This Week in History: 1-7 December

A glimpse into the rich history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

1 December 1888: The Promised Messiah’s^as book, Sabz Ishtihar (The Green Announcement), was published on this day at Riaz-e-Hind Press, Amritsar. Its full title was Haqqani Taqrir bar Waqi‘ah Wafat-e-Bashir and was printed on green-coloured pages. It contained the news of the sad demise of his son Bashir Awal (the first). This announcement provides us with another clear sign of Hazrat Ahmad’s^as truth; he announced that he was commanded by God Almighty to accept bai‘ats (pledges of initiation). (Majmu‘ah-e-Ishtiharat [2019], Vol. 1, p. 205)

1 December 1952: Dr Curt Tiltack, an orientalist from Germany, wanted to write a book about the Ahmadiyya Jamaat. A German missionary gave him the book Ahmadiyyat or the True Islam (an extended treatise of a lecture read at the Conference on Some  Living Religions Within the Empire in London by Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra) to study. With the help of this book, he was able to collect and compile material. For further guidance, he sent four questions in a letter to Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra on this date. 

Huzoor^ra wrote a letter in response to the questions, which can be read in volume 12 of Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat (pp. 138-145).

1 December 1989: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV^rh instructed parents and office-bearers of the Jamaat that every child who has devoted his or her life under the Waqf-e-Nau scheme must learn at least three languages. (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 8, pp. 771-783)

1 December 2008: During his tour of India, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa was interviewed on this day by a correspondent of the Indian Express, a well-known newspaper in India. Huzoor^aa was also interviewed by reporters of The Hindu and a Malayalam newspaper, the Janam Bhumi. (Al Fazl International, 23 January 2009, pp. 11-12)

2 December 1912: At the request of Sir Muhammad Iqbal, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I^ra sent him a list of Arabic literature. Huzoor^ra wrote that great writers agreed and even German scholars of the Arabic language said that the best book in Arabic was the Holy Quran. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 3, p. 429)

2 December 1982: On this day, a special reception was held in honour of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV^rh. Huzoor^rh, while addressing the attendees, emphasised the importance of preparing and sharing academic responses to the allegations raised by globally recognised orientalists. (Silsila Ahamdiyya, Vol. 4, p. 819)

2 December 2005: On this day, during his tour of Mauritius, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa inaugurated the 44^th Jalsa Salana Mauritius with his Friday Sermon. It was the first time that a Khalifatul Masih had graced the Jalsa Salana of Mauritius. (Khutbat-e-Masroor, Vol. 3, p. 701)

3 December 1943: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra set up the Ifta Committee to look into various issues of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). He appointed the following three members for it:

• Hazrat Maulana Syed Sarwar Shah^ra, who served as the mufti of the Jamaat

• Hazrat Mir Muhammad Ishaq^ra

• Hazrat Maulana Abul Ata

(Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 8, p. 454)

4 December 1970: A devastating cyclone hit the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta in East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) on 12 November 1970, resulting in a tragic loss of life, with hundreds of thousands of people perishing in the densely populated region.

On this day, while delivering his Friday sermon in Rabwah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III^rh requested prayers for the people suffering from the storm in East Pakistan, Huzoor^rh also made a special request for prayers for peaceful general elections in the country. (Khutbat-e-Nasir, Vol. 3, p. 401)

4 December 2012: On this day,  Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa answered questions from a range of media outlets during a 40-minute press conference in the Press Room of the European Parliament in Brussels.

A number of global media organisations from the UK, Spain, France, Belgium, Pakistan and other countries attended.

After this, Huzoor^aa delivered the keynote address at the European Parliament to an audience of more than 350, representing 30 countries. The event was hosted by the European Parliament Friends of Ahmadiyya Muslims Group, whose chair and vice-chairs all took to the stage to welcome Huzoor^aa. Martin Schulz MEP and President of the European Parliament also came to greet Huzoor^aa. (“Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat calls for peace during Press Conference at European Parliament”, and “Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community makes historic address at European Parliament”, www.pressahmadiyya.com)

5 December 1953: The fifth Jalsa Salana of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Sierra Leone started on this day, and lasted for three days. 500 delegates from 41 regions participated in it. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra sent a message instructing all members to work with unity and he prayed that God be with them all. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 16, p. 209)

6 December 1953: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra inaugurated the newly constructed building of Talim-ul-Islam College Rabwah. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 16, p. 420)

7 December 1917: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra exhorted the younger members of the Jamaat to come forward and devote their lives to the cause of Islam. Upon this call, 63 earnest young men stepped forward, rendering their services for this cause. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 4, p. 204)