Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Nayyar (ra) (1883-1948)
Australia
Among those who are regular in their correspondence and in sending tabligh reports and who possess a profound yearning to deliver the fresh heavenly message to God’s creation, is our frail and weak-bodied but young-at-heart friend Khan Hasan Musa Khan Sahib, a resident of Australia. Our respected and honoured brother dedicates his entire time to preaching the truth and the protection and propagation of Islam. On every occasion, he finds an opportunity to protect the rights of the Muslims of Australia and to preach.
When Reverend [Samuel] Zwemer, the editor of the Muslim World, travelled to Australia, the Ahmadi missionary challenged him and presented him with literature. He then travelled to America. The Australian Ahmadi pursued him and maintained the correspondence. Currently, the correspondence between our missionary and the reverend is before me. Khan Musa Khan Sahib, highlighting the ignorance of the Christian world, writes:
“A commercial factory in Australia, while issuing its advertisement, had written: ‘If the mountain does not come to Muhammad [sa], then Muhammad [sa] will go to the mountain.’ Upon this, this humble one drew the merchant’s attention to the poisonous effect of this phrase and objected to this Christian invention. The merchant was a fair-minded person; he apologised and removed the phrase from the advertisement.”
Reverend Zwemer was also influenced by the truth and stated:
“I read your letter with interest. I will also write a note in the Muslim World. Previously, too, we completely refuted this old myth in our journal that the coffin of Muhammad [sa] is suspended.”
In response to this letter, our friend thanked the reverend on behalf of the Muslims of Australia and wrote such an article for the Muslim World that the reverend would hardly publish.
In any case, in the continent of Oceania, one hand is holding the Ahmadi standard aloft. May Allah the Almighty bless his courage. Amin.
Lagos
On the western coast of the continent of Africa, there are 14 large European-style cities and towns. Starting from Dakar in the French territory to Matadi in the Belgian territory, among all these settlements, there is only one city where Muslims are in the majority. That city is Lagos, which is an important centre of Ahmadiyyat in Nigeria. From such a city, in the words of some Christian writers, the work of propagating Islam takes place in far-flung areas. This city possesses the following characteristics:
- In 1784, Islam first reached the West African coast here through a Black slave of the Portuguese. The first teacher of Islam had travelled to India and Brazil with his master and his attention towards Islam was drawn in India itself.
- In terms of commercial, cultural, educational and material progress, this city is called the “London of West Africa”.
- Due to Lagos being situated on an island and connected to the mainland via a bridge, the perilous waves of the dark ocean have been restrained by breakwaters, creating a beautiful harbour in this city and ships dock right at the shore.
- Ahmadiyyat also first reached this place through correspondence. A godly African experienced a vision here that a white man would come from the sea, bringing the Holy Quran.
In short, the city of Lagos is the capital of the country of Nigeria and the Ahmadi Jamaat there is administratively divided into three circles. Circle number 3 has published its fresh annual report. I present a few sentences from it. Mentioning a newly-constructed mosque, the compiler of the report writes:
“On Good Friday, 14 April 1922, the servant of the Promised Messiah (as) and Mahdi, Maulvi Abdur Rahim Nayyar, Bachelor of Philology, laid the foundation stone of this mosque. He stated that, ‘Many mosques will eventually be built, even with silver and jewels. However, this is the first mosque in Nigeria, the foundation of which is being laid by the hands of a foreign Islamic missionary and a companion of the prophet of this age.’”
Then, mentioning the missionary class at their location, it is written:
“It has been nearly a year since a preaching class was opened for local missionaries so that they may not only acquire the knowledge of the Holy Quran and Hadith but also so that they can become the sowers of the seed of the glad tidings of the advent of the Promised Messiah (as) and Mahdi.”
At the end of the report, it is written:
“Before concluding this report, it is incumbent upon us to mention the profound connection we share with our absent spiritual father, Maulvi Abdur Rahim Nayyar. You not only verbally declared yourself a member of this circle but practically proved it. When you were here, you used to give your monthly dues to this circle and whenever you had time, you would also attend our meetings. Your personality had a great impact on the hearts of our elders. Even now, whenever they converse, they definitely mention the example of the Maulvi Sahib. We are therefore very thankful to him for his magnanimity.”
Saltpond
Amidst Black students and labourers on the coast, overlooking the dark waters and surrounded by the terrifying roar of ocean waves beneath the intense sun, our young white missionary, Maulvi Hakeem [Fazl-ur-Rahman], is overseeing the construction of the Talim-ul-Islam school for the Fanti Ahmadis. The scorching African winds have weathered the face of this youth, but the hearts here are illuminated and pure, transcending mere outward appearances. Faith and obedience to the Lord of Majesty keep him steadfast in performing his official duties despite his indisposition. He writes with humble submission to his Imam [ra]:
“The construction work of the school building is not yet finished. The walls are complete. Laying the roof remains. Wood is brought from 63 miles away.”
He further states:
“Recently, 22 idolaters and Christians entered the service of His Holiness. Accepting the pledge of allegiance of all of them, please pray for them. A piece of land has been granted to us by the government for a graveyard.”
Islands of the West Indies
Our respected friend Sheikh Ibrahim [Munziri], the Muslim missionary of Penal on Trinidad Island, reports:
“Since 1 January 1926, I have relocated to Penal. Ahmadiyyat is progressing here among the Blacks and Indians. Fifteen members of the Universal Negro Brotherhood [Improvement Association] have entered the Movement. Among them, the president is also included.”
He adds:
“Please send a few copies of the prayer book, which will be beneficial for the new converts.”
Syria
Our dear friend Hazrat Jalal-ud-Din Shams, Abu-al-Sana (ra), in the country of Syria, where many Jallianwala Baghs are being formed, is conveying the message of the Promised Messiah (as) to the Amritsari clerics of Damascus and their sympathisers. He writes:
“In the present circumstances, the best possible method of preaching is via the post. I am doing precisely that. First, I sent tracts and after that, I dispatched letters printed on a hand press.”
Fulfilling the duty of preaching in cities where looting, bloodshed, shelling and gunfire are commonplace requires immense courage. We are greatly pleased. Our beloved brother is valiantly raising the flag of Tawhid in times of danger, standing firm in a land steeped in the Pauline trinity.
Complete freedom to preach the truth in Iraq
His Majesty King Faisal’s government, upon the arrival of Hazrat Syed Zain-ul-Abidin Waliullah Shah (ra) and after ascertaining the reality of the situation, has granted complete freedom for the preaching of Ahmadiyyat. The summary of the official order regarding this is as follows:
- Our memorandum number 15062 regarding the prohibition of preaching Ahmadiyyat, dated 11 October 1922, is now abrogated.
- You have the freedom to preach Ahmadiyyat in the land of Iraq and you are permitted to propagate your religion.
Ceylon
The Ceylon Jamaat, taking advantage of preaching freedom, has commenced work with great zeal. Brother [Manthra] Sahib writes:
“The propagation of Islam and Ahmadiyyat through the Malay language is the purpose of my life. I am delighted that you recited an excerpt of my letter to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih [II (ra)]. It is as though you are securing prayers from His Holiness for my success. The members of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat and their families who have planted the sapling of Ahmadiyyat in Ceylon are firm in their faith. Now the government has officially recognised the communities of Colombo, Gampola and Negombo.”
He continues:
“Insha-Allah, this Jamaat can never be eradicated from Lanka. In Colombo, the Jamaat has its own mosque and its own graveyard in Negombo. Similarly, in Gampola, too, the government has allocated us a separate graveyard. I sincerely hope that you will definitely visit splendid Lanka. The Ceylon Jamaat is collecting funds for the travel expenses of a missionary and is requesting an English-speaking missionary.”
(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu published in the 21 May 1926 issue of Al Fazl)