13 August 1924: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’sra entourage departed for the second leg of their journey when they boarded their ship from Port Said, an Egyptian city at the northern end of the Suez Canal located on the Mediterranean Sea.
It should be noted that after travelling this far, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra began to feel unwell due to the frequent travels and especially due to the long speeches he delivered in the city of Damascus. Observing his health, the ship’s doctor advised Huzoorra to rest instead of continuing the voyage; however, Huzoorra did not wish for the journey to be interrupted and continued with the journey.
13 August 1979: On this date, an Ahmadi, Munshi Alam Din Sahib, was martyred in Kotli, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. He did bai‘at in 1934 after much research. He would often travel for the Jalsa Salana in Qadian. He continued his study of Ahmadiyyat with the writings of the Promised Messiahas and the Khulafa. Munshi Alam Din Sahib would find every opportunity to preach the true Islam. On the day of Munshi Alam Din Sahib’s martyrdom, at 9:30 am, when he left home, an Ahmadiyya rival attacked him. The killer was released on bail by his relatives and managed to escape the clutches of the law; however, he later became mentally challenged. He lived a life of many problems and challenges for many years and later committed suicide.
14 August 1940: An entire Ahmadi family in Ambala was martyred on this day. This cruel and barbaric act was committed against Hazrat Haji Mian Miran Bakhshra, his wife and toddler. This companion of the Promised Messiahas had an unyielding passion to preach the message of Ahmadiyyat to the locals since he entered the Jamaat in 1904. Moreover, his business of hides and leather flourished abundantly, which created a strong sense of envy in his rivals. It is reported that a group of attackers, at the behest of local clerics, stormed into his home at around midnight and stabbed him multiple times. Hazrat Miran Bakhsh Sahibra succumbed to his fatal injuries. His wife rushed to the house, crying for help, but she was overpowered by the terrorists and she too lost her life along with her very young daughter. These noble martyrs were buried locally.
14 August 1980: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh addressed a press conference in London. Representatives of top newspapers and magazines attended, conveying the message of truth to the people of Britain.
That same evening, a London broadcasting radio station, in a ten-minute detailed report, described Huzoor’srh arrival in London and the busy schedule during his stay there. On 15 August, The Guardian and Jang London published articles in favour of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat because on 12 August, the religious correspondent of the weekly and influential newspaper, The Guardian, had interviewed Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh.
15 August 1924: On this date, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra came to know, from the letters of Qazi Muhammad Zahuruddin Akmal Sahib and Khawaja Ghulam Nabi Sahib, Editor Al Fazl, that the newspaper, Paigham-e-Sulh had made remarks against Huzoor’sra journey to Europe. Whilst addressing these people, Huzoorra wrote a poem that included the following three verses:
پھیر لو جتنى جماعت ہے مِرى بیعت میں
باندھ لو ساروں كو تم مكروں كى زنجیروں سے
پھر بھى مغلوب رہو گے مِرے تا یوم البعث
ہے یہ تقدیر خداوند كى تقدیروں سے
ماننے والے مِرے بڑھ كے رہیں گے تم سے
یہ قضا وہ ہے جو بدلے گى نہ تدبیروں سے
“[Attempt to] turn away as many from the Jamaat who have pledged allegiance; restrain them all with the chains of deceits.
“Even then shall you not be victorious till the Day of Resurrection, for this destiny is from the destinies of the Lord.
“Those who have accepted me shall be in greater number than you; this is a fate that cannot be altered through [human] endeavours.”
Huzoorra then sent the poem to be published in Al Fazl.
15 August 1975: In his Friday Sermon on 15 August, Huzoorrh recited some verses of Surah Al-Zumar and explained that other than God Almighty, others who were generally intimidated had very limited and temporary spheres of power and it was useless to expect or rely on them. Huzoorrh stated no power in the world or any fatwa could deprive such a one of guidance who was guided in the sight of God. Huzoorrh emphasised that Allah is the Almighty and able to take revenge. Allah gives dominion to the descendants of believers by making His guided true servants the subject of His support and help and He pours out His wrath on the disobedient.
16 August 1924: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra was en-route to Europe. The ship carrying this entourage, on this date, sailing through the Mediterranean Sea, touched the shores of Brindisi, a port city on the Adriatic Sea, in southern Italy’s Apulia region. Huzoorra boarded a train from this harbour city to reach Rome. During his four-day stay in Rome, his schedule remained very tight. He was interviewed by the national press and had a meeting with Italian Prime Minister, Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini, in his office. The meeting took place on 19 August with the aim of presenting the aims and objectives of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat to the country’s leader to make it easier to send missionaries to Italy in the future.
Huzoorra intended to meet Roman Catholic Pope Pius IX, but the pontiff was not available for guests due to his residence’s maintenance work. Aside from all these activities, Huzoorra engaged in a special excursion to visit the Catacombs.
16 August 1981: Fiji’s missionary, Malik Abdul Hafeez Sahib, was martyred in a car accident. He was travelling on a Jamaat related trip on 5 August when his car collided with a truck on the highway. He was hospitalised with serious injuries and passed away.
Malik Abdul Hafeez Sahib had memorised the Holy Quran. He received the blessed opportunity to lead the Tahajud prayers during Jalsa Salana and the Tarawih prayers during Ramadan at Masjid Mubarak, Rabwah.
Malik Abdul Hafeez Sahib obtained his Shahid degree from Jamia Ahmadiyya in 1974. Malik Abdul Hafeez Sahib was buried in Bahishti Maqbara, Rabwah. He was 34 years old at the time of his demise.
17 August 1925: Hazrat Maulvi Rahmat Alira departed for Indonesia under the auspices of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, with the aim of establishing a mission there. He arrived in Sumatra in September. Despite landing in an alien place, his resolve overcame all possible barriers. He learnt the language, began tabligh and soon started discussions and debates with the local ulema (religious clergy). He established the first jamaat within a few months, with eight people performing bai‘at.
While bidding farewell to Hazrat Maulvi Rahmat Alira from Qadian, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra gave valuable advice. For example, Huzoorra said, preaching should be done gradually; a system of the Jamaat should be established in every city and village where people accepted Ahmadiyyat. Huzoorra advised instilling in the new Ahmadis the habit of preaching and becoming role models.
17 August 1980: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh arrived in Amsterdam from London.
Huzoorrh left London for Nigeria on the first leg of his tour of Africa via Amsterdam, the Netherlands. On the way, Huzoorrh stopped at the airport in Amsterdam for a while. Prime Minister Dries van Agt was also present at the airport. When he learned of the presence of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh at the airport, he sent a message that he had yet to hold a press conference, after which he would come and meet Huzoorrh himself. So soon after, he and his staff came to the VIP lounge where Huzoorrh was and expressed his wish to Huzoorrh that he would also like to meet him the next time he visited the Netherlands.
18 August 1945: Hazrat Sufi Muhammad Hassan Musa Khanra passed away in Perth, Australia at the age of 82 and was buried in Karrakatta cemetery. He entered the fold of Ahmadiyyat in 1903.
He had written his letter of allegiance on the initiative of his two brothers, Hazrat Muhammad Hussain Musara and Hazrat Muhammad Ibrahim Khanra, which was answered by Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karimra. He remained occupied in serving the Jamaat and Islam in different capacities.
Hazrat Sufi Muhammad Hassan Musa Khanra was born on 30 May 1863 in Karachi, Sindh. He was educated in Karachi and Bombay. He probably arrived in Australia in 1893. He was fluent in five languages. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa mentioned him in his Friday Sermon on 14 April 2006 during his visit to Australia.
19 August 1946: Maulvi Ghulam Ahmad Mubashar Sahib reached Aden to establish a mission there. He left Qadian on 5 August. Elders of the Jamaat and many friends were present at the railway station to bid him farewell. Hazrat Maulvi Sher Alira prayed and bade farewell to Maulvi Ghulam Ahmad Mubashar Sahib.
19 August 1962: Hazrat Nawab Amatul Hafeez Begumra, daughter of the Promised Messiahas, was in Hamburg during her visit to Europe. She blessed the Hamburg mission house with her stay until 22 August.
Hazrat Nawab Amatul Hafeez Begum’sra journey started from Karachi on 25 July. Arriving in London, she joined various programmes of Lajna Imaillah. She then travelled to Scotland on 16 August.
On this date, Hazrat Nawab Amatul Hafeez Begumra arrived in Hamburg. At the airport, she was warmly welcomed by Ahmadis living in West Germany. Germany’s newspapers prominently covered her arrival.
Chaudhry Abdul Latif Sahib, who served as a missionary then, with the visit of Hazrat Nawab Amatul Hafeez Begumra, stated that Islam was well discussed in the German press. He said that the Christian objection that Islam does not give any status to women was widely refuted. He states, “I specifically emphasised that the laying of the foundation stone, through Hazrat Begum Sahiba, of the Bait-ul-Dhikr, under construction in Zurich, is a proof that the status of women in Islam is very high […].”