothers struggle and strive, while they themselves remain idle. You cannot earn the pleasure of God through the actions of others – only your own deeds can draw you nearer to His presence.
“Alongside the joy I feel at witnessing this renewed expression of the Jamaat’s sincerity, I cannot withhold the happiness I experienced upon the fulfilment of a dream I had related to this financial appeal. Just a few days after publishing this appeal in the month of February – while I was away by the riverside for a change of climate – I saw in a dream that I was offering prayer in congregation with a few companions. As I turned my head to the right to conclude the prayer, I saw our esteemed brother Dr Qazi Karam Ilahi Sahib of Amritsar – one of the early companions of the Promised Messiahas – approach and, while shaking hands with me, repeatedly say: ‘Mubarak ho! Mubarak ho! Mubarak ho! Allah has placed great blessings in your words.’ I understood these words to be in reference to the chanda khas [financial appeal]. After this, a sheet of paper was shown to me on which the figure ‘110,000’ was written and I understood this to represent the amount that would be collected. I narrated this dream the very same morning, after the Fajr prayer, to several friends who were present – among them were Dr Hashmatullah Sahib, Sheikh Abdur Rahman Sahib Qadiani and Sufi Abdul Qadir Sahib BA, whose names I clearly recall.
“How great a sign of God’s power it is that, despite the derision of opponents and the concerns of friends, when the final deadline for this financial appeal came to an end, the exact amount that had been revealed to me in the dream – 110,000 rupees – had been received. I would also like to inform my friends that, as I had promised, I have been regularly praying for all those who participated in this appeal or made efforts in its support. In keeping with that promise, not a single namaz has passed – from that day until today – in which I have not specifically prayed for them. I am certain that Allah will not let these prayers go unanswered. Indeed, hundreds have already witnessed the signs of acceptance of these prayers in their own lives and the rest, insha-Allah – with the exception of a few – will witness these signs in due course.
“Although those who have not yet contributed – apart from those whose designated deadlines have not yet passed, such as landowners and jamaats outside of India and those who have received special permission for extended deadlines – cannot attain the same merit as those who fulfilled their obligations within the appointed time, nonetheless, I have continued to pray for them as well. I hope that even now, should they discharge their due, Allah the Almighty will regard their action with favour and bestow His special grace upon them.
“Before concluding this message, I once again express my heartfelt gratitude to all those friends who made efforts to ensure the success of this appeal. I also pray to Allah the Almighty to shower His special blessings upon them and I hope that they will continue their efforts – not only for the remaining collection of chanda khas, but also for chanda aam, which is even more essential and may rightly be described as the backbone of the Baitul Maal [treasury].
وآخر دعوانا أن الحمد للّٰہ رب العالمین
“[‘And our last call is that all praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.’]
“Khaksar,
“Mirza Mahmud Ahmad,
“Qadian Darul Aman, 12 July 1925.”
(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu, published in the 16 July 1925 issue of Al Fazl)