Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah strengthen his hand, departed from London on Monday, 15 October 2018 for his tour of the Americas.
Huzoor came out of his residence in the afternoon and led the hundreds of local Ahmadis who had gathered at the Fazl Mosque hours before in prayer to bid farewell to their beloved Imam.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa arrived on Monday evening at Washington Dulles Airport at about 9pm local time where a group of US Jamaat officials were present to welcome Huzooraa. Huzoor’s entourage proceeded from the airport to Baitur Rahman Mosque located at 15000 Good Hope Road in Silver Spring, Maryland, arriving there at around 10:30pm.
The Baitur Rehman Mosque was packed with around 3,500 Ahmadis who eagerly waited to present a very warm welcome, the like of which is rarely ever witnessed in the town. Slogans of Nara-e-Takbeer and replies of Allahu Akbar along with other slogans in praise of Allah and his bounties filled the air of the surroundings. Huzooraa responded with his radiant smile waving back to the crowds with great love and affection. Although there was a drizzle, the members remained glued to their spaces, overwhelmed with the awe and love for Khilafat. These members, on a weekday evening, stayed until 1am and then reached the overflow-parking via shuttle service and departed.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa led the congregation in Maghrib and Isha prayers in the Baitur Rehman Mosque.
The next morning, Baitur Rehman Mosque saw hundreds of Ahmadis flocking in to offer Fajr prayers behind Huzooraa. Later that morning, Huzooraa inspected the offices at Baitur Rehman Mosque and also visited the Ansar Hall, Langar Khana and MTA International USA studios.
In the afternoon, Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa blessed 60 families with mulaqat and also visited Mukhtar Malhi Sahib’s home at the premeses and met with the residents at Malhi Sahib’s home. He even made remarks to Malhi Sahib about his previous stay in 2008.
When you take a look at his demeanour on such occasions, it never occurs to you that Huzooraa has just disembarked a transatlantic flight. From the very next morning, Huzooraa has been occupied since Fajr with a regular schedule, similar to what he follows in London.
Maghrib and Isha prayers were offered in the evening hours after the mulaqats of many families with Huzoor.
Huzooraa has just inaugurated the newly built Bait-ul-Aafiyat Mosque in Philadelphia.
“It was a splendid sight as thousands of Ahmadis anxiously waited for Huzoor to arrive at Baitur Rehman Mosque,” said Dr Nasim Rahmatullah Sahib, Naib Amir USA.
“The whole air of the vicinity is filled with the love that the community has for their beloved Imam. We are looking forward to the opening of the newly built mosque in Philadelphia, for which we have been preparing since May this year.”
Bilal Rana Sahib, Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya USA, said, “Volunteers have taken time off from work, schools, colleges and universities to contribute to the arrangements in whatever way they can. Everyone seems ready to make themselves available; all this for the love of Huzoor.”