This Week in History: 21-27 July

A glimpse into the rich history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

21 July 1898: On this day, the Promised Messiah^as wrote a letter to Hazrat Nawab Muhammad Ali Khan^ra and dispatched Marham-e-‘Isa (i.e., the Ointment of Jesus^sa, also known as the Apostle’s Ointment) to him. (Maktubat-e-Ahmadiyya [2008], Vol. 2, p. 227)

21 July 2006: During his Friday Sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa said that the then President of Sierra Leone, Dr Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, had come to offer the Jumuah prayer at the Baitul Futuh Mosque in London. Huzoor^aa introduced the distinguished guest and said that he had expressed his desire to offer the prayer here. Huzoor^aa prayed that Allah the Almighty may fulfil his pious wishes, reward him, and establish lasting peace and security in his country. Huzoor^aa also graced a reception held in honour of the distinguished guest.

22 July 1955: During his tour of Europe, on this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra presided over the first-ever international conference of Ahmadi Missionaries, which lasted for three days. For more details, see “First-ever international conference of Ahmadiyya missionaries, London, 1955”, Al Hakam, 21 July 2023, Issue 279, p. 16)

22 July 2016: On this day, Chris Grayling MP, the then Secretary of State for Transport, UK, had the opportunity to meet Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa at the Baitul Futuh Mosque, London. (“Transport Secretary visits Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community”, www.pressahmadiyya.com)

23 July 1933: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra drew the attention of members of the Jamaat towards learning the Urdu language. Huzoor^ra said that deriving benefit from the books written by the Promised Messiah^as was the best and most efficient way to learn Urdu. 

Huzoor^ra stated that where, on the one hand, the Promised Messiah^as restored religious matters, at the same time, he also reformed the Urdu language. A person wrote a thesis as part of his PhD degree at London University. In his thesis, he stated that the Promised Messiah’s^as writings had had a great impact on the Urdu language. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 6, p. 117)

23 July 1938: Two Christian missionaries from Spain and Belgium reached Qadian and had an audience with Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra on this day. One guest was Mr Pareja MA, who was from Spain and had graduated from Cambridge. He was a professor at St Xavier’s College, Mumbai. The other guest was Mr Francis. He was from Belgium and was posted in the Amritsar area. Before meeting with Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra and having the opportunity to ask him various questions, the guests were shown various institutions and offices of the Jamaat in Qadian. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 7, p. 545)

24 July 1910: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I^ra journeyed towards the city of Multan to record his witness statement in a case in a government court. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I^ra appointed Hazrat Sahibzada Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad^ra as the amir in his absence from Qadian. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I^ra returned to Qadian on 26 July. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 3, p. 321)

24 July 1955: On this day, during his second tour of Europe, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II^ra, along with Hazrat Chaudhry Muhammad Zafrulla Khan^ra and other members, visited Kew Gardens, London.

25 July 1912: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I^ra laid the foundation stone of a new building for Talim-ul-Islam High School in Qadian. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 3, p. 312)

25 July 1913: On this day, Hazrat Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad Sayal^ra reached England. He was appointed and sent there as a missionary by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I^ra. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 3, p. 458)

25 July 1924: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II^ra was an ardent lover of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be on him.

On this day, while travelling to Europe, when his ship approached the coast near Mecca, Huzoor^ra ascertained that his ship was cruising directly towards the Baitullah (Ka‘bah) in Mecca. On this blessed occasion, Huzoor^ra offered two rak‘aat [units of prayer] of voluntary prayer in congregation with his entourage. During this time, Huzoor^ra remained engaged in fervent prayers. He recited Surah al-Nazi‘at in the first rak‘ah and Surah al-A‘la in the second. He prayed for a long-time during prostration; at times, the sound of his fervent supplications could be heard by others. The narrator, Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Irfani^ra, writes that the scene could not be described in words. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 4, p. 439)

25 July 1931: On this day, the All-India Kashmir Committee was established at Simla, and Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad^ra, Khalifatul Masih II, was elected as its first president.

For more details, “Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad’s^ra services to the Muslim cause: Guidance for Turkey, peace in the Arab world and the Kashmir Movement” (Al Hakam, 19 February 2021, Issue 153, pp. 42-43)

26 July 1940: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra announced the establishment of Majlis Ansarullah, an auxiliary organisation of Ahmadi men aged above 40 years. He appointed Hazrat Maulvi Sher Ali^ra as its president. Huzoor^ra also announced some core amendments regarding the auxiliary organisation of Ahmadi youth. Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya was also announced on this day, an organisation of Ahmadi boys. Huzoor^ra made membership in these organisations compulsory for Ahmadis in that age range. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 8, p. 70)

26 July 1967: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III^rh departed for England from Denmark. At the London Heathrow airport, hundreds of Ahmadis, including Hazrat Chaudhry Sir Zafrulla Khan^ra and Hazrat Maulvi Qudratullah Sanauri^ra, were present to welcome Huzoor^rh. The press correspondents asked Huzoor^rh about the chances of the establishment of peace in the world. Huzoor^rh answered that if Man continued to ignore his Creator and did not form a living relationship with Him, the world would continue to move towards horrific destruction. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 24, p. 134)

27 July 1896: The Promised Messiah’s^as prophecy about Abdullah Atham was fulfilled on this day when this Muslim-born Christian missionary departed the world in Firozpur. He was a representative of the Christian camp against the Promised Messiah^as at Amritsar during, Jang-e-Muqaddas, the famous debate of 1893. For more details, see “Abdullah Atham”, www.ahmadipedia.org).

27 July 1910: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I^ra graciously approved the request of dignitaries from the city of Multan and delivered an insightful speech. A large gathering thronged to benefit from this address, delivered in the hall of Madrasa Anjuman Islamiya. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 3, p. 322)

27 July 1955: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra was in London, where a blessed soul from Malta, who was an engineer by profession, accepted Ahmadiyyat. In this way, the Jamaat was established on a small island in the Mediterranean Sea. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 16, p. 549)