Hazrat Abu Hurairah, Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
“Whoever has oppressed another person concerning their reputation or anything else, they should beg forgiveness from them before the Day of Resurrection when there will be no money [to compensate for wrong deeds], but if they have good deeds, those good deeds will be taken from them according to their oppression which they have done, and if they have no good deeds, the sins of the oppressed person will be loaded on him.”
On 24August 2019, 46 Khuddam set out from six cities across Australia with the objective of visiting and spreading the message of Islam in regional towns.Khuddam from Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra and Perth took part in this road trip.
During this week-long journey, Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Australia did tabligh work in 46 towns and distributed 69,100 flyers while also visiting and donating books to eight libraries. Throughout the trip, 2,582 man hours were spent and a combined distance of 35,200 kilometers was covered.
The Khuddam on the ground were eager to engage with the locals in conversation to dispel any misconceptions about Islam. They also found that people would approach them on the streets to appreciate the work and message of “Muslims for Peace” and “Love for all, hatred for none”, which was boldly written across theirs vans and shirts.
To mark the end of the trip, Khuddam offered Friday prayer at Uluru rock, had lunch and then took part in a discussion with Rana Atiullah Sahib about the culture and beliefs of the Aboriginal communities and the significance of Uluru rock to the Aboriginal people.
Although climbing the Uluru rock is not illegal and a huge number of people were climbing it, Khuddam decided to show respect to the sentiments of the local Aboriginal community by deciding not to climb the Uluru rock. This was met with great appreciation by the locals and media.
Tabligh activity during the trip
Each group divided themselves into two groups, either on foot or on bicycles. One group was assigned door-to-door leafletting and the other to go into main streets of the towns and interact with locals, visit libraries and other public places. Alhamdolillah, the bicycle option proved very fruitful and resulted in a higher number of leaflets being distributed and more area of the town being covered.
Accommodation & food
Each group made their own arrangements for accommodation. Some camped at camp sites while others stayed in cabins and Airbnbs. One group travelled in an RV with its own set of beds, kitchen and a bathroom.
Most of the meals were cooked by Khuddam themselves along the way with some choosing to bring pre-cooked food.
Alhamdolillah, each group had a Khadim supervising Ziafat and all of them did an excellent job. May Allah the Almighty reward their efforts. Amin.
Broken Hill mosque visit
The Sydney group covered Broken Hill, a mining town located to the far west of New South Wales, which has the oldest surviving mosque built by the Cameleers who came from modern day Afghanistan, Punjab and Sindh. Built in 1887, it was rescued and is being maintained by the Broken Hill Historical Society in 1967. Alhamdolillah, the Sydney group were able to give Azan and offer Zuhr and Asr prayers at this mosque.
Meeting local Aboriginal community
Some of our members were able to meet the local Aboriginal Community members and give them gifts along with the introduction of our community.
Response of local Australians and feelings of Khuddam
By the grace of Allah, the media coverage and in particular the radio interviews were very effective in spreading the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat to these local towns. Combined with leafletting and interaction with locals, the overall response was very positive. At times, local Australians would stop and greet us with “Assalamo alaikum” which was very pleasing and led to some very positive discussions.
One Khadim from Adelaide explained that he was nervous and a little stressed prior to the trip. The reason being that he had three assignments that were due during the road trip and was going to miss three classes and had a quiz when he got back. However, he said that during the first tabligh stop at Port Wakefield, he had an interaction with a restaurant owner which justified his decision to come on the road trip and made him realise the importance of the task at hand. The restaurant owner, when told about the journey, appreciated the work that we were undertaking and invited all the Khuddam to eat at his restaurant.
There are always some challenges. One of the locals at Broken Hill did not want to accept the leaflet. However, when explained by a Khadim that Muslims were just like their everyday Australians and they have families, children, play sports, enjoy barbecues and other activities just like others Australians, the gentleman changed his stance and asked for the leaflet back and said “Thank you. I will now read it.”
A Khadim from Adelaide who is in high school told us later that he also had quite a few assignments due during the road trip, and two of the assignments were for Biology. He says:
“My biology teacher is an Indian Shia Muslim and he is known for being the strictest teacher in the school. I had managed to finish one of my assignments a week early but couldn’t manage to finish the other one in time, and by the time I got back, there was only one day left until the due date. Before I had the chance to organise an extension, my teacher asked me where I had been. I told him all about the trip and he was impressed to the point where he himself offered me a week-long extension (which is unheard of) and even said that he would provide me with a help sheet for an upcoming test and after I asked him why, he said “You are returning from doing God’s work; think of it as your reward.”
An elderly Adelaidian man in Coober Pedy approached the van and commended the Khuddam on their bravery to spread the peaceful message of Islam. However, he voiced his concerns on Shariah law and did not see how it was applicable in a global context. Despite this, he was satisfied to know that we were able to live in peace and harmony.
On another occasion, while Khuddam were at a service station in Erldunda in the Northern Territory, a couple approached them and asked where they were headed. After explaining the purpose of the trip and our destination, the man said to be careful if heading up north and to perhaps take some spray paint. Upon asking why, the man said that there was some offensive and Islamophobic signage up north and that if he had spray paint, he would have removed it himself.
Similarly, one of the groups were staying at an Airbnb at Whyalla, South Australia. The gentleman, whose house it was, asked the purpose of our visit. When a Khadim explained that we were on a “Discover Islam Road Trip” to meet locals and remove any misconception, the gentleman responded by saying, “I am an atheist and do not want to have this type of discussion”.
The next morning, Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya asked Khuddam how their night was. The Khuddam told him that the accommodation was good, however their host was a very serious type of a person. Khuddam were advised that before they checked out, they should purchase a box of chocolates and gift it to the host. Upon receiving the gift, the atheist gentleman had a smile on his face and became much friendlier and comfortable.
The Brisbane group, while having lunch at Charville, were approached by a local who saw their van in the market and took a break from his work to come speak to them. His name was Saleh, a Catholic who accepted Islam two years ago. He was impressed by our message on the van of “Love for all, hatred for none.” The group gave him some literature, exchanged contact details and invited him to their mosque. Saleh said that he would definitely visit our mosque when he was back in Brisbane.
The coordinator from Melbourne wrote:
“Our journey took us to many different towns and small cities which we never imagined that we would even visit. There, we met with locals and had a chat with them about Islam and tried to remove their misconceptions about the religion. Our van which was covered with the slogans ‘Love for all, hatred for none’, ‘Muslims down under’ and ‘Muslims for peace’ also attracted a lot of people. In one town, after we had donated a copy of the Holy Quran and the book The Philosophy of the Teachingsof Islam at a library, we found a lady looking at our van and waiting for us to have a chat. We had a lovely chat with her as we told her about our trip and she really applauded our efforts and told us that more Muslims should try to interact with the local communities in smaller towns”.
The Melbourne group also had a Radio interview at ABC Riverland, which was to be aired the following day. It had an audience of approximately 30,000 people. The next day, when they were delivering leaflets in another town called Berri, a couple of people told the Khuddam that they had heard about them through the radio show and were looking forward to meeting them.
In another town, a man hastily followed a couple of our Khuddam for two streets just to catch up to them and applaud their efforts. He said that there were a lot of misconceptions about Islam in that town and it was great to see someone travel there all the way from Melbourne to remove the wrong notions about this beautiful religion. He also took around a hundred of our pamphlets and promised to distribute them for us, so that he could help us out in whatever way he could.
At the end of our trip, one of the group members adequately summarised our feelings about our journey, saying:
“It is definitely enlightening to see and hear positive feedback and reactions from the public and we are mostly well received for our peaceful endeavour. The long walks from house to house throughout the day definitely put sores and blisters on our legs and feet, but it feels totally worth the effort and satisfying in the cause of Allah”.
In reference to the brotherhood among Khuddam, he says:
“It’s also a trip which reflects how tightly-knit our Ahmadi brothers are. All our efforts seem to run smoothly, despite the little obstacles which Allah has alleviated. If there is ever another trip like this, it will be worth the cause again as there are still plenty of towns in rural Australia that we have yet to reach out to”.
Summary of media coverage
Through the help of the national press and media department, a pre-event press release was issued on Monday, 19August to around 30,000 Australian media outlets including MPs and local communities.
We started receiving calls from local and national radio and television stations and online newspapers. Over the two weeks, we were blessed with around 40 media publications. The media team did extremely well to coordinate the interviews of each group while they were travelling. May Allah bless them and reward their efforts.
It is estimated that the message of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya reached around 3.8 million (14%)Australians as a result of this trip. It has also been said that the SBS story was translated in over 30 languages, Alhamdolillah.
Keeping in mind the large number of people joining the fold of Islam Ahmadiyyat, Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Sierra Leone regularly arranges various training classes and refresher courses. This is to ensure that we, as Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa desires, can train the old and new Ahmadis.
On 15 to 16 September, Majlis Ansarullah Kenema Region arranged a two-day Imam training class. The class started with the recitation and translation of the Holy Quran. Imam Munir Hussain Sahib addressed the gathering on the importance of Quranic studies and its teachings.
15 Imams, one chief speaker, two town chiefs, four Khuddam and three mualims attended the class. Lectures were delivered about the correct pronunciation of the Holy Quran, Salat with translation, tabligh and also the structure of Majlis Ansarullah.
A question and answer session was also arranged during the class. Alhamdolillah all participants showed great interest during the class and learnt a great deal.
Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Indonesia held a regional Jalsa Salana for North Sulawesi, Gorontalo and North Maluku, located in Kotamogabu. It ran from 13-15 September 2019. Some representatives from the local government also attended the event and delivered positive remarks about the Jamaat. About 430 Ahmadis and non-Ahmadis attended the Jalsa.
By the grace of Allah, a guest from Gorontalo accepted Islam Ahmadiyyat after a deep study of the Jamaat.
The topics covered at the Jalsa were regarding tabligh, financial sacrifice, and moral training for the family.
National Amir Sahib also attended. During his speech, he emphasised to work together in doing tabligh because it played an important role for the Jamaat’s development. He also thanked the organising committee, especially Lajna Imaillah who had worked hard, day and night, to serve the guests of the Promised Messiahas.
This blessed Jalsa concluded with a silent prayer led by National Amir Sahib and a group photo was also taken.
In France, every year in September, a memorial federation of NATO organises a ceremony in the honour of soldiers who offered their lives in the service of NATO. This year, on 14 September 2019, it was the 7th commemoration.
By the grace of Allah, it was the second time Missionary-in-Charge, Naseer Ahmed Shahid Sahib was invited as a representative of Islam for the religious ceremony and prayers. The civil, military and diplomatic authorities and various religious leaders had attended the memorial. In his speech, Naseer Shahid Sahib mentioned Islamic teachings about peace, self defence and love of one’s nation and the status of martyrs for a good cause.
At the end, he mentioned the prayers of Surah al-Fatihah and that of the last two chapters. He ended his speech with the Ahmadiyya slogan, “Love for all, hatred for none”. Later on, many guests, Muslims as well as non-Muslims, appreciated the content of his speech.
Our missionary was accompanied by Asif Arif Sahib, National Secretary External Affairs and Wajahat Chaudhry Sahib, President of Humanity First France.
They had set up a book stall and also banners of “Love for all, hatred for none” and that of Humanity First. The Promised Messiah’sas book A Message of Peace, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V’saa book World Crisis and the Pathway to Peace and leaflets were distributed after the ceremony.
Now, one ought to reflect that Allah Almighty did not even waste the good deed of a disbeliever, then would He let the virtuous deed of a Muslim go in vain? I am reminded of a companion who asked the Holy Prophetsa whether he would be rewarded for the substantial amounts of charity that he gave during the time that he was a disbeliever. The Holy Prophetsa responded: ‘These very alms have become the cause of your accepting Islam.’
(Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, Malfuzat, Vol. 1, p. 72)
25 September, Nunspeet: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah be his Helper, arrived earlier this evening in Nunspeet, the Netherlands. Huzooraa was welcomed by the deputy mayor, Gert van den Berg together with local neighbors and members of the Jamaat.
Many Ahmadis who have come recently from Pakistan saw Khalifatul Masih for the first time in their lives. Upon Huzoor’saa arrival, the atmosphere was filled with emotions and immense passion.
Huzooraa arrived at Baitun Noor, Nunspeet at approximately 20:00 local time. After arrival, Huzooraa led Maghrib and Ishaa prayers. Insha-Allah, during the week, Huzooraa will be gracing the 39th Jalsa Salana of the Netherlands.
The Jalsa Salana is due to commence on Friday, 27 September with Huzoor’saa Friday Sermon. MTA international will be covering all live sermons of Huzooraa during his stay in the Netherlands. In total, Huzooraa will be delivering five speeches during the tour of the Netherlands.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa will also inaugurate a purpose-built mosque in the Netherlands. This mosque’s foundation stone was laid by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa on 7 October 2015. It will be the first purpose-built mosque to have its foundation laid by and inaugurated by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih in the Netherlands.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa is on a tour of Europe and will be visiting France and Germany after the Netherlands. Al Hakam will be updating its readers with the engagements of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa during this tour, Insha-Allah.
The 178-year-old travel service provider, Thomas Cook collapsed on 23 September 2019. All of its flights were grounded and travellers were left stranded on airports.
The company may have collapsed and its flights grounded, but a special element of its history will never let its name collapse and its fame will forever fly high.
Indeed, there must be a list of very important personalities that travelled with Thomas Cook in all these years, but here, we intend to mention a certain passenger who holds immense importance in the history of interfaith harmony.
As Great Britain was setting up in London the British Empire Exhibition in 1924, it was decided that a conference be held where prominent religious leaders be invited to speak about their faiths. In selecting great leaders of faiths, great towns were looked at. However, a prospective guest speaker was discovered living in a very small hamlet of the British-Indian Punjab.
Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra was then the head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community that was rapidly spreading. It had not only spread across India but had also sent its missionaries to London by 1913. School of Oriental Studies (now SOAS) – the organiser of the conference – sent an invitation out to Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra in Qadian.
The community functioned on very limited resources, but the event demanded all possible effort to have the Caliph himself in attendance. Funds and loans were arranged, and travel arrangements were underway in no time. The Caliph left Qadian and travelled to Bombay (now Mumbai) on 14 July 1924. From the station, he headed straight to the travel agent that was making all arrangements of the long journey to and from London. He was soon seated in the office of Thomas Cook discussing and finalising plans.
Why the Caliph had chosen Thomas Cook is not mentioned in history, but we do have an assumption.
Thomas Cook & Sons had gained goodwill among Indian Muslims when it offered its first ever travel package to Hajj in 1886.
“There were a number of travel companies taking the Indian Muslim pilgrims to Jeddah from Bombay, but the arrangements were not up to the mark,” says Dr John Slight – a lecturer in imperial and global history at The Open University, UK – in an exclusive interview to Al Hakam.
“The pilgrims were overcharged and essential elements like health and safety were being neglected. The British government hence sought the services of Thomas Cook and signed them up to be the sole service provider for the Indian Muslim pilgrims. Thomas Cook arranged for travel via steamships, their railway travel to get to the port and their accommodation in hotels”.
Dr Slight went on to reveal that “Queen Victoria, as we know, had become interested in Islam and had a Muslim munshi working for her in her palace. In 1877, she also met a group of pilgrims who had travelled to the Hijaz for Hajj and had decided to pay the Queen a visit. Winston Churchill stated in an official memo in 1920 that ‘we are the greatest Mohammedan power in the world. It is our duty to study policies which are in harmony with Mohammedan feeling’.”
It could well be this background that led the Caliph to travel with Thomas Cook. However, the Caliphra boarded the ship named SS Africa from Bombay at 9am on 15 July 1924 and, travelling through Port Said, Damascus, Rome and Paris, arrived in London on 22 August 1924.
From Victoria Station, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra travelled straight to Ludgate Hill where he offered prayers in accordance with an Islamic tradition regarding the victory of the Messiah at Bab-ul-Ludd (an Arabic name resembling Ludgate).
London office of Thomas Cook & Sons, 1924
It was here, at Ludgate Circus, that he visited the office of Thomas Cook several times during his stay.
Thomas Cook provided all facilities for money exchange, sending and receiving his post to and from Qadian in India and arrangements for the Caliph’s travel back home.
The Ahmadiyya community in India were given the address of Thomas Cook & Sons, Ludgate Circus, London to write to the Khalifatul Masih.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II’s paper, titled The Ahmadiyya Movement, was read at the conference and was received with great admiration and appreciation.
Sir Denison Ross, the secretary of the conference, expressed his admiration of the Caliph and his paper in the following words:
“We had a demonstration of an electric and spiritual personality. His sparkling eye, his manly voice, his rhythmic torrent of words, his beautiful gestures and scintillating humour captivated the audience which accorded him with a great ovation.
This remarkable enterprise led to great publicity in the press and secured considerable interest for our conference”.
British newspapers covered the stay of the Caliph in London all through the couple of months that he resided in London.
There must be many things that Thomas Cook should be proud of, but we have mentioned only one that we feel is of great historic importance. After all, Thomas Cook had the honour to provide travel services to a Muslim Caliph – the best speaker at the historic conference of 1924.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra at the 1924 conference, London
An interesting fact before we close this piece: The company, Thomas Cook & Sons was founded in 1841 in Leicester by Mr Thomas Cook. After his death, the company was passed on to his son John M Cook and later, with the death of John, passed on to two grandsons of Thomas Cook, Frank Henry Cook and Ernest Edward Cook. Newspapers announced in June 1924 that due to some “family issues”, the company had been split into two, each section to be run independently by each grandson of Mr Cook. The company must have been struggling for its survival through inheritance issues. This was just one month before Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra got the services of Thomas Cook for his travel to England.
Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra delivered his historic lecture to the conference on 23 September 1924. On the same date, 95 years later, Thomas Cook wrapped up its business. It successfully remained in business for almost a whole century after the historic travel of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra.
This afternoon, in his Friday Sermon, Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa announced the launch of a new website – www.ahmadiyya-history.org – by the Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat department.
Huzooraa said:
“At this juncture, I would like to make an announcement; Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat department has started a website, which is in both the Urdu and English languages. On the website, published content of the Jamaat to do with the Jamaat’s history and biographies of important personalities is being made available, for example, biographies of the Promised Messiahas, Khulafa-e-Ahmadiyyat, Companionsra of Hazrat Ahmadas, the martyrs of Ahmadiyyat, Darweshan-e-Qadian, missionaries of the Jamaat and various other key personalities of the Jamaat; theses; articles; historic pictures; all published volumes of Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat; material to do with the history of auxiliary organisations and Jamaats in various countries and cities; writings of various key personalities of the Jamaat; pictures of tabarrukat [holy relics]; rare and significant newspaper cuttings; research articles and articles on history; photos, along with insightful introductions, of important Jamaat events, buildings, such as mosques, mission houses, central departments, academic departments, hospitals, dispensaries, guests houses etc.; valuable MTA documentaries have been uploaded onto a YouTube channel and can be viewed on this website and a timeline highlighting the salient moments of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya’s history until now.
“Insha-Allah, after the Jumuah prayer, I will launch this website.”
After leading the Jumuah prayer, and before departing for Islamabad, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa formally launched the website and led dua.
Speaking to Al Hakam, Farasat Ahmad Sahib of the Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat department said:
“The need was felt for covering a proper history of the Jamaat, not just in book form, but on a platform that can be made available to all Jamaat members around the world.”
Farasat Sahib explained that Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa gave guidance throughout the preparation phase.
“Even today, after viewing the main page of the website, Huzooraa issued some instructions with regard to a certain aspect of the website”, said Farasat Sahib, describing the level of detail to which Huzooraa guided the department.
“On 20 September, Rabwah was formally inaugurated by Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, a milestone in the history of the Jamaat. Today, on 20 September this website was inaugurated, something that we consider a pleasant coincidence.”
This website, as mentioned above, will focus on the history of the Jamaat, something that is extremely vital to be aware of in the current age to dispel misguidance. Without this knowledge, it becomes difficult to grasp the true purpose of this community of God.
“Everything is downloadable. Content will regularly be uploaded onto the website and teams have been allocated for this very purpose. In fact, we have so much content that even now, there are articles and other such material ready; all that is required is to have that material formatted for the web”, explained Farasat Sahib.
“The timeline is one of the most interesting aspects of this website. Here, readers can find the Jamaat’s history and events from the lives of Khulafa. Readers will get a lot from this that was never before available. Everyone is encouraged to check regularly for new material and updates.”
Isfandyar Munib Sahib, who is currently managing the Jamaat’s history department, said:
“We want people to study the history of the Jamaat and the various holy places and tabarrukat [relics] and acquaint themselves with it so that they become known worldwide. And if anyone has a tabarruk of the Promised Messiahas, whether a piece of writing or a personal possession, or anything belonging to the Khulafa, they should share its details and photos with us so that it benefits the entire Jamaat and the whole world.”
Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib had the opportunity to serve as Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya UK from 2012 to 2018. During this year’s Ijtema, a special sitting was arranged with him in which Khuddam asked questions, especially about Huzooraa. The result was that Khuddam were able to better understand the honour, grandeur and importance of Khilafat.
MKA UK
For this very purpose, Al Hakam presents the transcript of this
conversation so that our readers may also benefit. We are grateful to Mirza
Waqas Ahmad Sahib. Fa–jazahumullah Ahsanal Jazaa.
Question: As
Huzooraa is the grandson of Hazrat Sahibzada Mirza Sharif Ahmadra,
we first request you to tell us about Hazrat Sahibzada Mirza Sharif Ahmadra.
Mirza
Waqas Ahmad Sahib: I first wish to tell everyone why I have
come to this sitting. The Nazim-e-Ala of this Ijtema, Yousuf Aftab Sahib
contacted me and asked me to hold this session. Initially, I apologised and
said I would not be able come. However, he insisted and said that the Khuddam
would find the sitting interesting. In reply, I said that during the last six
years, I have had the chance to speak to Khuddam a great deal.
A few days later, I received a message
from Yousuf Sahib who said that Sadr Sahib also desired that I attend this
sitting. I thought to myself that as I have a few months left of being a
Khadim, after which I will enter Ansarullah, it is best that I enter Ansarullah
by showing obedience to Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya.
Now, I will answer the question. Hazrat
Sahibzada Mirza Sharif Ahmadra was the third child out of the
promised progeny of the Promised Messiahas. He had two older
brothers, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra and Hazrat Sahibzada Mirza Bashir
Ahmadra. Younger than him were his two sisters, Hazrat Nawab
Mubaraka Begumra and Hazrat Nawab Amatul Hafeez Begumra.
Hazrat Mirza Sharif Ahmadra was the [paternal] grandfather of Huzooraa. Huzooraa completed his first reading of the Holy Quran under Hazrat Mirza Sharif Ahmad Sahib’sra supervision.
He was a very technical minded person and
the paternal side of our family has inherited this characteristic. In fact,
most of his progeny have a deep understanding of technical matters.
Hazrat Mirza Sharif Ahmadra was
a very quiet and soft-spoken person; he spoke very little. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra
once said that of the three brothers, Hazrat Mirza Sharif Ahmadra
resembled the Promised Messiahas in terms of looks and personality
the most.
He had two other brothers as well who were
from the first wife of the Promised Messiahas. From them, Hazrat
Mirza Fazl Ahmad passed away before accepting the Promised Messiahas
while Hazrat Mirza Sultan Ahmad did Bai‘at during the time of Hazrat
Musleh-e-Maudra.
Of the promised sons the Promised Messiahas
was blessed with from Hazrat Amma Janra, the first to pass away was
Hazrat Mirza Sharif Ahmadra. Then Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra
passed away and the last son to survive was Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra.
Question:
Please can you narrate an incident from the life of
Hazrat Sahibzada Mirza Sharif Ahmad’sra life.
Mirza
Waqas Ahmad Sahib: There are lots of incidents that I have
heard. I’ll narrate one that Huzooraa narrated during an interview.
Hazrat Sahibzada Mirza Sharif Ahmadra
had an immense amount of respect and reverance for Khilafat. He was the
grandfather of Huzooraa, so once he took Huzooraa along
with him to meet Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra. At the time Huzooraa
was a young boy and so Hazrat Mirza Sharif Ahmadra told Huzooraa
to “go upstairs and seek permission for me to enter. Say that I have come, and
I request permission to meet [with Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra].”
Huzooraa went upstairs and
Hazrat Maryam Siddiqa, the wife of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra was
present. She sought permission from Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra and then
instructed Huzooraa to tell Hazrat Mirza Sharif Ahmadra
to come up.
Huzoorra narrated that Hazrat
Mirza Sharif Ahmadra went up to meet Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra
in his room. He did not sit next to Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra on his
bed, nor did he sit in front of him on a chair. Rather Hazrat Mirza Sharif
Ahmadra stood with great respect and conversed whilst standing with
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra. It is also narrated that he sat on the
floor. Nevertheless, he did not sit beside Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra
out of respect. He then sought permission and took leave.
Huzooraa says that this
incident was the first lesson of his childhood about the respect and honour of
Khilafat. The reason for this is because Hazrat Mirza Sharif Ahmadra
was the brother of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, but still did not sit
beside him. He first took permission to enter, then when he was present before
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, he stood with great respect and spoke in a
very respectable manner. So, Huzooraa says that practically this was
his first lesson on respect for Khilafat.
Question: You
were Sadr Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya UK for six years; how was the experience?
Mirza
Waqas Ahmad Sahib: It was a rich experience in every way.
Holistically, it was a very good experience. When I was initially given this
responsibility, I worried a great deal. Even though it had been nine years
since I had come to the UK, I was still worried whether, due to a difference in
culture or language, Khuddam might feel a distance from me. However, with the
special grace and blessing of Allah, everything panned out to be fine. I really
enjoyed the experience. All Khuddam cooperated with great love and affection.
They listened to my instructions with great love. So my experience was very good.
What happened was that immediately after I
was given this opportunity, I did not even know what was happening. There was
pressure from everywhere. Everyone was calling, messaging and emailing me,
presenting various problems and tasks that needed to be attended to. There were
constant messages being sent to me.
Nonetheless, what I will say is that
Khuddam really cooperated with me in every respect. Everyone listened to my
instructions with love and work also went all very well. So, Alhamdolillah,
it was a great experience.
Question: How did
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa guide you with regard to this
responsibility?
Mirza
Waqas Ahmad Sahib: The truth is that everything happened as
a result of Huzoor’saa prayers and guidance. When I was given the responsibility
of sadr, the first task was to create my amila [working committee]. At the
time, I did not know many people, so I just picked up the list of the last
national amila and presented it before Huzooraa for approval. Huzooraa
saw the list and enquired about every person in the list; their names and
professional backgrounds. Huzooraa went so far as to enquire about
even the regional qaideen and their backgrounds.
I would tell Huzooraa about
those whom I knew and where I did not know someone, I simply said I did not
know much about them. Upon this, Huzooraa said, “You should
personally know every member of the [national] amila and every regional and
local qaid; who they are, what they do and their backgrounds etc. You should
know them personally.”
I not only strived for this personally but
also instructed the qaideen at the qaideen forum to personally get to know all
their Khuddam. In a similar way, during one of the forums, I went across the
room and asked each person’s name and told them that I would try my best to
remember their names.
After some time, during the days of Jalsa
Salana, where the heavy responsibility of Afsar Khidmat-e-Khalq and Sadr
Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya was upon me and when one’s mind is buried in countless
tasks, a youngster suddenly approached me and asked, “What is my name?” Still
in shock, I said, “I do not know your name”. He then said, “Okay, then at least
tell me who I am?”. I replied by saying, “I do not even know who you are!”. He
said, “Okay, then tell me what qiadat I am from?”. I sincerely apologised and
said, “Please forgive me! I do not even know this.” He then introduced himself
to me and in this manner, I was able to remember his name. Now, Masha-Allah he
is part of the national amila, Samar Malik Sahib.
The point here is that it is very
important to know each person at a personal level. Huzoor’saa
guidance emphasised this point and I tried to act upon it.
Question: With
regard to the national Ijtema, do you have any special memories?
Mirza
Waqas Ahmad Sahib: I will say regarding the Ijtema that our
elders say that if one wants to know how well an auxiliary organisation is
working, then there is no better way than to observe their national Ijtema. My
observation is that the Ijtema of Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya UK is improving
every year.
I was just speaking to Sadr Sahib about
how well the Ijtema is running and how good the site setup is this year. The
Ijtema is always reaching new milestones. Look at the attendance and the
general organisation; by the grace of Allah, we are witnessing continuous
improvements. The Ijtema has developed a great deal.
Some time ago, the barbeque at national
Ijtema would be greatly enjoyed. The reason the barbeque started was because
the attendance at Ijtema was not much at the time and there were very few
activities that would interest the Khuddam.
This was a long time ago. At that time,
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh suggested to hold a barbeque in which
regions could compete with one another. And in this manner, the Khuddam took
great interest in this and the initiative was openly welcomed by them. In its
time, the barbeque brought with it many benefits. The attendance improved and
Khuddam also developed an interest in the Ijtema.
However, when the national Ijtema matured
in its organisation and various activities were also on offer, the barbeque was
not really needed. What would happen is that the whole of Friday would be spent
in purchasing meat etc. and Saturday would be spent in setting up grills and
gazebos and organising everything. In this way, two of the three days of Ijtema
would go into the barbeque alone.
For this reason, the barbeque was stopped
and, in its place, a collective dinner would take place on Saturday. When this
collective dinner started, Huzooraa predicted that it would not last
a long time. The reason for this was because now, the three days of Ijtema are
packed with interesting activities, beneficial events, exhibitions and
competitions and there is no time for anything else.
For example, look at this year’s Atfal
Gah; there are very interesting activities for even those who are younger than
seven. Parents are very happy that their young children can also benefit from
the Ijtema. So, through the grace of Allah, improvements are taking place every
year. Those who love the Jamaat will most definitely be happy by observing
these improvements.
Organisers come and go. It is important
that we play our part in the best possible manner and pray for those who are to
come. This is how nations reform.
Another lesson that Huzooraa
emphasised a lot was, “The leader of a nation is their servant.” In other
words, those who lead nations are there to serve their nations. Huzooraa
reminded me of this lesson on several occasions.
The reason I have mentioned this point is
because here, in one capacity or another, everyone is in a leading role. Future
leaders are also present here and we should all remember this advice given by
Huzooraa.
I have seen this spirit developing within
Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya. Every generation before leaving tells the next generation
that now, this is their responsibility. They tell them not to become complacent
but to stay occupied in service; to exert maximum effort in serving during
one’s time.
Today, I have also witnessed that Sadr
Sahib and all his amila are working tirelessly. This is a great sign.
Therefore, acting upon this hadith [a leader of a nation is its servant], that
Huzooraa instructed to follow, will ensure the progress of
Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya.
Leaders of nations that do not work
themselves and merely sit on stages will in turn halt the progress of their
nation. How can they ever progress?
Last night, I came to the Ijtema site and
saw today as well that everyone was working, irrespective of whether they were
office-bearers of “higher” or “lower” levels. Seeing this, I was very pleased,
that we are all bearing in mind this instruction of Huzooraa. Alhamdolillah.
Question: The
theme of this year’s Ijtema is “The Existence of God”. Considering your
personal experience, what would you say to Khuddam with regard to this theme?
Mirza
Waqas Ahmad Sahib: With regard to narrating personal
experiences, Sadr Sahib mentioned some experiences of Khuddam in his speech
today. It is better to narrate incidents and experiences of others rather than
your own. One begins to deviate towards an undesirable path by constantly
narrating one’s personal experiences.
Every Ahmadi has personal experiences and
with regard to Huzooraa, they are countless. For a connection with
Allah, it is imperative that one constantly strives and never halters. This
journey is continuous, and it cannot ever reach a level of complacency.
Huzooraa has continuously
reminded us at home about the importance of Namaz. And so Namaz is a huge way
to achieve nearness to and a connection with Allah. In fact, it is probably the
only way. If one offers their Namaz in its proper manner, then slowly, a
connection is established with Allah the Almighty.
The Promised Messiahas has
stated that by listening to the experiences of others, one can reach the
conclusion that there should be a God. However, the existence of God cannot be
known with certainty without personal experience.
In an article for Al Hakam, I
mentioned that Huzooraa never allowed us to show any laziness with
regard to offering Namaz. If we were, or are, ever lazy, then Huzooraa
does say one thing and that is, “Look, I am carrying out my responsibility by
waking you up for Namaz.”
Along with this advice of Huzooraa,
I would also like to say that practical examples hold great importance. By
observing the attention and importance parents give to Namaz, children
automatically learn [the importance] themselves.
In our household, we had the practical
example of Huzooraa and our mother as well. So, we saw Huzooraa
offering Namaz, we observed the acceptance of his prayers and still do so
today. In very testing circumstances, we have seen the prayers of Huzooraa
being accepted. By observing this, the importance of Namaz was established
within our heart.
Anyhow, I will repeat what the Promised
Messiahas said, and that is, to establish a personal
relationship with Allah, personal effort is required.
Question: You
lived with Huzooraa in Ghana and it was a time of difficulty. Tell
us more about your experience there.
Mirza
Waqas Ahmad Sahib: I was only six years old when we returned
from Ghana to Pakistan. How would a six-year-old know of the difficulties
present? This too is a sacrifice of parents, that they endure difficulties in
such a manner that children are not affected.
Huzooraa lived there for seven
to eight years and during that time, West Africa was passing through an
extremely harsh drought. Food was scarce and would be located with great
difficulty.
Recently, Al Hakam published an
article in which my [maternal] uncle, Qasim Shah Sahib related that Huzooraa
did not endure those harsh conditions by simply accepting them and doing
nothing, rather both my parents used all their means in the best possible
manner. My mother would bake bread herself at home, grow vegetables and keep
chickens. There was also an avocado tree in front of the house and at the time,
we were not aware of its value. In the UK, it is very expensive. We saw it as
an average and tasteless local fruit, but still ate it.
Our mother tells us that it was a very
difficult time. However, with patience and gratitude, Huzooraa spent
his time in a good manner with whatever means were available. So, Qasim Shah
Sahib’s article is very good in this manner. Being children, we spent that
period in play and did not really feel any difficulty. Children are not aware
of how food and clothing are being acquired. This article paints a picture of
the conditions and how Huzooraa and my mother endured those
circumstances readily, without ever complaining.
Our mother told us that once, milk had run out at home. She told Huzooraa – not by way of complaint, but to bring it to his knowledge – that there was no milk for us children. Upon this, Huzooraa said, “Don’t worry. To date, we have been able to acquire [milk] and we will also acquire it in the future.”
There was a town 150 miles away from where
we lived. A missionary who lived there came to know that a delivery of milk had
come at a shop. Fresh milk was not readily available and was hard to find.
Long-life milk, also known as UHT milk had been delivered to the shop. The
missionary intuitively thought that he should buy a carton of milk and deliver
it to our house. Therefore, he took the bus, gave us the milk and then
returned. Thus, Allah’s blessings were experienced throughout that period.
Question:
You have just spoken about parents and children.
Please tell us how the tarbiyat [upbringing] of children should be done?
Mirza
Waqas Ahmad Sahib: I also have children and just a few days
ago, I was thinking to myself whether I should do the tarbiyat of my children or
my own. I think that before doing the tarbiyat of another, one should first do
their own tarbiyat. In the same manner, before doing the tarbiyat of your
children, you should look at your own self.
We want our children to develop attributes
like that of saints whereas we ourselves stay the same. The Promised Messiahas
has also mentioned that he would advise his children and then pray for them.
Then, according to their capacity, they will take heed.
Usually we stay in a world of dreams and
desires and think of various ways of how to do tarbiyat of our children. If we
reform ourselves first, better results will manifest.
Question:
How is the manner of tarbiyat [upbringing] by Huzooraa?
Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib: I will tell you this; Huzoor’saa manner of tarbiyat is very practical. Huzooraa does not give lengthy advice, nor can I recall hearing Huzooraa ever do this. Huzooraa acts himself first and then advises in a short sentence. This has always been his way and it is very effective.
A gentleman got married and was worried
about how he would turn his wife’s attention more towards religion. Huzooraa
advised him by saying that the Promised Messiahas said that a man’s
piety and spirituality impacts his wife. And so Huzooraa told the
gentleman to focus on his own piety and spirituality rather than giving lengthy
exhortations to his wife. Both the wife and children are affected by the
husband’s piety and spirituality.
I remember that Huzooraa never
gave long and lengthy exhortations or advice. He would certainly narrate
stories with morals behind them. For example, when we were children, Huzooraa
would narrate how Hazrat Bilalra accepted Islam and as a result, the
hardships he had to endure and his display of patience during those testing
times. This incident is very close to Huzoor’saa heart.
At the time, we were also in Africa and Huzooraa was sent there to help African people. Huzooraa served in Africa at the educational departments and in agriculture. And so, in the sacrifice of Hazrat Bilalra, Huzooraa would see the sacrifice of that nation. Nonetheless, in terms of giving advice, Huzooraa would be very brief and then show his own practical example.
Question: Only recently, the new Markaz has been established in Islamabad. It is an honour for Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya for the opportunity to give security duties there. In this regard, what would you say to Khuddam?
Sahibzada Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib: Alhamdolillah, Allah the Almighty has blessed us with a new Markaz at Islamabad. It is the first year of your Sadr Sahib and during this time, Khuddam security duties have begun at Islamabad.
I think that Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya is currently doing a very good job. I will not say that there is no room for improvement, however it is being done to an acceptable level. With time, it will improve, Insha-Allah. I have noticed that Huzooraa often calls Sadr Sahib after Namaz and personally guides him. This is a great honour for the majlis.
It is a great blessing of Allah that He enabled us to witness this Markaz being opened. At the opening of the mosque, Huzooraa performed a sajda-e-shukr [prostration of gratitude] and we all joined him. This was no ordinary sajda. One could sense it. It was the first time I saw such sentiments being expressed by Huzooraa. That sajda was extraordinary and we are all very fortunate that we shared Huzoor’saa feelings and performed that sajda-e-shukr.
As a majlis, it is a great honour for you all that due to the new Markaz, Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya is serving under the direct guidance and instructions of Huzooraa. As a result, the relationship between Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya and Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa has strengthened. Khuddam on duties express their joy and happiness and fondly speak of the gifts Huzooraa sends to them while they are on duty. This is truly very rejoiceful. One should show a lot of gratitude and humility at such a moment.
With regard to gifts, I recall a joke. It was the month of Ramadan, when a youngster approached me and asked whether Huzooraa had cake for sehri [breakfast]. I replied, “No, who told you that Huzooraa has cake for sehri?” He replied, “I was on duty in the morning and Huzooraa sent cake for us. From this, I gathered that Huzooraa has cake at sehri”. I explained to him that the cake was actually sent from Huzooraa for iftari but he received it during his duty at sehri. However, I could see that he still believed Huzooraa had cake for sehri.
Anyhow, I mentioned this because as we perform duties, love develops in the heart of Khalifatul Masihaa for us. It is a token of thanks from Huzooraa that he sometimes sends cake, fruit, chocolate and other gifts for Khuddam on duty. Otherwise security duties are our responsibility – they are compulsory – and it is Huzoor’saa love and kindness that he remembers Khuddam on duties in this manner and gives them support. This is very significant and we should cherish it. This love is extraordinary and special.
A poet has said:
نہ تخت و تاج میں نے
لشکر و سپاہ میں ہے
جو بات مردِ قلندر کی بارگاہ میں ہے
“Neither in the throne, nor in the army is what is in the courtyard of a man of God.”
So, a mere glance of one who is from Allah achieves that which a great king cannot reach with all his power.
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra once said that of the three brothers, Hazrat Mirza Sharif Ahmadra, paternal grandfather of Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa, resembled the Promised Messiahas in terms of looks and personality the most
Question: How is Huzoor’saa relationship with his grandchildren?
Sahibzada Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib: They have the opportunity to meet Huzooraa during teatime. The younger ones sit a while and then go and play. Huzooraa speaks and jokes with them according to their temperaments and young age. He enquires about the education of the older grandchildren. However, Huzooraa has very little time and now, his daily activities have increased a lot.
When he used to have some time, he would spend relatively more time with them. Now, however, the little time Huzooraa has is at tea where he meets the children and answers any questions they have.
Huzoor’saa schedule is so busy now that it is just hard to believe. For example, take the last day of Jalsa Salana UK this year. Huzooraa always starts the day with Tahajud prayer. That day was no different. Then the whole day, he was occupied and also delivered his final address. Immediately after that, he began to meet delegations and later led congregational prayers. By the time Huzooraa reached home, it was around 11:30pm.
The very next day after Jalsa, Huzooraa started the day with Tahajud prayer again and was extremely busy the whole day. You and I rest after exhausting ourselves. However, observing Huzoor’saa busy schedule, it is hard to believe how it is even possible.
Question: When you found out that your father had become Khalifatul Masih, what were your feelings?
Sahibzada Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib: My personal emotions hold no importance. Yet, what I will say is that we had seen Huzoor’saa piety. We had observed that he spent his whole life according to the teachings of Islam. I had witnessed Huzoor’saa trust in prayers. In fact, prior to leaving for the election of Khilafat, he asked me to iron his clothes. I remember, when he was about to leave, he said to me, “This time requires a lot of prayers. May Allah gather the Jamaat on one hand and always keep the Jamaat united.” I will say that it was a life changing experience.
Question: What is your most memorable moment with Khilafat?
Sahibzada Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib: One should keep in mind that every moment with Khilafat is memorable and should be cherished. I met Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh in 1991 for the first time during Jalsa Salana Qadian. My whole body was trembling from the awe of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh. At the time, we were residing in a room at Huzoor’srh residence in Dar-ul-Masih. Huzoorrh saw me standing somewhere and called me over. He asked me my name, but I could not even recall my own name. So, someone else introduced me to Huzoorrh and said that I was the son of Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib.
I met Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh for the second time in 2003 when I came to London. At the time, Huzoorrh was not experiencing very good health. My mulaqat was also very brief. When I walked in, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh asked my name and said, “How is your father?” He then gave me some chocolate and said, “Assalamo Alaikum”. That was it; the mulaqat finished. It was very brief.
My third meeting with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih was when Huzooraa was elected as Khalifa. I entered the Fazl Mosque and there was a very special aura in the mosque. Someone nudged me forward and told me to meet Huzooraa. He was my father, but now, he was Khalifatul Masih and so I was overcome with emotion. A few people again told me to go forward and meet Huzooraa. So that meeting with Huzooraa was probably the most memorable moment.
Question: Your time as sadr Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya saw various cultures coming together. What efforts did you make to remove any cultural barriers?
Sahibzada Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib: If you work with justice and do not show favouritism to a certain group of people and meet everyone with love, then it is these traits that will be useful. Practicing this in the Jamaat is very easy as we are all Ahmadi Muslims. We have all performed Bai‘at of the Promised Messiahas and due to Khilafat, we are all one. Love is such a thing that draws everyone closer.
Question: Were you ever told off during your childhood?
Sahibzada Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib: Yes, I would get told off if I was naughty. If it concerns an element of tarbiyat, parents tell their children off. I too was told off.
Question: How is the relationship between Huzooraa and his brother, Dr Mirza Maghfoor Ahmad Sahib?
Sahibzada Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib: Dr Mirza Maghfoor Ahmad Sahib is three years older than Huzooraa, yet I have observed that at the time when Huzooraa was elected as Khalifatul Masih and went up to his residence, Dr Sahib was present there. Upon Huzoor’saa arrival, Dr Sahib instantly reached forward, shook Huzoor’saa hand and kissed it.
Another day, Huzooraa was about to put his shoes on and Dr Sahib quickly presented him with a shoe horn for ease.
On another occasion, we went hunting. Huzoor’saa shoes were relatively tight and he was having difficulty taking them off. When Dr Sahib and I noticed this, we immediately moved forward. Huzooraa sensed this straight away and called me to help, and so I assisted Huzooraa in taking off his shoes.
The point here is that the person who truly understands Bai‘at gives all other relations secondary importance. The first relation becomes Bai‘at. This is the most beautiful aspect of the Promised Messiah’sas Jamaat.
Question: Do you miss anything from the days of being Sadr?
Sahibzada Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib: By the grace of Allah, I was given the opportunity to serve the Majlis and with the grace of Allah, I had the opportunity to serve gladly with my heart and soul and I still have a relationship with Khuddam. If you are referring to the position, then I certainly do not miss it, Alhumdolillah. The real responsibility was to serve and I was bestowed with that opportunity. Positions are meaningless. The fact is that Khuddam brothers still meet me, I cannot miss them because they never went away.
Question: British-born Khuddam do not feel any significant emotional attachment with Pakistan. Although we are aware of the atrocities carried out in Pakistan against fellow Ahmadis, how can we develop an emotional attachment?
Sahibzada Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib: If Pakistan is taken as a country, then it is not necessary for those who are born and live elsewhere to have an attachment with Pakistan. If they are born and live elsewhere, then loving their own country is a part of faith. Those living in America should have love for that country, whilst those who are in Pakistan should love Pakistan as a country.
As far as the conditions and difficulties of Ahmadis living in Pakistan are concerned, then they have exceeded all bounds. We should pray a great deal for them. In fact, the whole condition of Pakistan is dire. If one prays for the situation in Pakistan to improve in general, then they will automatically be praying for the conditions of Ahmadi Muslims there as well.
In Pakistan, they inculcate hatred into the hearts of children for Ahmadi Muslims from primary school. The whole nation is brainwashed. They harbour so much hatred against the Jamaat that even Ahmadi graves are exhumed.
Another reason why one should pray for Pakistan is because Huzoor’saa country of origin is Pakistan. Huzooraa often tells the Jamaat to pray for Pakistan. He was forced to leave his country, but one’s love does not decrease and for this reason, it is important to pray for Pakistan.
Question: You will have certainly observed Huzooraa praying at home. Can you tell us about his condition during prayer?
Sahibzada Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib: I think this is very personal to Huzooraa. I cannot say anything regarding this without Huzoor’saa permission. What I will say is that the condition we all observe of Huzooraa in congregational prayers, especially the manner in which he prays during Fajr prayer in the days of Jalsa, if you multiply it by a thousand, then you may be able to comprehend Huzoor’saa manner of praying when he is alone.
Question: You just mentioned the atrocities that take place against Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan. Huzooraa also had the opportunity to be a prisoner in the way of Allah. Can you tell us more about this?
Sahibzada Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib: This happened in 1999. Pakistani religious clerics made a case against Huzooraa claiming that he had, God forbid, disrespected the Holy Quran. They alleged that Huzooraa, along with some other Ahmadis, painted over some verses of the Holy Quran and tried to erase them.
If someone is proven guilty of disrespecting the Holy Quran in Pakistan, the court can give the greatest punishment, from life imprisonment to a death sentence; anything can happen. In fact, the court’s decision comes later and the enraged members of the public take the law into their own hands and can do anything in the meantime. The whole judicial setup was ready to imprison Huzooraa. To prove their false allegations, they were all ready to do anything.
Anyhow, the case went on for a long time with a potential threat of life imprisonment for Huzooraa. At the time, Huzooraa was amir-e-muqami or, in other words, he was the representative of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih in Pakistan. This came as a huge shock to the Jamaat in Pakistan and everyone was greatly saddened.
Some of you present here may have an idea of how harsh the conditions of prisons in Pakistan are. People who have committed the most heinous of crimes are put there. Their acts and way of speaking are such that a noble person cannot even listen to them.
After the court announced the verdict, Huzooraa and the other Ahmadis with him were sent to Jhang jail. The circumstances of this prison were dreadful. If there was space for 50 people in one barrack, they would squeeze in 300 prisoners.
People who had committed various crimes were all put in one place. Convicted members of terrorist groups were also locked up there. There was hardly any space to sit, however Huzooraa and those with Huzooraa had to endure the conditions and stay there. Some prisoners even had weapons. The manner of speaking and the atmosphere in general was so disgusting that a civilised person cannot spend even a second there.
The other inmates had adapted to the conditions and had made the prison very dirty. However, Huzooraa and his fellow Ahmadis spent this time in extreme difficulty. Some prisoners who were terrorists had even planned to attack Huzooraa and the other Ahmadis. But Huzooraa would constantly be occupied in prayer. That very night, Allah the Almighty caused the prison guard to decide, for some unknown reason, to shift Huzooraa and the group of Ahmadis to a comparatively better prison barrack. This was a special blessing from Allah. If they had spent the night in that barrack, the terrorists may have caused serious harm to them.
This period of difficulty and pain lasted for ten to twelve days. By the grace of Allah, Huzooraa displayed an immense level of patience. He only turned to prayers for help and his prayers were accepted. Otherwise the enemies were adamant to give the Ahmadis the harshest punishment possible. By the grace of Allah, in the end, they were freed.
The point is that the atrocities that are taking place against Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan are outside the parameters of the law. Every possible injustice is taking place. May Allah keep them under his protection. Amin
