Ata-ul-Haye Nasir, Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas of Qadian, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, states:
“God Almighty desires to draw all those who live in various habitations of the world, be it Europe or Asia, and who have virtuous nature, to the Unity of God and unite His servants under one Faith.” (The Will [Al-Wasiyyat], pp. 8-9)
The writings, claims, and prophecies of the Promised Messiahas had reached far and wide during his life through various periodicals around the world, and this continued after his time as well.
The Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre has uncovered several Belgian periodicals which mentioned the Promised Messiahas, Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya, the Fazl Mosque, martyrdom in Kabul, early missionary activities in Belgium and around the world, Jamaat’s advocacy for Muslim rights, the towns of Qadian and Rabwah, and the establishment of mosques.
These newspapers and magazines which will be quoted below are counted among the prominent Belgian periodicals, such as Journal de Bruxelles that was printed between 1841-1926, Le Soir which was founded in 1887 and La Dernière Heure that began in 1906.
According to Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat (Vol. 1, pp. 574-575), The Anglo-Belgian Times of Brussels wrote a review in the early 1910s on the Promised Messiah’sas book The Teachings of Islam.
There are several other Belgian periodicals that have served as a great means for propagating the Promised Messiah’sas message. Its glimpse is being presented below, translated from French or Flemish.
Martyrdom in Kabul
In 1924, mentioning the martyrdom of Nematullah Khan Sahib in Kabul, Le Matin of Antwerp wrote under the heading “Afghan Unrest—The Persecution of Religious Reformers”:
“Reports are coming from Kabul that a reformer [missionary] of the Ahmadiyya sect was stoned to death after several months of torture in prison. […] Several other religious reformers have been thrown into prison.” (Le Matin, 6 September 1924)
The same news was published by Vers L’Avenir on the same day.
The Fazl Mosque’s foundation
Reporting on the Fazl Mosque’s foundation laying ceremony, Journal de Bruxelles wrote under the heading “The First Mosque in London”:
“London, 20.—The foundation stone of the first mosque, Melrose Road, Southfields, was laid yesterday. The ceremony was attended by a senior Mohammedan dignitary [Hazrat Musleh-e–Maudra] and members of the Moslem community, including English converts to Islam.” (Journal de Bruxelles, 23 October 1924)
The Fazl Mosque’s inauguration
On 4 October 1926, Le Soir wrote under the heading “Faisal in London: Will the Southfields Mosque be Opened to Christians?”:
“Prince Faisal, Viceroy of Mecca and son of the King of the Hejaz, is said to have received a cable from his father forbidding him from going tomorrow to preside at the inauguration of the mosque built at Southfields, near London, for the benefit of the Mohammedans from various parts of the Empire who visit England.
“The principal object of the Prince’s journey, it is asserted, was precisely to attend this ceremony. This last-minute mishap has caused much surprise here. The Emir’s entourage refuses to give any information on this subject and even denies that there was a cable from the King, but it is said elsewhere that the news was received in Mecca that the new mosque will be opened to Christians with the aim of converting them, which has raised protests in the holy city and motivated the royal ban.”
La Libre Belgique published a similar news on the same day, under the heading “England: Incident concerning the inauguration of the Southfields Mosque”.
The Fazl Mosque was therefore inaugurated by Khan Bahadur Sir Sheikh Abdul Qadir.
Jamaat’s missionary efforts
On 13 July 1937, Vers L’Avenir wrote under the heading “In Africa: Predominance of Islam”:
“In the Gold Coast [now Ghana], the Ahmadiyya movement is very active, supported by the native Mohammedans.”
Another Belgian newspaper, L’Avenir Du Luxembourg, wrote under the heading “The Muslim Trial Among the Pagan Peoples”:
“In 1920, there were already 280,836 private Muslim elementary schools in India. 14 secondary schools, 3 higher schools and 13 normal schools. There are bigger colleges in Peshawar, Aligarh and Lahore; Hyderabad has a university; Ahmadiyya – Qadian and Lahore – have seminaries for Muslim propagation. Today, India can claim the title of one of the main centres of Islam.” (L’Avenir Du Luxembourg, 25 August 1939)
Advocacy for the Muslim rights
In 1942, the British government sent a mission to India, led by Sir Stafford Cripps, which presented some proposals for the political future of India. The proposals were against the Muslim interests and thus Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra expressed condemnation and advocated the Muslim rights. The press extensively covered his views, including the Belgian press. For instance, Le Centre stated under the heading “Cripps’ Offers Go Against Mohammedan Interests”:
“Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin, head of the Ahmadia Community, has expressed his displeasure over the proposals forwarded by Sir Stafford Cripps.
“Hazrat said that these offers go against Mohammedan interests. They were made, he added, with the sole object of depriving the Muslims of their legitimate rights. The Ahmadia Community is an Islamic sect with a membership of a million.” (Le Centre, 8 April 1942)
The same news was published on the same day by La Province de Namur and Gazette de Charleroi.
Le Soir reported the same under the heading “Various oppositions to the Cripps’ Plan” on the same day and De Gentenaar published it on 9 April 1942 under the heading “The Ahmadia Community Opposed the British Proposals”.
Malik Ataur Rahman Sahib in France
Mentioning about the preaching activities of an Ahmadi missionary in France, Malik Ataur Rahman Sahib, another Belgian newspaper Vooruit wrote on 14 July 1948:
“In Paris, Malik Ataur Rahman – an Indian who claims that the true Messiah was born in 1836 [sic., 1835] in Kada’ (near Lahore) and was called Hazrat Ahmad[as] – preaches the advent of the uniform religion: Islam. The other religions will capitulate to him before the end of the next thousand years, the last for mankind! Let’s see!”
Eid-ul-Adha at the Fazl Mosque
On 14 October 1948, Eid-ul-Adha was offered at the Fazl Mosque in London. In those days, an African Conference was taking place in England, hence the African dignitaries attended an Eid reception at the Fazl Mosque.
Le Soir illustré published a photograph capturing guests who had gathered for the reception, with the following caption:
“Presence of the Orient, in London—Maulvi Mohd. Siddique, representing the colony of Sierra Leone in the English capital (right), and the Emir of Abuja […] at the London Mosque, during the Eid-ul-Adha festival.” (Le Soir illustré, 21 October 1948)
Maulvi Muhammad Siddique Sahib was a missionary in Sierra Leone. In 1948, on his way back to Pakistan, he arrived in London on 3 October and stayed there until May 1949. (Ruh Parwar Yaadein [autobiography], p. 151)
In the above-mentioned photograph, the 6th Amir of Abuja, Suleimanu Barau (1903-1979), is having a discussion with Maulvi Muhammad Siddique Sahib Amritsari.
L’Indépendance published another photograph of the same event with the following caption:
“Exchange of Views
“The three Muslims in our photo seem particularly attentive to the exchange of views they are having in a mosque. In fact, Brigadier General Hayaud Din, on the left, seems so interested in the explanations given to him by Mr Zafarullah Khan, Pakistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, that he is unconsciously scratching the sole of his foot, unabashedly.” (L’Indépendance, 1 December 1948)
Ataur Rahman Sahib’s interview to La Dernière Heure
In 1948, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra instructed Malik Ataur Rahman Sahib to visit Belgium. He visited Brussels and Antwerp and was interviewed by several Belgian newspapers.
For instance, on 4 December 1948, La Dernière Heure published the following article by a well-known journalist, Hugues Vehenne, under the heading “Islam wants to Conquer Belgium: Ten Minutes with the Prophet’s Missionary”:
“I have before me a [missionary of a] Prophet. He is young, swarthy, slightly bearded. He wears an astrakhan cap and a Persian tunic. […]:
“‘My name is Malik Ataur Rahman. I am an Indian and Muslim graduate in literature from the University of Punjab. I have dedicated my life to the service of religion, in order to carry the message of the Messiah to the ends of the world…’”
This was followed by the transcript of Malik Ataur Rahman Sahib’s interview [Questions in Italics]:
“Which Messiah?
“Hazrat Ahmad[as], the holy man. He lived from 1836 to 1908 in Qadian, India. It was he who, in 1889, founded the ‘Ahmadiyyah’ movement.
“Why?
“Because God had commanded him!
“So he was in communion with God!
“Yes. And his advent had been announced 1300 years ago by the last Prophet[sa] who preceded him in the world!
“Who?
“Muhammad[sa], who founded Islam.
“What was Muhammad’s[sa] prophecy?
“He had prophesied that the promised prophet would have a dark complexion and straight hair; that he would have a twin sister; that he would be born in a village called Kadia; that he would stutter a little, and that he would have two diseases.
“All these signs were realised in the person of Hazrat Ahmad[as].
“May his holy name be blessed.
“What were Hazrat’s works?
“He himself made thousands of prophecies, collected in a volume of 696 pages. Several hundred have already been fulfilled!
“Truly?
“Yes, said the missionary of the Prophet; faith shines in his eyes.
“Hazrat predicted the First World War of 1914. He revealed that the Emperor of Russia would be reduced to a very miserable condition.
“Then, he was challenged by an American who called himself a prophet.
“Wasn’t he?
“Oh no! He pretended to be Elijah, or a forerunner of the return of Jesus[as].
“He announced that God had sent him to destroy Islam.
“Hazrat responded: ‘Let us each pray, and God will cause death to the impostor first!’
“It was the American who died, the poor and foolish one!
“Did Hazrat preach?
“Yes, throughout his life.
“But what did he preach?
“The Islamic religion; he renewed and revived it. He affirmed that the Quran is still the Source of Knowledge and that it is a complete code that enables us to solve all the moral, social, political and economic problems of today and the future.
“But how could this Islam be accepted by the Christian people?
“Nothing forbids them to do so; calmly said the missionary of the Prophet. We have a lot of esteem and admiration for Jesus[as].
“? [in wonder]
“Yes, Jesus[as] is also a Prophet. And like all the prophets, he prophesied the advent of Hazrat. It is in the Gospel!
“Still, Hazrat was a little far from Europe or from Brussels?
“But no! He is related to the whole world.
“?…. [in wonder]
“Yes, by the place of birth, to the Indian. By his race (he was Persian), to the Persians and to all the worshipers of the sun. By the prophecy of Muhammad[sa], he was Promised to all Muslims.
“And for the Christians?
“But he was also promised by Jesusas, and he lived under the rule of a British government, and therefore [related to the] Christians, Malik Ataur Rahman said calmly.
“So, Hazrat is chosen by God to unite all humanity under the banner of Islam?
“Exactly.
“And since his demise, what has happened?
“One of his disciples was elected Caliph of the Movement. And when he passed away, it was the eldest son of the Messiah who succeeded him, since 1914. His name is Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad[ra].
“And how is the message of the Messiah carried to the ends of the world?
“For 34 years we have been sending missionaries to the East, to America, to Australia. We have a dozen centres in America, a mosque in London, hundreds in Africa.
“In Europe?
“We preached in Central Europe, in Russia and Germany. But Stalin chased us away.
“And Hitler?
“He ignored us. Since 1945, we have established a centre in Germany.
“And you yourself, what are you doing?
“I am the head of the nine missionaries who must convert Europe, Malik declares with conviction and seriousness. We have founded centres in Italy, Switzerland, Holland and Spain. At the moment, I am dealing with France, Belgium and Holland.
“And do you get conversions?
“A lot, he says.
“By what means?
“Conferences, interviews, posters, lectures. And especially, I make visits to the kings, presidents, senior officers, scholars and clergymen.
“How is your movement supported?
“By donations from the faithful. We are nearly half a million.
“One last question. Prophets are often persecuted. Was it like that for Hazrat?
“Yes. Some disciples were stoned to death in India. Insha-Allah…
“Thereupon, Malik Ataur Rahman ‘Amir of the envoys of Islam in Europe’ picked up his papers, greeted me and left, like a polite shadow, without asking me either a franc or my conversion.
“He had sown the seed.
“This Muslim missionary – who came from a distance of 8,000 kilometres to conquer Europe for his religion and shivering with cold under his astrakhan cap in the streets of Brussels – is the strangest visitor I have ever received.” (La Dernière Heure, 4 December 1948)
Ataur Rahman Sahib’s interview to Le Phare Dimanche
Le Phare Dimanche also published an interview of Malik Sahib under the heading “Islam Invades Europe!”:
“Islam, a religion of continuous transformation, has always produced a number of prophets, some of them creating schisms and sects, which exist up to now; others have disappeared without leaving a trace.
“A few days ago, a little man, with intelligent eyes and a lowered gaze, presented himself as the representative of the ‘Messiah’ at the Phare Dimanche.
“According [to him], a Messiah has appeared in India (where he died in 1908) and has instructed his disciples to spread his message to the corners of the world. This is how, without the help of the sword, Muslims are trying to convert Christians to [the faith of] the Quran! This is, to say the least, a new and original [endeavour].
“According to this envoy (‘Amir’ of the Ahmadiyya Movement), the prophet Hazrat Ahmad[as] is the Messiah. It was prophesied that the Messiah would be of tanned complexion and would have straight hair (as did Hazrat Ahmad[as]). The prophecy says that he would have a twin sister; he would be born in a village named Kad’a; he would stammer slightly and would suffer from two ailments: All these signs were fulfilled in Hazrat Ahmad[as].
“He is ‘Krishna’ and ‘Buddha’ for the Hindus, ‘Mesio’ for the Zoroastrians, ‘Messiah’ for the Christians, and ‘Mahdi’ for the Muslims. How can one ever doubt this? How can one ever doubt the fulfilment of the prophecy that ‘the whole world, in the end, will accept Islam’?
“According to the ‘Amir’, the Ahmadiyya Movement has established communities everywhere in the world, even in the United States, the United Kingdom and France. He wants to establish one at least in Belgium.
“What else can [we] do but wish good luck to this man? Are not all beliefs worthy [of our] respect?” (Le Phare Dimanche, 19 December 1948)
Missionary activities and mosque in the Netherlands
Mentioning the missionary activities of Hafiz Qudratullah Sahib and Ghulam Ahmad Bashir Sahib in Holland, Brugsche Courant wrote under the heading “You Know it Now! – Missionaries in the Neighbourhood”:
“We see how the missionaries go to distant regions to teach religion to the savages. But foreign religious movements also want to lead us onto the true straight path and convert us. For example, missionaries Hafiz and Bashir from the Ahmadiyya Muslim [Community] came to our region. They have already established mosques in Paris, London, Berlin and Chicago. Now these missionaries have arrived in Holland and are doing their best to attract followers (for the Muslim paradise). Hafiz and Bashir spread their mats on the street and the people of The Hague heard strange prayers mumbled by those crouching down.
“The foreign preachers had a lot of difficulty learning Dutch, but that is how it got there. And Hafiz is heard saying: ‘How cruel to think that a newborn is a sinner.’ And Bashir adds: ‘Islam says that Heaven is eternal, but that Hell in the afterlife is only a temporary place. Hell is like a clinic, a place where people heal.’ The missionaries gained (already) ten followers in two years. They think that Holland will be completely converted within a hundred years.” (Brugsche Courant, 9 July 1949)
Then, De Standaard wrote under the heading “First Mosque in the Netherlands”:
“The Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in the Netherlands has announced that it will soon start building a mosque in The Hague. The mosque will be the first to be built in the country. The Ahmadiyya movement was founded in Qadian (India) by Hazrat Ahmad[as] (1835-1908) and has its headquarters in Rabwah (Pakistan).” (De Standaard, 29 July 1950)
The same news was published by Het Handelsblad on 29-30 July 1950.
Anti-Ahmadiyya riots in Pakistan
Mentioning the anti-Ahmadiyya riots in Pakistan, Drapeau Rouge wrote under the heading “Protests in Pakistan”:
“Many arrests have been made in Pakistan, both in the capital, Karachi, and in the Punjab province, following a series of demonstrations allegedly directed against the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zafrullah Khan.
“Among those arrested are several leaders of the Congress of Muslim Parties, which is said to have initiated the protests because the minister belongs to a religious sect, the Ahmadiyya, to which the Congress is hostile.” (Le Drapeau Rouge, 2 March 1953)
Similarly, Le Soir mentioned the anti-Ahmadiyya riots in Karachi, Pakistan, on 10 March 1953, under the heading “Protests in Pakistan”.
Then in August, the same newspaper wrote about the Lahore riots and stated:
“It was a riot, but more serious than those that had followed one another during this spring. As usual, it was headed by the clergy, because it had, as always, a religious pretext. But this time, it was very specific: it was the indictment of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zafrullah Khan,” due to his association “to the Ahmadi sect, which believes that Muhammad[sa] has a successor in the person of Ahmad[as] El Qadian. […] In short, through the strong personality of Sir Zafrullah, it is quite clear that it was the [Muslim] League – that is to say the government – that was targeted.” (Le Soir, 6 August 1953)
Ramadan at the Fazl Mosque
In 1956, Le Soir illustré published a photograph that captured a moment from a prayer at the Fazl Mosque in London, with the following caption:
“The Muslims in Britain remain faithful to their religion. During Ramadan, they go to the Southfields Mosque for communal prayer.” (Le Soir illustré, 12 July 1956)
Inauguration of the Swiss mosque
In 1963, mentioning the Mahmood Mosque, Le Soir wrote under the heading “Mosque in Switzerland”:
“The first mosque in Switzerland was officially inaugurated in Zurich, in the presence of Muhammad Zafrulla Khan[ra], President of the United Nations General Assembly.
“The construction of this mosque is due to the initiative of the Ahmadiyya mission and should enable Muslims living in Switzerland and neighbouring countries to join and participate in religious services. The Ahmadiyya mission aims to bring all believers towards Islam.” (Le Soir, 27 June 1963)
The Holy Quran’s Dutch translation
Brugsch Handelsblad published a photograph under the heading “Dutch Quran Available”, and wrote:
“Anyone who suddenly feels the need to read the Quran in the Dutch version, from now on, only needs to visit the city library De Biekorf, because they now have one such copy in stock there. […] On the occasion of the centenary of the Ahmadiyya Movement – a Muslim movement that emphatically distances itself from the fundamentalists – H. K. Mahmood handed over the copy to Alderman Stevens.” (Brugsch Handelsblad, 6 April 1990)