On 13 January, a group of seven new converts who travelled from Canada were blessed with a mulaqat, organised by Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiayya Canada, with Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa.
The main purpose of mulaqats initially took root at the time of the Promised Messiah, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas. He emphasised the importance of those who accepted him as the Messiah and Mahdi to meet him and foster a relationship with him.
Huzooraa started by asking each person for their introduction and further enquired from them what they had studied and where they all worked.
The guests arrived in the UK on Thursday, 10 January. Huzooraa asked where they were staying and enquired about the food and hospitality. Huzooraa then asked each person the date and year they converted.
Among the new converts, one guest asked that they had prepared and wished to ask a few questions, upon which Huzooraa graciously accepted.
A brother asked Huzooraa to relate a personal faith inspiring incident. Huzooraa affectionately said, “You are the new convert, you should tell me a faith-inspiring story.” Huzooraa further asked the gentleman to narrate his story of how he converted to Ahmadiyyat.
One of the guests asked Huzooraa, as a born Ahmadi, at what point he had certainty that Islam Ahmadiyyat was in fact the true Islam.
Answering his question, Huzooraa stated: “There were so many occasions.” Huzoor went on to say:
“When I was just 16, I believed that there is a God, and if there is a God, He has appointed Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadianias as the Messiah and Mahdi of the age. So, if he has been appointed by Allah, then his followers should have firm belief in Allah and in the acceptance of prayers. So I prayed, and my prayers were accepted. Then, I realised that God is with Hazrat Masih-e-Maudas.”
Huzooraa further said, “There were so many stories I had read of the old Ahmadis and companions of Hazrat Masih-e-Maudas that also made my faith firm.”
Then, a guest asked, “In Islam, a son has the obligation of – financially and by other means – looking after his parents when they are older. However, if parents only have daughters, what will the duty be for the daughters regarding her parents?”
Answering this question, Huzooraa said, “If Allah did not give them sons, then the daughters can help their parents in other ways. It is not necessary that they help in a financial way.”
Huzooraa further stated, “How many sons are helping their parents today? In modern day society, in the Western world, old people are sent to old people homes. It is not only the sons that should try to seek paradise under the feet of their mothers, it is the daughters as well who should try to seek paradise under the feet of their mothers.”
A brother asked Huzooraa, “How can we know the difference between good innovations and bad innovations?”
Huzoor answered, “Anything which is against the teachings of Islam is a bad innovation. Anything which is depriving the people of the society from their rights is a bad innovation.”
For the new converts department, an idea was presented before Huzooraa regarding Muakhaat (brotherhood), where each convert is partnered with another person to strengthen the bond between them and the Jamaat. Regarding this, Huzooraa replied affirmatively and said, “Even in Qadian, this was done by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra.” Huzooraa further stated, “Sometimes, even Nau Mubai‘een [new converts] can help all Ahmadis increase their spiritual level.”
A new convert asked Huzooraa what motivated him to devote his life for the cause of the Jamaat. Huzooraa replied, “When I was quite young, I thought I should dedicate my life for the cause of the Jamaat.” Huzoor went on to say:
“I wrote to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh that I want to dedicate my life. He [Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh] sent my letter to the Tahrik-e-Jadid office, and after being processed, the Tahrik-e-Jadid office called me and interviewed me. After some time, they wrote back to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh [saying] ‘We don’t need a person of this qualification at present.’ Then, on the letter, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh wrote, ‘Tahrik-e-Jadid might not need this person, but I need him.’ Then, he [Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIra] accepted my waqf and sent me to Ghana.”
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa then turned to the person who, in the beginning of the mulaqat, asked Huzooraa for a faith inspiring story, and said, “You were asking for a faith inspiring story, so this is also one”.
In the end, Huzooraa graciously gifted each person a ring with the inscription أَلَيْسَ اللهُ بِكَافِِ عَبْدَهُ and concluded the mulaqat with a group photo.