This Week in History: 11–17 October

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A glimpse into the rich history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

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A Group photo of Pakistani representatives in front of Minaratul Masih during Jalsa Salana Qadian. Standing in the top row, on the right: (Hazrat) Sahibzada Mirza Tahir Ahmad, Qadian, Punjab, India, 1961.

11 October 1902:On this day, a conversation took place between the Promised Messiahas and Maulvi Hamid Hussain Sahib, a visitor to Qadian. During this discussion, several topics were covered, including the criteria for identifying a true religion, the distinction between worldly actions and true belief in God, and the spiritual elements necessary for attaining certainty in faith. Hazrat Ahmadas also addressed the differences between sects in Islam and the significance of righteousness and divine support for a believer. (Malfuzat, Vol. 3, 2022, pp. 219-229)

11 October 1983:On the final stage of the Far East tour, during his stay in Sri Lanka, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh visited the Buddhist centre in Kandy on this day. (Silsila Ahmadiyya, Vol. 4, p. 827)

11 October 2013: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa delivered a keynote address at a special reception in Melbourne, Australia. Huzooraa discussed global threats to peace, particularly focusing on the instability caused by the so-called ‘Arab Spring’ and the potential threat of a Third World War. He outlined a roadmap for peace, based on Islamic teachings and urged policymakers to act with wisdom to prevent further conflict. (“Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Delivers Historic Address in Melbourne”, www.pressahmadiyya.com

12 October 1905:On this day, Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karim Sialkotira was laid to rest in Qadian. He had passed away the previous day, and his burial was carried out as amanat (an interim burial). He was known for his unwavering dedication and service to the Promised Messiahas. His book, Sirat Masih-e-Maud (Life of the Promised Messiah), remains one of the key sources on the life and times of the Promised Messiahas. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 2, p. 403)

12 October 2012:On this day, Canada’s Minister for Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, Jason Kenney MP, visited Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa at the Fazl Mosque, London. (“Canada’s Government Minister calls on Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in London’’, www.pressahmadiyya.com

13 October 1946: With the aim to spread the message of Islam across Europe following WWII, three Ahmadi Muslim missionaries arrived in Switzerland on this day: Chaudry Abdul Latif Sahib, Sheikh Nasir Ahmad Sahib and Maulvi Ghulam Ahmad Bashir Sahib.

To read more about their early days’ account, see: “Pioneer Missionaries: Part 12 – Venturing Westward: Humble beginnings as missionaries set foot in Europe” at alhakam.org (1 September 2023, p. 15). 

14 October 1968:On this day, Dr Abdus Salam, a renowned Ahmadi Muslim physicist, was honoured with the prestigious Atoms for Peace Award by the Atoms for Peace Foundation. The ceremony took place in New York, where several dignitaries, including U Thant, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, were in attendance. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 24, pp. 594-599)

14 October 1969: On 14 October 1969, a 26-member delegation from the United Presbyterian Church in the USA visited Qadian, where they were warmly welcomed by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. The visit was part of broader interfaith dialogue efforts, aimed at fostering mutual understanding and respect between different religious communities. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 25, p. 295)

For more details of their visit, see “Coming from every distant track: A delegation from the United Presbyterian Church, USA, visits Qadian” at alhakam.org (2 December 2022, pp. 8-9). 

14 October 1994:On this day, during his tour of the United States, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh inaugurated the Baitur Rahman Mosque, located in Silver Spring, Maryland, near Washington. An estimated 5,000 Ahmadis and guests from across the United States attended the opening ceremony. (Silsila Ahmadiyya, Vol. 4, p. 881) 

15 October 1917: Under the auspices of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra, on this day, Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Khalil Ahmad Sahib of Monghir was sent from the Markaz to organise the local chapters of the Jamaat in Punjab. He was accompanied by Muhammad Saeed Saadi Sahib and Maulvi Muhammad Ibrahim Baqapuri Sahib. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. pp. 205-206) 

16 October 1909: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira delivered an Eid-ul-Fitr Sermon in which he spoke about the institution of Khilafat. (Khutbat-e-Nur, pp. 411-422) 

To read more about the re-establishment of Khilafat, see “The birth of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya – Bai‘at at the hand of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I” at alhakam.org. (22 May 2020, pp. 7-8). 

17 October 1986: On this day, during his Friday sermon, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh urged the Jamaat members to help generously for the earthquake victims in El Salvador, especially the orphans. Huzoorrh also emphasised, with great concern, that all Ahmadis should protect their homes from all un-Islamic Western influences. (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 5, p. 675)

17 October 1988:On this day, Daily Jang Lahore, a renowned newspaper of Pakistan, published the statement of Maulvi Manzoor Ahmad Chinioti, a staunch opponent of Jamaat, that “I accept the Mubahala Challenge (of the Head of the Ahmadiyya Community) and predict that I would be alive a year from today, i.e., 15 September 1989, but the Qadiani community would disappear from the face of the earth.”

In response to his boasts, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh replied during his Friday Sermon, on 15 November 1988:

“We will see, by next September, God willing, Ahmadiyyat will not only be alive but will be prospering in every way, and if Maulvi Chinioti happens to be alive, he will not find a single country where Ahmadiyyat has vanished”. (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 7, pp. 791-808)

17 October 2015:On this day, the first-ever convocation ceremony of Jamia Ahmadiyya Germany took place. 16 graduates were awarded Shahid degrees by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa. In his address, Huzooraa emphasised the responsibilities of missionaries, urging them to uphold the highest standards of personal conduct, continue their pursuit of knowledge, and convey the true peaceful message of Islam. (“First ever Convocation Ceremony of Jamia Ahmadiyya Germany takes place in historic event”, www.pressahmadiyya.com)

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