A group of waqifaat-e-nau from Indonesia were blessed with the opportunity to meet Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah be his Helper, in a virtual mulaqat on Sunday, 15 January 2023.
After conveying salaam, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa called Tahira Rahman Sahiba to recite a portion of the Holy Quran, followed by its English translation.
Ratu Saleha Ridwan Sahiba then presented a hadith of the Holy Prophetsa along with the Urdu and English translation.
An extract from the writings of the Promised Messiahas was presented by Marini Adani Sahiba. After that, Huzooraa asked her, “Have you memorised the whole passage?” to which she replied in the affirmative and said she had memorised all the text for Huzooras. Hearing this, Huzooraa said, “Masha-Allah! You have a very good memory.”
A tarana (choral poem) was then presented by three waqifaat-e-nau: Naseera Amatus Sabuh, Naima Amatunnur, and Nuzrah Amatul Shafi.
Siti Aisyah Bakrie, Sadr Lajna Imaillah, then presented a brief report in which she stated that it is a very blessed day for them, especially for the 45 waqifaat-e-nau who have been given the opportunity for this blessed mulaqat. She said that are currently 792 waqifaat-e-nau spread across 207 branches in Indonesia. 61% of them are students. She added that they have 38 graduates, out of whom 12 are serving as doctors, nurses, and teachers. Eight are serving the Jamaat, working at the Jamaat’s central office, MTA Indonesia, the Jamaat’s clinic, and Humanity First. Aisha Sahiba reported that last year an Ijtema was held which was attended by 441 waqifaat-e-nau. She then requested Huzooraa to pray for the Indonesian waqifaat-e-nau to become true servants of the Jamaat. A short video was then played showcasing the activities of the waqifaat-e-nau.
Thereafter, this fortunate group had the opportunity to ask Huzooraa various questions on an array of matters.
A young waqifa-e-nau, Zebaish Mubarka asked Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa how one could eliminate the Satan within them. Huzooraa said that she was still very young and innocent. “To subjugate Satan, one must always remember Allah the Almighty.” Huzooraa said that one must continue to pray to Allah for His help and refuge from Satan’s influence. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa said this is why, when one reads the Holy Quran, one says: أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم so that Allah safeguards one from Satan. Huzooraa said one must pray to Allah to remain pure and so that He may grant one the ability to perform prayer, recite the Holy Quran and speak good words. Huzooraa encouraged her to listen to her parents, pay attention to her studies and not quarrel with her friends. “If you try and pray [to Allah], He will help you,” Huzooraa said.
Tufha Raziya Ahmad Sahiba asked Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa that as a waqifa-e-nau, how can one, who is serving in the medical field, convey the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat.
Huzooraa said:
“On many occasions, I have explained that as Ahmadis, we should convey the message of Ahmadiyyat and the true Islam; but waqifaat-e-nau are more responsible for this purpose. They should convey the message of the true Islam and Ahmadiyyat. When you are in the medical field, if your morals are good, if your attitude towards your patient is good, they will see that ‘this doctor is somehow different from the other doctors. She is a very caring doctor; she listens to me, and she sees [me] very carefully.’ Then she would try to know who you are. Then you can tell them, ‘I am an Ahmadi Muslim doctor and this is my duty, my obligation, that I should respect others and see my patients respectfully and carefully.’ So, in this way, you will open the avenues of tabligh. Then, among your fellow doctors also, you can tell them you are an Ahmadi Muslim and if you are offering five daily prayers when you are free and praying to Allah the Almighty for your patients, then they will see that ‘she is a good Muslim, and we should see and learn more about them.’ This is how you can open avenues of tabligh.”
Farhana Achmad Sahiba asked Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa if a waqifa-e-nau receives an education loan from the Jamaat, and after graduating from college, decides to serve the Jamaat, how should she repay the loan in this situation?
Huzooraa said:
“You can tell the Jamaat that although you took a loan from the Jamaat, with the intention to repay it back to the Jamaat, but with this nominal stipend and allowance which is given to you by the Jamaat, you are unable to pay the amount within a short period of time because the amount is quite substantial. So, Jamaat can fix a small amount [for you] to repay your loan and then they will deduct it from your income or allowance. And, sometimes it so happens, if Jamaat wishes, they can write off the loan. But it all depends on the financial position of the Jamaat. Otherwise, you can just pay back a small amount every month and it will not burden you too much.”
Munirah Amatul Kafi Sahiba asked how one could overcome worries regarding one’s future and life choices. She added that she was afraid she would make a decision that would turn out to be unfavourable.
Huzooraa said:
“Whenever we are going to start anything, we should seek Allah’s help. Pray to Allah the Almighty that ‘Allah the Almighty makes it easy for us’ and seek Allah the Almighty’s help and His guidance. If it is good for you, then [pray that] Allah the Almighty make it easy for you, and make it comfortable for you, and satisfy your heart in this regard. So, if you feel satisfaction in your heart and you are praying to Allah the Almighty, then He will help you; and it will not end up in a bad result. But, you must also remember that we should always pray to Allah the Almighty, continue our prayers in every respect that ‘whatever we are doing, Allah the Almighty always helps us. We sought Allah the Almighty’s help when we started it, and we should seek Allah the Almighty’s help even while we are doing it.’ Till the end of our lives, we should seek Allah’s help and guidance. So, then, Allah the Almighty will help us and when Allah the Almighty helps us, then the end of that thing [which we pray for] is never bad.”
Khadijah Shibyati Sahiba, a nutritionist graduate, asked Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa if a waqifa-e-nau could have an occupation after her marriage.
Alluding to her profession, Huzooraa said: “This is a good profession, it helps humanity.” Further, Huzooraa said:
“And after the marriage, you can ask your husband. If he is happy that you continue with your work, you should continue. If he says ‘no, you should not’ then, you should not do it; but, voluntarily, you can do it with Lajna and other Jamaat organisations or any charity organisation. But there is no harm in continuing your profession, even after marriage. But at least you must seek the consent of your husband and also remember that when you start family life when your children are born, you see it is the duty of the mother to look after the children, to bring them up in a good atmosphere, and with all the good conditions. So, then, your first responsibility is to take care of your household, your children, your husband; and after that, if you find some time, then you can do the job as well. And, if you think you can do justice with your profession and at the same time you can do justice with your children and your household affairs, then you can do both things together.”
Khaula Sahiba asked Huzooraa what one should do if the parents of a waqifa-e-nau asks them to withdraw from the Waqf-e-Nau Scheme while she insisted on being a waqifa-e-nau.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:
“Your parents offered your life for the cause of the Jamaat before your birth. And when you were born, they told the Jamaat that ‘now we had a girl or a boy’ […] ‘and we want to offer her or him to the Jamaat as a waqifa-e-nau’. And at the age of 15 you renew your bond, when you are quite mature and sensible, [stating] that you want to continue your waqf. When you finish your education, you say that you are continuing your waqf. So, when you are mature and you have entered the age of maturity and you have entered Lajna Imaillah at the age of 15, then you can make your own decision. Whether your parents like it or not, now it is up to you whether you want to continue your waqf or not. Now it is not the duty of [the parents]. They have done their duty when you were young, but now when you have matured, you have to make your own decision. This is why we say that waqifeen-e-nau and waqifaat-e-nau should renew their bond of Waqf-e-Nau at the age of 15, and then renew it further at the age of 21 or after completing their education. So, if you want to continue, then it is up to you; if you want to break this bond, it is also up to you. Your parents cannot say that you broke it. You, waqifeen-e-nau or waqifaat-e-nau, yourselves have to decide whether you want to continue your waqf or want to break this bond.”
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa asked her what she did. In reply, she said she was serving in the Ismail magazine of Waqf-e-Nau. Hearing this, Huzooraa said, “Ismail is for boys, let the boys do it, and you should start your own magazine with the name Maryam. Tell the men that they should continue with their magazine, Ismail, and ‘we are not going to help men. We shall start our own magazine with the name Maryam, for waqifaat-e-nau girls.’ Your men are lazy, they want to put their burden on your shoulder. Tell your men to ‘do your own work, and we are going to do our own work.’”
Saira Basir Sahiba asked Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa what his guidance was for waqifaat-e-nau who prioritise their services in the Jamaat over their duties as students.
Huzooraa said:
“Whether you are a waqifa-e-nau or not in the Waqf-e-Nau Scheme, as a student, you should give preference to your studies first. Complete your studies, get a better education and then come forward for the help of the Jamaat and work for the Jamaat. But during the weekends, you should attend Waqf-e-Nau classes or Waqf-e-Nau Ijtemas and give some spare time, whenever you are on holiday, give some spare time to your Jamaat work and Waqf-e-Nau work; whatever is given to you by your Sadr or in charge Waqf-e-Nau, but never ever at the cost of your studies; you first emphasise on your studies, complete your studies, get a better education, and then you will be a more beneficial and useful asset for the Jamaat, and then help the Jamaat as a waqifa-e-nau.”
Bushra Hidayat Sahiba said that both Ahmadi Muslims and non-Ahmadi Muslims studied at her school. She added that sometimes people talked about Ahmadiyyat and in response, she would answer according to her knowledge. She asked how she could make them more interested in Ahmadiyyat.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa said that if, at school, it was time for salat and she offered her prayers; refrained from bad habits such as swearing at others, and rather helped maintain peace amongst her classmates and encouraged them to be good, and dressed modestly, then people would naturally consider her to be a good Muslim and would listen to her. “Show your example,” and learn more about Islam and Ahmadiyyat.
Salma Tsania Farisha Sahiba asked how one could remain happy and sincere with Allah even when they are unable to reach and achieve their goals.Huzooraa said:
“If you have dreams or goals according to your potential, then you should work hard and pray to Allah the Almighty that Allah help you to achieve them. […] First, you have to work hard then pray to Allah the Almighty that you have done whatever was possible according to your potential and according to your capabilities and now Allah the Almighty help you to achieve that, then Allah the Almighty will, insha-Allah, help you. You see, everybody, every person doesn’t have the potential for everything. A scientist has a different mindset for his studies, a lawyer has a different mindset and a missionary or a historian has a different thinking and concepts in their mind. Allah the Almighty has made human beings with diverse natures. So, if you are good at history, you cannot say that you would also be a good chemist or scientist; likewise, a good chemist or scientist may not be a good historian. So, first, you will have to see what are the subjects of your interest, and among those subjects which is the best for you.
“Then pray to Allah the Almighty, Allah will help you, insha-Allah. Never be disappointed, work hard and pray to Allah the Almighty, then you will achieve [your goal].”
Kashifa Ahmad Sahiba asked Huzooraa how he maintained his feelings in difficult situations.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa said:
“[…] You have to pray to Allah the Almighty that Allah help you. Just pray in your namaz, in your sajdah. Cry hard in your sajdah and you will feel some satisfaction in your heart, and it will be okay.”
Aasyah Ahmad Sahiba said that as a housewife and a waqifa-e-nau, what could one do to serve the Jamaat.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa said:
“I have already answered this question. It was almost the same question [asked earlier]. As a housewife, you have to look after your house and your children, and then if you get some spare time, you can serve the Jamaat also during holidays or during weekends, then, with the consent and mutual understanding with your husband, you can work for the Jamaat in your spare time.”
Parwiin Salma Sahiba asked how to instil love for the Jamaat in Ahmadi teenagers so they can be active in the Jamaat.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa asked her how she instilled the love of the Jamaat in her heart when she was younger? “[Did] your parents inspire you to work for the Jamaat? Or your friends inspired you to work for the Jamaat? Or your Lajna organisation? Or was it you yourself; it was your inborn desire to work for the Jamaat and create love for the Jamaat?” In response, she said that her parents, at first, instilled love for the Jamaat in her.
Hearing this, Huzooraa said:
“Then, the answer is the same. […] So, as you had this love for the Jamaat, the same thing you should try to develop among the teenagers of the Jamaat – the younger girls.
“The first thing is that they should know why they are Ahmadis, who is the Promised Messiah, upon him be peace, why did they do bai‘at of Khilafat, why did their parents offer them in Waqf-e-Nau; and being a waqifa-e-nau and being an Ahmadi Muslim, what are their duties. If they realise their duties, then they will understand their responsibility. When they understand their responsibility, then there will be some purpose before them that they have to achieve. And, for that, when they work hard and pray to Allah the Almighty for it, then the love of the Jamaat and the work and the status of being waqifaat-e-nau will itself develop in their hearts.”
Salma Falah Sahiba asked Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa that, as waqifa-e-nau, when one is serving the Jamaat as a full-time employee and then gets married, should one quit their service in the Jamaat or continue working with the permission of their husband?
Huzooraa said:
“I have already answered this question. Whatever [work] you are doing in the Jamaat or outside, after marriage, you should work with the permission and consent of your husband. But the first thing is that you make your husband realise that if you are working for the Jamaat, it will help to increase your spiritual level as well as the blessings of Allah the Almighty. If you are working for the Jamaat, you are getting the blessings of Allah the Almighty. So, make your husband realise, so that [he] lets you work for the Jamaat and in this way, you will be receiving more blessings and your family will be receiving more blessings of Allah the Almighty. Even despite that, [if] your husband insists that ‘no, you have to leave the job, you have to leave the work for the Jamaat’ then, for the time being, you can leave it and keep on telling your husband and be persuasive, tell him all the time that ‘No, we should give some time to the Jamaat, then we can have more blessings from Allah the Almighty.’ And also, a waqifa-e-nau girl should tell their match, the person to whom they are going to get married and his family, that ‘being a waqifa-e-nau, this is our obligation to serve the Jamaat whenever we are asked by the Jamaat to come forward. So, I am a waqifa-e-nau, being a waqifa-e-nau it is my duty. You will have to understand this thing that, even after marriage, I will work for the Jamaat whenever I am asked to do it.’”
Lastly, Fatima Hafsya Sahiba asked Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa if there is any opportunity for Indonesian waqifaat-e-nau to serve in other countries and what kind of service it would be.
Huzooraa said:
“It all depends on what your education is. If you are a doctor waqifa-e-nau or a teacher waqifa-e-nau, then you can be sent to other countries as a Waqf-e-Nau teacher or doctor; but it all depends on your profession and your education. If you are a simple graduate, then the Jamaat will ask you to serve in your own country, not outside. So, as a waqifa-e-nau you can offer yourself, saying that ‘now I am ready, I have completed my education, wherever Markaz or Centre or Khalifa-e-Waqt wants to send me, I will go.’ Then we shall decide whether we should take your services, use your services within your country or outside your country. Yes, it is quite possible that you can be sent outside provided we need that profession.”
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa conveyed his salaam after which the meeting came to a close.
(Report prepared by Al Hakam)