This Week in History: 15-21 December

A glimpse into the rich history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

15 December 1900: On this day, the Promised Messiah^as published a lengthy announcement in which he invited Pir Meher Ali Shah to write a commentary on Surah al-Fatihah. (Majmu‘ah-e-Ishtiharat, Vol. 3, p. 147) Pir Meher Ali Shah, a well-known pir in India, had claimed to have a great command of the commentary of the Holy Quran and used to say that he had been blessed with the understanding of the Holy Quran. However, the Promised Messiah’s^as challenge exposed the pir’s ignorance.

15 December 1926: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra launched Misbah (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 28, p. 150) upon the suggestion of various members of the Community, the most prominent among them being Hazrat Qazi Muhammad Zuhuruddin Akmal^ra and his wife Sikkinat-un-Nisa. (Tarikh Lajna Imaillah, Vol. 1, p. 184)

15 December 1929: On this day, a Dutch missionary and doctor, Mr Kremer visited Qadian and had an audience with Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra. Upon his return, he shared his pleasant experience of visiting Qadian and especially spending time in the company of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 5, pp. 154-155)

15 December 2000: On the basis of a vision, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV^rh directed members of Jamaat, while delivering his Friday Sermon, to pay special attention to the matrimonial issues of Ahmadi youth. Huzoor^rh also emphasised the need to end unemployment among members of the Jamaat. (Silsila Ahmadiyya, Vol. 4, p. 905)

16 December 1983: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV^rh while delivering his Friday Sermon, directed Jamaat members to initiate a meaningful campaign to end the prevailing bad customs in society, specially, when marrying their children. (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 2, p. 625)

16 December 1991: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV^rh began his historic trip to Qadian, India on this day. This tour continued until 16 January 1992. On this day, Huzoor^(rh) arrived at Delhi airport. The following day, aside from other engagements, Huzoor^rh travelled to Fatehpur Sikri and Agra, and on 18 December, he visited Tughlaqabad and Qutb Minar. (Silsila Ahmadiyya, Vol. 4, p. 868)

16 December 2005: During his first ever Friday Sermon from Qadian, delivered in Masjid Aqsa, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa said it was the duty of the residents of the Promised Messiah’s^as town to always give precedence to their faith over the world.

16 December 2009: During his tour of Germany, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa inspected the proposed venue in Karlsruhe for Jalsa Salana Germany and gave important guidance to the volunteers. Huzoor^aa also laid the foundation of the Bait-ul-Baqi Mosque in Pforzheim. (Al Fazl International, 22 January 2010, p. 16)

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

17 December 1965: 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 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 was censored and ceased circulation. See the date 20 December 1951 below for further details. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 3, p. 484)

18 December 1945: For the first time in Qadian, a delegation of nine missionaries departed for Europe to spread the message of Islam. Two more missionaries joined this unique group as they commenced their journey. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 9, p. 525)

18 December 1991: On this day, during his tour of India, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV^rh reached Amritsar from Delhi by a train named Shan-e-Punjab Express. In Amritsar, Huzoor^rh boarded a local train and reached Qadian at 7 pm. Thus, for the first time after the partition of India in 1947, the blessed presence of Khalifatul Masih was witnessed again in Qadian. (Silsila Ahmadiyya, Vol. 4, p. 868)

19 December 2009: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa addressed a special reception marking 50 years since the construction of the Noor Mosque in Frankfurt, Germany. The reception was held at the historic Ratskeller in the Römer building in Frankfurt. (Al Fazl International, 5 February 2010, p. 16)

20 December 1940: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra completed a volume of Tafsir-e-Kabir, consisting of chapters from Surah Yunus to Surah al-Kahf. In its print run of the first edition, 3,000 copies were printed. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 8, p. 123)

20 December 1951: The newspaper Badr had been out of publication since 1913. On this day, 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)

20 December 1991: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV^rh delivered the Friday Sermon in Qadian on this day, which was the first Friday Sermon delivered by Khalifatul Masih in Masjid Aqsa Qadian in 44 years. (Silsila Ahmadiyya, Vol. 4, p. 868)

20 December 2009: During his tour of Germany, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa called a one-day majlis-e-shura (consultative committee meeting) of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Germany at Bait-us-Sabuh Frankfurt and addressed members of the shura on this day. (Al Fazl International, 19 February 2010, p. 16)

21 December 1929: On this day, a political debate was held at India’s National Congress in Lahore. On this important occasion, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra drafted a letter in English addressing the participants. The letter was entitled An Appeal to Hindu Leaders. This letter was published and widely circulated. This political gathering of the Indian National Congress gave birth to the renowned religio-political group called Majlis-e-Ahrar-e-Islam. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 5, pp. 156-160)

21 December 1944: Based on one of his visions, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra directed members of the Jamaat to thoroughly study the upcoming communist movement (a political, economic, and social ideology that seeks the equality of social classes through the abolition of private ownership and property) and find counterarguments to it. 

Huzoor^ra directed the Jamaat’s scholars, jurists, teachers, professors, life devotees, and students of Madrasa-e-Ahmadiyya and Jamia Ahmadiyya to study the communist movement thoroughly and critically. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 8, p. 573)