Zubair Afzal
Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Canada
A few months ago, Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Canada asked permission from Hazrat Amirul Momineen, may Allah strengthen his hand, for our National Majlis Amila and regional qaids to come to the UK and have a mulaqat with Huzooraa. By the grace of Allah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa graciously approved this request and granted us an audience on 10 February 2019.
As soon as we received this blessed news, we started to make our preparations for this momentous opportunity.
Before we knew it, the time had come for the mulaqat, and as we were just a few days away from departing for the UK, the excitement reached its peak. We had prepared our uniforms, our departmental information, and whatever else we could to the best of our humble abilities, but we knew that the true preparation lay in prayers, Durood, Istighfar and of course giving Sadqa. This was something that we focused on a lot before departing.
On Wednesday, 6 February, our delegation departed from Canada, and entered the United Kingdom the next morning, on 7 February.
In total, we were 37 members of the National Majlis Amila, which included all of our naib sadrs, muhtamims, muawin sadrs, qaids of local areas and a few other office bearers. Similarly, 13 regional qaids attended this auspicious occasion. The total delegation consisted of 50 members.
We cannot describe just how hospitable our hosts, Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya UK, were. For us, it was something that truly moved us and made us deeply grateful to them. For five days straight, they were with us round the clock, driving us everywhere we needed, to every prayer behind Huzooraa, no matter where we were, to Islamabad, to Jamia UK, to Baitul Futuh and so on.
The meals that were prepared for us three times a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) were all so carefully planned and arranged that they were always different and each time they were delicious. Large teams of smiling Khuddam were serving us with utter humility. This was a major learning experience for us.
There were so many highlights during this unforgettable and blessed trip; the trip to Islamabad to pray at the grave of our beloved Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh; the chance to see the incredible new complex of the Jamaat being built at Islamabad, and every aspect of this new property of the future; the chance to visit Jamia Ahmadiyya UK, and experience how our missionaries from Europe are being trained; a sitting with Munir Odeh Sahib with such emotional and spiritual incidents with Huzooraa shared that truly inspired us and enhanced our faith in a living God and further increased our love of Khilafat.
There were so many highlights, and yet the climax of the trip was of course reserved for the last day: our meeting with Huzooraa.
On Sunday, 10 February, by the grace of Allah, we had the greatest blessing, honour and privilege to have a sitting with Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa at Fazl Mosque, in Mahmood Hall.
The atmosphere leading up to Huzoor’s arrival in the meeting area was palpable. The air was thick with anticipation as we waited with bated breath and offered repeated prayers, Durood and Istighfar to get ourselves ready.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa arrived and we all stood up and returned the greeting of “Wa Alaikumussalam” to Huzoor’s greeting to us. Huzooraa sat down and commenced the meeting with silent prayer, and thus began a historic meeting for Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Canada with Huzooraa which would ultimately go on for nearly an hour. So much guidance and divine wisdom was imparted to us that it was more than enough for us to start making major changes in Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Canada.
Among all the various points of wisdom and guidance given by Huzooraa, the general theme that Huzooraa conveyed to us, was that the utmost critical need of the time was to establish prayers in mosques and Salat centres, and that we should start with our office-bearers – starting from ourselves, the National Amila, right to the regional nazims and local nazims.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa stated that every office-bearer and member of the amila should offer at least two prayers in congregation daily. This really made us realise how much work was needed, and how much focus was to be laid on this most fundamental of acts. Huzooraa essentially told us that this is the only way that we can have a true effect in our roles and duties.
Huzooraa also laid great emphasis on the need for members of the amila and regional qaids to travel and regularly visit all areas and Khuddam. Huzooraa told us that this was the only way to connect personally with Khuddam at the local level, and that these visits have a major impact in their lives.
Huzooraa advised us that even distances such as five and six hours away were not far in a country as vast as Canada, and that we should be ready to travel large distances to regularly meet all of the Khuddam.
Alhamdolillah, the meeting was a truly incredible experience full of so many blessings and so much guidance, that it is actually indescribable.
After about an hour’s time, the meeting concluded and we had the great blessing of having a picture with Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa, followed by the blessed opportunity of every single member meeting Huzooraa. Alhamdolillah!
With this, the mulaqat came to an end and our trip was complete. The following morning, we departed and returned to Canada, with great joy and deep thankfulness to Allah in our hearts.
May Allah enable us to bring these blessings, prayers and guidance back with us to Canada and enable us to act on the words of our beloved Huzooraa, so that every Khadim in Canada can feel the blessings and impact of this blessed trip for years to come. Amin.