This Week in History: 12-18 December

A glimpse into the rich history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

12 December 1911: On this day, to address Bengali sentiments, Lord Hardinge announced the reunification of Bengal, reversing the 1905 partition. This decision was a response to widespread protests led by the Swadeshi movement and growing concerns among Hindus about East Bengal having separate courts and policies. Years before this development, the Promised Messiah^as had foretold this event in a prophecy. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 4, pp. 383-384)

12 December 1935: Hazrat Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman returned to Qadian on this day; he was sent to America to propagate the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat.

To read more about this remarkable story, see: ‘‘Pioneer Missionaries: Part 2 – Serving till their last days’’ at www.alhakam.org (16 September 2022, p. 9).

13 December 1952: On this day, a delegation representing the Jamaat called on the chief secretary and home secretary of Punjab to stop spreading false conspiracies about the Jamaat in front of the highest civil authorities of the province.

In those days, all the opponents of Ahmadiyyat were carrying out conspiracies, spreading lies and spreading hatred, which eventually led to the infamous and notorious anti-Ahmadiyya riots of 1953 in which the lives of Ahmadis were taken and their properties destroyed. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 14, p. 448)

13 December 1991: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV^rh instructed that every country where the Jamaat is established should have a tabligh centre, with a fully equipped library of Jamaat literature and other related necessary reference books. (Silsila Ahmadiyya, Vol. 4, p. 867)

14 December 1912: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I^ra drew the attention of Ahmadi scholars to prepare a new book for the interpretation of dreams in light of new topics that emerged as a result of technological advancements. (Al Hakam, 14 December 1912, p. 6)

14 December 1936: In order to connect Qadian with other large cities, telephone lines were set up. On this day, the installation work was completed. At the request of the Government of India, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra inaugurated the installation. Huzoor^ra made the first call to Hazrat Chaudhry Sir Zafrulla Khan^ra. (Al Fazl, 16 December 1936)

15 December 1900: On this day, the Promised Messiah^as wrote and published a lengthy announcement in which he invited Pir Mehar Ali Shah to write a commentary on Surah al-Fatihah. (Majmua-e-Ishtiharat, Vol. 3, p. 147)

To read more, see: ‘‘All prophets are rejected and questioned on their sanity – Part II’’ at www.alhakam.org (12 June 2020, pp. 12-13).

15 December 1926: On this day, the Ahmadi women’s auxiliary organisation, Lajna Imaillah, started publishing their magazine, Misbah. Its first editor was Qazi Zuhuruddin Akmal^ra. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 4, p. 566)

15 December 2006: During his Friday sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa instructed Ahmadis to participate in humanitarian works with more zeal and urged Ahmadi doctors to devote themselves for 3-5 years or for a lifetime to serve in the Jamaat hospitals in Pakistan and Africa.

16 December 1916: Famous English orientalist David Samuel Margoliouth travelled from England for various engagements in India and visited Qadian on this day. He had the opportunity of meeting Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra. 

For more details of this meeting, see ‘‘Coming from every distant track: David Samuel Margoliouth, English orientalist, visits Qadian’’ at www.alhakam.org (2 April 2021, pp. 19-21).

17 December 1892: Alluding to an edict issued by Maulvi Rahim Bakhsh of Lahore, the Promised Messiah^as published an ishtihar (announcement) on this day, titled A Sign of the Day of Resurrection. In this announcement, the Promised Messiah^as responded to allegations raised by maulvis who said that the Jalsa Salana was an innovation. (Majmua-e-Ishtiharat, Vol. 1, p. 372)

For more details, see “Is Jalsa Salana an innovation?” at www.alhakam.org (2 August 2019, p. 9).

17 December 1965: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III^rh urged Ahmadis to create such an environment of brotherhood around them that any impecunious Ahmadi may not have to sleep hungry at night. Huzoor^rh directed that the presidents of local jamaats should oversee this important campaign. (Khutbat-e-Nasir, Vol. 1, p. 45)

18 December 1913: Owing to an article published in the Badr newspaper about Christianity, it was censored and had to cease its circulation on this day. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 3, p. 484) The newspaper Badr had been out of publication since then. On 20 December 1951, the historic paper was relaunched from Qadian and Maulvi Barkaat Ahmad Rajeki Sahib was appointed as editor. By March 1952, Badr had begun its publication on a regular basis. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 13, p. 394)

18 December 2009: During his Friday sermon on this day, delivered from the Noor Mosque in Frankfurt, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa said it was his first Friday sermon from this mosque and that 50 years had passed since the mosque’s construction. This was the second Ahmadiyya mosque in Germany; the first was built in Hamburg.