Jazib Mehmood, Student, Jamia Ahmadiyya International Ghana
“I wish to tell you clearly that whoever Allah appoints as a Khalifa over you, He [Allah] will instil in him enormous love for you all and shall enable him to pray for you so much that prayerful parents would not have prayed for you that much.
“And He shall also enable him to withstand all kinds of suffering just to save you from suffering – willingly, and not as a favour to you – because he is the servant of God […] and the servant of God works only for the pleasure of God.” (Friday Sermon, 18 November 1966; Khutbat-e-Nasir, Vol. 1, p. 494)
These are the words of Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmadrh, Khalifatul Masih III, which he addressed to members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in 1966. His words continue to ring true today.
We are living in the blessed era of the fifth Khilafat under Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa. In his 21 years as Khalifatul Masih, members of the Jamaat have constantly witnessed his love and prayers for us all. Allah the Almighty accepts his prayers in favour of those who sincerely request them, knowing that Huzooraa is the chosen man of God on earth today.
The Holy Prophetsa states:
خِيَارُ اَئِمَّتِكُمُ الَّذِينَ تُحِبُّونَهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَكُمْ وَيُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَتُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْهِمْ
“The best of your leaders are those whom you love and who love you, who pray for you and you pray for them.” (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-imarah, Bab khiyari l-a’immati wa shirarihim, Hadith 1855a)
Therefore, this love and prayer between the Khalifa and the Jamaat reminds us that a great responsibility has been placed on our shoulders. What is this responsibility? The Holy Quran states a principle that:
ہَلۡ جَزَآءُ الۡاِحۡسَانِ اِلَّا الۡاِحۡسَانُ
“The reward of goodness is nothing but goodness.” (Surah ar-Rahman, Ch.55: V.61)
Allah the Almighty has granted us the divine favour of Khilafat, that prays for us constantly, making it our responsibility to reciprocate this goodness with obedience to Khilafat, striving to progress in our faith and discharging our responsibilities to Allah the Almighty and His creation.
For this piece, we will speak about some accounts of the acceptance of Huzoor’saa prayers. Ahmadis all over the world have been recipients of Allah’s grace in this regard; many have shared faith-inspiring incidents where they have requested Huzoor’s prayers and have seen their difficulties vanish as a result.
It was therefore immensely difficult to pick some faith-inspiring accounts over others – there are so many accounts on this magnificent topic that one does not know what to take and what to leave. Nevertheless, a few instances of the acceptance of prayers of Huzoor-e-Anwaraa are related below.
A son named ‘Jahid’
An Ahmadi convert from Bulgaria, Etem Sahib, attended Jalsa Salana Germany with his family. He converted to Ahmadiyyat from Christianity, but his wife and children had not converted. His wife had stated that as she had three daughters, she would accept the Jamaat only if she gave birth to a son. So, she wrote to Huzooraa and requested prayers in this regard.
The next year, when they attended the Jalsa again, she was expecting a child in two months. During their mulaqat [meeting] with Huzooraa, she requested that Huzooraa name their child. Huzooraa graciously named the child ‘Jahid’, which is a boy’s name.
After the Jalsa, the wife informed their murabbi [missionary] that the doctors had told her that the child was a girl, so she wanted to request Huzooraa for a female name.
The missionary referred to her previously stipulated condition that she would convert to Ahmadiyyat if the child was a boy, and assured her that since Huzooraa had only proposed a boy’s name, she would definitely have a son – despite what the doctors had said. Hearing this, she declared that she had already decided to become an Ahmadi.
Despite what the doctors had confidently told her, she soon gave birth to a healthy baby boy. The next year, she brought her son to Jalsa, and proudly presented him as a testament to the acceptance of Huzoor’saa prayers. (“Anecdotes of the acceptance of Prayers of Ahmadiyya Caliphs”, youtube.com; Al Fazl Rabwah, 28 December 2015, p. 45)
Cure from cancer
An Ahmadi convert from Algeria, Nadia Kazimi Sahiba, met Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa and requested prayers for her mother who was suffering from cancer. Huzooraa stated that Allah would grant her mother health and gave her a ring inscribed with the revelation of the Promised Messiahas “Is Allah not sufficient for His servant?” as a gift for her mother. Her mother wore this ring.
Sometime later, when her mother went for a check-up, the doctors told her that she no longer needed any tests or chemotherapy because her health was much better than it was even before the cancer attacked. This sign of the acceptance of Huzoor’saa prayer so impressed Nadia Sahiba’s mother and her family that the entire family of 36 people pledged allegiance to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa and entered the Jamaat. (“The Progress of Jama’at is Bonded to Khilafat – Jalsa Salana UK 2014”, youtube.com; Al Fazl Rabwah, 25 May 2015, p. 4)
‘There are nine mountains, and I am the tenth’
In an Arab country, a new Ahmadi convert was imprisoned by the police simply for the crime of having accepted Ahmadiyyat. He was thrown into jail without bail and treated very cruelly. No local lawyer was willing to take his case.
During his time in jail, he was constantly told to renounce his faith so that he would be freed. His reply was always the same: “I will lay down my life, but I will never renounce Ahmadiyyat.”
This Ahmadi convert wrote to Huzooraa from jail, stating, “In my surrounding area, there are nine mountains and I am the tenth. No threat or temptation can shake my faith.”
Nevertheless, all possible chances of freedom appeared bleak. But Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa was constantly praying for his release.
One day, Huzooraa simply said, “Insha-Allah, he will be released.” On the one hand, were the prayers of Huzooraa; on the other hand, all possible means of release were blocked.
Then, seemingly out of the blue, the king of this Arab state announced the pardon of some prisoners on the occasion of a ceremony, and the very first name of the released prisoners was that of the Ahmadi Muslim. And in this way, Allah rewarded this Ahmadi for his sincerity. (“Anecdotes of the acceptance of Prayers of Ahmadiyya Caliphs”, youtube.com; Al Fazl Rabwah, 28 December 2015, p. 44)
Rain
During Jalsa Salana UK 2012, Huzooraa narrated a remarkable incident. Huzooraa said that Amir Sahib Mali had written that there was very little rain, due to which there were severe difficulties. He wrote to Huzooraa requesting for his prayers. Huzooraa asked the Jamaat to offer the Istisqa prayer [prayer requesting for rain].
A schoolteacher Muhammad Toure Sahib came to a local Muallim and told that he listened to Radio Ahmadiyya regularly but had no contact with the Jamaat. He told the Muallim that he had heard on the radio that Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa had made a special prayer for rain in the area.
Then he heard that the Amir of the Mali Jamaat was coming to his area for the Istisqa prayer, so he decided to go and meet him. There too he heard from the Ameer that Huzooraa had prayed for rains in that area and offered a special prayer.
He thought to himself that if unusual rains occurred this year, it would only be the result of prayer – since there were no good rains in his area for many years.
When the season finally arrived, he saw that it rained heavily every other day. He was a witness to the fact that there had been no such rains for the last ten years. Upon seeing this remarkable sign of the acceptance of Huzoor’s prayers, he accepted Ahmadiyyat. He declared that God is with the Khalifa and subsequently joined the Jamaat. (Al Fazl International 3 August 2018, p. 13)
The distinction of the Jamaat
What separates us from other Muslims today? Huzooraa narrates that on the occasion of Jalsa Salana UK in 2018, the Japanese delegation included a lady called Ms Yukiko Kondo. She states that:
“We were wondering what it was that had established a passion and zeal for religious service in the members of the Ahmadiyya Community. […] After joining the prayer on the first day of the Jalsa and listening to the exhortations of the Imam of the Ahmadiyya Community, I am convinced that prayer is the power that has created this distinction between the Ahmadiyya Community and the rest of the world.” (Friday Sermon 10 August 2018; Al Fazl International 31 August 2018, p. 6)
Why we love our Khalifa
Every Ahmadi yearns for a close relationship with Allah, and this is why we seek to attach ourselves to His chosen servant like children taking shelter with their parents as they navigate the world and all its perils. Indeed, this is the basis of our relationship with Khilafat.
Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IVrh states:
“The relationship of every Ahmadi with the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa and his Khulafa [successors] or the Promised Messiahas and his Khulafa, should be based on the relationship of Allah. If the foundation of their relationship is not built on the relationship of Allah, then this relationship is artificial, fake and meaningless.
“If the love of Allah gives rise to that relationship and as they grow in their love for Allah, the said relationship with the Holy Prophetsa [and others] also grows, then rest assured that such people are not in any kind of danger, neither in this world nor in the next. Those who possess this kind of relationship, as I have explained, will remain safe from every strife.” (Friday Sermon 13 November 1987; Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 6, p. 748)
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh once stated:
“I am a human being like you and Allah the Almighty has instilled in my heart so much love for each of you that you cannot even imagine. Sometimes in sajdah [lying prostrate during Salat], I pray for you and for the Jamaat that, ‘O God! Fulfil the desires and wishes of those who wanted to write a letter to me but could not do so due to some indolence. And O God! Those who have not written a letter to me and have not even thought of writing for prayer, if they have any problem or any need, please resolve their problems and fulfil their needs.’” (Friday Sermon 18 November 1966; Khutbat-e-Nasir, Vol. 1, p. 493)
This sentiment has also been expressed beautifully by Huzooraa when he stated:
“Before sleeping at night, there is no country of the world that I do not visit in my imagination and no Ahmadi for whom I do not pray whilst sleeping and whilst awake.” (Friday Sermon 6 June 2014; Khutbat-e-Masroor, Vol. 12, p. 348)
As a final thought, it is worth remembering that Huzooraa requested prayers regarding his health a few weeks ago. As stated earlier, the reward for goodness is nothing but goodness. Our Khalifa prays for us with such intensity and continuity that we cannot hope to match it, but we can do our best to pray for his continued health so that Allah may enable him to keep praying for us.
اَللّٰہُمَّ اَيِّدْ اِمَامَنَا بِروْحِ الْقُدُسِ وَبَارِک لَنَا فِيْ عُمُرِہِ وَ اَمْرِہِ