This Week in History: 20-26 February

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A glimpse into the rich history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

A glimpse into the rich history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat
Hazrat Maulvi Sher Alira sahib

20 February 1915: On this day, Hazrat Sufi Ghulam Muhammadra set off from Qadian to Mauritius to establish a mission. He reached his destination on 15 June, spending months in Sri Lanka to establish a local chapter on this island. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 4, p. 169)

20 February 1944: On this day, a special Jalsa Musleh-e-Maud was arranged in Hoshiarpur, India, where Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra delivered a powerful and insightful speech. During the Jalsa, 18 missionaries shared the tabligh achievements of their respective countries. After these faith-inspiring accounts, Huzoorra proceeded to Bait-ud-Du‘a (the room where the Promised Messiahas would often pray in seclusion in Qadian), where he remained occupied in supplication for a heavenly sign. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 8, p. 580)

21 February 1899: The book of the Promised Messiahas, Haqiqatul Mahdi (The True Nature of the Mahdi) was published on this day. As far as the language of this book is concerned, Urdu, Persian and Arabic are all used.

Maulvi Muhammad Hussain Batalvi, having been thwarted in all his attempts to demean Hazrat Ahmadas, started a campaign of vilification against the Promised Messiahas, and to incite the Government against him, he indulged even to the extent of fabricating lies and claiming that Hazrat Ahmadas was – God forbid – a rebel and more dangerous than the bloodthirsty Sudani Mahdi. However, the government did not show leniency to him.

21 February 2003: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh announced the establishment of a fund for the marriage of underprivileged girls. In his Friday sermon of 28 February, Huzoorrh named it the “Maryam Shadi Fund”. (Al Fazl, 25 February 2003, p. 1)

22 February 1935: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra graciously donated 500 rupees towards the fund for the construction of Gurdwara Patna Sahib. The local press lauded this act of generosity. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 7, p. 281)

22 February 2014: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa addressed the delegates of the European Annual Symposium of the International Association of Ahmadi Architects and Engineers (IAAAE). During his address, Huzooraa congratulated the members of the IAAAE for their continued commitment to selflessly serving humanity. Huzooraa said the Association had now installed or rehabilitated thousands of water pumps in Africa that were providing clean drinking water to thousands of deprived people.

‘‘Report: Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad Addresses Concluding Session of Annual IAAAE Symposium’’ www.pressahmadiyya.com

23 February 1901: On this day, I‘jaz-ul-Masih, a book of the Promised Messiahas, was published by Zia-ul-Islam Press, Qadian. This remarkable Arabic work was written in response to the deceptive tactics of Pir Meher Ali Shah. The Promised Messiahas composed this masterpiece in an exceptionally short period.

23 February 1966: On this day, upon assessing the situation in Pakistan in a sitting, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIra emphasised the importance of building strong ties between West Pakistan and East Pakistan. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 23, p. 487)

24 February 1990: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh delivered a lecture in the English language at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in London. This important lecture about Islamic solutions to contemporary problems was later expanded and published in book form under the title Islam’s Response to Contemporary Issues. (Silsila-e-Ahmadiyya, Vol. 4, p. 862)

24 February 2012: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa inaugurated the Baitul-Wahid Mosque in Feltham, UK. On this occasion, Huzooraa also urged the Jamaat to pray for the Ahmadis of Hyderabad Deccan, India, where non-Ahmadi Muslims were attempting to occupy the Ahmadiyya mosque.

Speaking at the formal reception that was held in the evening, Huzooraa said, “The world today is fraught with danger and turmoil. We sit at an extremely critical juncture and so there is an urgent need for us to all recognise our Creator and to fulfil the rights of His creation. Otherwise, if we fail to uphold and discharge each other’s due rights, it will undoubtedly lead to great destruction in the world.” (“Love for All, Hatred for None: Baitul Wahid Mosque Opens in Feltham, London”, www.reviewofreligions.org)

25 February 1921: On this day, a Sikh religious leader from Kartarpur district, Jalandhar, India, visited Qadian and enjoyed the blessed audience of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra.

To read more about his visit, see: “The Guru of Kartarpur, Jalandhar, in Qadian” at www.alhakam.org (18 June 2021, p. 13). 

25 February 1994: On the completion of 100 years of the extraordinary heavenly sign of the truthfulness of the Promised Messiahas – the sign of the solar and lunar eclipse – the Jamaat commemorated the occasion in a special manner. On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh delivered his Friday sermon at Fazl Mosque, London, shedding light on this subject. Huzoorrh also mentioned that in Pakistan, Ahmadis were prohibited by the government from holding gatherings to mark the occasion. (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 13, pp. 139-158)

To read more about this sign, see: ‘‘Observatory images of eclipses of the time of Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi’’ at www.alhakam.org (16 October 2023, pp. 12-13).

26 February 1936: On this day, Hazrat Maulvi Sher Alira set out for England with the aim of translating the Holy Quran into English. He stayed there for three and a half years and returned to Qadian on 9 November 1938. Despite his old age, he made this long journey only to complete the English translation of the Holy Quran. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 7, p. 301)

26 February 2010: During his Friday sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa shed light on the Islamic teachings regarding taking care of orphans and advised Ahmadis living in Western countries to participate in the Orphans Fund, which serves orphans in Pakistan.

Huzooraa said he wants to especially encourage the Pakistani Ahmadis residing in the West to participate in this fund because what could be more fortunate for a believer than being in the company of the Holy Prophetsa in paradise as a result of their caring for orphans, as has been mentioned in a hadith. Huzooraa added, there is ample room for everyone to contribute, and he estimated that if each Ahmadi family member in the West donated seven to ten pounds annually, it would go a long way in helping the orphans in Pakistan and this small amount can play a significant role in transforming the lives of many orphans.

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