Faith before worldly pursuits: Huzoor addresses women at Jalsa Salana Germany 2026
Hazrat Maulana Malik Ghulam Farid: Pioneer missionary, scholar and translator of the Holy Quran
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Observations of Irfani: Work, religion, newspapers and national character (1926)
Humanity First Windsor, Canada, holds Unity Summit
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THE WEEKLY
www.alhakam.org AL HAKAM | Friday 11 September 2026 | Issue CDXLIII Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre (ARC), 22 Deer Park Road, London, SW19 3TL, UK info@alhakam.org | ISSN 2754-7396
Act upon the conditions of bai‘at: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V delivers concluding address of Jalsa Salana Germany 2026 Islamabad, Tilford, 6 September 2026: At 14:35 GMT, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah be his Helper, entered Masroor Hall to chair the final session of Jalsa Salana Germany 2026, which is taking place in Mendig, Germany this weekend. Huzoor (aa) invited Hafiz Awais Qamar Sahib to recite a portion of the Holy Quran (Surah al-Mu’minun, Ch.23: V.112), marking the beginning of the session. Safwan Ahmad Malik Sahib presented the Urdu translation of the Quranic verses recited and Danny Söder Sahib read out their German translation. After this, Ahmad Kamal Sahib presented an Urdu poem of the Promised Messiah (as). (Barahin-eAhmadiyya Part V [English], p. 155) Huzoor (aa) then asked the National Secretary Talim to announce the names of Ahmadi students who had exceptional academic and educational achievements. Huzoor (aa) then began his address, a summary of which is presented below.
Reflect on the conditions of bai‘at The conditions of bai‘at are 10 in number, but if one looks at the matters toward which attention has been drawn in them in detail, they amount to approximately 34 important points. They draw attention to everything from shirk to all the fundamental religious matters. They also direct attention towards removing moral weaknesses, eliminating spiritual weaknesses and raising the standards of obedience. Continued on page 3
Hadith-e-Rasul – Sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa
A trustworthy treasurer
َ ْ َ َّ ُ َ ُ َ َّ َﺣﺪﺛ َﻨﺎ،َِﺣﺪﺛ َﻨﺎ ��َ ّﻤﺪ ﺑْ ُﻦ اﻟ َﻌ��ء َ َ َ َُ َُ َ أﺑﻮ أﺳ ﻋ ْﻦ ﺑ ُ َﺮﻳْ ِﺪ ﺑْ ِﻦ ﻋ ْﺒ ِﺪ،ﺎﻣﺔ َ َ ٰ َ َﻋ ْﻦ أ�� ُﻣ، َﻋ ْﻦ أ�� ﺑ ُ ْﺮ َد َة،�ِ ّ��ا ،ﻮﺳﻰ ِ ِ َّ َ ّٰ ﻋ ِﻦ اﻟﻨ ِ� ِّ� ﺻﻠﻰ ا��� �ﻠﻴﻪ وﺳﻠﻢ َ ْ َ َ ُ���ا��َﺎز ُن اﻟ ْ ُﻤ ْﺴﻠِ ُﻢ ا�� ِﻣ �ﻗﺎل ِ َّ ُ َ َ َ اﻟ ِﺬي ﻳ ُ ْﻨ ِﻔﺬ ـ َو ُرﺑّ َﻤﺎ ﻗﺎل ﻳ ُ ْﻌ ِ�� ـ ُ َ َّ ً َ َﻣﺎ أ ِ� َ� ﺑِ ِﻪ �ﺎ ِﻣ�� ُﻣ َﻮﻓ ًﺮا ﻃ ِّﻴ ٌﺐ ﺑِ ِﻪ َّ َ ُ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َ َ ُ �ُ � �َ �ِ ﻓ َﻴﺪﻓ ُﻌﻪ ِإﻟﻰ اﻟ ِﺬي أ،ﻧﻔ ُﺴﻪ َْ ّ َ َ ُْ ُ ََ ��ِ � أﺣﺪ اﻟﻤﺘﺼ ِﺪﻗ،ﺑِ ِﻪ Hazrat Abu Musa (ra) narrated that the Holy Prophet (sa) said, “The trustworthy Muslim treasurer who carries out – or perhaps [the narrator] said, gives – exactly what he has been instructed [to give], in full and without withholding anything, doing so wholeheartedly and delivering it to the person designated, is one of the two who give charity.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab az-zakat, Bab ajri l-khadimi idha tasaddaqa bi amri sahibihi ghayra mufsidin, Hadith 1438)
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, In His Own Words
The facility of the printing press In addition to this, ignorance was widely rampant. An old man by the name of Kammay Shah once related that he saw his teacher pray with great Continued on page 3
Friday 11 September 2026 | AL HAKAM
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This Week in History
Zaruri Farz ki Tabligh, setting out his proposal to establish a middle school in Qadian for Ahmadi children. The school was intended to provide them with religious education and protect them from harmful worldly influences. Huzoor (as) outlined the proposed scheme and recorded the names of several followers who had pledged monthly contributions towards its establishment. (Majmuah-e-Ishtiharat, Vol. 2, pp. 360-362) 15 September 1971: On this day, adviser to the President of Pakistan, Sahibzada Mirza Muzaffar Ahmad Sahib, son of Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra), was attacked by a man named Muhammad Aslam Qureshi. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 27, p. 56)
11-17 September A glimpse into the rich history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat
11 September
13 September
11 September 1924: On this day, Hazrat Muslehe-Maud (ra) called on the secretary of the religious and ethics department in the League of Nations and a topic of mutual interest – world peace – was discussed in detail.
13 September 1927: On this day, Al Fazl published a detailed report of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih’s (ra) meeting with the Viceroy of India at the Viceregal Lodge.
According to Al Fazl, the following topic was discussed in this meeting: “Mr Ellison asked Huzoorra, ‘In what way will you help the League of Nations?’ In reply, he said: ‘I sympathise with every movement that works towards the restoration of peace in the world because the founder of the Ahmadiyya Community has been given a name by God Almighty, the Prince of Peace; therefore, it is my duty to strive for the fulfilment of this, the purpose for which Allah the Almighty sent him, because I am the Khalifa of this Prince of Peace.’” (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 4, p. 540) 11 September 2009: During his Friday sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (aa) stated that the theory which was presented by Dr Abdus Salam Sahib also testifies to the Oneness of God Almighty and the Holy Quran’s truthfulness. Therefore, Huzoor (aa) advised that Ahmadi scientists and researchers needed to ponder over the Holy Quran, which would certainly pave new avenues for their research.
12 September 12 September 1902: On this day, the nikah of the Promised Messiah’s (as) son, Hazrat Sahibzada Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) was announced. After the Asr prayer, Hazrat Maulvi Noor-ud-Deen (ra) led the nikah in the courtyard outside the room of the Promised Messiah (as), adjacent to Masjid Mubarak. The marriage occurred in May 1906. 12 September 1959: On this day, the Noor Mosque in Frankfurt, Germany, was inaugurated by Hazrat Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan (ra). This was the Jamaat’s second mosque in Germany and the fourth in Europe. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 20, p. 525)
To read more about the engagements and meetings of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra), while staying in Shimla, a city during the British rule, served as the summer capital of the subcontinent due to the extreme heat in Delhi. See: “Coming from every distant track: Sarojini Naidu and other dignitaries meet with Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud in Shimla to promote peace and harmony” at alhakam.org (10 February 2023, p. 9). 13 September 2013: During his Friday sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (aa) spoke about the ongoing war in Syria and shed light on the situation of the world in general and Muslims in particular.
14 September 14 September 1907: To enjoy the blessed audience of the Promised Messiah (as), renowned Indian politician and influential community leader, Sir Fazal Hussein paid a visit to Qadian on this day. He was accompanied by his father, Miyan Hussein Bakhsh, ex-civil servant and magnate of Batala. To read more, see: “Coming from every distant track: Sir Mian Fazl-i-Husain meets with the Promised Messiah” at alhakam.org 14 September 1969: On this day, Mr Afzal Iqbal, Ambassador of Pakistan to Switzerland, visited the Mahmood Mosque in Zurich. Chaudhry Mushtaq Ahmad Bajwa Sahib also invited Pakistanis living in Zurich and nearby areas on the occasion. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 25, p. 330)
15 September 15 September 1897: On this day, the Promised Messiah (as) issued an announcement entitled Eik
15 September 2008: During his Friday sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (aa) mentioned Dr Abdul Manan Siddiqui Sahib, who was martyred in Pakistan on 8 September. Huzoor (aa) said that by sacrificing his life in his youth, he had left behind a great legacy for the younger members of the Jamaat to fulfil their oath of bai‘at to the Promised Messiah (as) to the letter, even if they had to sacrifice their lives. Huzoor (aa) also mentioned the martyrdom, sincerity and sacrifices of Seith Muhammad Yusuf Sahib, Amir District Nawabshah, who was martyred on 9 September.
16 September 16 September 1914: On this day, Hazrat Muslehe-Maud (ra) sent a letter to the Begum of Bhopal with the aim of propagating the message of Ahmadiyyat. Hajjah Nawab Begum Dame, Sultan Jahan GCSI (9 July 1858 – 12 May 1930) was a notable and progressive ruler of Bhopal who ruled from 1901 to 1926. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 4, p. 161) 16 September 1927: On this day, the Amatul Hayy Library was inaugurated in Qadian. Hazrat Syeda Umm-e-Tahir (ra) was in charge of it. In 1925, a library was proposed by Hazrat Syeda Umm-e-Dawood (ra) in memory of Hazrat Syeda Amatul Hayy Begum (ra), keeping in view her knowledge and interest in reading. (Tarikh-eLajna, Vol. 1, p. 230)
17 September 17 September 1927: The then Governor of Punjab, Sir William Malcolm Hailey, had a meeting with Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra). During this meeting, on this day, a discussion took place as to how the Hindu-Muslim unrest could be alleviated in the country. The meeting lasted for around an hour. (Al Fazl, Qadian, 30 September 1927, p. 5) 17 September 2010: During his first tour of Ireland to lay the foundation of Maryam Mosque (Galway), the first Ahmadiyya mosque in Ireland, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (aa) delivered a Friday sermon on this day. Huzoor (aa) mentioned that, from a geographical standpoint, Galway was a kind of corner of the world.
AL HAKAM | Friday 11 September 2026 Continued from page 1
emotion so that he would be granted the opportunity to see a copy of Sahih Bukhari just once. On certain occasions, the thought that this was perhaps never possible would move him to weep bitterly in prayer. Now that very same Bukhari can be purchased in Amritsar and Lahore for a few rupees. Then, there was a maulvi by the name
The Promised Messiah (as) stated in very clear terms that if one has taken bai‘at, then an Ahmadi should be bound by these matters. Only then will we be able to establish a pure Ahmadi society – a society that acts upon the true teachings of Islam. Otherwise, our claim of being Ahmadi will remain nothing more than a claim. Today, in the developed world, where the existence of Allah the Almighty is given a secondary status and in some places even denied; where the outward glitter and material progress of the world are given greater importance, we need to forge a special relationship with Allah the Almighty and reflect deeply upon these conditions of bai‘at and act upon them in order to improve our religious and spiritual condition.
Avoid shirk Shirk is a very great sin. Without safeguarding oneself against it, one cannot attain perfect faith, nor can a person be called a true Muslim or a muwahhid – i.e. one who believes in the Oneness of Allah the Almighty. Allah the Almighty states in the Holy Quran: “Surely, Allah will not forgive that any partner be associated with Him; but He will forgive whatever is short of that to whomsoever He pleases. And whoso associates partners with Allah has indeed devised a very great sin.” (Surah an-Nisa, Ch.4: V.49) Then it becomes evident that when – out of fear of society – we begin to feel ashamed of acting upon the teachings of Islam, the ultimate result of that shame is that we continue to drift farther away from Allah the Almighty and do not act upon His teachings. Due to worldly concerns, we forget our religious obligations and even fail to offer our prayers on time. Once, a man asked the Holy Prophet (sa) which deed would lead one to paradise. He (sa) replied, “Worship Allah and do not associate anyone with Him, offer the prescribed prayers, pay the obligatory Zakat and observe the fasts of Ramadan.” Upon hearing this, the questioner swore to abide by these teachings and do no more. When the man had left, the Holy Prophet (sa) said, “Whoever wishes to see a man from among the people of Paradise should look at him.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 8) We should examine ourselves: if we do not observe these deeds, then this is a matter of great concern. The Holy Prophet (sa) once said, “There is no servant who affirms that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and then dies steadfast upon that affirmation but he will enter paradise.” Upon being asked whether this would also apply to someone
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of Sher Muhammad. He happened to find a few pages of Ihya-ul-Ulum from somewhere. And so after every Prayer, for quite some time, he would show the congregation with overwhelming joy and pride that this was the famous Ihyaul-Ulum. It was his ardent desire to find the entire book from somewhere. Now, Ihya-ul-Ulum is available far and wide in
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printed form. In short, the arrival of the British is a blessing that has opened the spiritual eyes of the people as well. God Almighty knows well the degree to which this government had aided the cause of religion— such as was impossible under any other government. Through the blessings of the printing press and the development of
diverse stocks of paper, all sorts of books can be made available at low costs. Then, through the post office, these books can be sent far and wide from the comfort of our homes. In this way, the path for the propagation of religious truths has become easy and unobstructed. (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 2, p. 194)
This indeed is the truth that whosoever considers only God to be One without partner, and believes that Muhammad, the Chosen One, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has been sent by the same Omnipotent and Unique God, then without any doubt if such a person meets his end upholding this belief, he will surely attain salvation. There is absolutely no salvation under the heavens through the suicide of someone else.”
who committed adultery or theft, the Holy Prophet (sa) replied in the affirmative. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 5827) The teaching of kalimah is precisely this: raise your spiritual standards, elevate your moral standards and purify yourself from every kind of evil. This declaration in its true sense means that the one who professes it has subdued his own self and its desires before the commandments of Allah the Almighty; at the time of death, no trace of shirk remains in his soul. Such a person is steadfast upon perfect tawhid only when he has the fear of Allah the Almighty and certainty in Allah the Almighty, because such a person certainly cannot commit sin, because as soon as he understands the true spirit of tawhid, he abandons evil. A Christian priest once raised an objection that the teaching of the Holy Prophet (sa) is that merely saying the kalimah removes sins. The Promised Messiah (as) replied to this allegation and wrote: “This indeed is the truth that whosoever considers only God to be One without partner, and believes that Muhammad, the Chosen One, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has been sent by the same Omnipotent and Unique God, then without any doubt if such a person meets his end upholding this belief, he will surely attain salvation. There is absolutely no salvation under the heavens through the suicide of someone else.” (The Light of the Holy Quran, p. 118) He further said: “However, to hold the belief that God is One and has no partner, and that He is so Compassionate that – showing great mercy – He sent His Messenger, whose name is Muhammad, the Chosen One, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to deliver the world from its error is such a doctrine that believing in it dispels the darkness of
the soul, egotism is eliminated, and Tauhid [Oneness of God] takes its place. And, ultimately, the passion of Tauhid so engulfs the heart that the life in Paradise begins in this very world.” (Ibid.) The Promised Messiah (as) said: “Just as you see that darkness cannot survive when light arrives, in the same way, َ� َ when the luminosity of ِإلُه ِإَِلا الَّلُه َلاfalls upon a person’s heart, all the passions of the darkness of the ego become, as if, extinct. The reality of sin is none other than that there should be a cacophony of egoistic passions mixed with rebellion, and a person is labelled a sinner when he is in the state of subservience to them. And the meanings of َ� َ ِإلُه ِإَِلا الَّلُه َلاthat we understand from the usage of Arabic lexicons are:
َ َُ ََ َ ُ ْ َ ََ َ ُ ْ َ ََ َ ُ َْ َ ُ اع �ْي ِإَل�َا ال َّلُه ِ ِ َلا ُّمِطَلَوب �ِْي َو َلا ُّمَحَبَوب �ِْي َوَلا ُّمُعَبَوَد �ِْي َو َلا ُّمِط
“Meaning that, with the exception of God, there is none whom I desire, or whom I love, or whom I worship, or whom I obey. Now, it is clear that these meanings are completely at odds with the essence of sin and the real source of sin. Therefore, the person who allows these meanings to occupy his soul with heartfelt sincerity, the meaning counter to it [i.e. submitting to false idols] will, of a necessity, leave his heart, because two opposites cannot coexist at one place. “Thus, when egoistic passions get purged, then this is precisely the state that is called true piety and real righteousness. And the need to believe in the one sent by God – which is the purport of the second part of this declaration of faith – is that faith in God’s word should also be attained. This is because it is necessary for anyone who declares that he wishes to become obedient to God, that he should also believe in His commandments. And it is not possible to believe in His commandments without believing in the person through whom the commandments came into the world. This is
the true purport of this declaration of faith.” (Ibid.)
Safeguard yourself from unlawful glances Nowadays, opportunities for lustful glances have become extremely widespread and immodesty has reached an extreme that whether online or in real life, there are avenues at every step which can cause a person to look at inappropriate things and immoral content. By watching such wrong things, a person eventually becomes immersed in that evil. The Holy Prophet (sa) said that a person commits adultery with the eye as well as with the tongue. The adultery of the eye is looking at improper things and the adultery of the tongue is engaging in improper talk. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6243) Thus, every Ahmadi needs to protect himself from these things and reflect upon them very carefully. Regarding guarding oneself from lustful glances, the Promised Messiah (as) writes: “Whosoever does not repent of every vice and every evil deed, such as drunkenness, gambling, lustful glances, deceit, bribery and every misappropriation, is not of my community.” (Noah’s Ark, p. 31)
Fulfill the rights of your spouse The Promised Messiah (as) also stated: “Every husband who deceives his wife, and every wife who deceives her husband, is not of my community.” (Ibid.) It is the husband’s duty to fulfil the rights of his wife and it is likewise the wife’s duty to fulfil the responsibilities of the home. Likewise, the Holy Prophet (sa) once said that a woman who fulfils the responsibilities of her home, looks after her children and takes care of her husband’s household is worthy of reward in the same way that one who strives in Jihad becomes worthy of
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reward through that striving. (Shu‘ab alIman, Hadith 8742, Vol. 6, p. 420)
Suppress carnal passions Once, two men were sitting in the presence of the Holy Prophet (sa) when one of them began angrily abusing the other and his face had turned red with anger as they quarrelled. The Holy Prophet (sa) was witnessing this and said that if they sought refuge with Allah from Satan, their anger would certainly dissipate. Thus, this is also a remedy that every Ahmadi should try and see how we can be delivered from the hold of Satan.
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Friday 11 September 2026 | AL HAKAM
Whosoever does not repent
of every vice and every evil deed, such as drunkenness, gambling,
lustful glances, deceit, bribery and every misappropriation, is not of my community.”
Shun wickedness and immorality “Thus is the word of thy Lord proved true against those who rebel, that they believe not.” (Surah Yunus, Ch.10: V.34) Similarly, the Holy Prophet (sa) stated: “No person should accuse another person of fisq (wickedness) nor accuse him of disbelief. If the person who has been accused is not as he has been accused, then that accusation returns upon the one who made it.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6045) To safeguard oneself from this evil, the Promised Messiah (as) stated at one place: “So remember that perfect love of God can only be developed through voluntary acts of worship. As a result of this, God states: ‘I become the sight of My believing servants who are close to Me’, that is to say that the sight of such people is directed exactly in the direction that God wills. “One who is sincere and true to God does not wait for death and is never heedless of the Divine. Then God Almighty states that He becomes the ears of such people. This means that wherever Allah, His Messenger or His Book are being dishonoured and denigrated, they become averse and displeased with such gatherings and leave at once. They cannot hear such things and do not pay heed to anything that is contrary to the will of Allah Almighty or against His command. They do not sit in the sorts of gatherings aforementioned.” (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 3, pp. 92-93) Therefore, we need to examine ourselves – do we try to protect ourselves from such vain and useless things? If not, then these things will lead us towards wickedness and immorality. Only when we remain within the protection of these teachings and safeguard ourselves from sins will Allah the Almighty hear our prayers. Speaking about the acceptance of prayers and the reformation of one’s deeds, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) once explained this in detail, stating that although people deceive other people, it is astonishing that some people even try to deceive Allah the Almighty. They do not realise that Allah the Almighty is the Knower of the Unseen. He knows everything. People do not fulfil the covenant they have made with Allah the Almighty, yet they expect Allah to fulfil His covenant with them. Allah the Almighty has indeed said that He accepts prayers. But before saying that, He also asks that we purify ourselves and become righteous. (Khutbate-Mahmud, Vol. 4, p. 82) Therefore, it is not enough to say, “We are Muslims, so it has become Allah’s duty to listen to everything we ask.” This is neither the case nor can it be. Indeed, Allah the
Almighty is ar-Rahman – the Gracious. By virtue of His attribute of Rahmaniyyat, He provides everyone with the necessities of life, even if they are disbelievers or atheists. But beyond that are the manifestations of His attribute of Rahimiyyat – His Mercy. Those are shown only to the people who not only listen to Allah the Almighty but also act upon His commandments. It cannot be that we harbour malice, resentment, enmity and all kinds of evil towards people; and still expect Allah the Almighty to treat us as He treats righteous Muslims.
Avoid betrayal and fulfill covenants Allah states in the Holy Quran: “O ye who believe! Do not betray Allah and the Messenger, lest you knowingly become traitors to your own trusts.” (Surah al-Anfal, Ch.8: V.28) The Promised Messiah (as) writes that “‘Libasut-taqwa’ [raiment of righteousness] is an expression of the Holy Quran, and this is an indication that spiritual beauty and adornment are indeed born out of taqwa. And taqwa means that man should abide by all of God’s trusts and pledges of faith, as well as all one’s trust and pledges towards God’s creatures to the best of one’s capability, which is to say that he should firmly adhere to their subtlest and minutest aspects.” (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part V [English], pp. 290-291) The covenant we have made with Allah the Almighty is the bai‘at of the Promised Messiah (as), in which we pledge to be regular in offering our prayers; not commit shirk; observe voluntary prayers; speak the truth; keep ourselves pure from sins; guard against lustful glances; not engage in wickedness and immorality. These are all the covenants and trusts that we are required to fulfil. Otherwise, we will be counted among those who do not honour their covenants and safeguard their trusts.
Pay back loans A loan is also a trust and it is necessary to repay it. That is why Allah the Almighty has commanded that debts should be repaid promptly. The Holy Prophet (sa) himself would not lead the funeral prayer of a person who had an unpaid debt when no one took responsibility for paying it. Rather, he would tell the Companions to offer the funeral prayer. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2298) In the sight of Allah the Almighty, a debt is also a trust, and fulfilling it is essential. By failing to fulfil a trust, by disobeying
the command of Allah the Almighty, by neglecting our duty and by failing to repay our debts, we become a cause of disorder in the world. Allah the Almighty says in the Holy Quran: “And who are watchful of their trusts and their covenants.” (Surah al-Mu’minun, Ch.23: V.9) This indicates that those who safeguard their trusts and fulfil their covenants are the truly perfect believers.
Maintain purdah Likewise, in relation to women, there are improper opportunities that arise for men. That is why Islam has also commanded purdah (modesty and veiling). In Western society, some people object to this command. They ask why Allah the Almighty has instructed women to observe the veil and segregate from men. The reason is that when such mixing takes place, situations arise in which men’s thoughts gradually become impure. If these limits are not observed, impure thoughts continue to develop. Then such situations arise through which we have seen even well-established families destroyed and marriages broken apart. Therefore, both men and women need to exercise caution.
Establish salat (prayer) The Holy Quran commands: “And enjoin Prayer on thy people, and be constant therein.” (Surah Taha, Ch.20: V.133) Sometimes, husbands are not regular in offering their prayers, while the women themselves are observing them. It should be clear that Allah the Almighty has placed the responsibility upon men to not only be regular in offering their own prayers, but also ensure that their wives and children are regular in offering prayers. Regarding this, Allah the Almighty says in the Holy Quran: “Recite that which has been revealed to thee of the Book, and observe Prayer. Surely, Prayer restrains one from indecency and manifest evil.” (Surah al-‘Ankabut, Ch.29: V.46) Thus, the only solution for protecting oneself from evils is to worship Allah the Almighty, fulfil His rights and leave worldly matters behind. Keep in mind that the distinction between a believer and shirk and disbelief is the abandonment of prayer. Therefore, we should examine ourselves: To what extent are we fulfilling the rights of
prayer? In a hadith, the Holy Prophet (sa) said that the first deed for which a servant will be called to account on the Day of Judgment will be his prayer. If it is sound, he will succeed and attain salvation. If it is deficient, he will fail and suffer loss. The deficiency in his obligatory prayers will be made up through his voluntary prayers. After that, the rest of his deeds will be judged in the same manner. (Tirmidhi, Hadith 413) Many other narrations speak of the blessings of establishing prayer. In one hadith, the Holy Prophet (sa) stated that a believer who walks towards the mosque purely with the intention of praying will find that one rank is raised for him and one sin is removed from him. He continues to be considered in prayer for as long as prayer keeps him there and the angels continue praying for every person who remains in the place where he offered prayer. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2119) In another narration, Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud asked the Holy Prophet (sa) which deed was the most excellent, to which he replied: “Offering prayer at its appointed time.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 527) Thus, even if it is not possible to go to the mosque because it is far away, prayer can still be offered at home on time or wherever one is working or conducting business. Wherever a person is working, he should make every effort to offer prayer at its appointed time, because offering prayer on time is essential. The Promised Messiah (as) states: “Prayer is also a means of safeguarding oneself from sins. It is a quality of prayer that it restrains a person from sin and immorality. Therefore, seek such a prayer and strive to make your prayer like that. Prayer is the soul of blessings. The bounties of Allah the Almighty come through this very prayer. So offer it in a well-adorned manner so that you may become heirs to the blessings of Allah the Almighty.” (Malfuzat [Urdu], Vol. 4, p. 232) Offer Tahajjud (Pre-dawn voluntary prayer) In the Holy Quran, Allah the Almighty says: “And wake up for it (the Quran) in [the latter part of] the night as a supererogatory service for thee. It may be that thy Lord will raise thee to an exalted station.” (Surah Bani Isra’il, Ch.17: V.80) The Holy Prophet (sa) had a Companion named Abdullah who was not regular in offering Tahajjud. Once the Holy Prophet (sa) said: “Abdullah is indeed an excellent man – if only he would offer Tahajjud at night.” After this, Hazrat Abdullah would sleep very little at night; rather, he would regularly offer Tahajjud. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1122) The Promised Messiah (as) was also greatly regular in offering Tahajjud, thus we should also try to do the same. Glorify Allah In the Holy Quran, Allah states: “So glorify the name of thy Lord, the Great.” (Surah al-Waqi‘ah, Ch.56: V.75) Hazrat Mu’adh bin Jabal (ra) relates that the Holy Prophet (sa) took his hand and said, ‘O Mu’adh, by Allah, I truly love you.’ Then he said, ‘O Mu’adh, I urge you never to omit saying after every prayer:
َ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ ْ ٰ َ َ � َ َ� ُ َ� اَد ِِتَك الَّلُهَّم َأ ِِعِّنِي َعَلٰى ِِذْك ِِرَك َوُشْك ِِرَك َوُحْس ِِن ِِعَب
AL HAKAM | Friday 11 September 2026 “‘O Allah, help me to remember You, to thank You, and to worship You in the best manner.’” (Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-witr, Hadith 1522) The Holy Prophet (sa) also said: “Whoever says after every prayer ‘subhanallah’ 33 times, ‘alhamdulillah’ 33 times and ‘Allahu-akbar’ 33 times – making a total of 99 – and then to complete 100, says:
َ� َ� ٰ َ ُ ْ ْ ْ َ َ ََو ُُهَوَ ََعَل ٰٰى، َل َ ُُه اْل ُُمْلُك ََوَل َ ُُه اْل ََح ْْم ُُد،َلَا ِإَِٰل� ََه ِإَِّلا الَّل ُُه ََو ْْح ََد ُُه َلَا َش ِِريَك َل َ ُُه َ ٌ ُك ُ �ِّل َش ْْي ٍٍء ََق ِِد يٌر ِ
“That is: ‘There is no god but Allah. He is One and has no partner. His is the Kingdom, and His is all praise, and He has power over all things,’ then all his sins will be forgiven, even if they are as abundant as the foam of the sea.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 931) Therefore, engaging in tasbih and tahmid is of great importance.
Recite Durood Sharif Allah the Almighty says in the Holy Quran: “Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet. O ye who believe! you also should invoke blessings on him and salute him with the salutation of peace.” (Surah alAhzab, Ch.33: V.57) The Holy Prophet (sa) said that the people who will be closest to him on the Day of Resurrection will be those who sent the most blessings upon him. For this reason, the Promised Messiah (as) said that every Ahmadi should make the recitation of Durood Sharif a permanent habit. The Promised Messiah (as) states: “So send blessings upon this Beneficent Prophet who is the manifestation of the attributes of the Most Gracious God, Who is exceedingly Beneficent. And the recompense of beneficence is nothing but beneficence. The heart that is unaware of his beneficence is faithless, or else it is wasting away its faith.” (Ijaz-ul-Masih, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 18, pp. 5-6) The Promised Messiah (as) prayed: “O Allah! Send blessings upon this Messenger, the Unlettered Prophet, who gave the people of the Latter Days to drink from the same cup from which he gave the people of the Earlier Days to drink. And he coloured them in his own colour, and admitted them among the pure ones.” (Ibid.) Therefore, when we remember the favours of the Holy Prophet (sa) and send durood upon him, the Holy Prophet (sa)
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in turn does us an even greater favour by asking Allah the Almighty to let us benefit from this durood and grant us peace and blessings as well.
Recite istighfar A Hadith states that the Holy Prophet (sa) said: “Allah the Almighty accepts the repentance of His servant as long as he has not reached the agony of death.” (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 4253) On another occasion, he said: “The one who repents from sin is like the one who has never committed a sin.” (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 4250) The Promised Messiah (as) states: “Seeking forgiveness from God (istighfar) and repentance (taubah) are two distinct things. However, in one respect, seeking forgiveness from God takes precedence over repentance. For seeking forgiveness from God means to seek help and strength from God, whereas repentance means to stand on one’s own feet. “The eternal way of Allah is that when a person seeks help from Him, He will grant them strength; and with this strength, a person will then be able to stand on their own feet and will develop the strength to perform good deeds, which is called ‘turning to Allah’ or ‘repentance, as alluded to in the ُ words: ( ُتوُبُوا ِِإَل َ ْْي ِِهTurn to Him, i.e. God). “Therefore, in natural sequence, seeking forgiveness from God comes before repentance. [...] The strength to turn to God in repentance comes through seeking assistance from God, by begging for His forgiveness. If there were no seeking forgiveness from God, know for certain that the ability to turn to God in repentance would die as well. “However, if you engage in seeking forgiveness from God, and then turn to him in repentance, the result will be as stated in the following verse:
َ ً ّ ُ � ّ ُيُ ََم ِّّت ُُعُك ْْم �َّم ََتاًعً ا ََح ََسًنا ِإَِلَى َأ ََج ٍٍل �ُّم ََّس �ًّمى
“‘He will provide for you a goodly provision until an appointed term.’ “The way of God is that if you seek forgiveness from God and turn to Him in repentance, you will attain to lofty grades. Every individual has a scope of their own, within the bounds of which they advance in grades of progress. Everyone does not have it within them to be a Prophet and Messenger, [... but] a seeker who persistently remains
engaged in these efforts shall progress in ranks and stations to the degree of their individual ability.” (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 2, pp. 242-243) On one occasion, the Promised Messiah (as) said: “You ought to recite the prayer for God’s forgiveness. There are only two states of man: either that he does not sin or that Allah Almighty saves him from the bad outcome of that sin. Hence, when a person invokes the forgiveness of God, they ought to keep both these concepts in mind. “Firstly, one ought to beg God Almighty so that He covers and hides one’s past sins and secondly, one ought to seek from God the ability so that one may be saved from committing sin in the future. However, seeking forgiveness through a mere verbal recitation will not suffice; rather, one should seek forgiveness from their heart. One ought to supplicate in the Prayer in their own tongue as well; this too is necessary.” (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 3, pp. 235-236) People ask how they can know whether their istighfar has been accepted. The answer is that if istighfar is sincere, from the heart and Allah the Almighty has accepted it, then a person cannot return to sin.
Forgive faults In the Holy Quran, Allah the Almighty says: “And who eschew the more grievous sins and indecencies, and, when they are wroth, they forgive.” (Surah ash-Shura, Ch.42: V.38) A Hadith relates that the Holy Prophet (sa) said: “Do not envy one another. Do not artificially raise prices in order to deceive. Do not harbour malice against one another. Do not turn away from one another. Let none of you make an offer over the bargain of another. Rather, become servants of Allah who are brothers to one another. A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He neither oppresses him, nor abandons him helpless, nor humiliates him.” Then, pointing towards his chest three times, the Holy Prophet (sa) said: “Taqwa is here. Taqwa is here. Taqwa is here. It is evil enough for a person that he should despise his Muslim brother. The blood, the wealth and the honour of every Muslim are sacred to another Muslim.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 4636) Unfortunately, today it is Muslims themselves who are bent upon shedding
Prayer is also a means of safeguarding oneself from sins.
It is a quality of prayer that it restrains a person from sin
and immorality. Therefore, seek such a prayer and strive to
make your prayer like that. Prayer is the soul of blessings. The
bounties of Allah the Almighty come through this very prayer. So offer it in a well-adorned manner so that you may become heirs to the blessings of Allah the Almighty.”
one another’s blood, while they continue to recite the kalimah with their tongues. He also said on another occasion: “Do not harbour malice or hatred against one another. Do not hate one another, do not boycott one another, and do not turn your faces away from one another. O servants of Allah, live as brothers among yourselves. It is not lawful for a Muslim to cut off relations with his brother for more than three days.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6076) Those people who remain upset with one another should reflect that Allah the Almighty has forbidden severing relations for more than three days. It is necessary to live together as brothers. On another occasion, the Holy Prophet (sa) said, “Give to the one who deprives you. Forgive the one who wrongs you. And maintain ties with the one who cuts off relations with you.” If we do this, the Holy Prophet (sa) stated: “Your reckoning will be made easy and Allah the Almighty will admit you into Paradise through His mercy.” (Al-Mustadrik, Kitab at-tafsir, Hadith 3842) Therefore, we should always strive to adopt these qualities. The Promised Messiah (as) says: “I observe that disputes and disagreements sometimes arise within the Jamaat. Mutual resentments develop and from a minor dispute a person begins attacking the honour of his brother and quarrelling with him. This is a most inappropriate behaviour. It should not happen. Rather, if one person admits his mistake, what harm is there in that? “Some people do not leave another person alone until they have forced him to admit humiliation over the smallest of matters. It is essential to avoid such behaviour. Allah the Almighty’s name is Sattar (the One Who conceals faults). Then why does a person not show mercy to his brother? Why does he not forgive and cover his faults? “A person should conceal his brother’s shortcomings and should not attack his honour and dignity.” (Malfuzat [Urdu], Vol. 6, p. 65) Thus, we need to raise our standards of forgiveness. Only then will the beautiful society be established that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat seeks to establish. Only then will the society be established for which the Promised Messiah (as) came. If this is not so, then our claims that we will bring about a revolution in the world are false claims. A revolution can come about only when we reform our own conditions, when we strive to improve ourselves in our beliefs, in our spirituality, in our actions and when we establish that pure society which eliminates disorder from the world, which spreads love and affection in the world, which establishes the sovereignty of the Holy Prophet (sa) in the world and which establishes the Oneness of Allah the Almighty in the world. Huzoor (aa) prayed that Allah should enable us to act upon these teachings and truly fulfil the pledge of bai‘at. Afterwards, he led everyone in a silent prayer. Groups from Germany recited choral poems, then Huzoor (aa) announced that this year’s Jalsa Salana Germany had a total attendance of 48,330 from 88 countries. Afterwards, Huzoor (aa) said Salaam and the Jalsa came to an end. (Report prepared by Al Hakam)
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Faith before worldly pursuits Huzoor addresses women at Jalsa Salana Germany 2026
Islamabad, Tilford, 5 September 2026: At 11:30 am BST, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V (aa), arrived at the venue set up in Islamabad for the purpose of addressing the Lajna session of Jalsa Salana Germany remotely. Huzoor (aa) inaugurated the session by inviting Ayesha Mahmood Sahiba to recite the Holy Quran, from Surah al-Furqan, verses 64 to 70. The recitation was followed by its translation. Huzoor (aa) then invited Aneeqa Shakir Bajwa Sahiba to recite an Urdu poem of the Promised Messiah (as). Huzoor (aa) invited Lajna Imaillah Germany’s Secretary Umur-e-Talibaat to announce the names of Lajna students who have achieved academic excellence over the past year. Huzoor (aa) then took to the podium to deliver his address, a brief summary of which is as follows: Huzoor (aa) began by saying that it is a great favour of Allah the Almighty upon the Jamaat that He has created among its women an awareness of the importance of seeking knowledge, so that they and their future generations may become recipients of His grace. At a time when the world is becoming increasingly absorbed in amusement and worldly pursuits, Ahmadi women should remain firmly committed to their pledge of giving precedence to faith over the world. Huzoor (aa) said that the attacks and temptations of Satan and the Dajjal are widespread today and Ahmadis, including women living in Western countries, are not immune to them. At times, education and worldly success themselves can become means of temptation. Islam does not prevent women from attaining higher education or achieving success. Rather, it encourages the pursuit of knowledge and progress. However, alongside this, a believer must always remain mindful of the obligations and responsibilities prescribed by the faith. Referring to the example of Hazrat Aisha (ra) and other eminent Muslim women of the early period of Islam, Huzoor (aa) said that they attained high spiritual standards as well as great religious knowledge. Their contribution was not confined to prayer and worship; their narrations and knowledge continue to assist Muslim jurists in understanding religious matters. At the same time, they understood
their responsibilities and strove to fulfil them. They did not speak only of receiving their own rights but were equally conscious of discharging the rights owed to others. It is for this reason that they are remembered with honour in Islamic history. Ahmadi women today, Huzoor (aa) said, should keep these examples before them and reflect upon their responsibilities towards their homes, their children and the moral and spiritual betterment of their families. If they feel that some men today are failing to fulfil their responsibilities, they should strive to raise a future generation of men and women who understand and discharge their duties properly. Huzoor (aa) said that, in order to achieve this, Ahmadis must repeatedly study and keep before them what the Promised Messiah (as) expected of those who accepted him. Without acting upon his teachings, the purpose of being an Ahmadi cannot be fulfilled. Referring to the teachings of the Promised Messiah (as), Huzoor (aa) said that the Promised Messiah (as) would say that a mere relationship with him is of no benefit if a person’s actions are not righteous. Alongside remembering and worshipping Allah the Almighty, believers must fulfil the rights of other people. High moral conduct does not mean showing goodness only to those who treat us well. Rather, even when someone wrongs us, we should be prepared to forgive them and treat them with kindness. Unless this spirit is developed, one cannot attain the true condition for which the Jamaat was established. Huzoor (aa) emphasised that Ahmadis, both men and women, must strive to lay the foundations of peace and reconciliation, beginning within their own homes. He referred to the Promised Messiah’s (as) explanation that he had come for two fundamental purposes: to establish the Oneness of God and fulfil His rights through worship, and to create love and compassion between people so that believers become examples for others. The transformation within the Companions, Huzoor (aa) explained, rested upon these principles. A person should desire for others the same good that they desire for themselves. He also referred to the Promised Messiah’s (as) teaching that one of
the signs associated with the coming of the Mahdi was that hatred and rancour would be removed from people’s hearts. Therefore, those who have accepted the Mahdi must strive to remove such feelings from within themselves. These are among the qualities that make a person a true Ahmadi. Huzoor (aa) then said that the world should never become the sole purpose of a believer’s existence; rather, worldly means should remain a servant to the higher objective of faith. Addressing those who had settled in Western countries, he noted that many had been granted better circumstances and greater opportunities than they had in Pakistan. However, many had originally migrated because they could not practise their faith freely. If, after reaching better material conditions, they allowed the pursuit of wealth and worldly comfort to displace religion, they would have lost sight of the very priority that should have guided their lives. Huzoor (aa) referred to the Promised Messiah’s (as) warning that neither love of wealth nor love of one’s children should become a veil between a person and Allah the Almighty. Turning to religious education, Huzoor (aa) said that studying the Holy Quran is essential for gaining knowledge of the faith and acting upon the commandments of Allah the Almighty. This study improves a person’s own moral condition and also equips them to take part in the propagation of Islam. Women should not assume that this responsibility belongs only to men. Particularly in the present state of the world, Ahmadi women should come forward and play their part in conveying the message that true salvation lies in turning towards God. Huzoor (aa) explained that merely performing bai‘at is not enough. Referring to the Promised Messiah’s (as) teaching, he said that the outward pledge is only the shell, while its true essence lies in sincere action. This cannot be achieved without studying, pondering over and striving to understand the Holy Quran. This responsibility, Huzoor (aa) said, belongs to women as much as it does to men. Lajna Imaillah has its own system for the religious education of women and regularly organises classes for the recitation
and translation of the Holy Quran. Members should benefit from these opportunities, but the object should not be learning for its own sake. They should study with the intention of acting upon what Allah the Almighty has commanded and abstaining from what He has forbidden. Huzoor (aa) added that the Holy Quran has given clear guidance regarding purdah and modesty. In the present age, such commandments are sometimes overlooked or treated as unimportant. Ahmadi women have a responsibility to learn these teachings properly and act upon them. Huzoor (aa) then referred to the example of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa), whose entire life demonstrated that everything was for Allah the Almighty. The Promised Messiah (as), he said, repeatedly urged Muslims to learn their religion and teach it to others. Unless men and women bring about a genuine transformation within themselves, they cannot truthfully claim to have fulfilled the demands of their faith. Huzoor (aa) stressed the importance of avoiding harmful company and remaining constant in prayer. In the modern age, harmful influences are not limited to physical company; television, the internet and other forms of media can also expose people to widespread immorality. To protect oneself from these influences requires prayer as well as a practical transformation in one’s conduct, similar to the change seen in the Companions of the Holy Prophet (sa). If there is no meaningful distinction between the conduct of believers and the wider world, others will have no reason to be drawn towards their example. Referring again to the Promised Messiah’s (as) guidance, Huzoor (aa) said that the outward manifestation of a healthy spiritual condition is the observance of the five daily prayers. When women themselves give due attention to prayer and encourage their children and husbands to do the same, a wholesome environment can be created within the home which attracts the love of Allah the Almighty. These prayers, however, must be offered with their true spirit and not merely as a formality. Huzoor (aa) said that only when Ahmadi men and women establish these qualities within themselves can they remain
AL HAKAM | Friday 11 September 2026 distinct while living in materially advanced societies. Only then can they truthfully say that they have fulfilled their pledge of bai‘at to the Promised Messiah (as), developed the identity of true Muslims within themselves and their children and played their part in
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raising the banner of the Holy Prophet (sa) throughout the world. Concluding, Huzoor (aa) said that if Ahmadis merely follow worldly people, focus only on demanding their own rights and make the world their ultimate objective,
then their claim of being Ahmadi carries no weight in the sight of Allah the Almighty. Huzoor (aa) prayed that Allah the Almighty may enable all women, as well as men, to understand their responsibilities and fulfil the purpose for which they had
gathered at Jalsa Salana. Huzoor (aa) then ended the session with a silent prayer. (Report prepared by Al Hakam)
NEWS Humanity First Windsor, Canada, holds Unity Summit
Syed Mukarram Nazeer Canada Correspondent Humanity First Canada’s Windsor Chapter hosted the inaugural Unity Summit on 28 June 2026, at the Giovanni Caboto Club in Windsor, Ontario. The Summit promoted public health education, disaster preparedness, volunteerism and community resilience. Throughout the day, the atmosphere reflected Humanity First’s motto, “Serving Humanity,” together with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat’s guiding principle, “Love for All, Hatred for None.” The event attracted numerous civic, political and healthcare leaders, reflecting the broad support that Humanity First continues to enjoy within the community. Among those in attendance were Kathy Borrelli, Member of Parliament; Harb Gill, Member of Parliament; Lisa Gretzky, Member of Provincial Parliament; Andrew Dowie, Member of Provincial Parliament; Drew Dilkens, Mayor of Windsor; Crystal Meloche, Mayor of LaSalle; Michael Akpata, Deputy Mayor of LaSalle; Joe Bachetti, Deputy Mayor of Tecumseh; Kristen Kennedy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Windsor Regional Hospital; together with Windsor City Councillors Angelo Marignani and Renaldo Agostino. Support for the Summit also extended beyond those able to attend in person. Prior to the event, several elected representatives, healthcare leaders and emergency service officials recorded video messages encouraging community participation and expressing their support for the Summit’s vision of unity, collaboration and humanitarian service. These included messages from Harb Gill, Lisa Gretzky, Mayor Drew Dilkens, Kristen Kennedy, James Waffle, Fire Chief of Windsor Fire & Rescue Services and Andrew Dowie. A central feature of the Summit was its educational programme, which offered practical information on health, emergency preparedness and personal wellbeing. Presentations delivered throughout the day addressed a wide range of subjects, including emergency medicine, trauma response, children’s oral health, colon cancer awareness, mental wellbeing and resilience and leadership through sport. The distinguished presenters included
Kristen Scott, Director of Emergency Services at Windsor Regional Hospital; Dave Thibodeau of Essex-Windsor Emergency Medical Services; Emily Bertram, Emergency Planning Officer with Windsor Fire & Rescue Services; Dr Alexandria Meriano; Dr Nouman Hassan; Chris Gevaert, Registered Psychotherapist and Archit Singh, sports trainer and cricket coach. Each presentation highlighted practical ways in which individuals and families can contribute to building healthier and more resilient communities. Beyond the lecture programme, the Summit placed particular emphasis on equipping participants with practical skills that could directly benefit their families and neighbourhoods. One of the highlights of the Summit was its series of interactive learning sessions, which enabled visitors to acquire practical, lifesaving skills through handson demonstrations led by experienced healthcare professionals and emergency responders. Among the most popular attractions was the Basic Life Support (BLS) training programme. Volunteer instructors, including nurses from Windsor Regional Hospital, paramedics from Essex-Windsor Emergency Medical Services, physicians and Humanity First volunteers, provided practical instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and other essential emergency response techniques. Hundreds of visitors participated enthusiastically, gaining valuable knowledge that could one day help save lives within their own families and communities. Participants also had the opportunity to learn about disaster preparedness through an interactive exhibition organised by the Humanity First USA Disaster Relief Team, led by Dr Naeem Lughmani. The demonstrations introduced visitors to emergency preparedness planning, disaster response procedures, temporary shelter deployment and the important role that trained humanitarian volunteers play during natural disasters and other emergencies. The session illustrated Humanity First’s ongoing commitment to serving vulnerable communities during times of crisis, both locally and internationally. Preventive healthcare also featured prominently throughout the day. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Medical
Association (AMMA) Canada organised a basic medical assessment clinic where visitors received complimentary blood pressure screening, blood glucose testing, body mass index assessments and general health education. The clinic encouraged participants to adopt healthier lifestyles while emphasising the importance of early detection and preventive care. Complementing these educational activities was an extensive community exhibition that showcased the remarkable breadth of organisations dedicated to serving WindsorEssex. Nearly 50 charities, healthcare providers, educational institutions, businesses and community organisations participated in the Summit, providing visitors with opportunities to learn about the services available throughout the region and to establish meaningful connections with local service providers. Among the participating organisations were Humanity First Canada, the Humanity First USA Disaster Relief Team, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Medical Association Canada, Windsor Regional Hospital, Windsor Fire & Rescue Services, Essex-Windsor Emergency Medical Services, Canadian Blood Services, the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ronald McDonald House Charities Windsor, the Salvation Army Windsor Centre of Hope, the Alzheimer Society of Windsor and Essex County, Community Living Essex County, the University of Windsor, St Clair College student organisations and numerous cultural, charitable and community organisations representing the diversity of Windsor-Essex. Visitors also had the opportunity to engage directly with representatives from organisations specialising in settlement services, mental health support, housing assistance, youth development, seniors’ services and volunteer opportunities. The exhibition reflected the Summit’s overarching objective of fostering collaboration among organisations that share a common commitment to improving the wellbeing of the wider community. The spirit of hospitality further contributed to the welcoming atmosphere throughout the day. Tim Hortons generously sponsored tea, coffee and Timbits for attendees, while a complimentary buffet
lunch provided additional opportunities for networking and fellowship among participants, volunteers and exhibitors. The significance of the Summit was also recognised by local media. Coverage by CTV News Windsor, AM800 CKLW Radio, MTA Canada and the Windsor Star helped extend the Summit’s message of humanitarian service and community collaboration to a wider audience, highlighting Humanity First’s growing role in strengthening partnerships across the region. The Humanity First Unity Summit received an overwhelmingly positive response from elected representatives, participating organisations and members of the wider community, many of whom later shared messages of appreciation recognising the event’s contribution to strengthening community partnerships and promoting humanitarian service. Andrew Dowie, Member of Provincial Parliament, described the Summit as an inspiring demonstration of community service, noting that the practical sessions on CPR, automated external defibrillator (AED) training, disaster preparedness and community health education were equipping participants with valuable lifesaving skills. Kathy Borrelli, Member of Parliament, praised the Summit for bringing together charities, volunteers and community leaders in the spirit of service, observing that the event highlighted the important work being carried out by humanitarian organisations throughout Windsor-Essex and demonstrated the positive impact that can be achieved through collaboration. Drew Dilkens, Mayor of Windsor, commended Humanity First for creating a forum that encouraged volunteerism, charitable giving and cooperation among organisations working to strengthen the local community. The Summit welcomed more than 450 attendees, including approximately 350 non-Ahmadi guests. Nearly 50 charities, healthcare institutions, educational organisations, community groups, sponsors and exhibitors participated, making it one of the largest humanitarian outreach initiatives organised by Humanity First Canada’s Windsor Chapter.
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P oneer Missionaries accompanied by prayers, with the advice to show sympathy toward God’s creation and to remain devoted to prayer. While he was engaged in the work of translating the Quran, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II (ra) once learned of a heart ailment he was suffering from and became deeply concerned. He sent five hundred rupees, instructing that he be treated with special care and said further funds would be provided if needed. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) advised him to consult several expert doctors, particularly a certain German physician and, during his Jalsa Salana address, specifically called for prayers for his health, stating that he was the only person available to him for the English translation of the Holy Quran. With permission, Hazrat Malik Ghulam Farid (ra) then went to Karachi, where he continued his Quranic work alongside his treatment. As mentioned, Hazrat Malik Ghulam Farid (ra) dedicated his life to the service of Islam and Ahmadiyyat in 1916. His countless services can broadly be divided into two categories: (1) his services in the field of preaching and (2) his literary services.
Field of tabligh
Hazrat Maulana Malik Ghulam Farid: Pioneer missionary, scholar and translator of the Holy Quran A series looking at pioneer missionaries and devotees of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat who gave precedence to faith over the world Awwab Saad Hayat Al Hakam
Introduction Hazrat Malik Ghulam Farid (ra) was among the Companions of the Promised Messiah (as) and the pioneer missionaries who never let an opportunity pass to serve and propagate Ahmadiyyat, whether through preaching in European countries, his extraordinary work on the English translation of the Holy Quran, or his administrative and academic services in various departments of the Jamaat. Hazrat Malik Ghulam Farid (ra) was
born in 1896 in Kunjah, District Gujrat, Pakistan, to Hazrat Malik Nuruddin Sahib (ra). His father was the first in the family to take Bai‘at in 1903 after reading the writings of the Promised Messiah (as). In 1908, Hazrat Malik Ghulam Farid (ra) himself had the honour of seeing the Promised Messiah (as) in person and in 1909, he began his education at the Madrasa Ahmadiyya in Qadian. A great blessing he received in Qadian was spending considerable time in the company of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (ra). He recounted that from childhood he had an intense desire to acquire knowledge of the Holy Quran and he fulfilled this by
noting down the Dars-ul-Quran of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (ra). After completing his early education in Qadian, he joined Islamia College, Lahore. When Ahmadi students of various colleges established the Ahmadiyya Inter-Collegiate Association, he was made its first president. In 1916, he dedicated his life and, after completing his MA in English, returned to Qadian. He was fond of playing cricket and established a cricket club with the help of his close friends. His calibre and ability can be gauged from the fact that Sir Mian Fazl-i-Hussain (Education Member of the Viceroy’s Council) sent his representative to Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) to recruit him for government service. Hazrat Muslehe-Maud (ra) replied that Malik Sahib (ra) was needed for his own work and suggested another person instead. His services continued and on 26 November 1923, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) sent him as a missionary to Germany,
Although the first missionary sent to Germany was Hazrat Maulvi Mubarak Ali Sahib Bengali, Hazrat Malik Ghulam Farid (ra) was sent as the second missionary, where he rendered extensive services. However, the Jamaat at that time lacked the funds required to construct a mosque. On instructions from Hazrat Musleh-eMaud (ra), the mosque plot was sold and the mission temporarily closed, with both missionaries reassigned to the Ahmadiyya Mission in England; the proceeds were used toward the establishment and construction of the Fazl Mosque, London. After the closure of the German mission, Hazrat Malik Ghulam Farid (ra) was transferred to England (1924-1928). During Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s (ra) 1924 European tour, he laid the foundation of the Fazl Mosque, London. There, the missionary-in-charge, Hazrat Maulana Abdur Rahim Dard (ra) and Hazrat Malik Ghulam Farid (ra) had the honour of being the first to give the azan. A correspondent of the Westminster Gazette described the moment the muezzin climbed the minaret to call the azan as the most striking and memorable part of the occasion, noting the meaning of the call as a declaration of God’s greatness, the oneness of God and – in the morning azan – that prayer is better than sleep. During this period of residence in London, Hazrat Malik Ghulam Farid’s (ra) letters and articles were published in leading English newspapers, refuting misconceptions about Islam.
Literary services His early literary efforts began in England, where his concise, well-reasoned
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Demise Hazrat Malik Ghulam Farid Sahib (ra) passed away on Friday, 7 January 1977, at the age of 79, returning to his Lord. In the Friday sermon mentioning his passing, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III (rh) urged friends to attend the funeral prayer of such a devoted elder of Ahmadiyyat in large numbers, noting it as an occasion both for prayers for oneself and special prayers for the departed brother. (Sources and references consulted in the preparation of this article include Mubashshireen-eAhmad by Malik Salahuddin Sahib, M.A.)
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letters and rebuttals on religious matters were published in top-tier newspapers – a testament to the quality of his writing. After returning from England, his literary career formally began. He first served as editor of the English fortnightly Sunrise and later as editor of the English monthly Review of Religions. His literary services include: 1. Sunrise: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II (ra) launched this English fortnightly to meet the tarbiyat and tabligh needs of the Jamaat. It began publication in December 1926 under the editorship of Hazrat Maulvi Muhammad-ud-Din Sahib BA (former missionary to America). In mid-1928, Hazrat Malik Ghulam Farid (ra), MA, was appointed editor, a role he held until February 1932. 2. Review of Religions: Hazrat Malik Ghulam Farid (ra) also served as editor of this English monthly from 1932 to September 1938. 3. Translation and commentary of the Holy Quran in English: This is regarded as his greatest literary achievement. On 30 January 1956, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib (ra) wrote to him expressing prayers that Allah accompany him in this work, grant him support through the Holy Spirit and illuminate his heart and mind with the understanding needed for Quranic exegesis. When Talim-ul-Islam College was reestablished in 1944, Hazrat Malik Ghulam Farid (ra) was appointed Secretary of its Managing Committee and later a member of the Tafsir-ul-Quran Committee. After decades of continuous effort, the FiveVolume Commentary was completed, with the publication of its final volume on 22 March 1963. Following this, he went on to produce a condensed, single-volume commentary published in 1969 under the title One Volume Commentary. He worked day and night tirelessly to complete the English translation of the Holy Quran – initially alongside Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) and Hazrat Maulana Sher Ali (ra) and later, for many years, alone, producing an excellent translation with a concise commentary. In 1928 or 1929, he also had the opportunity to tour Bengal, where, through numerous lectures and meetings, he conveyed Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s (ra) views to Muslim political leaders, reporting back to him upon his return to Qadian. In 1938, he served as manager of Nusrat Girls High School. In 1945, when Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II (ra) established the “Majlis-e-Mazhab-o-Science,” Malik Ghulam Farid Sahib (ra) was appointed editor of its English section, with the aim of fostering a spirit of high-level academic research within the Jamaat.
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Observations of Irfani: Work, religion, newspapers and national character (1926) Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Irfani (ra) (1875-1957)
Gratitude and regret In the first issue of the fourteenth volume of Al Fazl, a note was published under the heading “The painful suspension of our contemporary Nur.” In that note, the Jamaat’s long-standing servant, Al Hakam, was thanked in words full of affection and the Jamaat was drawn to the matter with much sincerity and earnestness. For this, I express my heartfelt gratitude from a distance of nine thousand miles (i.e., London). When I see and hear that the condition of the Jamaat’s newspapers is of this nature, my heart becomes filled with sorrow and distress. If only I possessed the means, I would relieve the Jamaat’s newspapers of their financial anxieties. Newspapers are an exceedingly essential institution for the Jamaat; yet allow me to lament our own negligence, for we have not yet fully recognised this necessity. After the words in which Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II [ra] drew the Jamaat’s attention to the matter of the Jamaat’s newspapers, I consider it a form of wrongdoing and disrespect to say anything further. Therefore, I have remained silent. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II [ra] had said that if you do not provide the newspapers with such and such number of subscribers, then I shall pay the subscription of that number of subscribers from Bait-ul-Mal so that these newspapers may continue to live. (I have conveyed the meaning of his words in my own wording.) What the Jamaat and its workers ought to have done in response to this is selfevident. In short, I was deeply grieved by the closure of [the newspaper] Nur in this manner. I have resolved that I shall make absolutely no appeal on behalf of Al Hakam. If God Almighty grants me the means and opportunity, I shall keep it going; and if circumstances do not assist me, I shall depart from this world carrying this aspiration in my heart. I am in a land that is a small island, whose inhabitants rule over much of the
world and whose empire is said to be one on which the sun never sets. Among the factors underlying the progress and strength of this nation, the vitality of its newspapers is one of the secrets. Here, a person may go hungry, but cannot live without a newspaper. I have observed members of the unemployed classes here and spoken with them. If they have two pennies in their pocket, they may go without food, but they will nevertheless purchase a newspaper. To ask someone else to lend them a newspaper to read is regarded as a moral offence and even a national sin. The result is that newspapers constitute a tremendous force and if I were to describe the heights to which their influence soars, it would be astonishing. The strike, which constitutes a magnificent chapter in the history of this country, began over the suspension of the publication of a single issue of The Daily Mail. The newspaper had published an article entitled “For King and Country.” The printers protested that the article should not be published. The editor refused to make any alteration against his conscience, while the printers refused to print it; consequently, a strike broke out at
The Daily Mail’s printing press. At precisely that time, the workers’ lawyers were engaged in negotiations with the ministers to reach a settlement. When the ministers learned of this development, they immediately brought the negotiations to an end and sided with The Daily Mail. Those outside the country could scarcely comprehend the impact this situation could have – and did have – upon the state of the entire nation. But we who were here witnessed and felt it. The ministers, together with the country and the nation, did not concern themselves with the unpleasant and bitter experience of the strike when it came to preserving the dignity and standing of a newspaper. The reward for such appreciation and encouragement was that, despite the departure of its entire staff, publication of the newspaper could not be brought to a halt. It was printed in Paris and transported by aeroplane to all parts of England, arriving punctually. This is merely a modest example. We are and indeed must be, conquerors in the religious field of the world, yet this is the state of our newspapers. The Jamaat is 37 years old. During this entire period, we have not been able to establish even a single daily newspaper; indeed, we were compelled to reduce a newspaper that was published three times a week to only twice a week. Furthermore, the Jamaat’s two longstanding newspapers, Al Hakam and Al Badr, which the Promised Messiah (as) had described as his own arms, are presently closed, while others that are memorials of the era of Khilafat are being forced towards closure. The Promised Messiah (as) instructed that 80,000 subscribers should be developed for The Review of Religions, yet in 25 years we were unable to accomplish this even once. When I have compared the Jamaat’s spirit of selflessness and sacrifice with that of others, I have always regarded it, as a matter of fact, as unparalleled and without equal. Yet, with regard to newspapers, the position of the Jamaat deserves serious attention. Let my words be a voice crying in the wilderness; I do not care. Whatever I have said, I have said with sincerity. I would say
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to the contemporary Al Fazl that it should make no further appeal for this purpose. After Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II’s [ra] directive, doing so would be a sin. I will say only this: if those sacred words, which have issued from the mouth of Ayatullah [the sign of God] upon whose hand God Almighty has bestowed upon the Jamaat the honour of being called a Jamaat, are not honoured in practice, then remember that these newspapers will survive – they will survive even after struggling through cessation – but you will be deprived of the reward contained in obeying Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II’s [ra] directive. This was merely an incidental matter and, in keeping with my habit, it has become rather lengthy. I shall now turn to the original letter.
Idleness and begging As I have already written in The Review of Religions, I am looking only at the attributes of this nation. I have observed that these people are exceedingly diligent and hardworking. No one considers it beneath their dignity to work, nor does anyone regard any particular profession with hatred or contempt. It is remarkable that this lesson was taught by Islam, yet today Muslims have forgotten it. The Holy Prophet (sa) taught a prayer:
َْ ْ َ ُ َ � َ َ� الَل ُُه �َّم ِإِِّنِْي َأ ُِعَوِذ ُِبَك ُِّم َِن َال َُع ْﺠ ِﺰ ََوالُك َْس ِِّل
[“O Allah! I seek refuge in Thee from incapacity and laziness.”] That is, O Allah, I seek Thy refuge from failing to make the necessary means available and then failing to make use of those means once they have been made available. We have forgotten this prayer both intellectually and practically. For human prosperity and the advancement of a nation, it is an immensely important principle that all its members should work and should not be idle or lazy. Yet not only are we idle and indolent; we are also afflicted by a number of other difficulties. Leaving aside the economic consequences produced by unemployment, it also has a profoundly harmful effect from a moral standpoint. It is commonly said that an idle person becomes either a rogue or an invalid. Various forms of crime and morally destructive vices, such as begging, arise from idleness. The practical secret behind all the progress in the world and the proper means of increasing economic strength, are contained in this [abovementioned] prayer. Yet its practical implementation is absent among us, whereas the people here [in London] act upon it. Everyone works and whatever work becomes available to them, they do not hesitate to undertake it. In their eyes, work as such is neither a matter of disgrace nor of honour. Repairing shoes or polishing them is regarded as just as respectable as the work of an engineer. This spirit exists within the nation and there is a corresponding determination to encourage people to work because no honest occupation is considered degrading in itself. Islam established taqwa [righteousness] as the standard of nobility and honour for precisely this reason. Sadly, however, we have abandoned this principle and have instead made professions and castes the
standards of honour. In practical terms, the people here have eliminated the notion that any profession is degrading. At the same time, begging has been prohibited by law so that the moral standards of the nation may remain elevated. In reality, one hardly sees any beggar here. A disabled person who cannot earn a livelihood except through begging will, if he can do nothing else, sell a box of matches. The nation encourages him in this endeavour. They see that he wishes to work but lacks the means to do so. In such circumstances, they purchase his box of matches by paying more than its ordinary price. There are also some who engage in pavement art. These are artists who cannot advance their profession and whose sources of income are limited. They sit on a major street – here, every street is major – and display examples of their work on the ground. Passers-by enjoy looking at these drawings and encourage the artists. Among women, I have observed that, if they can do nothing else, they undertake laundry work. They sweep houses, work in kitchens, engage in hairdressing and undertake all kinds of occupations. Men, women and young – all work. The result is good health and a life spent in relative comfort and prosperity. On the one hand, our Jamaat is called upon to make financial sacrifices, for sacrifice is essential for Divine communities and it takes both financial and physical forms. On the other hand, the practice of idleness is increasing day by day. In my view, it is necessary for the Jamaat, wherever it exists, to make arrangements so that no person remains unemployed. This spirit will emerge when we cease to regard any form of honest work as degrading. At the same time, begging should be prohibited as a matter of principle; Islam has already not permitted it. One should not even make a request for receiving Zakat. It should be the responsibility of the officials appointed for this purpose to ensure that those genuinely entitled to assistance are not overlooked. No person should have to present his needs in the form of a request or petition. If we succeed in implementing this movement in every locality, one by one, there will also be significant financial progress within the Jamaat. I have not presented anything new. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II [ra] has already drawn attention to this matter. Indeed, in the address delivered upon assuming the office of Khilafat on 14 April 1914, while explaining the word yuzakkihim, he mentioned among its objectives that a register of unemployed persons should be maintained and that their number should be announced every week, so that a desire and determination to work might be cultivated.
Respect for religion Although Christianity here has, in practical terms as well as in matters of belief, already died and is gradually dying of its own accord, just as the Holy Prophet (sa) foretold when he said “yadhubul kufr” [disbelief melts away], respect for religion nevertheless exists here as part of the national character. If, at some place, a Christian preacher is delivering a sermon and begins to pray, those standing around him will remove their hats and join him. At that moment,
they will stand in complete silence, with their eyes closed. When a religious hymn is being sung, everyone will join in it. Young and old, children and elderly people alike, will feel no embarrassment whatsoever in doing so. There is a very great deficiency in this regard among us. Instead of the remembrance of Allah, conversations take place in mosques. When one enters a church here, one experiences a sense of tranquillity and absorption. Although it may be merely imaginary and outward in nature, it is nevertheless certainly present. There is such silence that even the sound of a person’s footsteps cannot be heard. I hope I may be forgiven for saying that I have sometimes observed the state of mosques becoming like that of a marketplace, where various commodities are being sold. Respect for mosques and reverence for the Islamic sha‘air [symbols or places] are our duty. At first, this may undoubtedly involve a certain degree of difficulty, but it is necessary to uphold respect for the Islamic sha‘air. There should be no conversation in mosques. Rather, people should remain engaged in glorifying and praising Allah in peace and tranquillity. This would increase the pleasure of worship. We are not learning these things from others; Islam itself has taught them and the true spirit of these principles is already present within Islam.
Walking with dignity I have observed that when people walk here, they do not lose their dignity and composure, nor do they look about aimlessly. Rather, they walk with great care and in a respectable manner, keeping in view the rights of other pedestrians. One does not see people walking through the markets while eating. Nor are fruit peels or fruit stones found scattered everywhere. The Holy Prophet (sa) forbade this manner of conduct and when one reflects upon its wisdom, it becomes evident how many virtues are contained within this noble teaching. In my own country and even in my
own city, I have seen piles of fruit peels and fruit stones lying in the marketplaces, while their stench becomes distressing. At times, people slip on melon rinds and fall so badly that they sustain serious injuries, while those standing nearby turn the incident into a source of amusement. I am certain that the head of tarbiyat [department] must have given attention to this matter. During the blessed era of the Promised Messiah (as), circumstances were different; now, with the Jamaat’s progress and its development on a national scale, many forms of organisation and discipline are naturally required. By His grace, Allah the Almighty has given us a Khalifa who, through the special insight granted to him by God Almighty, recognises this reality and this need that he has to establish the highest national moral character within the Jamaat. This is because this community is destined to become the teacher of the world and even the teacher of the civilised nations of the world. If its teachers do not possess those qualities that are already present within the homes [of civilised nations], then their people will come to view the civilisation and values that are to be presented in the true spirit of Islam with aversion. Therefore, a distinct national character must develop within us. These matters may apparently seem small, but their effects and consequences are immense and precious. Everything begins from something small. Even the perfect human being, in the beginning, possesses no greater significance than a drop of fluid. Therefore, it is necessary that, while observing the general principles of hygiene and public health, we remain mindful of these matters and ensure that our conduct while walking remains within the bounds of Islamic teachings. There should be no frivolity or mockery in our speech, for this gives rise to unpleasantness and resentment. (Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu, published in the 3 September 1926 issue of Al Fazl)
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Friday Sermon Mubarak Mosque, Islamabad, UK
14 August 2026
Reviving gratitude: The Promised Messiah’s (as) reflection of his Master’s (sa) example After reciting the tashahhud, ta’awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (aa) stated:
In previous sermons, I have discussed the teachings of the Holy Prophet (sa) about expressing gratitude, as well as the personal example he set in this regard. Today, I will mention how, in this era, his ardent devotee understood the highest standards of this teaching and how he presented it on various occasions and through various references. Similarly, I will also speak on his own practice, how he guided the children in his home in this regard and the expectations he had from an Ahmadi. All of these aspects are guiding principles for us in this day and age. Explaining the importance and wisdom of being grateful for Allah the Almighty’s blessings, the Promised Messiah (as) states: “When a person achieves some high rank, he becomes arrogant, whereas he could actually do a lot of good work and be of benefit to humanity during his tenure. God Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
ُ َ� َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ُ ََ َل َ �ِِٕى ْْن َشَك ْْرُت ْْم َلََاِزِْيْ ََدَّنُك ْْم ََوَل َ �ِِٕى ْْن َكَف ْْرُت ْْم ِِا �َّن ََعَذاِب ِ ْْي َلََش ِِدْيْ ٌٌد
“(The Holy Quran, 14:8) “If you render thanks to Me, I will, surely, bestow even more favours on you, but if you are ungrateful, then know that My punishment is severe indeed; meaning that when a man is blessed with the favours
of God Almighty, he should render thanks to Allah for them and think of how to be of benefit to the people, and if someone does not do this and instead starts to behave tyrannically, then God Almighty takes those favours away and sends down His wrath.” (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 10, p. 300) At another instance, the Promised Messiah (as) said: “First and foremost is to be grateful to Allah who gave us life, health, vigour, peace, and provided the means for the propagation of the faith. And, in reality, the truth is verily that if one were to try to enumerate these bounties of God Almighty, it would be absolutely impossible for us to count the favours and blessings of Allah.” (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 10, p. 491) On another occasion, the Promised Messiah (as) stated: “Muslims ought to be extremely thankful to God, Who has granted them a religion that is pure – both in theory and practice – of every form of corruption, abomination and defect. If a person reflects closely and deeply, they will find that truly, it is Allah Almighty alone to whom all praise and quality belong, and no human being or any other creation, in the true sense, is really worthy of praise and admiration. If an individual observes,
free of any vested motives, it shall become clearly evident to them that any individual who is declared worthy of praise can only be deserving if, at some point in time, when nothing of existence or matter was to be found, they created those things. Another reason could be that in an era when nothing existed, and when there was no knowledge of the means and elements that are required to bring a thing into existence, preserve it, safeguard its health and maintain its life, someone furnished all these necessary means. Or perhaps at a time when this creation could have been prey to a multitude of afflictions, someone had mercy on it and protected it. Further still, someone could be worthy of praise if, for example, they saved from being wasted the effort of one who works and bestows the rights in full of those who labour. Although, apparently, fulfilling the rights of a labourer is nothing more than just recompense, such a person can be deemed a benefactor who also fulfils the rights of others in full.” These are the various qualities – and unless these qualities are present and a person then helps others, he cannot truly be worthy of praise. He said: “These are qualities of the highest order, which can make a person deserving of
praise and commendation. Now reflect and see that, in reality, only Allah the Almighty is truly deserving of all these qualities. (He states that only Allah Almighty is deserving of these three to four qualities that I have mentioned). He alone possesses these attributes in their perfection. There is no other person in whom these qualities are found.” (Ruidad Jalsa Dua, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 15, pp. 597-598) There is no other being who possesses these attributes. Then, drawing attention towards expressing gratitude to Allah for the revival of Islam and the establishment of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya, the Promised Messiah (as) states: “O wise ones! Marvel not that God Almighty has sent down a heavenly light during this time of need and within these days of intense darkness, having designated a servant for the universal good, and sent him into the world for the purpose of [demonstrating] the supremacy of the message of Islam, promoting the light of the Best of Mankind [the Holy Prophet (sa)], and to help the Muslims as well as to purify their inner condition. Rather, astonishment would have been applicable in the event that that God – Who is the Defender of the faith of Islam and Who had promised that He
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would forever remain the Guardian of the Quranic teaching and would never allow it to grow cold, lifeless, or lightless – had kept silent upon seeing this darkness, gazing upon mischief, internal and external, all the while forgetting that promise of His which He had affirmed so emphatically in His Holy Word!” The blessing that Allah the Almighty has sent is in accordance with His promise, and there is nothing surprising about it. The wonder would have been if Allah the Almighty had not fulfilled His promise and the decline of Islam had continued. He further states: “I say it again, if there were an occasion for surprise, it would be that the clear and explicit prophecy of that Holy Messenger went unfulfilled, in which it had been stated that God Almighty would continue to raise a servant of such [exalted] calibre at the head of every century who would revive His religion. So this is no occasion for surprise. On the contrary, it is an occasion for rendering thousands upon thousands of thanks, and it is a time to strengthen one’s faith and conviction.” And thus, we see that until the advent of the Promised Messiah (as), Mujaddids appeared among different peoples at the beginning of each century, and Allah the Almighty then sent him as the Mujaddid for the final millennium, granting him the status of the Promised Messiah and Mahdi. He continues: “It is an occasion for rendering thousands upon thousands of thanks, and it is a time to strengthen one’s faith and conviction that God Almighty, through His grace and mercy, fulfilled His promise and did not allow even a minute’s delay in the prophecy of His Messenger. He not only fulfilled this prophecy, but also opened the door to thousands of prophecies and miracles in the future.” With the advent of the Promised Messiah (as), Allah Almighty fulfilled many other prophecies. He states: “If you possess faith, be grateful and perform prostrations of gratitude, for you have chanced upon the epoch in whose eager anticipation your noble forefathers passed away, and in whose very yearning countless souls departed from this life.” The Muslims scholars and saints of old continued to wait for the advent of the Promised Messiah, yet they were unable to witness his coming. He states that you are fortunate to have witnessed that era, so be grateful to God Almighty. “It now lies within your hand to appreciate it or not, as well as to benefit from it or not. I shall proclaim it time and time again – the declaration of which I cannot refrain from – that I am the very one who was sent at the appointed time for the reformation of mankind (Allah Almighty fulfilled that promise in me) so that the faith might be firmly planted afresh within the hearts.” (The Victory of Islam, pp. 7-10) If only those who oppose him and those Muslims who do not accept him would understand this, and, while expressing gratitude to Allah the Almighty, accept the one sent by Him and bind themselves together in the bond of unity, so that they may be saved from the difficulties through which Muslims are passing today.
Addressing a seeker of truth, the Promised Messiah (as) stated that be thankful to God that He has come to our aid precisely at the time of need and has established this dispensation. Therefore, it behoves you not to waste away this bounty that has been conferred upon you and regard it with honour; give value to the help and succour that has been given to you. Bear well in mind that without the support of God, and unless He enables one to speak, no individual can expound any matter with full strength in a rightful manner. Without this, a person simply cannot find the proper arguments and is unable to speak in an effective way. (It is only when Allah’s help is present that arguments are granted.) It is also due to the special grace of God that through such a manner of exposition, those people who possess the faculty of goodness within can recognise the person who speaks with the power and strength of God, filled with the Holy Spirit. (It is a favour of Allah that people are able to recognise the one sent by Allah.) Therefore, it is a magnificent favour of God Almighty upon you that He conferred this faculty upon you and gave you eyes with which to recognise the truth. Addressing a seeker of truth, he said: You are seeking the truth, so give thanks to Allah that He has granted you this understanding. There are many people who consider themselves great scholars, yet they possess no understanding. They continue to increase in opposition, but you should be grateful that Allah has granted you understanding. These are very great favours of Allah. He states that if He had not blessed you in this manner, just as others are covered in veils and hurl abuse, you too would have been among them. (Thus, those who accepted are the fortunate.) It is the sheer grace of God that has brought you. He then gave the example, saying, for example, just look at Miyan Abdul Haqq. If the grace of God had not come to help him, how could he have left his life of luxury? The Mian Abdul Haq mentioned here was Munshi Abdul Haq, a resident of Kasur. At that time, he was a student studying for his BA. Although he was a Muslim, three years before this statement was made, he had become a Christian. After reading Al Hakam and some of the writings of the Promised Messiah (as), he wrote a letter to the Promised Messiah (as), stating that he wished to see the truth and veracity of Islam manifested in practical form. He said that he had not found anything in Islam as such, and therefore wished to see it demonstrated in practice. The Promised Messiah (as) wrote back to him, instructing him to come and stay in Qadian for at least two months. Accordingly, he set out for Darul Aman and arrived there in 1901. He then remained in the company of the Promised Messiah (as), particularly while several advisers had gathered around him. He arrived at a time when, upon deciding to go there, several people advised him not to go to Qadian. They even tried to stop him from going. One of them went so far as to abuse him, despite the fact that using abusive language is prohibited in his religion and is generally contrary to civility and good manners. Yet, despite all these things, the grace
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Friday 11 September 2026 | AL HAKAM
First and foremost is to be grateful to Allah who gave us life, health, vigour, peace, and provided the means for the propagation of the faith. And, in reality, the truth is verily that if one were to try to enumerate these bounties of God Almighty, it would be absolutely impossible for us to count the favours and blessings of Allah.” of God prevailed and drew him there. The means of evil simply did not become available to him. Otherwise, if – at that time – he had been married, the Promised Messiah (as) said that difficulties might have arisen because of his marriage. Had he married, he might have been faced with a trial. But God protected him in every way. The grace of God does not suddenly come into existence as something new (i.e., it is the grace of Allah which He bestows upon whomever He favours; it is not something new). Rather, when Allah bestows His grace upon someone, He protects that person in every way. Do not think that merely because we are Muslims, everything is settled. Islam is a great blessing – value it and give thanks for it. There is a philosophy within it that cannot be attained merely by uttering words. (Taken from Malfuzat, 2022, Vol. 2, pp. 435436; Taken from Malfuzat, 2022, Vol. 2, pp. 515-516; Urdu Lughat, Vol. 17, p. 986) Simply calling oneself a “Muslim” does not complete the matter. One must also follow the teachings, actions and principles that Islam requires. Expressing gratitude for those who possess sincerity and love for Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya, the Promised Messiah (as) states: “At this juncture, I cannot proceed without mentioning and expressing gratitude for the fact that the grace and bounty of God Almighty has not left me alone. Those who build the bond of brotherhood with me and enter this movement, which God Almighty has established with His own hand, are adorned with the hues of love and loyalty in a wonderful manner. It was not through any effort of mine, but out of His own special favour that God Almighty gifted me these souls brimming with sincerity. (He is saying this in praise of the sincere people who have joined Ahmadiyyat, that they are souls brimming with sincerity that have come to him). “First of all, I find a fervent desire in my heart to mention a spiritual brother of
mine whose name – like the nur [light] of his sincerity – is Noor-ud-Deen [i.e., ‘the Light of the Faith’]. I gaze constantly with intense longing upon the various religious services that he is rendering by spending out of his lawfully acquired wealth for the propagation of the message of Islam. Alas! Would that those services could be carried out by me as well!” Even though he himself was doing so much for the cause of Islam, he says that when he saw the sacrifices of Hazrat Maulvi Noor-ud-Deen (ra), he felt a deep longing, wishing that he too could render such financial services. “As I envision the burning zeal that overflows in his heart to serve the Faith, the illustration of divine power appears before my eyes as to how He draws His servants to Himself. He stands ever ready to obey God and His Messenger with all his wealth, all his strength, and all his resources. (Here, the Promised Messiah [as] is speaking about Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I [ra].) “Moreover, I hold this knowledge as factually true through personal experience – not from merely thinking well [of others] – that he hesitates not to sacrifice even up to his life and honour for my cause, not to mention his wealth. Had I permitted, he would have sacrificed everything in this cause in order to – much like his spiritual fellowship – fulfil the duty of physical fellowship and remaining in my company at all times.” (The Victory of Islam, pp. 30-31) He would have remained with the Promised Messiah (as) permanently. When these words were written, it was around 1890, towards the end of the 1890s, in the book Fath-e-Islam. Later, Hazrat Maulvi Hakeem Noor-ud-Deen (ra) left everything and came into the service of the Promised Messiah (as), remaining with him. Mentioning the physical and spiritual favours of Allah Almighty under His attribute of being the Gracious, the Promised Messiah (as) states:
AL HAKAM | Friday 11 September 2026 “Worthy of infinite praise and adoration is the Mighty Lord who demonstrated His great power by creating all souls and bodies through His command and decree, without any pre-existing matter or substance (without any matter or primordial substance) and who manifested the sign of His eternal grace by imparting knowledge to, and perfecting the morals of, all the noble prophets without the agency of a teacher or mentor.” That is, the prophets whom Allah sends are also taught by Him, trained by Him, and receive His commandments. He states: “Holy is Allah, the Gracious and Beneficent, who gave us poor mortals, without any merit of our own, all that we needed (without us deserving it). For our physical sustenance, He appointed the sun, the moon, the clouds and the winds. And to satisfy our spiritual needs, He sent down the Torah, the Gospels, the Qur’an and all other heavenly books at their appropriate times.” He then prayed: “Countless thanks be to You, O Allah, for guiding us to the path that leads to You, and for saving us from errors of thought and reason by sending down Your holy books. We invoke blessings on the Chief of Prophets, Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (sa) [the Chosen One], on his progeny and on his companions. Through him, God guided an entire world that had lost its way to the right path. He was the teacher and the benefactor who led misguided people back to the right path; the benevolent and compassionate one who delivered people from shirk [polytheism] and the curse of idols; the light and the disseminator of light who illumined the world with the light of Tawhid [Oneness of God]; the healer and physician who enabled ailing hearts to tread the path of righteousness; the noble miracle-worker who revived the dead with the elixir of life (that is, those who were spiritually dead); the merciful and compassionate one who suffered pain and sorrow for his Ummah (his community was falling into decline, and for its sake the Promised Messiah [as] was sent in that age, and he bore great anguish for it); the valiant and the brave one who rescued us from the jaws of death (Allah first sent the Holy Prophet [sa] for the reformation of the world and then sent his True Servant. He states regarding the Holy Prophet [sa]:) the valiant and the brave one who rescued us from the jaws of death; the humble and selfless one who bowed his head before his Lord in total submission (i.e., the Holy Prophet [sa]) and completely annihilated his self; the perfect believer in the oneness of God and the ocean of knowledge who was overawed by nothing except the majesty of God and saw everything beside Him as worthless; and the miracle of divine power who, despite being unlettered, surpassed all in respect of divine knowledge and brought home to all nations the errors and mistakes from which they suffered.” (Barahin-eAhmadiyya Part 1 [English], pp. 25-26; Urdu Lughat, Vol. 22, pp. 498-499) This is a description of the Holy Prophet (sa). The Promised Messiah (as) first gave examples from the Torah and the Gospel for the peoples who had been guided through those scriptures. But when corruption subsequently spread throughout the world, it was the person of the Holy Prophet (sa) whom Allah Almighty sent, and through whom He brought people back to their
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Creator. The Promised Messiah (as) then supplicates: “O Lord of all the worlds! It is beyond me to offer You gratitude for all Your favours. You are most Merciful and Compassionate, and the bounties that You have conferred upon me are countless. Forgive me my sins, lest I be ruined. Fill my heart with sincere love for You, so that I may receive life. Cover my faults and allow me to perform such deeds which become the source of Your pleasure. I seek refuge in Your noble countenance lest Your punishment befall me. Have mercy and save me from the calamities of this world and the hereafter. For all grace and compassion is in Your hand. Ameen, and again, Ameen.” (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 1, p. 241) Then, the Promised Messiah (as) writes: “A thousandfold thanks are due to that Gracious Lord Who has bestowed upon us a religion which provides such a means of knowing God and fearing Him as has never been witnessed in any other age or at any other time. And thousands upon thousands of blessings be upon that sinless Prophet through whom we entered this holy religion, and thousands of mercies be upon the Companions of the Holy Prophet (sa), who watered this garden with their blood.” (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part 5 [English], p. 44) Then, at one instance, the Promised Messiah (as) said: “Those who are truthful and righteous in God’s view have always endured suffering at the hands and from the tongues of the ignorant.” Those who are righteous and truthful in the sight of Allah the Exalted, who are truly bound to their faith, who are faithful to Allah the Exalted – they suffer hurt from the hands and tongues of the ignorant, just as Ahmadis too are suffering in various places in this age. “Since it has been the eternal practice of Allah from the earliest times that this should be so, therefore if we too endure some hurt, whether from our own people or from strangers, we ought to render thanks and rejoice that we have at least proven worthy, in the sight of that true Beloved, of being made to suffer in His path.” If we are being made to suffer in the path of Allah the Almighty, then this too is our good fortune, and we ought to rejoice and give thanks to Allah, for it is only those whom Allah the Almighty loves who are made to bear suffering in His way and to be persecuted. “Thus, to bear suffering in this manner is indeed our very honour. But when we look at the other side – that certain enemies of the faith, through their fabrications, are not content merely with causing us distress but also cast heedless and uninformed people into turmoil – then in such a case we consider it incumbent upon ourselves to protect these unaware people from turmoil to the best of our ability.” (Majmu‘ah-eIshtiharat, Vol. 1, pp. 141-142) That is to say, we should also explain the reality to them, and expose whatever evils these enemies commit in order to harm people. To protect people from turmoil does not mean that we ourselves should begin to use the same crude language that our opponents use, and descend into ill manners; rather, remaining within the
bounds of Islamic teaching, we should answer their false propaganda and slanderous accusations. This is something every one of our preachers, too, should bear in mind: sometimes, in responding to the objections of critics, we ourselves say things of such a nature that they give the objector an occasion to question our moral standards. Our morals ought to be extremely elevated. Indeed, we must certainly state the truth, but while remaining within the bounds of good moral conduct. We must not adopt the same language as they do. The Promised Messiah (as) states: “I am unable to offer gratitude enough for the gracious favours that Allah, the Exalted, has bestowed upon me. At this time when I am being charged with disbelief by the Ulema, and from all sides I hear the voice:
ً َل َ ْْس ََت ُُمْوْ ِِمًنا
“[You are not a believer.] “While Allah, Glory be to Him, tells me:
ْ ََ ََ ُ ُ � ُ ْ ُق ْْل ِِاِّن ِ ْْی ُا ِِم ْْرُت ََوَاَنا َا �َّو ُُل اْل ُُم ْْٔو ِِم ِِنْی ََن
“[Say, I have been commanded and I am the foremost among the believers.] “On the one side, these clerics are saying, ‘Extirpate this man anyhow,’ and on the other, comes the revelation:
َ� ُ َ َ ْ ْ َ َ َ َ َ� َ ْ َ َ َ ْ ُ َ� َ َ َ الَّسْوْ ِِء َیَتَرَّبُصْوَن َعَلْیَک الَّدَواِئَِر َعَلْی ِِھْم َداِئَِرُة
“[They await your being afflicted with misfortune. On them will be the evil affliction.] “And, on their side, they are trying to disgrace and humiliate me and on the other side God promises:
َ َ ْ � َ َ ُ �ٰ َ َ َ �ٰ َ َ َ ِِاِّن ِ ْْی ُُم ِِہْی ٌٌن �َّم ْْن َا ََر َاَد ِِا ََھاَن ََتَک۔ َالّٰل ُُہ َا ْْجُرَُک۔ َالّٰل ُُہ ُی ْْع ِِط ْْیَک ََجَلَاَلََک
“[I shall humiliate him who intends to humiliate you. Allah is your reward. Allah will bestow honour and glory on thee.] “On their side, the Maulawis are issuing edict after edict that anyone who holds my beliefs and follows me becomes a disbeliever. And on His side, Allah, the Exalted, continues to emphasise:
َ� َ �ٰ ُ ُ ُْ �ٰ ُ ُق ْْل ِِا ْْن ُكْن ُُت ْْم ُت ِِح �ُُّبْوْ ََن الّٰل ََہ َفاَّت ِِب ُُعْوِْن ِ ْْي ُيُ ْْح ِِب ْْبُك ُُم الّٰلہ
“[Say: If you love Allah, follow me. God will then love you.]” (Allah the Almighty had said this to the Holy Prophet [sa] as well, and, in following him, Allah the Almighty has said the same to his true servant, because it is he alone who is the true, ardent lover of the Holy Prophet [sa], and to accept him is to give perfect obedience to the Holy Prophet [sa], since he is the Holy Prophet’s perfect and obedient servant.) “In short, all these Maulawis are fighting against Allah. Let us see who comes out victorious!” (The Heavenly Sign, pp. 62-64) By the grace of Allah the Almighty, the Jamaat is gradually progressing. The way the Jamaat is growing is an answer enough for these people. If only they had some insight to see and some sense of shame. The Promised Messiah (as) states: “At this point I cannot refrain from rendering this thanks: that just as Allah the Almighty, in support of our Holy Prophet (sa) held the disbelievers accountable through His revelation and declared that My Prophet possesses conduct of such a lofty standard that you have no power to point out any fault or flaw in his past forty
years of life, even though he lived among you day and night for forty years, nor do you have the power to find even a speck of fault in his noble family, which is a family of nobility, purity, sovereignty, and eminence – then reflect: a person who belongs to so exalted, so pure, so noble a family, and whose forty years of life, lived out before your very eyes, bear witness that fabrication and falsehood are not his way – then, given these excellences, when he is also displaying heavenly signs, when the support of Allah the Almighty is manifestly with him, and when he has brought a teaching against which your own beliefs stand utterly filthy, impure, and steeped in polytheism – after all this, what doubt remains in your minds as to the truthfulness of this Prophet?” Then, on the matter of answering the opponents of Islam that the Holy Prophet (sa) is that true and genuine Prophet who came from Allah the Almighty and provided the means for the world to be joined to Allah the Exalted, the Promised Messiah (as) refers to himself and states: “In the very same way, Allah the Almighty has held my opponents and deniers accountable, for I too am the true servant of the Holy Prophet (sa). To me as well, Allah the Almighty has made this very same promise.” Thus he cites Barahin-eAhmadiyya, saying: “In it, there is a revelation concerning me. Twenty years have now passed since its publication, and it is this revelation:
ُ ۡ ََ ُ َ ََ َ َفَق ۡۡد َل َ ِِبۡث ُُت ِفِ ۡۡیُک ۡۡم ُُع ُُمًرًا �ِّم ّۡۡن َق ۡۡب ِِل ٖٖہ� َاَفَلَا َت ۡۡع ِِقُلۡوۡ ََن
“That is, tell these opponents: I have lived among you for forty years, and throughout this long period you have observed me, and my work has never been fabrication or falsehood, and God has kept me safe from a life of impurity. Then, a person who for so long a period – that is, for forty years – remained protected from every kind of fabrication, mischief, deceit, and malice, and who never once told a lie to any of God’s creation – how, then, is it possible that, contrary to his lifelong habit, he should now fabricate a lie against Allah the Almighty?” (Tiryaq-ul-Quloob, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 15, pp. 282-283) I have already narrated many aspects of his character earlier, and it has become clear from them that even his opponents used to praise him, saying that he never told a lie, never behaved in such-andsuch a way. Thus, these are expressions of gratitude in which the Promised Messiah (as) has rendered thanks for the bounties of Allah the Almighty, and has also expressed feelings of gratitude toward his helpers and supporters. Then, besides these matters, he also endeavoured to instil in children the importance of gratitude. As for how his practice was at home in this regard, a narration states that the Promised Messiah (as) once told the children at home a story, which Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) had recorded to be published in the newspaper Al Hakam, and it was as follows: There was a bald man and a blind man. An angel of God, having taken on a human form, came to the bald man and asked him, “What do you desire?” The bald man said, “Let hair grow on my head, and let me acquire wealth and riches.” So, the angel passed his hand over the bald man’s head,
Friday 11 September 2026 | AL HAKAM
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and by God’s power, hair sprouted on his head, and he was also granted wealth and servants. Then the angel came to the blind man and asked him, “What do you desire?” The blind man said, “Let my eyes be given light, so that I need not go about begging for scraps of bread, and let me be given money, so that I need not be dependent on anyone.” The angel passed his hand over his eyes, and they were given light, and he too was granted wealth and riches. Then, by the command of Allah the Almighty, that same angel came, in order to test the blind man and the bald man, in the guise of a beggar, and going to the bald man, he made a request of him. The bald man answered him harshly and rudely, snapped at him, and said, “Be off! There are plenty of beggars like you wandering about.” The angel passed his hand over his head, and the bald man became bald once again, and all his wealth and riches were taken away, and he was reduced once more to the same straightened condition as before. Then that same angel, in the guise of a beggar, came to the blind man, who had become very wealthy and had regained his sight, and made his request. The blind man said, “It is Allah the Almighty alone who has given all of this; it is His wealth – take it.” At this, Allah the Almighty granted the blind man even more wealth and riches. The Promised Messiah (as) then said: So, my dear children, you too should remember to be grateful for the blessings that Allah the Almighty has given you, to value them, and never to rebuke one who asks of you. To give charity is a good thing, and one ought to give to the one who asks; this pleases God, and He increases His blessing all the more. (Al Hakam, 13 September 1898, Vol. 2, No. 26-27, p. 11) Although this is drawn from a lengthy hadith in which three kinds of people are mentioned, he shortened it for the children and related it at home in the form of this story. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab ahadithi l-anbiya’i; hadith abras wa a‘ma wa aqra‘ fi bani isra’il, Hadith 3464) When Ramadan fell in the winter, the Promised Messiah (as) expressed his feelings of gratitude in a fine and subtle manner. Thus, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib (ra) writes that Maulvi Sher Ali Sahib (ra) related to him that once the Promised Messiah (as) said that it too was a favour of Allah the Almighty that He raised us up at a time when the month of Ramadan falls in winter, so that fasting does not cause much physical hardship, and we are able to carry on our work with ease even during Ramadan. Maulvi Sahib used to say that in those days Ramadan had fallen in December, and he humbly submitted that he had looked at the almanack of that period. This is my own observation – perhaps it is Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib (ra) who is saying that he examined the calendar of that time, and according to that, the Promised Messiah (as) made his claim to being the Messiah in 1891, and in 1891 the month of Ramadan began on the 11th of April. This was, as it were, the beginning of the month of Ramadan’s entry into the winter season. Thus, in 1892 the month of Ramadan began on the 31st of March; in 1893, on the 20th of March; and after that, the month of Ramadan continued each year to fall increasingly within the winter days, and when the Promised Messiah (as) passed
away in 1908, the month of Ramadan that year began on the 1st of October. Thus, as it were, the entire period of the Promised Messiah’s (as) mission passed under such circumstances that the fasts of Ramadan continued to fall in the winter season, and this was a favour of Allah the Almighty, brought about under His general decree – one which the discerning temperament the Promised Messiah (as) recognised as a blessing from God, and which stirred up feelings of gratitude within him. (Sirat-ulMahdi, Vol. 1, Part 2, Narration 419, pp. 372-373) The Promised Messiah (as) also used to give thanks for the fact that humanity was benefiting from someone’s work. Thus, in speaking of good deeds pertaining to the welfare of mankind, the Promised Messiah (as) once referred to the practice of medicine in relation to Hazrat Hakim Maulana Nooruddin Sahib. The treatment and healing of the sick is a matter of great benefit, and the Promised Messiah (as) regarded it with a great sense of appreciation. Once, when Hazrat Maulvi Sahib (ra) was mentioned at home, the Promised Messiah (as) kept saying, “All praise belongs to Allah, all praise belongs to Allah,” for a long while, and said that Hazrat Hakeem Maulvi Noor-ud-Deen Sahib was himself one of the blessings of Allah the Almighty, for through him many poor people received treatment. It was others who were being treated, yet it was the Promised Messiah (as) who was giving thanks that a service was being rendered to humanity, and he gave thanks over the fact that these human beings were benefiting from it. (Speech at Jalsa Salana, 27 December 1922, Anwar-ulUlum, Vol. 7, p. 35) This was his compassion for humanity as well, that he would express gratitude even to the one who removed people’s suffering, and would also give thanks to Allah the Almighty for having arranged the means to remove their suffering. Insha-Allah, I shall relate further matters on this subject in future. At this time, I wish to mention a few of our deceased members, and after the prayer I shall also lead their funeral prayers in absentia. The first of these is the mention of Hafiz Shahbaz Ahmad Sahib, a missionary of the Jamaat serving in Ivory Coast, who passed away on 18 July due to cardiac arrest at the age of 31.
َ� �ٰ َ� ِِاَّناِلِّٰل ِِہ ََو ِِاَّنٓا ِِاَل َ ْْي ِِہ ٰٰر ِِج ُُعْوْ ََن
[“Surely to Allah we belong, and to Him shall we return.”] By the grace of Allah the Almighty, he was a musi. Among those he leaves behind are his wife and one daughter. In 2008, he memorised the Holy Quran. After graduating from Jamia in 2019, he obtained a one-year diploma in the French language from NUML University, following which he obtained a Master’s degree in French. He was subsequently posted to Ivory Coast. The deceased was a man of a most sociable, hospitable and cheerful disposition, devoted to Khilafat, and a sincere servant of the Jamaat who discharged the responsibilities of his lifedevotion in an excellent manner. For quite some time, he had been teaching the Holy Quran online, with
proper pronunciation and rules of recitation, in Urdu and Persian. Those who write about him say that the most striking feature of the deceased was his self-respect and patience – he never became a burden upon anyone. He had a great passion for preaching, and would sometimes even hold preaching gatherings at his own home. He maintained excellent relations with dignitaries and the city administration. He constantly sought different ways to train the members of the Jamaat. He never allowed any distance to arise between himself and the African people. In his region, he also carried out construction projects for the Jamaat with great dedication and hard work, accomplished good works, and had mosques built in various places. His wife, Sabeeka Sahiba, says that he was a good, pious and very responsible missionary, husband and father. One thing he would always say was, “Pray for me that Allah the Almighty may enable me to render great service for the Jamaat.” He had a great yearning to do something significant for the Jamaat. He held the funds of the Jama’at in very high regard. He was filled with patience and forbearance. Whatever hardship or sorrow he faced, he never allowed its impacts to become apparent. There was not the slightest trace of anger in him. He was always smiling and cheerful; he spoke gently and would explain matters with love. Nauman Qadeer Sahib, who is a missionary, says that Hafiz Sahib was a person of sound judgement. Whenever he was consulted regarding any Jamaat matter, he would offer advice with such remarkable intelligence that a matter which appeared difficult would be resolved with ease. Allah the Almighty had granted him great ability even in his youth. Ehtisham-ul-Haq Sahib, a missionary, writes that apart from his relationship with the missionaries, he also had a very close bond with the local missionaries, with his neighbours and with the members of the Jamaat; many people mentioned this during meetings. He would quietly help others in times of difficulty. Rafay Tabassum Sahib says that the deceased regarded every task of the Jamaat as his own responsibility. Whenever a duty was assigned to him, he would fulfil it not merely as an obligation, but as an act of worship. Punctuality, planning, responsibility and sincerity were among the most prominent features of his character. Another quality of the deceased was that he was always thinking of new ways to educate and train the Jama’at membership. He was concerned for the moral and spiritual training of the youth, the children and the elders alike – and this is a very important and essential quality that a missionary ought to possess. Another outstanding quality of the deceased was his great sincerity. He served selflessly and never made any display of it. He was not one who sought fame; rather, he sought the pleasure of Allah the Almighty. Wherever he was appointed, he remained occupied in the service of the faith. He would teach children to recite the Holy Quran with correct pronunciation, and he did so with great love. Many children were his students, and they remember him fondly. The next mention is of Yaringana Momini Sahib, from Burkina Faso. He was serving as the Zaeem of Majlis Ansarullah in his area. In July, while he was working in
the fields, terrorists opened fire on him, and he was martyred.
َ� �ٰ َ� ِِاَّناِلِّٰل ِِہ ََو ِِاَّنٓا ِِاَل َ ْْي ِِہ ٰٰر ِِج ُُعْوْ ََن
[“Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”] He accepted Ahmadiyyat in 1989. Wudood Sahib, a missionary, writes that the martyr was an extremely sincere person who had deep love for the Jamaat and Khilafat. He had a passionate love for the Holy Quran, a strong attachment to the mosque, and a special spirit for worship, obedience to Khilafat and service to the Jamaat. Similarly, Abdullah Jangani Sahib, a local missionary, states that he was very brave, fearless, sincere, righteous, devoted to worship, good-natured, sociable, reserved in speech and an excellent worker who loved and obeyed Khilafat. He would often be the first to arrive at the mosque and would sit there reciting the Holy Quran. The local missionary further states that when he would pass by his house at the time of Fajr, he would hear the sound of Quranic recitation coming from within. Abdur Rahman Sahib, the Regional President of that area, says that whenever he called him for Jamaat work, despite being advanced in age, he would come himself and bring his children with him whenever there was waqar-e-amal to be done. He would ensure to attend every Jalsa and Ijtema. Even when he was unwell, he would still take part in Jamaat programmes. Amin Baloch Sahib says that he also lived in that area and knew him to be very regular in paying financial contributions. Likewise, respected Balbo Sahib, a local missionary, says that even one day before his martyrdom he had made contact regarding his financial contributions and expressed concern about their payment. He was filled with the spirit of serving the Jamaat. These are the very qualities that everyone who wrote about him has mentioned. He is survived by two widows and thirteen sons and daughters. May Allah the Almighty treat him with forgiveness and mercy. The third mention is of the respected Yahya Soumare Sahib from Mali. He also passed away recently at the age of 32.
َ� �ٰ َ� ِِاَّناِلِّٰل ِِہ ََو ِِاَّنٓا ِِاَل َ ْْي ِِہ ٰٰر ِِج ُُعْوْ ََن
[“Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”] He too is a martyr. Due to terrorism, conditions in Mali have been difficult for some time. Yahya Soumare Sahib was serving in the army and was posted on military duty in the village of Anéfis in the Gao region. It is said that on 4 July, the weather was poor and strong winds were blowing. At that time, he told his commanding officer that he would go and check on the soldiers who were on duty. When he went out to check on the units that were patrolling against the terrorists, the terrorists attacked, and during this attack Yahya Sahib was martyred. It is written about him that the army had decided to promote him on 22 September, Mali’s Independence Day, and that he was also to receive a Medal of Honour. His posting was also to be transferred to a large city. However, before this could take place, he attained the rank of martyrdom. His brother, Fodi Soumare, says that Yahya Soumare attended Jalsa Salana in
AL HAKAM | Friday 11 September 2026 2022. During the Jalsa, as soon as he saw the picture of the Promised Messiah (as), he was overcome with emotion, and he felt a remarkable sense of peace and tranquillity. During the Jalsa, after listening to the speeches and studying Jamaat literature – particularly the translation of The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam in the local language – his conviction increased further. The rational and Islamic stance of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community regarding Jihad had a particularly deep impact upon his heart, and on that blessed occasion of Jalsa Salana, he pledged allegiance and joined the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat. His wife says that he was an exemplary husband, a very kind father to his child, and took care of their needs. He was a strong support for them in every difficult time. His parents say that he had a relationship of great love and respect with them. He would regularly call to ask about their well-being, take care of their needs and try to remove every difficulty they faced. He was a very obedient son. The Missionary-In-Charge of Mali writes that he was a cheerful and pleasant young man; regular in fasting and offering prayers, considerate of those in need, an excellent example for both his own people and others, faithful in maintaining family ties, and a righteous and sincere person. Despite being a new convert, the deceased had an extraordinary devotion, deep attachment, reverence and true love for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, the Promised Messiah (as) and Khulafa. His father was not an Ahmadi. However, after the martyrdom of his son, when he saw the kindness shown by the Jamaat and the way the Jamaat managed everything, he was deeply moved by this sympathy. He had already been researching religion, and he said that the truth of Ahmadiyyat had now become manifest to him. For this reason, he decided to enter the fold of Ahmadiyyat. The next mention is of respected Sirajul-Haq Qureshi Sahib, who was serving as Naib Afsar Jalsa Salana Rabwah. He too passed away recently at the age of 86.
َ� �ٰ َ� ِِاَّناِلِّٰل ِِہ ََو ِِاَّنٓا ِِاَل َ ْْي ِِہ ٰٰر ِِج ُُعْوْ ََن
[“Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”] By the grace of Allah, he was a musi. Ahmadiyyat entered his family through his grandfather, Hazrat Mian Qutb-udDin Sahib, who was a Companion of the Promised Messiah (as). He had seen in a dream that the Promised Messiah had appeared. Accordingly, he went to Qadian and pledged allegiance at the hand of the Promised Messiah (as). His grandmother was also a Companion. Allah the Almighty blessed his grandfather with two sons, Qureshi Fazl-e-Haq Sahib and Qureshi Abdul Ghani Sahib. Both sons were greatly devoted to the service of the faith. Despite being engaged in business, they remained ready at all times to serve the faith. They also played a significant role in the development and settlement of Rabwah, especially when the search for water began; at that time, the work of installing hand-pumps and similar arrangements was entrusted to them. The maternal grandfather of Qureshi
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Siraj-ul-Haq Sahib, Maulvi Muhammad Usman Sahib, was also a Companion. Most recently, Siraj-ul-Haq Sahib was serving as Naib Nazir and Naib Afsar Jalsa Salana. He began regular Jamaat service some years ago – approximately 15 or 20 years earlier. Before that, he served in the Department of Education, teaching in various colleges. He also taught at TI College Rabwah. Syed Qasim Ahmad Sahib says that with the demise of Siraj-ul-Haq Qureshi Sahib, all the workers of the Jalsa Salana office feel as though a deeply sympathetic, compassionate colleague and elder has been separated from them. Whenever any task was assigned to him, he fulfilled it with great responsibility. He is survived by two daughters and two sons. One of his sons, Qamar-ul-Haq Qureshi Sahib, is a missionary of the Jamaat and is serving in the History Department. May Allah the Almighty grant him forgiveness and mercy. The next mention is of the respected Lawal Tayyab Sahib, a local missionary of the Jamaat in Nigeria. He too passed away recently at the age of 30.
َ� �ٰ َ� ِِاَّناِلِّٰل ِِہ ََو ِِاَّنٓا ِِاَل َ ْْي ِِہ ٰٰر ِِج ُُعْوْ ََن
[“Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”] By the grace of Allah, he was a Musi. During the days of Jalsa Salana, while preparations were being made for the live broadcast, he was repairing the satellite dish at the mosque when he fell from a ladder and was severely injured. Despite treatment, he could not survive. He had suffered a very serious injury to his spine. He is survived by his parents, his wife and a daughter who is approximately eleven months old. He completed his education at JamiatulMubashireen Nigeria in 2018 and was appointed as a local missionary. He was a very humble, active and sincere local missionary. He would fulfil any responsibility that was assigned to him by the Jamaat, to the best of his ability, with great diligence, hard work and sincerity. His parents say that he was a very responsible son, one who cared greatly for his parents and served them. Despite limited financial means, he always tried, as far as he could, to fulfil the financial needs of his parents. His wife says that alongside fulfilling his Jamaat responsibilities, he practically adhered to Islamic teachings and to the guidance of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya. Because of his excellent morals, sincerity and kindness, he was equally loved by members of the Jamaat, other Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Munawwar Sahib, a local mu‘allim, also says that he possessed very good morals. He had great patience and courage and would encourage others. From his days as a student, he had a deep eagerness to serve the Jamaat. Even while lying ill, despite his severe injury, sickness and pain, he continued to ask about Jamaat matters and about the moral and spiritual training of the members. May Allah the Almighty grant him forgiveness and mercy. The next funeral is of the respected retired Master Ghafoor Ahmad Sahib, who was living in Canada. He had also served as
President in a village in Sangla Hill. He too passed away recently.
َ� �ٰ َ� ِِاَّناِلِّٰل ِِہ ََو ِِاَّنٓا ِِاَل َ ْْي ِِہ ٰٰر ِِج ُُعْوْ ََن
[“Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”] He was regular in offering the five daily prayers, devoted to Tahajjud [pre-dawn voluntary prayer], God-fearing, sociable, deeply attached to Khilafat and always obedient to the system of the Jamaat and to Khilafat. He cared for the needs of others as well and would quietly provide financial help to some people. He took an active part in financial contributions to the Jamaat and
other financial initiatives. He listened to the sermons regularly and would urge others to do the same. He had great respect for Jamaat workers and life devotees. He is survived by his wife, three daughters and five sons, as well as grandchildren. One of his sons, Naeem Iqbal Sahib, is the Amir and Missionary-In-Charge of Fiji. Due to being in the field of service at the time of his father’s demise, he was unable to attend the funeral. May Allah the Almighty grant him patience and steadfastness, and may He grant the deceased forgiveness and mercy. (Official Urdu transcript published in the Daily Al Fazl International, 4 September 2026, pp. 2-7. Translated by The Review of Religions.)
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