A glimpse into the rich history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat
5 July 1948: On this day, Al Sayed Ahmad Asim – sajjada nashin at the dargah of Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Gilanirh – wrote in a letter to Hazrat Chaudhry Zafrulla Khanra:
“I avail of this opportunity to thank you from the core of my heart, on my behalf as well as on behalf of the family of Hazrat Ghaus-ul-Azam, for the great Jihad you waged in a purely Islamic spirit in support of the Holy Land of Palestine before the United Nations. I earnestly pray that Almighty Allah may grant you full recompense for your services and enable you to further serve the cause of Islam.”
For more details of his services for the Palestinian cause, see: “Sir Zafrulla Khan Sahib’s services for the Palestinian cause”, at alhakam.org (28 May 2021, pp. 16-17).
5 July 2008: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa graced the inaugural reception of the Baitun Nur Mosque in Canada, Calgary. The event was attended by the Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper and other dignitaries. The event was attended by more than 3,000 people. Huzooraa delivered the keynote address.
It is interesting to note that before this reception, a flag hoisting ceremony was also held; Huzooraa hoisted Liwa-e-Ahmadiyyat, the Canadian Prime Minister hoisted the national flag of Canada and Deputy Mayor Ron Stevens hoisted the flag of Alberta province. It was the first occasion on the American continent that a country’s prime minister had the privilege to hoist the national flag while Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa hoisted Liwa-e-Ahmadiyyat. The flag-hoisting ceremony was covered by the country’s media as well. (Al Fazl International, 19 September 2008, p. 11)
6 July 1940: On this day, Al Fazl published Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’sra poem along with a prologue, that he composed during his visit to Karachi in May 1940. The poem was titled “Chaand, Mera Chaand” (Moon, My Moon).
For more details on this visit to Karachi, see “Receptions in Karachi, broadcast on All-India Radio and a poem: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s visit to Sindh, 1940”, at alhakam.org (10 March 2023, p. 8-9).
7 July 1920: Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra engaged in correspondence with notable figures in the British monarchy and political circles. On this day, he wrote to Her Imperial Majesty, Queen Empress Mary of England. This correspondence was in continuation of his previous communications addressed to various leaders worldwide as part of his missionary efforts.
For details of a reply to him from the Indian Office, Whitehall, London, and other correspondences, refer to “100 Years Ago… – Brief report of one year’s Moslem missionary work in America” at alhakam.org (20 August 2021, p. 26).
7 July 1972:
On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh announced a five-year scheme to publish a million copies of the Holy Quran’s translation. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 28, p. 107)
8 July 1935: On this day, Hazrat Sahibzada Mirza Sharif Ahmadra, son of the Promised Messiahas, was the target of a premeditated attack by members of Majlis-i-Ahrar. As he was leaving his office on his bicycle headed for his home, an assailant struck him three times with a long, sharp club. Hazrat Mirza Sharif Ahmadra displayed quick reflexes, courageously fending off the assault. Janbaz Mirza, the official historian for Ahrar, later acknowledged the organisation’s responsibility for this heinous act, detailing the planning and execution in Karwan-e-Ahrar, under the section “Ahrar ki Anokhi Jasarat”. (Karwan-e-Ahrar, Vol. 2, Maktaba Tabsarah, Lahore, 1977, pp. 311-312)
For more details, see “Historical analysis of Ahrar’s anti-Ahmadiyya agitation – Part 3”, alhakam.org, 20 October 2023.
9 July 1883: The elder brother of the Promised Messiahas, Mirza Ghulam Qadir Sahib, passed away on this day at 7 pm at the age of 55. In 1868, Mirza Ghulam Qadir Sahib became seriously ill. The Promised Messiahas had earlier seen a dream in which he saw that his brother would die, so he prayed to God for his recovery. His prayer was accepted and it was revealed to him that his brother would recover, as he did. Mirza Ghulam Qadir Sahib left behind no child and his wife, Hurmat Bibi, later entered the fold of the Jamaat as foretold to the Promised Messiahas. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 1, pp. 223-224)
9 July 2010:
On this day, upon the completion of a series of Friday Sermons dedicated to the Lahore Martyrs, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa mentioned them collectively, and instructed the Jamaat to remember them in prayers. (Al Fazl, intl, London, 30 July 2010, pp. 5-9)
10 July 1885: A very unique heavenly sign was shown to the Promised Messiahas on this day. In a state of vision, Huzooras saw that he had written certain divine decrees. At this point, the red ink of the pen was flicked, and several red drops were witnessed falling on clothes.
For more details on this incident, see “The miraculous Sign of Red Drops in Ramadan”, at alhakam.org (22 April 2022, pp. 10-11).
10 July 1988: Aslam Qureshi, a mullah who had vanished from Sialkot on 17 February 1983, unexpectedly resurfaced in Lahore. His disappearance had led to a baseless accusation against the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat of being involved in his alleged murder. This allegation was proven false when Aslam Qureshi appeared before the national press and television, as presented by the police authorities on 13 July.
The 33rd Jalsa Salana of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat UK was held from 22nd to 24th July 1988, attended by 5,119 individuals from 55 countries. During his inaugural address at this convention, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh referred to the reappearance of Aslam Qureshi as the first sign in response to his challenge of mubahala (a prayer duel invoking a divine curse on liars).
In his address on the second day of the jalsa, he announced that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat had expanded to 117 countries. He also provided an overview of the ongoing persecution of Ahmadis in Pakistan, noting that 125 Ahmadis had been charged for “identifying as Muslims”, 588 for wearing the Kalima badge, 178 for distributing literature, 321 for writing the Kalima on mosques, 204 for giving the call to prayer, 62 for conducting religious rituals, and 214 were jailed on various other false charges. (Silsila Ahmadiyya, Vol. 4, pp. 847-848)
11 July 1915: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra delivered a lecture in Lahore, which was later published as Paigham-e-Masih-e-Maud. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 4, p. 175)
11 July 1967: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh graced with his presence a reception in Zurich, Switzerland, which was attended by ambassadors of seven countries and other dignitaries. The Swiss Radio broadcast Huzoor’srh interview as well, and the television also showed some glimpses of Huzoor’srh interview and the reception on the same evening. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 24, p. 88)
11 July 1989: On this day, during his tour of Fiji, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh granted audiences to the president and prime minister of Fiji. (Silsila Ahmadiyya, Part 4, p. 857)