The last witnesses: Why nuclear weapons violate human dignity
Eighty years after Hiroshima, an unlikely moral coalition demands we ask better questions
Ruriko Araoka was four when she heard her three-year-old brother’s final words.
“Mummy, Mummy,” he cried as atomic bomb burns claimed his life. Later, she would describe the hill where survivors fled: “almost covered with people whose clothes had been burned off … some were all black and had already died.” Her account represents thousands of similar testimonies that will soon vanish forever.
Eighty years after Hiroshima, Americans remain split on whether the atomic bombings were justified – 35% say yes, 31% say no, and 33% are unsure. Yet
Continued on page 3
The Holy Quran: An abiding miracle
Hazrat Abu Hurairahra narrated, that Holy Prophetsa said:
“There has never been a Prophet who was not granted signs that inspired people to believe in him. As for me, the sign I have been granted is the Revelation that Allah has sent down to me. I therefore hope that, on the Day of Resurrection, I shall have the largest following of them all.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-i‘tisam bi l-kitab wa s-sunnah, Bab qawli n-nabiyyi sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallama ‘bu‘ithtu bi jawami‘i l-kalim’, Hadith 7274)
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, In His Own Words
Lekhram and his associates
The Promised Messiahas said:
“In attacking Islam and unjustly hurting the senti- ments of the Muslims, there was almost a kind of trinity among the Aryas. More than anyone else, there was Lekhram, then Indraman, and then there was Alakhdhari.”
The Promised Messiahas also said: “Dyanand was also one of them, but he did not have the same opportunity as the others, nor did he write books
Continued on page 3
Muhammadsa
This Week in History
8-9 August
8 August 1976: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh travelled from Washington, DC, to Toronto. Around 400 people gathered to welcome Huzoorrh. This was the first time any Khalifatul Masih had visited Canada. (Silsila Ahmadiyya, Part 3, p. 595)
9 August 1899: On this day, the Promised Messiahas published an announcement regarding the marriage proposal of Maulvi Muhammad Ali Sahib, who was then young, had recently attained his law degree, and was working on
Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Irfanira took notes of what Huzooras said on this occasion, which were then published in Al Hakam, on this day.
For more details on this event, see “Coming from every distant track: Lala Keshudas, Tehsildar of Batala, visits Qadian” at alhakam.org (21 January 2022, pp. 19-20).
10 August
invalid and childish to think that atomic [power] will strengthen the hands of the big powers, and no one could attain military power against them. […] So, the need of the time is to reduce these lethal [weapons], instead of increasing them.”
For more details, see “The 6 & 9 August 1945 tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Ahmadiyya call for peace”, Al Hakam, 5 August 2022, Issue 229, p. 20.
rigorous and tireless waqar-e-amal by Jamaat members. (Tarikh-eAhmadiyyat, Vol. 21, pp. 379-380)
11-13 August
the English translation of Hazrat pain of many personal issues of his helpers out of his care and love for the servants of faith. (Majmu‘ahe-Ishtiharat [2019], Vol. 2, pp. 535-536)
9 August 1900: Lala Keshudas Sahib, revenue officer (tehsildar) of Batala, visited Qadian in 1899. He visited the Mubarak Mosque and had a sitting with the Promised Messiah Al Hakam,
10 August 1897: On this day, the Promised Messiahas was in Batala for a court hearing at the court of Lt Col Montagu William Douglas, CSI, reached the courtroom , this ludicrous accusation
13 August 2010: During his Friday sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa instructed all Ahmadis to pray for the Ahmadis of Pakistan and to pray that Allah may always keep us under His mercy and protect the Jamaat from all kinds of harm. Huzooraa said that in Pakistan, the leadership and people in power do not realise which direction they are moving. Huzooraa prayed that Allah the Almighty may grant more progress to Islam and Ahmadiyyat.
at around 8 am. In the aftermath of missionary Henry Martyn Clarke’s humiliation in the field of argument and logic during Jang-eof attempted murder against the Promised Messiah sensation and hype in the press. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 1, p. 625)
10 August 1945:
11 August 1999: On the occasion of the solar eclipse on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh led the Kusuf prayer in London. (Silsila Ahmadiyya, Vol. 4, p. 900)
14 August
On 6 and 9 August
1945, the USA callously dropped nuclear bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively. During his Friday sermon on this day, Hazrat Muslehe-Maud
“As a result of these happenings, I can foresee that in the future, wars will not reduce; rather, they will increase. […] Moreover, it is
12 August 1988: During his Friday sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh warned the opponents of Ahmadiyyat in general and General Zia-ul-Haq of Pakistan in particular. Then on 17 August, this military dictator of Pakistan died in an air crash near Bahawalpur, Pakistan. (Silsila Ahmadiyya, Part 4, p. 848)
14 August 1921: On the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha, Maulvi Mubarak Ali Sahib BA delivered a sermon in London on this day. The Moslem World, an Anglo-American journal on Islam, at that time published some extracts of the abovementioned sermon in its issue of April 1922 under the title “A Sermon on Sacrifice”.
To read more about this event, see: “100 Years Ago… – Did Ahmadiyyat compromise Islam?” at alhakam.org (1 July 2022, pp. 12-13).
14 August 1923: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra composed and published an essay titled:
(Propagation of Ahmadiyya in the Bolshevik Region). In the essay, Huzoorra mentioned the preaching efforts of Fateh Muhammad Sahib and Mian Muhammad Ameen Sahib.
13 August 1961: The Mubarak Mosque in Montagne Blanche, Mauritius, was inaugurated on this day. It was a historic day for the local Jamaat for many reasons, one being that there was already a small mosque built some two decades back on this island, under the supervision of missionary Maulana Fazl Ilahi Bashir Sahib. But sadly, a strong typhoon caused extensive damage to this structure. The devout local Ahmadis planned to rebuild this house of God once again with their limited resources. This beautiful, eye-catching mosque was renovated mostly through
To read more about this, see: “Pioneer Missionaries: Part 9 –Propagation of Islam Ahmadiyyat in Bolshevik Regions” At alhakam.org (5 May 2023, pp. 16-17).
Continued from page 1 this framing misses the point entirely. As the last hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) prepare to take their stories to the grave, their testimony reveals an extraordinary moral consensus spanning religious and secular authorities: nuclear weapons violate fundamental principles of human dignity. The question is not whether the bombings were strategically necessary, but whether deliberately targeting civilians can ever be morally justified.
This consensus crosses surprising boundaries. One day after Nagasaki, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, condemned the bombings as “religiously and morally unlawful” – launching what would become one of the most sustained religious campaigns against nuclear weapons. Their opposition was theological, not political, rooted in Islamic principles that strictly limit warfare to defensive purposes.
The Holy Quran states: “Whosoever killed a person – unless it be for [killing] a person or for creating disorder in the land – it shall be as if he had killed all mankind.” (Surah al-Maidah, Ch.5: V.33) This principle, forbidding the taking of innocent life, cannot accommodate weapons that inherently fail to distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Yet this Islamic position finds an unlikely ally in America’s military establishment. General Dwight Eisenhower opposed the bombings, arguing “the Japanese were ready to surrender and it wasn’t necessary to hit them with that awful thing.” Admiral William Leahy, President Truman’s chief military adviser, called the bombs “barbarous” and insisted Japan “was already defeated and ready to surrender.”
The historical record increasingly supports these assessments. In July 1945, Japan contacted the Soviet Union seeking to negotiate surrender. They accepted most Allied terms but sought only to preserve Emperor Hirohito’s ceremonial role – roughly equivalent to protecting the Pope’s position. The United States rejected any negotiations, demanding unconditional surrender despite intercepting communications showing Japan’s willingness to end the war.
This evidence contradicts the standard justification that bombing was necessary to prevent a costly invasion. As Timothy Carney notes, when facing such uncertainty about consequences, “we turn to moral principles, including the principle that it is immoral to kill innocent women and children.” Strategic calculations cannot override fundamental ethical boundaries.
The hibakusha themselves provide the most compelling testimony about nuclear weapons’ unique horror. Unlike conventional weapons, atomic bombs created suffering that persists across generations. Survivors still receive daily treatment at Hiroshima’s Red Cross hospital – “180 survivors of the blasts each day” nearly eight decades later. One patient told doctors: “The atomic bomb entered me and survived until now,” describing radiation not as an abstract concept but as a living presence within her body.
These accounts reveal something conventional warfare statistics cannot capture. The atomic bombs killed an
estimated 200,000 people initially, but their true impact extends far beyond immediate casualties. Survivors faced lifelong health problems, social discrimination, and genetic fears that affected their children and grandchildren. As one hibakusha explained, when his first child was born, he didn’t ask “Is it a boy or girl?” but “Does my baby have 10 fingers and 10 toes?”
This is not merely historical reflection. Nuclear expert Ira Helfand warns that “five of the nine nations that possess nuclear weapons have been engaged in active military operations that could have, and might still, escalate to the use of those weapons.”
The moral questions raised by Hiroshima remain urgently contemporary. Yet the moral violations of nuclear weapons extend far beyond Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Between 1946 and 1996, the United States, United Kingdom, and France detonated 318 nuclear devices across the Pacific, transforming Indigenous homelands into testing grounds. In the Marshall Islands alone, 67 nuclear tests – including the 1954 Castle Bravo hydrogen bomb that was 1,000 times more powerful than Hiroshima – contaminated entire atolls and displaced communities from their ancestral lands.
Today, Marshall Islanders, like the hibakusha, speak of radiation as a living presence passed through generations: “Cancers continue from generation to generation,” explains community elder Alson Kelen. The Islamic principle that killing one innocent person “shall be as if he had killed all mankind” applies equally whether the weapon falls on Hiroshima or irradiates an entire archipelago for decades to come.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, has spent twenty years warning world leaders that modern nuclear weapons far exceed the destructive capacity of those used against Japan and could produce generation after generation of children being born with severe genetic or physical defects. These warnings echo hibakusha experiences of radiation effects spanning multiple generations.
Meanwhile, Americans themselves recognise nuclear weapons’ dangers. A 2025 survey found 69% believe that nuclear weapons development has made the world less safe. Yet policy remains trapped in Cold War thinking that prioritises deterrence over elimination.
The Holy Prophet Muhammadsa established warfare principles 1,400 years ago that anticipated modern dilemmas: “Do not kill women, children, the aged and infirm.” These constraints, designed for conventional conflict, become impossible to maintain with weapons that destroy entire cities. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community advocates that true jihad, in bygone eras or the modern era, must be “the jihad of the pen”, an intellectual and spiritual struggle rather than military action.
This theological insight aligns with secular strategic thinking. Eisenhower and Leahy understood that some military tools contradict the values they purport to defend. Their opposition wasn’t based on pacifism but on recognising that certain weapons cross fundamental moral boundaries regardless of tactical advantage.
The hibakusha carry irreplaceable moral witness. With an average age of 85, they
are “dying by the hundreds each month” as the world enters what experts call “a new nuclear age.” Their deaths represent not just lost testimony but silenced moral voices that speak across cultural boundaries.
One survivor, capturing this urgency, reflected, “What shall I do? On this planet, there are still many nuclear weapons, and then I’ll meet my daughter I couldn’t save. I’ll be asked: Mom, what did you do to abolish nuclear weapons? There is no answer I can tell them.”
Those opposing nuclear weapons, consisting of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Japanese survivors, and innocents everywhere, reveals something profound about human moral intuition. When confronted with weapons that can obliterate millions and leave survivors believing that atomic forces “live inside” their bodies, people across all backgrounds recognise a fundamental violation of human dignity.
The Holy Quran asks: “Will you not fight a people who have broken their oaths […] Do you fear them? Nay, Allah is most worthy that you should fear Him, if you are believers.” (Surah at-Taubah, Ch.9: V.13).
True security comes not from the capacity to annihilate others, but from moral courage to reject such capacity entirely.
As the 1946 US Strategic Bombing Survey concluded, Japan “would have surrendered even if the atomic bombs had not been dropped.” The bombings were not strategic necessities but moral choices –choices that continue shaping global nuclear policy today.
Today’s nuclear decisions will likely be made by leaders sheltered in fortified bunkers, insulated from the immediate consequences of their choices. Yet no amount of concrete and steel can protect humanity from the moral and physical devastation that follows. As Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa warned world leaders directly : the next nuclear exchange will spare no one, making no distinction between the powerful and powerless.
The hibakusha offer a final lesson: some questions matter more than strategic calculations. Will we heed the moral consensus spanning from Islamic theology to American military leadership to Hiroshima’s hospitals? Or will we continue debating whether mass civilian slaughter was “necessary” while building more sophisticated means to repeat it?
Humanity stands at a precipice that requires more than diplomatic solutions or strategic recalculations. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s eight decades of advocacy, grounded in both reason and prayer, suggests that moral transformation may be our only path back from the brink. The testimony is clear. The moral consensus is unprecedented. The choice – and the responsibility – remains ours, while witnesses remain to guide us toward our better judgment.
Bibliography
Carney, Timothy P. “’Japan Was Already Defeated’: The Case Against the Nuclear Bomb and for Basic Morality.” Washington Examiner, July 26, 2023. https://www.aei. org/op-eds/japan-was-already-defeatedthe-case-against-the-nuclear-bomb-andfor-basic-morality/
Carney, Timothy P. “Hiroshima at 70: In Fog of War, Let Principle Be the Compass.” Washington Examiner, August 6, 2015.
Continued from page 1
like the others. These three, and especially Lekhram, were guilty of gravely disrespecting, on numerous occasions, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. It is the practice of Allah Almighty to seize an individual through the very avenue by which they chose to engage in transgression. Since Lekhram employed the dagger of the tongue against Islam and crossed all bounds, it was with the dagger that God Almighty punished him.
Compton, Karl T. “If the Atomic Bomb Had Not Been Used.” The Atlantic, December 1946. https://www.theatlantic. com/magazine/archive/1946/12/if-theatomic-bomb-had-not-been-used/376238/ Helfand, Ira. “After Eighty Years, Nuclear Threat Remains Grave.” Progressive.org, August 1, 2025. https://progressive.org/ op-eds/after-eighty-years-nuclear-threatremains-grave-helfand-20250801/ Kikuchi, Emma. “80 years later, Americans have mixed views on whether use of atomic bombs on Hiroshima, Nagasaki was justified.” Pew Research Center, July 28, 2025. https://www.pewresearch.org/ short-reads/2025/07/28/80-years-lateramericans-have-mixed-views-on-whetheruse-of-atomic-bombs-on-hiroshima-nag… Kingsbury, Kathleen, W. J. Hennigan, and Spencer Cohen. “The Last Survivors Speak. It’s Time to Listen.” The New York Times, August 6, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/ interactive/2024/08/06/opinion/hiroshimanagasaki-atomic-bombing.html
Roshe, Tara Zoë. “Was the Bombing of Hiroshima Justified?” Medium (Activated Thinker), August 2025. https://medium. com/p/9aa653086efe
Burr, William, ed. “Castle BRAVO at 70: The Worst Nuclear Test in U.S. History.” National Security Archive. February 29, 2024. https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefingbook/nuclear-vault/2024-02-29/castlebravo-70-worst-nuclear-test-us-history International Disarmament Institute. “Pacific Nuclear Test Archive.” International Disarmament Institute News. Accessed August 4, 2025. https://disarmament.blogs. pace.edu/nuclear-test-archive/
Sherriff, Lucy. “Endless fallout: the Pacific idyll still facing nuclear blight 77 years on.” The Guardian, August 25, 2023. https:// www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/ aug/25/endless-fallout-marshall-islandspacific-idyll-still-facing-nuclear-blight-77years-on
Hanson, John H. “Jihad and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community: Nonviolent Efforts to Promote Islam in the Contemporary World Available to Purchase.” Nova Religio 11, no. 2 (2007): 77–93. https://doi.org/10.1525/nr.2007.11.2.77
Fazal Masood Malik & Farhan Khokhar, Canada
(Malfuzat [English], Vol. 2, p. 101)
100 years ago...
Seven spiritual truths of adhan, the Islamic call to prayer
Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IIra
Congregational prayer: a universal heritage
In all religions, to say prayers in congregation is regarded as one of the most important principles. The Hindus in their temples, the Jews in their synagogues, and the Christians in their churches say their prayers in congregation.
Islam’s five‑daily mandate for collective worship
Islam has laid extra emphasis on this religious rite, and it is incumbent on every Muslim to say their prayers [salat] in congregation in the mosque five times a day. For the proper observance of this commandment, by which all Muslims of a specified area are required to assemble in the mosque, it was necessary that they should be informed of the time of prayer by some means or other.
From bells to shofars: seeking a meaningful call
The followers of different religions have adopted various modes of call. The Christians ring bells and the Jews blow the shofar at the time of their prayers, which may be considered a good means of informing people of the time of prayer, but it is only a meaningless noise without any reality behind it.
When Islam made it obligatory on Muslims to say their prayers in congregation, the question naturally arose: how should they be made to assemble in the mosque at the time of prayer [salat]? Some suggested the blowing of the shofar or conch shell, while others proposed that, in accordance with the Arabs’ custom, fire should be lit on a high place.
The vision that gave birth to the adhan [
]
None of these proposals appealed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, as a proper means of calling men to prayer, but as a last resort, he decided in favour of blowing a shofar. The next morning, one of the companions of the Holy Prophetsa related to him a dream in which someone had taught him the way of calling people to prayer. It was: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar,
[
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, [
Ashhadu alla ilaha illallah, [
Ashhadu alla ilaha illallah,
Ashhadu anna Muhammadar Rasulullah,
Ashhadu anna Muhammadar Rasulullah,
Hayya ‘alas-Salah, Hayya ‘alas-Salah,
Hayya ‘alal-Falah, Hayya ‘alal-Falah, [
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar,
La ilaha illallah,
I.e., Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Come to prayer. Come to prayer. Come to success. Come to success. Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. There is none worthy of worship except Allah.
The Holy Prophetsa, when he heard this dream, said that that was a true vision and ordered that before every prayer, a man should repeat these words with a loud voice, standing on a high place so that Muslims should know that the hour for prayer had come.
Why the adhan surpasses all other calls to prayer
Though the words of the adhan were not directly revealed to the Holy Prophetsa, yet as it was taught in a vision, it should be looked upon as a result of divine commandments, and its beauty and excellence are to be attributed to that Supreme Being who is the source of all excellences.
In addition to the manifold superiorities that Islam possesses over other religions, as all its teachings are founded on reason and are pregnant with deep meaning, it claims, with justice and propriety, another excellence in its mode of call to prayer over
them all. Whereas the means by which other religions call their followers to prayer are entirely bereft of any reality or meaning behind them, the Islamic mode of call to prayer is the essence and kernel of the whole teachings of Islam by means of which it is proclaimed to the world five times a day.
Seven core principles embodied in the adhan
The words of the adhan embody seven basic principles of Islam, which are the gist and summary of all its teachings:
1. God’s greatness (Allahu Akbar)
1. The first principle is presented before the world in the words, “Allahu Akbar,” which means God is the Greatest. The exaltation and glorification of God constitute an integral part of Islamic teachings. No sane person would ever seek after a thing unless he is satisfied that it is worth his attention and seeking after. Without this satisfaction, he could never conceive of trying to get that thing. So, one aspect of the Islamic teachings is that it establishes and inculcates the glorification and exaltation of God.
2. Witness to divine unity
2. The second stage is that of unity, when all distinctions of superiority or inferiority vanish and man becomes so much engrossed in divine love and establishes such a real and deep connection with his Creator that in everything, he sees Him manifested. The expression “Allahu Akbar” (God is the Greatest) is followed by the phrase “Ashhadu alla ilaha illallah” (I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah), which signifies that there is none else besides Allah who is even worthy of our attention and fit to be made the object of our search. He is above all comparison. Every beauty and virtue emanates from Him and returns to Him. He is the source of all excellences and the fountainhead of all grace.
3. Prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him)
3. Besides these two principles, which prove beyond all doubt the truth that God is the perfect and the only source and origin of all virtues, the Islamic adhan turns our attention to the fact that God is not only perfect in Himself, but He wishes to make man perfect as well. To accomplish this end, He has been sending from among mankind His messengers to invite them to real communion with Him, and the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa was the last messenger of God to invite humanity to the love of their Creator. The expression, “Ashhadu anna Muhammadar Rasulullah” (I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah) proclaims the truth that God, notwithstanding His being inconceivably higher than man, has not forsaken him to his low state, but He wishes to ennoble him and perfect him through His messengers, and this gives the incontestable proof of His love for His creatures.
4. The path of prayer and struggle 4. The fourth question that naturally arises is, what are the means by which man is morally and spiritually perfected? The answer to this question has been given in the fourth sentence, and what a sublime and true answer is this, i.e., “Hayya ‘alas-Salah,” O man, come to worship, prayer, work, and activity. The only way to fulfil the object of the coming of God’s messengers and the means of seeing Him and communing with Him, is that man should try by right methods and should purify himself by constant struggle against temptations and evil propensities. No other way, no superstitious belief, no relation with anybody, and no atonement for his sins can in any way contribute to his inner and spiritual purification. One way and only one way is open, and that is the way of self-sacrifice and self-annihilation and the treading on the right paths. So long as man does not move with utmost circumspection and vigilance on the right path, he cannot attain his object. The Prophets are not intermediaries between man and his Creator. Their mission is only to lead man on the right path and encourage him and raise his drooping spirits in his spiritual journey by their personal examples; otherwise, every man shall have to carry his own cross and bear his own responsibility. Along with this exhortation for constant struggle, the spiritual wayfarer is taught that he should supplicate with utmost humility to God and implore for His mercy and Grace so that His love may be excited and He may be his Guardian and Protector in every stage of his journey and may remove unforeseen impediments in the way of his advancement and progress.
5. ‘Come to success’ – the purpose of commandments
5. The fifth principle of the deepest import is contained in the words, “Hayya ‘alal-Falah” (come to success). It purports that all the
divine commandments and precepts are designed for the benefit of man only, and God in no way profits by them. Neither are they meant to put man into trouble; they are not a burden for man, nor is their object to test the love of man for his Creator, but they serve as a spiritual cure without applying which the soul of man cannot enjoy immunity from spiritual maladies. They are not purposeless, and the result that their assiduous application produces accrues to him only who uses them, and the deeds and actions of man can never fail to bring about the best results.
6. Experiencing divine greatness first‑hand
6. After this expression, the first sentence, “Allahu Akbar” (God is the Greatest), is repeated, not for the sake of repetition but to explain what sort of success is going to befall him and to show that the belief in the exaltation and supreme eminence of God, which is at first the result of reason, takes the form of personal observation and experience when Islamic teachings are acted upon, and the real success of man, according to Islam, lies in the fact that he believes in the incomparable sublimity and unapproachable excellence of Islamic teachings on the basis of his personal observation and experience after he had believed them on the grounds of reason and argument. He then sees the interminable altitude to which he can spiritually rise and realises that he can see his Creator with his eyes, but only when he finds divine attributes demonstrated in his person. So, these words embody a big claim that by living up to the ideals placed before man by Islam, he can attain nearness to God to such an extent that he believes in His exaltation and glory on the basis of his personal experience and connection with Him after he had believed in it only on the grounds of reason.
7. Ultimate realisation: ‘La ilaha illallah’
7. The last stage in the spiritual progress of man is explained in the second sentence of
Inauguration of a mosque in the Dakoro region of Niger
the adhan, which is put at the end of it again, i.e., “La ilaha illallah” (There is none worthy of worship except Allah).
After all his spiritual journeys and experiences, he comes to the conclusion and the reality is disclosed to him, that, besides God, everything else is perishable and unreal, and that He is eternal and everlasting and the real object of his search.
At first, he believed in this truth compelled by the force of reason, but now, after losing his self in his Creator, and after reaching the highest stages of spiritual perfection, he sees with divine light bestowed upon him that except his Creator all things are in their nature destructible, and they depend for their existence on the grace of God. All the chains of cause and effect are unmasked before him and, emerging from the dark plain of materialism, he stands upon a bright pedestal of union with his Creator, where the most obscure laws of nature become to him as a book wide open. At this stage, he loves God solely for His beauty, excellence, perfection, and His oneness, which is beyond any interference, and is jealous of allowing anything to arrogate independent existence to itself.
These are the seven principles that are the essence of the teachings of Islam and that the muezzins (those who call for prayer) all over the world proclaim with a loud voice five times a day.
A
daily sermon in sound
Could there be any better, shorter, or more effective way of promulgating the teachings of a religion?
Conclusion: a call laden with meaning
The adhan of a muezzin is a call to prayer and a sermon at the same time. He does not do anything useless and purposeless. He is taught that his every deed and movement should signify a deep meaning.
(Transcribed and edited by Al Hakam from the original English, published in the July 1925 issue of The Review of Religions)
of 35 square metres, providing prayer space for up to 60 people.
Virtual temptations and their solutions
The pandemic and a virtual lifestyle
It has now been about four years since the world first grappled with a global pandemic. Lockdowns propelled the adoption of communication technologies to new heights, and daily life shifted into the virtual realm. Our generation soon became entangled in the web of smart devices. With globalisation and the internet’s reach growing ever stronger, it is vital for us to reflect on how best to live our lives and heed the guidance of Huzooraa
In this article, I will outline some of Huzoor’saa instructions and suggest practical steps to protect ourselves from the harms of the internet and smart devices.
Technology’s impact on children
The spread of technology raises serious concerns for parents about their children’s physical and mental well-being. Devices can harm not only the eyes but also the soul.
Toys and physical play are increasingly replaced by mobile phones and televisions. Online cartoons can quickly lead to unsuitable material, exposing children to content that may lure them towards activities that help Iblis debase God’s creation.
A call to parents and the Jamaat
Addressing these challenges, Huzooraa has drawn the attention of parents, the Jamaat’s administration and the auxiliary organisations:
“The fornication of the mind and the eyes is real and gradually this behaviour leads to actual sin. Parents [sometimes] are not careful in the beginning, but when the matter gets out of control, they lament and cry that our children have gone astray […] our progeny has gone astray. Hence, it is important to be watchful.
with the Nizam-e-Jamaat or the auxiliary.” (Social Media, 2019, UK, p. 20)
Two faces of social media Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and similar platforms host both uplifting pages that strengthen faith and others that promote drug abuse, alcoholism and indecent content.
Advising Lajna Imaillah to reap maximum benefit from modern technology, Huzooraa said:
“As I have said today, we are able to utilise modern technology to convey our teachings. Apart from MTA, we also have Jamaat websites in which programmes and books filled with knowledge and information are easily available. You must seek to avail yourself of these resources and constantly increase your knowledge.” (Ibid., p. 71)
Developing noble character and self control
Huzooraa has also issued comprehensive guidance to help khuddam cultivate noble character and self-discipline:
“The misuse of the Internet and social media is becoming increasingly common and this includes inappropriate chatting between boys and girls online. Similarly, the Internet is being used to watch indecent and immoral films, including pornography. The smoking of cigarettes or the use of shisha are also examples of vices that are spreading. Furthermore, even the permissible things can cause harm if they are misused.” (Ibid., 46)
He also cautioned that many modern films negatively influence viewers in the name of creativity, whereas MTA provides healthy, faith-inspiring alternatives:
“Thus, in the current era, the media has brought us closer to each other not just within a country but around the world. Unfortunately, rather than bringing us closer to virtues, it has brought us closer to following Satan. Under such circumstances, an Ahmadi should be extremely watchful of his own state. Allah the Exalted has bestowed MTA on us. Allah the Exalted has given us a website for the spiritual and educational programmes of Jamat. We can only stay focused on it if we pay full attention to it. This will take us near to God and we will be saved from Satan.” (Ibid., p. 71)
Practical steps for families
Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Niger has built a mosque in the Dakoro region’s Charbain village, located approximately 38 kilometres from the city of Koré-Koré.
The construction of the mosque began on 1 April 2025. The message of Islam Ahmadiyyat first reached Charbain in 2020. Before construction began, Amir Jamaat Niger, Asad Majeeb Sahib, visited the village, where he held meetings with the members and delivered speeches on the teachings of the Jamaat. The mosque has a covered area
The inauguration of the mosque was held on 9 May 2025, with Jumuah prayer led by Amir Sahib Jamaat Niger, in the presence of local government officials and a representative of the regional chief.
Following the Jumuah prayer, a special gathering was held, where the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat was presented to the guests. The event also included an overview of the Jamaat’s development and services in Niger. Additionally, concerns and objections raised by local clerics were addressed during the session.
“Do not let children sit in front of the TV when vulgar programmes are shown and be mindful of their Internet use.
“Some parents are not highly educated. It is the duty of the Nizam-e-Jamaat to make them aware. Similarly, Ansarullah, Lajna and Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya should make programmes for their own auxiliaries to safeguard against these evils. Affiliate young boys and girls to the Nizam-e-Jamaat and the auxiliaries so that they always give precedence to their faith. In this regard, mothers and fathers should fully cooperate
The internet is unlikely to recede; indeed, advances in artificial intelligence make vigilance even more crucial. Keeping Huzoor’saa guidance in view, the following practical steps shall help, insha-Allah:
For children (to be implemented by parents)
• Engage children in indoor and outdoor games, puzzles and word problems using
Noorin Qamar
Timmapur, Karnataka, India
Muhammad Jamal Niger Correspondent
World Fellowship of Faiths in Chicago & London, 1930s: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s
messages and speeches by his representatives
Ata‑ul‑Haye Nasir Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre
In September 1893, the “World’s Parliament of Religions” was held as part of the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, which was the first formal gathering of religious representatives of the Eastern and Western parts of the world. This event, according to The Toronto Mail, marked “a distinct stage in the history of religion” and that “there was never a time in all the past in which such a gathering could have taken place.”1
The 1924 Conference on Some Living Religions Within the Empire was a continuation of such endeavours and was graced with an address by Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra. This was followed by multiple efforts to hold worldwide religious conferences.
For instance, in the late 1920s, the Church Peace Union of America put forward the idea of the Universal Religious Peace Conference. Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra – the then Imam of the Fazl Mosque – was a member of its Provisional Committee and represented Islam in the Preliminary Meeting in September 1928.
Another such endeavour was the First International Congress of the World Fellowship of Faiths – also known as the Second World’s Parliament of Religions – held in Chicago. This event featured 83 meetings, during which 242 addresses were delivered by 199 speakers from various faiths, races, and countries.
World Fellowship of Faiths and Ahmadiyya missionaries
The World Fellowship of Faiths was a fruit of the efforts – spanning around 25 years – of various movements, which joined together to fulfil their common goal: fostering religious and cultural unity.
In England in 1910, “The Union of East and West” began its work for cultural unity. It was established by Kedar Nath Das Gupta, who also had the opportunity to have meetings with Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra during his visit to England in 1924. In 1918, “The League of Neighbors,” established by Charles Frederick Weller, commenced working for racial unity in America. In 1924, the “Fellowship of Faiths” also began developing spiritual unity.2
Particularly looking at the Fellowship of Faiths, we learn that it held regular meetings. For instance, on 21 July 1927, a meeting was held at the City Temple London, and according to the Westminster Gazette, it was attended by Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra who delivered a speech as well.3
This meeting was reported by many other periodicals, such as The Christian Century of 25 August 1927, Prabuddha Bharata of September 1927, The Unity of 17 October 1927, Buddhism in England (Vol. 2, No. 4), and The Australian Jewish Herald of 3 November 1927.
Another meeting was held on 3 October 1927 and attended by Dard Sahibra The Advertiser of Adelaide reported:
“One is apt, after reading ‘Sheik’ novels, to imagine that the true believer in Islam shouts ‘death to the infidel’ immediately he sees a Christian. Yet the Moslem believes Christ to have been a true prophet of God; his name is mentioned 23 times in the Koran – nine times as the Messiah – while His Mother’s name appears 31 times.
“These facts were made known by Maulvi A. R. Dard, of the London Mosque, at one of the most cosmopolitan gatherings ever held in London.”4
The above-mentioned movements were incorporated in 1928 as “The Threefold Movement – Union of East and West, League of Neighbors, Fellowship of Faiths,” and a joint work developed into the “World Fellowship of Faiths” in 1929.
A report on the activities of The Threefold Movement between October 1928 and June 1929, states, “Three visits to the London Mosque at Southfields were arranged, by request, in May and June.”5
The Fellowship of Faiths was active in Chicago as well and held regular meetings.
The first mass meeting was held on 17 May 1929 and the Ahmadiyya missionary, Sufi Mutiur Rahman Sahib Bengalee, represented Islam.6 Announcing this meeting, the Chicago Daily Tribune wrote, “The service will open with the famous Moslem call to prayer by Sufi M. R. Bengalee, head of the Indian-Mohammedan missionary effort in America.”7 Sufi Sahib represented Islam at further meetings also, for instance, in April 19308 and May 1932.9
This movement faced some criticism from the Christians there. An editorial of The Sunday School Times of Philadelphia criticised it and mentioned the Ahmadiyya missionary:
“Six of these local branches are
preparing for a great meeting of the worldwide Fellowship of Faiths to be held in Chicago in 1933, and also for other local fellowships throughout the world. Wellknown professing Christian leaders, even a bishop; are named on the Chicago committee, together with such names as Chandra Darma Sena Gooneratne, Sufi Mutiur Rahman Bengalee, and Rabbi Jacob Singer.”10
First International Congress of the World Fellowship of Faiths
In 1933-34, following the trails of the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, an exposition was again held in America, titled “A Century of Progress International Exposition”, and just like 1893, it also included the First International Congress of the World Fellowship of Faiths, also known as the Second World’s Parliament of Religions. The first session was held on 18 June 1933 and the Culminating Convention Period spanned between 27 August to 17 September 1933.
In 1932, an American periodical mentioned the upcoming conference and gave a list of members of the General Committee of the Fellowship of Faiths in America, including Sufi Mutiur Rahman Sahib Bengalee.11
In a letter dated 23 February 1932, the General Executive of The Threefold Movement – Charles Frederick Weller –asked the Secretary-General of The League of Nations – Sir Eric Drummond – for his comments on the “‘Tentative Plans’ for the First World Fellowship of Faiths.”12 This letter shows the name of Sufi Mutiur-Rahman Sahib among the committee members of Chicago’s Fellowship of Faiths.
Thereafter, in a letter dated 15 June 1932, the Vice President of the World Fellowship of Faiths – Rabbi Stephen Samuel Wise – sent an invitation to the
Secretary-General which was followed by an internal correspondence between the Information Section and the Assistant to the Secretary-General – Mr Wilson – who suggested that “the Secretary-General ought to send a friendly acknowledgment of this invitation but not very much more.” Thereafter, in a letter dated 25 July 1932, the World Fellowship of Faiths was made aware of his inability to attend the event.13
i) Invitation to Hazrat Musleh‑e‑ Maudra
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra received an invitation from the Vice President of the World Fellowship of Faiths. The organisers requested Huzoorra to attend the conference personally, or at least send one or two representatives. Huzoorra instructed the missionaries in America, Sufi Mutiur-Rahman Sahib Bengali and Mian Muhammad Yusuf Sahib, to attend the event, and graciously penned a powerful message to be read out there. This message was sent by telegram on 22 August 1933.14
The Indian Express wrote:
“According to the revised list there are to be over 260 speakers representing all the great religions as well as most of the less religious trends of social, political, and philosophical thought.”
The article further gave a list of Indian speakers and wrote, “Sufi Mutiur Rahman Bengalee, delegated by the Ahmadiyya movement in Islam, Qadian”.15
The First World Fellowship of Faiths of 1933, also known as the Second Parliament of World’s Religions, differed from that of 1893 in two fundamentals:
“First; Not only all Religions were invited but all Faiths – all types of spiritual consciousness which are determining the actual lives of significant groups. Second; Instead of a competitive parade of rival religions, all were challenged to focus their best inspiration upon the solution of man’s Present Problems – such as War, Persecution, Prejudice, Poverty-AmidstPlenty, Antagonistic Nationalisms, Ignorance, Hatred, Fear.”16
Reporting on its first meeting, The New York Times reported:
“Chicago, June 18 – The World Fellowship of Faiths, a parliament of religions, held its first meeting at the New England Congregational Church here tonight. Miss Jane Addams of Hull House presided. Prayers of a dozen different faiths were offered, including those of Africans and American Indians.”17
ii) Hazrat Musleh‑e‑Maud’sra message
The special message by Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra was read out by Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Sahib on the Culminating Convention Period during the First International Congress of the World Fellowship of Faiths,
on 27 August 1933.
The official record mentions:
“Sufi Mutiur Rahman Bengalee, of India, for Islam, read a Cabled message from His Holiness Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifa-tul-Masih II, Head of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, Quadian, India.”
The Civil and Military Gazette wrote under the heading “World Fellowship of Faith: A Greeting from Ahmadiyyas”:
“The World Fellowship of Faiths, an international body which is holding a conference in Chicago beginning on August 27, has received the following message from the head of the Ahmadiyya Community.” This was followed by the message.18
An article published in The Modern Review, titled “World Fellowship of Faiths” by Ida M Gurwell, stated:
“Then came the following greeting, in part, from Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahamad [sic.], Khalifa-Tul-Masih II, Head of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, Qudian [sic.], India.” This was followed by the message.19
The transcript of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II’sra message, according to the official records of the event, was as follows:
“I am deeply interested in the aims and objects of the World Fellowship of Faiths, for in these I see the fulfilment of the declaration made by the Holy Quran 1350 years ago namely that there is no nation in the world to which a prophet of God has not been sent and that unmixed evil can never find a lasting footing in the earth. The faiths that have been publicly preaching their teachings for hundreds and thousands of years and have succeeded in winning the zealous devotion of millions of men could not possibly have sprung from an impure and filthy source or lost all their original beauty and charm.
“I am not one of those who think that man can attain nearness to God by following any path but I do believe that in order to enable people to reach a tower of light welllit roads are a necessity. He who makes the road dark does indeed try to make the tower desolate. Similarly one who sees the triumph of his own faith by finding fault with others is woefully misguided. If the light of God is not present in every country and every nation in some form or other, people will lose their power of vision and when the power of vision is lost light is of no avail. Those, therefore, who strive to make people acquainted with the truth that every faith possesses some beauty in one form or another, render a meritorious service in keeping the standard of truth erect.
“It is for this reason that I think that the World Fellowship of Faiths is rendering a great service to the world and it is necessary that the efforts of this movement should be extended and helped in all parts of the world. I as Head of the Ahmadiya Community, promise to render this society every help in my power and I assure them that in these days the will of our Lord God is also in support of their efforts. The angels in heaven are sounding the trumpet of peace. He who does not listen to this heavenly call today shall listen to it tomorrow and he who will not listen to it tomorrow shall listen to it the day after but listen he shall. Blessed are they who bury the hatchet at the first call and extend to their brethren the hand of Peace and goodwill for it is they over whose
hand will be the hand of God and it is they who will inherit the kingdom of Heaven.”20
iii) Letters from the Chairman and General Executive
This message impressed the audience and Francis J McConnell (1871-1953), Chairman of the New York Committee of the World Fellowship of Faiths, wrote a letter of thanks to Huzoorra, mentioning that his message was read out at the opening of the Culminating Convention Period on 27 August 1933, in the afternoon, which was the peak time of that event. He remarked that all the listeners loved the pure words of Huzoorra 21
Mr Charles Frederick Weller (18701957), General Executive of the World Fellowship of Faiths, sent a letter of appreciation and wrote:
“We appreciate heartily the cabled greetings from Hazrat Mirza Bashir-udDin Mahmud Ahmad[ra], Khalifa-tul-Masih II, Head of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, Qadian, India. His inspiring message was read at the opening of the Culminating Convention Period of the World Fellowship of Faiths on Sunday evening, August 27, in the Hotel Morrison, Chicago. [...]
“It is appropriate that Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih’s message was read at the opening session by Sufi Mutiur Rahman Bengalee, who has been an intimate friend of the Fellowship of Faiths and a prominent speaker in many of the meetings since he came to America in 1929.”22
Mentioning the three Ahmadi speakers during the conference, he said:
“Through these three leaders who were personally present at several sessions and through the helpful message which came directly from Hazrat, Khalifa-tul-Masih, the Head of the Ahmadiyya Movement, we were made to feel – and to appreciate very heartily – the high idealism, the neighbourly cooperation, and the deeply religious consciousness with which the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam contributed leadership and labor to the success of the World Fellowship of Faiths.”23
iv) Speech by Ahmadi representatives
On 1 September 1933, Hazrat Sir Zafrulla Khanra delivered a speech at the conference on “Islam promoting world unity, peace and progress”.24
Mr Charles Frederick Weller expressed:
“The Hon. Chaudhry Zafarulla Khan, B.A., LL.B., M.L.C., Bar-at-Law, former President of the All-India Moslem League, made a profound impression by his modest but masterly address at the evening session, Friday, September first, on ‘Islam Promoting World Unity, Peace and Progress.’ His leadership was also helpfully manifested in the intimate conference of speakers from many lands who helped to form the new Working Committee in India of the World Fellowship of Faiths. Mr. Khan pleased us all by accepting membership in this Indian Working Committee and in the International Committee which is to be developed – with His Highness the Maharaja Gaekwar of Baroda, India, as International President. Mr. Khan’s promised leadership and labor in behalf of the World Fellowship of Faiths is an appreciated, great acquisition to the cause.”25
On 5 September 1933, Dr Muhammad Yusuf Khan Sahib delivered a speech on “Islam Overcoming Racial and Religious Prejudices”.26
Mr Charles Frederick Weller expressed:
“Dr. M. Yousuf Khan, delegated by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Movement, gave an admirable address in the evening session, Tuesday, September 5, on ‘Overcoming Racial and Religious Prejudices.’”27
On 14 September 1933, Sufi Muti-urRahman Sahib delivered a speech at the conference on “Islam: The Solution of the World Problems”.28
Mr Charles Frederick Weller expressed: “Sufi Bengalee’s thoughtful, informing address on ‘Islam the Solution of World Problems’, was an effective contribution to the evening session, on Thursday, September 14.”29
World Fellowship of Faiths in England
Sir Francis Edward Younghusband, KCSI KCIE (1863-1942) was the British Chairman of the World Fellowship of Faiths. He could not attend the 1933 conference in Chicago. However, he attended a few meetings in 1934 which were held as an extension to this in New York and some other places.
Sir Francis decided to expand the idea of such a conference to England as well. Hence, he announced that the Second International Congress of the World Fellowship of Faiths, commonly known as the World Congress of Faiths, would be held in July 1936. Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra was a member of the British National Council of this Congress.
As mentioned above, Hazrat Muslehe-Maudra had also wished in his special message for the First International Congress that “the World Fellowship of Faiths is rendering a great service to the world and it is necessary that the efforts of this movement should be extended and helped in all parts of the world.”30
The official prospectus of the World Congress of Faiths stated:
“At the First International Congress of the World Fellowship of Faiths held in Chicago in 1933 a suggestion was made that a second Congress should be held in London in 1936. Those interested in the proposal held a meeting in London in November 1934, and decided to form a British National Council to carry out this suggestion.
“At the first meeting of this Council, on the motion of Sir Evelyn Wrench, seconded by Sir Ronald Storrs, Sir Francis Younghusband was elected Chairman, and the Council then appointed an Executive Committee to carry out the more detailed work of organisation.”31
As mentioned above, the Second International Congress of the World Fellowship of Faiths was held in London, in July 1936.
i) Hazrat Musleh e Maud’sra message
Looking at the official records of the 1936 World Congress of Faiths, we find that Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra represented Islam and read out the special message from Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra and the English rendering of a Persian poem of the Promised Messiahas during his speech on 16 July 1936.
In his message, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra said:
“Sisters and brothers, God has created us so that we may become manifestations of His glory and absorb His attributes in our own persons. Until we have attained this object we cannot be called successful. Of what significance is our worldly advancement? It has no greater value than a mere pastime. Of what use can all this advancement be to us if we displease our God and shut upon us the door of eternal advancement? Even if we are great inventors in the sphere of this material world but if we do not turn our attention to that knowledge by means of which we may attain to light in our eternal life, our case is like that of a school-boy who plays the whole day long and is pleased with the idea that he has overcome his adversary in a play competition but pays no heed to that contest which will reform his whole life.
“Real life is that which knows no end and real pleasure is that which is always increasing. So turn to eternal life, everlasting pleasure and real knowledge, so that you may enjoy the peace of both the worlds and may please God just as you seek to please the people of the world.”
ii) Hazrat Maulvi A. R. Dard’sra speech
Rev Dr Marcus Braybrooke – the current Joint President of the World Congress of Faiths – has narrated the details of this Congress, and mentioned the Ahmadiyya missionary in the following words:
“On the one hand, the Revd P. T. R. Kirk claimed that Christianity must be accepted by the whole of mankind, and Moulvri [sic.] A. R. Dard made a similar claim for the Ahmadiyya community.”32
Sir Francis has also written that following Rev Kirk’s speech, “Maulvi Dard led the debate. He is the zealous Minister of the Mosque at Wimbledon, and a missionary of the Qadiani Sect. With perfect courtesy he disagreed with some of Mr. Kirk’s conclusions. Especially did he disagree with the statements: (1) that Western civilisation alone holds the key to reconciliation; (2) that it is in Christ alone and at His Cross that reconciliation will be found, and (3) that the real issue today is Christ or atheism. ‘I have a profound conviction,’ said the Maulvi, ‘that Islam alone can establish peace and true fellowship among mankind, because it is the final and the fullest revelation of God.’”
He further wrote that answering the question that if God loves His creatures, why should He not guide erring humanity by His word?, “the Maulvi replied that God had sent His word even today by the mouth of Ahmad of Qadian, just as He spoke to the Prophets and Saints of yore.”33
The Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star – an organ of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, reported, “President Merrill takes the chair at the afternoon session, Thursday, July 16, with the Reverend P. T. R. Kirk as the speaker and Moulvi A. R. Dard leading the debate. [...] Moulvi A. R. Dard is a Muslim. He is Imam (officiating priest of a mosque) of London, and a member of Ahmadiya Community.”34
iii) Ahmadi representatives at further meetings of the Congress
We learn an interesting fact from the official records that during a meeting of
the Executive Committee, on 27 April 1937, Sir Francis said that during his recent visit to India, he spoke at various events, including one organised by the “Ahmadya Community”.
In June 1937, a meeting of the World Fellowship of Faiths was held in Fleetwood, where Hazrat Maulana Jalal-ud-Din Shamsra and Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra represented Islam. A newspaper announced:
“The preacher at the morning service will be Maulana J. D. Shams, a distinguished Arab, and in the evening Mrs. Clarence Gasque, mother-in-law of Blackpool’s M.P., and international director of the World Fellowship of Faiths, will give the address.”35
Concerning Mrs Gasque, it is important to note that during her visit to India in 1938, it was reported by the press that she was expected to meet various leaders of India, including “the head of the Ahmadiyya Movement.”36
The Lancashire Daily Post of 8 June 1937 mentioned the “Burnley Faith Fellowship Meeting” and reported that it was “presided over by Mr. W. Munn Rankin, principal of Burnley Technical College, and supporting were the Rev. C. B. Johnson, Burnley; the Rev. A. Porter, Fleetwood: Hindu Kedar Nath Das Gupta, Moslem Moulana J. D. Shams and Charles F. Weller, American.”
The Fleetwood Chronicle of 11 June 1937 mentioned this meeting under the heading “Turbans in Pulpit”.
A month later, in July 1937, the International Assembly of the World Fellowship of Faiths was held where Ahmadi missionaries and Hazrat Sir Zafrulla Khanra delivered speeches.
The official records of the World Congress of Faiths show that during a meeting of the Executive Committee in May 1937, it was suggested that Sir Zafrulla Khanra be requested to deliver a lecture on “The World’s need of Religion” and during the next meeting, it was informed that Sir Zafrulla Khanra spoke on telephone and said that he would confirm about his availability in a few days.
1 The Toronto Mail, 26 January 1894, p. 4
A news report stated under the heading “World Fellowship of Faiths: Southfields Imam Speaks”:
“His Eminence the imam of the London Mosque. Southfields, Moulvi A. R. Dard.
M.A. B.T. spoke on Wednesday afternoon at the International Assembly of the World Fellowship of Faiths, at Whitefield’s Institute, Tottenham Court-road. He dealt with religious work in churches, mosques, etc. The Imam is a missionary to England from the Ahmadiyya Movement, which was responsible for the building of the London Mosque.
“The deputy Imam of the Mosque, Maulana J. D. Shams, gave the call to prayer at the opening session of the assembly on Wednesday last week.
“Sir Mohammad Zafrullah Khan, who addressed a meeting at the City Temple, attends the mosque at Southfields, and is a member of the community. He is a Moslem leader in India, a member of the Governor-General’s Executive Council, and was an Indian representative at the King’s Coronation.”37
It was reported in Al Fazl on 8 August 1937 that during his speech, Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra read out an excerpt from a book of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, titled Ahmadiyyat
In the following years, various meetings of the World Congress of Faiths were also held and attended by Ahmadi missionaries as representatives of Islam where they spoke about the need for world peace and religious harmony. Hazrat Maulvi Jalal-ud-Din Shamsra was also a member of the British National Council of this Congress, as can be seen in the official records.
The Ahmadiyya missionaries, during their speeches at those congresses, highlighted the fact that the Promised Messiah whose advent was awaited by all major religions has already come and it is through him alone that the world can unite together and witness a lasting peace.
Endnotes
2 League of Nations Records, UNO Archives, “Publicity – Lectures by Mr. Habicht – Various correspondence”, Reference code: R5165/13/15407/1265.
3 Westminster Gazette, 22 July 1927, p. 2
4 The Advertiser of Adelaide, 10 December 1927
5 League of Nations Records, UNO Archives, “The Threefold Movement – Union of East and West – The League of Neighbours – Fellowship of Faiths”, Reference code: R3583/50/6842/6842
6 The Occult Digest, July 1929, Vol. V, No. 7, p. 25
7 Chicago Daily Tribune, 10 May 1929, p. 1
8 The Christian Century, 23 April 1930, Vol. XLVII, No. 7, p. 540
9 The Community Churchman, May 1932, Vol. XII, No. 2, p. 14
10 The Sunday School Times, 12 September 1931, p. 1
11 The Jewish Theosophist, April-June 1932, p. 3
12 League of Nations Records, UNO Archives, “Correspondence with Chicago’s Fellowship of Faiths”, Reference code: R3605/50/32493/32493.
13 Ibid., “The Threefold Movement – Union of East and West – The League of Neighbours – Fellowship of Faiths”, Reference code: R3583/50/6842/6842
14 Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 6, p. 118
15 The Indian Express, 7 October 1933, p. 9
16 World Fellowship: Addresses and Messages by Leading Spokesmen of All Faiths, Races and Countries, [Ed.] Charles Frederick Weller, Liveright Publishing Corporation, New York, 1938, p. 501
17 The New York Times, 19 June 1933
18 The Civil and Military Gazette, 23 August 1933, p. 1
19 The Modern Review, July 1934, p. 34
20 World Fellowship: Addresses and Messages by Leading Spokesmen of All Faiths, Races and Countries, [Ed.]
Charles Frederick Weller, Liveright Publishing Corporation, New York, 1938, pp. 16-17
21 Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 6, p. 119
22 The Moslem Sunrise, April-July 1933, p. 43
23 Ibid., p. 44
24 World Fellowship: Addresses and Messages by Leading Spokesmen of All Faiths, Races and Countries, [Ed.]
Charles Frederick Weller, Liveright Publishing Corporation, New York, 1938, pp. 833-836
25 The Moslem Sunrise, April-July 1933, p. 43
26 World Fellowship: Addresses and Messages by Leading Spokesmen of All Faiths, Races and Countries, [Ed.]
Charles Frederick Weller, Liveright Publishing Corporation, New York, 1938, pp. 836-840
27 The Moslem Sunrise, April-July 1933, p. 43
28 World Fellowship: Addresses and Messages by Leading Spokesmen of All Faiths, Races and Countries, [Ed.]
Charles Frederick Weller, Liveright Publishing Corporation, New York, 1938, pp. 840-851
29 The Moslem Sunrise, April-July 1933, p. 43
30 World Fellowship: Addresses and Messages by Leading Spokesmen of All Faiths, Races and Countries, [Ed.]
Charles Frederick Weller, Liveright Publishing Corporation, New York, 1938, p. 17
31 League of Nations Records, UNO Archives, “Item WILPF/070_12 – Reel 70, 12/12”.
32 A Wider Vision: A History of the World Congress of Faiths 1936-1996, Oneworld Publications, Oxford, 1996, p. 45
33 A Venture of Faiths, pp. 109-110
34 The Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star, 16 July 1936, Vol. 98, No. 29, p. 455
35 Fleetwood Chronicle, 4 June 1937, p. 6
36 The Bombay Chronicle, 13 February 1938
37 South Western Star, 16 July 1937, p. 10
Continued from page 5
books rather than apps.
• Share stories of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa, his Companions, the Promised Messiahas and his Khulafa to build a moral foundation.
• Limit your own phone use in front of children; they learn by watching you.
• Spend weekends visiting parks, museums and playgrounds.
• Encourage children to tidy their own toys and books, distracting them from unnecessary screen time.
• Supervise devices whenever children must use them for schoolwork, ensuring they do not stumble upon unsuitable sites.
For busy parents
• Sit with your children each evening and ask about their day in a loving, noninterrogative manner so that they may develop a bond of friendship with you and share their issues, activities and interests with you.
• Monitor behaviour despite a demanding schedule.
• Encourage participation in sports, science projects and educational competitions.
For adults
• Switch off devices and recite istighfar and Ayat-ul-Kursi whenever you feel spiritually low.
• Avoid pages containing indecent content.
• Follow Islamic, educational and healthyinterest pages so algorithms suggest wholesome material.
• Keep knowledgeable and righteous people in your friend list.
• Decline friend requests from strangers.
• Lajna members should avoid posting pictures of themselves or their daughters online.
• Read printed religious and educational books rather than PDFs.
• Use leisure time for physical activity –sport, gardening, walking, meeting friends and family, and/or exercising – so you rest naturally instead of scrolling aimlessly.
• In my opinion, women can fruitfully occupy themselves with wholesome indoor pursuits such as gardening, arts and crafts, cookery and other hobbies. Where privacy allows, they may also take up physical exercise at home, as public gyms can sometimes present challenges with regard to purdah
Conclusion
By striving to follow Huzoor’saa guidance and adopting disciplined habits, we can shield ourselves from the moral and spiritual perils of the digital age. Effort is essential in every sphere of life: where there is a will, there is a way. Regular istighfar and durood enrich the soul and fortify us against the snares of Iblis, the arch-enemy of humankind.
Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya South Africa hosts Peace Symposium
Mohsin Jowaheer
Missionary-In-Charge, Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya South Africa
Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Cape Town, South Africa, held a Peace Symposium on 6 July 2025 under the theme “Youth Peace Through Morals.” The event provided an open platform for dialogue, reflection and the nurturing of mutual understanding in collaboration with different organisations.
The event began with a recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by a speech by the missionary, explaining the importance of interfaith dialogue and calling towards goodness, whilst taking care of our youth, who are the future of the country.
Leaders and representatives from various religious and civic organisations attended the occasion, such as the HWPL (Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light), FHLC (Faith Hope Love Community), UWC (United World Colleges) Gate House Spiritual Centre and a government body dedicated to the Youth (ANCYL). Each speaker spoke about the vital importance of inculcating moral values within the younger generation whilst tackling the issues faced by the country, such as
unemployment, substance abuse and violence.
It was unanimously recognised that guiding youth along the path of virtue is indispensable for the cultivation of a harmonious and progressive society for the future.
As a token of appreciation, each guest speaker was presented with a copy of the book Life of Muhammad. This served as a means of giving a chance for our guests to learn more about the Holy Prophet Muhammad’ssa blessed life, filled with examples of universal ideals such as compassion, tolerance and brotherhood demonstrated even in his youthful days.
The Jamaat also held an exhibition for guests to enquire and learn more about the Jamaat’s core values and beliefs. A total of 55 people were in attendance.
Friday Sermon
Mubarak Mosque, Islamabad, Tilford, UK
11 July 2025
Muhammadsa: The great exemplar
After reciting the tashahhud, ta’awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa said:
As mentioned in the previous Friday sermon, the keys to the Ka’bah were with ‘Uthman bin Talha. When Mecca was conquered, Hazrat ‘Alira requested to receive the honour of distributing water [for the pilgrims] along with the honour of bearing the keys; that is, for him to be given the keys. However, upon leaving the Ka’bah, the Holy Prophetsa called for ‘Uthman bin Talha, returned the keys to him and said:
“Today is the day of virtue and fulfilling one’s oath.” At the time, ‘Uthman bin Talha had already accepted Islam. The details of why the Holy Prophetsasaid this are as follows:
Prior to the migration of the Holy Prophetsa from Mecca to Medina, the Holy Prophetsa had once requested the keys of the Ka’bah from ‘Uthman bin Talha. He replied by cursing at the Holy Prophetsa and he used extremely foul language. The Holy Prophetsa dealt with this with extreme patience and said:
“O ‘Uthman! Remember that these keys will fall into my hands one day and I will give them to whomsoever I please.” In response, ‘Uthman said that if a time like this ever came, it would be the time of the destruction and humiliation of the Quraish. Upon this, the Holy Prophetsa said:
“It will not be as such. Rather, at that time, the Quraish will be granted honour and respect.”
On that occasion, the Holy Prophetsa was reminded of all the injustices that were committed against him. However, despite this, he showed them mercy and kindness. In another narration, ‘Uthman bin Talha personally relates, “During the days of
ignorance, we would open the Ka’bah on Mondays and Thursdays. One day, the Holy Prophetsa approached and wished to enter the Ka’bah with some Companions. Upon this, I responded to him with harsh words. However, he gently replied: ‘O ‘Uthman! One day, you will see these keys in my hands and I will give them to whomsoever I please.’” And so, on that day [the conquest of Mecca], ‘Uthman would have recalled all of these things and likewise, the Holy Prophetsa was also aware of it. Despite this, the Holy Prophetsa said to him: “O ‘Uthman! Take your keys.” Despite all of this, the Holy Prophetsa said to him: “Here, I give you the keys today. Today is the day of virtue and fulfilling one’s oath. Take these keys forever. Only an unjust person will be able to snatch them from you. (Sirat-ul-Nabi, Dr Salabi, Vol. 3, Dar-ul-Islam, pp. 415-416; Tarikh-ulKhamees, Vol. 2, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 482 and 487-488)
Furthermore, he gave them the tiding that the keys will remain in their family. As such, until today, the keys to the Ka’bah have been passed down from generation to generation in this very family.
According to one narration, on the second day of the Conquest of Mecca, the Banu Khuza’ah killed an idolater from the Banu Hudail. The Holy Prophetsa stood up in order to deliver a sermon following the Zuhr prayer. The Holy Prophetsa was leaning with his back against the Ka’bah. According to another narration, he was mounted on his camel, he glorified Allah and said: “O people! Allah the Almighty has sanctified Mecca from the day He created the heavens and the earth, from the day He created the sun and the moon and from the day He created these two mountains, Safa and Marwah.”
The Holy Prophetsa continued: “People did not bless it, but it was Allah Who did so and it will remain sacred until the Day of Judgement. Thus, whoever believes in Allah the Almighty and the Day of Judgement, it is unlawful for them to shed blood therein
and to cut its trees. It was neither lawful for anyone before me, nor will it be lawful for anyone after me. It was made lawful for me for a brief moment, but then its sanctity was established once again as it was before. Those of you who are present should inform those who are not present. Whoever says to you that the Holy Prophetsa fought in it, tell him that Allah the Almighty made it lawful for His Messenger, but He did not make it lawful for you.
“Behold, people! The most defiant of mankind before Allah are the following: The one who sheds blood inside Allah’s Sacred Precinct; the one who kills a man other than his own killer; and the one who takes a life in retaliation for the blood feuds of the Age of Ignorance. O people of Khuza’ah, stay your hands from further killing! You have slain this man, and I shall pay his bloodcompensation [diyyah].”
The Holy Prophetsa said that he would pay his blood money, since there was a pact. [He continued:] “If anyone kills a person after my protection, his people will have two options: if they wish, they can take the blood money and if they wish, they can kill him.”
Following this, the Holy Prophetsa gave one hundred camels as the blood money of the person killed by the Banu Khuza’ah. The Holy Prophetsa gave the blood money on their behalf. (Subul Al-Huda, Vol. 5, Dar AlKotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 256-257)
Around the same time, Fadalah bin Umair’s insidious scheme to try and kill the Holy Prophetsa came to light, the details of which are that on the day of the victory of Mecca there were many who were secretly fuming with rage but were helpless. This is the reason why certain youths of Mecca like Ikrimah stood at one place and formed a platoon in the shape of armed resistance. Amongst people with this same line of thought was Fadalah bin ‘Umair. He relates, “When the Messengersa of Allah was performing circuits around the Ka’bah, I joined the party with the intention to seize
an opportunity when I get near him and (God forbid) kill him with my dagger.”
With this intention, he began walking behind the Holy Prophetsa. As soon as he got close, the Holy Prophetsa turned to him and said, “You are Fadalah.” Fadalah replied in the affirmative. The Holy Prophet then asked, “What are you thinking about?” Fadalah replied, “I’m engaged in remembering Allah.” He told a lie. The Holy Prophetsa smiled and replied, “You should seek God’s forgiveness. You were not doing what you have just said.” The Holy Prophetsa then walked up to Fadalah and placed his hand upon his chest. Fadalah recounts: “By God, the Holy Prophetsa had not removed his blessed hand from my chest, that he had become the most beloved person in the world to me, and I returned home to my family.” (Subul Al-Huda, [translation], Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 232; Tarikh-ul-Khamees, Vol. 2, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 487; Dairah Ma’arif Sirat Muhammad Rasulullahsa, Vol. 9, Bazam Iqbal Lahore, p. 170; Fath-e-Makkah, Bashmeel, Nafees Academy, Karachi, pp. 241-242)
Look at the intention with which he had come and how his entire world was transformed. Likewise, in these days there is the incident of Hazrat Abu Bakr’sra father accepting Islam. Until the victory of Mecca, he had not accepted Islam, and by now he had lost his eyesight. On the occasion of the victory of Mecca when the Holy Prophetsa entered the sacred perimeter of the mosque, Hazrat Abu Bakrra brought his father to him. When the Holy Prophetsa saw this, he said, “O Abu Bakr, you should have left this elderly man in his home – you have brought such an elderly person here. I would gone to him myself”
To this Abu Bakrra replied, “O Messengersa of Allah, it is more fitting for him to present himself before you, rather than you go to see him.’ Hazrat Abu Bakrra seated his father before the Holy Prophetsa,
who placed his hand on his chest and said: “Accept Islam – you will find peace,” at which Abu Bakr’sra father accepted Islam. (Al-Asaba Fi Tamyeez Al-Sahaba, Vol. 4, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 374375; Subul Al-Huda, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 232-233)
There is mention of the Holy Prophetsa eating at the house of Umm Hanira. Hazrat Ibn Abbasra relates that on the day of the victory of Mecca, the Holy Prophetsa asked Umm Hani if she had anything to eat. She replied, “I do not have anything other than some pieces of stale bread and I am embarrassed to present that to you.” The Holy Prophet asked her to bring it. He dipped it in some water and she brought some salt as well. The Holy Prophetsa asked if there was any broth to accompany the bread. She replied, “I have nothing but vinegar.” The Holy Prophet asked for it to be brought. He then poured it over the stale bread and ate it and expressed gratitude to God, then said, “How excellent is vinegar as a broth! O Umm Hani, that house which has vinegar in it is not poor.” (Subul Al-Huda, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 235)
The Holy Prophetsa demonstrated incredible gratitude while upholding the sentiments of Umm Hani. This was the condition of the Victor of Mecca: even when every kind of food could have been procured from various houses, the Holy Prophetsa sufficed on stale pieces of bread.
After the Holy Prophet reached Mecca, upon seeing the love that the Holy Prophetsa had for everything there – especially for the Ka’bah – the Ansar began to worry lest the Holy Prophetsa decide to take up permanent residence in Mecca. There is a famous saying:
“Love is one thing – yet fraught with a thousand suspicions and doubts”
A lover is always preoccupied and worried about their beloved. Countless scenes of love and adoration, benevolence and faithfulness were witnessed on the occasion of the victory of Mecca. Amongst them, an extremely pure and inspiring scene was witnessed among the Ansar of Medina.
Hazrat Abu Hurairahra relates that when the Messengersa of Allah entered Mecca, he went towards the black stone and kissed it. After this, he performed circuits of the Ka’bah and ascended Mount Safa from where he was admiring the House of Allah, and he raised both hands up and remembered Allah, the Lord of honour and glory, for as long as Allah willed, and continued to supplicate. The Ansar, meanwhile, were standing below the Holy Prophetsa. The Holy Prophetsa prayed and glorified Allah and continued supplicating for as long as Allah willed. (Sunan Abu Daud, Kitab-ulManasik, Hadith 1872)
Witnessing the many engagements of the Holy Prophetsa in Mecca and seeing how lovingly he treated the people of Mecca, the Ansar of Medina became lost in their own thoughts. They began to say to one another that the love of his hometown, and the love of his tribesmen, has overcome the Messengersa of Allah, and that now it may be that he will decide to stay permanently amongst his dear family members here in his own city. The thought of being separated from the Messengersa of Allah, overwhelmed them with grief. Abu Hurairahra relates: “While
the Ansar were in this condition, revelation descended upon the Holy Prophetsa – and indeed when he would receive revelation like this, it would not remain hidden to us - and none of us would dare raise their eyes to look at the Messengersa of God until the process of revelation was complete.” And when the revelation was complete, the Messengersa of Allah said, ‘O Ansar!’
“To which the Ansar replied, ‘We are here, O Messengersa of Allah!’ The Holy Prophetsa then said, ‘You think that the love of my hometown has overcome me.’
“The Companions answered, ‘Indeed, that is what we thought.’
“The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘If that were to happen, then what would become of my name? I am Muhammad – the servant of Allah and His Messenger. I migrated to you for the sake of Allah. Now, my living and dying is with you.’
“Upon hearing this, they were overcome with emotion and rushed towards him in tears, saying, ‘By Allah, whatever we said was only due to our deep love for Allah and His Messengersa, and out of fear of being separated from you.’
“The Holy Prophetsa replied, ‘Surely, Allah and His Messenger affirm your words and accept your excuse.’” (Sahih Muslim, [translation], Kitab-ul-Jihad Wa Al-Sair, Vol. 9, Hadith 3317-3318, pp. 185-189)
While recounting this incident, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states:
“When the Holy Prophetsa was engaged in the rites of worship related to the pilgrimage of the Ka‘bah and was dealing with his people with forgiveness and mercy, the hearts of the Ansar began to sink within them. They started saying to one another in whispers, ‘Perhaps today the Messengersa of Allah will separate from us, for Allah has granted him victory over his city through his own people, and his tribe has now professed faith in him.’
“At that moment, Allah informed the Holy Prophetsa of the doubts arising in the hearts of the Ansar through revelation. The Holy Prophetsa lifted his head, looked towards the Ansar and said, ‘O Ansar! Do you think that Muhammad, the Messengersa of Allah, is now overcome with love for his city and that the affection for his tribe stirs his heart?’
“The Ansar replied, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, it is true – such thoughts did cross our hearts.’
“The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘Do you know what my name is? What this means is: I am the servant of Allah and His Messenger. Then how could it be possible for me to leave you – those who offered their lives at a time when Islam was weak – and go elsewhere?’
“Then the Holy Prophetsa said, ‘O Ansar! Such a thing can never happen. I am a servant of Allah and His Messenger. I left my homeland for the sake of Allah, and now I cannot return to it. My life is tied to your life, and my death is tied to your death.’
“Upon hearing these words, and witnessing the love and loyalty of the Holy Prophetsa, the people of Medina came forward weeping and said, ‘O Messengersa of Allah! By God, we have been unjust in our thoughts towards Allah and His Messenger. The truth is that our hearts could not bear the idea that the Messengersa of God might leave us and our city for somewhere else.’
“The Holy Prophetsa replied, ‘Allah and His Messenger absolve you from blame and
affirm your sincerity.’
At the time when these loving and loyal exchanges were taking place between the Holy Prophetsa and the people of Medina, if the people of Mecca did not shed tears from their eyes, then surely their hearts must have wept – for that precious jewel, greater than anything else created in this world, had once been entrusted to them by God. But they had cast him out from their homes. And now, with God’s grace and help, he had returned to Mecca – yet due to his loyalty and faithfulness, out of his own will and desire, he was leaving Mecca and returning once again to Medina.” (Dibacha Tafsir-ulQuran, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 20, pp. 348349)
There is a narration from Hazrat Ibn Abbasra that Abu Sufyan once saw the Holy Prophetsa walking, and the Companions were walking behind him. He thought to himself, “If only I could fight them again and gather an army against them.”
The Holy Prophetsa came to him, struck his chest with his hand and said, “Then Allah would once again humiliate you. You are thinking about fighting – you would be disgraced again.”
Abu Sufyan said, “I repent before Allah, and I seek His forgiveness for what I thought. Now I am certain that you are indeed the true Prophet of Allah.” He said, “I was only thinking this in my heart – I had not told anyone – yet you told me about it.”
(Al-Lu’ Lu’ Al-Maknun Fi Sirat-ul-Nabi AlMamoon, Vol. 4, Riyadh, 2013, p. 63; Subul Al-Huda, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 246)
When it was time for the Zuhr prayer, the call to prayer was made from the roof of the Ka‘bah. The Holy Prophetsa instructed Hazrat Bilalra to give the Adhan, and he climbed onto the roof of the Ka‘bah and called the Adhan. (Subul Al-Huda, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 248)
It is narrated that the Holy Prophetsa performed all the prayers of that day with a single ablution. Normally, it was his noble habit to perform fresh ablution for each prayer, but when the Companions saw that he prayed all the prayers with one ablution, Hazrat Umarra said, “O Messengersa of Allah, today you have done something which you do not usually do.”
The Holy Prophetsa replied, “Umar, I have done this deliberately.”
The scholars have deduced from this that the Holy Prophetsa provided a practical example to show the allowance and ease of doing so when necessary. (Al-Lu’ Lu’ AlMaknun Fi Sirat-ul-Nabi Al-Mamoon, Vol. 4, Riyadh, 2013, pp. 64-65)
During this time, the Holy Prophetsa also took the general pledge of allegiance. It is recorded in detail that Hazrat Aswad bin Khalafra narrates that he saw the Holy Prophetsa on the day of the Victory of Mecca, taking the pledge from people. He sat near a place called Qarn Masfalah, which is a rock on the lower side of Mecca, and took the pledge of Islam from the people.
Men, both young and old, as well as women, came to the Holy Prophetsa. He took the pledge from them on belief in Allah and on the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammadsa is His servant and Messenger.
Ibn Jarir al-Tabari states that people gathered in Mecca to pledge allegiance to Islam. The Holy Prophetsa sat on Mount
Safa, and Hazrat Umarra stood below him. He took the pledge from the people that, to the best of their ability, they would listen to and obey Allah and His Messenger.
Once the pledge from the men was complete, the Holy Prophetsa then took the pledge from the women. Among these women was Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyan, who had covered her face, fearing that the Holy Prophetsa might question her about what she had done to Hazrat Hamzahra. She was afraid she might be held accountable for it.
When the women came before the Holy Prophetsa, he said: “Pledge allegiance to me on the condition that you will not associate anything with Allah, and that you will not steal.”
Hind said, “By Allah, I sometimes take some of Abu Sufyan’s wealth. I do not know whether it is lawful for me or impermissible.” Abu Sufyan was present and heard this. He said, “Whatever you have taken in the past is lawful for you. May Allah overlook it for you.”
The Holy Prophetsa, recognising her, asked, “You are Hind bint ‘Utbah?” She replied, “Yes, but please forgive what has happened in the past,” meaning: forgive what I did against Islam and your noble person.
Then the Holy Prophetsa said, “You will not commit adultery.” Hind said, “Does a free woman commit adultery?”
Then he said, “You will not kill your children.” Hind responded, “We raised them when they were young, and when they grew up, you killed them at Badr. You know best for now that matter is between you and them.” Hearing this, the Holy Prophetsa and Hazrat Umarra both smiled.
Then the Holy Prophetsa said, “You will not utter false accusations which you fabricate with your own tongue.” Hind said, “Slandering is a terrible act – and there are some sins even worse than this.”
Then the Holy Prophetsa said, “You will not disobey me in any good deeds.” (Al-Lu’ Lu’ Al-Maknun Fi Sirat-ul-Nabi Al-Mamoon, Vol. 4, Riyadh, 2103, pp. 78-79; Subul AlHuda, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 247-248 and 295)
In one narration, it is mentioned that when Hind bint Utbah realised that she had been on the wrong path, she said to her husband, Abu Sufyan, “I wish to pledge allegiance to Muhammadsa.”
Surprised by this, Abu Sufyan replied, “Until now, you had always rejected him! Where did this colossal change come about all of a sudden?” She replied: “By Allah! On the day of the victory of Mecca, I saw Muslims worshipping alongside Muhammad[sa], and Muhammad’s[sa] Companions continued their worship in the vicinity of the Ka’bah throughout the night. Some were in the standing position, some in the bowing position, and some were in prostration. To this day, I have never seen anyone worship in this manner.” Abu Sufyan said: “Go with one of our tribesmen.” And so she went to Hazrat Umarra,” i.e., if she wanted to go to see the Holy Prophetsa she should go with a man from their tribe – and so she went to Hazrat Umarra and took him along to meet with the Holy Prophetsa and informed him that she had accepted Islam. After accepting Islam, she went home and broke the idol in her house, smashing it into pieces. She then said: “It was because of you that we remained
in misguidance” (Al-Asaba Fi Tamyeez AlSahaba, Vol. 8, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 347; Fath-e-Makkah, Muhammad Bashmeel, Nafees Academy, Karachi, p. 311)
According to another narration it is stated that after accepting Islam, Hind came to the Holy Prophetsa and said: “All praise belongs to Allah Who granted ascendancy to His chosen faith. O Messengersa of Allah! Will your mercy be extended to someone like me? I am a woman who has accepted Allah the Almighty and attests to His truthfulness.” The Holy Prophetsa replied: “Welcome”. Hind then said: “O Messengersa of Allah, from all the dwellers on the earth, there was not a single person I wished to be humiliated more than yourself. But now, from all the dwellers of the earth, there is not a single person whom I wish to be honoured more than you.”
After accepting Islam, in order to express her love and sincerity for the Holy Prophetsa, Hazrat Hind roasted two young goats and sent them to the Holy Prophetsa by way of her maid. When the maid came to the Holy Prophetsa, she said: “My mistress has sent this roasted meat for you, and she sends her apologies along with it that our goats these days do not bear many children. For this reason, she says she has only sent two.” The Holy Prophetsa replied: “May Allah the Almighty bless your goats and their offspring.” The maid said: “By God! I had never seen that many goats and their offspring as I saw after that point.” Hazrat Hind would say: “This was due to the prayers of the Holy Prophetsa.” (Subul Al-Huda, Vol. 5,, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 255; Sirah Al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 3,, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 139)
Whilst mentioning the account of Abu Sufyan’s wife – Hind’s - acceptance of Islam – Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states: “This was the same woman who ordered the mutilation of Hazrat Hamzara. The Holy Prophetsa deemed it appropriate for her to be punished for this barbaric and inhumane act. At the time, the commandment for the veil had already been revealed. When the women came to pledge allegiance, Hind also came with them, covering herself with a veil and pledged allegiance. When they reached the statement that ‘we will not associate partners [with Allah]’, since she had a fiery disposition, she said: ‘O Messengersa of Allah, will we still associate partners. You were alone, and we opposed you with all our might! If our gods were true, then how would you have succeeded? They turned out to be completely hopeless and we lost.’ The Holy Prophetsa said: ‘Hind?’ He recognised her voice; ultimately, they were relatives. Hind said: ‘O Messengersa of Allah! I have become a Muslim, now you do not have the right to kill me.’ The Holy Prophetsa smiled and said: ‘Yes, no punishment will befall you’. Thus, the nation that thought the Holy Prophetsa had discarded all idols and accepted the only One God had undergone such a transformation that even the likes of Hind questioned whether a person could still associate partners with the One True God.” (Apne Faraiz Ki Adaigi Mein Raat Din Munhamik Raho, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 20, pp. 14-15)
There is another incident from the same time mentioned in association with pledging allegiance. An individual came to see the Holy Prophetsa in order to pledge allegiance. Owing to the awe and eminence
of the Holy Prophetsa, he was trembling out of fear. The Holy Prophetsa consoled him saying: “Do not fear” and out of his humility and modesty, stated: “I am not a king. I am the son of that woman from Mecca, who would eat dried out meat.” (Al-Lu’ Lu’ AlMaknun Fi Sirat-ul-Nabi Al-Mamoon, Vol. 4, Riyadh, 2013, p. 83; Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab-ul-At’amah, Hadith 3312)
There are details regarding the criminals about whom the death penalty was issued; however, some people are sceptical about those narrations, and the incidents themselves also point towards this, because the reasons mentioned for why there was a command to sentence them to death clearly contradict the practice and disposition of the Holy Prophetsa. Nonetheless, I shall mention them first, who they were and what accounts are mentioned in books of history and also mention the rebuttal.
Ibn Ishaq has recorded that the individuals who, owing to their crimes, the Holy Prophetsa issued instructions for them to be killed wherever they may be found, numbered eight men and six women. This is according to Fath al-Bari. Sirat al-Halabiyyah records that the total was 11 individuals. Al-Waqidi writes that they were 10 in number – six men and four women. (Fathul Bari, Vol. 8, Kitab-ulMaghazi, Hadith 4280, Aram Bagh, Karachi, p. 14; Sirah Al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 3, Dar AlKotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 117; Kitab-ulMaghazi, Waqidi, Vol. 2, Dar Al-Kotob AlIlmiyah, Beirut, p. 258)
In the commentary of Sahih al-Bukhari titled Fath al-Bari, the names of these 14 individuals are mentioned, among whom were: ‘Abd al-‘Uzza bin Khatal, ‘Abdullah bin Sa‘d bin Abi Sarh, ‘Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl, Miqyas bin Subabah, Habar bin Aswad, and others. (Fathul Bari, Vol. 8, Kitab-ulMaghazi, Hadith 4280, Aram Bagh, Karachi, p. 13)
One narration states that on the day of the Victory of Mecca, the Holy Prophetsa granted a general amnesty to all, except four men and two women. He commanded that these individuals be executed – even if they were found clinging to the curtains of the Ka‘bah. (Sunan an-Nisa‘i, Kitab-ulMaharibah, Hadith 4072)
According to another narration, this amnesty excluded only four individuals: ‘Abd al-‘Uzza bin Khatal, Miqyas bin Subabah, ‘Abdullah bin Sa‘d bin Abi Sarh, and Umm Sara. (Al-Bidayah Wa Al-Nihayah, Vol. 6, Maktabah Dar-e-Hijr, Beirut, p. 562)
A biographer of the Holy Prophetsa has written that even among those whose execution had been deemed permissible –that is, whose killing had been considered justifiable – the vast majority were ultimately pardoned by the Holy Prophetsa. Only a few of them were put to death, and that too before the Holy Prophet’ssa general amnesty had reached them. (Fath-e-Makkah, Muhammad Bashmeel, Nafees Academy, Karachi, pp. 262-262)
Commenting on this, Hazrat Muslehe-Maudra wrote that only eleven men and four women were such against whom grave charges of brutal murder and disorder had been established. In essence, they were war criminals. The Holy Prophetsa had ordered that they be put to death, not merely because of disbelief or a battle, but due to the severity of their war crimes. Yet, even among them, the Holy Prophetsa forgave most of them
upon the intercession of Muslims, and thus most of them were spared. (Dibacha Tafsirul-Quran, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 20, pp. 344 and 349)
The Promised Messiahas states: “Hadrat Khatamul-Anbiya’, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, who obtained complete victory over the Meccans and others and after virtually having his sword upon their throats, forgave them their crimes, and he punished only those few who had been condemned by a special decree of Allah the Almighty to undergo punishment. Besides these eternally accursed few, every sworn enemy was pardoned.” (Brahin-eAhmadiyya, Part 3, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 1, pp. 286-287, footnote 11)
The reasons for the execution of those individuals who were killed have also been mentioned in historical accounts. Although I shall narrate them, the reasons given are not entirely satisfactory.
The first name recorded is that of ‘Abd al-‘Uzza bin Khatal. He had initially accepted Islam, and the Holy Prophetsa had named him ‘Abdullah. He had also migrated to Medina, and the Holy Prophetsa had appointed him to collect Zakat. A man from the Banu Khuza‘ah tribe accompanied him, who would prepare his food and serve him. They camped at a location where people would gather to offer their Zakat. Ibn Khatal instructed the Khuza‘i man to prepare a meal and went to sleep in the afternoon. Upon waking, he found that the man had fallen asleep and had not prepared the food. Ibn Khatal killed him with a sword, renounced Islam, and fled to Mecca. He would compose and recite derogatory couplets against the Holy Prophetsa Hazrat Anasra relates that on the day of the Victory of Mecca, the Holy Prophetsa entered the city wearing a helmet. He removed it, and a man came to inform him that Ibn Khatal was hanging onto the drapes of the Ka‘bah. The Holy Prophetsa said, “Kill him.”
The second was Miqyas bin Subabah. He had accepted Islam with the intention of avenging his brother’s death by killing an Ansari Companion. During a battle, the Ansari Companion had mistakenly killed Miqyas’s brother, mistaking him for an enemy. Miqyas accepted the blood money, but he went on to martyr the Companion. Thereafter, he renounced Islam and returned to Mecca. On the day of the Victory of Mecca, Hazrat Numailah bin ‘Abdullah killed him.
Then there was Huwairith bin Nuqaid. The Holy Prophetsa had issued an order for his execution. It is written that this was because he would cause the Holy Prophetsa harm and distress. Hazrat ‘Alira killed him. A biographer writes that this is the only known reason for his execution – that he used to trouble the Holy Prophetsa – but it is evident that the cause must have been something else, for the Holy Prophetsa never took revenge for personal grievances.
Next is Huwairith bin Talatal Khuza‘i. This individual would also compose derogatory couplets about the Holy Prophetsa. He, too, was killed by Hazrat ‘Alira Then there was Qarinah, a slave-girl of Ibn Khatal, who was also known as Arnab. She would sing satirical poetry about the Holy Prophetsa, and she too was killed. (Subul Al-Huda, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 223-255; Imta-ul-Isma’, Vol. 1,
Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 399; Fath-e-Makkah, Muhammad Bashmeel, Nafees Academy, Karachi, pp. 264-265; Al-Lu’ Lu’ Al-Maknun Fi Sirat-ul-Nabi AlMamoon, Vol. 9, Riyadh, 2013, p. 157)
Thus, the total number of those executed appears to be around fourteen or fifteen. However, upon closer examination, it becomes evident that this figure is not accurate, for the crimes stated as the reasons for their execution themselves indicate that the historians have erred. The majority of the offences recorded are that they became apostates, or that they used to grieve and insult the Holy Prophetsa, or that they composed satirical poetry against him. This list of charges indicates that these are later interpretations. For it was only in subsequent eras – when people began diverging from the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophetsa – that the notion took hold that the punishment for apostasy is death, or that blasphemy necessitates execution.
Such ideas are later developments. In the time of the Holy Prophetsa, no such practice existed. The Holy Quran clearly proves that the punishment for apostasy is not death. And when both the Holy Quran and the noble example of the Holy Prophetsa prove that the punishment for causing him grief, for insulting him, or for composing satirical poetry against him is not death, then it becomes evident that those individuals whom the Holy Prophetsa ordered to be executed at the time of the Victory of Mecca must have committed some other, far more serious crime. As Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra has written, they were war criminals or murderers. But to claim that mere satire or insult was the cause of their execution is incorrect.
Critiquing these reports regarding executions at the time of the Victory of Mecca, the renowned biographer of the Holy Prophetsa from the subcontinent, Allama Shibli Nu‘mani, writes: “The chroniclers state that although the Holy Prophetsa had granted security to the people of Mecca, he nevertheless commanded that ten individuals be killed wherever they may be found.” Among them were individuals such as ‘Abdullah bin Khatal and Miqyas bin Subabah, who were guilty of bloodshed and were executed in retribution.
These two individuals were guilty of murder and were executed in retribution – even if one were to accept this. However, there were numerous others whose only alleged offence was that they had previously caused suffering to the Holy Prophetsa in Mecca or had composed satirical verses in order to humiliate him. They either caused him great suffering or sought to ridicule him in their poetic couplets. Among them was a woman who, it is said, was killed solely for the reason that she would sing such derisive verses. However, he has written, based on the scrutiny and critical analysis of Hadith, that this narration is not authentic.
The entire city of Mecca was guilty of this crime. Should one follow this logic that they were killed because of their verbal offence or the composition of satirical poetry, then the entirety of Mecca would be guilty of execution, for almost all its inhabitants engaged in such acts. Among the Quraish, except for a few, who were there that did not subject the Holy Prophetsa to the severest forms of torment? Yet, despite this, it was these very people who were given the glad
tidings:
“You are all granted freedom.”
Those few who were executed were, in fact, lesser criminals compared to others. There is a narration from Hazrat Aisha Siddiqara, recorded in the Sihah Sittah, stating that the Holy Prophetsa never took personal revenge against anyone. Even in Khaybar, when a Jewish woman poisoned him, people inquired whether she would be executed; however the Holy Prophetsa did not give permission for this.
If, in the land of disbelief such as Khaybar, a woman could escape punishment even after administering poison, then how could lesser offenders in the Sacred Precincts of Mecca be denied the mercy of the Holy Prophetsa? If one is not entirely satisfied by the critical analysis of this narration, then even by the standards of Hadith transmission, this incident is completely unreliable. Even if one does not critically analyse this, even then it is proved false based on the chain of transmission. For instance, Sahih al-Bukhari only mentions the execution of Ibn Khatal, and it is well established that he was killed in retribution for murder (qisas) The execution of Miqyas was also an implementation of Islamic law under the ruling of qisas [retribution]
As for others who are claimed to have been executed merely for having once caused suffering to the Holy Prophetsa, those narrations only trace back to Ibn Ishaq, and according to the principles of Hadith, such narrations are considered being Munqati‘ [disconnected], therefore not considered reliable.
The most credible narration that can be presented in this regard is from Sunan Abi Dawood, wherein it is stated that the Holy Prophetsa declared on the Day of the Conquest of Mecca that four individuals were not to be granted amnesty. However, even Imam Abu Dawood, after recording this Hadith, stated that he could not find a chain of narration for it that met the required standard of authenticity. In regard to these narrations of Abu Dawood, other books of Hadith have also classified them being weak.
Indeed, it is true that certain chieftains of the Quraish – those who had been foremost in enmity against Islam – fled Mecca upon hearing of the Holy Prophet’ssa arrival. But it was merely Ibn Ishaq’s conjecture that they fled due to the fear of execution. (Sirat-unNabi, Shibli, Vol. 1, Maktabah Islamiyyah, pp. 350-351)
Thus, during the Conquest of Mecca, it was only a handful of individuals regarding whom it was declared that they would be executed. Those were the very ones regarding whom, as stated by the Promised Messiahas, the Hakm and Adl, that it was just a few individuals regarding whom a command had already been revealed from the Divine threshold, i.e. it was just three or four individuals. Aside from these few eternally accursed individuals, the sins of every other enemy were forgiven. (Barahine-Ahmadiyya, Part 3, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 1, p. 287, Footnote 11)
Thus, this is the true reality of the matter.
Therefore, to allege that numerous people were put to death merely due to blasphemy or satirical poetry is entirely baseless. The remaining aspects, insha-Allah, shall be mentioned in the future.
The prevailing conditions of the world are evident to you all. Continue to pray in this regard. I have spoken of this matter on numerous occasions in the past, and I continue to draw attention to it. I have previously reminded members to make some provisions for emergencies – those who are able should store a few months’ supply of essential food items in their homes. Even now, certain governments have begun advising their citizens to keep a three-month supply of food. May Allah the Almighty have mercy on the world, and may He protect mankind from the grave and horrific consequences of war.
After the prayers, I shall lead the funeral prayer in absentia for a few deceased members.
The first among them is Amatul-Naseem Nighat Sahiba, wife of Raja Abdul Malik Sahib. She passed away recently at the age of 70.
[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
The deceased was a musiah. She was the paternal granddaughter of Hazrat Mirza Sharif Ahmad Sahibra and the maternal granddaughter of Hazrat Nawab Amatul Hafeez Begum Sahibara. She was the daughter of Colonel Mirza Daud Ahmad Sahib.
She spent a considerable period of her life in the USA, where she had the opportunity to serve in Lajna Imaillah as Secretary Maal and Secretary Ziafat for nearly ten years.
Her daughter, Amina, states that she was extremely regular in giving charity – she would give it quietly, and every so often she would especially sacrifice a goat and distribute it among the poor. She also provided financial assistance through various funds and even built homes for the underprivileged.
She further relates that she once saw in a dream that she was taking off her bangles and giving them to her maternal aunt. Acting immediately on this vision, she gifted those bangles to her aunt in real life.
She was deeply hospitable and compassionate towards the needy. Though outwardly she had a light-hearted nature –and people may not have fully realised it –she would spend her nights in deep, fervent prayer, to the extent that the floor of their home would begin to vibrate due to her intense supplications.
Hospitality was among her most distinguishing traits. She further states, “We learned the practice of the remembrance of Allah from our mother. She would recite Durood continuously and often recited couplets from the poetry of the Promised Messiahas. We heard them so often that we came to memorise them by heart.”
Her daughter Aisha has mentioned that she maintained excellent relations with her neighbours and family members.
Her nephew wrote that she would often help others quietly, without drawing
attention to herself. On occasion, Allah the Almighty would even guide her directly, informing her about someone in need. For example, she was informed that a certain individual required assistance for his child’s wedding. She immediately responded by sending one hundred thousand rupees to support them.
May Allah the Almighty grant her forgiveness and mercy.
The second funeral prayer that will be offered is for Respected Al-Haj Yaqub Ahmad bin Abu Bakr Sahib, a former headmaster of Ahmadiyya Senior High School and National Secretary for Tabligh in Ghana. He passed away recently at the age of 63 years in a road accident.
[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
The deceased was a musi. The accident occurred while he was travelling to the city of Mankessim when his vehicle collided with a trailer, resulting in a fatal head injury.
[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
He is survived by two wives, four children, his mother, one sister, and one brother.
After his early education, he enrolled in the Ahmadiyya Missionary Training College in Saltpond. Upon graduating, he was appointed to serve the Jamaat in various capacities. Later, under Jamaat arrangements, he pursued higher education at the University of Ghana, where he earned a degree in Business Administration.
Despite being offered a position in government service upon graduation, he declined, as he was a life-devotee and always honoured the spirit of life devotion (waqf). Even though he eventually served in a government-aided school, it remained a Jamaat institution, where he was later appointed as headmaster after attaining his further education. He also served as a headmaster in the Ahmadiyya schools in Salaga and Kumasi; he was highly respected and remembered by the people there, including the administrators, government officials, and students alike.
As mentioned, he served as National Secretary Tabligh and also as Qaid Tarbiyat in Majlis Ansarullah Ghana. He was a very scholarly person and was given the opportunity to be part of key educational committees. He served as the President of CHASS (Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools, Ghana), a Council Member at KNUST (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology), a Board Member of GTEC (Ghana Tertiary Education Commission), and a board member of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
He also served as the Secretary General of the African Confederation of Principals (ACP).
Upon his demise, the South African Principal Association expressed deep sorrow, acknowledging him as a principled individual whose leadership was of an exceptional standard.
He would often say that the true source of his success lay in his attachment to faith and his devotion to Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya. He was a loving husband, a compassionate father, and a symbol of faith, discipline, and kindness for his family.
He would complete multiple readings of the Holy Quran during Ramadan and regularly encouraged his family towards worship. Despite his leadership qualities, he remained humble and served with utmost sincerity and integrity.
His elder brother was the first in the family to accept Ahmadiyyat, after which the rest of the family followed. His brother writes that their father sent him to the Missionary Training College in Saltpond, where he completed his training and became a local missionary and then gradually progressed in his field and attained a respectable position both in Jamaat and in his government service.
During my stay in Ghana, I had a very close and loving relationship with him. Whenever there was an important task –especially those requiring trust – I would entrust it to him. He was a person of exceptional reliability.
After becoming Khalifah, the connection he maintained with me reached the highest standards of sincerity and devotion. He was a man of profound honour and zeal for the Jamaat and Khilafat,
His mother stated that he was an exceptionally obedient son, caring for her right from childhood. When he wished to perform Hajj, he first insisted that she go before him, arranging for her pilgrimage prior to his own. She says that he never left her alone and always kept her with him.
His wife described him as a loving and responsible husband and a kind father. He would always emphasise to offer sacrifices for the Jamaat.
His son writes that he established our faith and our attachment to Ahmadiyyat on firm foundations. He instilled in us the importance of religious commitment, guided us at every step of our lives, and his faith, they say, has become a beacon of light for our entire family.
He would wake the family for Fajr and Tahajjud prayers, and especially during Ramadan, he was very particular about this. He would regularly fast on Mondays and Thursdays.
He writes that his heart was filled with deep humility, and he treated everyone with utmost respect, regardless of their status –even those who were his subordinates. He was a very cheerful and pleasant-natured person.
His brother, Saeed bin Abu Bakr, states that after the passing of their father, he assumed full responsibility for his upbringing. He cared for him as a true father would – ensuring his proper moral training, encouraging him towards regular prayer, and providing for all his needs in every possible way.
May Allah the Almighty grant him forgiveness and mercy and enable his children to emulate his example of loyalty and excel in piety.
(Official Urdu transcript published in the Daily Al Fazl International, 2 August 2025, pp. 2 8.
