Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s “American dream”

Qasim Choudhary, Missionary USA

In 1920, as Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiq^ra sailed towards the land of opportunity, he did so not to secure any white picket fence house or material gain; rather, he had his sights set on a golden opportunity in the field of preaching the pristine teachings of Islam. 

The purpose of his journey was to procure and prepare pure hearts to join the fold of Islam Ahmadiyyat. Upon his arrival in Philadelphia, Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiq^ra was immediately detained and spent the following two months in detention. However, this obstacle in no way deterred him from fulfilling his ultimate mission; a mission he completed in the most exemplary and noble manner. 

A century later, Hazrat Amirul Momineen^aa graciously appointed me and four of my classmates to serve in the United States of America. 

Although there is no comparison, today the global pandemic has forcibly detained us in Canada rendering the “American dream” inaccessible. 

As I remain in the confines of my home, I ponder over what the “American dream” truly means for an American Ahmadi. 

Do American Ahmadis go to bed with the prospect of individual wealth and prosperity as their foremost goal? Is this an acceptable aspiration or are we simply not dreaming big enough? 

For this purpose, we can turn to Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra who held an ambitious and grandiose future for the American Jamaat. It is said that dreams are the touchstones of our character. The American dream that he envisioned for the American Jamaat is telling of the genius that is Musleh-e-Maud^ra. 

Let us now voyage through his American dream to better understand what he expected of us. 

Four trillion American dollars

Missionary, Khalil Ahmad Nasir Sahib informed Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra that the annual collection of financial sacrifices was 40 thousand American dollars. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra responded: 

“Although this is a considerable amount, I regard it as next to nothing; rather, I desire that the missionaries there report that the annual chanda collection is not 40 thousand dollars, not four million, not 400 million, not 40 billion, but the annual chanda collection should be four trillion dollars. Only then will we consider that America has an affinity with Islam.” (Friday Sermon, 20 January 1956, Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 37, pp. 23-24)

The vision

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra envisioned an ambitious and bright future for the American Jamaat. He expressed this desire in the following words:

“The day America constructs hundreds of thousands of mosques; the day when hundreds of thousands will call the azan from the minarets; the day when imams numbering hundreds of thousands lead the five daily prayers in mosques, will be the day when we consider that America has progressed.” (Friday Sermon, 20 January 1956, Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 37, p. 24)

20 million missionaries

A college student from America once wrote to Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra expressing his worry due to the lack of missionaries. At the time, eight missionaries were serving in America and two of them were set to return to Pakistan. The student explained that even 200 missionaries would be insufficient for covering the vast nation of America. (Friday Sermon, 20 January 1956, Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 37, p. 22)

Furthermore, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra, commenting on this need, stated:

“Today, America is seeking 200 missionaries, but tomorrow they will not seek 200; rather they will require 2,000 missionaries. The day after, they will not ask for 2,000, but they will ask for 200,000 missionaries. The day after that, they will not ask for 200,000 missionaries; rather they will ask for 20 million missionaries and the preparation of 20 million missionaries will require 200 years.” (Friday Sermon, 20 January 1956, Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 37, p. 28)

To achieve this seemingly impossible number, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra explained that we would ultimately need to adopt the method of the Companions^ra of the Holy Prophet^sa. 

In the time of the Prophet^sa, the Companions^ra did not pass through any formal institution of Islamic theology. Observe Hazrat Abu Bakr^ra and Hazrat Umar^ra who recited the kalimah and immediately became missionaries. 

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra advised Jamaat members to adopt this zeal and to study the books of the Promised Messiah^as:      

“If you study them with deliberation, within a few days, you will become a missionary of such stature that renowned scholars will be unable to compete against you.” (Ibid)

Voyaging through Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s^ra American dream, one may deem his aspirations as an unattainable feat. The numbers and expectations appear daunting and frightening. However, this was the magnificent demeanour of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra as is reflected beautifully in his poetic couplets:

میں‭ ‬اپنے‭ ‬پیاروں‭ ‬كى‭ ‬نسبت‭ ‬ہر‭ ‬گز‭ ‬نہ‭ ‬كروں‭ ‬گا‭ ‬پسند‭ ‬كبھى

وہ‭ ‬چھوٹے‭ ‬درجہ‭ ‬پہ‭ ‬راضى‭ ‬ہوں‭ ‬اور‭ ‬اُن‭ ‬كى‭ ‬نگاہ‭ ‬رہے‭ ‬نیچى

“I can never, for my beloved ones, tolerate that they be content in mediocrity and their eyes of aspiration remain fixed to the ground.” (Kalam-e-Mahmud, p. 142 [2002 edition])

May Allah bring into fruition the dream of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra in our time and may we all render true zeal and service to the Jamaat as Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra envisioned in the following words:

“When America presents its heart and soul to the Holy Prophet Muhammad^sa, then will we consider that America has accepted Islam.” (Friday Sermon, 20 January 1956, Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 37, p. 24)