Friday Sermon
21 September 2018
Review of Jalsa Salana Germany and Belgium 2018
After reciting the Tashahud, Ta‘awuz, and Surah Al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:
Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in the Jalsa Salana [annual Jalsa] of Germany and Belgium. As the viewers of MTA across the world would have seen, and you also would have witnessed, that both the gatherings were very blessed by the grace of God Almighty. The Jamaat in Germany is a very large Jamaat, moreover Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh had been participating in Jalsa Salana Germany for many years in the past and now I am also participating in them. Hence, the administration of Jalsa Salana in Germany has become organised to a considerable degree now.
Many guests from abroad come there as well. In addition to those from the surrounding Eastern European countries, people from other countries also come to attend the Jalsa Salana. This year, even people from some African countries participated. Like it has always been the case with Jalsas, by the Grace of God Almighty, guests from outside of the Community have a very positive impression of our Jalsas and they express this too. Hence, the participants of the Jalsa in Germany as well as Belgium expressed their sentiments regarding the Community. They praised the organisation of the Jalsa and its general atmosphere immensely. Some of those who have participated previously have come again and said that only after attending the Jalsa had they understood what the true teachings of Islam are and that the extremely horrific image of Islam, as portrayed by the media before the world, is completely false, and that the conduct of true Muslims is completely contrary to this image presented.
While participating in the Jalsa, these people observe every worker, officer and, in fact, every Ahmadi very minutely to see as to how their conduct is. Even if a teaching is good but the conduct of the followers of that teaching is not good then such a teaching cannot create a positive impact. Thus, as I have said numerous times before that all of the volunteers and participants take part in a form silent tabligh [preaching] in this way. They dispel the misconceptions and reservations regarding Islam from the minds of non-Muslims. They also remove the misconceptions from the hearts of the Muslims, which have been created by so-called scholars of Islam through false propaganda. Although people say regarding us that Ahmadis are, God forbid, not Muslims; that they do not recite the kalima; they do not believe the Holy Prophetsa to be the final prophet and do not believe him to be khatamun nabiyyeen [seal of the prophets] and even allege that Ahmadis have a different Quran, however, many of those Muslims, when they meet Ahmadis and observe the atmosphere of Jalsa, all these false perceptions are removed. They also express this feeling. The Muslims who came to Germany also expressed this and so did those from the Arab countries as well as Pakistan, India and other places. Likewise, they also praise the work and conduct of the volunteer workers.
By the grace of God Almighty, this was all witnessed at the Jalsa in Belgium too. That Jalsa was also very blessed and successful. Despite being a small Jamaat and despite the fact that the number of guests in attendance exceeded the number of the entire Jamaat – as I mentioned in the concluding address – they managed to organise everything in an excellent manner.
I attended their Jalsa Salana [Belgium] after fourteen years and for this reason, they were very worried and nervous as they lacked experience. However, by the Grace of God Almighty they made excellent arrangements. Although there were not many non-Muslims in attendance, but the ones that were present immensely appreciated the Jalsa arrangements and the work being carried out by the Ahmadiyya Community in Belgium and towards establishing world peace. Wherever the Ahmadiyya Community is located, it instills an exemplary impression upon others by the grace of God Almighty and becomes a source of preaching [the message of Islam]. Therefore, every member of the Ahmadiyya Community should be cognizant of the importance of improving their condition after taking the Bai‘at [pledge of allegiance]. Our every gathering and Jalsa has a significant impact on the local people of the area regardless of where it is taking place.
The Ijtema (gathering) of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association in UK is commencing today. In this regard, I would like to remind the youth to conduct themselves in such a manner that leaves an impeccable impression on the local people. May God Almighty bless this gathering and may He remove some of the weather-related concerns and worries that they have and bring about good weather.
I would like to express my gratitude to the volunteers of both the Jalsas in Belgium and Germany. They served the attendees of these Jalsas according to their means and abilities. In the same manner, all the members of the Community who attended this event should also thank the volunteers. Those who presented themselves for the service of guests of the Promised Messiahas are from various backgrounds and possess different temperaments. There was a shortage of volunteers in Belgium, but as I mentioned before, they performed their duties in an excellent manner. The volunteers should also be grateful to God Almighty that He granted them the opportunity to serve. They should also prepare themselves for the future and ponder over their weaknesses and shortcomings and think of ways to improve them for the upcoming years. The administration and the officials should review their plans and note down all the red book items in order to make sure that the same mistakes are not repeated in the future. In the past there were complaints about the volunteers of Jalsa in Germany that they do not smile; and that they do not treat others in a good manner and are strict. This year, the report about them on the whole is positive. They should try to make further improvements in this regard in the coming years.
I would like to direct your attention towards an oversight. This occurred in the men’s Jalsa Gah during a session when a poem was recited. It was in reference to “My Home” or “Home”. The manner in which this was recited was wrong. Our stage is not a stage for dramatisation where poems can be recited in such a manner. We should always keep our values in mind and should not adopt ways that are different from our core values. Secondly, the organisers of the Jalsa programme should always make sure that only those poems should be recited during Jalsa sessions which have been written by the Promised Messiahas and his Khulafa, and no other poems should be recited. There is a need to pay special attention towards this matter. I also directed the attention of the Afsar Jalsa Salana about this matter at the time.
Now, I will present some remarks by guests from which we can see that the blessings of the Jalsa do not only impact the Ahmadis, rather it has an impact upon others as well.
A non-Ahmadi Imam of a Mosque in Bosnia was in attendance for the Jalsa. During a tabligh gathering before the Jalsa, he stated:
“I would like to research about the Ahmadiyya Community myself in order establish a correct opinion about it based on personal knowledge.” He is a very open-hearted Imam and he was also invited to the Jalsa for this reason. Then, after spending some time at the Jalsa, he said:
“After spending some time amongst the Ahmadis, I have come to the conclusion that you are the ones who are truly propagating the true teachings of Islam.” He observed the entire proceedings of the Jalsa with great attention. After the Jalsa, he was taken for a tour of Jamia Ahmadiyya Germany along with other members of the delegation about which he stated:
“Regrettably, Muslims have been left far behind in religious and worldly education. On one hand, I saw during the Jalsa that the Imam of the Ahmadiyya Community was distributing certificates to those male and female students who had acquired outstanding achievement in academia, and in this manner, he was encouraging the spirit of advancing in worldly education. On the other hand, after a tour of Jamia, I realised how the Jamaat under the leadership of the Khilafat is striving for the propagation of religious knowledge and how it is progressing in this field in such magnificent fashion. The Ahmadiyya Community is striving to restore the glory of Muslims which has been lost from them.”
He also met me afterwards and mentioned that he would like to read Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya and Tadhkirah. I advised him that instead of reading Tadhkirah, he shouldread The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam and Invitation to Ahmadiyyat. These books would provide him with more of an introduction to Ahmadiyyat, the Promised Messiahas’s character, his knowledge and insight and God Almighty’s support for him.
A lady in the Bosnian delegation, whose name is Momara Sahiba, states:
“This was my first time attending the Jalsa and meeting His Holiness. The days of the Jalsa went by so quickly that I did not even realise. I wish the days of the Jalsa had lasted a bit longer. I wish to attend every Jalsa.”
There was a guest from Monte Negro who had weak eyesight. He states:
“My eyesight is weak, however, after attending the Jalsa I have witnessed everything through the eyes of my heart. I return now after satiating my spirit with this Jalsa. People in my country have turned far away from faith and religion, and they have no idea about spirituality. However, during the Jalsa I felt that God was present and His blessings are descending here [at the Jalsa] in the shape of peace, security and satisfaction of the heart and I also partook of this.”
This year, a delegation of 56 people from Bulgaria participated in Jalsa Salana Germany out of which 31 non-Ahmadi guests also met me. Kirilka Sahiba, a member of this delegation, shared her impressions and said:
“I have attended many programmes, but there was a spiritual and a peaceful environment at the Jalsa of the Ahmadiyya Movement which will stay with me forever and grant me comfort. People had love and respect in their hearts for us and one could discern the extent of their faith through their eyes; that’s how pious these people are. The address of His Holiness left a deep impact on my heart. I wept throughout his address and felt that a new life had begun for me. I shall strive now to live my life in light of these things [mentioned by His Holiness]. I am grateful to you for giving me the opportunity to attain benefit from this spiritual environment.”
These people are not even aware of Ahmadiyyat but they are influenced from this environment and the Jalsa becomes a source of blessing for them as well.
A Christian lady named Kracimira Sahiba says, “I attended the Jalsa with my husband and children. I have never seen such an organised system of hospitality. I learned a great deal about showing respect to parents and training children and will incorporate these things in life. I was amazed at the amount of respect displayed by men towards women. In Christianity, I have not observed such level of respect towards women. I thank you and request you for your prayers.” So, this is a lesson for men as well to not only be respectful with women during the days of the Jalsa, rather according to the teachings which God Almighty has bestowed upon us, this sense of respect and honour should always be kept in their hearts.
A Muslim named Muhammad Yusuf attended the Jalsa. He states, “This is the first time I have attended the Jalsa. The misconceptions that I heard regarding the Jamaat were all removed by the atmosphere of the Jalsa. There was peace everywhere and teachings of the Holy Quran and Hadith were ever present. The message of “love for all, hatred for none” left a deep impact on me. There was tranquillity everywhere. I especially felt a lot of peace during the speeches of the Caliph. It was during the Jalsa when I decided that I would enter the fold of Ahmadiyyat. I had many personal problems; however, when I attended the Jalsa, all my problems began to resolve themselves. Now I will further spread the message of the Jamaat.”
Then there are the impressions of the Latvian delegation. A medical student from Latvia was in attendance. He states, “It is a great honour for me to attend the Germany Jalsa. I feel that this is a gathering of such people who are strong in faith, who are content, affectionate and peaceful. It was astonishing how everyone was paying attention during the speeches and was engaged in their duties. It was a great honour to meet the Caliph. He spoke regarding the issue of immigration in Germany, and also regarding the fear people have in their hearts about Islam. I am extremely happy that the Ahmadiyya Community is giving the world a message of peace and brotherhood and in Germany it is emphasising on friendly neighbourhoods and service.”
There is a non-Ahmadi Pakistani in Latvia who is obtaining a master’s degree in her studies. He also attended the Jalsa. He states:
“I came to Latvia from Pakistan just last month after obtaining a student visa. I was given an invitation to attend the Jalsa which I accepted after some hesitation. When I arrived at the Jalsa Gah, I was left speechless at the arrangements as there were many attendees. The organisers were very beautifully and carefully taking care of everything. There were many people in the Jalsa Gah which included many guests from different countries and also non-Muslim guests who were invited so that they could witness Islam for themselves. I have never received so much love, respect, honour and hospitality in my life as I have received here. I was pleased that this would have a positive impact on the non-Muslims and this way, they will try to come towards the religion of Islam. As I am not an Ahmadi, I also had the same doubts that Muslims of others sects have. However, after listening to the speeches, reading the quotes displayed on banners and offering prayers, I did not see any difference. Everything we do, the Ahmadis also do the same. Their kalima [Islamic declaration of faith] is the same, their prayers are the same and the Quran is the same. The most important thing was the subject of finality of prophethood which has left me to wonder whether I should deem the sect I follow to be true or the Ahmadi sect. The greatest benefit that I have had is that I have personally sat with Ahmadis and seen everything for myself and have heard everything for myself. Now I will personally research into the essence of Islam and finality of prophethood. I really enjoyed the speeches of the Khalifa, especially the final day’s speech. These have been the best four days of my life. The rest of the Muslims merely utter words and spread hate. However, here I have only experienced love, respect and honour. There were some non-Muslim friends with me who were deeply impressed by the respect and honour that they were given by the Ahmadiyya community. The organising team, every single one of them, spoke to us with great love and respect. They managed such a large event in a beautiful manner. I would like to thank them from the depths of my heart.”
Then, a Sri Lankan lecturer from the University of Agriculture, Latvia, who attended the Jalsa states, “It is true that I was slightly apprehensive when I decided to attend the Jalsa as I thought there might be a terrorist attack at this event. However, when I saw the security at the Jalsa, I felt that nothing could harm any of the people attending the Jalsa.” Nonetheless, it is the grace of God that He Himself makes means for our security. He further states, “I really appreciate the security at this event. Though I have many Sri Lankan Muslim friends, however, belonging to a Buddhist family…” (he is a follower of the Buddisht faith) “… I did not have much knowledge of Islam. This Jalsa has given me the teaching of the true Islam and has enlightened me regarding the other sects. It has cleared the difference between Ahmadis and other sects. The best thing that I have learnt is that the Ahmadiyya Community is a loving community and I really commend this. The administration of the community has left me in awe and clearly demonstrates that your community can lead the world in the right direction.”
A student from Latvia named Gloria attended for the first time and it was also the first time she participated in any Muslim event. She says, “I really liked everything, the food and drink and everything else. The people were all courteous and the women on duty always met us with smiles on their faces.” Even though most complaints regarding this came from women, she is saying that the women were always meeting with smiles on their faces. “It really pleased me to see everyone, the young and the old working hard to maintain the levels of cleanliness around them. So this was also something I was pleased with. I really felt at ease. I can clearly recall when I looked up at the screen and saw that in the men’s marquee all the men were placing their hands on each other’s shoulders”. She is describing the Bai‘at ceremony. “Having participated in this conference, my views on Islam have completely changed and I am pleased to know that even now we have such people who want the betterment of the world.”
A woman who came with the Latvian delegation was Anastasia. Regarding my additional address to non-Muslim guests, she says, “I really enjoyed it. Everything he said was correct”. The men and women were together in one place, there were approximately a thousand guests from different places and there were about four to five hundred German guests. She then says, “I went to the men’s hall to listen to this address and the rest of the time I spent in the women’s hall. To sit among the men, I felt embarrassed and it felt strange to me to not have a headscarf covering my head.” Hence, this in itself should give confidence to those girls, as she is saying she felt embarrassed to not be wearing a headscarf or to take it off. Despite being a Christian, she came and said that she felt embarrassment to be sitting amongst the men without a headscarf.
A lawyer from Kosovo expressed his sentiments saying, “To see the organisation of the Jalsa felt like everyone was going about carrying out their duties in obedience to Khilafat. All this obedience was due to the love of that one individual who is the Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Community.” He says, “I had the opportunity to meet the Caliph. Each and every member of the Community is united. There are other events like this in Kosovo, but participating in this Jalsa gives you a completely different feeling where people from all colours and backgrounds are attending and everyone is being taken care of according to their needs.” This lawyer is not an Ahmadi.
There was a physics Professor in the Kosovo delegation, Mr Arber. He says, “It was unbelievable to see everyone gathering in one place and all have their needs catered for. I paid great attention to all the organisation of the Jalsa as to how everything was running in an organised fashion and everyone’s needs were tended to. For every task there were people assigned. I also had the chance to visit the langar (dining area) and I met someone there who had been working for the last twenty-two years in peeling onions, and for the last twenty-two years he has been using the same knife. He told me that the reason why he kept this knife for twenty-two years was that Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh used this knife and held it in his hands.” This left a good impression on him.
The delegation from Georgia which consisted of 38 members attended the Jalsa in Germany. Two of them were bishops, two were Muftis, leaders of Sunni and Shia groups and the rest were non-Ahmadi guests. A non-Ahmadi member of this delegation, who is an Imam of a mosque, Mr Jambul says:
“I am an Imam of a mosque in Georgia and I have come to Germany at the invitation of the Ahmadiyya Community. I have learnt many new things about Islam which I was unaware of before.” He then says with regard to me, “I will always remember one phrase that it is our duty to help mankind. The religion of Islam is peace and peace only. Coming here we have learnt of the true teachings of Islam.”
One woman, Mrs Lako says, “I would like to thank each and every worker for the arrangements of the Jalsa”. Another lady, Mrs Irma says, “I attended the women’s programme today and I was shocked as to how the women were running and managing everything. I was amazed that the women were also carrying out the security checks and all this really pleased me. I thank you very much.” She then says, “I also watched the women’s programme today. I was really surprised as to how much attention is paid to the education and moral upbringing of the women and the biggest thing for me was that the Caliph was handing out academic awards to the women.”
Another guest from Georgia who is a Muslim and the Chairman of a Muslim organisation says, “It was a great honour for us to attend this Jalsa. I experienced spirituality and brotherhood here. I feel that this was a wonderful opportunity for us to come here and benefit from it.”
Another guest, Muhammad Akbar Sahib says, “From my childhood I have been hearing that the Mahdi will come who will change the world and we remained in waiting for him. Now this is the first time I am hearing that the Mahdi we have been waiting for has come and gone and now the system of his Khulafa (Successors) is in place. I will now study the literature of the Community and I hope to find satisfaction in it.”
Then there is the Bishop, who also attended [the Jalsa] here [in the UK]. He expressed his views and was very impressed by the Jalsa he attended. He is the same person who was dressed in the blue cloak.
A priest of the Protestant Church in Hungary also attended the Jalsa. Apart from his religious duties he is very active in welfare work. He says, “I am a Christian but attending your Jalsa, I felt a new lease of spirituality and I return refreshed. This charging helps me in my tasks throughout the year.” He has attended previously as well. He says, “I return charged and this aids me throughout the year in all my work.” The missionary there says that due to this person, not only does his village know about the Community, but his whole circle of friends also came to know about it and new avenues are opening for the Community to convey the message through him.
Mr Varga of Hungary, who works in the refugee camp office, says:
“The Jalsa is an occasion similar to when a person witnesses something extraordinary they become awestruck and are left trembling inside. In the same way, when the slogans were being raised, it seemed that the Imam would now give an instruction and the audience would answer and do something as if they were waiting for his command. Right at the beginning, I felt scared. It is rare to have such crowds in Hungary. Even if there were one hundred people, within an hour there would some altercation, yet before this I have never seen a group of a thousand peaceful members.”
Mrs Illona, a director of the financial department of refugee camps in Hungary says that after seeing all the arrangements of the Jalsa she asked how all the expenses of this Jalsa could be fulfilled? She was informed of the efforts of our Community and the system of chanda. She was very amazed by this. She then says, “The Jalsa is such an event which cleanses one from within and leaves you feeling light.” Now this woman is not an Ahmadi or a Muslim for that case, but she is saying that when you attend this function it feels as if you have been cleansed from within and become very light. “It is like the example of a child who fears bathing in water but after all, it’s vitally important for it. The same thing happens when you see the Jalsa Hall.” As mentioned earlier, the Jalsa has a positive effect on others as well.
Among the Hungary delegation was Mrs Wafa, a Syrian medical doctor who attended this Jalsa. She was very enthusiastic on the second day when she listened to the address to the women in the women’s marquee. Thereafter, she listened to my address to the external guests in the men’s hall after which she says, “I was happy in the women’s marquee, so please take me back to the women’s hall.” During the visit to Jamia she paid great interest to the books in the library and saw the Islamic books. When she came out, she said every verse was appropriate and fitting and pointing to the verse written on the building in Jamia, she said look how this is written in the right place. The verse is:
وَأَشْرَقَتِ الْأَرْضُ بِنُورِ رَبِّهَا
“And the earth will shine with the light of her Lord.”
There was also a delegation from Macedonia which came to attend the Germany Jalsa. 83 people participated and 50 of those travelled 2000 kilometres by bus over 34 hours to attend. The rest of them attended by other modes of transport. 21 of these attendees were Ahmadis, 29 non-Ahmadi Muslims and 14 Christians. Among these guests was the mayor of one of the major cities. Six journalists of four different news channels also attended and recorded over the three days of Jalsa. They conducted interviews with some guests and have told us that they are making documentaries for their own TV channels. Three Muslim teachers also attended the Jalsa who are friends. An IT Professor named Djeladini says:
“I am grateful to the organisers of the Jalsa Salana and to the Ahmadi members in Macedonia for I have attended the Jalsa upon their invitation. The true teachings of Islam were manifest here. Even though I had previously heard and read many things about the Ahmadiyya Community and the Khulafa and heard many things against the Community, but by coming here I received all the answers. I saw the Khalifa of the Community and listened to his words. I learnt a lot from them and I am very impressed by what the Khalifa had to say.” He then says, “Having heard the words of the Khalifa, I have firm faith that the whole world will follow this message and adopt this path which originates from God Almighty. My peace and blessings to you.”
A delegation from Lithuania comprising of 50 people, 40 of whom were non-Ahmadis and 10 Ahmadis, were in attendance. One of the ladies said, “During the Jalsa I felt as if I was a part of the community. The Jalsa taught us about equality, love and serving one another and its practical demonstration can be witnessed at the Jalsa itself.”
Another guest from Lithuania was Jaronimas. He said, “I am an author and have come here to learn about Islam. The manner in which the Khalifa discoursed about the unity of God has deeply impressed me.” He further states, “The following words [of the Khalifa], ‘One should not only worship God, but should also seek to please Him’ have truly won my heart. When I return, I will write columns in the newspapers about the community and will devote an entire issue of my magazine on the community. Although I am aware that by doing so I will experience opposition, however I wish to take the side of the truth. After coming here, I have felt a sense of joy and contentment in my heart and I wish to express my sincere wishes to you all and the whole community.”
A non-Ahmadi guest from Tajikistan, Raheem Sahib, who is a politician, said, “It was the first time I had the opportunity to take part in the Jalsa and to closely observe the Ahmadiyya Community. The passion with which the volunteers worked day and night serves as an example for me. After meeting the Khalifa, I was able to receive many of the answers which had arisen in my mind. Sitting next to the Khalifa, I felt that true unity lies in this community. He [the Khalifa] also gave me a very comprehensive answer to my question regarding the current state of the Muslims and I was convinced by his answer. I feel that the Ahmadiyya community in the future can unite the whole of the Muslim Ummah. I find this community to be extremely disciplined and I shall forever cherish my memories of the Jalsa and meeting the Khalifa.”
A lecturer from a university in Tajikistan said:
“I was extremely pleased by witnessing the Jalsa of the Ahmadiyya community and their level of administration. For the first time I have witnessed such exemplary hospitality and mutual cooperation. The Ahmadiyya community enjoys a lot of freedom here and the address of the Khlaifa of the time to the ladies provided the real solution to today’s issues and I wish that the whole world adheres to this. I also had the opportunity to meet the head of the Ahmadiyya Community and he has a lot of knowledge about media and contemporary issues. Prior to meeting him, I thought he was only a religious figure, but when I spoke to him, I gained a lot of information. He quite accurately pointed out that the media is also contributing towards the disorder being created in the world, and if the media wants, it can play a role in establishing peace. My sincere wishes are with the Community and the head of the Ahmadiyya Community.”
The mayor of M’bour, a large city of Senegal, was also in attendance. He attended the Jalsa as a representative of the Khalifa of a very prominent sect of Senegal called Mureed. He also presented me a gift on the stage. He said, “Although I have done the Bai‘at of my Khalifa, however, never before have I witnessed the scenes of the Bai‘at which I have witnessed here.” When he was mentioning this, he became very emotional and tears began to flow from his eyes. He further said, “We also have a Khalifa but I have never witnessed such love for Khilafat before. I have never witnessed such a sight before and nor such love shown towards the Khalifa. Today, I have come to learn how the Companions would sacrifice their lives. By witnessing passion in the hearts of people and their love, it seems that if the Khalifa were to make even a single instruction by way of a gesture, there will not be a single person who will fail to obey. I have witnessed an immense level of love and obedience in them.” He further states, “We also have a Jalsa for three days. When our Khalifa arrives, there is no one who sits in silence. However, here when the Khalifa arrives, everybody is sat in silence ready to listen to the words of the Khalifa. I have never witnessed this amongst the followers of any worldly leader nor any religious leader.”
On the third day of the Jalsa, the Bai‘at ceremony took place and there were 42 members who, for the first time, took part in the Bai‘at to enter the community.
Another guest, Barq Sahib, who came from Albania, said:
“I was an extremely bitter opponent of Ahmadiyyat. My brother and his friend had accepted Ahmadiyyat and I tried my utmost to instil hatred in his heart for Ahmadiyyat. In the end we decided that we would both pray and whoever is in the right would be victorious.” He then states, “After continuous prayers, I desired to go to the Jalsa and see it for myself and also the Khalifa of the time, so that I am able to make a thorough and an intellectual decision. Therefore, I attended the Jalsa last year and received some satisfaction but I still had some apprehensions but the moment I saw the face of the Khalifa, immediately, all my enmity, malice, hatred and all my doubts disappeared. I no longer had any reason to oppose and upon my return from the Jalsa I filled out the Bai‘at form. And this year I have come and had the opportunity to take the Bai‘at.” He further stated, “This time, the challenge I faced was that my fiancée did not want to become Ahmadi, however, I convinced her and also brought her to the Jalsa. When my fiancée heard the address of the Khalifa delivered in the ladies section, she immediately decided to join Ahmadiyyat. My fiancée said, ‘The Khalifa of the community is extremely kind and loving that I have been able to acquire all the blessings from this one individual alone which the other Muslims have been deprived of. Now, we shall marry as Ahmadis very soon.’”
The report of the media coverage in Germany is as follows:
From the international media, there was Reuters World European News Agency, 3 journalists from Macedonia TV and various media representatives from Lithuania, Israel and also various other representatives from online newspapers.
In terms of national media coverage in Germany, there was representation from 4 television stations, 2 print media outlets and one radio representative. Apart from this, there were also representatives from the National News Agency. At a local level, there was representation from 2 television channels, 2 radio stations, 2 print media outlets and one newspaper. All three days of Jalsa Salana Germany were covered by the various media outlets and according to the report, through a total representation of 4 television channels, two radio stations, 46 newspapers and various other media outlets, the message [of Islam Ahmadiyyat] reached out to 62,857,000 people. There are still more articles being published apart from this.
There was also media coverage in Belgium and people also expressed their sentiments, however, they have not been able to properly compile them yet. These will be published in Majid Sahib’s [Wakil-ul-Tabshir] report later on. However, their media coverage report is that a Belgian television channel and 3 newspapers covered the Jalsa and 2 million people received the message.
When the Belgian television channel and newspapers published their reports, the people of Dilbeek – where the Jalsa was taking place and is a medium-sized town with a population of 46,000, rather it has developed into a city now as there has been a lot of expansion in the last 10-12 years – called in and expressed their amazement at the fact that 4,000 Muslims had gathered in one place and they didn’t hear anything about it. In their view, if 4,000 Muslims gather, there almost certainly should be chaos and disorder, however they said that 4,000 Muslims gathered and they didn’t even know about it. They did not receive any kind of problem nor did they hear any kind of commotion.
Then, through MTA Africa, the various channels of Africa aired programmes on Jalsa. The Review of Religions has also started a new online programme which reached approximately 2 million people – 1.98 million were reached out to. There are countless impressions of people and some of the reports published by the newspapers and media have included such details which portray the true image of Islam. May God Almighty make this positive impact of the Jalsa an everlasting one.
After the Friday Prayer I will offer a few funeral prayers in absentia. The first funeral prayer is of Syed Hasnaat Ahmad Sahib of Canada, who passed away on 27 August at the age of 92. “To Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.” He was the son of Hazrat Dr Syed Shafi Ahmad Sahib – a historian from Delhi – who was a companion of the Promised Messiahas and, Sayyidah Qareesha Tahira Sahiba, better known as Begum Shafi.
He was a faithful and loyal member, who had great passion for the Community. The deceased was a musi [member of the Wasiyyat scheme]. He was amongst those people who had migrated to Canada in the 1970s and began to introduce the Jamaat to the Canadian media on a local, federal and provincial level. He petitioned against the injustices committed against Ahmadis in Pakistan and strived his utmost to gain the rights given to minorities until his last breath. He was the founder of the Human Rights and Race Relations Centre and served as the publisher and chief editor of a Canadian Newspaper. He authored a plethora of books. In 1982, he presented a programme on the Jamaat on a Canadian television channel called Rogers without any remuneration. Hence, for the first time in the world, on 12 December 1982, the pictures of the Promised Messiahas and the Khulafa of Ahmadiyyat were presented on Canadian television. He served as the editor of the Canadian Gazette from 1985 to 1986.
For his services to humanity, the Canadian Government issued a postal stamp with his picture. The Canadian Government, as well as other organisations presented him with countless awards and accolades. He had the opportunity to serve as the National Umur-e-Kharija Secretary [National Director for Public Affairs] for the Canada Jamaat on three occasions.
In order to uphold the rights of those Ahmadi migrants who settled in Canada, he started a fortnightly periodical in 1988 and through various editorials, he raised the issues of the rights of Ahmadis with the government. This periodical contained the beliefs of the Ahmadiyya Community and he served as a valiant journalist in fighting for the rights of Ahmadis. He has also written an introduction to the books of the Promised Messiahas and compiled it, which is a great scholarly achievement on his part. May God the Almighty elevate his status and shower His mercy and forgiveness upon him.
The second funeral prayer is of Mubaraka Shaukat Sahiba, wife of Hafiz Qudratullah Sahib, former missionary of Holland and Indonesia. She passed away on 8 September at the age of 94. “To Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.” She was the daughter of Babu Abdul Lateef Sahib. In 1940, she was married to Hafiz Qudratullah Sahib who was a life devotee and one of the pioneering missionaries. They were together for 53 years. Twenty years of that time was when Hafiz Sahib spent time away from his country for preaching endeavours. For this reason, she [the deceased] looked after the upbringing and moral training of their children on her own. The wives of the earlier missionaries also offered great sacrifices and would spend fifteen or twenty years away from their husbands.
The deceased was a pious and saintly individual who would readily offer prayers and supplications. She would teach children how to read the Holy Quran, help the impoverished and was a sincere member. She was regular in offering Tahajjud [pre-dawn voluntary] prayers and would actively offer her services for her faith. She had a strong bond with Khilafat. Along with Hafiz Sahib and the rest of the family, she had the opportunity to give all the expenditure needed in the printing of the Holy Quran by the Jamaat in the Catalan Language. They also had the opportunity to pay all the expenditure towards a mosque in Indonesia. She is survived by one son, Azizullah Sahib, and three daughters. May God the Almighty enable them to continue her virtuous endeavours and may God shower his mercy and forgiveness on her. She was the aunt of Ataul Mujeeb Rashed Sahib.
The third funeral is of Chaudhry Khalid Saifullah Sahib, who was the Naib Amir [National Vice-President] of Australia Jamaat. He passed away on 16 September at the age of 87. “To Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”
Ahmadiyyat entered in his family through his paternal grandfather Chaudhry Muhammad Khan Sahib Numberdar, from Gil Manjh – district of Gurdaspur – who performed Bai‘at at the hand of the Promised Messiahas in his youth in 1890. Chaudhry Muhammad Khan Sahib holds the distinction that the Promised Messiahas himself gave the message of Ahmadiyyat to him. He travelled to Qadian and as it was time to offer Asr prayers, he went to Masjid Aqsa to offer the prayers. When he arrived, the prayers had finished and the Promised Messiahas was leaving. He said salam [Muslim greeting of peace] and began to offer his prayers [along with a few others]. The Promised Messiahas remained seated. When they finished offering their prayers, the Promised Messiahas asked if they had heard of his claim. They replied that they had not received any news or heard any announcements about his claim. At this, the Promised Messiahas took them to his room. He then narrates that there was a cupboard in his room which contained literature. The Promised Messiahas asked them to take the literature and to distribute it to all the learned people of their village. He then narrates, “There were only three or four people who knew how to read or write, however I picked up 14 or 15 pamphlets which contained information about his claim. I read the pamphlets myself and was greatly influenced by them.” They then went to Sekhwan village where Hazrat Miyan Jamaluddin Sahib and Hazrat Miyan Khairuddin Sahib lived and were mutual acquaintances. They gave them the literature to read. They said that they had accepted [the message of the Promised Messiahas] and that they should also. Chaudhry Muhammad Khan Sahib went from Sekhwan straight to Qadian and requested to take the Bai‘at, which was accepted. As a result of this, he accepted Ahmadiyyat and entered the Jamaat.
After performing the Bai‘at, Chaudhry Muhammad Khan Sahib says that he was massaging the feet of the Promised Messiahas when he asked him hesitantly, “Your Holiness! What method should I adopt to improve myself spiritually and in worldly terms?” The Promised Messiahas replied, “Our method is to offer the prayer in the correct manner and also to constantly recite istighfar [prayer seeking forgiveness from God Almighty].” On another occasion he was again massaging the feet of the Promised Messiahas and he asked the same question, to which the Promised Messiahas replied that one should constantly recite Durud Sharif [invoking salutations on the Holy Prophetsa] and istighfar. Therefore, he adopted this practice throughout his life. Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra has also written this same incident.
The previous incidents were regarding the paternal grandfather of Chaudhry Khalid Saifullah Sahib in relation to the Promised Messiahas.
Wherever Khalid Saifullah Sahib resided he worked in different capacitates for the Jamaat including serving as member of the Standing Committee for the 100 year jubilee celebrations. He served as the head of the Dastoor Committee for the Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Shura. He served as the General Secretary of the Faisalabad Jamaat. He also served as the Financial Secretary for Markaziyya Ahmadiyya Engineering Association and also as Local President of Civil Line of Lahore and Tarbela. He also served as the Amir [National President] of Bengazi Jamaat, Libya. He served as President of Ansarullah, Australia, Naib Amir [National Vice-President] of Australia Jamaat, and after the demise of Mahmood Bengali Sahib, I appointed him temporarily as the acting Amir [National President] for a short while. He fulfilled his duties to the best of his abilities.
He had an extraordinary level of loyalty and obedience to Khilafat. He has rendered many other notable services and led a complete life. He was a learned individual and his articles would often be published in the magazines and periodicals of the Jamaat. He had a simple nature and would always smile and had an agreeable personality. May God the Almighty elevate his status and grant Him forgiveness. The deceased was a musi and leaves behind three daughters and two sons. His elder son, Muhammad Umar Khalid Sahib, resides here in the UK and is the local president of Morden Jamaat. His younger son resides in Australia and is serving as the National Secretary for Waqf-e-Jadid. Aside from this, he also has daughters. May God enable all of his children to continue his pious deeds.
(Translated by The Review of Religions)