Waqf-e-Nau Khuddam from Canada had the opportunity to meet Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa through a virtual meeting on Saturday, 16 October 2021.
As the meeting started, Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa asked whether the waqifeen-e-nau present were from all areas of Canada. Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Canada, Zubair Afzal Sahib reported that most of the waqifeen-e-nau had come from Central Canada; however, some belonged to West Canada and were also in attendance.
Huzooraa then began the formal proceedings by calling Fateen Riaz Sahib to recite a portion of the Holy Quran. Khubaib Chaudhry Sahib presented the English translation of the verses recited. An Urdu poem, written by the Promised Messiahas, was then read by Farrukh Tahir Sahib, while Noor Chaudhry Sahib presented the English translation of the couplets. A hadith of the Holy Prophetsa was read out by Hassan Abdeen Sahib and the English translation was presented by Farhan Qureishi Sahib. An Urdu extract from the writings of the Promised Messiahas was read by Atta ul Fakhir Sahib and its English translation was given by Dr Fawad Khan Sahib.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa then asked Sadr Sahib MKA Canada, Zubair Afzal Sahib how many waqifeen-e-nau were present and enquired what hall they were seated in. Sadr Sahib reported there were over 500 waqifeen-e-nau and they were seated in the International Centre where Jalsa Salana Canada was held every year.
Sadr Sahib then sought Huzoor’s permission for the waqifeen-e-nau to ask him questions. Huzooraa gave permission and also remarked that all waqifeen-e-nau would not be able to ask questions. Sadr Sahib said they had already received well over 100 questions to which Huzooraa said time would permit for about 15 or 20 questions.
The first question was by Osama Saeed Sahib, who asked, “Amidst a strong culture of materialism and the thirst for worldly desires that is created in this society, what is the best way for waqif-e-nau to develop the mindset of a true waqif-e-zindagi and fulfil their waqf.”
Huzooraa responded by saying the excerpt of the Promised Messiahas read out earlier was enough to answer the question. Huzooraa continued:
“Your parents offered you as a waqif-e-nau child and after the age of 15, you renewed your bond and after the age of 21 – after completing your education, university education – you again reconfirmed it. Now it is your duty that since you have filled this bond, you – yourself – have offered that ‘I accept the offer of my parents and I am ready to sacrifice my life in the cause of Allah’. So, when you have that determination, then you should know what are your duties.
“In this world, where materialistic attractions are seen everywhere, here you have to fight against it. Waqf-e-Nau is to spread the message of Islam, to spread the message of Allah the Almighty, to spread the teaching of Islam and the Holy Quran […]
“So, you are in a better field. Now you have to decide on your own whether you are going to fight against your enemy, or you are going to join your enemy. For this, the first thing is, offer your five daily prayers, seek Allah’s guidance, seek Allah’s help that Allah help you to fulfil your bond of Waqf-e-Nau or waqf-e-zindagi [life dedication].
“Secondly, you must read the Holy Quran – see the guidance given to us in the Holy Quran, the commandments given to us in the Holy Quran […] As I have been saying all the time, there are quite a number of dos and don’ts in the Holy Quran – so you have to find out which are the things we have to do to be a good Muslim; to be a good and pious believer. And that is the quality of a waqif-e-zindagi, waqif-e-nau as well […]
“You also should try to read the books of the Promised Messiahas and take his guidance – what does he say about your life, how to live your life? And you also listen to the sermons, and speeches, and discourses and addresses of Khalifatul Masih. That will also help you to make you determined and stronger in your faith and in your bond […]
“You see, the weapons are there which you have to fight [with]. So you should know how to use those weapons. And as I have told you, if you are praying to Allah the Almighty, you are reading the Holy Quran – finding out the commandments and injunctions given in the Holy Quran – reading the books of the Promised Messiahas […] then use them to strengthen your faith and to fight against the materialism of this present day world.”
Huzooraa said, “It all depends on your determination: How firm you are in your faith and how firm you are in your bond.”
Sajid Ahmad Muslun Sahib said, “We have certainly had the pleasure as Ahmadi youth to experience God to a certain degree – that is, for example, through acceptance of prayers. But many of us have not necessarily experienced this direct conversation with Allah the Almighty that the Promised Messiahas repeatedly spoke about in his books.” He then asked Huzooraa, “Should we be worried that at this age we are not experiencing this direct communion with God, or is it something that naturally comes with increasing age, provided we do the right things.”
After listening to Sajid Sahib’s question, Huzooraa very lovingly remarked:
“You have been asking questions in your letters as well. You are writing to me very frequently and in each and every of your letter you have a question there, and I have been answering those questions, right? Are you the same person?”
Sajid Sahib, with a smile, confirmed it was him and said, “Yes.”
Huzooraa continued:
“I am happy that you are very much interested in spiritual things, and your belief and the religious knowledge.
“The first thing is, yes, of course, we should try to develop our communication with Allah the Almighty, but it is not necessary that you always receive some revelation, or dreams or such type of things. Even after having offered your prayers, seeking Allah’s help, if you are satisfied – your heart is satisfied – that means you are in good communion with Allah the Almighty.
“And try to develop it as much as you can […] it is a process. You cannot achieve the thing within a short period of time. When you are a primary school student, you cannot compete with a person who has qualified with his post-graduation degree, right? But you have to struggle and strive hard to achieve that goal, so keep on doing it and one day, insha-Allah, you will have better result.”
Talking further about developing closeness with Allah the Almighty, Huzooraa emphasised:
“But always remember that there is no other way but to pray to Allah the Almighty, and bow before Him and ask His forgiveness and help, in every matter. That should be the main thing of a true believer.
“Gradually, you will improve yourself and develop a good relation with Allah the Almighty. ‘Good relation’ means better communication, communion with Allah the Almighty.”
Next, Dr Nauman Hassan Sahib asked, “In today’s day and age, modern medicine has overshadowed homoeopathy. As a waqif-e-nau, what should we do to tell the world the truth about homoeopathy and its positive effects on the human body.”
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa said:
“Homoeopathy is a type of medicine, a type of treatment, which is being used for the treatment of patients. It is not a matter of Shariah, right? So you should not worry that ‘allopathy has overshadowed homoeopathy and we should be very much concerned’ – it doesn’t matter.”
Huzooraa said the main area of focus should be how patients could be cured of illnesses. Huzooraa said prior to when allopathic medicine emerged, Ayurveda medicine and other native treatments were used by locals which proved to be successful too. Homoeopathy was just another method of treatment, “and if you believe in that, then well and good”, Huzooraa said.
Those who did not believe in homoeopathy and its efficacy would not see its results either as homoeopathy required the patient to believe in the effectiveness of the medicine, Huzooraa said. Firm belief was essential for the success of treatment, Huzooraa said.
On the power of belief, Huzooraa narrated an incident of Hazrat Mirza Sharif Ahmadra – the youngest son of the Promised Messiahas and paternal grandfather of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa. An Ahmadi who had a very strong belief in the Promised Messiahas and also believed the Promised Messiah’s children possessed that spirituality and relation with Allah the Almighty, fell ill with a very severe stomach ache. No medicine proved to be effective in treating the pain and it continued. Hazrat Mirza Sharif Ahmadra – who also knew the Ahmadi – went to see him and asked about his health. The Ahmadi was in agony, “crying and suffering” in pain and no medicine was working. Seeing this, Hazrat Mirza Sharif Ahmadra put his hand in his pocket for a while and then took out a tablet and gave it to the man to swallow with water. After 10 minutes, he was cured.
Someone asked Hazrat Mirza Sharif Ahmadra how he had treated him. Hazrat Mirza Sharif Ahmadra said he knew the Ahmadi could be treated psychologically, so all he did was crunch up a small piece of paper in his pocket into a tablet shape and prayed over it and then gave it to the person.
Huzooraa further said:
“There are some homoeopathic medicines which work miraculously but it is not necessary that in every patient, in every treatment, in every disease, the homoeopathy will work.
“It is wrong to say that research is not being done on homoeopathy. In France and Germany, there is quite a number of homoeopathic doctors who do research on homoeopathy and they have developed some new medicines and that is very good in curing quite a number of diseases.
“So we should not worry that homoeopathy should be spread. It is not a matter of Shariah. If you believe that homoeopathy is good, okay; it’s good for those who believe in it. But those who do not believe in homoeopathy, do not impose your thinking on them that ‘you must use homoeopathy’.”
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa then asked Dr Nauman Sahib if he was a homoeopath, to which he said he was actually a general surgery resident. Advising on homoeopathic medicines’ efficacy in healing post-surgery wounds and cuts, Huzooraa recommended Dr Nauman Sahib to use arnica and staphisagria in 200 potency. Huzooraa said that from his experience in treating patients with wounds and cuts – especially after surgery – these homoeopathic medicines worked “miraculously”. In fact, Huzooraa said they were effective for “any cut” on the body. Huzooraa said:
“You will see the normal healing will take one week and with this medicine, it will take sometimes three days to heal that cut.”
Huzooraa said Nauman Sahib could try it and that he was not saying it would most definitely work. Nauman Sahib said he would take Huzoor’s recommendation and practise it.
Dr Nauman Sahib also asked Huzooraa if there was a specific prayer to recite while treating patients. Hazrat Khalifatul Mash Vaa said:
هُوَ الشَّافِیْ“
“‘Allah is the Healer’.
“So always pray, and also say Surah al-Fatihah before going to the operation theatre that Allah the Almighty guides you and then say هُوَ الشَّافِىْ.”
Sajeel Ahmed Sahib asked, “Is it okay if a waqif-e-nau goes into business as a career?”
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa said:
“You have devoted your life for the cause of the Jamaat. If the Jamaat says that you are not required with your present education in the Jamaat’s regular service, then you can. Otherwise, your first option should be to work as a regular employee of the Jamaat – that should be the first desire of a waqif-e-nau; the first choice and option of a waqif-e-nau.”
If the Jamaat did not require a waqif-e-nau for the time being, then they could pursue a business, Huzooraa said. However, “even in that business, you should always keep in mind that you are a waqif-e-nau and your foremost duty is to spread the message of Islam and Ahmadiyyat. And wherever you are working – whichever business you are in – you should try to spread the message of Islam and the teaching of Islam should be portrayed in your every deal and action.”
Ibrahim Malik Sahib asked, “Even though I read my five daily prayers and recite the Holy Quran, I still have trouble putting 100% of my trust in Allah. Can you give me some advice so that I am able to completely put my trust in Allah?”
Huzooraa first asked Ibrahim Sahib how long he took in offering his Fajr prayers, to which Ibrahim Sahib said 5-10 minutes. Huzooraa responded by highlighting that offering four rak‘aat of Fajr prayers in such a short amount of time would not do justice to the prayer. Huzooraa advised that when one offered prayers on their own – not in congregation in the mosque – while reading Surah al-Fatihah, they should constantly repeat, اِهۡدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الۡمُسۡتَقِيۡمَ “‘Guide us in the right path’ […] So repeatedly do it in your prayers”, Huzooraa said.
Giving further advice, Huzooraa said:
“And in your prostrations, fervently pray to Allah the Almighty, that Allah the Almighty gives you the strength to be a good believer and firm in your faith.
“When you are reading the Holy Quran, just reading the Holy Quran in Arabic text is nothing until and unless you know the meaning of it. When you are reading the Holy Quran you should know what is written in the Holy Quran and for that, you should know the translation.”
Huzooraa advised to read the translation of the part recited and find out “what are the commandments given there in the Holy Quran”, and whether he was following those commandments.
Huzooraa said it was only when one followed the above that they could expect to develop firm faith and belief in Allah the Almighty and the Holy Quran. “It will take time” Huzooraa said.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa drew on an analogy to explain the issue further. If one did not study in depth and failed to cover all bases of their studies, they could not expect to succeed or qualify. In the same vein, “How can you qualify your level of piety and righteousness without struggling hard and striving hard? You’re giving six to seven hours to your studies after school before the exams, but here you give only five minutes, or 10 minutes at the most, and whatever you are reading in the Holy Quran, you don’t know what you are reading.
“So if you don’t know about your subject, how can you write the answer? When you see the question paper and you have read the book without knowing what was the meaning, you cannot understand the question, right? To understand the question, you should know what is the answer and where was it in the book […] and what the teacher taught me about this subject – then you will try to answer it.” Similarly, it was only when one understood the Holy Quran they could expect to have a high level of faith.
Hassaan Chaudhry Sahib asked, “How can we develop the passion in doing tabligh?”
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa advised:
“You are a waqif-e-nau and you have offered your life to work for the Jamaat, for the cause of Allah the Almighty. So if you have a good relation with Allah the Almighty, you have firm faith in Allah the Almighty, if you believe that the teaching of Islam or the Quran is the right teaching and the right path which can guide you towards Allah the Almighty, you should have the desire in your heart not only to confine that thing within yourself, but to spread it. And to save the people of the world also.
“If you have sympathy for the people, then you should spread the message of Allah the Almighty, to save you from the wrath of Allah the Almighty. In this way, you will develop some passion that you have to save the world and spread the message of Islam and try to bring mankind closer to Allah the Almighty.
“Then also try to increase your knowledge. If you read the Holy Quran, the books of the Promised Messiahas and ahadith you will find the ways and means [of] how to develop your passion and how to show your sympathy towards your fellow beings. And that will help you to do tabligh.”
Mubariz Maqsood Sahib asked, “What is the best way of approaching an Ahmadi friend who is becoming involved in various sins and moving away from the Jamaat and into situations that are harmful to him?”
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa gave guidance by saying:
“You see, you will have to find out the cause of it first. If he is your close friend, then you should know what his preferences are now. Who are those people with whom he’s sitting – his company? Is he trying to avoid you and sitting with other friends who are not good, who are involved in committing so many sins?
“Then, if that is the case, you will have to ask him that ‘the way you are going towards is not the right way, it will spoil your life and ultimately you are going to ruin yourself – or rather, you are going to doom yourself.
“Try to be sympathetic to him. Once he realises that you are his real friend and his sympathiser, then he will try to listen to you.”
Huzooraa said such behaviour had other causes too. For example, “Sometimes when some boys, youngsters have some problems in their houses – their father and mother don’t have good relations – that is also causing [it]. On one side, their father and mother say that ‘religion is the thing which teaches us to do good things’, whereas when he sees the action of his father and mother, they are not even practising those things and their character is disturbing him.
“Sometimes, some office-bearers become the cause of trouble – so there are so many things. We have to find out what is the cause and you should treat them according to that.
“But the main thing is that they must realise, they must understand that you are their sympathiser and best friend.”
Anas Farooq Sahib asked, “What is your favourite incident from the life of the Promised Messiahas?
With a smile, Huzooraa replied:
“I was not present during the life of the Promised Messiahas.”
Huzooraa continued:
“You can see the seerat [biography] of the Promised Messiahas – the life history of the Promised Messiahas. There are quite a number of incidents which inspire one; how can I single out one or two? It is difficult.”
Huzooraa then recommended Anas Sahib to read any English translation of the life history of the Promised Messiahas. Huzooraa also said that “every deed and action” of the prophets served as a role model for our lives.
Rao Nabeel Ahmed Sahib asked, “I am the son of a martyr. What is your advice for the families of martyrs who came from Pakistan?”
Huzooraa advised:
“[…] your father […] was martyred in Pakistan, they sacrificed their lives for the cause of the Jamaat. And you are here in this country because of the Jamaat. And here, in this country, instead of involving and indulging yourself in the bad things of this society, try to find out the good things of this society and portray yourself as a role model for these people. And if you are a student, excel in your studies. If you are a worker, work hard.
“And always try to keep in mind that Allah the Almighty is always seeing you, Allah the Almighty is watching over you, whatever you do. If people are not seeing, Allah the Almighty is seeing it. So since you have come here because of the Jamaat because your father or your relative sacrificed their life for the cause of Allah, you should try to work hard to listen to the commandments of Allah, to practise the commandments of Allah and show your example as a good believer, and mo‘min, and Ahmadi.”
At this, the time for the meeting came to an end. Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa told Sadr Sahib Canada that those who did not get a chance to ask their questions could write to Huzooraa and that he would answer them.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa conveyed his salaam and the meeting came to a close.
(Report prepared by Al Hakam)
Alhamdulillah, to read beloved Huzoor’s (ABA) replies to these questions, where he replies with such patience, love and care is simply amazing. It becomes clear that Huzoor’s primary objective is to bring the Jama’at closer to Allah the Almighty.
SubhanAllah.
JazakAllah to the Al Hakam team for such dedicated work!