This Week in History: 8-14 March

A glimpse into the rich history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

8 March 1944: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra started visiting and praying at the grave of the Promised Messiah^as, and continued to do so for 40 consecutive days. Huzoor^ra would visit Bahishti Maqbara after Asr prayer and fervently pray for the triumph of Islam. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 8, p. 629)

8 March 1970: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III^rh laid the foundation stone of the science block of Jamia Nusrat, Rabwah, Pakistan. Upon its completion, on 27 March 1972, Huzoor^rh himself inaugurated this block. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 28, p. 41)

9 March 1923: During his Friday Sermon on this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra outlined a detailed scheme to tackle the Shuddhi movement, and instructed the Jamaat to donate 50,000 rupees for this.

For more details, see “Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s services to the Muslim cause: Guiding Muslims of the Indian subcontinent amid religious and political conflicts”, at alhakam.org (26 February 2021, p. 17).

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 Portugal and addressed some press gatherings. After this visit to Portugal, Huzoor^rh went to Spain. (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 9, p. 127)

10 March 1895: God Almighty manifested the heavenly sign of Solar and Lunar eclipse for the Promised Messiah^as. On this day, an eclipse occurred in America and other Western countries. This incident happened in the month of Ramadan and the year 1312 AH.

The partial image of the eclipse was captured at Kenwood Observatory in Chicago by astronomer George Ellery Hale.

For more details, see “Observatory images of eclipses of the time of Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi”, at alhakam.org (20 October 2023, pp. 12-13).

10 March 1938: On this day, Maulana Muhammad Salim Sahib returned from Haifa, after fulfilling his assigned duties of tabligh there for about two years.

For more details, see “Pioneer Missionaries: Part 15 – Some early milestones of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the Holy Land”, at alhakam.org (22 December 2023, p.6).

11 March 1939: On this day, Hazrat Maulana Jalal-ud-Din Shams^ra invited the Viceroy of Mecca and representatives of Palestine, Iraq and Yemen — who were in London for the Palestine Conference — to a reception at the Fazl Mosque in which 200 guests participated in total, including various dignitaries.

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra sent a special message to the Arab delegates through a telegram. The message was read out in both English and Arabic by Hazrat Maulana Jalal-ud-Din Shams^ra.

The South Western Star of London published a lengthy article on this event along with a photograph as well.

For more details, see “Ahmadiyya advocacy for Palestinian rights: A historical examination of Arab-Jewish tensions in 1939”, at alhakam.org (10 November 2023, p. 10).

12 March 1923: On this day, Ahmadiyya Jamaat’s first tabligh delegation consisting of 20 men left Qadian for UP [United Provinces, now Uttar Pradesh] to curb the apostasy [of Malkana Rajputs] and reached Achhnera, District Agra, on 14 March 1923.

For more details, see “100 Years Ago… – Shuddhi Movement: Progress report by Ahmadiyya delegation to Agra”, at alhakam.org (14 Apr 2023, pp. 22-23).

12 March 1957: On this day, the then Education Minister of West Pakistan, Sardar Abdul Hameed Khan Dasti, addressed the convocation of the Talim-ul-Islam College Rabwah.

For more details, see “75 years of Rabwah: A glimpse into its early years”, at alhakam.org (22 September 2023, p. 6).

13 March 1971: A farewell ceremony was held on this day for 13 doctors who were going to West Africa under the Nusrat Jehan Aagey Barho (Leap Forward) programme. The ceremony was also graced by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III^rh.

For more details, see “Nusrat Jehan Scheme: Khilafat’s impetus for ‘Africa to Leap Forward’ – A glimpse into the early years (1970-1982)”, at alhakam.org (27 May 2022, p. 16).

14 March 1948: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra delivered a lecture at the Khalikdina Hall in Karachi, titled “Pakistanion se chand saaf saaf baatein”, as part of a series of lectures titled “Istihkam-e-Pakistan”. The session was presided over by Hatim Badruddin Tyabji, then Chief Justice Sindh High Court. The lecture was attended by college students, lawyers, professors and doctors. Moreover, several dignitaries were also present, including the deputy secretary of the Government of Pakistan, advisor to the Sindh Government and officials from the central and provincial governments. 

For more details, see “‘Consolidation of Pakistan’: Lectures by Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud on how Pakistan can see success”, at alhakam.org (6 May 2022, p. 10).

14 March 2015: On this day, addressing the 12^th National Peace Symposium of Jamaat UK, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa said:

“The world is being consumed by various issues that are leading to frustration and resentment, which in turn are undermining peace. For example, the effects of the financial crisis continue to be felt in much of the world. […] Then there is the conflict in Ukraine and the global arms race. These are all threats to world peace that are not linked to Islam, but rather have developed as a result of an unquenchable thirst for power, influence and resources. […] Whilst some are saying that another World War is now unavoidable, I believe that even now there is time for the world to wake up to the stark reality it faces and to arrest this threat.” (“Muslim Leader says Justice and Honesty required to prevent Outbreak of third World War” At pressahmadiyya.com)