A group of 18 Jamia students from the Khamisah Class (Year 6), along with two of our teachers and Principal Jamia Ahmadiyya Canada, departed to visit the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Temple located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on 23 October 2023.
The group left the Baitul Islam Mosque Complex at about 9:15 am and reached the temple around 9:45 am. Upon arrival, we were welcomed by a local religious leader who answered some of our questions regarding Hinduism. The students asked many questions to enhance their knowledge of the Hindu religion.
The students were also given a guided tour where they were told about the various parts of the temple and what significance they hold.
The students visited the temple exhibition, where they were able to view many different exhibits and displays regarding Hinduism, underscoring its history and current beliefs.
Towards the end of the tour, the students sat down and they witnessed a few moments of the Hindu prayer service to see the method of a group prayer service.
Around noon, the students departed from the temple, as the tour had concluded there.
During his Friday Sermon today, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa said:
“As I have been urging prayers for the Palestinians, pray that Allah the Almighty grants the world the ability to take genuine practical steps against oppression. Some voices have started to rise, and people are acknowledging and saying, ‘There is oppression and this is indeed oppression.’ However, it seems that everyone is intimidated of the Israeli government, or the Western world is inherently opposed to Muslims. Due to this hatred, they wish that the oppression of Muslims does not end, or the efforts that should be made are not being made in the right manner. They fail to see the innocent children, the oppressed women, and the elderly who are suffering under this tyranny. We cannot place much trust in them, but we should continue our efforts, keep advising them, and persist in our prayers.
“May Allah Almighty give courage to the Muslim countries to strengthen their voice and truly unite to raise their voice against this oppression and strive to end it.”
Huzooraa also led two funeral prayers, one of which was for the late respected Ahmad Hussain Abu Sardana, who was a renowned scholar and Ahmadi Muslim from Gaza and was martyred during the recent conflict.
Surah ar-Rum, the chapter undoubtedly revealed in Mecca, unveils a magnificent prophecy that clearly shows how the Holy Quran was revealed from the Divine. The most reliable sources place Surah ar-Rum to be revealed in the 6th or 7th year of the Prophet Muhammad’ssa mission. (Five Volume Commentary, Volume 4, p. 2494) This coincided with the peak of the Persian conquest.
In the aforementioned Surah, we read:
“The Romans have been defeated, In the land nearby, and they, after their defeat, will be victorious. In a few years — Allah’s is the command before and after [that] — and on that day the believers will rejoice, With the help of Allah. He helps whom He pleases; and He is the Mighty, the Merciful. Allah has made this promise. Allah breaks not His promise, but most men know not.” (Surah ar-Rum, Ch.30: V.3-7)
These verses of the Holy Quran begin by alluding to a historic occurrence that took place in the time of the Holy Prophetsa. “The Romans have been defeated, In the land nearby,” is interpreted, widely, as the Persians’ victory over the Byzantine (Roman) Empire during the early 7th century.
The words “the land nearby” refer to the countries in close proximity to Arabia, that is Palestine, Jordan and Syria. (Haqaiq-ul-Furqan, Vol.3, p. 348) It is well-established that the Persian and Roman Empires bordered the Arabian Peninsula.
The defeat of the Romans carried immense significance during that era, stirring unease among the Muslims. This feeling of unease stemmed from the fact that the Romans were regarded as “People of the Book,” meaning they were Christians, and their defeat was seen as a potential “loss” to the monotheistic religions. The disbelievers of Mecca were content – or jubilant as some sources indicate – that the Persians defeated the Romans because they themselves practised idolatry. In contrast, the Muslims desired for the Romans to overcome the Persians because the Romans were considered “People of the Book.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Kitab tafsiri l-Qquran ‘an rasulillahsa, Hadith 3193) The Romans, being followers of the Book, suffered defeat at the hands of the fire-worshipping Persians. (Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn Abbas, Ch.30: V.2)
The Meccan disbelievers rejoiced at the Byzantine defeat and taunted the Muslims, saying that they would defeat the Muslims, just as the Persians defeated the Byzantines. (Ibid.; Tafsir al-Jalalayn, Ch.30: V.2) In fact, it is said that they expressed that since Muslims held a revealed scripture and the People of the Book also adhere to a book, they – the disbelievers of Mecca – in contrast, do not submit to a revealed scripture. Moreover, they pointed to the Persians’ victory over the Byzantines as evidence and argued that if they, the disbelievers of Mecca, were ever to engage in conflict with the Muslims, they too would emerge victorious. (Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi, Ch.30: V.2)
The Holy Quran then goes on to say that after their defeat, they, that is the Romans, will be victorious. It further states that their victory shall come “In a few years” and also states that “on that day the believers will rejoice.”
For context, let us consider the circumstances of that time. This prophecy was made prior to the Prophet’ssa migration to Medina; 6th-7th year following his being commissioned. Persecution against Muslims had reached its peak. Despite the Holy Prophetsa demonstrating various miracles such as the miracle of Shaqq-ul-Qamar, the disbelievers of Mecca, bent in their ways, not wanting to put his message behind them and move on, continued their persecution and even resorted to a boycott. The deaths of Hazrat Khadijahra and Hazrat Abu Talib had occurred. Abu Talib was the uncle of Prophet Muhammadsa who held a high station amongst the chiefs of Mecca. One can only imagine the reaction of the Meccan leaders who believed, with the demise of Abu Talib, there were no restraints left, and they could now intensify their persecution, even targeting the Holy Prophetsa himself.
We must remember that the disbelievers of Mecca would openly declare that the Holy Quran was – God forbid – authored by Muhammadsa and not revealed by God. With such an objection, it goes against logic for a person to make a statement or prophecy of an incident which seemed very unlikely to materialise. For if the prophecy did not come true, the mission of such a one would be questioned. However, as the Holy Quran was revealed by Allah, and the Holy Prophetsa was a true prophet, such a claim was made with no fear.
The prophecy, wager, and divine timing
Hazrat Abu Bakrra mentioned the prophecy of Surah ar-Rum to the disbelievers of Mecca, who then challenged him to set a timeframe for its fulfilment. They laughed and mocked the revelation and said, “Make a wager between us and you; if we win, we shall get this and that, and if you win, you shall get this or that.” (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Kitab tafsiri l-quran ‘an rasulillahsa, Hadith 3193) In other words, they made a wager and established a timeframe.
The terms were negotiated between Hazrat Abu Bakrra and the Quraish leaders, involving a few camels and a specified period of six years. We also read that Abu Bakr al-Siddiqra placed a wager of ten camels against Ubayy Ibn Khalaf al-Jumahi. (Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn Abbas, Ch.30: V.2) When the Holy Prophetsa learned of this arrangement, he said, “Setting a six-year period is not appropriate. Allah the Exalted has employed the phrase ‘three to nine years’ when referring to a designated time, in accordance with the customary Arabic idiom. (Seal of the Prophets – Volume I, p. 292)
It must be remembered – keeping in mind Arabic grammar and lexicon – that the word or the term بضع alludes to numbers between 3 and 9. Thus, when we say بضع رجال, though it means a few men, it literally means from three to nine men.
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, in light of this incident, writes:
“The Meccans took the victory of the Persians as a good omen indicating their own ultimate triumph over Muslims. On this occasion the Holy Prophetsa received the revelation that the Romans had been vanquished in a neighbouring land but within nine years of their defeat they would again be victorious (30:3-5); the word occurring in the verse, viz. بضع expresses a number from three to nine. When this revelation was announced among the Meccans they laughed and jeered at the Muslims.” (Introduction to the Study of the Holy Quran, p. 274; Five Volume Commentary, Vol. 1, p. ccxcix)
Background and the Prophetic fulfilment: Heraclius, Chosroes II, and the reversal of empires
Prior to the advent of Islam, the Arabian Peninsula was bordered by two major empires, namely: the Persian Empire and the Roman Empire. Both these empires were engaged in a long-standing war, with the Persians gaining the upper hand initially.
The Persian conquest began in 602 AD by Chosroes II as a response to the death of his ally, Maurice. Over two decades, Persian armies invaded and plundered Roman territories such as Syria and Asia Minor. Then, in 614 AD, the Persians captured Jerusalem, an event that shook the Christian world as they took, it is said, the cross of Christ. Subsequently, the Persian conquest continued into Egypt and Asia Minor, threatening Constantinople. The Roman Empire struggled due to internal conflicts. Heraclius, the Roman Emperor, was humiliated, and the Persian King Chosroes II, who initiated the war against Rome, demanded that they convert to sun worship, further diminishing the standing of Christianity. (Five Volume Commentary, Vol.4, p. 2498)
Naturally, Muslims were troubled by this situation because they had religious ties with the Romans, who were people of the book, believing in monotheism. Then, around 616 AD, Prophet Muhammadsa received a revelation that predicted a reversal of fortunes within a relatively short period (بضع), where the defeated Romans would achieve victory over the victorious Persians. Through the divine revelation and word of God, within nine years, exactly as foretold, the Roman Emperor Heraclius managed to defeat the Persians, leading to the collapse of the once-mighty Persian Empire, avenging the loss of Jerusalem and restoring the Roman Empire’s strength.
“After licking his wounds for several years, Heraclius was at last able to take the field against the Persians in 622, the year of the Holy Prophet’ssa Migration to Medina. In 624, he advanced into northern Media, where he destroyed the great fire temple of Gandzak (Gazaca) and thus avenged the destruction of Jerusalem. This happened exactly within nine years, the period foretold in the verse, and to add to its importance and significance it happened in the year when the power of the Quraish also suffered a very serious reverse in the Battle of Badr.” (Ibid.)
Chosroes fled Dastgerd, his beloved home near Baghdad, and eventually met an inglorious end, murdered by his own son, Siroes, on February 19, 628 AD. This marked the Persian Empire’s decline from its previous greatness to utter chaos. (Ibid.)
Muslims found great joy when news reached them about the fulfilment of the prophecy, which they learned on the same day as the Battle of Badr when Gabrielas revealed this information. This joy was in addition to their celebration of victory over the idolaters on that very day. (Tafsir al-Jalalayn, Ch.30: V.5) Thus, the words “and on that day the believers will rejoice,” contain a hint to the fact that the Muslims will also find victory.
Thus, no man, unless divinely inspired, can make such a claim. How is it that a man in Arabia foretold the victory of an empire that, at the time, their chance of surviving seemed impossible? This can only mean that the Holy Prophetsa was a true prophet of God who received revelations from the divine.
We witness that contemporary Muslims are divided, facing various difficulties and regressing in all fields, just because they have drifted away from the true teachings of Islam. This was all prophesied by the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa 1400 years ago, and thus, he instructed the Muslims to join the Jamaat of the Promised Messiahas in the Latter Days for the rejuvenation of their faith.
During his Friday Sermon on 30 November 1917, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud, Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra spoke about the helpless situation of the Muslims and said that the Holy Prophetsa had prophesied that there would be a time when the Muslims would divert from the true teachings of Islam and “they were to get stranded in such a ‘swamp’ [of ignorance] that none of the worldly efforts could save them. Therefore, the Holy Prophetsa said, at that time the Messiah would come to save those who would be about to drown [spiritually]. In such a situation, the only effective remedy is the help from God, as He sends down a ‘rope’ from Heaven. Since prophets are hablullah [rope of Allah], God sent the Promised Messiahas at that time to save the world. But alas, when God sent down this hablullah, the people attempted to terminate that ‘rope’, instead of holding fast to it.
“The situation which is faced by the Muslims, nowadays, is worsening with each passing day. However, it is so unfortunate that instead of holding fast by this ‘rope’ which was sent to save them, they desired to terminate it. What would be its result? Obviously, they would be ruined. They were engrossed by ailment, God sent a [spiritual] healer for them. However, they neglected the fact that they were ailing and close to drowning [spiritually], and attempted to harm and destroy that ‘healer’ and to terminate that ‘rope’.
“Who will be pleased to see it terminate? Will it be [the religion of] Islam? Not at all. In fact, it will please the opponents of Islam. However, could someone terminate this hablullah? Not at all. Those who desire to terminate it, would be destroyed. The result of their efforts would be similar to the fate of those who attempt to oppose the Truth. Since its Guardian is not an ordinary being, but rather, it is God Almighty Who has sent it for the salvation of His creation.
“Therefore, they are afflicting their own selves by opposing this hablullah, and ‘harming’ the cause of Islam. If they had acted with wisdom, they would have known as to which Jamaat is serving to save Islam. Are they the clerics who consider abusing and attacking the Promised Messiahas as the biggest purpose of their lives? Not at all. They do not care no matter what happens to Islam. They do not strive for the cause of Islam. But rather, whenever there is a need to protect and defend Islam, it is often said that ‘call a Mirzai’. However, how strange it is that at such junctures, they call the khuddam [followers] of Hazrat Mirza Sahibas — whom they declare dajjal, God forbid. They are required to ponder that if Mirza Sahibas was a ‘dajjal’ [God forbid], would he have prepared such people who are ever ready to confront every opponent in defence of Islam? If this is a trait of dajjal, then I say that may God create many such ‘dajjals’ so that Islam may be guarded.
“It is a point to ponder that whenever there is any need to protect Islam, the people’s attention is inclined towards the Ahmadiyya [Muslim] Jamaat, instead of these clerics who only spread the edicts of kufr [disbelief]. […] The number of Muslims is said to be around 400 million, and in comparison, Ahmadis are very small in number, as in very insignificant, because they are thousands of times more than us. However, one should compare and see as to what is the proportion of our [Ahmadis] efforts for the propagation of the Faith and protection of Islam, in comparison to the rest of the [non-Ahmadi] Muslims. What efforts are they making for the sake of Faith despite being in such exceeding numbers, and what services are we [Ahmadis] rendering despite being in the minority?
“If one ponders over the wealthy people and traders among them [non-Ahmadi Muslims], one finds that though they might have spent a lot in various works, they would rarely spend any money for the propagation and protection of Islam. However, in comparison, even if one ponders over the poorest Ahmadi, one finds that they spend a part of their hard-earned income on the propagation and protection of Islam.
“Our claim is that ‘We represent Islam’, and their claim is also the same, however, the point to ponder is that whenever Islam is faced with any turmoil, whose heart feels the pain and upon feeling such anguish, who is ready to sacrifice even their life for this cause? This very criterion could decide between us, and one could find as to who has a [true] connection with Islam. […] One should see whenever the world attempts to efface Islam, who is at the forefront to offer sacrifices and says ‘separate my head from the body, and then you may attack Islam’? And who is the one who remains aloof? […]
“If those who claim to be Muslim had any connection with Islam, why would they not have any passion upon witnessing such a situation of Islam? However, the fact is that their situation is like the person who is aware of the presence of water and that it is filled with a tiriyaq [cure], but still does not drink it. […] They have turned away from God. God has deprived them of the opportunity to serve Islam. God does not care for those who do not pay attention towards His beloved and ma’mur [appointee]. Thus, they are unable to serve Islam. This is a point to ponder, there is great proof for the truthfulness of our Community.
“These people [opponents of Ahmadiyyat] desire to efface us, however, we sympathise with them and only pray for them. The Promised Messiahas has also said:
“After all, they are claimants of the love for the Quran, Islam, and the Holy Prophetsa. For this reason, we pray for them that ‘O our God, open their eyes so that they may see and benefit from that [spiritual] sun, which You have raised for their benefit, and may they hold fast to the habl [rope] which has been sent by You to save those who are about to drown.’” (Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 5, pp. 600-604)
May Allah the Almighty enable the Muslim World to pay heed to the ‘Rope of Allah’, and unite under the banner of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya which is continuing the Promised Messiah’sas mission — i.e., uniting the world at the hands of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa. Amin.
A series looking at pioneer missionaries and devotees of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat who gave precedence to faith over the world.
Awwab Saad Hayat, Al Hakam
An old and rare picture of Palestinian Arabs with Hazrat Maulvi Jalal-ud-Din Shamsra
The early missionaries of the Ahmadiyya Community gained unprecedented success in the field of polemics and proved the truthfulness of Islam and the Holy Quran against Christian missionaries and Muslim scholars too. However, their arguments and proofs were met with the same response that enemies of truth typically resort to.
In December 1927, Hazrat Maulana Jalaluddin Shamsra, a missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in Damascus, was viciously attacked with a dagger by an opponent, causing severe injuries.
After a long recovery and having fully healed, on 9 March 1928, the French Mandate in Syria ordered him to leave the country, a move instigated by Muslim scholars at the time. He reported back to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra in Qadian about the brewing situation via telegram. Huzoorra thus instructed him to move to the port of Haifa in Palestine.
Sayyid Munir al-Hussni Sahib was appointed as his acting amir in Damascus while Jalaluddin Shams Sahib reached Haifa on 17 March 1928. Thus, the foundation of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s Palestine mission was laid.
From the fourth volume of Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat onwards, a brief overview of the Jamaat’s activities in the first 25 years of the Holy Land emerges as follows:
Initially, there was strong opposition to the missionary origination here, but with the help of Allah, Hazrat Maulana Jalaluddin Shamsra was successful in establishing a community in Haifa.
In Haifa, while discussions and debates with Muslims, Baha’is and Christians continued, the opposition and hostility of opposing scholars and religious elders also intensified. However, this proved to be a catalyst in the growth of the local Ahmadiyya community.
Ahmadis were also subjected to oppression and violence. During this period, civil unrest erupted between Jews and the local Muslim population in Haifa, at times resulting in bloodshed. When it became known that rioters wanted to attack the Ahmadiyya missionary’s house, Maulana Jalaluddin Shamsra was forced to move to another house.
Mahmood Mosque in Kababir, Haifa
On 3 April 1931, Maulana Jalaluddin Shamsra laid the foundation of the Mahmood Mosque in Kababir, which is the first Ahmadiyya mosque in the Arab world.
The roof of the mosque was yet to be built when Jalaluddin Shamsra was given his new posting. All the Ahmadi men, women and children of Kababir participated in the construction of this mosque.
Maulana Jalaluddin Shamsra remained in Palestine until 29 September 1931. During his stay, two permanent local jamaats were established in Haifa and Tiberias, and the message of Ahmadiyyat reached important places in the Arab world – such as Baghdad, Mosul, Beirut, Homs, Hama, Latakia, and Amman – through this missionary’s letters and efforts.
Members of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Kababir with Hazrat Maulvi Jalal-ud-Din Shamsra
Maulana Abul Ata Sahib
While Maulana Jalal-ud-din Shamsra was still in Haifa, Maulana Abul Atara, at the behest of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra, left Qadian on 13 August 1931 and reached Haifa on 4 September 1931. Maulana Shamsra handed over the charge of the Palestine mission to him and returned to Qadian on 20 December 1931.
Maulana Abul Atara stayed there from September 1931 to the end of January 1936. During this time, this Ahmadiyya mission gained a firmer foothold than before.
The Mahmood Mosque in Kababir saw its construction reach completion.
In 1930, Maulana Shamsra started a small school in which the Holy Quran was taught to boys and girls. It was formally inaugurated in the form of an Ahmadiyya school by Maulana Abul Atara on 1 January 1934. He, himself, was the first headmaster of this school.
In addition, he started the first Ahmadiyya printing press in Kababir under the name Al-Matba‘ah al-Ahmadiyyah, which was inaugurated on 6 March 1935, and the first Arabic translation of the Promised Messiah’sasDa‘wat-ul-Haq was published in it.
During his time in Palestine, there was also a series of written and oral debates with Muslim scholars and Christian preachers, in which Allah gave victory to Islam Ahmadiyyat, and the message of truth reached many people. During this time, Maulana Abul Atara also visited Cairo, Ras El-Bar, Damietta, and Alexandria in Egypt.
In addition to Christians, he also invited Jews to Islam and published a tract in Hebrew for them. This was the first time the Jewish people had received a message from Muslims in the Hebrew language, and they were surprised that they were being called to Islam in Hebrew.
One of the special features of his stay was that instead of publishing a tract or magazine occasionally, he set the practice of a regular magazine that was published at a scheduled time. It was published as a quarterly magazine called Al-Bushra al-Islamiyah al-Ahmadiyyah – which was later changed to Al-Bushra in January 1935 – and proved to be the most effective means of spreading the message of Islam and Ahmadiyyat in the length and breadth of the Arab world.
In addition to the regular quarterly or monthly magazine, he was also able to publish some other valuable literature.
During his stay, new local jamaats were established in Umm al-Fahm and Mawqif Aarah, and the number of Ahmadis increased in Kababir, Haifa and Barja areas.
Maulana Muhammad Salim Sahib
Maulana Abul Atara handed over the charge to Maulana Muhammad Salim Sahib, and went back to Qadian on 24 February 1936 via Syria and Iraq.
To reach Palestine, Maulana Muhammad Salim Sahib left Qadian on 4 January 1936, and reached Haifa on 27 January 1936. Just a few weeks after he took charge, a general strike broke out in Palestine due to the mutual conflict between Arabs and Jews. This strike continued for six months. It soon took the form of a riot. However, he regularly kept the series of teaching and educating locals in Dar-ul-Tabligh, Kababir. He handled the tiresome work of editing Al-Bushrah in a beautiful style and manner. He took an interest in the development and well-being of Kababir’s local Ahmadiyya School and also held debates with scholars of the prestigious Al-Azhar University of Egypt, living or visiting Palestine.
He also had some debates with some Christian priests. In his time, many blessed souls also entered the fold of Jamaat. He was also able to translate or re-publish some famous books.
Chaudhary Muhammad Sharif Sahib
Maulana Muhammad Salim Sahib returned after fulfilling his assigned duties of tabligh for about two years on 10 March 1938. Then, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra sent Chaudhary Muhammad Sharif Sahib to Palestine.
He left Qadian on 7 September 1938, and reached Haifa on 24 September 1938. He remained engaged in tabligh in the Arab world for roughly 18 years, and then returned to Rabwah, the then-new headquarters of the Community, on 15 December 1955.
His period of stay in the Holy Land passed in very trying circumstances. The conflict between Arabs and Jews took a more delicate form than before. During this time, a plan was also made to kill him, which failed. When the civil war between Arabs and Jews in Palestine reached its climax, the United Nations announced the decision to divide Palestine in November 1947, and later on, in 1948, the Israeli government was established and the series of killing each other and looting was on the rise everywhere. Where thousands of innocent Arabs were killed and millions were displaced. Haifa and Kababir were cut off from the rest of the country and several local jamaats were forced to migrate.
Sheikh Noor Ahmad Manir Sahib and Maulana Rashid Ahmad Chughtai Sahib
The final decision of the division of Palestine had just been taken when, by the order of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra, Maulana Sheikh Noor Ahmad Manir and Maulana Rashid Ahmad Chughtai left for Palestine respectively on 13 October 1945, and 23 October 1946, for tabligh in the Arab world.
Sheikh Noor Ahmad Manir, after fulfilling the duty of tabligh in Palestine for a few months, reached Syria on 17 September 1946. Apart from re-establishing the Ahmadiyya Community in Syria. During his stay, Palestinian Ahmadis came to Damascus as refugees in extremely poor conditions, and he also arranged their settlement. In this regard, Damascus’s local jamaat showed a great example of sincerity and sympathy and provided every possible assistance to the Palestinian Ahmadi refugees in particular and other refugees in general. He returned to Rabwah on 17 December 1949.
After one year of Maulana Rashid Ahmad Chughtai’s arrival in Palestine, the situation in Palestine had become very delicate. Therefore, Chaudhry Muhammad Sharif sent him to establish a new mission in East Jordan on 3 March 1948.
Praise for the missionary’s wise decision
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra praised this timely action of Chaudhry Muhammad Sharif Sahib, the missionary in charge, and said that just as East Punjab had suffered greatly, a similar fate befell Palestine due to the onslaught by the Jews; and our Jamaat found itself amid this perilous situation. Some members of Haifa’s jamaat had relocated to Damascus ahead of the riots, while details about the others remained elusive. Realising the urgency of the circumstances, Chaudhry Muhammad Sharif Sahib, the missionary in charge, portrayed astuteness and promptly dispatched one of the preachers to East Jordan. Given the uncertainty encircling our circumstances, he instructed the preacher to establish a new centre in the region. This strategic action mirrored the approach adopted when departing from Qadian. (Al Fazl, 5 December 1948, p. 3)
Some of the services of Chaudhry Muhammad Sharif Sahib
The Ahmadiyya Printing Press (Kababir) was abandoned and locked up. He got it fixed in November 1938 and started publishing the magazine (Al-Bushrah) from it. It continued to be published regularly under his editorship till his stay.
The Ahmadiyya Printing Press and Ahmadiyya Library were built temporarily, which he rebuilt on solid grounds from scratch.
He elevated the standards of the Ahmadiyya Kababir School, published many new books, and translated some.
Among some of the other important services that Chaudhry Muhammad Sharif Sahib performed during his time in Palestine, he also challenged the Haifa Islamic Law Court’s decision regarding the Islamic faith of Ahmadis. He took the matter to the Supreme Islamic Council (Jerusalem), which issued a directive to all courts that the Ahmadiyya community is a Muslim sect.
In January 1947, he challenged the Patriarch of Antioch in particular, and the patriarchs and bishops of Palestine and Syria in general, to a public and written debate on the controversial issues between Islam and Christianity. This challenge was published in newspapers in Iraq, Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon, but they did not dare to come forward.
He also had debates with the leader of the Baha’is, Shoghi Effendi Rabbani.
He also toured Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq. Through his efforts, not only did the early local jamaats of the Arab world grow, but new local jamaats were also established in Sudan, Ethiopia, Aden,
Kuwait, Bahrain, and North Africa
After his return, Maulana Jalaluddin Sahib Qamar was appointed as the in-charge missionary in the Palestine Mission. He continued to perform the duty of preaching till December 1964.
This is the briefest overview of some of the efforts of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community during the first quarter-century of its history in the Holy Land.
May Allah grant the Jamaat to continue its journey of service and goodness to the Muslim ummah and humankind in general. Amin.
A glimpse into the rich history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat
Jalsa Salana Qadian, 1991
22 December 1893: On this day, the Promised Messiahas replied to a letter he received from Hazrat Munshi Rustam Alira. In his letter, this noble companion stated that he desired to have a coat prepared for the Promised Messiahas. The Promised Messiahas replied that it would be better that he prepare quilts for guests of Qadian instead.
Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Irfanira says that this letter had no date mentioned, but the stamp was dated 22 December 1893. Moreover, he added that this letter exhibited Huzoor’sas hospitality to guests. Hazrat Munshi Rustam Alira wrote to Huzooras expressing his desire to provide him ease, but setting aside his own comfort, Hazrat Ahmadas instructed Munshi Sahibra to prepare quilts for his guests. This shows how Huzooras undertook the moral training of his Companionsra. (Maktubat-e-Ahmad [2019], Vol. 2, p. 598)
22 December 1956: A telephone exchange was set up in Rabwah and started operating the following year. On page 4 of the 30 December 1956 edition of Al Fazl, the Nazir-e-A‘la, Hazrat Mirza Aziz Ahmadra (grandson of the Promised Messiahas) informed residents of Rabwah that telephones had been installed at the Jamaat’s offices and some residential houses. Thus, the connection between the Markaz and the whole world became easier. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 18, p. 374)
22 December 2013: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa condemned the attack on Islam by Geert Wilders, a Dutch politician. In a highly disturbing and provocative act, the leader of the PVV Party in Holland escalated his campaign against Islam by placing a crude and grotesque sticker on the door of his parliamentary office. (“Global Muslim Leader Condemns Latest Attack on Islam By Dutch Politician Geert Wilders”, www.pressahmadiyya.com)
23 December 1926: Swami Shraddhanand was assassinated on this day. He was an Arya Samaj missionary who propagated the teachings of Dayananda Saraswati and played a key role in the Sangathan and Shuddhi movements in the 1920s. Ahmadi viewpoint on this killing can be read in Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra Jalsa Salana speech delivered on 27 December 1926. Hindu newspapers used to call Shraddhanand the second Lekhram. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 4, p. 567)
24 December 1902: On this day, Al Hakam reported, “On the night between 21 and 22 December, which was the first night of the last ten nights of Ramadan, the Promised Messiahas received the revelation:
يَأْتِيْ عَلَيْكَ زَمَنٌ كَمِثْلِ زَمَنِ مُوْسٰي
“[A time is coming for you which will be like the time of Moses.] The Promised Messiahas said, ‘I have not received this revelation before during this period of 24 or 25 years, even though I have been given the name Musa [Moses] several times in divine revelations.” (Tadhkirah [English], p. 605)
25 December 1922: Following a proposal from his second wife, Amatul Haye Sahibara, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra established Lajna Imaillah on this day and appointed her as its first secretary. Since its inception, it has remained a worldwide academic, religious and community organisation for Ahmadi women. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 4, p. 303)
25 December 1930: Hazrat Mirza Sultan Ahmad, the eldest son of the Promised Messiahas, took bai‘at at the hand of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra. Though he did not perform bai‘at during the life of the Promised Messiahas, he would passionately defend the Promised Messiahas event during that period. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 5, p. 237)
25 December 1947: Quaid-e-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Governor General of Pakistan, appointed Hazrat Chaudhry Sir Zafrulla Khanra as the first foreign minister of the country. (Tehdis-e-Nemaat [2009], pp. 645-646)
26 December 1933: Jalsa Salana coincided with the holy month of Ramadan. Around 400 people took bai‘at during Jalsa. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra delivered addresses on all three days despite fasting, without loudspeakers. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 5, p. 130)
26 December 1982: On this day, the inaugural Jalsa Salana of the blessed era of the Fourth Khilafat commenced in Rabwah. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh graced the event with his spiritually uplifting speeches throughout the three days. Despite heavy rain on the concluding day, the Jalsa proceedings continued uninterrupted, with a remarkable attendance of approximately 220,000, including representatives from 27 countries who journeyed to Rabwah, Pakistan. During this historic Jalsa, Huzoorrh delivered the heartening news that the Jamaat had established missions in 28 countries, where 391 missionaries were diligently serving. With the Markaz’s invaluable support, 24 new mosques had been constructed across nine countries, and additional mission houses had been established in 8 different countries. Additionally, 25 magazines and newspapers were being meticulously prepared and printed worldwide by Jamaat. Huzoorrh expressed his desire for the circulation of Al Fazl and The Review of Religions to reach a minimum of 10,000. (Silsila Ahmadiyya, Vol 4, p. 861)
27 December 1960: The chief justice of India was given Ahmadiyya literature when he visited Tarapur in Palghar district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Maulvi Abdur Rahman Fani Sahib, a local missionary of the Jamaat, presented an address on behalf of the Jamaat. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 21, p. 9)
28 December 1928: Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Australia convened its Jalsa Salana, which was the first-ever Jamaat gathering in that part of the world outside India. Hazrat Sufi Muhammad Hassan Musa Khanra, the pioneering Ahmadi of Australia, narrated the claims of the Promised Messiahas. By the grace of Allah, this proved to have a very great impact on all those present. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 5, p. 100)
28 December 1991: On this day, the historic Jalsa Salana Qadian concluded, which commenced on 26 December. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh gracefully inaugurated the event at 10 am on 26 December. During his Friday Sermon on the second day of the Jalsa, Huzoorrh heralded the commencement of the new Waqf-e-Jadid year, and later that day, he delivered a profound address to the Lajna at the ladies’ Jalsa Gah. (Silsila Ahmadiyya, Vol 4, p. 868)
Genesis, the first book of the Bible, narrates the stories of many prophets; however, the story of Prophet Josephas is unique in many ways. It makes a very moving and inspiring read and is highly educative morally and spiritually.
The story of Propeht Josephas – known as Yusufas in the Holy Quran – is also mentioned in the Holy Quran, and apparently, it looks very similar to the one in the Bible. However, a careful look at the two versions makes it clear that there are important differences between the two. The Quranic version is more elaborate, coherent and logical than the Biblical version. And some important incidents are missing, altogether, in the Biblical story.
Before we point out the differences between the Biblical and Quranic versions of Prophet Joseph’sas story, it seems necessary to know the family background of Prophet Josephas, which makes the basis of his story.
The family background of Josephas
We learn from the Bible that Jacobas, the father of Josephas, was living in Haran with his maternal uncle Laban. In Haran, Jacobas worked very hard as a cattle farmer and became quite a rich man. During his stay in Haran, he had four wives. Three of his wives produced ten sons for him, but one of them, Rachel, did not produce any child for him for a very long time. Eventually, God heard the prayers of Rachel too and she was blessed with a son who was named Josephas. By that time, all the ten elder stepbrothers of Josephas were already grown-up youths, helping their father in the fields.
Some years after the birth of Josephas, Jacobas felt that his uncle Laban, and his children, did not regard him as before and they seemed to be jealous of his riches. So he decided, under divine command, to leave Haran and go back to his home town in Canaan. He consulted his wives and children, and, one day, he took all his family members, slaves, servants and flocks of animals, and left for Canaan.
On his way back to Canaan, Rachel gave birth to another son for Jacobas who was named Benjamin. Sadly enough, however, Rachel had gone through a very hard labour and could not survive the birth of her second baby. Thus, Josephas lost his mother but he got a real brother, Benjamin. And these two brothers happened to be the youngest of all the twelve sons of Jacob which he had from his four wives. (Gen.30:1-24; 35:17-26)
Stepbrothers make a wicked plan
Out of his 12 sons, Jacobas loved Josephas most, and that made all the ten step-brothers of Josephas extremely jealous of him. So they began to hate him. When still a small boy, Josephas saw a dream which he mentioned to his brothers. The brothers felt insulted by the dream, and they rebuked him for that dream. Then Josephas had another dream in which he saw that the sun, moon and 11 stars had bowed down before him. Again he mentioned this vision to his father and brothers, and again they rebuked him for his vision. (Gen. 37:1 – 22)
Now, after this second dream all the stepbrothers of Josephas, who already hated him, begin to feel even more angry and jealous of him and they decide to get rid of him. So they make a very wicked plan against Josephas. And thus begins the ‘story of Josephas’ which we find mentioned in the Bible as well as in the Holy Quran. And which we are now going to consider and compare in the next pages. (Gen. 39 – 45, & Surah Yousuf. Ch.12)
Differences between Biblical and Quranic versions
As already mentioned, the story of Josephas that appears in the Holy Quran may seem similar to the story mentioned in the Bible; however, a closer examination of the two makes it clear that the Quranic version is much more elaborate and realistic than the Biblical version. The Biblical story is short, ambiguous and lacks many important incidents. It even goes on to tarnish the innocent image of Josephas in the incident involving Potipher’s wife.
Let us now see the main differences between the Quranic and Biblical versions.
Joseph did not tell his dream to his brothers
According to the Biblical story, when Josephas narrated his first dream to his brothers, they rebuked him saying:
“And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
“And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.” (Gen.37:8,9)
Now, we know from the Bible that on hearing the first dream, the brothers of Josephas were very angry and they rebuked and condemned him for that dream. In this context, therefore, it is evident that Josephas couldn’t have told his second dream to his brothers which was even more insulting and annoying to them than the first one.
According to the Holy Quran, Josephas did not tell his second dream to his brothers. He had mentioned it only to his father who had advised him:
“He said, ‘O my darling son, relate not thy dream to thy brothers, lest they contrive a plot against thee; for Satan is to man an open enemy.” (Surah Yusuf, Ch.12: V.6)
Father didn’t rebuke Josephas for his dreams
Again, the Biblical story states that on hearing the second dream:
“[…] his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
“And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.” (Gen.37:10,11)
Here, again, we have something illogical in the Biblical story. It is not in one’s power to see dreams at their own will, and Joseph’sas father knew this fact very well. How then, could he rebuke his son for seeing such a dream? As already quoted from the Holy Quran (Surah Yusuf, Ch.12: V.6), the father understood the message underlying the dream and had advised Josephas not to tell that dream to his brothers.
Even the Genesis story says that “his father observed the saying.” (Gen.37:11)
This shows that the father fully understood the importance of Joseph’sas vision, and he remembered it all his life because that dream foretold how his family affairs were going to develop in the future.
Jacobas did not send Josephas to the fields
The Biblical story says that it was Jacobas himself who had sent his son, Josephas, into the fields to go and look for his stepbrothers saying:
“And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again.” (Gen.37:14)
Here, again, we see something very strange. We are told that Jacobas was worried about the welfare of his ten grown-up sons who were pasturing the flocks in the fields; and that he had told his young son of tender age to go out in the fields and look around for his elder brothers and bring back the news about them.
Now, we have already read in the Biblical story that Joseph’sas ten elder brothers “hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him” (Gen.37:4) because they could see that their father “loved Joseph more than all his children” (Gen.37:3,4). In this context, therefore, it was not likely that the father would have sent Josephas to go and meet his elder brothers in the fields when he knew that all of his step-brothers hated him and were inimically disposed towards him.
The Holy Quran, on the other hand, tells us that it was the brothers of Josephas who had persuaded their father to let Josephas go out with them, saying:
“‘Send him with us tomorrow that he may enjoy himself and play, and we shall surely keep guard over him.’” (Surah Yusuf, Ch.12: V.13) Their father, however, was reluctant to part with Josephas and had replied to them: “‘It grieves me that you should take him away, and I fear lest the wolf should devour him while you are heedless of him.’” (Ibid., V.14)
But the sons had insisted on taking Josephas out with them, and the father had agreed to let Josephas go with them only after they had reassured him: “‘Surely, if the wolf devour him while we are a strong party, then we shall indeed be [great] losers.’” (Ibid., V.15)
So we can see that the Biblical version is not consistent in logic. The father could not have sent his small boy out in the fields to look for his step-brothers when he knew quite well that they were not friendly to him and could harm him. The Holy Quran, on the other hand, tells us that it was the brothers who had insisted on taking Joseph along, and the father had agreed reluctantly when all of them had assured him about the boy’s safety.
Recently, I was discussing this with a Christian friend who challenged me to prove, from the Holy Quran and other Islamic sources, that the Bible has been abrogated.Below, I shall provide a brief background on how and why the Bible has been corrupted and then after that, I shall cite evidence from three main Islamic sources: (1) the Holy Quran, (2) Sahih al-Bukhari, and (3) writings of the Promised Messiahas.
Since the beginning of time, God Almighty has sent a countless number of prophets throughout the world to every nation and people. God has sent these prophets and messengers according to the spiritual needs and requirements of those respective people. Alongside this, we have also observed throughout history, that every time a prophet comes, the followers of that prophet are elevated spiritually and physically. However, after that prophet passes away, it has been shown clearly that the respective prophet’s followers, when they forget the teaching they were bestowed with, fall into a heavy state of decay and become lost in a sort of darkness.
Their falling into this darkness and state of decay is due to multiple reasons. One of them is human nature, to some extent. The second, and more critical reason, is that all of their prophets have only had a limited teaching and scope of mission. This is also why God would constantly send prophets to bring the people back towards their true Creator and not move away from the true teachings of their respective prophets.
Thus, when the world had reached a point where they were ready, physically and mentally, to have a prophet whose message was not limited and confined to the people he was sent to, God Almighty then sent the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa to the world. He was the first and only prophet to bring a spiritual law to the entire world as a whole. After the Holy Prophetsa passed away, after some time, as prophesied by the Holy Prophetsa himself, Muslims began to fall into a state of decay and began to move away from the true teachings of Islam.
Proofs from the Holy Quran
Although the Holy Quran has remained perfectly preserved and will always remain preserved, the same cannot be said for the Bible and other religious texts. I will provide material proving that the Christian doctrine and the Bible are corrupt from Islamic sources specifically.
God Almighty has referred to this corruption in upwards of seven verses of the Holy Quran. Here, I shall share four verses:
Verse 1
“O People of the Book, exceed not the limits in your religion, and say not of Allah anything but the truth. Verily, the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only a Messenger of Allah and [a fulfilment of] His word which He sent down to Mary, and a mercy from Him. So believe in Allah and His Messengers, and say not [‘They are three.’] Desist, [it will be] better for you. Verily, Allah is the only One God. Far is it from His Holiness that He should have a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. And sufficient is Allah as a Guardian.” (Surah an-Nisa’, Ch.4: V.172)
Christians claim that the concept of the divinity of Christ and the trinity is what Jesusas preached; however, this concept is refuted by the Holy Quran. This verse refers specifically to the Christians and commands them not to exceed the limits of their own religion and continues to warn that they should not speak anything of God except the truth. Then, furthermore, it states that Jesusas is just a prophet of God.
Verse 2
“The Jews and the Christians say, ‘We are sons of Allah and His loved ones.’ Say, ‘Why then does He punish you for your sins? Nay, you are only human beings among those He has created.’ He forgives whom He pleases and punishes whom He pleases. And to Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, and to Him shall be the return.” (Surah al-Ma’idah, Ch.5: V.19)
Here, God Almighty is alluding to the fact that there is no such thing as sonship of God Almighty and that the Christians and Jews who falsely assert so are doing so wrongly. Then, God also gives an argument in support of this and states that if this had been the case and they were the sons of God Almighty, then why do they commit sins and are punished for doing so?
Verse 3
With a study of Surah al-Ma’idah, Ch.5: V.73-76 and 79, we learn that the Holy Quran paints a clear picture showing that everything the Christians preach now is opposed to what Jesusas used to teach the Bani Isre’il. Furthermore, God has also put forth multiple arguments in verse 76 refuting the godship of Jesusas. (i) It points out that Jesusas was no better than other Messengers of God in any way. (ii) He enjoyed no higher status. (iii) He showed no miracles the like of which were not shown by other Prophets. In fact, the greatest miracle ascribed to him by his followers is that of the alleged raising of the dead. But the Bible ascribes similar miracles to other Prophets also (see 2 Kings 4:16-35; 13:21). (iv) Another argument mentioned by the verse against his alleged divinity is that he was born of a woman. Being born of a human being, he could not be divine. Moreover, a child is known to inherit some of the prominent traits of the physical and moral make-up of its parent. Jesusas, being born of a woman must have inherited her nature and her qualities and so he could not be God or the son of God. Being human, he was, like other human beings, subject to the natural laws of hunger and of satisfying it by taking food and he was subject also to the natural phenomena that ensue.
Verse 4
Further, in verses 117-118 of the aforementioned Surah, we read a conversation between Allah and Jesusas that shall take place on the Day of Judgement. We read, in this verse, that God Almighty asked Jesusas in regards to his teaching and whether or not he told his followers to take himself and his mother as someone to worship. Jesusas, in reply, categorically denied doing so and added that God is free from such slander.
Proofs from the Hadith
In a hadith, Hazrat Ibn Abbasra advised Muslims not to seek guidance from people who follow other religious books, like the Jews and Christians, as they, Muslims, have been bestowed with the Quran, which is the most recent and unchanged revelation from Allah. He further added that followers of other scriptures, at one point in time, altered their books and falsely claimed it was from Allah to suit their desires. He asked, “Isn’t the knowledge revealed to you sufficient to prevent you from asking them?” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Shahadat, Hadith 2685) Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-i‘tisami bi l-kitabi wa s-sunah, Hadith 7363, narrates a very similar hadith to this.
These ahadith demonstrate, explain and make it clear that there Muslism agreed that specifically the Bible and other religious scriptures have been corrupted. Hazrat Ibn Abbasra explained this in-depth and substantiated the claim that the Bible has been corrupted by Christians themselves.
Proof from the writings of the Promised Messiah
The next piece of evidence I would like to put here is the excerpt from the book of the Promised Messiahas, Testimony of the Holy Quran:
“It was written that the Antichrist would claim both Prophethood and Godhead, and so it came to pass through this people. Brazen and unwarranted interpolation into the books of the Prophets on the part of the Christian clerics is, in other words, tantamount to claiming Prophethood. They have so boldly interpolated into them as if they themselves were the Prophets. They have twisted the words of the revealed books and written their commentaries to suit their purpose. Moreover, they have audaciously fabricated lies at every occasion, hiding what is present and displaying what is not present. They have so authoritatively altered the meaning of their religious books as if they received revelation and were Prophets themselves.” (Testimony of the Holy Quran, p. 30)
After reading the above-researched material, room for doubt shall no longer linger in anyone’s mind.
Concluding comments
As for those of you who quote Surah Yunus, Ch.10: V.95, whilst making false claims that the Holy Quran orders Muslims to take guidance from the Bible and the Torah and that therefore they must be true, I shall now move on to briefly disprove this notion and explain how it is completely and utterly baseless.
Firstly, the above-mentioned references are enough to dispel this notion. Secondly, nowhere in this verse does it say that we should go and turn to the Bible for guidance:
“And if thou art in doubt concerning that which We have sent down to thee, ask those who have been reading the Book before thee. Indeed the truth has come to thee from thy Lord; be not, therefore, of those who doubt.” (Surah Yunus, Ch.10: V.95)
The verse means that as for those who object, they are told that if, as they assert, this Book (i.e., the Quran) gives rise to doubts, they should enquire from those who have benefited by reading and acting upon it. They will then find how it has illuminated their hearts and raised them to the highest pinnacles of spiritual glory.
The next point to dispel this notion is that Jesusas was never given a law-bearing book from God, nor was the Bible written by him or even in his time. The Holy Quran also affirms this in Surah al-Ma’idah Ch.5: V.49, wherein it states:
“We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow in their footsteps”
Under this verse, the Five Volume Commentary states that this verse shows that, “like the Prophets who preceded him, Jesusas also was a follower of the Law of Moses, the Gospels being only an exposition of selected teachings of the Torah suited to those times.” (Five Volume Commentary, Surah al-Ma’idah Ch.5: V.49)
“The word انجيل occurring in the verse does not refer to the present four Gospels which were written by the followers of Jesusas long after his so-called crucifixion and which give merely an account of his life and teachings. The word refers to the actual revelation received by Jesus from God. The present Gospels do indeed contain a part of that revelation, but Divine words have become so mixed up with the sayings of Jesusas himself that in many cases it is difficult to distinguish between the two. The Gospels contain a good deal of matter which is admittedly not of Divine origin. The saying of the Holy Prophetsa, اناجيلھم صدورھم i.e. “the breasts of my Companions are like Gospels” (Lisan), sheds some light on the significance and position of the Gospels. This saying of the Prophet means that the breasts of his Companions were repositories of his life history and teachings which are indeed a great gospel. It may be inferred from this that the position of the present Gospels is analogous to that of the collections of Hadith, such as Bukhari, Muslim, etc.” (Ibid., Surah Aal-e-‘Imran, Ch.3: V.4)
Al-Fawaz Ajimoti, Student Jamia Ahmadiyya International Ghana
Jackson Hendry | Unsplash
Recently, humanity bore witness to yet another remarkable feat. After years of anticipation and hard work by NASA’s OSIRIS-Rex (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security – Regolith Explorer) team, a capsule of rocks and dust collected from asteroid Bennu is finally back on Earth. (“NASA’s First Asteroid Sample Has Landed, Now Secure in Clean Room”, www.nasa.gov/)
For NASA, this is merely another milestone in a long line of achievements to explore space. Speaking on why they seek the space beyond, NASA once stated:
“No doubt, humanity’s interest in the heavens has been universal and enduring. Humans are driven to explore the unknown, discover new worlds, push the boundaries of our scientific and technical limits, and then push further. The intangible desire to explore and challenge the boundaries of what we know and where we have been has provided benefits to our society for centuries.” (“Why Go to Space?”, www.nasa.gov)
Reading this, it is no wonder that the US has so far spent upward of 650 billion dollars on NASA since its inception. Since the sky and beyond have long been sources of wonder and curiosity for humans, it is not difficult to understand why we would try so hard to fathom the mysteries of the cosmos and why we are driven to explore the unknown, despite our many problems back home.
Humanity has since embarked on a quest which piloted the evolvement of astronomy into a multifaceted field, giving rise to specialised subfields such as Astrophysics, Astrobiology, and Archeoastronomy among others. (“Astronomy in the Crossroads of Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Sciences”, juniperpublishers.com)
Islam and space exploration
It might surprise some, but the Holy Quran also entreats man to look and ponder over the creation of the heavens. It states:
“In the creation of the heavens and the earth and in the alternation of the night and the day there are indeed Signs for men of understanding” (Surah Aal-e-‘Imran, Ch.3:V.191)
The fact that NASA’s statement aligns almost directly to these verses is a testament to the claim that Islam is a religion which is tailormade for the sound nature of man.
In recent years, scientific advancements have given us a glimpse into the wonders of the cosmos that were previously unimaginable. This has fulfilled the prophecy of the Holy Quran:
وَاِذَا السَّمَآءُ كُشِطَتۡ
“And when the heaven is laid bare.” (Surah at-Takwir, Ch.81: V.12)
The word کشط means “He removed or stripped off a thing from a thing which it covered.” كَشَطتُ البَعِير means “I skinned the camel”. وَاِذَا السَّمَآءُ كُشِطَتۡ therefore means “When the sky shall be laid bare and shall have its covering removed.” (Dictionary of the Holy Quran, Malik Ghulam Farid, p. 720)
In Five Volume Commentary, it is written “The reference in the verse may be to the vast strides that the science of astronomy has made in the latter days. The advance in this branch of science during the past decade has startled the world.” (Five Volume Commentary, Vol. 5, p. 3323)
Therefore, by stripping off the coverings of heaven, humanity has been able to witness the wonders that have since years awaited us in the night sky. This has advanced our understanding of the universe while simultaneously fulfilling this great prophecy of the Holy Quran.
Exploring the Beyond
After millions of years of gazing at the sky from the relative safety of Earth, people finally stepped off our home planet and onto the surface of another world. It is now quite obvious through the latest developments that the various moon landing missions were but stepping stones for mankind’s voyage into the unknown.
As if by making the moon a starting point, mankind has successfully disproved the age-old rather pessimistic adage — “The sky is the limit.”
NASA currently is planning to resume human missions to the moon as a prelude to astronauts eventually travelling to Mars. We have also seen the rise of private space entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk, who has been preparing to reach Mars and build a permanent human settlement there. And other countries are looking to reach Mars as well. China, for example, aims to send its astronauts to the Red Planet by 2033. (“10 Reasons Why Space Exploration Matters to You” science.howstuffworks.com)
The future holds endless possibilities for mankind and it is exciting to imagine what humanity will achieve in the coming years. But so far, for what it’s worth, for a species once hunter-gatherers, heavens have indeed been laid bare.
Space exploration and the Latter Days
One might ask – why make such a prophecy? What does it signify? The answer to this is that this verse is among the many verses of the Holy Quran which contain various signs regarding the advent of the Promised Messiahas which is to take place in the Latter Days. These signs include progress in global communication, the vast circulation of knowledge etc.
As fascinating as it is that the Holy Quran, in such short words, contains such prophecies which clearly describe when and how the Latter Days would take place, it is more fascinating that the time of the revelation of these prophecies was when such events were completely unimaginable.
The Promised Messiahas, while talking about the fulfilment of one such prophecy stated that when one sees such prophecies being fulfilled, “one should believe that the Promised Messiahas is also present at this time.” (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 10 p. 230)
Hence, it can be confidently asserted that this verse and many others like it are simply telling us that ‘when you witness the fulfilment of these prophecies – which in this case is the laying bare of the heaven, be thou aware that the awaited Messiah is already amongst you.’
Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Jamaica organised its 9th Jalsa Salana on 25 and 26 November 2023.
Preparations for Jalsa Salana commenced several weeks in advance with some who travelled from distant towns to assist with the setup of the Jalsa gah. This year, six Khuddam from Canada, under the blessed scheme of Waqf-e-Aarzi, joined us. The chief guest for this year’s Jalsa Salana was Arsalan Warraich Sahib, President and Missionary-in-charge of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Belize.
On Friday, Arsalan Warraich Sahib led the Jumuah prayer and during his sermon, he emphasised the importance of Jalsa Salana and the associated blessings. This was followed by lunch.
On Saturday, a special session of Jalsa Salana took place after Zuhr and Asr prayers. President and Missionary-in-Charge of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Jamaica, Tariq Azeem Sahib, presented the opening remarks and extended a warm welcome to the guests. Subsequently, Arsalan Warraich Sahib spoke on “Our Muslim Identity in the Caribbean.” He encouraged members to actively practice their faith and shared activities of Belize Jamaat, providing ideas for serving the community in Jamaica.
This was followed by a short question-and-answer session, after which lunch was served to the guests.
On Sunday, the main session of Jalsa Salana began in the morning, presided over by Arsalan Warraich Sahib, started with the recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by an Arabic qaseedah in praise of the Holy Prophetsa.
Tariq Azeem Sahib delivered the welcome speech, emphasising the theme of “Nations cannot be reformed without the reformation of the youth.” Stories from the life of the Holy Prophetsa as well as some earlier prophets were shared to illustrate how prophets brought lasting transformations by setting an excellent example for future generations.
A mu‘allim, Ghulam Ahmad Sahib then delivered a speech on the “Role of Parents in Raising Excellent Youth,” and Ahmad Ibrahim Forson Sahib spoke on the “Islamic Approach to Ensuring Peace”.
Tariq Azeem Sahib then read out the special message from Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa for the participants of Jalsa Salana, drawing attention to various important points.
Dignitaries, including Mayor Norman Scott, Dr Kurt Waul, Mr Lynton Weir, Mrs Lorraine Spencer Jarret, Andrew Hancel, and Ms Teneish Grant, were invited to share a few words.
Arsalan Warraich Sahib delivered the closing speech on “Nations cannot be reformed without the reformation of the youth,” motivating youth to recognise their role as future leaders of humanity.
The awards ceremony recognised 22 individuals for their academic, athletic, and community service achievements.
The session concluded with a silent prayer led by Arsalan Waraich Sahib, followed by lunch for the guests of the Promised Messiahas.
