A series looking at the high standard of morals of the Promised Messiahas, his Khulafa and the hospitality of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community when receiving visitors
Awwab Saad Hayat, Al Hakam
Vinayak Narahari Bhave, also known as Vinoba Bhave, born around 1895, was a significant figure in various national movements, working closely with Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi during British rule and continuing his efforts for social reform in India post-partition. (“Vinoba-Bhave”, www.britannica.com) He was the founder of the Bhoodan Yajna (“Land-Gift Movement”), also known as the Bloodless Revolution, which aimed to persuade wealthy landowners to voluntarily give a percentage of their land to landless people. (“Agriculture”, Social Science Contemporary India II: Textbook in Geography for Class X, New Delhi: NCERT, 2019. p. 43)
Bhave conceived the idea of the land-gift movement, known as Bhoodan, in 1951 while touring villages in Andhra Pradesh. This initiative began when a landowner responded to Bhave’s appeal on behalf of landless Dalits by offering him land. Bhave then travelled from village to village, seeking land donations to distribute to the landless. Critics argued that Bhoodan would lead to land fragmentation, hindering large-scale agriculture. To address these concerns, Bhave later promoted gramdan, a system where villagers pooled their land and reorganized it under a cooperative framework. (“Vinoba-Bhave”, www.britannica.com)
In 1959, to further spread the message of his Bhoodan movement, Bhave undertook a significant journey to Punjab and Kashmir. (“Northward and Eastward”, www.mkgandhi.org)
After leading a long and active life dedicated to social reform, Vinoba Bhave passed away in 1982. In recognition of his contributions, he was posthumously awarded India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, in 1983. He was also a recipient of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award. (“Vinoba Bhave: The Acharya who started Bhoodan Movement”, www.newsgram.com)
The subsequent account details his interactions and experiences during this journey, excerpted from Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Volume 20, pages 339-341 and 393-394.
On 1 April 1959, he entered Punjab and reached Pathankot at the end of May to enter Kashmir. According to Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol, 20, in Pathankot, a delegation of Jamaat Ahmadiyya Qadian, under the leadership of the then Nazir Dawat-o-Tabligh, Sahibzada Mirza Waseem Ahmad, had a detailed meeting with him and introduced him to the Jamaat. Among the members of this delegation were Sheikh Abdul Hameed Sahib BA, Nazir Bait-ul-Mal Qadian, Malik Salahuddin Sahib MA, Younis Ahmad Sahib Barelvi, Chaudhry Abdul Qadeer Sahib, Assistant Nazir Da‘wat-o-Tabligh Qadian, Maulvi Muhammad Hafeez Sahib Baqapuri, Editor Badr, Qadian, Fazl Elahi Khan Sahib.
This delegation presented a gift of the Holy Quran (with its English translation) and other Islamic literature, which Vinoba Bhave accepted with great joy and respect and then, in a gathering of about 10,000 people, including many ministers and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Punjab, mentioned this meeting and the gift in particular and said that:
“I am profoundly delighted today. Muslim brothers from Qadian visited me and offered a copy of the Holy Quran as a gift. I said to them, ‘You have presented me with the most valuable treasure; there is nothing more cherished than this. Today, you have given me your most beloved possession.’” (Badr, Qadian, 28 May 1959, p. 1 and 12)
This tabligh meeting and Vinoba’s views on the services of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat to the Quran were widely discussed in the Indian press. Pratab (Delhi and Jalandhar) and Azad Hind (Calcutta), etc prominently published the news items and summary of his statement. Moreover, this great service of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat was seen by the Muslim press and religious scholars of India with great respect and admiration, and they paid a huge tribute.
The organ of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (Delhi) published the following note in its publication on 4 June 1959, under the title: “In the service of the Qadiani delegation, Vinoba Bhave Ji”
“Just when Acharya Vinoba Bhave was visiting Punjab, a delegation of Ahmadiyya Jamaat of Qadian met him and presented to him a translation of the Holy Quran and the biography of the Holy Prophetsa, upon which Vinoba Bhave Ji expressed his special thanks. Mentioning the English translations of various Western orientalists and Asian scholars, Acharya said that he has not only read these English translations but also seen some translations and commentaries in Urdu language besides Gujarati, and Marathi. In this regard, he also mentioned the study of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s two volumes of Tarjaman-ul-Quran.” (Badr, Qadian, 11 June 1959, p. 1)
He is reported to have said:
“Even now, I have a copy of the Holy Quran, which is printed in the style of Qaida Yassarnal-Quran.” (Ibid.)
Vinoba Bhave stated that he had studied the life of the Holy Prophetsa through books edited by Allama Shibli and Allama Syed Sulaiman Nadvi. Regarding Hazrat Abu Bakrra, he said:
“This rank is not attained by everyone.” (Ibid.)
On the same day, in the speech, he mentioned the Prophets of God, peace be upon him, and said that Islam says that there should be no difference between one prophet and another. All the apostles have called for universal brotherhood, which should be accepted. (Ibid.)
He also said that although the Ahmadis are considered by other Muslims as outside the fold of Islam, their unwavering efforts to spread their message are commendable and worthy of imitation. (Badr, Qadian, 11 June 1959, p. 1)
Abdul Majid Daryabadi not only published the above note in his newspaper, Sidaq Jadeed (Lucknow) on 12 June 1959, but also in the publication of his newspaper on 19 June 1959, he submitted the following note under the title of “Ek Tablighi Khabar” – meaning “A News of Preaching” – and said that there is news from East Punjab that when Acharya Vinoba Bhave visited on foot, a delegation from the Ahmadiyya Jamaat of Qadian presented him with an English translation of the Holy Quran and books on the Holy Prophet’s biography. The writer expresses shame, noting that when Acharya Bhave visited Oudh and stayed in Daryabad, neither the writer nor any followers from Nadwi, Deobandi, or Tablighi groups offered similar gifts. The writer reflects on whether these Islamic groups are missing opportunities for such preaching services, while the “out of Islam” Ahmadiyya Jamaat consistently fulfils this duty. (Badr, Qadian, 2 July 1959, p. 1)
In volume 20 of Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, it is stated that in May 1959, Acharya Vinoba Bhave had promised the Ahmadiyya delegation that he would return after completing his visit to Kashmir and he would visit Qadian. So, as promised, he reached Dhariwal on 4 November 1959 and then afterwards came to Qadian, where he was warmly welcomed. He arrived at the place of reception with his colleagues and hundreds of other non-Muslim dignitaries.
Hazrat Abdul Rehman Sahib Jat, then Ameer Jamaat Qadian, read out the address on behalf of the Jamaat, in which he presented a summary of the economic system of Islam. After the address, Tafsir-e-Saghir and other literature were presented to the guest, Acharya Vinoba Bhave, which he accepted and expressed his gratitude for. Acharya Vinoba Bhave, in reply to the address, expressed his happiness that he had an opportunity to visit Qadian.
Later, he gave a speech on the college grounds to a gathering of six to seven thousand people, in which he mentioned the good conduct of the Jamaat and the priceless gift of the Holy Quran and said:
“The Ahmadi brothers spoke with great love and presented me with the Holy Quran with Urdu commentary and also gifted me some other books. Earlier, I was given the Quran with an English translation in Pathankot.” (Badr, Qadian, 12 November 1959, pp. 1-2)
(Excerpted from Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Volume 20, pp. 339-341 and 393-394)