This Week in History: 6-12 March

A glimpse into the rich history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

6 March 1953: While delivering his Friday sermon on this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra shared that a wave of anti-Ahmadiyya agitation is ongoing in Pakistan. A frightening and merciless wave of anti-Ahmadiyya agitations, lootings, arsons, murders and brutal attacks on the lives and properties of Ahmadis had spread across Pakistan. It was reported that in Lahore alone, three Ahmadis embraced martyrdom: Muhammad Shafi Sahib, Jamal Ahmad Sahib and Mirza Karim Baig Sahib.

Later, the government’s inquiry commission labelled this day similar to the Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of France in 1572. Due to the failure of civil authorities, a curfew was imposed on this day at 1:30 pm in an attempt to prevent the ongoing systematic killings of Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan. This martial law was lifted on 15 May.

Muhammad Shafi Sahib of Burma was martyred in Mughalpura. Mian Jamal Ahmad was an FSC student at the time of his martyrdom and was 17 years old. The mob that attacked gave him a chance to denounce his faith and declare himself a non-Ahmadi; however, this brave young man remained firm in his faith.

Mirza Karim Baig Sahib was martyred after being stabbed on Fleming Road, Lahore, Pakistan. A fire was started by the opposition. They began by looting furniture from shops belonging to Ahmadis. Mirza Karim Baig Sahib’s body was thrown into the fire by the cruel perpetrators. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 15, p. 153-154)

7 March 1921: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra travelled to Malir Kotla, India, to testify in a legal case. Hazrat Nawab Muhammad Ali Khan^ra, Hazrat Nawab Muhammad Abdullah Khan^ra and some other members were present at Malir Kotla railway station to meet Huzoor^ra. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 4, p. 277)

7 March 1980: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III^rh, while delivering the Friday sermon in Karachi, Pakistan, directed that every Ahmadi household should have a copy of the tafsir compiled from the writings of the Promised Messiah^as and a copy of Tafsir-e-Saghir. (Khutbat-e-Nasir, Vol. 8, p. 565)

8 March 1903: On this day, the Promised Messiah’s^as Urdu book, Sanatan Dharam (The Sanatan Faith) was published from Zia-ul-Islam Press, Qadian.

8 March 2013: During his Friday Sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa mentioned Mubashar Ahmad Abbasi Sahib of Karachi, Pakistan, who had been martyred on 3 March.

9 March 1928: Administrators of the French Mandate in Syria issued expulsion orders for Hazrat Maulana Jalaluddin Shams^ra, the missionary appointed there. On this day, he was told to leave Damascus within 24 hours. Upon the instructions of the Markaz, he moved to Haifa in the Holy Land and resumed his missionary duties there. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 4, p. 525)

9 March 1990: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV^rh was in Portugal, where he delivered his Friday sermon, which was the first ever Friday sermon of a Khalifatul Masih, on this land. During this tour, Huzoor^rh also formally inaugurated the Ahmadiyya Mission House in Portugal and addressed some press gatherings. After this visit to Portugal. (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 9, p. 127)

10 March 1944: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra introduced a novel scheme to serve the cause of Islam, named Waqf-e-Jaidad. Upon the call of their beloved Khalifa, within hours, Jamaat members pledged their properties worth four million rupees. In fact, in just over a month, the number of people pledging to devote their properties for the sake of Islam reached 2,271. Moreover, Huzoor^ra encouraged the family members of the Promised Messiah^as to devote their lives to the cause of Islam. Upon this call, Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad^rh was the first person to submit to this noble cause. (Al Fazl, 14 March 1944)

11 March 1910: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I^ra called for Jamaat members to volunteer and assist in the work for the extension of the Aqsa Mosque, Qadian. Huzoor^ra also took part in the labour by shifting mud during the construction. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 3, p. 314)

11 March 2011: During his Friday sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa mentioned Syed Dawood Muzaffar Shah Sahib, who had recently passed away. He was the paternal grandson of Hazrat Syed Dr Abdus Sattar Shah^ra and the maternal grandson of Hazrat Syed Sarwar Shah^ra. He was married to Syeda Amatul Hakim Begum Sahiba, daughter of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra. He was the father-in-law of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa. In 1944, after receiving his BA degree, he dedicated his life to the service of Islam Ahmadiyyat.

12 March 1953: During the horrific anti-Ahmadiyya riots of 1953 in Pakistan, due to the forced closure of Al Fazl, a series of letters was issued to contact members of the Jamaat. In a letter dated 12 March, among other things, it was written that a local jamaat in Pakistan had stated that by the grace of Allah there was no panic in their area; however, they said that they were concerned about people living in the Markaz. Another Jamaat reported that mischief caused by opponents was increasing in their area every day. Upon this, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra said:

’’ان شرارتوں كو پكڑنے والا آسمان پر زندہ خدا موجود ہے۔‘‘

“There is a Living God in heaven Who shall seize these mischievous people.” (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 15, p. 221)

12 March 2004: During his Friday sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa informed the Jamaat that he was going on a tour of some African countries, and some of those countries were such that they would be graced for the first time with the presence of a Khalifatul Masih. Huzoor^aa instructed the members to pray for the success of the tour.