National amila of Majlis Ansarullah Netherlands meets Huzoor
Islamabad, Tilford, 15 June 2025: Members of the national amila of Majlis Ansarullah of the Netherlands, along with the zu‘ama’ and nazimeen-e-a‘la, had the honour of a mulaqat with Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, at Islamabad, Tilford, UK.
The mulaqat commenced as Huzooraa entered the hall, sat down and extended greetings to all present. Sadr Sahib Majlis Ansarullah, the Netherlands, introduced the delegation. Huzooraa then led the attendees in a silent prayer.
Following the prayer, Huzooraa delivered advice to the amila members.
Assess your actions, not just listen to speeches
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa reminded the members of Majlis Ansarullah that they are of a mature age, having lived for at least 40 years, and therefore, little needs to be explained to them. He cautioned against the habit of merely attending, listening, and leaving without any practical application of the guidance given.
Huzooraa stressed that meetings are only truly beneficial when they serve as a platform to review the implementation of action plans, schemes, and programmes. He stated that it is essential to assess the extent to which targets have been met and to analyse the resulting outcomes. It should not be a time to be still asking how work ought to be done.
He questioned that if, after reaching the age of 40, 50, or even 60, one has not yet
How was the night prayer of the Holy Prophetsa?
Hazrat Ibn Abbasra narrated, “I spent a night with my maternal aunt, Maymunara. Allah’s Messengersa conversed with his wife for a while and then lay down to sleep. When the last third of the night remained, he sat up, gazed towards the sky and recited:
‘In the creation of the heavens and the earth and in the alternation of the night and the day there are indeed Signs for people of understanding’ [Surah Aal-eʿImran, Ch.3: V.191]
“He then rose, performed ablution, cleaned his teeth with a siwak, and offered eleven rak‘ahs of prayer. After that, Bilal called the azan; the Prophetsa prayed two brief rak‘ahs [i.e., the sunnah of Fajr] and went out to lead the Fajr prayer.”
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, In His Own Words Harmony in One’s Word and Deed
In reality, there is a paramount need for man’s words and deeds to be consistent with one another. If the two are not in harmony, then there is
Continued on page 3
This Week in History
A glimpse into the rich history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat 20-26 June
20 June
20 June 1921: On this day, when Hazrat Qazi Ameer Hussainra was transferred from Madrassa Ahmadiyya, the students organised a farewell gathering in his honour. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra also attended the event and delivered an address that carries valuable guidance for missionaries.
For more details, see: “Twenty pearls of wisdom from Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s ‘Guidance for Missionaries’ – Part 1” at alhakam. org (10 November 2023, pp. 14-15).
20 June 2009: On this day, Major Afzaal Mahmood Sahib’s body was brought to Rabwah and was
buried with full army protocol. This Ahmadi member of the Pakistan Armed Forces was martyred a day before, on 19 June, while fighting against militants in Bajaur Agency.
University Hall, Lahore. (Tarikh-eAhmadiyyat, Vol. 3, p. 211)
21 June 1931: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’sra article about the financial difficulties of farmers was read out at a conference of agriculturists held in Lyallpur (now Faisalabad). (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 5, p. 284)
21 June 2000: On this day, during his tour of Indonesia, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh granted an audience to the then-chairman of the Indonesian National Assembly. (Silsila Ahmadiyya, Part 4, p. 902)
22 June
22 June 1957: On this day, Hazrat
of Turkey and advocated the autonomy of the Hedjaz and the greater interests of the Muslims. (“Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s services to the Muslim cause: Guidance for Turkey, peace in the Arab world and the Kashmir Movement”, Al Hakam, 19 February 2021, Issue 153, pp. 41-44)
23 June 1939: On this day, during his Friday Sermon, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra emphasised the importance of acquiring knowledge. Huzoorra said: “I advise friends that those who are not learned should pay attention to gaining knowledge and those to whom Allah the Almighty has given knowledge should teach others. At this time, God Almighty has granted our community a great opportunity to gain knowledge. If someone wastes this opportunity out of their negligence, then there will be no doubt of their misfortune.”
25 June 1897: On this day, the Promised Messiahas published the details of a matter that arose with the newspaper, Chaudhween Sadi This 12-page-long announcement carried almost all the necessary points and God’s promises about the bright future of the Jamaat in the face of all adversities. This piece contained clear wording of a warning for every opponent. (Majmua-e-Ishtiharat, Vol. 2, pp. 339-349)
25 June 2008: On this day, Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Canada held a Khilafat centenary jubilee event in which Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa delivered an address in front of about 800 distinguished guests. In his address, Huzooraa spoke about the history of Islam and the true essence of the Islamic teachings. (Al Fazl International, 22 August 2008, p. 10)
26 June
For more details, see “Forbidden history: Monumental services of Ahmadis in the Pakistani Armed Forces”, at (16 July 2021, pp. 10-11).
On this day, Paigham-e[A Message ], was and press and television correspondents. Sahibzada Mirza Mubarak Ahmad Sahib read out the special message of Hazrat Muslehe-Maud Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 18, p. 467)
22 June 2012: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V Friday sermon from the Baitur Rahman Mosque in Maryland, which serves as the national headquarters of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in the United States.
It was the first time since he was elected as the Khalifa that Huzoor
Rahman.
Huzoor about the fundamental importance of prayer. (“Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Delivers Friday Sermon at Baitur Rahman Mosque, Maryland”, www.pressahmadiyya. com)
: On this delegation of Ahmadis to present an address to the Viceroy of India, Lord Reading. The address touched on the issue
(Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 20, p. 281)
24 June
24 June 1937:
Musleh-e-Maud
Musleh-e-Maud
26 June 1920: An Arabic newspaper of New York, Al-Bayan, reported on this day about the visit of Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra to the city, as follows:
[Translation] “The Islamic Community in Detroit, Michigan, has held a general body meeting on 14 June for the reception of Mr Mufti Muhammad Sadiq, one of the best men of India. He has come all the way from New York, especially just to visit the Islamic community here in this city.”
In June 1937, an Ahmadi Sheikh Abdur Rahman Misri started raising all sorts of false allegations against Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra and wrote three letters to him on 10, 14 and 23 June 1937. In the first letter, he maligned the character of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra. In the second and third, he demanded that Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra resign from Khilafat on the ground that his character was not such, God forbid, that he could be called Khalifatul Masih.
Musleh-e-Maud
On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra wrote a reply to him.
For more details of his activities in the USA, see: “Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiq and the Arab Muslim community of America” at alhakam.org (20 August 2021, pp. 27-29).
For more details, see: “Conspiracies against the Jamaat: A study in historical patterns” at alhakam.org (19 December 2021, pp. 6-10).
24 June 1966:
On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh began delivering a series of sermons on the topic of the divine blessings of the Holy Quran from 24 June to 16 September 1966. This series was published under the title Qurani Anwaar (Divine Light of the Quran). (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 23, p. 456)
26 June 1942: During World War II, the Middle East was under severe pressure and there was a big threat to the sacred land of the Hedjaz. At that critical juncture, in his Friday Sermon on this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra called on the Muslim World to pray and make the utmost efforts to protect the sanctity of those sacred places. (“Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s services to the Muslim cause: Guidance for Turkey, peace in the Arab world and the Kashmir Movement”, Al Hakam, 19 February 2021, Issue 153, pp. 41-44)
25 June
determined how to serve the faith, when would they learn? Huzooraa emphasised that there should be no need for further admonitions and speeches, as they were all aware of their duties.
Huzooraa remarked that this is precisely why Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra established the age for Ansarullah at a stage of maturity, when an individual has understood their own self and is capable of guiding others. He advised that every nasir should keep this fundamental principle in mind.
Following this guidance, all attendees had the opportunity to introduce themselves and their respective departments to Huzooraa.
Guidance for departmental secretaries
During the introductions, Huzooraa enquired from the Qaid Tabligh about his department’s target for new converts or bai‘ats. He responded that the target was 150.
Huzooraa asked the Qaid Ishaat if any regular publications were produced. He reported that a magazine for Ansarullah, of about 20-25 pages, was published twice a year in Urdu and English. Huzooraa noted that English is not the common language in the Netherlands and advised that the publication should be in Dutch and Urdu, questioning the relevance of English. Huzooraa pointed towards some amila members who were born and raised in the Netherlands and were fluent in Dutch, suggesting the Qaid should ask them to contribute articles for the magazine.
The Qaid Maal reported some weaknesses in financial contributions from members with higher incomes. Huzooraa instructed that greater emphasis should be placed on these individuals rather than on those with lesser means. He reiterated that the contributions of those who are earning well should increase.
Addressing the Qaid Talim, who reported that 200 members were participating in certain educational activities, Huzooraa advised him to verify these figures to ensure they were accurate and that members were genuinely taking part, rather than them being mere statistics
on paper.
Huzooraa enquired from the Qaid Tarbiyat about the number of ansar living near mosques. He advised that for those who live far away but are clustered in certain areas, salat centres could be established to facilitate congregational prayers. He further instructed the department to focus on tarbiyat, which fundamentally consists of prayers. Attention should be drawn towards the five daily prayers and the recitation of the Holy Quran, encouraging members to engage with both its Arabic text and its translation.
A Qaid mentioned that he was still in the process of working out the figures for his department. Huzooraa remarked that for a small jamaat, to still be working on this was a lame excuse.
Huzooraa spoke to the Additional Qaid Tabligh, who is of Moroccan heritage and tasked with outreach to the Arab community. Huzooraa assigned him a personal bai‘at target of no less than ten. The Qaid asked if this target was for the entire year, to which Huzooraa clarified that it was to be achieved by the end of July.
The Naib Sadr Saff-e-Dom (ansar aged 40-55) was encouraged by Huzooraa to get more ansar from his age group involved in cycling.
Speaking to the Qaid for Waqf-e-Arzi and Talim-ul-Quran, Huzooraa instructed him to increase the number of members participating in the temporary life devotion scheme of Waqf-e-Arzi. He advised that the Qaid himself and other amila members should first participate, as this would then enable them to effectively encourage others.
Huzooraa then enquired about the delegation’s accommodation. The members informed him that they were staying in the Baitul Futuh Mosque Complex, attending the Fajr prayer at the Baitul Futuh Mosque and the rest of their daily prayers at the Mubarak Mosque.
Following the introductions and departmental discussions, Huzooraa graciously granted permission for the members to ask questions.
Reaching out to inactive members
The first questioner sought guidance regarding ansar who are listed on the official
tajnid register but have a zero balance in their financial contributions. This group includes those who are uncooperative, those who do not wish to maintain contact, and those residing in asylum camps with no income.
Huzooraa advised that any person who calls himself an Ahmadi is part of the tajnid The very purpose of Majlis Ansarullah is to carry out their moral training and tarbiyat and to explain to them the significance of financial sacrifice. If they have an income, they should contribute; if they do not, they should formally seek an exemption, explaining that their income is insufficient to meet their basic needs. Regardless, they remain ansar and will stay on the register, though they cannot become office-bearers if they do not pay chanda
The fundamental task is tarbiyat Huzooraa stated that the auxiliary organisations were established to raise the spiritual, intellectual, and moral standards of all members. The approach should not be to exclude those who are not participating. He reminded them that we are not dictators; the duty is to reform and draw people closer with love and by making them feel valued.
He further explained that if there are members in genuine need, to the extent that they cannot afford to contribute or even feed themselves, then it is the duty of the Majlis to provide for them. He asked what the purpose of the Department of Ithaar [Sacrifice] was, if not this.
Regarding those in asylum camps, Huzooraa suggested that arrangements can often be made with the camp administration to allow them leave for a couple of hours to attend the Jumuah prayer at the nearest centre. This would be a means of training and attaching them to the Jamaat, and through this, their connection would gradually strengthen.
The member added that some ansar are uncooperative when contacted. Huzooraa pointed out that the contact is often made for the purpose of collecting chanda. He asked if they had ever contacted these members simply to enquire about their well-being. He questioned whether the Department of Ithaar had formed a team to identify and assist those who are weak, whether financially or spiritually. He advised them
Continued from page 1
nothing. It is for this reason that Allah Almighty states in the Holy Quran:
Meaning, you enjoin others to do good, yet you exempt yourselves of this com- mand to act virtuously, and forget your own selves. Then, in another instance, Allah the Exalted states:
Why do you say what you do not do?
A believer must not act duplicitously. A believer is always far distanced from such cowardice and hypocrisy. Always keep your words and actions in order and ex- hibit harmony in both. Just as the companions manifested in their own lives, you too must follow in their footsteps and demonstrate examples of truth and loyalty.
to visit such individuals, ask about their welfare, and make it clear that the visit is not for collecting funds but to remind them, as Ahmadi Muslims, of their duty to attend Jumuah and other prayers.
When such people do come to the mosque, they should not be met with stares or comments like, “Oh, what brings you to the prayer today?” as this causes embarrassment. Huzooraa stressed that they should be welcomed warmly, even if someone is returning to the mosque after ten years. Sarcastic comments should be avoided.
Huzooraa referenced the Quranic lesson of
(i.e., training them and calling them towards yourself), explaining that through proper training, they will come running towards the Jamaat, insha-Allah (Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.2: V.261) It is not enough to only visit for chanda or make a single, cursory visit during the year.
(Malfuzat [English], Vol. 2, pp. 88-89)
Huzooraa recalled that during his past visits to the Netherlands, many people who did not regularly attend prayers would come for the mulaqat, and through that, they would also end up praying. This, he noted, proved that the administration knows they are Ahmadis and that a connection exists; otherwise, they would not have been scheduled for a mulaqat. The objective of the administration is to bring those who have drifted away closer, so that the future generations may be saved.
Role of Ansarullah in Rishta Nata
The next question concerned the role Majlis Ansarullah can play at an organisational level within the national Rishta Nata committee, which was established upon the instruction of the Amir Sahib and includes the presidents of the auxiliary organisations.
Huzooraa responded by asking the questioner, who is married with children, how he went about arranging their marriages and whether he had asked Huzooraa for the method. The questioner replied that he had consistently written for prayers. Huzooraa said that he should continue to do so now as well.
Huzooraa explained that the committee has been formed so that it may work with the same concern and diligence with which members arrange the marriages of their own children and thus pay attention to the matrimonial needs of Ahmadi boys and girls. This is why the presidents of Lajna Imaillah, Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya and Ansarullah, along with the Amir Sahib and the national Rishta Nata Secretary, are all members of this committee, so they may work collectively.
The primary task for the tarbiyat departments of Ansarullah, Khuddam, and the Jamaat, as well as for the murabbian, is to train people to seek spouses from within the Jamaat and to strive to find righteous partners. When people are seeking such righteous matches, the committee must assist them, pray for them and show the same concern as they would for their own children. This is how the work gets done.
Huzooraa mentioned that he had also permitted the appointment of more than one Rishta Nata secretary in different regions to facilitate this work.
He further advised that it is important to create opportunities for introductions between potential matches that are proposed, perhaps by arranging a meeting. Counselling is also needed regarding the types of matches people are looking for, and this should be organised once or twice a year, either under the Jamaat system or by Majlis Ansarullah independently.
The first step, Huzooraa said, is to have complete data: who the individuals are, their age ranges, the number of boys and girls, their educational backgrounds, their countries of origin (e.g., Arab, European, Pakistani), and their personal preferences. With all this information at hand, a comprehensive plan can be formulated.
Dissent and obedience in amila meetings
Another member asked whether an individual who expresses a difference of opinion in amila meetings can be considered to have stepped out of the circle of obedience. He also enquired if merely
Muslim nations must wake up and unite
During his Friday sermon, delivered on 13 June 2025, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, warned of the escalating global conflict, particularly in the Middle East, and admonished the Muslim world for its disunity and lack of spiritual focus, and said:
“At this time, I also wish to comment on the current state of the world, as I often do, and to urge you to continue to pray. The chances of the war spreading are continuing to increase. Pray to Allah the Almighty that He may safeguard us from its devastation, for Israel has now attacked Iran, and this state of war has taken a perilous turn.
“These people, the Israeli government, will now seek to harm every Muslim nation, one after the other. The Muslim nations, however, are asleep; they are engrossed in their own development and other priorities and have no realisation of what is to come.
agreeing to everything without reservation falls under the category of true obedience.
Huzooraa asked the questioner if he had listened to his recent address at the Majlis-eShura of UK, where these very points were elaborated upon.
He explained that a difference of opinion is a sign of progress and should exist. However, it should not be accompanied by stubbornness, where one insists that only their view is correct. Once the majority reaches a decision, it should be accepted. If an individual believes that the majority decision is not in the best interest of the Jamaat and maintains their dissenting view, they can have their note of dissent recorded in the minutes, with a request for it to be forwarded to the Markaz. They can also write directly to the Markaz, explaining the reasons for their disagreement. This is neither hypocrisy nor rebellion. If someone honestly holds an opinion that they believe better serves the interest of the Jamaat, they should express it.
The questioner then described a scenario where some members disagree with a matter during a meeting but do not voice their opinion, only to state later in private that the decision was wrong. Huzooraa stated that this is indeed hypocrisy. Honesty demands that one express their opinion openly, at the appropriate occasion when asked to do so. He added that it is also the duty of the administration to listen to differing views with patience, tolerance and magnanimity. He once again advised the questioner to listen to his address to the UK Majlis-e-Shura.
Huzooraa concluded that there is no harm in having a difference of opinion, but to insist that one is right is wrong. If one feels so strongly, they should write to the Markaz or to the Khalifa of the Time, who will then make the final decision.
Integrating new ansar into the Majlis
A question was asked about the best way for younger ansar to fully integrate and become a part of Majlis Ansarullah.
Huzooraa clarified the terminology, noting that “young” and “ansar” are two different things. A young person is a khadim, particularly one who has recently
Muslims have neither righteous deeds to their credit as before, nor do they pay any heed to prayer. In such a state, they cannot even begin to imagine the extent of the ruin that will then befall them.
“May Allah the Almighty grant them the wisdom to pay heed to this and to strive to establish their own unity. They should not be saying, ‘This is such and such a sect’ or ‘That is another sect, so we will not help them’. All these nations are in peril, for
that is, all those who disbelieve have become a single nation
and Muslims must now also become an
(a single, united Community). Their salvation lies only in this; there is no other way.
“May Allah the Almighty protect every innocent and oppressed person from immense suffering. We ought to pay far greater attention to our prayers. May Allah the Exalted grant us the ability to do so.” Amin.
joined Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya. A nasir, by definition, cannot be young. He said that one could, however, use the term coined by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh: “the youth amongst the elders” (jawanon ke jawan), referring to the ansar of saff-e-dom (aged 40-55). (Al Fazl, 11 November 1973)
Huzooraa explained that there is a specific plan for these ansar, which is overseen by the Naib Sadr Saff-e-Dom. This plan includes activities such as exercise and cycling. While they are part of the general programmes of Majlis Ansarullah, they also have their own specific activities, and they should be attached to the Majlis through these.
They should be reminded that upon turning forty and entering Majlis Ansarullah, they should not become lethargic. Rather, they must remain as active as they were in Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya. Huzooraa recalled how Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra once pondered why a person is very active as a khadim but suddenly becomes inactive upon joining Ansarullah.
These ansar should be told that their responsibilities have now increased. Having crossed the age of forty, they must strive to advance in their connection with Allah and improve their spiritual state. When their tarbiyat is done in this manner, they will remain attached to the Majlis.
Meaning of ‘Qaid’ and ‘Mohtamim’
The fifth questioner enquired about the difference between the titles for national office-bearers in Majlis Khuddam-ulAhmadiyya, who are called “Mohtamim”, and those in Majlis Ansarullah, who are known as “Qaid”.
Huzooraa explained that a “Qaid” (leader) can lead more effectively after reaching a certain age, and perhaps this is why this title was chosen for them. He urged the ansar to demonstrate this leadership.
A “Mohtamim” is one who arranges and properly carries out a service, while a “Qaid” is one who can provide true leadership. Huzooraa remarked that if, even with grey hairs, they do not become true leaders, then when will they?
Commencing amila meetings
The final questioner noted the different ways
in which Jamaat and auxiliary organisation amila meetings are commenced – some start with silent prayer, while others begin with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by the pledge and an extract from the writings of the Promised Messiahas. He asked for the best method to start amila meetings.
Huzooraa asked what objection there could be to any of these methods. Whether one starts with a prayer, a recitation, or an extract, are they not all virtuous acts? There is nothing evil in them; they are all spiritual actions. The choice is up to the Sadr Majlis. The real objective is to hold the meeting. One should pray before the meeting and continue to pray and engage in the remembrance of Allah during it, seeking His help to offer sound counsel and to produce positive results from the meeting. The aim should not be to display one’s own ego or knowledge.
He advised them to remember the core purpose. This purpose is achieved through firm faith in Allah, belief in His absolute sovereignty and oneness, complete faith in the Holy Prophetsa, a connection of love and devotion with the Promised Messiahas as he himself described, and obedience to Khilafat. He stated that the right way is to formulate action plans and give counsel while remaining within this sphere.
Huzooraa cautioned against getting bogged down in arguments over why someone chose to start with a prayer or a recitation, as this yields no productive outcome. He advised that they should engage in discussions that lead to productive results.
Conclusion
At the conclusion of the mulaqat, Sadr Sahib conveyed the salaam of a member who was unable to attend. Huzooraa replied with prayer and wa alaikum-us-salaam. Sadr Sahib then requested a group photograph, which Huzooraa graciously permitted. Following the photograph, Huzooraa distributed pens to all the members of the delegation before taking his leave.
(Summary prepared by Al Hakam)
NEWS
Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Georgia holds third Jalsa Salana
Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Georgia held its third Jalsa Salana on 30-31 May 2025 in the city of Tbilisi. Attendees travelled from far and wide to be part of this blessed gathering. We were honoured to receive a special message from Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa. Furthermore, Athar Zubair Sahib, Chairman of Humanity First Germany, attended the Jalsa as the Markaz representative.
Multiple planning meetings were held with the various department heads in the lead-up to the Jalsa, during which all logistical and other matters were reviewed thoroughly. Waqar-e-amal commenced one week prior to the event to ensure the venue and facilities were in optimal condition.
The Jalsa officially started on Friday, 30 May, with Jumuah prayer. After lunch, guests proceeded to the jalsa gah. The formal session began with silent prayer, followed by a recitation from the Holy Quran, a poem and reading out of Huzoor’saa special message in English by the President of Georgia Jamaat. This was followed by speeches on “The Revelation of the Promised Messiahas: ‘I see my community in Russia like grains of sand in number’” by Hafiz Athar Mahmood Sahib, President and Missionary of Jamaat Azerbaijan; “The Prophecy of the Holy Quran: Fulfilment in Modern Era” by Hafiz Abdul Basit Sahib, a medical student in Georgia; “Services of Humanity First Georgia” by Labeeb Ahmad Sahib, a medical student in Georgia and “Love for Allah the Almighty and the Holy
Ways of worship: Freeing ourselves from the shackles of everyday life
Syed Adil Ahmad Missionary, USA
All of us are slaves to something. Instagram likes, shoe collections, athletes, the companies that we work for – slaves to ourselves even. As believers, we channel an intrinsic desire to humble ourselves by worshipping and submitting ourselves to the Creator of the heavens and the earth.
No one is ever actually free. There are billions of dollars poured into marketing and advertising every day, so that we can presume we bought or did something out of our own choice, when actually, we are being bought and sold by the second every waking moment.
The question is, how do we sell ourselves to Allah Almighty? Like any product that is brought into your possession when you purchase it, we need to become possessions of Allah Almighty. At every instance, the following thought must prevail in our minds, that “God owns me, and He’s watching me, and I have to answer to Him.”
The five daily prayers
One way to worship Allah, or in other words, show Allah that He owns you, is, of course, Salat – the five daily regular prayers. How great would we think we are if we had five meetings with Lebron James, Lionel Messi or Elon Musk every single day? If there was someone who met the president of the United States even just two times a day, faint
Prophet Muhammadsa” by my humble self. The second day began with a recitation from the Holy Quran and a poem. The first speech was delivered by the President of Georgia Jamaat on “The Promised Messiah’sas Love for the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa”. Thereafter, Dr Daud Tahir Sahib (currently residing in the UK) shared several faith-inspiring incidents from his life as a waqif. Further speeches included “Excellent Example of the Holy Prophetsa as the Guarantor of World Peace” by Jameel Ahmad Tabassum Sahib, Missionary-inCharge, Russia. Following the speeches, a documentary was shown on the theme of love for Allah the Almighty and the Khalifa of the Time. The session concluded with a concluding address delivered by the markaz representative. Representatives from six countries attended the third Jalsa Salana Georgia, with a total attendance of 58. Guests came from Russia, Germany, the UK, Australia, Azerbaijan and Austria. It is also noteworthy that MTA International Germany Studios played an active role in the recording and photography of the Jalsa.
Jamaica Jamaat holds 4th Regional Jalsa Salana
Misbah Anmol Tariq Jamaica Correspondent
On 17 May 2025, Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Jamaica held its 4th Regional Jalsa Salana in Trelawny. The theme for this year’s gathering was “The Significance of Bai‘at.” The event began with a recitation from the Holy Quran, a Hadith and a speech by Ahmad Ibrahim Forson Sahib on “Justice in an Unjust World.” This was followed by a speech by Tariq Azeem Sahib, President and Missionary-in-Charge, on “The Significance of Bai‘at.” A question-and-answer session was held, providing Jamaat members and guests an opportunity to engage directly with the missionaries. The Jalsa concluded with a silent prayer.
whispers of jealousy and awe would follow behind them, as we relish over the opportunity to even daydream such a circumstance.
So then what about Allah, who created and brought into existence every particle around us out of nothingness? We get to meet Him five times a day. Is He not more powerful than Lebron James, Lionel Messi, Elon Musk and the president of the United States?
“And to Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; and Allah has power over all things.” (Surah aal-eImran, Ch.3: V.190)
Do we want to be with someone who has actual power, or someone who has the illusion of power?
The Promised Messiahas stated the following:
“If even a single pious man lives in a village, then on account of that pious man and for his sake, Allah the Almighty protects that whole village from destruction. However, when destruction comes, it encompasses everyone. Nonetheless, through some way or means, God still saves His servants. It is the practice of Allah that even if a single pious person remains, others are also saved on their account.” (Malfuzat [1984], Vol. 3, p. 262)
This is the power that Allah can give us. Provided with our piety and righteousness,
our single presence can protect our society. People who are married know every single detail of their partner’s lives. They meet them every day. The more we meet Allah, the more we will know about Him, and a true slave never stops wanting to be near his master.
Worship of Allah means that we are also thankful for everything He has given us. If we are to become possessions of Allah Almighty, then we would not want to act in a way that Allah considers us impure, so as not to hold us in His merciful hand.
Profanity
One of our weaknesses is profanity. Freely throwing around curse words or partaking in futile idol talk because we want to fit in, or because we don’t want to sound too smart
to not have any friends.
The Promised Messiahas has said: “Uttering profanities will foster hatred, therefore, always keep your tongue under control.” (Malfuzat [1984], Vol. 3, p. 346)
Profane language and the general lack of decent speech keep the mind at a low level. Petty fights, errant jealousies and a reactionary mindset become your character norm because of a literal inability to think at a higher level. Small words, small minds. We can worship Allah Almighty by cleansing our speech. The cleaner our minds, the better we can absorb the greatness of Allah. You wouldn’t want to sleep in a room with a dirty carpet, so why would Allah visit you if your heart and mind are in the same state?
Allah Almighty paints various scenes of heaven in the Holy Quran. We will recline on couches, have rivers that flow underneath us, all sorts of fruits and foods, and He also says:
“And they will be guided to pure speech.” (Surah al-Hajj, Ch.22: V.25)
Pure speech is a reward that Allah will give us. Profanity keeps your mind shackled, so if we clean up our speech, we can have a part of heaven on earth.
Anger
Another way to worship Allah, is to control our anger. Allah Almighty describes righteous people as the following:
“Those who spend in prosperity and adversity, and those who suppress anger and pardon men; and Allah love those who do
Haroon Ahmad Ata Missionary, Georgia
The isra of Moses: The journey with Al-Khidr
Jalees Ahmad Al Hakam
Mosesas, also known as Kalimullah, was a great prophet, recognised for leading his people out of Egypt and receiving God’s laws. Given their similarities, Mosesas and Muhammadsa share a closer relationship than other prophets. However, this article will not delve into that, but will focus on, as the title suggests, Moses’ isra, or spiritual journey. And thus, we shall go through the journey of Mosesas who parted the sea (26:63), with Allah’s permission, to when he desired to go to the place where the two seas meet (18:61). This article draws extensively from Tafsir-e-Kabir, which is based on the Quranic exegesis of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra.
The spiritual journey of Mosesas is described in great detail in Surah al-Kahf. It is also alluded to in Surah al-Sajdah:
“And We did give Moses the Book – be not therefore in doubt as to the meeting with Him – and We made it a guidance for the children of Israel.” (32:24)
In light of this spiritual journey, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, in his commentary, has shared his personal view. He states that the circumstances during the time of the Prophet Muhammadsa were revealed to Prophet Mosesas in a spiritual vision. During the time when Prophet Mosesas was on Mount Sinai and was informed about the coming of a great Prophet after him (Deuteronomy, 18:18), he desired to know what kind of divine manifestation would appear upon that Prophet. (Tafsir-e-Kabir [2023], Vol. 6, p. 556)
Moses and his ‘young companion’
Jesus
“And remember the time when Moses said to his young companion, ‘I will not stop until I reach the junction of the two seas, or I will journey on for ages.’” (18:61)
The account begins with Mosesas setting out on a journey with his “young companion”. Regarding this companion, commentators have stated that it was Yusha i.e. Joshua son of Nun. However, since this was a spiritual journey, it appears it is more fitting to apply more to Jesusas. (Five Volume Commentary, Ch.18: V.61)
Moses, determined to reach a place the Holy Quran calls “the junction of the two seas,” told Jesusas, he would not stop even if he had to “journey on for ages.” (18:61) This showed how important this journey was to Mosesas
The phrase “the junction of the two seas” is noteworthy. Hazrat Msuleh-e-Maudra commented that historically, there are three main places where two seas meet near
Moses’as residence: Bab-el-Mandeb (where the Red Sea and the Indian Sea meet), Dardanelles (where the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Marmara meet), and Bahrain (where the Persian Gulf meets the Arabian Sea). These locations were distant from Moses’as area, though metaphorically, they refer to the time when the mission of Prophet Mosesas ends and that of the Prophet mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:18, Muhammadsa, begins. (Tafsir-e-Kabir [2023], Vol. 6, p. 559)
Forgetting their fish and the meeting of the two seas
After travelling for some time, “they reached the place where the two seas met, they forgot their fish, and it made its way into the sea going away swiftly. (18:62)
It is explained that in dreams, a fish can occasionally represent sites of worship where good and righteous people assemble. So, when the Quran says, “they forgot their fish” at the place where the two seas met, it has a deeper meaning. It refers to a time in history when the teachings of Moses (Judaism) ended, and the teachings of Islam began. At that moment, righteousness, the pure way of worship and good deeds, left the followers of Mosesas and Jesusas and became a special feature of the Muslims. (Five Volume Commentary, Ch.18: V.62)
The verse also tells us that Islam didn’t split away from earlier teachings, but instead continued what started with Mosesas The idea of the “two seas meeting” is not about geography in Moses’as time; it is a symbol for the meeting of two major religious paths. (Ibid.) Thus, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra explained that this holds a deep symbolic meaning. The fish is interpreted as a sign of the divine mission, and its disappearance signals the transition from the older prophetic period to the new one. This can be comprehended as the closure of the era of Moses’as followers and the opening of the followers of Muhmmadsa, where the true spiritual message continues. (Tafsir-e-Kabir [2023], Vol. 6, p. 559)
‘Bring us our morning meal’ When they continued their journey and “when they had gone further,” Moses said to his young companion: “‘Bring us our morning meal.’” (18:63) and expressed exhaustion on account of this journey.
In the Five Volume Commentary, it is explained that in dreams, asking for breakfast means feeling fatigued or worn out. This verse, within the context of Moses’as spiritual journey, signifies that when the Holy Prophetsa appeared, the Jews and Christians failed to recognise and accept him. They persisted in following their own ways, not realising
their time was up. After a long time, feeling tired and confused, they would start to wonder if the promised Prophet (Deuteronomy, 18:18) had already come and they had missed recognising him. In the verse, Mosesas represents the Jews, and the young man, Jesusas, stands for the Christians. (Tafsir-e-Kabir [2023], Vol. 6, p. 553) Mosesas and his companion journeyed until they met a wise servant of Allah, also referred to as Al-Khidr in the books of Ahadith
The Quran describes Al-Khidr as “one of Our servants upon whom We had bestowed Our mercy, and whom We had taught knowledge from Ourself.” (18:66)
Who is meant by ‘one of Our servants’
Within the books of Tafsir and ahadith, “Our servant” is referred to as Al-Khidr. (Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn Abbas, Ch.18: V.65) Sufis emphasise that the station of “Abd” is the highest rank, and that no one but the Holy Prophetsa has reached its perfect fulfilment. (Tafsir-e-Kabir [2023], Vol. 6, p. 566)
According to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira, the term “one of Our servants” refers to our master, the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa This person was the one whom Mosesas went to in order to learn lessons from during his journey. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra also expressed that he too came to believe that it was indeed the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa whom Prophet Mosesas saw. (Ibid. p. 565) Thus, Al-Khidr represents a spiritual teacher who possesses divine insight. The Holy Quran often calls Prophet Muhammadsa “God’s servant”, which is the highest spiritual rank. The servant is described as having God’s mercy, and Prophet Muhammadsa is called “a mercy” to all of mankind as stated in the Quran. The servant is said to have special knowledge from God, which the Holy Quran confirms Muhammadsa received in great amounts. (Five Volume Commentary, Ch.18: V.66)
Moses follows Al-Khidr Mosesas, who was himself a great prophet, asked the servant: “‘May I follow thee on condition that thou teach me of the guidance which thou hast been taught?’” The servant warned Mosesas, he would not be able to have patience with him, “‘Thou canst not keep company with me in patience.” (18:68) and added that how could Mosesas be patient about things he didn’t understand? However, Mosesas insisted, promising to be patient and not question anything.
The verse highlights the difference in character between Prophet Mosesas and Prophet Muhammadsa. While Mosesas was fast to question things he didn’t compre-
hend, the Holy Prophetsa displayed patience and waited for God to reveal the complete details of the sharia. This difference was also seen in their followers. The Israelites often troubled Mosesas with unnecessary questions (Holy Quran, Ch.2: V.68-73), while the Prophet Muhammad’ssa companionsra showed great respect and restraint, carefully avoiding asking unnecessary questions about religion. (Five Volume Commentary, Ch.18: V.68)
Before they set off, Al-Khidr accepted on the condition that “‘ask me no questions about anything till I myself speak to thee concerning it.’” (18:71) During the trip, Al-Khidr did, albeit, at first glance, if looked at in its literal sense, shocking things – (1) he damaged a ship, (2) killed a boy, and (3) repaired a wall without payment. Each time, Mosesas questioned him, forgetting his promise not to.
Let us now explore what these three things represent in the context of a spiritual journey.
Al-Khidr damages a boat
So, they set out together and boarded a boat. To Moses’as shock, Al-Khidr “staved it in.” (18:72) Mosesas immediately objected, saying this would cause the ship to sink and drown the people on board. Al-Khidr reminded Mosesas of his promise not to ask any questions. “He replied, ‘Did I not tell thee that thou wouldst not be able to keep company with me in patience?’” (18:73) Moses then apologises, admitting he had forgotten his promise not to ask.
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra has stated that in the science of dream interpretation, many meanings of safinah (boat) are given, and one of them is wealth. Huzoorra further refers to the Holy Quran to affirm this point:
“Your Lord is He Who drives for you the ships in the sea, that you may seek of His bounty. Surely, He is merciful toward you.”
(Surah Bani Isra’il, Ch.17: V.67)
Here, “His bounty” refers to worldly wealth, hence, the ship symbolises material riches. The idea of both prophets boarding the ship suggests that both their communities would one day attain worldly wealth in abundance. (Tafsir-e-Kabir [2023], Vol. 6, p. 571)
Both Mosesas and the Holy Prophetsa boarded the boat, meaning their followers would gain material wealth. Al-Khidr’s damaging of the boat symbolised how Islam would limit the misuse of wealth, through Zakat, bans on interest, fair inheritance, and support for workers, to guarantee wealth is shared fairly. From a worldly standpoint, this appears to be destroying the community’s material life. However, from a righteous standpoint, it saved the community from
the love of the world and from becoming slaves to the rich.
Mosesas objected to this in the vision, showing that his followers would resist these financial or economic laws because they treasured wealth too much. On the other hand, during his night journey, the Prophetsa refused a cup of water in his vision, meaning his followers would choose religion over material gain. (Five Volume Commentary, Ch.18: V.72)
Why did Al-Khidr kill a young boy?
As they continued their journey,“they met a young boy, he slew him.” (18:75) Mosesas protested strongly, saying this was a terrible thing to do to an innocent child: “‘Hast thou slain an innocent person without his having slain any one?” (18:75)
Again, Al-Khidr reminded Mosesas about his promise to be patient. Mosesas apologised once more but said: “‘If I ask thee concerning anything after this, keep me not in thy company” (18:77)
The meaning of this, as explained in Tafsir-e-Kabir is the fact that in the hadith of Isra (Night Journey), when the Holy Prophetsa was repeatedly told by Gabrielas, “Intalaqa” (Move on, move on), the word “Intalaqa” is also repeatedly used in the incident of Mosesas. This repetition is also evidence that the Isra was a spiritual journey. In the night journey of the Holy Prophetsa, after seeing an old woman, the Holy Prophetsa saw someone trying to call him towards themselves; however, the Holy Prophetsa did not respond. Furthermore, a cup of wine was presented to him, which he refused to drink. Gabrielas interpreted that man as Satan, and the cup of wine as misguidance, which is the work of Satan. Similarly, the vision under discussion, shown to Mosesas, was of a slave, whom Al-Khidr killed. (Tafsir-e-Kabir [2023], Vol.6, pp. 575-576)
Huzoorra further explains that in the science of dream interpretation, the meaning of seeing a young man in a dream, among various interpretations, signifies vigour, energy, and ignorance. These are the same qualities that lead a person to follow Satan – strength on one side, the desire to view worldly pleasures on the other, and a lack of spiritual knowledge on the third. When these three factors combine, a person is led by Satan. (Ibid.)
Moses’as objection to the killing of the young boy in his vision symbolised that Islam would require its followers to control and overcome their desires and passions, a teaching that the pleasure-seeking followers of Mosesas and Jesusas would struggle to accept.
The meaning behind Al-Khidr repairing the wall
They both went on further until they came to a town where the people refused to give them food or hospitality. In this town, they “found therein a wall which was about to fall” (18:78). Instead of leaving it, Al-Khidr repaired the wall for free. Mosesas couldn’t understand this and said that he had desired, he could’ve taken payment for it. This was the third time Mosesas questioned Al-Khidr’s actions.
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra has explained that in dreams, “people of a town” can refer to nations, and asking for hospitality
means asking for help in a good cause. So, the verse means that both Mosesas and the Holy Prophetsa asked Jews and Christians to support God’s mission, but both were refused. Jews didn’t help Mosesas conquer Canaan, and the Christians didn’t support the Prophet’ssa call to worship one God.
A “wall”, in dreams, can represent a leader who has lost his position or wealth. Fixing the wall means restoring that leader’s status. So, the falling wall means Jewish and Christian leaders lost influence, and repairing it means their authority would return. The verse also hints that both Israelites (through Moses) and Ishmaelites (through the Prophetsa) would rise again. The statement about taking payment suggests that Jews and Christians had become very focused on profit. (Tafsir-e-Kabir [2023], Vol. 6, p. 578)
Al-Khidr’s explanation of the events
The Holy Quran states that Al-Khidr explains the wisdom behind the actions.
As for the boat, it belonged to “certain poor people who worked on the sea; and I desired to damage it, for there was behind them a king, who seized every boat by force.” (18:80) By making the boat damaged, Al-Khidr made it worthless to the king but still usable by the poor owners. (Tafsir al-Jalalayn; Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs)
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra stated that the plan was to make the boat defective because a tyrant king was ahead who would forcibly seize every sound boat. Thus, in order to protect it from the harm or seizing of that king, he damaged it. (Tafsir-e-Kabir [2023], Vol. 6, pp. 581-582)
The “poor people” represent humble and kind-hearted people who care for others despite having little. The “king” represents love of wealth and materialism. The message is that those obsessed with money and status often ignore the needy and fall into Satan’s trap. To help his people overcome this, the Holy Prophetsa introduced laws that encourage generosity and caring for the poor. In his
vision, love of the world appeared as an old woman, while in Moses’as vision, it appeared as a harsh king, showing that materialism would affect Moses’as followers more strongly than the Prophet’ssa. (Five Volume Commentary, Ch.18: V.80)
This is why the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa, acting upon the command of Allah, instructed his ummah to make a hole in their boat, which translates to spending their wealth in the service of faith and humanity, so that love for the world does not take over their hearts, and their wealth does not become enslaved to the unjust world instead of being devoted to God.
“‘And as for the youth, his parents were believers, and we feared lest he should cause them trouble through rebellion and disbelief.
“So we desired that their Lord should give them in exchange a child better than him in purity and closer in filial affection.’” (18:81-82)
Here, in the language of dreams, youth represents energy, power, and ignorance, while his “killing” symbolises reducing these uncontrolled traits. The “parents” of the “youth” mean the human body and soul, which are the sources of human moral potential. So, the killing of the boy in Moses’as vision suggests bringing human passions and impulses under control. Humans have natural powers that can be used for good, but if left unchecked, they can lead to rebellion and disbelief. And thus, this verse means that Islam’s teachings help people control their desires and grow spiritually. In contrast, many followers of Mosesas gave in to their passions and lived indulgent, undisciplined lives. (Five Volume Commentary, Ch.18: V.81-82)
“And as for the wall,” it belonged to two orphans, and beneath it was treasure their righteous father had left for them. Fixing the wall protected the treasure until the boys were old enough to use it.
The wall represents key Jewish leaders like Mosesas, Jesusas, and Abrahamas. The treasure hidden beneath it represents the divine knowledge given to Mosesas and Jesusas
This verse explains that God preserved this knowledge in the Quran because the Jews, lost in worldly life, risked forgetting it. God did this out of mercy, despite their repeated disobedience, so they could return to the truth when ready. (Tafsir-e-Kabir [2023], Vol. 6, p. 585)
Mosesas kept questioning Al-Khidr because, from a human perspective, Al-Khidr’s actions seemed cruel or unfair; yet in reality, every act had a greater purpose that Mosesas couldn’t see at first.
Finally, Al-Khidr revealed to Mosesas “‘I did it not of my own accord. This is the explanation of that which thou wast not able to bear with patience.’” (18:83)
This phrase means the Al-Khidr didn’t hold divine knowledge by himself, it was all guided by God, as also stated in the Quran: “Nor does he speak out of [his own] desire.” (Surah an-Najm, Ch.53: V.4)
Conclusion: Majma’ al-Bahrain –
Where two prophetic eras meet
The vision of Mosesas is meant to show several key points: The Holy Prophetas was destined to come after Christianity became corrupt. Islam’s teachings differ from the Mosaic Law, making full cooperation between Jews and Muslims difficult, yet salvation still requires accepting Islam. Jews and Christians would initially reject the Prophetsa but eventually come to realise their beliefs are no longer effective. This realisation would lead them to accept the Prophet, guided by prophecies in the Qur’an. Once they accept Islam and its moral discipline, they will receive God’s mercy. (Five Volume Commentary, Ch.18: V.83)
The spiritual vision shown to Prophet Mosesas revealed the future shift from his era to that of Prophet Muhammadsa. The Quranic phrase “Majma‘ al-Bahrain” symbolises the end of Moses’as mission and the initiation of the Holy Prophet’ssa mission, which will continue with a new prophet bringing forth the completion of divine revelation for mankind. (Tafsir-e-Kabir [2023], Vol. 6, p. 559)
Maulana Hakeem Fazl-ur-Rahman: A pioneer Ahmadi-Muslim missionary in West Africa Pioneer Missionaries
A series looking at pioneer missionaries and devotees of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat who gave precedence to faith over the world.
Ghulam Misbah
Jamia Ahmadiyya Canada
The Promised Messiahas, in his book The Victory of Islam, states:
“The revival of Islam demands a ransom from us. What is that [ransom]? To die in this very path! This is the very death upon which the life of Islam, the life of the Muslims, and the glorious manifestation of the Living God depend; and this is the very phenomenon whose name is otherwise expressed as ‘Islam’. God Almighty now desires the revival of this very Islam, and in preparation for the undertaking of that momentous mission, it was necessary that He establish on His own behalf a grand operation that would prove effective in every way. So, that Wise and Omnipotent One did precisely that by sending this humble one for the reformation of mankind.” (The Victory of Islam, 2022, p. 12)
One of those venerable persons who submitted to this call was Hakeem Fazl-urRahman, who has left a rich legacy of loyalty, passion, devotion and humble services of Islam.
Maulana Hakeem Fazl-ur-Rahman was born to Hazrat Hafiz Nabi Bakhshra, a well-known companion of the Promised Messiahas, from Faizullah Chak, District Gurdaspur (Punjab, India). His mother, Azeem Bibi, was also a pious and Godfearing woman.
Hakeem Fazl-ur-Rahman was in ninth grade when he heard Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra announcing a scheme of life devotion for the cause of Islam (Waqf-eZindagi). He decided to participate in this blessed scheme. He failed his tenth-grade exam and, considering a retake, sought permission from Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra. However, Huzurra responded that the service I need from you does not require any university degree, so he abandoned the idea of further studies. Huzurra recommended a crash course for him and Sardar Misbahuddin, another life devotee.
In that era, Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Nayyarra (1883–1948) established the Ahmadiyya mission in West Africa. Huzurra appointed Hazrat Hakeem Fazl-ur-Rahman as a missionary in the Gold Coast, present-
day Ghana. He departed from Qadian on April 17, 1922, and reached Ghana via London, spending some days in Lagos, Nigeria.
The condition of Muslims there was miserable; especially the new generations were giving up their faith and embracing Christianity. Though it was an arduous task, having firm faith in the revelations of the Promised Messiahas, he carried on solitary work – day and night – and eventually, brought the religious stirring among the native Muslims. He himself states: [Translation] “When I first arrived here, I found the people who had entered Islam in a desperate condition. The reason is obvious: no teacher had been sent to them for their training[...] then, Allah the Almighty brought me here and made them understand and now, by the grace of Allah, there are many whose faith has reached to the extent of sincerity and who have now understood what Islam really is!” (Al Fazl, August 21, 1923, p. 9)
He travelled far and wide to spread the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat, delivered lectures, published various tracts, had numerous talks and conversations with the public and officials and introduced them to Ahmadiyyat, which secured him a considerable following by the grace of Allah. He worked hard and opened many other branches in West Africa.
To facilitate the proper religious education of Muslim boys and girls, two high schools were started, one at Saltpond and the other in Lagos, where facilities for oriental and religious studies were also provided. The building of Talim-ulIslam Ahmadiyya School at Saltpond was formally opened on 17 June 17 927, by Capt. J. H. West, District Commissioner of the Saltpond District. In his opening remarks, he stated:
“Mr Hakeem came to this country about five years ago [...] He came as a stranger to a strange land without a following, without a school, and without pupils. During these five years, he has built this school and has carried on his educational work. The school building is a testimony in itself to his labours. He and I have had many conversations on education; I know that his ideals are of a very high standing [...]” (The Review of Religions, October 1927, p. 17)
It is not possible to cover the extent of his services in a short essay; however, some glimpses are highlighted below.
He was a great orator and delivered several lectures on Islam Ahmadiyyat across Ghana, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. He delivered a lecture on “Islam” under the chairmanship of Professor John Augustus Abayomi-Cole (1846–1943) at Wilberforce Memorial Hall, Freetown, Sierra Leone. (The Review of Religions, March 1930) He arranged weekly lectures for Muslim prisoners in Lagos jail and also delivered lectures to the Muslim students of King’s College, Lagos. (Al Fazl, April 26, 1938)
Another remarkable approach to sharing the message was through the distribution of literature. He not only shared it publicly but also presented Islamic literature to various dignitaries, such as Louise, Princess Royal, and Prempeh I, the king of the Ashanti Empire. (Al Fazl, September 1, 1925)
He utilised his writing skills to pen numerous articles aimed at spreading the true message of Islam, whether by simply explaining the philosophy behind its teachings or by addressing the allegations made by Christian missionaries. For instance, Rev. W. T. Balmer, a Christian missionary in Ghana, authored a book titled “The History of Akan People,” in which he accused Islam of endorsing slavery. Hakeem Fazl-ur-Rahman promptly refuted these allegations in the Gold Coast Times on 30 January 1926. He published a calendar in 1929 containing the pictures of the Fazl Mosque in London and the Ahmadiyya Mosque in Chicago and the tomb of Jesusas in Srinagar, along with the argument that Jesusas did not die on the cross. The display of this unique calendar from house to house throughout the year conveyed a strong message of Ahmadiyyat, causing unease in Christian circles. (Al Fazl, May 14, 1929, p. 7)
In short, he not only defended Islam and Muslims against Christian propaganda, but also gave them a tough time. He promoted Islamic teachings among the Muslims and prepared them to fight any attack on Islam. By seeing this awareness amongst the Muslims, a Lebanese businessman, Hasan Mohammad Ibrahim Al-Husainy, wrote an article in an Arabic periodical, Al-Irfan, stating:
also contributed financially and worked tirelessly from dawn to dusk to complete the construction. As a result, the mosque was completed within months, and Hakeem Fazl-ur-Rahman inaugurated it on August 27 of the same year. Huzurra named it “Fazl Mosque”. (Al Fazl, November 24, 1943)
Shortly after the completion of the first central mosque in Lagos, he laid the foundation stone of the new mission house at Idunmagbo Avenue on Monday, August 6, 1945, despite humble means and various impediments. In his address on this auspicious occasion, he stated:
him out as a man who possesses not only vision, but also the necessary energy and organising ability to translate his dreams into reality.
Still greater things are expected of the local branch of the Ahmadiyya Movement under his lead, for the welfare and uplift, not only of those who belong to that particular sect, but of the Muslim Community of Nigeria as a whole.” (The Nigerian Daily Times, Lagos, Friday, 3 August 1945, p. 2)
[Translation]
“Such is the state of the (Ahmadi) missionaries, for they have spread across all corners of the inhabited world and have stood face to face with the missionaries of the Christian sects, inflicting upon them a defeat the likes of which they would not have endured, had it not been for them – especially if the matter had been left to the scholars of the Arab people, who have surrendered to the Sultan of the Kurds and are content with their worldly gains[...] and to the extent that the matter no longer concerned them at all [...] The [Ahmadiyya Community] entered the lands of the [Gold Coast, West Africa] a few years ago, and the number of those who joined its ranks and embraced Islam has exceeded twenty thousand. Moreover, the number of mosques they have built has surpassed one hundred and twenty-one. All of this is due to the tireless efforts and unparalleled dedication of its missionaries, whose zeal has no precedent in the Islamic world. Wherever they settle or depart, they represent an unceasing movement, undeterred by the hardships of life and the heat or cold of the lands they arrive in. So, where are the rest of the Islamic sects from following their example?” (Al ‘Irfan, Saida, Beirut, Vol. 29, No. 8-9, December and January 1939/1940, p. 850)
After spending seven years in Ghana, he was succeeded by Maulvi Nazir Ahmad Ali (1905 – 1955). As he returned, he received a warm welcome upon his arrival in Qadian in January 1930, where Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra himself welcomed him in the presence of a large number of Ahmadi members. He married Surayya Begum Sahiba. In February 1933, he was once again sent to Nigeria. Upon his arrival, he faced
a new challenge from within the Jamaat members. Nevertheless, despite the various challenges, he continued to work under the guidance of Hazrat Khalifatul Masihra and, by the grace of Allah, soon achieved success, leaving his adversaries far behind.
In addition to his missionary work, he also played an important role in the educational field. T.I. High School in Saltpond has already been mentioned. At Ahmadiyya School, Lagos, he launched a progressive educational programme. In November 1934, he travelled to Ibadan, accompanied by a sincere Ahmadi, Saka Jimebu, the President of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat Lagos, to discuss with the authorities the inclusion of Ahmadiyya school teachers in the training sessions offered to government school teachers, and he succeeded in obtaining permission. (Al Fazl, 12 March 1935) His efforts and struggles elevated Ahmadiyya School to one of Nigeria’s top schools, competing in both academics and extracurricular activities. Notably, the world-renowned Nigerian-British boxer Hogan Bassey (1932 – 1998) was trained at Ahmadiyya School. The Daily News, New York, reports, “It was while going to school that he took up boxing. He had moved to the capital city of Lagos [...] to further his education and was introduced to the sport at Ahmadiyya School. That was in 1948 and he learned so quickly […]” (Daily News, New York, Thursday, 30 October, 1958, p. 536)
One of the greatest achievements was the construction of the first Ahmadiyya mosque in Lagos on Oja Giwa Street. Its foundation was laid by Hazrat Chaudhry Sir Zafrulla Khanra, a devoted companion of the Promised Messiahas, on March 12, 1943, during a dignified ceremony attended by numerous honourable guests, including Sir Bernard Henry Bourdillon, the Governor of Nigeria; Sir John Colville, the Governor of Bombay; and Sir Muhammad Azizul Haque, the High Commissioner of India in the UK. The ceremony received extensive media coverage.
Hazrat Khalifaul Masihra graciously financed the mosque project with a £1000 grant. By the grace of Allah, the local Ahmadi members, both men and women,
“[...] the branch of the Ahmadiyya Movement in this country was established in 1916 or thereabouts. Its history in this country, as elsewhere, like all divine movements, is not a history which has been made by rolling on a bed of roses. It had its trials and tribulations. It had had to pass through persecutions. It had to walk along thorny paths to achieve the success that it has [...] We were stoned, we were stabbed with knives, we were ostracised from society and turned out of our houses and we were dragged into courts of law and whatnot. In short, every effort was made
that Ahmadiyyat should not stay here but [...] Allah made his plans to establish it here [...] and the tree of Ahmadiyyat became firmly established [...] and today the moon of Ahmadiyyat shines brightly like the full moon over the sky of Nigeria and the object of our gathering here this evening bears eloquent testimony to this fact.” (The Review of Religions, Qadian, November 1945, pp. 213-214)
Only three days before this ceremony, a non-Ahmadi journalist stated in his column:
“The local branch of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya is fortunate in having the active leadership of their energetic Emir Alhaji F. R. Hakeem, whose unbounded energy and outstanding organising ability are what is known to all who know him. Alhaji Hakeem’s work on the Gold Coast, from where, within a few years, he admirably succeeded in establishing an extensive mission with an ambitious and steadily expanding educational programme, marks
Another difficult trial he endured was the demise of his parents while he was in the field. His mother, Azeem Bibi, passed away in 1925 while he was in the Gold Coast (present-day Ghana), and in 1942, he received a telegram in Nigeria: “Extremely sorry, your father died. Hazrat led the funeral prayers. He was buried yesterday in a special part of the holy cemetery. God be with you.” (Al Fazl, April 22, 1942). He received this sad news with solace and fortitude, saying,
“Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”
It was during the foundation-laying ceremony that a new missionary from Qadian, respected Nasim Saifi Sahib (1917 – 1999), arrived in Lagos. After spending nearly two years with him, he handed him the charge of the mission and finally departed for India after 14 years. The members of the Nigerian Jamaat organised a grand farewell for their long-time friend, compassionate teacher, and great servant of Islam at the historic Glover Memorial Hall in Lagos. The event was attended by prominent dignitaries and presided over by a well-known doctor, Afrinolu Maja. (Al Fazl, November 5, 1947) On his journey to India, he spent a few days in Syria with the Jamaat members in Damascus. Subsequently, accepting an invitation from Jamaat Ahmadiyya Palestine, he also paid them a visit. Reports indicate: [Translation] Then our love and urgent invitation forced him to visit us, so we were honoured by his coming to Palestine on the 20th of Dhul Hijjah, and he stayed with us as an honourable guest and a venerable brother, and he stayed with us for ten days. The Ahmadiyya community in Kababir and Haifa celebrated him and held many gatherings to honour him, in which speeches and poems were recited, pictures were taken and his speeches were published in newspapers. Then he was bid farewell on the 29th of Dhul Hijjah, 1366 AH, with the same warmth he was received. God be with him[...] His descent among us was one of the blessings and favours of Allah, for we saw with our own eyes in his noble personality, one of the heroes of Islam and one of the prides of the Ahmadiyya, who spent 22 years serving Islam. (Al Bushra, Palestine, September 1947, pp. 129-130) Syrian and Palestinian local media also reported his visit.
He reached Pakistan in November 1947, just after the partition. He saw his wife after 14 years, while his children were already on the cusp of adulthood. Huzurra appointed him as Afsar Langar Khana (in charge of hospitality) in Rabwah. He fulfilled this duty with zeal and commitment but fell ill and eventually passed away on 28 August 1955, in Lahore. Being a musi, he was buried in Bahishti Maqbarah, Rabwah. His wife, Surayya Begum Sahiba, passed away on 13 October 1996 in Lahore and was also laid to rest in Bahishti Maqbarah.
Love at first sight
Breaking the false expectations of marriage
Living in the West means we’re brought up with a very romanticised and idealised version of love and relationships. Boy meets girl, falls in love and happily ever after… apparently.
However, all the typical cliches like “love at first sight” and “it’s meant to be” come crashing down either before your rishta search (if you’re lucky) or a few months after you get married. Imagine the horror of suddenly realising your chosen partner is neither the perfect person you idealised them to be nor the object of those intense loving feelings which you had since you first met.
Whichever way you look at it, we’re brought up to think that once you’ve found the “right one”, then you’ll have a life of endless bliss. A loving marriage till the end without any major conflict, with feelings of infatuation that last forever, and it’ll be an easy union. But with divorce rates rapidly rising, despite supposed “love marriages” and unions where “it’s meant to be”, where is it all going wrong?
A lawyer who handles lots of divorce cases said the number one reason people separate is because they “refuse to accept the fact that they are married to a human being”. (Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts, Drs. Les Parrott and Leslie Parrott, 1995, p. 29)
Love or infatuation?
In that initial attraction phase, otherwise known as “being in love”, we’re dazed by our hormones and the “feel good” chemical in our brain known as dopamine. So we don’t notice the many flaws of the other person as we’re quite literally “blinded by love”. The brain switches off or dampens the
areas related to logic and rationale, so you stop thinking clearly. You’ll ignore all the red flags and chase after the person because you’re adamant there’s no one else like her and she’s “the one”.
When you’re attracted to someone, your brain releases dopamine. This chemical gives you that warm, fuzzy feeling of being “in love”, which leads to obsessive infatuation and addiction, similar to that of people addicted to cocaine and alcohol. This explains why you might feel good about the other person and start thinking that it’s “meant to be”, even though it might not.
Everyone has flaws, and there’s no such thing as the “perfect person”. There may be good matches, but even then, that’s not a guarantee of a successful marriage because, as we’ll explore below, every marriage goes through ups and downs and has to be maintained.
“God help the man who won’t marry until he finds a perfect woman, and God help him still more if he finds her,” said Benjamin Tillett, a British politician in the early 1900s – he was definitely onto something.
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra mentioned in his nikah sermons that those people who marry for love and lust alone, when those feelings die down, their lives end up being destroyed. He said that one shouldn’t have too many prior expectations or rely on one’s own perceptions. Superficial things like age, name, and beauty become totally irrelevant in the long term. And if you ask every married couple, they’ll tell you the same.
Initial feelings aren’t reliable anyway. Having a good feeling when you “click” or thinking there’s a “spark” isn’t a reliable indicator of whether you’re compatible or a good match. In a letter to his brother-inlaw, Hazrat Dr Mir Muhammad Ismailra, who was seeking advice about a rishta, the Promised Messiahas said: “Don’t depend
on your hidden thoughts. Youthful and inexperienced thoughts are not reliable.”
(Seerat-ul-Mahdi, Vol. 1, Part 3, Narration no. 809, pp. 736-738)
Matchmaking based on character
Paul Brunson, one of the leading matchmakers in America, says compatibility is in four things: attachment style, ability to communicate, values and attraction. He also says that we’re terrible at knowing what we want, as we’re rarely thinking rationally in these situations.
He said aligned values, in other words, religion, character and outlook on life (as mentioned in the hadith), are “incredibly important” as is attachment style. And as long as you can communicate well, make collaborative decisions and have minimal attraction, then such a relationship can work. Yes, you read that right: minimal attraction. He said if you have no attraction, then don’t do it because it won’t work. But it just needs to be minimal because that can and does grow in the future. At least one partner also needs to have a secure attachment and not be needy or distant.
But we all know that the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa told us this long before. He desired to impress this upon us so much that he went to the extent of saying, “Marry the religious person, may your nose be rubbed in dust,” emphasising that if you marry a righteous person, you will prosper; otherwise, you won’t. (Sunan ibn Majah, Hadith 1858)
In another Hadith, he said the best provision in the world is a pious wife. (Sunan ibn Majah, Hadith 1855)
Lowering your gaze
There’s a good reason Islam teaches to avoid all approaches to zina (adultery) and commands men to lower their gaze. When you start looking freely and watching even ordinary TV programmes, the women you see become the expectations you have in terms of looks from your potential spouse. But looks can be deceiving and don’t determine the future quality of marriage. If you’re allowing your eyes to wander, you’re potentially going to reject perfectly good proposals that come your way, just because your expectations have been warped by other women that you’ve seen.
It’s difficult to accept these things when young and looking for a spouse. But if your religion is saying this, and marital experts outside of religion are corroborating it, and married couples tell you the same, then you’d be unwise not to pay attention.
Love is not enough
Love itself is not enough to make a marriage last either. Those feelings will die down, and when they do, you’ll need to find something else to keep the spark alive and remain committed to one another. While love ebbs and flows, your commitment to the marriage should be fundamentally based on your duty to God. If you take love to be a verb rather than a feeling and treat someone with love for the sake of God, as mentioned in the ahadith, then that will create a stronger bond and deeper love in the long run.
A person who loves another for the sake of Allah alone, holds Allah and the Prophet dearer than anything else, and hates to
revert to disbelief is one who has tasted the sweetness of faith, according to the Holy Prophetsa. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 21)
“Make each other happy for the sake of God. It can’t be that you do some work for God’s pleasure and obey His commands yet suffer and be destroyed because of it,” advised Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra. “God opens the doors of His mercy to the husband and wife who interact with each other with the pleasure of God in view.” (Khutbat-eMahmud, Vol. 3, p. 81)
Preparing for marriage
Many people spend all their time preparing for the wedding, but rarely for the marriage itself. Because of false expectations, they suffer severe disappointment just a few months into the marriage.
Marriage is the solution to all our problems, we’re sometimes told. Don’t have a job? Get married. Feeling low? Get married. Have health problems? Get married!
Believe it or not, this does have an element of truth. Married couples tend to be happier, healthier and financially better off than non-married people, according to numerous studies conducted in the last few decades. And those same benefits aren’t found in cohabiting couples. There’s something about the contract of marriage and making a commitment that brings about peace, trust, security and happiness. You know you have a partner for life, are sharing everything and are playing on the same team. Whereas in cohabiting partnerships, there’s no commitment and no guarantee. Your partner can run out on you at any moment. (The Case for Marriage: Why Married People are Happier, Healthier and Better Off Financially, 2001, Linda J. Waite)
At the same time, however, marriage isn’t the automatic solution to all your problems. The above benefits are dependent on hard work, putting time and effort into your marriage, and sticking through all the rough patches. Your partner can’t cure your bad habits or turn your life around. That is still largely up to you. Your spouse can help, but you still have to bring a positive attitude to the table and be willing to work together for the sake of you both. Another way of looking at it is that marriage is just two flawed people who have made a vow to stick together through thick and thin.
So in marriage, the boy and girl don’t know what kind of result their marriage will bring. There are many hidden matters that no one has knowledge of, even years into a marriage, so reliance on God is the only solution.
“Besides the prayer for a pious change in one’s self, one should pray for his children and wife, as most of the trials humans face are because of children,” the Promised Messiahas advised. (Malfuzat [1988], Vol. 5, p. 456)
Marriages start with great hope and excitement, yet people don’t consider the difficulties that may lie ahead. It also affects society, families and friendships. The progeny born out of it could be a blessing or a curse for the world. Marriage is a serious matter and not all fun and games. With this in view, and having realistic expectations and a reliance on prayer, marriage can truly be fruitful and filled with many blessings.
Atif Rashid UK
On Saturday, 14 June 2025, Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya UK held the “Life of Muhammad Conference” at Chelsea Old Town Hall in London. The event aimed to bring together people from all walks of life –academics, faith leaders and members of the public alike – to reflect on the life and teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa
Following the recitation and translation of the Holy Quran, the guests were formally welcomed and the purpose of the event was introduced: to highlight the relevance of Prophet Muhammad’ssa teachings in today’s world – not through preaching, but by learning about his life and character.
As a role model, every aspect of his life serves as a lesson for us all: his tolerance, his compassion for the poor, his bravery and courage in the face of persecution, his promotion of justice and his empowerment of women, to name a few. These aspects would be highlighted and elaborated upon in the course of the conference. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was also briefly introduced.
Human rights, justice and freedom of belief
The keynote address was delivered virtually by Professor Heiner Bielefeldt, a German academic and former UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief. Speaking from a human rights perspective, he thanked the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community for its contribution to the global struggle for religious freedom. He cited two examples which he personally found significant: the role of Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khanra, Pakistan’s first Foreign Minister and an Ahmadi Muslim, in shaping the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and a 2011 European Court case which protected the right of Ahmadi asylum seekers to practise their faith openly.
Professor Bielefeldt expressed that during his time in the UN, he came across many cases of Ahmadi Muslims persecuted in several countries, such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia. They were forced to either hide their faith or face punishment. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, he said, has paid a high price for religious freedom and, despite the heavy price, continues to lead in defending it.
The most influential person in history
A short video made by The Review of Religions was shown to the audience, in which the general public in London was asked to guess the most influential man to have ever lived. Gandhi, Einstein and Bill Gates were among the guesses, but the correct answer was Prophet Muhammadsa, according to Michael Hart’s book The 100: A Ranking of
Life of Muhammad Conference in London: A message of peace, pluralism and justice
the Most Influential Persons in History. The reactions were a mixture of shock, excitement and eagerness to learn more.
Charter of Medina and the roots of pluralism
A special message was then shared by Dr Boumédiène Benyahia, who reflected on the Prophet Muhammad’ssa migration to Medina and the historic Charter of Medina he established, which is often cited as one of the first written constitutions in the world. He explained that Prophet Muhammadsa established a pluralistic society by uniting the immigrants and natives (muhajirun and ansar), and that the Charter of Medina laid the foundations for peaceful coexistence, equality and the protection of religious freedom – values that remain under threat today.
Justice as a universal principle
Dr Zahid Khan, President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Board of Arbitration, then delivered a talk on Prophet Muhammad’ssa role as an arbiter of justice. Quoting from the Holy Quran (Surah an-Nisa, Ch.4: V.136), he highlighted the Islamic principle of bearing witness to truth even against one’s own self or kin. “This is the golden standard of justice,” he explained, which is expected at every level of human interaction. Citing
Continued from page 5
good.” (Surah aal-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.135)
When we get carried away with our anger, we begin to ascribe a sort of godliness to ourselves, presuming that we have the right to judge someone, get angry at them, and punish them for often trivial matters.
We cannot be like Allah Almighty in everything, but we can be merciful and forgiving. Anger is the easy path, but the reward lies in the struggle to overlook, forgive and move on. The lives of too many people, for too long a time, have been subjected to unwarranted trauma because of the anger they face, and even the anger they inflict.
Anger has the potential to destroy, but on the flipside, our mercy has the potential to build.
The Promised Messiahas has said:
“Often a battle ensues between ostentation and forbearance. At times, in contradiction to the Book of Allah, man shows anger. Upon hearing abuse, his inner self becomes incensed. Righteousness demands that one ought to suppress their anger, as stated in the Quran:
‘And when they pass by anything vain, they pass on with dignity.’ (Surah al-Furqan, Ch.25: V.73)
“Many a time, an individual is also required to fight against impatience. This means that a person is confronted with such a multitude of difficulties whilst treading a
the words of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa, he said that without justice, there can be no peace. In the current troubled state of the world, how true do these words hold true?
Zahid Khan sahib also spoke on the Holy Prophet’ssa experiences of persecution and his consistent commitment to justice and peace. Despite facing relentless abuse, exile and war, he forgave and united his people. The Charter of Medina, which the Holy Prophetsa established, predates the Magna Carta and American Constitution by centuries, and embodied universal values of dignity and equality. The world can learn much from the life of the Holy Prophetsa and the teachings of Islam, should people choose to take heed.
Panel Q&A discussion
The programme concluded with a panel Q&A with Dr Zahid Khan Sahib, Abdul Quddus Arif Sahib and Ibrahim Ikhlaf Sahib. Members of the audience raised questions on various topics, including the misuse of religion for violence by some, the punishment for blasphemy in Islam (i.e. depicting the Holy Prophetsa or writing inflammatory speech against him), the killing of Jews belonging to the Banu Qurayzah tribe, and the blueprint for lasting interfaith relations and harmony.
path of righteousness that it is difficult to attain one’s objective, and thus, such a one becomes impatient. For example, if someone wanted to dig a well fifty cubits deep, but they stopped digging after a mere two or three cubits, this is mere pessimism. Now, the condition of righteousness is that one should fulfil the commandments that have been enjoined by Allah the Exalted to the end and not become impatient.” (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 1, p. 22)
Bonds of compassion
Lastly, another form of the worship of Allah is maintaining the bonds of compassion amongst ourselves.
“Sure [all] believers are brothers. So make peace between brothers, and fear Allah that mercy may be shown to you.” (Surah al-Hujurat, Ch.49: V.11)
This verse lays special stress on Islamic brotherhood. Allah Almighty has declared us in the Holy Quran as family until the end of time, which means we don’t decide who our family is; it has been decided for us.
The commentary on this verse is as follows:
“Islam tolerates no discord or dissensions between brothers. If there happens to arise a quarrel or dispute between two Muslim individuals or groups, other Muslims are bound at once to bring about rec-
One academic, who is currently writing a book on prejudice, remarked that the majority of conflict stems not from religion but from power, land and jealousy. Religion being a source of violence is a common misunderstanding, which the panellists took time to dispel and clarify.
President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, Abdul Quddus Arif Sahib, explained how from the very inception of the idea of the conference, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa took keen interest in the planning phase. Huzooraa instructed that great attention to detail be upheld, including choosing a suitable name for the conference and ensuring the venue was appropriate and dignified. Huzooraa also selected the Jamaat speaker himself, and highlighted that the conference was just as important for Jamaat members as it was for external guests, hence they too should be encouraged to attend. It is with Huzoor’saa prayers, Quddus Sahib mentioned, that the event was a success, with many esteemed academics in attendance, as well a great turnout of the general public too.
All in all, the event was a success, as it brought together people of diverse backgrounds to remember the Holy Prophet Muhammad’ssa legacy – not just as a religious leader, but as a true role model in every aspect of life.
onciliation between the quarrelling parties. Islam’s real strength lies in this ideal of brotherhood which transcends all barriers of caste and color.” (Five Volume Commentary, Ch.49: V.11)
Malice and hatred for your own brother is a type of hell that we suffer from. This is one of the rewards of heaven mentioned by Allah Almighty:
“And We shall remove whatever of rancour may be in their breasts [so that they will become] as brothers [seated] on thrones, facing one another.” (Surah al-Hijr, Ch.15: V.48)
The Promised Messiahas states:
“Our community cannot flourish until we truly have compassion for each other. We ought to use all our faculties to love those who are weak.” In other words, whatever abilities and faculties we have been granted, we should utilise those and show love to those who are weak, instead of displaying hatred or contempt.
“I often hear that when an individual sees another stumble, rather than extending him courtesy, that individual looks at him with abhorrence and disgust.”
The Promised Messiahas stated this is wrong, and further said:
“A community can only be formed when people conceal the faults of one another and treat one another like true brothers.” (Malfuzat [1984], Vol. 3, pp. 348-349)
Photo by @UKMuslimYouth on X
100 years ago...
Spreading the message of Islam from Syria to Bulgaria and the Indian challenge
Missionaries set forth for Syria
Due to the very short notice with which the date of the ship’s departure was confirmed, it was not possible to organise formal farewell gatherings for Syed Zainul Abideen Waliullah Shah Sahib[ra] and Maulvi Jalaluddin Shams Sahib Fazil[ra] in accordance with the wishes of their friends. [...]
On the morning of 27 June [1925], these missionaries were scheduled to depart from [Qadian], Dar-ul-Aman. Students and teachers from both educational institutions, along with several other companions, had arrived early in the morning at the bend of the road to bid them farewell. Around 8 am, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra], accompanied by the departing missionaries and a number of other friends, set out.
Upon reaching the designated point of departure, Huzoor[ra] raised his hands in prayer along with the gathered assembly. Following the prayer, he embraced the missionaries. Due to the limited time and the large crowd present, it was not possible for him to shake hands with every single individual. As Huzoor[ra] stood amidst two rows of friends lining either side of the road, his gaze remained fixed upon the departing missionaries.
When their carriages began to move, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] returned from the farewell point. Although a carriage had been arranged, and despite the intense heat of the sun ahead, he chose to return on foot.
At the moment of parting, Maulvi Jalaluddin Sahib[ra], overcome with emotion, was unable to speak coherently. Friends are especially requested to remember in their prayers that God Almighty may grant these missionaries success and fulfilment in their service to His faith, safeguard them in every respect, and return them to us triumphant.
Telegram from the King of Bulgaria
When an attempt was made on the life of the King of Bulgaria and he survived, Dr Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahib[ra] sent him a congratulatory letter in a spirit of missionary outreach. The reply came in the form of a telegram, which reads as follows:
“Sofia Palais.
“Mufti Mohammad Sadiq Ahmadia Community, Qadian, Batala, India. Heart-
iest thanks for your kind congratulations, which deeply touch me. Boris R.”
Tabligh in India
[Hazrat Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad Sayal[ra] states]:
The Chief of Mankind, the Holy Prophet Muhammad Mustafa, peace and blessings be upon him, who was born among the idolatrous Arabs, at the age of forty, proclaimed the Tawhid [Unity of] God and his prophethood. The social and religious conditions of the Arabs at that time bore striking similarities to those of present-day Hindus. Yet, within the span of just 13 years, the message of Islam stirred a spiritual revolution throughout Arabia. In the 23 years of Hazrat Muhammad’ssa prophethood, the entire Arabia resounded with the powerful and majestic call of Allahu Akbar
Following the Holy Prophet’ssa passing, Islam began to spread with astonishing speed in all directions across the globe. Just as Arabia accepted Islam en masse, so too did the mountainous and rugged Afghans – devoted to the ancient culture of Persia –and the nomadic tribes of Balochistan. All embraced Islam without resistance.
However, the moment this magnificent spiritual force entered India, the situation took a different turn. We observe that Hinduism has withstood the influence of Islam for over a thousand consecutive years, and even today, Islam has not emerged from its precarious position in the subcontinent.
One reason for this is that Muslims arrived in India only after the era of the early period of Islam (qurun-e-ula) had passed. The difference between the Muslims who entered India and those who entered Persia is akin to the difference between Hazrat Umarra and Muhammad Ghori.
Yet, in my view, the fundamental reason lies elsewhere: Muslims have engaged with Hinduism as though it were a conventional religion, while in reality, it is a distinct and comprehensive civilisation or way of life, not merely a faith. As a result, their critiques never struck at the heart of the issue. That same strategic error continues to this day.
In most other religions, the core lies in doctrinal beliefs. If those beliefs are proven to be flawed, adherents are often willing to reconsider their stance and embrace Islam. For instance, if a Jew is convinced that
prophethood did not end with Mosesas and that the belief in confining prophethood to the Jewish people is erroneous, he may become inclined toward Islam and, in many cases, accept it. Similarly, when an Arab is shown that attributing partners to God is a grave error, he becomes Muslim. A Christian, when made to understand the fallacy of deifying a human being, also accepts Islam. The same principle can be applied to adherents of Zoroastrianism and Buddhism.
Hinduism, in essence, is not fundamentally concerned with matters of belief or doctrine; rather, it is grounded in a set of cultural norms and principles of social stratification – most notably, the system of caste distinctions and the practices surrounding discrimination on the basis of caste. A person is considered a Hindu not on the basis of specific theological convictions but by adhering to these sociocultural codes. Within this framework, one has full liberty to hold any range of beliefs. In Hindu thought, the central question is not what one believes about God or the afterlife. A person who believes in the oneness of God is considered a Hindu, just as someone who worships any number of natural or material objects is also regarded as a Hindu. Similarly, both a theist and an avowed atheist may equally claim a Hindu identity. One may revere the Vedas as divine revelation, or conversely, view them as frivolous and meaningless literature and yet still remain within the fold of Hindu society. One may believe in the doctrine of reincarnation (avagamana), or reject it entirely; one may abhor the consumption of meat as a grave sin, or partake in it freely and both positions are considered legitimate within the Hindu social order.
However, the moment an individual renounces the rigid system of caste hierarchy or violates, in practice, the traditional rules governing commensality, marriage, or social interaction, they are swiftly excommunicated from the Hindu community.
Thus, because Hinduism is not defined or limited by theological commitments, engaging in doctrinal debate with Hindus often proves ineffective. The true axis around which Hindu society revolves is not belief in God or the hereafter, but the system of castebased stratification. The issue of discrimination on the basis of caste and untouchability is inherently tied to this hierarchical order.
It is this system that determines who may be a priest (purohit), who holds rulership, and who is relegated to servitude. It dictates marriage eligibility, leadership roles, social status, wealth, poverty, honour, disgrace, education, and ignorance – not one’s creed, moral character, or intellectual merit.
For this reason, Hinduism is often referred to as Brahminism, for it privileges the Brahmin class and upholds the belief that the world and all that is within it exists for the benefit of the Brahmins. A person may deny the existence of God and yet remain a Hindu, but one who practically rejects the superiority of the Brahmin caste can no longer be considered part of the Hindu fold.
Therefore, when engaging in dialogue with a Hindu on matters of religion, it is more fruitful to focus not on doctrinal debates, but rather on the moral and social harms caused by the caste system and the injustices stemming from untouchability. The discussion should highlight how these practices have harmed India as a nation and the Hindu community as a people. At this particular juncture, the spirit of nationalism among Hindus is running high, and they are increasingly sensitive to anything that diminishes the honour or dignity of India. If it can be demonstrated that Brahminism and the caste system are sources of national disregard, it is likely that Hindus will grow disenchanted with these institutions. And once dissatisfied with Brahminism and Hinduism, the only refuge available to them is Islam, for the maladies of the Hindu caste system find no remedy except in the teachings of Islam. Thus, it becomes all the more necessary to make the most of this opportunity.
I intend to elaborate in a separate essay on how the caste system has obstructed Hindu national progress and how the community may be made aware of its detrimental effects. In the meantime, I urge friends and colleagues to reflect seriously on this matter. Before I compose this forthcoming article, I would appreciate it if others would share with me any insights or suggestions that may occur to them. – Fateh Muhammad Sayal
(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu, published in the 30 June 1925 issue of Al Fazl)
Friday Sermon
Mubarak Mosque, Islamabad, Tilford, UK
23 May 2025
Muhammadsa: The great exemplar
After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz, and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:
In the previous sermon, I mentioned an incident where a Muslim killed someone despite that person offering the greeting of peace (salaam), and in relation to this, I also recited verse 95 of Surah al-Nisa, in which it is stated that if someone greets you with peace, do not say that he is not a believer. The full details of that incident were not shared at the time.
Further details are – as I had briefly mentioned – that the Holy Prophetsa had stopped the man from doing this. It is also reported that the Holy Prophetsa expressed great anger and distanced himself from him. In fact, some narrations state that he even prayed against him. In any case, the Holy Prophetsa was deeply grieved by this act, because the issue of retribution for the murdered person was later brought before him by the victim’s family after the Battle of Hunain. Therefore, the details of this incident will be shared when the Battle of Hunain is mentioned, insha-Allah
In any case, the Holy Prophetsa regarded this as a heinous crime. If only today’s clerics in Pakistan – the so-called custodians of faith – could understand this, and stop the injustices they are committing against Ahmadis, then perhaps they might be saved from Allah’s punishment.
In any case, continuing with the narrations of the various expeditions, I will now speak about the Conquest of Mecca, which took place in 8 AH. This expedition is also referred to as the ‘Great Victory’. As I mentioned, this occurred in Ramadan 8 AH. It was a truly magnificent and grand conquest, the glad tidings of which had already been foretold by Allah the Almighty. As a result of this conquest, people began entering Islam in large groups. (Sharh alZurqani, Vol. 3, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 386; Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 200)
While explaining the glad tidings of the Conquest of Mecca as foretold in the Holy Quran, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states:
“And say, ‘O my Lord make my entry into this city (i.e., Mecca) a good entry (i.e., grant victory and success after the migration), and then make me come forth with a good forthcoming (i.e., the migration) from this very city. And grant me the means to success and support from Thyself.’
“This is the verse of Surah Bani Isra’il which was revealed prior to the migration, in which the migration and the subsequent conquest of Mecca were foretold.” (Dibacha Tafsirul Quran, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 20, p. 346)
In Surah al-Fath, the glad tidings of the Conquest of Mecca has been mentioned as follows:
“Surely, Allah was well pleased with the believers when they were swearing allegiance to thee under the Tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, and He sent down tranquillity on them, and He rewarded them with a victory near at hand.”
(The Holy Quran, 48:19)
The truth is that on the very day the Holy Prophetsa migrated from Mecca, Allah the Almighty had already given him the glad tidings that “Do not grieve; a day will come when I shall return you to this very place.” Indeed, it is mentioned that the following
verse was revealed during the migration:
“Most surely He Who had made the teaching of Qur’an binding on thee will bring thee back to thy place of return.” (The Holy Quran, 28:86)
Imam Fakhruddin al-Razi, in his commentary on this verse, states that the ma‘ad – “place of return” – refers to Mecca, and the reason for this is that it points to the return of the Holy Prophetsa to Mecca on the day of its conquest.
According to one narration, at the time of the migration, when the Holy Prophetsa was between Mecca and Medina, he expressed his love for Mecca. At that moment, the Angel Gabriel descended and said:
“Do you feel an attachment to your homeland and place of birth?” The Holy Prophetsa replied, “Yes.” Gabriel then said: “Allah the Almighty has declared:
“‘Most surely He Who had made the teaching of Qur’an binding on thee will bring thee back to thy place of return.’” That is, Allah will grant you dominance over the Quraish and return you to Mecca. For the Holy Prophetsa had been in Mecca, then left it, and eventually returned – and this could not have suitably applied to any place other than Mecca.
According to researchers, this verse of the Holy Quran is a proof of the prophethood of the Holy Prophetsa, because he conveyed a prophecy from Allah Almighty about the unseen, and events unfolded exactly as foretold. (Razi, Al-Tafsir al-Kabir, Vol. 13, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 19)
At another place in the Holy Quran, the prophecy of the Conquest of Mecca has also been made, in which the Holy Prophetsa along with all Muslims are essentially reminded that wherever they go, they should not forget that in the end Mecca shall be conquered, and they must also strive, work hard, and pray for it. And in light of this Quranic prophecy, we can say that one of the purposes and central goals of all the battles and military expeditions of the Holy Prophetsa thus far was the Conquest of Mecca.
Hence, while mentioning this great prophecy of the Quran:
[“And from wherever thou comest forth, turn thy face towards the Sacred Mosque] (The Holy Quran, 2:150)
This is a verse from Surah al-Baqarah. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, states in his commentary:
“The commentators have interpreted “from wherever thou comest forth” to mean that wherever you may be, in every condition, keep the Sacred Mosque as the Qiblah. The reason they give for this, is that from the earlier command one might have assumed that perhaps this Qiblah is only for the people of Medina and not for others. Therefore, Allah the Almighty said: “Wherever you come forth from, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque.”
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra continues:
“But the truth is that, whether in this verse the Holy Prophetsa is being addressed or whether all Muslims are being addressed, the meaning cannot be about facing the Qiblah, firstly, because the prayers that are offered while residing in a city or town are generally more in number than those offered while leaving [on a journey out of] the city. In such a case, the command should have been one that applies to the greater number of prayers, rather than giving an order that, due to being in a state of travel, would apply to very few situations. For example, a person might leave a city at 10am, or between Asr [late-afternoon prayer] and Maghrib [prayer offered right after sunset], or in the middle of the night, and all these are times in which the question of prayer does not even arise. In such circumstances, the command “and from wherever thou comest forth, turn thy face towards the Sacred Mosque” becomes meaningless, because rarely is there an opportunity for prayer at the time of leaving a city. By then, a person has usually either already prayed or, if he has yet to pray, he can offer it slightly later. In any case, there is no direct connection between departure and prayer.
“Furthermore, these meanings could only be accepted as valid if there were any prayer specifically tied to the moment of departure. But everyone knows that no prayer is tied to the moment of departure. In such a case, applying this verse to the act of departing for a journey is by no means correct.
“Another argument proving that ‘from wherever thou comest forth’ does not refer to facing the Qiblah during prayer is that, while travelling, even the concept of direction sometimes ceases to apply, and one prays in whichever direction they are facing. For example, if a person cannot get down from a mount, then it is proven from the Holy Quran and the practice of the Holy Prophetsa, that in such a case, one can offer prayers no matter the direction they are facing. (If one is offering prayer during travel, then it is permissible to offer prayers in any direction) whether it be towards the Qiblah or elsewhere. At such times, the issue of direction does not arise; East, west, north, and south all become the same. The focal point of one’s heart should only be toward the Holy Ka‘bah. (While praying, you must only think that your attention is toward the Holy Ka‘bah.)
“[...] Nowadays, when one is sitting in a train, there is no fixed direction either, because the train sometimes turns north, sometimes south, sometimes east, and sometimes west. (We observe this
similarly in long journeys via airplanes.) Nevertheless, the prayer of the passenger who offers prayers are not invalidated. If we take the interpretation of the commentators as correct, then neither can a person riding an animal act upon this command, nor someone sitting in a train. So, when direction does not remain fixed during departure, then how can it be correct to interpret this verse to mean that ‘wherever you depart from, face the Ka‘bah in prayer’?
“Then this interpretation is also incorrect because the literal meaning of the words in this verse are, ‘Wherever you emerge from, turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque,’ in other words, turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque from whence you’ve set out.
“Now, everyone can understand that the obligatory prayers cannot be offered while walking. Rather, they are observed by stopping at a place to offer them. Indeed, if the words of the verse were
“‘Wherever you are, turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque,’ then the interpretation of ‘turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque wherever you may be’ could be deemed correct, but the words here are:
“Meaning, ‘O Muhammad, the Messenger of Allahsa,’ or ‘O ye Muslims, wherever you set out from, turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque.’
“Now, it is obvious that the obligatory prayers are not offered while exiting a place but by stopping somewhere first. Hence, it becomes clear that to interpret this to mean offering prayer is incorrect on all fronts. Commentators say that if the connection between the daily prayer and physically exiting from one’s place is not acknowledged, then this would be considered repetition, even though this too is incorrect. The only reason they see this as repetition is because they have failed to understand the true interrelation between the various subject-matter in the Holy Quran. Wherever they see any apparent conflict in the Quran, they immediately resort to discussing abrogation, hiding behind the practice of saying that one verse is abrogated on account of another, seeking to absolve themselves of facing any sort of allegation. Even though, if the realities of the Holy Quran that the Promised Messiahas has demonstrated to the world were borne in mind, neither would they see any repetition, nor would there arise the need to declare some verses as abrogated.
“The fact is that when the Messenger of Allahsa was driven out from the blessed town of Mecca, the enemies of Islam had the opportunity in that moment to raise an objection: ‘Since you are the promised one in fulfilment of the Abrahamic prayer and thus connected to the Holy Ka’bah, why were you driven out of Mecca? How can you be the true manifestation of the Abrahamic prayer now that you have been driven out from Mecca.’
It is in response to this objection that God Almighty announced the words:
“That ‘O Muhammadsa, Messenger of Allah, your being driven out from Mecca is but temporary. We promise you that we
shall once again grant you the opportunity to return and that in fact you shall become victorious over Mecca.’ However, as is the divine way with God’s promises to His servants, He also expects that they will strive toward fulfilling it. It is not that God promises them something and so they sit on their hands and do nothing to fulfil this divine promise, thinking that now that God has made a promise, He should fulfil it completely by Himself – what need have we to partake in its fulfilment? (Lest people begin thinking like this.)
“God Almighty made a promise to the people of Mosesas that they would be given the land of Canaan. Prophet Mosesas set out with his people toward it. When they reached it, he told his people, ‘Go ye and fight and conquer this land.’ But the people of Moses made the mistake of thinking that since God Almighty has promised us this land, He will Himself fulfil it and make it over to us. If we conquer this land, then what use is God’s promise? Since God Almighty has made the promise, He ought to fulfil it Himself. We do not need to make any effort to this end. Thus, they replied to Mosesas:
“O Moses! You used to say to us that God shall grant us this land. Now the entire responsibility of making good on this promise is upon you or your God. If we ourselves conquer this land, then what good were you or your God? Since you would tell us that it is the promise of God Almighty that this land shall surely be granted to us, therefore, go thou and thy Lord and fight, and here we sit – we shall not do anything. Once you conquer the land and hand it over to us, only then shall we enter it.
“Now it may appear that they were correct to say this because if someone promises to give another person a particular thing, and later that individual comes to claim it, only to be told, ‘Go and purchase it from the market yourself,’ everyone would deem such a promise unnecessary if after all he had to purchase it from the market himself.
“Thus, this argument may seem rational. However, in relation to divine communities, such a notion is utterly unreasonable. That is why God Almighty did not praise the Israelites. He did not say: ‘You do not need not fight, it is upon Us to secure the land and hand it to you.’ Rather, He declared: ‘You have dishonoured Us. Therefore, you shall be deprived of this land. Go, and wander in the wilderness for forty years. You shall not inherit this land – your new generation shall be its inheritors, for you have shown dishonour to Us.’
“Now, such an approach can be considered to be valid and reasonable from a worldly perspective, but from the perspective of a divine mission, it is completely unreasonable and renders one deserving of divine punishment. The reason is that when a human makes a promise, they have no control over heavenly or earthly changes, (i.e., a person does not have any influence over the heavenly and worldly changes). Hence, when one makes a promise, it is only in relation to that which lies within their own capacity. But when God Almighty makes a promise, it implies that – even if the fulfilment of that promise appears impossible – but through Divine help it shall be fulfilled.
“The nation which had been enslaved by Pharaoh for centuries, who made bricks and cut wood for him and engaged in the most degrading tasks, how could they possibly conquer such a great land ruled by a powerful nation such as the people of Ad? It was no easy feat to attain this land, yet God said: ‘Though the acquisition of this land appears impossible to you, We promise We shall grant you this land and you will attain it through Our help.’
“Therefore, a divine promise does not mean that one should now remain idle and put forth no effort. Rather, it signifies that when you endeavour towards that goal, God shall assist you and make you triumphant. In essence, there is a distinction between the nature of a divine promise and that of a human. Divine promises that require practical effort necessitate human involvement. To fulfil them, one must strive. If one does not involve themselves in its fulfilment, they become deserving of punishment.
“In contrast, this does not apply to the promises made by a human. A person cannot say: ‘I shall change the course of divine destiny for you.’ for this is not in human control. Should anyone make such a claim, they would rightly be questioned by Allah the Almighty: ‘Who are you to alter destiny?’ On the other hand, God can say: ‘If you act according to My command and strive for this, I shall assist you and alter the course of destiny,’ for destiny is within His power, and He may change it as He wills.
“When the Holy Prophetsa was vouchsafed the divine promise of the Conquest of Mecca, the Muslims were also warned alongside this: ‘O Muslims, do not be like the people of Moses who thought that since God had promised them victory, He would fulfil it Himself and they would not need to make any effort on their part. In fact, you too must strive to fulfil it.’
“The promise of God meant: ‘You are weak – if you were not, why would you have left Mecca? Leaving Mecca signified your weakness, and your enemy is strong. But God shall grant you strength, and you shall reclaim Mecca from your adversaries.’
“Thus, the term ‘khurooj’ [i.e. departure/ go forth], mentioned in the command:
“means that wherever you depart from, let your direction and purpose be the conquest of Mecca.
“The term ‘khurooj’ also carries the connotation of military expeditions. In that context, the verse means: ‘Wherever you embark upon a military campaign – be it east, south, west, or north – your objective should be to lay the foundation for the conquest of Mecca.’
“For instance, if you plan to attack an enemy from the south, but learn that they have allies to the west who might launch an assault from the rear, then first attacking the west is, in essence, a preliminary step towards the southern campaign. Similarly, if their allies reside in the north and you engage them first, this too serves the original purpose of defeating those in the south.
“It is in reference to this very principle, Allah the Almighty says: ‘O Muslims, in every expedition against a people, country or area, let the true purpose of your direction be towards the conquest of Mecca, for Allah intends to grant you its victory.’
“Thus, when we study the battles and expeditions of the Holy Prophetsa, this principle becomes manifest. The overarching purpose of all his military expeditions was none other than the ultimate Conquest of Mecca. In whichever battle, he felt that the fulfilment of this objective was lost, or when a battle with a particular people threatened to delay the Conquest of Mecca, the Holy Prophetsa would completely refrain from engaging in it – even when provoked.
“Many tribes challenged him and acted in an inciteful manner, but the Holy Prophetsa always responded with patience and forbearance. However, if a tribe challenged them whose defeat would clear the path to Mecca, he did not hesitate to act.
“Indeed, upon analysis of all the Islamic battles reveals a deep, divinely guided wisdom behind them – particularly those preceding the conquest of Mecca, whose sole objective was to pave the way for that very victory.
“Had the verse simply meant: ‘Wherever you are, turn your face toward the Qiblah,’ then as mentioned earlier, the words:
“‘from wherever you go forth’ would not have been used, instead it should have been ‘wherever you are, turn towards the direction of the Qiblah. The words ‘wherever you may be’ should have been used in order to instruct one to turn towards the Qiblah This is because at the time of departing, people do not pray, rather they prepare to walk.
“Hence, this verse has nothing to do with the offering of prayers. In fact, the only meaning of this verse is that wherever you go forth from, whether it be a place facing the east or a place facing the west, whether it be a place facing the north or a place facing the south, your direction should be towards Mecca. In other words, your attention, your thoughts, and your mind should be focused solely on the fact that you must gain victory over Mecca and by establishing Islam there bring all of Arabia under its influence.
“Wujuhun also means ‘directions’. Therefore, this means that you should have a singular purpose; to conquer the Holy Ka’bah and make it the centre of Islam, because until Islam spreads in Mecca, until Mecca does not come under the rule of Muslims, the rest of Arabia cannot become Muslim. This was the established programme for Muslims, and this programme was undoubtedly well beyond their capabilities. Though there was no formal government in Arabia there also wasn’t complete lawlessness. It had various kings associated with it who would form pacts and the like.
“Similarly, though Mecca was not formally governed, it was the capital of a nation that had a population of 1.5 to 2 million. The surrounding tribes looked towards it and deemed their decisions and laws to be binding. Then, according to those times, it was a very large city with a population of 15,000 to 16,000. And not just in this city, but all 1.5 to 2 million men of the population of the nation were soldiers and were very skilled in warfare. They were fighters, brave and quarrelsome and it was not easy for the Muslims to combat them. At the time this verse was revealed to the Holy Prophetsa, the Muslims only had 400 to 500 soldiers, or a thousand at most.
Including women and children, they would have numbered a total of 11,000 or 12,000. The Muslims did not have more numbers that this, and their military strength was nothing worth mention. Yet, despite the Muslims being in a very weak state, not having numbers even comparable to the disbelievers, not having any weaponry, and not having any military strength in comparison to the disbelievers, Allah the Almighty presented a challenge to the disbelievers; that though they might see the Muslims as being small in number, as being weak and powerless, those very Muslims would conquer their land one day and take over their capital. They would attain such victory that they would institute the laws of Islam there and completely eradicate disbelief from the land of Arabia.
“Considering the state of the Muslims, this was a fantastical claim to make. What’s more, this claim was not limited to a specific area, rather the impact of this claim was wide ranging and vast, because not only was victory over Mecca foretold, not only was the conquest of Arabia announced, rather Christianity was also challenged, Judaism was also challenged, Magism was also challenged and it was announced with great veracity that Islam would overcome all these religions and become victorious over the entire world. This claim was a fantastical one; that is why the disbelievers used to call the Holy Prophetsa mad – God forbid –and also considered the Companions to be mad as well, because they could not see any worldly means for the fulfilment of the claim that they were making. However, the reality is that for extraordinary things to happen, until a certain state does not come about in each person, which in certain conditions is considered in medical terms as monomania (being entirely focused on a singular thing) until he does not forget about everything else, until a sort of constant unrest and uneasiness does not come about, and until he does not develop a distinct passion for extraordinary works, he can never be successful in these undertakings.
“It is this very matter that the Holy Quran has drawn attention towards in this verse; that you should forget all else and make this your sole goal; that we will conquer Mecca for the sake of Islam. Until this centre and this fortress is not obtained, you will not attain victory in all of Arabia, nor the entire world. Here, the question arises as to why Allah the Almighty said that ‘And from wheresoever thou comest forth, turn they face towards the Sacred Mosque’ instead of saying ‘whichever direction you wage an attack, remain focused upon the Sacred Mosque’? The answer is that it is at the time of departure that the decision is made as to the purpose of the attack. It is not that one begins fighting first, and then thinks of its purpose later. Since the purpose here was to draw attention towards keeping the Conquest of Mecca in mind, Allah said that at the time of setting forth, consider the implications of your battle upon the conquest of Mecca. If that battle is not helpful towards the conquest of Mecca then abandon it.
“However, this should not be taken to mean that Islam gives its followers permission for an offensive war, because history can attest that battles against the disbelievers had started even before this verse was revealed. It should also be
remembered that:
“[‘And from wheresover thou comest forth’] is addressed only to the Holy Prophetsa, because there would remain no need for Mecca to be conquered in the same way after the Holy Prophetsa, as there was not to be any attack against Mecca after him. Rather, it was to remain entirely under the control of Muslims. In other words, this was a prophecy for the future that Mecca would never again be physically conquered, because an effective community would be brought about that would maintain the supremacy of Mecca and it would always remain under the control of Muslims.”
(Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol, 3, 2022, pp. 11-18)
This commentary and introduction was necessary because the coming mention of the incidents relating to the Conquest of Mecca will be easier to understand with this background. The rest will be mentioned in the future, insha-Allah
At this time, I will also mention a martyr and lead his funeral prayer after the [Jumuah] prayer: Dr Sheikh Muhammad Mahmud Sahib of Sargodha, son of Sheikh Mubashar Ahmad Sahib of Delhi. Opponents of Ahmadiyyat opened fire and martyred him on 16 May.
[“Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”]
According to the details, on the day of the incident Doctor Sahib was returning with his family from offering the Friday prayer to the Fatima Hospital in Sargodha where he practiced. He entered the hospital, crossed the main entrance and reached the corridor across the emergency and was walking towards his room when a person who was already there and had been following him took out a pistol from a shopping bag and shot him in the back. He was struck by two bullets which went through him. He was immediately taken to the civil hospital; however, he could not endure the wounds upon which respected Doctor Sahib became a martyr.
[“Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”]
Following the incident, the assailant, brandishing his weapon, fled from outside the hospital on a motorcycle accompanied by an accomplice. At the time of martyrdom, the deceased was 59 years old. Ahmadiyyat was introduced to the martyr’s family through Hazrat Sarfraz Hussain Dehlvira, who was the brother of his greatgrandfather, respected Babu Ejaz Hussain Sahib. He had the honour of accepting Ahmadiyyat by pledging allegiance to the Promised Messiahas. Subsequently, the martyr’s great-grandfather, respected Babu Ejaz Hussain Sahib of Delhi, also pledged allegiance through his brother’s influence. Both the martyr’s great-grandfather Babu Ejaz Hussain Sahib and grandfather Babu Nazir Ahmad Sahib had the honour of serving successively as Amirs of the Jamaat in Delhi.
The martyr completed his FSc [examinations] from FC College, Lahore, then enrolled at Rawalpindi Medical
College, graduating with an MBBS degree in 1990. After obtaining his MBBS, he passed the Punjab Public Service Commission exam and served for four years at Services Hospital and Jinnah Hospital in Lahore. In 1998, he was granted membership of the Royal College of Physicians UK, and in 2021, he was honoured with a Fellowship from the same institution. The deceased martyr moved to Sargodha in 2001, motivated primarily by a desire to serve humanity. He became the first specialist in liver and stomach diseases in the Sargodha district. In Sargodha, he joined a private hospital, where he enjoyed an excellent relationship with the hospital owner. However, the owner had a political background and intended to stand in the National Assembly elections in 2018. Facing threats from religious clerics, the owner was forced to ask the doctor to leave the hospital and that he could no longer work there. Consequently, doctor sahib departed and joined another hospital.
Since moving to Sargodha in 2001, he regularly dedicated time as a visiting physician at Fazl-e-Omar Hospital in Rabwah. Allah the Almighty had gifted him with the ability to heal, and many patients benefitted significantly from his treatment. Besides his secular knowledge, he was deeply versed in religious studies, extensively studying Quranic commentary, Tadhkirah, Ruhani Khazain and other Jamaat literature, including literature addressing contentious issues. He also served the Jamaat as Naib Amir of Sargodha district.
He was actively involved with the Medical Association after its establishment, becoming its Vice President in 2024. He also served as President of the Sargodha chapter. Despite suffering from cancer for the past three years, he always prioritised the illnesses of others over his own and remained everready to serve. His compassion and love for patients were exceptional, often providing free treatment to the needy, even giving them fare money for their return journeys. He also paid personally for some patients’ medical tests.
As it was mentioned earlier, he was the first specialist for liver and stomach diseases in the Sargodha district. He quietly and significantly contributed to the marriages of financially disadvantaged girls. One such individual narrates that Doctor Sahib regularly assisted him financially for a long period. Initially, this person visited once or twice a month but gradually began visiting every two or three days. Despite this increased frequency, Doctor Sahib continued to support him. On one occasion, when this individual made an unreasonable demand, Doctor Sahib, who usually would never get angry and had a gentle disposition inadvertently spoke harshly. Owing to his innate disposition and piety, he remained restless through the night for speaking sternly and called the individual the following day, apologised sincerely, and provided substantial financial assistance.
He deeply revered elders of the Jamaat and often travelled specially to Rabwah to treat patients whenever required.
His mother, Amatul Hayy Sahiba, states that he deeply respected his parents, fulfilling all their needs without them having to ask. She never asked for it, but he always fulfilled her needs. He exhibited numerous admirable traits from childhood, kept to his own work, was deeply committed to
Khilafat, cared profoundly for the poor and sick, and meticulously managed financial transactions. He kept the entire family together.
His wife, Amatul Noor Sahiba, mentions he constantly advised their children to remain connected with Jamaat. His devotion to Khilafat was extraordinary, regularly listening to sermons and meticulously noting points in a diary – a practice few, including life-devotees, consistently follow. He would note points from the Friday Sermon so he could benefit from them. His contributions to financial sacrifices were exemplary; at his martyrdom, his Wasiyyat contributions were fully settled up to 2025.
He has four children, including two sons – one of whom is a doctor – and two daughters. His son, Dr Basir, recounts how he always emphasized maintaining a strong bond with Khilafat. His daughter, Saimah, describes him as an exceptionally affectionate father who advised her after her marriage that after moving in with her inlaws, she should remain attached with the Jamaat and never refuse the opportunity and honour to serve it. She notes he consistently found ways to integrate Jamaat service even into general activities.
One daughter-in-law recalls how strongly he emphasised placing trust in Allah. Whenever asked for guidance, he always started and ended his advice with prayers.
His sister remarks that he was deeply troubled by opposition to the Jamaat. He consistently offered voluntary prayers and Tahajjud [pre-dawn voluntary prayers] daily.
The Amir of the Sargodha district, Khalid Mahmood Sahib, describes him as a great humanitarian, a humble man, characterized significantly by humility and service to humanity.
Majority of the time he would return the fees of the poorer patients. Making sacrifices for the Jamaat was one of his salient qualities. Aside from paying his Chanda and promises etc, he would assist by making additional sacrifices. He showed great respect to the office bearers of the Jamaat.
Zubair Sahib, the missionary of the Sargodha Jamaat says: “A very dear individual has departed from us; who was a servant of humanity, a personification of mercy and benevolence; someone who healed hundreds of thousands, he was a devotee of Khilafat and an angel personified. The late martyr was a Dervish, and every aspect of his life was exemplary. Whenever an office bearer of Life Devotee would go to him, he would get up from his chair, and even when they would leave, he would see them out up to the door.” He further says: “When he was told that the conditions are worsening, he should employ a security guard or have a khadim for safety measures, Doctor sahib would reply: ‘I could indeed keep a guard or an attendant with me for security, but I cannot bear the thought that – God forbid – if someone were to come to kill me, another person might lose their life on my account.’
“Although the opponents had distributed leaflets throughout the district inciting that he was deserving of death and such and
such punishment, he never paid any heed to such threats. The list that the opponents had compiled of Ahmadis who were to be targeted featured Doctor Sahib’s name at the very top. In fact, there was a certain cleric, Akram Toofani, who had even issued an edict declaring it lawful for him to be killed and that edict had been publicly distributed as well. Yet, despite all this, the government took no action.”
The administrator of Fatima Hospital, which is a Christian hospital, and himself a pastor, remarked: “A servant of humanity and a noble soul has departed from us. Our hearts are overwhelmed with grief.” In fact, this gentleman, who is a Christian, came to Rabwah to attend the funeral of the deceased, along with members of the hospital’s administrative staff and other colleagues.
Social and print media also covered the martyrdom of Doctor Sahib. An Assistant Commissioner wrote a post – this is all they can do, they are unable to take any real action, for they lack the courage to stand up to the clerics or to take any decision against them – nonetheless, even this act reflects a degree of bravery – that as a woman she wrote in her post: “Sheikh Mahmood was nothing less than a saviour for the poor. He was an exceptional medical specialist. At times, he would even provide costly diagnostic tests free of charge to the underprivileged. There is perhaps hardly a single household in the entire district that did not benefit from Doctor Sahib’s care.”
She is not part of the Jamaat but she praised him saying that he would often treat patients free of charge, and that this, in her view, was a tremendous act. She said, “I say this with full awareness because I myself am a doctor. Dr Sahib could have gone abroad, to any country, and earned a great deal of wealth, living a life of luxury. But he chose instead to stay in Sargodha and devote himself to serving humanity.”
She further says: “Today, for the first time, I have wept over the passing of someone with whom I had no personal connection, it was only a bond of humanity. This gentleman had bestowed immense favours upon the servants of God. If one were to ask what his crime was, the answer is that his only crime was that he was an Ahmadi.”
Another doctor wrote: “Doctor Sahib was the first medical specialist in Sargodha to have completed the ARCP. Despite his exceptional competence and seniority, even to this day, he performed procedures at the lowest rates in Sargodha. He was murdered solely because of his faith. Is there any law left in this country?”
A journalist and anchor from a private television channel wrote: “I have no words to condemn this barbaric and utterly tragic act. It is beyond expression.”
Another journalist remarked: “This has gone on for far too long. In order to save Pakistan, extremist groups and organisations must be stopped. It is imperative to ban these extremist organisations if we are to put an end to such activities which violate basic human rights and target Ahmadis.”
There is such fear of these so-
called custodians of faith that even the government, law enforcement agencies and the courts are powerless before them. May Allah the Almighty swiftly bring about the means to seize them. It is necessary now to be rid of them completely in order for the country to be saved, because these so-called religious people, who in fact are carrying out extremism in the name of religion, are bent on seeking to destroy the country. They attack anyone who opposes them. In any case, our supplications are before Allah the
Almighty alone and we ought to do justice to this. May Allah the Almighty elevate the ranks of the deceased martyr and grant patience and steadfastness to his loved ones. He leaves behind his elderly mother; may Allah the Almighty alleviate her grief. May Allah the Almighty keep his wife and his children in His protection and security.
(Official Urdu published in the Daily Al Fazl International, 13 June 2025, pp. 2-6. Translated by The Review of Religions.)
