Al Hakam - 1 March 2024

Interpreting dreams

Huzooraa delivers concluding address at Jalsa Salana Ghana 2024

Islamabad, Tilford, UK, 24 February 2024: At approximately 16:05 GMT, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah be his Helper, arrived at the Masroor Hall, Islamabad, UK, for the concluding session of Jalsa Salana Ghana 2024.

After his arrival, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa invited Nasir Konado Sahib to recite a portion of the Holy Quran. He recited verses 191-195 of Surah Aal-e‘Imran, and then Bilal Akwasi Bonso Sahib presented their Urdu translation. Following this, Ehsan Ahmad Sahib was invited to present an Urdu poem of the Promised

Messiahas, and its translation was then presented by Ali Muwanda Sahib.

Thereafter, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa came to the podium to deliver the concluding address of Jalsa Salana Ghana 2024. After reciting tashahhud, ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:

“With the grace of Allah, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Ghana has been holding its Jalsa Salana over the past 3 days, and it has now reached its concluding session. This year’s Jalsa has a special significance as it is being held on the occasion of the

centenary of the establishment of the Ghana Jamaat.”

Huzooraa went on to say that as Ghana Jamaat marks its centenary year, where they express their joy and happiness, they must also reflect on the immense blessings of Allah the Almighty. From such humble beginnings, the Ghana Jamaat has gone from strength to strength over the past 100 years.

The blessed seed planted a century ago in Ghana attesting to the truth of the Promised Messiahas has flourished and borne countless

:لﺎﻗ ﻢﻠﺳو ��ﻤﻫﺄﻓ ،ﺐﻫذ ﻦﻣ ﻦﻳراﻮﺳ ىﺪﻳ

مﺎﻨﻤﻟا �� ﻰﻟإ ��وﺄﻓ ،ﺎﻤﻬﻧﺄﺷ

It is narrated by Hazrat Ibn Abbasra[...] that “Abu Hurairahra informed me that Allah’s Messengersa said, ‘When I was sleeping, I saw [in a dream] two bangles of gold around my hands and that worried me. And then I was inspired Divinely in the dream that I should blow on them, so I blew on them and both the bangles flew away. And I interpreted it that two liars would appear after me. One of them has proved to be al-Ansi and the other, Musailima.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-maghazi, Bab wafdi bani hanifah wa hadithi thumamata ibni uthal, Hadith 4374)

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, In His Own Words

Avail of God’s concessions

“The fact of the matter is that adhering to the concessions granted

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in the Holy Quran is also an aspect of piety [taqwa]. Allah the Almighty has allowed those who are travelling or unwell to compensate for their [missed] fasts at another time, thus this command too should be followed. I have read that many esteemed figures have opined that fasting while in a state of travel or illness is an act of disobedience because the ultimate goal is to attain the pleasure of Allah, not to follow one’s own desires. The pleasure of Allah lies in obedience to His commands; whatever command He gives should be followed, without adding our own interpretations. His command is clear:

مایُا ﻦمُ ةدَعُفِ ��سَ یْلٰعْ وَا اﻀ�ﺮمُ مٌکُنَمُ ناکُ ﻦمُ رِ�ا

[Whoso among you is sick or is on a journey shall fast the same number of other days. (Surah alBaqarah, Ch.2: V.185)]

“He has not specified any particular type of journey or illness that qualifies for this concession. I do not fast when travelling or ill, and today, not being in good health, I have not fasted.” (Al Hakam, Vol. 11, No. 4, 21 January 1907, p. 14)

<< Continued from previous page

fruits. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is now well-known in every part of Ghana. Every Ghanaian recognises the Jamaat and holds it in high regard.

Huzooraa said:

“Where the Jamaat of Ghana is furthering the cause of Islam through tabligh, it has also established schools, colleges, hospitals and other vital services, which has long been a means of outstanding service to the people of your nation.” As we move forward, we should also focus on our responsibilities.

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:

“It must not be that having reached this milestone, you now sit back and relax; rather, as Ghanian Jamaat enters its second centenary, it is the duty of every Ahmadi to strive earnestly to ensure its continued progress and prosperity.

“You must endeavour to convey the message of Islam to every single person of the country, seek to win the hearts and minds of your people through love and compassion. Inform your compatriots, that in this era, in servitude to the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa, the Messiah and Mahdi who was destined to come has arrived in person of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian.”

Huzooraa explained that only by associating ourselves with the Promised Messiahas can we in this era truly understand the teachings of Islam. Only by attaching ourselves to him can we comprehend the rights of Allah the Almighty and the rights of His creation. Only then can we do justice to these twin principles that lie at the heart of Islamic teachings. Only then can we become the guarantors of peace in the world at every level of society. Only then can humanity bring an end to the incessant warfare and disorder that are increasingly plaguing the

modern world.

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said that geopolitical conflicts are escalating and hatreds are becoming deeply entrenched both within nations and at the global level. As Ahamdis, we believe that only through the teachings of the Holy Quran, can the hostilities and conflicts destroying the world’s peace and security can be transformed into bonds of mutual love and unity. Huzooraa said, “So, as Ahmadi Muslims, never forget who you are and what you represent.”

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa added, that people may ask what distinguishes you from other individuals. They will question whether you yourself reflect those teachings that you call others to accept.

Huzooraa said it is our great fortune that the Promised Messiahas has illuminated the path of the code of conduct in the form of the Conditions of Bai‘at. We can only progress if we follow these conditions.

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:

“Hence, today I wish to present the essence of Islamic teachings by reminding you all of the conditions of bai‘at which, as I have said must always remain the means of governing all elements of our life.”

If we can achieve this, we will not only safeguard our own future, but save others as well, and they will come under the protective spiritual shade of the Holy Prophetsa

The first condition of bai‘at requires Ahmadis to abstain from shirk. The Promised Messiahas explains that idols are not only those made of gold, copper, or silver; rather, any entity that is given such reverence that it is only due to God, is an idol. Tawhid requires a firm conviction that God Almighty is beholden to no one and is All-Powerful and the Supreme Being.

The second condition of bai‘at requires Ahmadis to keep away from falsehood,

cruelty, adultery, dishonesty, disorder, rebellion and every kind of evil.

Once, a person came to the Holy Prophetsa requesting his advice to shun only one of his shortcomings. Prophet Muhammadsa advised him to abstain from lying. Consequently, the person was purified from all sins, as he thought if he committed a sin, he would have to lie before the Holy Prophetsa

The Promised Messiahas further instructed us to avoid all paths that carry even the slightest risk of becoming involved in adultery. It is a very dangerous sin and it takes a person far away from Allah the Almighty.

The Promised Messiahas said that a person who is unable to marry should curb his urges through other means, for example, by fasting or doing extraneous exercise.

The Promised Messiahas said:

“The prayer of the wicked tyrant is not accepted because he is unmindful of Allah, and thus Allah cares not for him. If a son is unmindful of his obligations to his father, the father does not care about him, because of his disobedience. Why should Allah care for such people?”

The Promised Messiahas advised Ahmadis that, “They should perform the five daily prayers regularly, should not utter falsehood and should not hurt anyone by their tongues. They should be guilty of no vice and should not let even a thought of any mischief, wrong, disorderliness, or turmoil pass through their minds.”

The Promised Messiahas also instructed his followers to stay away from every form of rebellion against the government. Moreover, they should keep away from all forms of carnal passions and illicit things.

Huzooraa said, “In today’s world, new means and technology are constantly developing that are pulling people away

from morality and pushing them towards vulgarity and depravity.” For example, the internet, television and media are all proving the gateways to vice and corrupting the old and the young. So, every Ahmadi must recite istighfar

Then, the Promised Messiahas took the pledge to observe daily prayers and instructed us to offer tahajjud

The Promised Messiah said:

“So all ye people who count yourselves as members of my Jamaat, in heaven you shall be counted members of my following only when you truly begin to advance on the paths of righteousness. Offer your five daily obligatory prayers with such concentration and awe of mind as though you were seeing God in front of you. Observe the days of fasting for the sake of God in full sincerity. All among you who are liable for zakat should never fail to discharge this important obligation.”

The Promised Messiahas also emphasised invoking blessings on the Holy Prophetsa

Huzooraa said that another attribute an Ahmadi must inculcate is to praise and show gratitude to Allah the Almighty in all circumstances.

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said that the Promised Messiahas instructed us not to inflict injury on any of Allah’s creatures. We should not cause harm with our hands or words to anyone.

Huzooraa said:

“All of you participating in the Jalsa should sincerely pray for an end to oppression and injustice and for true peace to prevail in the world.” We should carefully analyse our own conduct to ensure that we are never guilty of malevolent behaviour.

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said that the conditions of bai‘at also guide us towards exhibiting patience and trust during times of sorrow and hardship. Above all, having

Prayer, unity and resilience

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s response to adversity

During his Friday sermon of 23 February 2024, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, said:

“Currently, a renewed wave of opposition against the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is unfolding in Pakistan. A significant number of politicians and clerics, who have suffered defeat in elections or have not achieved their desired outcomes, are once again targeting Ahmadis to spread discord. This has always been their approach: when they face failure, they initiate campaigns against Ahmadis to gain cheap popularity. This is exactly what they are engaging in at present. They will go to any lengths for their selfish motives. Therefore, Ahmadis must not only be vigilant but also fervently engage in prayers and almsgiving [sadaqah]. May Allah the Almighty

taken the bai‘at of the Promised Messiahas, we must show complete fidelity and loyalty to Allah and strive to act upon all the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophetsa

As Ahmadi Muslims, we must not permit any type of innovation or corruption of our religion and consider the Holy Quran as our guiding light. Only then can we claim to be true Ahmadi Muslims.

Furthermore, we must rid ourselves of all forms of arrogance We should also inculcate true humility. Indeed, it was the utter humility of the Promised Messiahas due to which God revealed to him that He liked his humble ways. Prophet Muhammadsa said that one must shun all forms of pride.

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa highlighted that another condition of bai‘at is that we shall consider upholding the dignity and honour of Islam even greater than our wealth, honour, children, and all others. If we wish to bring about a spiritual revolution, we must live our lives in this way.

Then, the Promised Messiahas has taken an oath from all Ahmadis that they will seek to serve the creation of Allah and fulfil their needs. If we do this, we will be the inheritors of the prayers of the Holy Prophetsa and the Promised Messiahas

The Promised Messiahas said that benevolence does not merely require that

safeguard all Ahmadis. [Amin.]

“Pray earnestly for the Ahmadis in Yemen as well. May Allah the Almighty

a person show kindness to their near ones; rather, it should be for all mankind. The Promised Messiahas said:

“Benevolence does not imply that it should be only for your brothers and relations, but it should be for anyone, any human, and any of God’s creation. Do not consider whether someone is a Hindu or a Christian. I tell you truthfully that Allah the Almighty has taken on the responsibility of ensuring justice for you; He does not want you to take it upon yourselves. The more congeniality you adopt and the more humble and serving you are, the more Allah the Almighty will be pleased with you. Leave your enemies to Allah the Almighty.”

Huzooras said:

“Now and before concluding, I also wish to remind you that the Promised Messiahas has taken a solemn pledge from us in our bai‘at that, after accepting of Ahmadiyyat, we will remain entirely obedient to him purely for the sake of Allah and will hold our bond of love with him higher than any worldly relationship.

“So, after Ahmadi must exhibit true love for the Promised Messiahas. And the way to do it is to faithfully act upon his teachings, which in reality are the teachings of Allah the Almighty and His Messengersa. Only then can we claim to be Ahmadi Muslims in spirit and deed.”

ease their circumstances. Many among them are enduring life in captivity [for the sake of their faith]. May Allah the Almighty

Furthermore, in this era, Allah has blessed us with Khilafat. Every Ahmadi must attach themselves to the institution of Khilafat and it is the key to their continued progress. Huzooraa said:

“If all members of Ghana Jamaat are those who sincerely strive to act upon the conditions of bai‘at, then it can be said that the first century of Ghana will have proven one truly blessed and successful and you will enter the second century of Ahmadiyyat in Ghana in the best possible way.

“I say to all of you that now is that time to come forward and pledge with absolute determination and resoluteness that you will forever seek to bring about all the pure changes required to fulfil the conditions of the oath you have taken with the Promised Messiahas.” If you do so, you will be a means of conveying the message of Islam to the corners of the world. May it be that by following the teachings of the Islam, you become the people to bring about a moral revolution in the world.

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa added that he hopes and prays for the Ghanian nation that the young people and coming generation of their nation be those who save the world from duplicity and godlessness as compared to those nations that consider themselves to be the most advanced and civilised on Earth.

grant them swift release. [Amin.]

“Pray also for the Palestinians. May Allah the Almighty bestow His mercy upon them and deliver them from the injustices inflicted by powerful nations.

“The Jalsa Salana of [Jamaat-eAhmadiyya] Ghana commenced yesterday. Tomorrow, Saturday, marks its concluding day. Pray for the success of this event in every aspect. This is their Centenary Jalsa, celebrating 100 years since the establishment of the Jamaat [in Ghana]. Tomorrow, insha-Allah, I will also address [the gathering] directly from here [Islamabad, UK], and my address will be relayed live there. May Allah the Almighty bless this occasion in every way. [Amin.]”

Huzooraa prayed:

“May the world come to look towards Ghana and the African nations as the beacons of justice, truth and morality, inshaAllah.”

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:

“May Allah the Almighty grant us all the ability to do so.

“May Allah the Almighty bless the Ghana Jamaat in every respect and may you all return to your homes safely having fulfilled the objectives of the Jalsa Salana. Amin.”

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa then led everyone in silent prayer. Thereafter, Huzooraa permitted taranay (choral poems) to be recited.

In the end, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa conveyed his salaam and expressed his regret that Huzooraa was not personally present in the Ghana Jalsa.

Huzooraa then announced that, according to the attendance given to him, the number of participants in the Jalsa Gah was 39,000. The total number in the Masroor Hall was 1333, of which 300 attendees were Africans.

Huzooraa again said salaam to all the Ghanaians and departed at around 17:40 GMT.

(Report by Al Hakam)

This Week in History

A glimpse into the rich history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

1 March

1 March 1940: During his tour of Sindh, on this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra reached Nasirabad, where he inaugurated a mosque with the Jumuah prayer. During his Friday Sermon, Huzoorra drew the attention of local Ahmadis to their responsibilities concerning the mosque. (Al Fazl, 6 March 1940, p. 2)

1 March 1950: On this day, the Schwerter Zeitung, a German newspaper, wrote under the heading “Islamische Europa-Mission will in Hamburg Moschee bauen” – “Islamic European Mission desires to build a mosque in Hamburg”:

“[Translation] Hamburg is also to receive a mosque, although the building work will still be a long time coming, explained Abdul Latif, the only European missionary of the Islamic Ahmadiyya Movement. [...] There is already a mosque in London. In Hamburg, there was initially a small community of spiritual followers of Islam. The Mohammedans [sic, Muslims] believe that Islam will find great understanding in Europe in the future, now that active Islamic communities have been established in many European countries and in America.”

For more details, see “Islam Ahmadiyyat echoes in early 1900s German newspapers” at alhakam. org (1 September 2023, p. 14).

1 March 1972: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh announced the establishment of Majlis-e-Sehat to organise sports and physical exercise for the people of Rabwah, Pakistan. Huzoorrh desired that every resident of Rabwah should exercise daily. (Tarikh-eAhmadiyyat, Vol. 28, p. 30)

For more details, see “Rabwah – National Centre of Sports” at alhakam.org (11 May 2018, p. 3).

1 March 2014: On this day,

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa inaugurated the Nasir Mosque in Gillingham, UK. On this occasion, Huzooraa also held an audience with local Ahmadi Muslims. In the evening, a special reception, attended by more than 180 dignitaries and guests, was held to mark the opening of the mosque. (“New Mosque Opened by World Muslim Leader in Gillingham”, www. pressahmadiyya.com)

2 March

2 March 1927: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra delivered a lecture at the Bradlaugh Hall in Lahore, titled “Hindu-Muslim fasadat, inka ilaaj, aur Musalmanon ka ainda tareeq-e-amal”, i.e. “HinduMuslim relations and the future course of action for Muslims” For further details, see “‘Progress is impossible without peace’: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s lecture at the Bradlaugh Hall in Lahore, 1927” at alhakam.org (12 May 2023, p. 8)

2 March 1947: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra wrote a letter to MA Jinnah, saying: “On HMG’s new declaration, Sir M Zafrullah Khan approached Sir Khizar, suggesting that at this critical juncture he should not fail his community. Malik

Sahib then asked Sir Muhammad Zafrullah Khan to come to Lahore.

As I also, on my way to Sind, had to stay there for one night, Sir Muhammad came there yesterday and discussed the matter with me.

Following this, last night, he had a long discourse with Malik Sahib and Qizilbash. They have agreed to resign. […] Now you have a great lever to get Muslim rights from your opponents.” (Jinnah Papers, Vol. 1, Part I, pp. 164-165)

For further details, see “Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s services to the Muslim cause: Guidance and support to leaders of the Pakistan Movement” at alhakam.org (5 March 2021, p. 20).

3 March

3 March 1907: On this day, Syed Habibullah ICS, who was the magistrate of Agra, arrived at Qadian before the Zuhr prayer. Although the Promised Messiahas was unwell, he showed great hospitality and gave adequate time to the guest. For more details, see “Coming from every distant track: Syed Habibullah Khan Sahib visits Qadian and meets with Promised Messiah”, at alhakam.org (16 April 2021, p. 13).

3 March 1927: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra delivered a lecture, titled “Mazhab aur science”, – “Religion and science”, at the Habibia Hall of the Islamia College, Lahore. The session was presided over by Sir Muhammad Iqbal, and the lecture was organised by the Educational Union Islamia College.

For more details, see “Lectures, receptions and visit to Punjab Legislative Council: Hazrat Muslehe-Maud’s visit to Lahore, 1927”, at alhakam.org (2 February 2024, p. 14).

3 March 1995: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh commenced a series of sermons about the attributes of Allah, in accordance with one of his dreams. This series continued on during the Fifth Khilafat.

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa opening the Nasir Mosque, Gillingham, UK

Nasir Mosque, Gillingham, UK

1 - 7 March

Jamaat Glasgow hosts dinner to strengthen community bonds

4 March

4 March 1932: On this day, Hazrat Maulvi Sher Alira, wrote a letter to the Madras Mail regarding the advent of the Promised Messiah.

For more details, see “100 Years Ago… – Second Coming of Christ: A Muslim perspective on the fulfilment of biblical prophecy” at alhakam.org (10 February 2023, pp. 14-15)

4 March 2018: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa laid the foundation stone for the new administrative block at the Baitul Futuh Mosque complex in Morden, London. The administrative block, which will include multi-purpose halls, offices, and accommodation facilities, is being rebuilt after

a fire in September 2015 caused widespread damage at the site. (“Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Lays Foundation Stone for New Administrative Block at Baitul Futuh Mosque”, pressahmadiyya.com)

5 - 6 March

5 March 1917: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra shared valuable advice with Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra and other persons gathered at Madrasa Ahmadiyya about focusing on preaching as opposed to conversion. For more details, see “Twenty pearls of wisdom from Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s ‘Guidance for Missionaries’” at alhakam.org (10 November 2023, p. 14).

6 March 1935: The first Ahmadiyya printing press in Kababir, Haifa, under the name Al-Matba‘ah al-Ahmadiyyah, was inaugurated on this day.

For further details, see “Pioneer Missionaries: Part 15 – Some early milestones of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the Holy Land” at alhakam.org (22 December 2023, p. 6).

7 March

7 March 1923: During a speech on this day, Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra instructed Ahmadis to get ready to offer every possible sacrifice to tackle the ongoing Shuddhi Movement, initiated by the Arya Samaj.

For more details, see “Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s response to the Shuddhi movement and the Jamaat’s relentless services for Islam” at alhakam.org (17 December 2021, p. 18).

7 March 2008: During his Friday Sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa drew the attention of the Jamaat towards learning and teaching the translation of the Holy Quran. He emphasised that both the auxiliary organisations and the Jamaat’s system should work together on this important task. Through translation, Huzooraa said, one is able to gain an understanding of Allah’s commandments.

7 March 2015: Mrs Shadiye Heydari, a member of the Swedish parliament (Sveriges Riksdag), visited the Fazl Mosque in London, where she was granted an audience with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa

During the 40-minute meeting, Huzooraa spoke about the increasing threat and danger posed by extremism in many parts of the world and advised that politicians should seek to identify the root causes of extremism and build a long-term strategy to counter youth radicalisation. (“Swedish Politician visits Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in London”, pressahmadiyya.com)

Arshad Mehmood Khan Scotland Correspondent

Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Glasgow hosted a New Year’s dinner on 14 January 2024, at the Baitur Rahman Mosque, Glasgow, under the theme “Peace Through Unity”, and brought together over 200 guests, including 100 non-Muslims.

A beautiful exhibition about the history of Islam and its sacred places was designed by Lajna Imaillah Glasgow.

The event started with a recitation from the Holy Quran with English translation, followed by an introductory video about the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Missionary Fakhar Ahmad Aftab Sahib delivered a welcome speech, followed by an address by Ataul Mujeeb Rashed Sahib, missionary-in-charge UK, who focused on the pivotal role of unity in promoting lasting peace.

Some of the distinguished guests included Kirsten Oswald, MP for East Renfrewshire, Dr Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow Region, and Reverend Mike Fucella, Minister for the Church of Scotland.

The presence of esteemed guests underscored the significance of interfaith dialogue and collaboration in building a cohesive community.

Kirsten Oswald MP, East Renfrewshire, said:

“An inspiring event that promotes unity and understanding. I commend the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community for their commitment to fostering peace in our community.”

Dr Sandesh Gulhane, MSP, Glasgow (Region) expressed:

“The New Year Dinner exemplifies the power of diversity and unity. It is heartening to see communities join hands for a common goal.”

Reverend Mike Fucella, Minister for the Church of Scotland, said:

“A wonderful evening highlighting the importance of harmony among different faiths. Congratulations to AMC Glasgow for organising such a meaningful event.”

An interesting question-and-answer session was also held, followed by a vote of thanks by Muhammad Ahsan Ahmad Sahib. The event ended with a silent prayer.

Mahmood Mosque, Kababir, Haifa

Photo courtesy of AMJ Scotland

Answers to Everyday Issues Part

70

Was Prophet Yahyaas, i.e., John the Baptist, martyred?

Someone from Pakistan wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, stating, “It is the stance of the Promised Messiahas and Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra that prophets can be killed, and, indeed, Prophet Yahyaas was killed. However, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh maintained that prophets cannot be killed and the assassination of Prophet Yahyaas is not corroborated by history. These two positions appear to be contradictory. Guidance on this matter is requested.”

Huzoor-e-Anwaraa, in his letter dated 23 November 2022, provided the following answer to this question:

“In the matter of the murder of Hazrat Yahya and Hazrat Zakariya, peace be upon them both, there is a divergence of views in historical and biographical texts, as well as among the opinions of earlier Islamic scholars. In light of the explanations derived from Quranic verses and interpretations of Hadith, there are also varied opinions within the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. My stance on this aligns with the view of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra. I maintain my position, based on the Holy Quran, the sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa, and the instructions of the Promised Messiahas, that neither the first nor the last prophet of any dispensation, nor a prophet regarding whom Allah Almighty has promised protection from human reach, can be killed. For other prophets, murder does not tarnish their dignity nor detract from their prophetic stature, as being killed [in Allah’s way] is also one way of attaining martyrdom. However, for prophets to meet their end in a state of unfulfilled mission contradicts their esteemed stature. Thus, once a prophet fulfils his divine commission, his departure from this world, be it through natural demise or martyrdom, bears no grounds for objection. Such an end, marked by the completion of their mission, neither invites surprise nor grants the adversaries any satisfaction.

“Hazrat Yahya and Hazrat Zakariya, peace be upon them, were neither the first nor the last prophets of any dispensation, nor is there any explicit covenant from Allah Almighty cited concerning their assured preservation from adversaries. Furthermore, our conviction holds that upon their martyrdom, they had indeed

Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist), Addressees of the Holy Quran

Guidance regarding basic Islamic issues – which Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa has given on various occasions in his written correspondence and during MTA programmes – is being officially published below for everyone’s benefit.

accomplished the duties Allah the Almighty had assigned to them with utmost fidelity.

“The Promised Messiahas unequivocally affirms the assassination of Prophets Yahyaas and Zakariyaas through numerous statements. For instance, while interpreting the following Quranic verse, he articulates:

اﻘ���فِ مٌﺗ��کُﺘسَا مٌکُسِفِنَا یْوْہْﺗ الَ امْبِ لَوْسَرَ مٌ�ءُﺂجِ امْلَ�فِا نوْلَﺘﻘ� اﻘ�رِ�وَ مٌﺘبِﺬﻛ

“‘It translates to, ‘It is your habit, O Children of Israel, that whenever a messenger came to you, you denied some of them and killed others. [Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.2: V.88]’ (Ai’nah-e-Kamalat-e-Islam, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 5, p. 34)

“In his Arabic work Hamamat-ulBushra, he wrote:

،مٌہْﺗزّعُوَ مٌہْنَّأَﺸلَ ارِ��وَ ہِﺋایْبُنَّ�لَ اصِﻘنَ لٗﺘﻘلَا توْمُ ناکُ امُوَ ما�سِلَا ہِیْلَعْ یْ�حَیْﻛ ہِلّٰلِا لٗیْبُسَ یْ� اوْلَﺘقَ ��یْبُنَلَا ﻦمُ ﻦیُأَکُوَ ﻊمُ ﺲلَﺠﺗ الَوَ ﻦیُدَﺘہْمْلَا طا�� ﺐلَﻃاوَ رِ�فِﺘفِ ،ہِیْبِأُوَ .ﻦیُوَاﻐلَا

“‘Death through murder does not signify a deficiency for prophets, nor does it degrade their honour or stature. Numerous prophets have been assassinated in the cause of Allah, including Yahyaas and his father. Thus, contemplate and seek the path of those rightly guided, and refrain from associating with those who are led astray.’ (Hamamat-ul-Bushra, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 7, p. 255, footnote)

“In this work, Tuhfah-e-Golarviyyah, Huzooras states:

“‘The term ‘kama’ as used by the Quran to denote the similarity between Mosesas and the Holy Prophetsa is also employed in the verse ﻦیُﺬلَا ﻒلَﺨﺘسَا امْﻛ, albeit not negating the inherent distinction that exists between them.

“It is noteworthy that the twelfth Caliph of Islam, who was to appear at the turn of the thirteenth century, corresponds to Prophet Yahyaas, whose head was severed for a vile nation (let those with understanding comprehend). Therefore, it is imperative that the twelfth Caliph be a Qurashi, just as Prophet Yahyaas was an Israelite. However, the thirteenth Caliph of Islam, who was to emerge at the beginning of the fourteenth century and was named the Promised Messiah, had to be non-Qurashi, just as Jesusas was not an Israelite. Sayyid Ahmad Barelvi is the twelfth Caliph in the Muhammadan Caliphate, analogous to Prophet Yahyaas and is a sayyid.’ (Tuhfah-e-

In Izalah-e-Awham, he writes:

“‘Likewise, Prophet Yahyaas also called the Pharisees and elders of the Jews ‘brood of vipers’ and had his head cut off due to their wickedness and machinations.’

(Izalah-e-Awham, Pt. 1, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 3, p. 110)

“In light of the statements of the Promised Messiahas, the stance of Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra was also that Prophet Yahyaas was indeed murdered. During the era of his Caliphate, a discussion arose regarding this matter, on which he delivered three Friday sermons. In these sermons, he established that Prophet Yahyaas was martyred, and this was also the belief of the Promised Messiahas and his Companions. On one such occasion in these sermons, he stated:

“‘Not once, but on numerous occasions, we have heard from the blessed lips of the Promised Messiahas, in not just one manner but in various tones and contexts, that Prophet Yahyaas was murdered. It is now utterly inconceivable for us to believe that the Promised Messiahas did not hold the view that Prophet Yahyaas was assassinated. It is not merely about what we heard from his

blessed lips; we used to have discussions on this matter, and we always asserted that the belief of the Promised Messiahas was indeed that Prophet Yahyaas had been martyred.

For instance, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira held the view that a Prophet of Allah cannot be killed, and we would always debate this matter with him, presenting references from the writings of the Promised Messiahas Eventually, around 1910, he conceded, stating he would no longer discuss this issue; previously, he would always assert that such statements were rhetorical, similar to what Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan of Aligarh used to say that many statements in the Holy Quran were speculative or allegorical. However, when we persistently presented numerous references and brought forth multiple testimonies to prove that the Promised Messiahas indeed held the belief that Prophet Yahyaas was martyred, he stated that he now believes he should refrain from discussing this matter further. However, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira never claimed in his arguments that he had heard such a belief directly from the Promised Messiahas He would say, ‘My understanding leads me to this conclusion,’ but when we established that the Promised Messiahas believed that

Golarviyyah, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 17, pp. 193-194)

Shrine in Damascus, thought to be of Hazrat Yahya bin Zakariyya (John the Baptist) | Wiki Commons

some Prophets were martyred, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira then said, ‘I now choose to remain silent and will never speak on this matter again.’ (Friday Sermon, 26 August 1938, Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 19, pp. 569570)

“Regarding the stance expressed by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh in his durus of the Holy Quran, he did not present his view as definitive but suggested that further research is warranted on this matter. Moreover, in support of his position, he cited a statement from the Promised Messiahas mentioned in the discourses, which states, ‘Since the cross is meant for criminals, it is incongruous with the dignity of a prophet to be crucified. Thus, the Torah states that one who is hanged is accursed. Similarly, ignominious ailments such as syphilis, typically befalling the morally debased, spare the prophets. While the murder of [true] prophets does not detract from their honour, there exists no authenticated instance of a prophet’s assassination. A prophet is not killed by the means used for vile individuals.’ (Al-Badr, No. 12, Vol. 2, 10 April 1903, pp. 90-91; Malfuzat [2016], Vol. 4, p. 356)

“This excerpt is derived from Malfuzat, a compilation of the Promised Messiah’sas pronouncements, as recounted by journalists or editors in their vernacular, based on their auditory recollections. Contrasting this, the extensive corpus of the Promised Messiah’sas writings unambiguously affirms his conviction regarding the assassination of Prophet Yahyaas. The aforementioned passage from Malfuzat does not negate the potentiality of prophets’ assassination but rather delineates the incompatibility of crucifixion, demise from ignoble diseases, or execution by means reserved for the wicked, with the esteemed stature of prophets.”

Addressees of the Holy Quran

Someone from Egypt wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, asking, “A friend enquired why the following verse of the Holy Quran mentions the heavens and the earth but not angels and jinn:

نا ��بِافِ لَابُﺠلَاوَ ضرَالَاوَ توْمْسِلَا یْلٰعْ ةٍنَّامُالَا انَﺿرِعُ انَّا امُوْلَﻇ ناکُ ہِنَّا � ناسِنَّالَا اہْلَمْﺣوَ اہْنَمُ ﻦﻘفِﺷاوَ اہْنَلَمْحَیُ الَوْہْجِ

“‘Verily, We offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear it and were afraid of it. But man bore it. Indeed, he is capable of being unjust to, and neglectful of, himself.’” (Surah al-Ahzab, Ch.31: V.73)

Huzoor-e-Anwaraa, in his letter dated 24 November 2022, provided the following answer to this question:

“It is a matter of common sense and is evident in our everyday practices where mentioning a select few items implicitly encompasses others; it is not customary to enumerate each detail repeatedly. This is encapsulated in the renowned Arabic adage, لَدُوَ لٗقَ امُ ما��لَا ��ﺧ, signifying that the essence of effective communication lies in being concise yet expressive. Thus, the Holy Quran, being a comprehensive book, one of its remarkable qualities is that Allah the Almighty has provided teachings in a concise manner, encompassing broad and detailed matters in succinct words. This unique characteristic of the Holy Quran is illuminated in verses such as ہٗانَلَصِفِ ءُیْ� لٗکُوَ

ا�یْصِفِ� [And everything We have explained with a detailed explanation. (Surah Bani Isra’il, Ch.17, V.12)] and ءُیْ� لٗکُ لٗیْصِفِ�وَ [And (this book contains) a detailed exposition of all things. (Surah Yusuf, Ch.12: V.111)].

“The Holy Quran adeptly conveys depth in brevity by issuing distinct directives to believing men and women where necessary, yet often addressing believing men alone with commandments that, by implication, apply equally to women without explicit mention.

“Therefore, the answer to your question is that when the Holy Quran mentions the heavens, the earth, and the mountains in the aforementioned verse, it implies all entities within them. This interpretation is also echoed in older exegeses. For instance, Tafsir al-Mazhari states:

ضرَ�لَاوَ تاوَامْسِلَابِ ﻲﻈفِلَلَا باﻄﺨلَا ضﺮعُلَابِ دُاﺮمْلَا لٗیْقَوَ نوَدُ اہْلَھُأُ ىأُ ةٍیُ��لَا لٗﺌسَوَ ﻰلَاعُ� ہِلَوْقَ یْ� امْﻛ اہْلَھُأُ لَابُﺠلَاوَ .اہْنَّایْعْأُ

“‘It has also been said that the literal address to the heavens, the earth, and the mountains implies their respective denizens (i.e., the creatures living within the heavens, the earth, and the mountains were offered the trust by Allah), as in the verse ةٍیُ��لَا لٗﺌسَوَ (‘And ask the town’), where it refers to the people of the town, not the physical town itself.’ (Tafsir al-Mazhari, al-Qadi Muhammad Thanaullah al-Uthmani alHanafi al-Mazhari al-Naqshbandi [d. 1225/1810], Vol. 7, [p. 388])

“In the Promised Messiah’sas elucidation of the verse mentioned, it is evident that he interprets the heavens, the earth, and the mountains mentioned in the verse as representing the creatures inhabiting them. In his work, Tawdih-e-Maram, he elucidates:

لَابُﺠلَاوَ ضرَالَاوَ توْمْسِلَا یْلٰعْ ةٍنَّامُالَا انَﺿرِعُ انَّا ہِنَّا � ناسِنَّالَا اہْلَمْﺣوَ اہْنَمُ ﻦﻘفِﺷاوَ اہْنَلَمْحَیُ نا ��بِافِ

الَوْہْجِ امُوْلَﻇ ناکُ

“This means that, [Allah states,] ‘We presented Our Trust, which signifies Divine Love and the trial followed by complete obedience, to all the angels of the heavens, all creatures of the earth, and the mountains that appeared to be strong entities. However, all these entities declined to bear this Trust and were overawed by its greatness, but man undertook it.’ This was because man possessed two qualities: firstly, he could subdue himself in the way of Allah the Almighty, and secondly, he could reach such an extent in his love for Allah the Exalted that he could completely forget all else but Him.” (Tawdih-e-Maram, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 3, pp. 75-76)

“Likewise, in Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Part 5, he wrote:

“‘[Allah says,] ‘We presented Our trust— which must be rendered back to Us like a trust—to all the creation in the earth and in heaven, but all of them refused to accept it out of apprehension that a default might ensue, but man accepted this trust as he was zalum [able to subdue himself] and jahul [able to be neglectful of himself].’ Both these terms [zalum and jahul] as applied to man, are complimentary and not derogatory in nature. They signify that man had been endowed with the capacity of being harsh upon his own self for the sake of God and he could incline towards God Almighty such as to forget his self. That is why he accepted the responsibility of treating his entire being as

a trust and then to expend it in the cause of God.’ (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part 5, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 21, p. 239)

“In Ai’nah-e-Kamalat-e-Islam, Huzooras, elucidates:

“‘The Trust that was presented to the angels, the earth, the mountains, and all celestial bodies, which they declined to bear, was undoubtedly first offered to the souls of the prophets and messengers when it was presented to mankind. This is because they are the leaders of humanity and the foremost in truly deserving the essence of humanity.’ (Ai’nah-e-Kamalat-e-Islam,

pizar_heryanto| Pixabay

Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 5, p. 169)

“Thus, the allusion to the heavens, the earth, and the mountains in this verse implies and subtly encompasses all beings within them, all of whom shied away from the Trust due to their incapacity to uphold its demands. It was then that man, esteemed by Allah the Almighty as the pinnacle of creation, bravely accepted this Trust, undeterred by potential repercussions.”

(Compiled by Zaheer Ahmad Khan, Head of Records Department, Private Secretariat, London and translated by Al Hakam.)

Salat purifies the spirit and fasts illuminate the heart

This verse indicates the greatness of the month of Ramadan. The Sufis have recorded that this is a good month for the illumination of the heart. One who observes the fast has frequent experience of visions in this month. The Salat purifies the spirit and the fast illumines the heart. The purification of the spirit means that one may be delivered from the passions of the self that incites to evil; and the illumination of the heart means that the gates of vision may be opened so that one may be able to behold God.

[Malfuzat, Vol. 4, pp. 256-257]

Prophet Muhammad and Persian revelations: An analysis of Islamic texts

Athar Ahmad

Student, Jamia Ahmadiyya UK

Opponents of Islam Ahmadiyyat say that Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, the Promised Messiah, claimed that our Holy Master, Hazrat Muhammad Mustafasa, received revelation in Persian. They ask for proof of this.

Often, the following source is quoted to make the case against the Promised Messiahas:

“Again he [the Holy Prophetsa] was asked if Almighty God had spoken to any of His servants in the Persian language and he replied in the affirmative, adding that Almighty God says in the Persian language

which means, “What shall I do with this handful of dust (man) if I do not forgive him.” (Chashma-e-Ma‘rifat, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 23, p. 382, Transl.: Review of Religions, January 1908, Vol. 7, No. 1, p. 10)

First, it will be shown with the help of some references that this saying was in circulation during and before the time of the Promised Messiahas and was classified by some scholars as a statement of the Prophetsa:

1. Hafiz Husayn Karbala’i (d. 997/1589), known as Ibn al-Karbala’i, in his important hagiographical compendium focused on the saints buried in Tabriz, Rawzat al-jinan wa-jannat al-janan, records the following account:

�����زا���:��د���ﷲا���رف���ا���� ���؟�اهد�سیر�ب����ت�ت��آ��م��� ��ا � ��� زا م� �� �د��� سی� ��� ت� �� �د��� ��ا ل� ��� زا م� �� �� �د��� ��ا � ��� و ��أ ﷲا � ل�ر ت� زا � �ا ه�ر � �� د��� ��� �� ���� � � :�� ���� � ���ز � ن���� �و � � ت� �� �و ��آ و ���� .مز������آ�ك���ا�� :يُّمِوَرِلَا هُدٍاز اشْﭘﺎ لَامُكُ ةًمِﻼعَلَا ﻞﺿافِلِلَ ﻞﺋاسَرِلَا ﺾعَبُ فِيوَ هُيلِعَ ﻞيفُارِسَا لَأَسَ هُنَّا مْلِسَ وَ هُلَآ وَ هُيلِعَ الله ىلِص بِيَّنْلَا نْعَ یوَرُ« ﻞكُ مْعَنَّ : لَاقُفُ ، ةًيسَرُافِلَبَا ﱃاعَتَ الله مِﻼكُ نَوعَمُسْتَ ﻞﻫ : مِﻼسْلَا نْيا بَا مْنْﮑﭼ : ةًيرُدِلَا ةًيسَرُافِلَبَا لَوقُي ﺲمُشَلَا بوَرِﻏ دِنْعَ مِوي «.مِزرِمِايبُ هُﮑنَّآ زَّﺟ نَارُاﮑمُتُسَ “Mawlana Shams ad-Din Mu‘arrif, may Allah have mercy on him, said: I asked Mawlana Mir Muhammad Khatib whether God, the Eminent, had ever spoken in Persian. He replied that Mawlana Salmasi said that he heard from Mawlana Najm ad-Din Usku’i, and Mawlana Najm ad-Din said that he clearly heard from Mawlana Kamal ad-Din Baku’i that he said that it has reached me through a chain back to the Messengersa that [God,] the Truth, may He be glorified and exalted, says in the tongueless tongue: ‘What can I do with this handful of dust except forgive?’

“And in one of the treatises of the eminent scholar Kamal Pashazade ar-Rumi (d. 940/1534)[, it says]: ‘It is narrated from the Prophetsa that he asked Israfilas: “Do you hear the words of God Most High in Persian?” He replied: “Yes, every day at sunset He says in Persian: “What can I do with these oppressors except forgive?”’”

The editor of the Rawzat mentions in the footnote to the quotation from Pashazade that this was also recorded along the same lines in the Tafsir of asSurabadi (d. ca. 454/1101)

2. al-Mulla ‘Ali al-Qari (d. 1014/1606), the famous Hanafi hadith scholar, notes in alAsrar al-marfu‘a fi l-akhbar al-mawdu‘a, his major work on fabricated ahadith: مِﻼكُلَا فِي دٍرُوَ هُنَّأَ مْﺠعَلَا نْمِ انْﳜاشَمِ ﺾعَبُ هُرِكُذَ امِ عوﺿومِ اﺬكُوَ مِزرِمِ اينَّ هُكُ نَارُاكُ هُانْكُ نْيبَا مْنْكُ هُﺟ يُّسَرُافِلَا نَاسْلِلَبَا يُّسَدِقُلَا

“And likewise, what some of our shaykhs from the non-Arabs mentioned, that it occurs in the holy speech in the Persian tongue, “What shall I do with these sinners if I do not forgive them?”, is an unfounded hadith (mawdu’

3. This hadith is also in Farhang-i Jahangiri, a Persian dictionary compiled in the 17th century by Mir Jamal ad-Din Husayn Inju (d. 1035/1626). This is one of the most important Persian-language dictionaries produced in Mughal India, often regarded as a standard in the realm of Persian lexicography. It reads: �و ���� ﷲا � ﷲا ل�ر ل�� �� �ا ر� �د � رد ﷲا ل� � ل� �ر� � �� ﷲا ل� �� م�ا ���� �� � مز����� ا�ر���� ���ا����ن�� ����

“It is mentioned in Tafsir Daylami that the Messenger of Allahsa asked the archangel Michaelas: ‘Does Allah say something in Persian?’ He answered: ‘Yes, Allah the Exalted says: “What am I

to do with this handful of oppressors but to forgive?”’”

4. Evliya Çelebi (d. after 1096/1685), an Ottoman wayfarer and author, records in his voluminous travelogue Seyahatname, which is one of the greatest travel accounts in Islamic literature:

�دآ (��ا ��د) م�� هداز ��� ل� ه����� �� سیر�

����ﷲا �ﷲال�رل�� �����ا� �ل�):ر��ر�����ه���ا

� ل� ؟���ر��� � �� ﷲا ل� �� م�ا ���� �� � � و

� �ا � � � ��» (م�ا ����) � �ا��ا � � ل� ﷲا ل�ر � ([…]«��دمر��� آ�نار������ك�

“The late Kamal Pashazade (d. 940/1534), in his work Daqa’iq alhaqa’iq, quotes regarding the Persian language as follows: ‘It is narrated in

Tafsir ad-Daylami: “The Messenger of Allahsa asked Archangel Michaelas: ‘Does Allah the Exalted say anything in Persian?’ He replied: ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah[sa], He says in the Scriptures of Abrahamas: “What shall I do with this handful of dirt of oppressors, except bring them a Message?”’”’”

The scholar by the name ad-Daylami, whose book is quoted here, is possibly the Zaydi Imam Abu al-Fath ad-Daylami (d. 444/1052).

5. ‘Abd al-Aziz Pirharvi (d. 1239/1824), a scholar of Quran, hadith and Islamic philosophy, records this hadith in the second part of his work Kawthar anNabi fi ‘ilm usul al-hadith, which deals with fabricated traditions, (mawdu‘at) in the following way:

مز����نار�ہ���ا��� �

“What am I to do if I do not forgive these sinners?”

And in the footnote, it is written: ������������ارك���ا:هُيفُ تُأَرِقُ

“I have also read somewhere: ‘If I do not forgive this handful of dust, then what am I to do?’”

6. It is also written in the Malfuzat of Khawaja Shamsuddin Sialvi (d. 1300/1882), the spiritual leader of the Chishti Sufi order, also known as Shams al-‘Arifin:

“Later, a discussion on the subject of the word of God was initiated. He said: ‘God has also spoken in Persian language and that sentence is this: مز��ٓ��آ�ك�ِ��������

Rawzat al-jinan wa-jannat al-janan

Farhang-i Jahangiri

al-Asrar al-marfu‘a fi l-akhbar al-mawdu‘a

“Sayyid Allah Bakhsh Langri asked whether the word of God is also in Hindi or not? He said: ‘His being is manifested in every language and appearance.’” (Pur Gohar, Urdu translation of Mir’at alashiqin, p. 287)

If our opponents studied Islamic literature, they would not raise this allegation against the Promised Messiahas as throughout the Hadith corpus it is well established that the Prophetsa used Persian and other non-Arabic words.

Proof of Prophet Muhammadsa speaking in Persian

In ahadith we find many examples of the Prophetsa to have spoken in Persian. For example, it is narrated that Abu Hurairara said:

“The Prophetsa set out in the early morning and I did likewise. I prayed, then I sat. The Prophetsa turned to me and said in Persian: درد �� � ”” (i.e., Do you have a stomach problem)?’ I said: ‘Yes, O Messengersa of Allah.’ He said: ‘Get up and pray, for in prayer there is healing.’ (Sunan

Ibn Majah, Kitab at-Tibb, Hadith 3458)

In fact, Imam al-Bukhari established a whole chapter on in this in the Kitab al-Jihad of his Sahih called: “Bab man takallama bi-l-farisiyya wa-r-ratana” – “Chapter on speaking in Persian and in an unfamiliar accent”

Imam al-Bukhari introduces the chapter with the following two verses:

مٌکُنَّاوْلَاوَ مٌکُﺘنَسِلَا فا�ﺘﺧاوَ

“And the diversity of your tongues and colours” (Surah ar-Rum, Ch.30: V.23)

ہِمُوْقَ ناسِلَبِ الَا لَوْسَرَ ﻦمُ انَلَسَرَا امُوَ

“And We have not sent any Messenger except with the language of his people” (Surah Ibrahim, Ch.14: V.5)

Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani makes the following remarks concerning these two verses in Fath al-Bari, his most renowned commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari: هُنَّﻷ ؛ةًنْسْلَﻷا فَرِعَي نَاكُ مْلِسَوَ هُيلِعَ الله ىلِص بِيَّنْلَا نَأَ ﱃإِ رُاشْأَ هُنَّأَكُ ةًبَسْنْلَبَا هُمِوقُ مْمِﻷا عَيمُﺠفُ ،مْهُّتُنْسْلَأَ فَﻼتُخْا ىلِعَ اهُّلِكُ مْمِﻷا ﱃإِ ﻞسَرُ ُ أَ .هُنْعَ اومُهُّفِيوَ مْهُّنْعَ مْهُّفِيلَ ؛مْهُّتُنْسْلَأَ فَرِعَي نَأَ ىﻀتُقُافُ ،هُتُلَاسَرُ مِومُعَ ﱃإِ

“It is as if he [Imam al-Bukharirh] indicated that the Prophetsa knew various languages because he was sent to all nations, regardless of their language, so all nations are his people with regard to the generality of his message. This necessitated that he knows their languages so that Hesa could understand them and they could understand him.” (Fath al-Bari, Kitab aljihad wa-s-siyar)

In this chapter of Sahih al-Bukhari, a narration from Hazrat Abu Hurairara states that al-Hasan ibn ‘Alira took a date from the dates of the sadaqa and put it in his mouth. The Prophetsa said to him in Persian, “Kakh, kakh” ﺦﻛ ﺦﻛwith the intention of saying: ‘Don’t you know that we [the Prophet’s family and progeny] do not eat sadaqa.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-jihad wa-s-siyar, Hadith No. 3072)

In various Persian dictionaries the meaning of ‘kakh’ is written to throw something away.

Imam al-Bukharira also mentions the following hadith:

It is narrated by Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah: I said, “O Allah’s Messengersa! We have slaughtered a young sheep of ours and have ground one sa‘ of barley. So, I invite you along with some people.” So, the Prophetsa said in a loud voice, “O people of the Trench! Jabir had prepared su’r, so come along.” (Sahih alBukhari, Kitab al-jihad wa-s-siyar, Hadith No. 3070)

Su’r is a Persian word that means food for which people are invited to.

Thus, according to Imam al-Bukhari, in both of the above-mentioned ahadith, the Holy Prophetsa used Persian words.

These ahadith do not imply the Holy Prophetsa spoke Persian. Instead, they signify that there is no objection if Persian phrases were Arabised and used. These ahadith highlight the acceptance of such expressions that the Prophetsa used.

al-Jawhari, a grammarian and lexicographer, writes in his as-Sihah, one of the earliest and most significant dictionaries in the Arabic language:

اہْﺠھُانَمُ ﻰلَعْ بﺮعُلَا ہِبِ ہٗوْفِﺘﺗ نأُ ��ﺠعْ�لَا مٌسَ�لَا ﺐیُﺮعُ�

“The Arabisation of the non-Arabic noun is for the Arabs to pronounce them according to their methods.” (al-Sihah, bab al-‘ayn)

An important consideration

These objections are a result of narrowmindedness. In the Quran we find that Allah the Almighty states:

ہِمُوْقَ ناسِلَبِ الَإ لَوْسَرَ ﻦمُ انَلَسَرَأُ امُوَ

“And We have not sent any Messenger except with the language of his people” (Surah Ibrahim, Ch.14: V.5)

It is evident from this verse that every prophet’s revelation was in their people’s language. But this applied only to the prophets before the Holy Prophetsa as is evident from the following hadith:

“Hazrat Ibn Abbasra narrated that Allah the Exalted gave excellence to Muhammadsa over the Prophetsas and over the dwellers of heaven. Some people asked, ‘O Abu Abbas, in what manner has Allah given him

excellence over the dwellers of heaven?’ He said that Allah the Exalted says to the dwellers of heaven:

کَِلَﺬﻛ

� مٌنَہْجِ ہِیُزّٰﺠنَّ کَِلَﺬفِ ہِنَّوَدُ ﻦمُ ہِلَا یْ ا مٌہْنَمُ لٗﻘ� ﻦمُوَ ��مْلَﻈلَا یْزّٰﺠنَّ

“And whosoever of them should say, ‘I am a God beside Him,’ him shall We requite with Hell. Thus do We requite the wrongdoers.” (Ch.21: V.30)

“And Allah the Exalted said to Muhammadsa:

ﻦمُ مدَﻘ� امُ ہِلّٰلِا کَلَ ��ﻐیِْ لَ - � انَیْبُمُ احَﺘفِ کَلَ انَحَﺘفِ انَّا رِ�اﺗ امُوَ کَبُنَّذ

“Verily, We have granted thee a clear victory, that Allah may cover up for thee thy shortcomings, past and future.” (Ch.48: V.23)

“They asked, ‘And in what manner is he more excellent than the Prophetsas?’ He said that Allah the Exalted says:

لٗﻀیْفِ � مٌہْلَ ��بُیِْلَ ہِمُوْقَ ناسِلَبِ الَا لَوْسَرَ ﻦمُ انَلَسَرَا امُوَ ءُﺂﺸیُ ﻦمُ ہِلّٰلِا

“And We have not sent any Messenger except with the language of his people in order that he might make things clear to them. Then Allah lets go astray whom He wills.” (Ch.14: V.5)

“And Allah the Exalted said to Muhammadsa:

سانَلَِ لَ ةٍفِﺂکُ الَا کَنَلَسَرَا امُوَ

“‘And We have not sent thee but for all mankind.’ [Ch.34: V.29]

“So, he sent him to the jinns and mankind.” (Mishkat al-Masabih, Kitab alFada’il wa al-shama’il, Hadith No. 5773; Sunan ad-Darimi, Hadith No. 47)

Authenticating this hadith, al-Hakim says the following:

دُانَسَ�لَا ﺢیْحَﺻ ﺚیُدَﺣ اﺬھُ

“This is a hadith with an authentic chain of narration.” (Mustadrak al-Hakim, Kitab at-Tafsir, Hadith No. 3335)

This is to say that the Holy Prophetsa was sent to all nations – who speak all kinds of languages – not just to the Arabs who spoke

Continued on page 12 >>

Seyahatname

Jalees Ahmad

Al Hakam

My dearest Noushaba A letter to my late wife

Jalees Ahmad is a pioneering member of the Al Hakam team and has been serving in multiple capacities since the newspaper resumed publishing in 2018 in English.

On 7 February 2024, while returning from their first trip to Rabwah, Pakistan, after their marriage, Jalees Ahmad and his wife were involved in a car accident on their way to Lahore airport, which tragically resulted in the sad demise of his wife, Noushaba Mubarak. نوْعُجِارَ

This was a shock to all those who knew them, not least the Al Hakam team, which has great love and regard for our dear brother Jalees.

While this is certainly a very difficult time for the family, we are incredibly grateful to Jalees for sharing with us just some of the life lessons he learnt and memories he shared with his beloved wife during their marriage of five years.

May Allah bless her soul with eternal peace and comfort and may she reside in the company of her loved ones. May the family be given perfect peace and patience in this difficult hour and steadfastness to continue their lives in service to God.

We ask our readers to remember our dear brother Jalees, his family and, of course, his wife, in their special prayers. (Editor, Al Hakam)

My dearest Noushaba,

Let me start off by saying, “Salaam”. Not only in a customary way, but also for the great emotional depth this word carries for me.

“Salaam”, if you remember, was the first thing you said to me back in 2013 when I visited Rabwah for my eldest brother’s wedding. Since then, that greeting of “Salaam” has been etched in my memory. Back then, I simply knew you as Khala Zaibun’s youngest daughter; little did I know the deep impact your simple greeting would have on me in the years to follow.

Nine years on, I remember this like it was yesterday. Back then, it did not even cross my mind that you and I would marry. But even then, I adored your simple greeting of “Salaam” because it was the first time during that visit that anyone from among my cousins spoke to me.

I vividly recall sharing this incident with you years later, when we were married. Considering how remarkable your memory was, I’m surprised that you couldn’t remember it.

Today, every moment from the time we spent together as husband and wife is rushing to my memory. Even some testing times that came our way return today with the silver lining they all had around them.

It had only been a month into our marriage that you began experiencing pain in your hip. I remember how bravely you endured this pain, which got worse with passing days, weeks, months, and for the

next couple of years.

It was heartbreaking to witness you in such great discomfort. Eventually, the pain became unbearable, leading us to opt, albeit reluctantly, for hip surgery. I never let you feel it, but I must tell you today, that your time enduring this despair was unbearable for me just as much as it was for you. I had no choice but to always wear a brave face.

I remember when tears streamed down your face, and I pleaded with you – knowing too well that it was impossible – to transfer the pain to me in exchange for every iota of relief from me.

The pain was so intense that it made you offer  salat seated on a chair. I remember the days when you attempted to prostrate after every prayer just to see if the pain would allow you. Failure, every time, left you in tears. This sorrow of yours taught me that even the act of prostration is a great blessing, often taken for granted. This is one

of the lessons I learnt first-hand from you.

I recall how you remained steadfast in your faith throughout this testing phase of our lives. I particularly remember how you would often say:

“ہوضاریتیرمیںجسمیںسیاہمہیںضیار”

I reflect on our time just before your hip operation. To walk, you needed both a stick and my shoulder; each step was a silent testament to your resilience in the face of extreme discomfort.

And then came the longawaited  mulaqat with our beloved Imamaa. As we entered Huzoor’saa office, upon seeing our struggle to make our way to him, beloved Huzooraa rose from his seat. I recall your urgency, nudging me to quicken our pace as you couldn’t bear the thought of Huzooraa standing and waiting for us. You imparted and reminded me of another

valuable lesson: How each second of Huzoor’saa time is precious and we should not let it go to waste.

Then, months after the operation, I vividly recall the day you began walking without crutches. You took baby steps throughout our small home, holding my hand tightly. We sauntered around our home for about 20 minutes, practising how to walk again. I’ll never forget the tears of joy that welled up in your big, bright eyes and how you thanked Allah at each step.

In that moment, you taught me how even a simple act like walking can bring immense joy and serve as a means of expressing gratitude to Allah. Despite all my years of studying and reading books, it was you who taught me the true essence of gratitude in just a few minutes.

After the operation and recovery, I remember how jubilantly you resumed attending Jamaat meetings, walking for prayers and Friday Sermons – heading to Baitul Futuh mosque to not miss any Jamaat events.

Jalsa Salana UK 2023 was when you celebrated your newfound health to its fullest. I remember how actively you participated in your duties with great joy, made new friends and tried your best in spite of some post-recovery challenges that lingered on.

Despite our difficult years, what I cherish most about our time together is the happiness we found in each other’s presence. Never once did you make any demands of me, understanding my role as a missionary and life-devotee.

I think back now, whenever I would leave for the office, you would bid me farewell with a heartfelt “Fi amanillah” (in

Allah’s protection) and tell me to message you once I had arrived at the office.

Even today, when you are no longer here, I find myself reaching for my phone to text you that I have made it safely to the office. A daily reminder that I can no longer hear you say “Fi amanillah”.

Yet this daily reminder is not without an essential lesson: The lesson you taught me about being content with God’s will. And this is something I carry with me every day, for how can I claim to be a Muslim if I cannot submit to His will?

Once we had recovered from the operation, we resumed our daily walks to the mosque. I deeply admire how eager and determined you were to walk to Baitul Futuh Mosque every Friday. I admire how you would always let me know, via text or call, as you left the house, as you arrived at the mosque, and when you had found a chair in the mosque; letting me know at each step so that I would not worry about your safety.

Sometimes you would forget to mention finding a chair, and I would send you an emoji of a chair with a question mark. Now that you have departed, I fervently hope, pray, and yearn for you to have found your seat in heaven.

And now that you are there, and I am not, convey my  salaam to our Beloved Prophet Muhammadsa – the salaam we both had planned to deliver together directly by travelling to Medina. For now, I can only pray that the blessed hand of Hazrat Muhammadsa rests upon your head.

Another recent and important lesson I learned from you is how your actions demonstrated your profound understanding of the essence of  waqf. After being reunited with your mother, father, and siblings in Rabwah, after a long and difficult period of almost five years, you didn’t shed a single tear. I must admit, this truly astonished me.

I had imagined that a young girl like you, living in a foreign country, separated from her family for five years and enduring so much pain, would surely shed tears upon seeing her mother again. But you didn’t. You showed me – nay proved to me – beyond any doubt, that you understood the true meaning of  waqf and the responsibilities of being the wife of a life-devotee. I sincerely thank you with all my heart and am grateful to Allah for blessing me with a wife as remarkable as you.

I am left overawed when I now see how Allah’s plans work. What was it that made you fill out the Wasiyyat pledge only a couple of months before our trip to Pakistan? Did you know what was coming? Of course you didn’t! But He Who is All-Knowing knew. And it is through His grace that the process that can take a year was allowed by beloved Huzooraa to be fast-tracked and you left this world as a musiya

While there, you bought a small gold nose pin. I still recall what you said as we made the purchase. You told me to remind you to add it to the Wasiyyat. Looking back now, I realise how deeply you understood the importance of Wasiyyat and keeping our humble pledges up to date. It was yet another priceless lesson you imparted to me.

I also remember, as does everyone who knew you, how impeccably clean and neat you kept everything. Your clothes, even those years old, always looked as if you had

only worn them once or twice. You had a wonderful way of keeping things tidy and organised – something that was manifest in your mind and soul as well.

I thank you for always waking me up for Fajr prayer, Tahajjud and during Ramadan. You made Ramadan an experience that we both went through together. What joy it was to sail through this great spiritual experience together, as husband and wife. No one should take this precious experience for granted!

I thankfully and deeply admire how you consistently reminded me to pray for others. I thank you for your continuous support in my work. Never once did you object to my duties as a  waqf, whether it was office work at home or on the days of Eid. You never made any demands. In fact, you embodied the true spirit of waqf

Despite not having attended an Islamic school, I can attest that your knowledge of Islam was more than sufficient for engaging in religious and polemical debates. I believe it is a blessing of the Jamaat that whoever keeps a connection with Khilafat and the Jamaat, Allah bestows upon them knowledge and the art of articulate reasoning. You always expressed gratitude for being an Ahmadi.

Every Ramadan, I recall how you would complete the recitation of the Holy Quran with translation at least three times, sometimes even four. I always admired your consistent gratitude towards Allah for your faith and your deep respect and love for Khilafat; I still do.

I admired that whenever you mentioned a deceased person during a conversation, you would pray for them, saying, “May Allah grant them Jannat.”

O my beloved Noushaba! I am absolutely certain that whenever you are remembered by your loved ones, they too shall pray the same for you. Trust me, they will! And I trust Allah, these prayers will be accepted.

In our short time of marriage, you have shown and taught me what it truly means to be patient, content with the will of God; how to smile through the pain; place the happiness of others before yourself; thank Allah for our faith; deeply pray for others; the list of the virtues I learnt from you just goes on. Having spent just under five years with you, I have learnt a lifetime of lessons that have reinforced my faith and spirit.

And now, I am living my life with the hope that I may perform some good deeds that I have learnt from you so that you may also be rewarded and your status elevated. For now, which seems like an eternity, all I can do is pray, continue to worship and befriend that Being to Whom you have returned. I pray, from the deepest recesses of my heart, that He takes good care of you, grants you  Jannat and the companionship of the Holy Prophetsa. And that he grants you the “Salaam” promised in the Holy Quran, for those who believe, and do good deeds.

I also pray that every  waqif-e-zindagi is blessed with a wonderful wife like you. My dear Noushaba! Rest in eternal peace.

Salaam,

Ever yours,

Jalees

Responding to allegations

‘You are to Me like My son’

A series looking into the allegations raised against Hazrat Ahmad’sas personality, writings, revelations, and prophecies, along with the answers he has provided

Awwab Saad Hayat Al Hakam

On 1 February 1905, the Promised Messiahas received the following revelation from Allah:

یْدَلَوَ ةٍلَ��مْبِ یْ�مُ تَنَّا

“You are to Me like My son.” (Tadkhkira, [English] p. 718)

This revelation serves to underscore the mission of the Promised Messiahas to eradicate idolatry and foster Monotheism [Tawhid]. Nonetheless, detractors of the Jamaat distort this message, falsely claiming that Mirza Sahib professed to be God’s son.

The Promised Messiahas clarified the allegorical nature of this revelation and stated:

“Allah the Almighty is Holy, without a son. This revelation is metaphorical. As in this age ignorant Christians have deified Hadrat ‘Isa because of such expressions, divine wisdom determined the use of even stronger expressions with regard to my humble self so that the eyes of the Christians should open up and should realise that there is someone in this ummah [followers of the Holy Prophetsa] for whom stronger expressions have been used than the words

on the basis of which they deify ‘Isa.” (Haqiqatul-Wahi – The Philosophy of Divine Revelation, p. 111, footnote)

Further elucidating this point on another occasion, Hazrat Ahmadas stated that God is unequivocally singular, without partners or progeny. However, he highlighted that the Holy Quran employs metaphors, such as equating the Holy Prophet’ssa hand with God’s own, to convey deeper meanings:

مٌہْیُدَیُأُ قوْفِ ہِلّٰلِا دَیُ

“The hand of Allah is over their hands.”

(Surah al-Fath, Ch.48: V.11)

Similarly, God commands the Holy Prophetsa to say “دُابُعُ�”, i.e., “O my servants” (Surah az-Zumar, Ch.39: V.11), instead of “ایُ ہِلّٰلِا دُابُعْ”, i.e., “O Allah’s servants”. Moreover, God says, “مٌ�ءُابِأُ مٌ�رِ�ﺬﻛ ہِلّٰلِا اوَرِ�ذافِ” i.e., “And celebrate the praises of Allah as you celebrated the praises of your fathers.”

(Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.2: V.201)

This allegorical speech, as seen in various Quranic instances, underscores the importance of discerning the intended implications of Divine words. Hazrat Ahmadas cautioned against literal interpretations that could lead to misconceptions. (Dafi‘ al-Bala, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 18, p. 227)

Magnificence of Arabic and need for religion

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s lectures in Lahore on request of Punjab Literary League, 1934

Ata-ul-Haye Nasir

Al Hakam

During his visit to Lahore in 1934, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud, Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra delivered two lectures at the request of the Punjab Literary League.

Introduction to Punjab Literary League

In 1930, the “Punjab Literary League” was established in Lahore with the aim of “advancement of learning and literature, to knit together all ‘distinterested servants’ of literature into one brotherhood” and “to inculcate a love for culture, to create and stimulate taste for extensive reading, to bring together on the same platform people of all tastes, and to broaden the outlook of the public.” (The Civil and Military Gazette, 27 June 1930, p. 16)

Announcement about the lectures

The Civil and Military Gazette announced:

“Lectures by Mirza Bashir-ud-Din “Under the auspices of the Punjab Literary League, His Holiness Mirza Hazrat Bashirud-Din Mahmud Ahmad, head of the Ahmadiyya community of Qadian, will deliver two discourses on ‘The Place of Arabic in Languages’ and ‘Does Humanity need Religion?’ on Thursday, May 31, and Saturday, June 2, at the Y.M.C.A. Hall and Town Hall respectively, at 8-15 p.m.

<< Continued from page 9

Arabic.

Now if our Holy Mastersa, who was a messenger for all people, was given wahy – revelation – in the Persian language then why should there be any objection?

The above hadith clearly shows the Prophetsa came for all people and all nations.

Authentication of ahadith Saints and Sufis of the ummah accept the authentication of ahadith through visions and revelations which the Holy Prophetsa taught us himself:

each day. Dr B.A. Quraishi, M.A., Ph.D., Principal, Islamia College, and Dr S.K. Datta, Principal, Forman Christian College will preside over the lectures.” (The Civil and Military Gazette, 30 May 1934, p. 18)

First lecture

The first lecture was delivered on 31 May 1934, at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) Hall, titled “Arabi Zuban ka Maqaam Alsina-e-Aalam mein” – The Place of Arabic in Languages. The session was presided over by Dr Barkat Ali Qureshi, Principal of Islamia College, Lahore.

The Civil and Military Gazette reported under the heading “Arabic As Mother of All Languages”:

“‘All the languages of the world spring from Arabic,’ asserted the head of the Ahmadiyya community, Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmed, at a meeting of the Punjab Literary League in Lahore on Thursday.

“The Mirza [Sahib] pointed out that one of the characteristics of Arabic was that its words were not conventional, but were related to their meanings and such words could not have been borrowed from other languages, as scores of such words belonging to the same root existed in the Arabic language.

“Further, the Mirza Sahib argued, with illustrations in support, that Arabic was the mother of languages and any words which it

furthest from it.” (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No.16058)

In Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi the following account is recorded:

could have borrowed from other languages would not fit in with its principles of word formation.

“Arabic had, however, developed along the original principles of human speech.

“Dr. B.A. Qureshi, Principal of the Islamia College, presided over the meeting. A.P.” (The Civil and Military Gazette, 2 June 1934, p. 14)

During his lecture, Huzoorra said that people generally assume that language is merely a source of conveying one’s expressions, however, this is incorrect. Language holds great historical significance as well. The language of the people of a certain country can indicate which countries they were in contact with, since the names of certain things –which are specialities of another country – make it clear that they had direct or indirect relations with that foreign country. Further, the vocabulary of a certain language depicts a nation’s cultural evolution, whereas, its terminologies about values and religion inform one about their intellectual evolution.

Huzoorra said that he desired to speak on what the study of the Arabic language tells us in regards to its status in front of the other languages. The ancient European historians would declare the Arabic language to be very new in comparison to the ancient languages. However, the German historian, Aloys Sprenger (18131893) and English historian William

Robertson Smith (1846-1894) disagreed with this idea, and after a comparison of languages, they deduced that the Arabic language is in fact closer to the Semitic language, and also that the Aramaic and Hebrew languages seem to be impacted by

Continued on next page >>

“Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Musa narrated to us: ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak informed us, from Ma‘mar, from Khusayf who said: “I saw the Prophetsa in a dream.

I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! The people disagree over the tashahhud.’ He said: ‘Follow the tashahhud of Ibn Mas‘ud.’” (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi, Kitab as-Salat, Hadith No. 289)

Then in the introduction of Sahih Muslim, Imam Muslim writes:

one thousand hadith. ‘Ali said: ‘So I met Hamza and he informed me that he saw the Prophetsa [in a dream], and he produced for him what he heard from Aban. However, he [the Prophetsa] didn’t recognise any except a small amount of them – five or six [hadith]’.” (Sahih Muslim, Introduction, Hadith No. 79)

Imam as-Suyuti also believed in the authentication of ahadith through visions.

Imam as-Suyutirh writes:

“If you hear a narration from me that your hearts recognise, settles your hair and skin, and you see it as close to you, then I am most deserving of it. And if you hear a narration from me that your hearts reject, makes your hair stand and your skin crawl, and you see it as far from you, then I am the

Suwayd ibn Sa‘id narrated to us, ‘Ali bin Mushir narrated to us, he said:

“Hamza az-Zayyat and I heard from Aban ibn Abi ‘Ayyash something like

“One of the companions, who I think was Ibn ‘Abbasra, saw the Prophet Muhammadsa in a dream and he was made to remember a hadith he kept thinking of. Then he met one of the wives of the Prophetsa, who I think was Maymunara, and told her what happened. So, she got up and took out the mirror of the Prophetsa. He [Ibn ‘Abbasra] said that he looked into it and saw the Prophetsa.” (Tanwir al-halak fi ru’yat an-nabi wa-l-malak, p. 17)

Then Imam as-Suyutirh also writes in the same book that many from the salaf and khalaf said they saw the Holy Prophetsa and asked him about matters about which they were confused and he informed them of the solution.

Shah Waliyyullah Muhaddith Dehlvira says that I have ahadith in which the sanad is only me and the Prophet Muhammadsa:

“Amongst the ahadith that I collected in this booklet, I have received some directly from the Holy Pophetsa without any intermediary between him and me. In the remaining, there are two or more intermediaries between him and me.”

The Promised Messiahas also had ahadith authenticated through visions. Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra writes:

“Hafiz Nur Muhammad, resident of Faizullah Chak, conveyed to me in writing that on many occasions that the Promised Messiahas said: ‘I have met the Holy Prophetsa in a state of wakefulness several times and have had many ahadith authenticated directly through him, whether they are weak or of a lower standard in the eyes of the people.’ This humble one says that what is meant by meeting ‘in a state of wakefulness’ is a vision and the Promised Messiahas used to say that according to muhaddithun, there are many weak ahadith, however, in reality, they are correct and authentic.” (Sirat-ulMahdi, Vol. 1, p. 550, narration no. 572)

the Arabic language.

Huzoorra said that the most ancient Semitic language whose existence has been known is the Samaritan Aramaic language, which became common in Babylon through the Hammurabi family. The traces of this language that have been discovered manifest that, in comparison to the Hebrew and Syriac languages, the Samaritan Aramaic language was closer to the Arabic language. Hence, in addition to the grammar, the composition of the words also suggests this language is more similar to Arabic. Similarly, it is also evident that the names of the Samaritan Aramaic tribes are similar to the Arab names. Thus, these facts suggest that Arabic is the most ancient Semitic language among all known languages.

Huzoorra continued by saying that once the Arabic language is proven to be the most ancient among the known Semitic languages, it comes in the toptier languages, and its historical time period exceeds 4,000 years. Thereafter, one needs to assess it in comparison to the other ancient languages of the world, as to whether Arabic is impacted by those languages or, in fact, has impacted the other languages.

Huzoorra further said that the connection between these languages can be proven only by one method, and that they must have some common ground. In regards to the common grounds, it is essential that they are present with respect to the fundamental lingual composition, and relate to those things that are prevalent in all countries, and are required in all cultural eras. For instance, the words that are used for mother, father, water, food, anger, and love. These are such things whose expression cannot be abandoned by the people of any era or country. Thus, if common grounds are found between the languages in relation to such things, then one ought to accept that these languages are derivatives of the same source.

Huzoorra said that history is unable to guide us as to which language was, in fact, the source of all languages. Thus, we have only one method available to research this fact and that is for us to ponder over the

fundamental composition of the languages. Huzoorra went on to narrate the hallmarks of the Arabic language. For instance, its words are not conventional but are related to their meanings and such words could not have been borrowed from other languages, as scores of such words belonging to the same root existed in the Arabic language. Any words that it could have borrowed from other languages would not fit in with its principles of word formation. Huzoorra also mentioned that the Arabic language, however, developed along the original principles of human speech. (Al Fazl, 5 June 1934, pp. 1-2)

President’s address

After Huzoor’sra lecture, the president of the session advised the attendees to benefit from this lecture, and expressed his desire to listen to such knowledgeable subjects in the future as well. (Al Fazl, 7 June 1934, pp. 1-2)

Speech by the son of Lala Bhim Sen

This lecture was attended by people from all walks of life, including Lala Kanwar Sen, former Chief Judge Kashmir, who was the son of Lala Bhim Sen. In his speech, he commended Huzoor’sra lecture and particularly mentioned that his father learnt Arabic from Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas. He noted that the lecture comprised scholarly and philosophical majesty, and that he had attentively listened to the lecture and benefited a lot. (Ibid. p. 2)

Second lecture

The second lecture was delivered on 2 June 1934, titled “Kiaa Insaan Mazhab ka Mohtaj Nahin?” – Does not Humanity need Religion? – at the Town Hall Lahore. The lecture was attended by people from all walks of life, belonging to various faiths as well.

At the beginning of the session, the dignitaries of the Punjab Literary League welcomed Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra with a garland of flowers. The session was presided over by Dr SK Datta, Principal of the Forman Christian College. In his welcoming speech, the president called

the attention of the audience to attentively listen to the lecture being delivered by such a great personality. (Ibid.)

In his lecture, Huzoorra refuted five prominent objections often raised against the need for religion.

First objection

Huzoorra said that the objection is raised that religion gives rise to violent divergence of opinion, which results in the disturbance of public peace. My heart is filled with grief when I see that, through the misguided activities of some so-called religious people, much disrepute has come to religion. I see that human lives are taken due to trivial disputes relating to the religious festivals of each other. I have read the Vedas and other religious scriptures of the Hindus and I bear witness that Hinduism does not support the shedding of human blood in the manner in which sometimes its misguided followers shed it. And the Holy Quran lends not the faintest support to the view that people should be killed for singing songs before mosques. Islamic teaching is far above creating or tolerating such a mentality. It is most sound and complete in all its different aspects. Christianity, too, gives no encouragement to its followers to pick a quarrel with the adherents of other religions in its name.

Religion exhorts its followers to live peacefully with their fellow beings. But what has science to give us in place of this teaching? Is not science responsible for the creation of the innumerable instruments of destruction that have caused havoc in the past? Are not the poisonous gases and deadly bombs that cause irreparable loss to human life on a dreadfully vast scale the work of science? If you condemn religion on the plea that much innocent human blood has been shed in its name, you will have to condemn science with much greater vehemence on the same plea as well.

Second objection

Another objection is raised that religion has always proved to be a hindrance to the development of human intellect. Mr Bernard Shaw is one of the leading exponents of this seemingly plausible but really untenable view. The protagonists of this theory argue that ‘unless man does experiment or makes mistakes, they cannot acquire true knowledge. If by providing a right and infallible teaching religion has saved mankind from falling into perils, it evidently has dispensed with the necessity for mankind to use their reason to discover what is right and useful for them and what is not.’

Any religion that stands in the way of the development of human reason and exhorts its adherents to follow thoughtlessly, I will be the first person to reject it. However, it is inconceivable that God should Himself endow us with reason and intellect and, at the same time, forbid us to make use of them. It is evidently

incompatible with His all-comprehensive wisdom that He should allow such a manifest inconsistency to exist in the world. The fact is that the possession by mankind of the bare knowledge of an unalterable truth cannot conceivably be considered to impede their intellectual progress. If this criterion is regarded as true, then all the inventions that science has made so far should be rejected, and all its established truths spurned on the plea that their acceptance obstructs

The Civil and Military Gazette, 27

The Civil and Military Gazette, 30 May 1934

The Civil and Military Gazette, 2 June 1934

<< Continued from previous page

our intellectual growth. It needs no extraordinary intelligence to understand that if the discovery of a new fact or law bars the door of research and investigation in one direction, it opens up endless new vistas to mankind’s intellectual ambition in another and thus a succession of new problems arises that keep the human mind engaged and this chain of unsolved problems continues, knowing no end. It is not correct to say that the possession by mankind of the knowledge of an unchangeable truth in any way interferes with their intellectual evolution.

It becomes easy to comprehend when we realise the eternal truth that science is the Act of God and religion is His Word and there could conceivably be no conflict between God’s Work and His Word as they proceed from the same Source. Just as in science, the discovery of one truth or natural law leads to research into many other allied subjects, similarly, a truth presented by religion raises many new questions which in turn begin to demand careful study and research.

For instance, alcohol consumption and gambling are prohibited in Islam. The prohibition of alcohol and gambling, according to the Holy Quran, is based on the fact that their disadvantages outweigh their advantages. This commandment has placed in our hands a clear-cut law that we should not use a thing for which the harm is greater than its advantage. In our everyday lives, we come across many things about which the Holy Quran contains no instructions on whether they should be used or shunned. We should test each one of them with the touchstone referred to above. We should use it if its advantages are found to be greater than its disadvantages and leave it if the case is otherwise. The precept embodying the prohibition regarding gambling and the use of intoxicating liquors reveals another important truth that these two things are not wholly devoid of all good.

Third objection

Another objection that is often raised is that religion engenders superstition in the minds of its votaries, which ultimately bars human progress. The religion does not produce superstition, but rather, an invincible faith and certainty in the hearts of its adherents. If religion may be considered to be responsible for making people superstitious because some “religious” people are superstitious, equally must science be held responsible for making people superstitious because, among scientists too, there are those who are as superstitious and whimsical as some “religious” people are. So if we are to reject religion on this plea, science will also have to be discarded. Those who accuse religion of this charge and have declared science to be free from it have conveniently ignored the fundamental principle that religion being the Word of God and science a study of His Work, there could possibly be no conflict between them.

Fourth objection

Another objection is raised that as human needs vary with the change in circumstances, so, by setting up an immutable code of laws, religion involves them in great difficulties. It is said that about 1350 years ago, the Holy Prophetsa gave to the world a religious system that might be regarded

as a suitable code of life according to the then circumstances, but with the passage of so many centuries, tremendous changes have occurred in human circumstances and thus continuing the rigid adherence to those laws has proved an insurmountable impediment in the way of the advancement of contemporary Muslims.

For God, the future is no secret. Being an Omniscient God, He knows as much about the needs and requirements of mankind in the present as He is aware of those that will arise after a thousand or a hundred thousand years. So, if He reveals a teaching and says that it will fully satisfy all human requirements at all times, no change in the conditions of mankind can out-step that teaching, as it has proceeded from an All-Knowing and All-Wise God Who knows mankind’s requirements of past, present and future.

I claim that no change in the circumstances of any people, at any time, can demonstrate a single teaching of the Holy Quran to be impracticable and I am at the disposal of anybody who may endeavour to convince me of the untenability of my claim; and I will readily accept my defeat if a single teaching of the Holy Quran is shown to me to have been in the past or to be at present unsuited to human needs.

Fifth objection

Another objection is raised that religion compels one to believe in things that have no connection with our practical everyday life. It is said that we have to believe in the existence of angels, while it does not concern us in any way whether they exist or not, nor if ever they should exist, does it concern us what their duties are and how they perform them. To refuse to accept a truth propounded by religion on the plea that it does not concern us is beyond comprehension. Every day in the news, we read with interest the accounts of incidents and happenings that do not concern us at all, nor are we benefited in any way by reading them, yet we read them, talk about them and discuss them, because such news form a part of general knowledge, and the possession of extensive general knowledge enriches the intellect and is no mean acquisition. The fact is that becoming informed of things, though they do not concern us in any way and are yet part of general knowledge, is rightly considered to be essential to our intellectual adornment. The primary object of mankind’s existence is to seek and acquire true knowledge. So to refuse to accept an established truth is no sign of sanity. Those who do not believe in the existence of angels are fully justified in demanding from us arguments in support of their existence, but there is no sense in refusing to believe in their existence, even if it is irrefutably proven. I am prepared to prove to anyone who may approach me on this question that the angels are not imaginary beings and they play an important part in shaping our destinies and in guiding us in our daily pursuits. (The Review of Religions, Vol. 33, July 1934, pp. 245-258)

President’s remarks

After Huzoor’sra lecture, the president highly commended the lecture and expressed his desire that the people of Lahore may get more opportunities to listen to such great lectures in the future as well. (Al Fazl, 7 June 1934, p. 2)

Quran exhibition held in Guadeloupe

Luqman Ahmed Bajwa Missionary, Guadeloupe

Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Guadeloupe organised a Quran exhibition at the Salako Hotel in Gosier Town, attracting 40 attendees from across the region. I had the privilege of being interviewed by both RCI Radio and Canal 10 television channels, with the interviews being broadcast multiple times on their respective platforms.

On 12 January, after Jumuah and Asr prayers, Jamaat members went to the hotel for the preparation of the hall. The exhibition was open to visitors from 9 am to 6 pm. We arranged for every visitor to be accompanied during their visit and to answer any questions they had. Some non-Ahmadi Muslims came to visit the exhibition as well; one of them was a Shia

Muslim brother. They were introduced to Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya and the advent of Hazrat Imam Mahdias

We have some new tabligh contacts, and, in general, the Quran exhibition was a success, alhamdulillah

A few guests also noted down their impressions in a notebook after they visited the Quran exhibition; some of them are as follows:

“This Quran exhibition is to present true Islam, i.e., the religion of peace. We were made very welcome, and all our questions were answered.”

“Very good Quran exhibition! We had a great time. Thanks for the welcome. We will meet soon, God-willing.”

“Thank you very much for your efforts to spread the beautiful message of Islam.”

Photo courtesy of AMJ Guadeloupe

Lahore Town Hall | MariyamAftab, Wiki Commons

Fazal Masood Malik & Farhan Khokhar Canada

What ethical sacrifices enable our newest devices?

Opinion ‘And do not seek mischief in the Earth’

The minerals powering sleek smartphones and electric cars often originate from mines relying on exploitative labour. While contemporary, this echoes the tragic Congolese legacy of Belgian King Leopold II. His 1885 seizure of the Congo promised humanitarian uplift but delivered widespread atrocities from rapacious mining and deforestation, costing upwards of 10 Million lives. (“Feb 5, 1885 CE: Belgian King Establishes Congo Free State”, nationalgeographic.org) Modern profiteering evokes colonial abuses, demanding technological innovation reassess its moral blind spots. Ethics matter, even for futuristic industries.

Earth’s resources are divine gifts, not possessions to pillage recklessly. Yet humanity’s relentless material progress has spurred uncontrolled mining with little heed to sustainability or ethics. As the Holy Quran reminds us, “And do not seek mischief in the earth. Indeed, Allah does not like those who make mischief.” (Surah al-Qasas, Ch.28: V.78). Contemporary extraction has imposed grievous corruption, demanding urgent realignment with Islamic principles of stewardship and justice.

Environmentally, unrestrained fossil fuel extraction drives climate change. Burning oil, gas and coal emits greenhouse gases that disrupt weather, inundate coasts and threaten nature’s balance. Mining itself ravages landscapes and pollutes ecosystems. Even the headlong rush into green technologies requires more mining, risking the repetition of destructive exploitation. As custodians of nature, it is our obligation to halt such desecration.

Rare metals embody modernity’s paradox. Their futuristic allure empowers revolutionary technologies, from smart devices to electric vehicles; while some rare metals are used in dental implants, X-ray machines, and life-saving cancer drugs. Yet extracting these miracles of minerals often imperils vulnerable communities. Cobalt and coltan extracted for phone and car batteries still curse Congo through unethical mining. Villages are razed and livelihoods ruined as miners scrounge hazardous pits for pennies.

Socially, mining activities displace communities and upend livelihoods like farming and fishing. Wealth accrues unevenly, engendering inequality and discord. The “resource curse” turns mineral riches into engines of graft and conflict across the developing world, betraying the Quran’s vision of wealth utilised in God’s service for the common good (Surah azZukhruf, Ch.43: V.33). Equitable benefitsharing remains an unmet goal.

Geopolitically, mineral hunger stokes rivalries. Fossil fuels confer power, while tomorrow’s economy will run on lithium,

Mining and the moral compass

cobalt and rare earths. There is a race between political blocs to acquire monopoly control over resources.

The Holy Quran cautions against material excess, stating, “Stretch not your eyes towards what We have bestowed on some classes for them to enjoy for a short time [...]” (Surah al-Hijr, Ch.15: V.89). This aligns with and reinforces guidance from Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa on ethical resource use:

“Allah, The Almighty, teaches that worldly wealth is but a temporary means that you see. Even if you acquire it, this wealth will inevitably disappear, and not only that, but it will leave behind a state of constant turmoil. Thus, it is important for the peace of the world that each country and nation derives benefit from its own resources, and it should not look covetously upon the wealth of others.” (“The Ahmadiyya Muslim Khilafat: Essential Guidance for a Troubled World”, www.khalifatulmasih.org)

Fundamentally, the challenge is balancing development and ecological limits. Current mining practices have breached those limits. While forgoing extraction altogether frustrates the growth ambitions of poor nations, improvement is imperative. With better governance and ethics aligned with the Quranic imperatives of stewardship and justice, extraction can enable equitable prosperity without sacrificing the planet.

This requires stringent laws and monitoring to compel firms towards environmental responsibility. Conservation areas can shield fragile ecosystems. Mandating comprehensive impact assessment and mitigation would force miners to internalise ecological costs. Policies that encourage less invasive

cherished landscapes.

Revenue distribution needs rethinking to prevent inequality and discord. Direct transfers of mining income through dividends is one model. Requiring local hiring and mine-adjacent infrastructure spreads gains more widely. Having communities as equity partners boosts consent and sustainability. Strong institutions and governance, with international assistance, are crucial to administering these measures transparently.

Internationally, cooperation on sustainable mining should expand. Swapping expertise between developing countries would accelerate the diffusion of responsible models. Multilateral financing can help build human capital and institutions for good resource governance. Collective action in a spirit of solidarity, guided by Islamic ethics, offers a path to shared prosperity through mining.

With wisdom and conscience, extraction can enable development without breaching ecological boundaries. The Holy Quran lights the way towards mining practices and governance aligned with Islamic environmental and social justice. If pursued sustainably and equitably, the earth’s resources can truly uplift all peoples.

But this also requires reflection on our own choices. Our relentless appetite for the latest gadgets and electronics that make mining so profitable often lacks a real purpose beyond vanity. Can we justify how the minerals in our newest phone or laptop may enable the exploitation of child workers in Mongolian mines? Restraining our own desires is crucial for building a just world where no one’s livelihood depends on the destruction of the planet and others’ lives.

Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Malta supports Dar tal-Providenza in New Year charity drive

Laiq Ahmed Atif President Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Malta

Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Malta had the opportunity to start the New Year by serving mankind and collaborated with Dar talProvidenza – a home for disabled persons – during its annual fundraising activity on 1 January 2024.

During this fundraising event, which lasted from midday to midnight, Jamaate-Ahmadiyya Malta served lunch and dinner to all the volunteers and staff

members working during the event. In addition, Ahmadis helped in responding to the telephone calls during this telethon as well. This has been going on for the past few years, and every year, this institution approaches Jamaat for collaboration and to facilitate their work.

Our team members were wearing shirts with Jamaat’s logo, name, and motto printed on them, which remained a constant source of tabligh. The guests and volunteers appreciated the work and admired our slogan, “Love for all, Hatred for none.”

techniques like in-situ leaching would also limit harm. Such innovation can unlock national mineral wealth without sacrificing

Image: Library

Photo courtesy of AMJ Malta

100 Years Ago...

State of Christianity in America and spread of Ahmadiyyat in France

Al Fazl, 22 & 26 February 1924

Hazrat Maulvi Muhammad Dinra (1881-1983)

During the compilation of this report, two individuals converted to Islam and joined the Ahmadiyya Jamaat. May Allah the Almighty grant them perseverance and keep us resolute.

Christianity

Apparently, Christianity is on the decline in this country [of America]. The foundational principles of Christianity, i.e., the resurrection of Christ, the virgin birth of Jesus, and the Bible as a revelatory word of God, etc., are being abandoned on a large scale.

A bishop in New York by the name of Mr Manning has demanded an answer from one of his priests, Dr Parks, as to why he has renounced these matters in his lecture. A storm arose over this [answerability]. Before this incident, there was a [priest] named Dr Grite, who also openly declared his rejection [of the aforementioned beliefs], and when he was held answerable, he vehemently protested. On this, the bishop kept silent under certain expediencies. On the other hand, 500 priests from his own constituency stood up in support of Dr Parks. This is just the story of New York’s Episcopal Church.

The latest news is that there is a great stir in other sects [of Christianity] as well, namely, Presbyterian, Baptist, Unitarian, and Methodist. The 500 priests supporting Dr Parks belong to a single school of thought called the Modernists. Their beliefs are as follows:

1. God exists, but He has no body. He is manifest in nature, but in spiritual form. He is completely separate from matter and has no mortal shape.

2. Heaven and Hell are just an allegory.

3. Resurrection after death will not happen with this body. The personality will remain, but the body will not be resurrected.

4. There is no proof of the virgin birth of Christ.

5. The miracles of the Old Testament are only fictions, and the New Testament is a creation of man. Jesus Christ was not a magician.

6. The story of [Jesus’] ascension to heaven is a myth.

One can easily figure out the situation of the rest of the country by observing the abandonment [of Christian beliefs] by 500 priests in a very small area. But the surprising thing is that these people still call themselves Christians. Only the teaching remains, and that too, according to most

of them, is stolen. In fact, some of them even consider the figure of Christ to be fictitious and still remain Christians.

Accusative answer

Some old-school people are also present in this country, and one of them served as a priest in Iran. This friend is well-versed in Persian. The letters he writes to me are half in Persian and the rest in English. He also knows the Hebrew language.

We are exchanging letters on Christianity and Islam. At first, I gave him very polite and well-researched answers to the best of my knowledge, but he constantly repeated the same objections and simply called my answers false. He emphasised the sinlessness of Christ, and then started raising abusive objections against the Holy Prophetsa and the Holy Quran, like the priests of India.

Understanding that a mean person cannot be set right with polite words, I sent him a small glimpse of the life of Jesus Christ according to the Gospels [...]. The priest was really perturbed by this answer, so I wrote to him that he was the one who started all this.

Just imagine that one of his objections was that Maryam[as] is wrongly called the daughter of Imran and the sister of Haroon in the Holy Quran, and that the Prophetsa was also not aware of this. I explained this matter to him in a very polite manner at first, but he said that it was a far-fetched interpretation. Eventually, I was compelled to ask him why Jesus Christ called himself the son of David and the son of Adam? Was he deceiving people? He was very surprised [to hear this]. Now his letters no longer possess that vigour, though he still keeps blaming me.

Visitors from Paris and acceptance of Ahmadiyyat in France

Al Fazl, 26 February 1924

Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Nayyarra (1883-1948)

Brother Mr Muhammad Anderson, who has recently entered the Ahmadiyya Jamaat through Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahib and is doing trade in Paris, visited London. He came to Ahmadiyya Darut

Tabligh twice for the purpose of meeting and acquiring religious knowledge. We had a discussion on the characteristics of Ahmadiyya Jamaat and exchanged ideas on the best means for the spread of Islam. Thereafter, we gave him all the available literature to distribute [in France].

It is through Divine providence that for the last two months, out-of-ordinary means for the spread of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat in France are being provided by God Almighty. On the one hand, Mr Anderson was showing interest in Ahmadiyyat, and on the other, Madame di Simo came [to London] and some literature was sent to France through her.

Then, Allah the Almighty sent the missionary of Islam, Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra, to the capital of France, and through him, great preaching work was done by speeches, meetings, and distribution of literature. He has also sent us the postal addresses of certain people, and we have sent them the French translation of [The Philosophy of the] Teachings of Islam

MM Sadiq in Paris

The Chicago Tribune’s Paris edition published a photo of Dr Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahib and a fairly good-sized article on his preaching work, the summary of which is as follows:

Dr Sadiq says, ‘Islam is the solution to America’s race problem.’ He is going to Bombay via Paris after converting 700 Chicagoans to the Muslim faith. Mixed

congregations of white and black American converts socialise without prejudice at the mosque, 4448 S Wabash Avenue, but [the missionary of Islam] foresees a heated clash between his people and the Ku Klux Klan.

Dr Sadiq looks thoroughly oriental in the bright green gown. His American converts become slightly orientalised as soon as they join the faith. They get an Islamic name. Thus, Willie Buford is Abdul Jabbar. Evalina Johnson now calls herself Hadya, and the name of Bill Kelly of Chicago is [Muhammad Wali …].

He has made several preachers out of his new converts in America. Veils like those of Turkey’s harem women are worn by many of the ladies who now answer the muezzin’s call at the Chicago Mosque and offer salat there.

Le Petit Marseillais

A long article was published in Le Petit Marseillais newspaper on 7 November [1923]. In it, the works of Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra, the brief history of the new converts and the Ahmadiyya Jamaat, and the blessed life of the Promised Messiahas were published in great detail. Apart from this, the incident of the martyrdom of Shahzada Hazrat Abdul Latifra of Kabul was also mentioned.

(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu, published in the 22 and 26 February 1924 issue of Al Fazl)

Friday Sermon

Mubarak Mosque, Islamabad, Tilford, UK

2 February 2024

Muhammadsa: The Great Exemplar

After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:

I presented examples of the sacrifices of the Companions and their love for the Holy Prophetsa in relation to incidents from the Battle of Uhud. Among these are incidents relating to the courage of Hazrat Alira as well. As such, according to a narration about Hazrat Alira, on the occasion of the Battle of Uhud, when Ibn Qum‘ah martyred Hazrat Mus‘ab bin Umairra, he thought that he had martyred the Holy Prophetsa. Hence, he returned to the Quraish and said that he had killed the Holy Prophetsa. When Hazrat Mus‘abra was martyred, the Holy Prophetsa handed the flag to Hazrat Alira. Subsequently, Hazrat Alira and the remaining Muslims continued fighting. (Ibn Hisham, Al-Sirah Al-Nabawiyyah, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2001, p. 529)

Hazrat Alira killed the flag-bearers of the disbelievers, one after the other. Spotting a contingent of disbelievers, the Holy Prophetsa instructed Hazrat Alira to launch an attack on them. Hazrat Alira killed Amr bin Abdullah Jumahi and dispersed them. Following this, the Holy Prophetsa instructed him to attack another contingent of disbelievers. Hazrat Alira killed Shaiba bin Malik and upon this, Hazrat Gabrielas said: “O Messengersa of Allah! He certainly deserves compassion.” He was referring to Hazrat Alira, and upon this, the Holy Prophetsa replied: “Indeed! Ali is from me and I am from him.” In response, Gabrielas said: “I am from both of you.” (Tarikh alTabari, Vol. 2, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, p. 65)

Shias greatly exaggerate this statement.

Hazrat Alira relates that, “During the Battle of Uhud, when people dispersed from the Holy Prophetsa, I started searching amongst those who had been martyred and could not find the Holy Prophetsa among them. At that moment, I said, ‘By God! The Holy Prophetsa was neither one to run away, nor have I found him among the martyrs.

However, Allah became displeased with us and raised His Prophetsa. As such, the only good left for me now is to fight until I am killed.’” Hazrat Alira says, “I broke the sheath of my sword and attacked the disbelievers. When they became scattered, I saw the Holy Prophetsa in their midst.”

Sa‘eed bin Musayyib relates that during the Battle of Uhud, Hazrat Alira sustained 16 wounds. Addressing the subject that treasures of blessings are found after experiencing difficulties, Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra has written the following:

“Returning from [the Battle of] Uhud, Hazrat Alira handed his sword to Hazrat Fatimara and said, ‘Wash this sword for it has performed great feats today.’ The Holy Prophetsa heard Hazrat Alira say this and said, ‘Ali, it was not only your sword that did so. There are many of your brothers too, whose swords did wonders.’ The Holy Prophetsa named six, or seven Companions

and said, ‘Their swords were no less sharp than yours.’” (Masa’ib ke Neechay Barkaton ke Khazanay Makhfi Hotay Hain, Anwarul Uloom, Vol. 19, p. 59)

There is also mention of Hazrat Abu Talhah Ansarira. Hazrat Anasra relates, “On the day of the battle of Uhud, people suffered defeat and were separated from the Holy Prophetsa, but Hazrat Abu Talhahra was shielding the Holy Prophetsa with his shield in front of him. Hazrat Abu Talhahra was an experienced archer who used to draw his bowstring with great force. On that day, he broke two or three bows (i.e., he would pull so hard on the string that the bows would break). If anyone (from among the Companions) passed by carrying a quiver full of arrows, the Holy Prophetsa would say to him, ‘Empty it in front of Abu Talhah.’ (That is to say that he is such a good archer, so give him your arrows.) At the time, he was standing in front of the Holy Prophetsa.”

Hazrat Anasra continues to relate, “When the Holy Prophetsa started looking [at the enemy] by raising his head, Abu Talhahra said:

کَرِحْنَّ نوَدُ یْرِحْنَّ،مٌہْسَ کَبُیْصِیُ الَ ،ہِلّٰلِا لَوْسَرَایُ یْمِّأُوَ تَنَّأُ یْبِأَبِ

‘O Messengersa of Allah! Let my parents be sacrificed for your sake! Please do not raise your head and make it visible, lest an arrow of the enemy hit you. My chest be sacrificed before yours.’”

This reference has been taken from a narration of Sahih al-Bukhari. (Taken from Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi Bab Iz Hammat Taa’ifatani Minkum, Hadith 4064; Taken from Al-Tabaqat Al-Kubra, Vol. 3, pp. 384-385)

Hazrat Anas bin Malikra relates that Hazrat Abu Talhahra protected the Holy Prophetsa with a single shield. He was an excellent archer, and whenever he shot arrows, the Holy Prophetsa looked to see where they landed.

There is also mention of the following couplets that Hazrat Abu Talhahra would recite during the Battle of Uhud:

ءُاقَوْلَا کَہْجِوْلَ یْھِجِوَ ءُادَفِلَا کَسِفِنَِ لَ یْسِفِنَ وَ

“My face is there to protect yours, and may my life be sacrificed for yours.” (Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, Vol. 4, Hadith 13781, Alam al-Kutub, Beirut, 1998, p. 665)

Regarding Hazrat Abu Talhah Ansarira, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra has written:

“In the course of this rain of arrows, Abu Talhah Ansarira broke three bows, stood firm like a rock, and covered the body of the Holy Prophetsa with his own shield.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 2, p. 338)

Then there is mention of Hazrat Talhah bin Ubaidillahra. The previous Companion was from the Ansar, whereas he [Hazrat Talhah bin Ubaidullahra] was from the

Quraish. On the day of the Battle of Uhud, he would stop arrows with his hands while protecting the Holy Prophetsa. Hazrat Talhahra participated alongside the Holy Prophetsa in the Battle of Uhud. He was among those Companions who remained resolute beside the Holy Prophetsa and took the pledge to sacrifice their lives. When Malik bin Zubair shot an arrow at the Holy Prophetsa, Hazrat Talhahra protected the Holy Prophet’ssa face by placing his hand in the way. The arrow hit his little finger, rendering it incapacitated. When the first arrow struck, he made a ‘si’ sound from the pain. The Holy Prophetsa said, “If he had said [in the name of Allah], he would have entered paradise in a state that people would witness him.” (Ibn Sa’d, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 3, Talhah bin Ubadullah Quraishi, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990, pp. 162-163)

The details of this very incident are found in a narration of Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah Qais bin Abi Hazim states, “On the day of the Battle of Uhud, I saw the state of Hazrat Talhah bin Ubaidillah’sra hand, which was severely wounded whilst protecting the Holy Prophetsa.”

In one narration, it is stated that he was hit by a spear, and so much blood flowed that he fell unconscious from the weakness. Hazrat Abu Bakrra sprinkled water on him until he regained consciousness. Upon regaining consciousness, he immediately asked about the Holy Prophet’ssa wellbeing. Hazrat Abu Bakrra replied by saying, “He is well, and he himself sent me to you.” Hazrat Talhahra then said,

لٗلَجِ ہٗدَعُبَ ةٍبُیْصِمُ لٗکُ ہِلّٰلِ دَمْحَلَا

“All praise belongs to Allah. After learning of the wellbeing of the Holy Prophetsa, every hardship is insignificant.”

(Al-Sirah Al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 2, Dar alKutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, p. 324)

Aishahra and Umm Ishaqra who were two daughters of Hazrat Talhahra, have both recounted that, “n the day of Uhud, our father sustained 24 wounds. His head sustained a deep wound and an artery in his foot was severed. His finger became paralysed, and the remaining wounds were on his body. He

was barely conscious. Allah’s Messenger’ssa two front teeth had been broken and his face wounded. He too was unconscious. Hazrat Talhara carried the Holy Prophetsa on his back, pacing backwards, such that whenever any enemy attacked him, he fought him off until he reached a nearby valley and leaned the Holy Prophetsa up against something.

(Al-Tabaqat Al-Kubra, Vol. 3, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, p. 163)

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra mentions the utterly selfless devotion of these Companions and their willingness to sacrifice everything during the Battle of Uhud in the following words:

“On the day of Uhud, when Khalid bin Walid suddenly attacked the Muslims, and the Muslims became separated, some Companions raced towards the Messengersa of Allah and gathered around him - a group comprising 30 people at most. The disbelievers attacked the area where the Holy Prophetsa stood with great force.

“One by one, the Muslims in the ring fell under the blows of Mecca swordsmen. From the hill, the archers sent volleys of arrows towards the Holy Prophetsa. At that time, Talhahra, one of the Quraish and the Muhajirin, saw that the enemy arrows were all directed to the face of the Holy Prophetsa He stretched out his hand and held it up against the Holy Prophet’ssa face. Arrow after arrow struck Talhah’sra hand, yet this utterly devoted Companion refused to let his hand drop. The arrows continued to strike his hand in such multitudes that ultimately it was completely incapacitated. Talhahra lost his hand and for the rest of his life went about with a stump. Many years later, in the time of the Fourth Caliph of Islam when internal dissensions had raised their head, Talhara was tauntingly described by an enemy as the handless Talhahra. Upon this, another Companion replied, ‘Handless, yes, but indeed a very blessed one. Do you know where he lost his hand? At the Battle of Uhud, in which he raised his hand to shield the Prophet’ssa face from the enemy’s arrows.

“After the Battle of Uhud, someone asked Hazrat Talhara, ‘Didn’t it hurt when the arrows pierced your hand, and didn’t you cry out in pain?’ Hazrat Talhahra replied, ‘Yes, it hurt, and yes, my throat

wanted to let out a cry, but I didn’t let it out, lest by doing so my hand moved away and the Holy Prophet’ssa face become exposed to the incoming arrows.’” (Dibacha Tafsirul Quran, Anwarul Uloom, Vol. 20, p. 250)

Hazrat Sa‘d bin Abi Waqasra was also among the selfless Companions who displayed amazing courage and loyalty on this occasion.

Aishah bint Sa‘d narrates from her father, [who said], “When the enemy returned for a second attack, I manoeuvred to one side, thinking that I will either eliminate them and gain salvation or I would achieve martyrdom. Suddenly, I spotted a red-faced individual who it appeared was about to be overcome by the idolaters when he grasped a handful of stones and threw them at the disbelievers. Incidentally, Miqdad appeared between that person and me. As I intended to ask Miqdad who it was I had seen, Miqdad called out to me saying ‘O Sa‘d! That was the Holy Prophetsa and he was calling you!’ So I stood up and suddenly felt as though I had not endured any pain at all. When I reached the Holy Prophetsa, he had me sit in front of him. I would shoot arrows and pray, ‘O Allah! This is Your arrow. May it destroy Your enemy!’ And the Holy Prophetsa would respond ‘O Allah! Accept Sa‘d’s prayer! O Allah, make Sa‘d’s aim hit its target! O Sa‘d! May my mother and father be sacrificed for you!’” Hazrat Sa‘d, while narrating this, describes that, “At that time, I felt as though an angel had descended near me and was fighting alongside me. Later, someone informed me that that person was in fact the Holy Prophetsa himself.”

It seems that either there were various states of vision that people experienced, or perhaps it actually happened like this. In any case, he was physically near the Holy Prophetsa

Sa‘dra recounts that, “With each arrow that I shot, the Holy Prophetsa would pray, ‘O Allah! Make his aim perfect and accept his prayer!’ When I exhausted the arrows from my quiver, the Holy Prophetsa placed his arrows before me, and handed me an arrow without point or fletching, which ended up being even faster than the other arrows.”

Allamah Zuhri writes that on that day, Hazrat Sa‘dra fired about 1000 arrows. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 4, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, pp. 200-201)

Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra has written regarding Hazrat Sa’d bin Abi Waqasra when during the Battle of Uhud, very few Companions remained on guard around the Messengersa of Allah.

“The Holy Prophetsa would hand arrows to Sa‘dra himself and Sa‘dra would continue to shower the enemy with arrow upon arrow. At one instance, the Holy Prophetsa addressed Sa‘dra saying, ‘May my mother and father be sacrificed upon you - go on shooting arrows!’ Even to the very end of his life, Sa‘dra would recall these words of the Holy Prophetsa with great pride.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 2, p. 338)

One narration says that Hazrat Sa’d bin Abi Waqasra states, “During the Battle of Uhud, the Holy Prophetsa took out arrows from his quiver and laid them out for me [to shoot], and the Holy Prophetsa said ‘keep shooting arrows, may my mother and father be sacrificed for you’”. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi, Bab Iz Hammat Ta’ifatani

Minkum, Hadith 4055)

Hazrat Alira states, “Aside from Hazrat Sa’d bin Abi Waqasra, I have never heard the Holy Prophetsa give the prayer that his mother and father should be sacrificed for them, to anyone else. The Holy Prophetsa said to Hazrat Sa’dra during the Battle of Uhud that ‘may my mother and father be sacrificed for you, keep shooting arrows. O young man of mighty strength, keep shooting arrows.’” (Jami al-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Manaqib, Hadith 3753)

However, there is another narration in Sahih al-Bukhari as well that aside from Hazrat Sa‘dra, the name of Hazrat Zubair bin Awwamra is also found in history, to whom the Holy Prophetsa said:

یْمِّاوَ یْبِا کَادَفِ

“May my father and mother be sacrificed for you.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Faza’il Ilahi, Bab Manaqib al-Zubair bin alAwwam, Hadith 3720)

Similarly, there is also mention of the sacrifice of Hazrat Abu Dujanahra. It is mentioned in a narration that during the Battle of Uhud, Hazrat Abu Dujanahra acted as a shield to protect the Holy Prophetsa Thus, he stood in front of the Holy Prophetsa while facing him. Whenever an arrow would come his way, he would strike the back of Hazrat Abu Dujanahra. He was hunching while standing, and would take all the arrows in his back, to the extent that countless arrows pierced his back.

Regarding the steadfastness of Hazrat Abu Dujanahra, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra writes:

“For a very long time, Abu Dujanahra shielded the body of the Holy Prophetsa with his own, and would take every arrow and stone to his own body. This was to such an extent that his body became heavily pierced with arrows, but he did not even sigh, lest his body flinched and the Holy Prophetsa became even slightly exposed to a single arrow.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 2, p. 338)

Then there is Hazrat Sahl bin Hunaifra, who was among the eminent Companions, and showed great steadfastness during the Battle of Uhud. On that day, he pledged allegiance to the Holy Prophetsa to be ready to sacrifice his life. At that time, he stood like a shield right in front of the Holy Prophetsa When the Muslims became scattered due to the strong attack of the enemy, on that day he shot arrows on behalf of the Holy Prophetsa. The Holy Prophetsa stated, “Pass the arrows to Sahl, because shooting arrows is an easy task for him.” (Al-Isti’ab, Vol. 2, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1992, pp. 662-663)

Then there is also mention of a female Companion, Hazrat Umm Ummarahra who showed exemplary bravery in the Battle of Uhud, and she was a loyal and devoted Companion. Her full name was Umm Ummarah Mazainiahra. Hazrat Umm Ummarah’sra actual name was Musaibah. She was the wife of Hazrat Zaid bin Asimra Hazrat Umm Ummarahra herself narrates, “During the Battle of Uhud, I departed to see what the people were doing. I had with me a small waterskin filled with water, which I took along to give water to the injured, until the point that I reached the Holy Prophetsa. At this time, he was among the Companions and the Muslims were in a dominant position (meaning it was the

early phase of the battle). Then suddenly, the companions became scattered.” This is referring to the incident of the people who left the mountain pass unguarded, and the idolaters attacked from behind. She says, “At this stage, the idolaters launched attacks upon the Holy Prophetsa from all sides. When I saw this, I stood and began fighting as well. I was stopping the enemies from coming near the Holy Prophetsa by using a sword. At the same time, I was shooting arrows from my quiver to the extent that I myself got injured.” She sustained a very deep wound on her shoulder. When she was asked as to who injured her, she said Ibn Qum‘ah did. Hazrat Umm Ummarahra narrates, “when the Companions suddenly became scattered and separated from the Holy Prophetsa, then he advanced, saying ‘point Muhammad[sa] out to me, because if he survives today then let it be known that I will not survive (meaning today either he will survive, or I will survive). When he came closer, Hazrat Mus‘ab bin Umairra and I blocked his path. At that moment, he attacked me. He inflicted this injury during the attack (meaning this shoulder injury they were asking her about; he is the one who inflicted it). I tried to deal many blows, but that enemy of God was wearing two layers of armour.” Some scholars have written that on the day of the Battle of Uhud, Hazrat Nusaibahra went to the battle alongside her husband Hazrat Zaid bin Asimra, and her two sons Hazrat Khubaibra and Hazrat Abdullahra, and the Holy Prophetsa said to all of them, “May Allah shower His mercy upon your entire household.”

Or, according to another narration, he said, “May Allah the Almighty bless your household.” Nonetheless, when this prayer was made by the Holy Prophetsa, Hazrat Umm Ummarahra, or Nusibah, submitted to him and said, “Please pray to Allah the Almighty that we are together with you in paradise.” Whilst offering a prayer, the Holy Prophetsa responded, “O Allah, grant them nearness and companionship to me in Paradise.” Immediately, Hazrat Umm Ummarahra said, “Now I do not care what happens to me in this life. The gift of this prayer is sufficient for me.”

In respect to her, the Holy Prophetsa once said, “During the battle of Uhud, whether I looked to the right or left, I saw her defending me and fighting against the enemy.” During the battle of Uhud, Hazrat Umm Ummarahra sustained 12 wounds, including those inflicted by spears and swords. (Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 2, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2008, pp. 313-314)

Regarding Hazrat Umm Ammarah, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra writes, “There was also a Muslim lady by the name of Umm Ummarahra, who fought her way through to the Holy Prophetsa. At the time, Abdullah bin Qum‘ah was advancing to strike the Holy Prophetsa. This Muslim lady immediately moved forward and took the blow to herself. Then she took a firm grip of her sword, made aim, and retaliated with her own blow. However, he was a man clad in double armour, and this was a weaker woman, for this reason, her strike was unable to penetrate the target. Ibn Qum‘ah boldly cut straight through the Muslim ranks, and just before the Companions could stop him, reached in close range of the Holy Prophetsa. As soon as he reached there, he took a strike at the blessed countenance

of the Holy Prophetsa with such force and so ruthlessly that the hearts of the Companions trembled in fear. The courageous Talhahra dashed forward and took the blow to his bare hand, but the sword of Ibn Qum‘ah severed his hand and fell upon the flank of the Holy Prophetsa. By the Grace of God, no wound was sustained because the Holy Prophetsa was clad in double armour and the force of the blow had also fallen weak due to the courageous act of Talhahra, but due to this shock, the Holy Prophetsa took a spin and fell to the ground. Ibn Qum‘ah raised another slogan of joy saying, ‘I have killed Muhammad[sa]!’

Upon striking the Holy Prophetsa Ibn Qum‘ah fell back, calling out a slogan of joy and, in his own fancy, thought that he had killed the Holy Prophetsa. However, as soon as the Holy Prophetsa hit the ground, Hazrat Alira and Talhahra raised him up. When the Muslims were assured that the Holy Prophetsa was alive and safe, their faded countenances lit up in joy. Now, slowly and gradually, the heat of battle began to subside, partly due to the reason that the disbelievers had become somewhat relaxed in their belief that Muhammad[sa], the Messenger of Allah, had been martyred. Hence, they diverted their attention from battle and began to tend to their dead, while others began to mutilate the bodies of the Muslim martyrs. On the other side, most of the Muslims had also scattered.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 2, pp. 339-340)

During this war, there are accounts of a conversation with Abu Sufyan and also of why the Quraish retreated. On the day of the Battle of Uhud, when the Holy Prophetsa went up the mountain alongside his Companions, he was pursued by the disbelievers. According to a narration in Sahih Al-Bukhari, Abu Sufyan called out three times and said, “Is Muhammad[sa] amongst you?” The Holy Prophetsa stopped the Companions from responding. Then, he asked three times, “Is the son of Abu Quhafah (i.e., Abu Bakr) amongst you?”

Following this, he asked three times, “Is Ibn Khattab (i.e., Umar) amongst you?” He then returned to his people and said that they had been killed. Hearing this, Hazrat Umarra could not control himself and exclaimed, “O enemy of Allah! By God, you have lied. Those whom you named are all alive. There are many misfortunes that remain in your fate.” This is also a narration of Sahih alBukhari. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Jihad wa al-Siyar, Bab Ma Yakrahu min al-Tanazu wa al-Ikhtilaf fi al-Harb)

Abu Sufyan replied, “This battle is revenge for the Battle of Badr. War is unpredictable; sometimes its fortune shifts to one side, and sometimes to the other. You will find amongst you the corpses of such people whose ears and noses have been severed (i.e., they have been mutilated). I did not command for this to be carried out, but I also do not find it objectionable.”

Then, he began to recite the phrase:

لٗبُھُ لٗعْا لٗبُھُ لٗعْا “Glory to Hubul, glory to Hubul.”

The Holy Prophetsa then said, “Will you not respond to him now?” The Companions asked, “O Messngersa of Allah, what shall we respond with?” The Holy Prophetsa said, “Say,

لٗجِاوَ یْلٰعْا ہِلّٰلِا

“Allah is the Most High and Exalted.”

Abu Sufyan then said, “We possess Uzza while you do not possess Uzza.” Upon hearing this, the Holy Prophetsa asked, “Will you people not respond to this?” Hazrat Bara’ bin ‘Azibra narrates, “The Companions asked, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, what shall we say?’ The Holy Prophetsa said:

مٌکُلَ یْ وْمُ الَوَ انَّالَوْمُ ہِلّٰلِا

“Allah is our Guardian, whilst you have no guardian.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab alJihad wa al-Siyar, Bab Ma Yakrahu min al-Tanazu wa al-Ikhtilaf fi al-Harb, Hadith 3039)

Following this, Abu Sufyan loudly addressed the Muslims and said, “Next year, we will face you at Badr once again.” The Holy Prophetsa instructed one of his companions to reply, saying, “Indeed, our meeting is promised.”

Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra writes in The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa:

“While the Muslims were busy tending to the wounded, on the opposite end, on the battlefield below, the Quraish of Mecca were most ruthlessly mutilating the bodies of the Muslim martyrs. The savage custom of muthlah [mutilating dead bodies] was carried out with all its barbarity and the bloodthirsty beasts of Mecca did whatever their hearts desired with the bodies of the Muslim martyrs. The women of the Quraish severed the noses and ears of the Muslims and wore them as garlands. Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyan cut out the liver of Hazrat Hamzahra and chewed it. Hence, in the words of Sir William Muir, ‘Many acts of barbarous mutilation were committed on the slain.’ The chieftains of Mecca searched long and hard for the body of the Holy Prophetsa in the field of battle, and their eyes eagerly craved to witness this sight, but that which was not to be found could not be found. (I.e., it was impossible as the Holy Prophetsa was not there.) When Abu Sufyan had lost hope in this search, he took a few of his followers and proceeded to the mountain pass, where the Muslims had gathered and, standing next to it, called out:

“‘O Muslims! Is Muhammad[sa] among you?’

“The Holy Prophetsa forbade anyone from responding, and thus, the Companions remained silent. Then, he inquired about Abu Bakrra and ‘Umarra, but even at this, in accordance with the instruction of the Holy Prophetsa, no one responded. Upon this, in a most arrogant tone, he called out in a loud voice, ‘All of these people have been slain, for if they had been alive, they would have responded.’ At this, Hazrat ‘Umarra was unable to restrain himself, and uncontrollably said:

“‘O enemy of Allah! You lie! We are all alive and Allah shall disgrace you at our hands.’

“Upon recognising the voice of Hazrat ‘Umarra, Abu Sufyan said, ‘Tell the truth ‘Umar! Is Muhammad[sa] alive?’ ‘Indeed! Indeed!’ said Hazrat Umarra, ‘By the Grace of God, he lives and is listening to your every word.’ In a relatively low voice, Abu Sufyan said, ‘Then, Ibn Qum’ah has lied, because I consider you to be more truthful than he.’ After this, Abu Sufyan exclaimed:

لٗبُھُ لٗعْا

“‘O Hubl! Exalted by thy name!’

“Upon the instruction of the Holy Prophetsa, the Companions remained silent, (because the Holy Prophetsa had forbidden them), but the Holy Prophetsa who ordered silence for his own name, became restless upon hearing the name of an idol in with the name of God the Exalted. ‘Why do you not respond?’ said the Holy Prophetsa. The Companions submitted, ‘O Messengersa of Allah! How shall we respond?’ The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘Proclaim:

لٗجِاوَ یْلٰعْا ہِلّٰلِا

“‘Greatness and grandeur belongs to Allah the Exalted alone.’

“Abu Sufyan responded:

مٌکُلَ یْزّعُ الَوَ یْزّٰعُلَاانَلَ

“‘We have ‘Uzza but you have no ‘Uzza!’

“ The Holy Prophetsa instructed the Companions to say:

مٌکُلَ یْ وْمُ الَوَ انَّالَوْمُ ہِلّٰلِا

“‘We have Allah, Who is our Helper, but you have no Helper.’

“After this, Abu Sufyan said:

“‘Battle is like a pail, at times, it rises and at times it falls. Consider this day to be a recompense for Badr. You shall find such bodies in the field of battle that have been mutilated. I did not order this, but when I found out about it, I did not find this action of my men displeasing either. Next year, we shall meet again at Badr on the same days.’

“As per the instruction of the Holy Prophetsa a Companion responded, ‘Very well then, we shall meet again.’ After saying this Abu Sufyan descended with his followers and quickly thereafter, the army of the Quraish took the road to Mecca.”

Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra further writes: “It is strange to note that on this occasion, although the Quraish had attained victory against the Muslims, and with respect to their apparent means, if they had desired, they could have further capitalised on this opportunity; not to mention, the opportunity to attack Medina was open to them in any case. However, the Power of God was such that despite this victory, in their hearts, the Quraish were struck with awe, and considering the victory attained in the field of Uḥud as being lucky enough, they thought it wise to make haste to Mecca.

“Nevertheless, despite all this, as an act of further precaution, the Holy Prophetsa immediately dispatched a party of seventy Companions, which also included Hazrat Abu Bakrra and Hazrat Zubairra, in pursuit of the army of the Quraish. This is the narration, as it is related in Sahih al-Bukhari. The manner in which most historians describe the account is that the Holy Prophetsa sent Hazrat ‘Alira, or in light of various narrations, Sa‘d bin (Abi) Waqqasra in the footsteps of the Quraish and instructed him to bring news as to whether the army of the Quraish intended to attack Medina. The Holy Prophetsa went on to tell him that if the Quraish were mounted on their camels and were taking their horses along unmounted, then they should rest assured that they were returning to Mecca, and did not intend to attack Medina. However, if they were mounted on horses then they would know that their intention was not good. The Holy Prophetsa strictly instructed him that if the army of the Quraish was heading towards Medina, he should be informed at once and

in a state of great passion, he said, ‘At this time, if the Quraish attack Medina, by God, we shall fight them and give them a taste of their own.’ Thus, the men dispatched by the Holy Prophetsa went and quickly returned with the good news that the army of the Quraish was proceeding towards Mecca.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 2, pp. 342-344)

While mentioning that the Holy Prophetsa fell unconscious as a result of his injuries and the incidents that ensued, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states, “A short while later, the Holy Prophetsa gained consciousness, and the Companions sent men in every direction of the battlefield to inform the Muslims that they should gather. The fleeing army began to regroup and the Holy Prophetsa took them to the foot of a mountain. When whatever remained of the army stood in the mountain pass, Abu Sufyan loudly proclaimed, ‘We have killed Muhammad[sa].’ The Holy Prophetsa did not respond to Abu Sufyan so as not to alert the enemy about what the reality was and thus leading them to launch an attack, thereby exposing the wounded Muslims to another enemy attack. Upon not receiving any response from the Muslim army, Abu Sufyan became certain that his suspicion was correct and proclaimed with a loud voice, ‘We have also killed Abu Bakr.’ The Holy Prophetsa instructed Abu Bakrra not to respond as well. Then Abu Sufyan proclaimed, ‘We have also killed Umar.’ Umarra, who was a very passionate man, wished to respond by saying, ‘By the grace of God, we are alive and ready to combat you.’ However, the Holy Prophetsa forbade him from doing so, saying that he should not put the Muslims in difficulty and should remain silent. Now the disbelievers were convinced that they had killed the founder of Islam and his right and left arms. Upon this, Abu Sufyan and his comrades loudly raised the following slogan:

لٗبُھُ لٗعْا لٗبُھُ لٗعْا

“‘Great be the glory of our honourable idol Hubal for it has defeated Islam today.’”

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra continues, “The Holy Prophetsa, who had advised to remain silent when his death was being proclaimed, and the deaths of Abu Bakrra and Umarra were being announced, so that the enemy army would not turn back and attack the already injured Muslims and thus the handful of remaining Muslims would be martyred. But now, when the honour of the One God came into question and a slogan of associating partners with God was raised on the battlefield, his spirit became anxious and with great passion he turned to the Companions and said, ‘Why do you not respond?’ The Companions said, ‘O Messengersa of Allah , what should we say?’ The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘Say:

لٗجِاوَ یْلٰعْا ہِلّٰلِا ۔لٗجِاوَ یْلٰعْا ہِلّٰلِا “‘[Greatness and grandeur belong to Allah alone]. You lie when you say Hubul is great. (You are lying.) Allah, Who is One and has no partner is Honourable and is the Greatest.’

“In this manner, the Holy Prophetsa also informed them that he was still alive. This bold and brave response had such a

“

As I have been continuously reminding, continue to pray for the general state of the Palestinians. There is some news that efforts are perhaps being made to end the fighting in Gaza and perhaps the Israeli government may agree to this. However, the chances of a war breaking out at the border of Lebanon seem to be increasing, which would impact the Palestinians in the West Bank. There is no trace of justice among Western governments. Now, Western commentators are openly declaring that the injustices have exceeded all bounds. The US President is fanning this war only to improve their own economy, as doing so increases their income through the arms trade. Now, their

own analysts say that the US is trying to extend this war and creating disorder in the world in order to better its own economy. They do not realise that they cannot avoid the wrath of God Almighty.

profound impact upon the disbelieving army that despite their hopes being mixed to the dust as a result of this response, and despite the fact that only a handful of wounded Muslims stood before them, and by all material means it would have been easy for them to attack and kill them, they did not have the courage to launch another attack. They rejoiced over whatever degree of victory they had already achieved and returned to Mecca.” (Dibacha Tafsirul Quran, Anwarul Uloom, Vol. 20, pp. 252253)

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra has mentioned this incident in various instances from various different perspectives, which will be further mentioned in the future, inshaAllah

As I have been continuously reminding, continue to pray for the general state of the Palestinians. There is some news that efforts are perhaps being made to end the fighting in Gaza and perhaps the Israeli government may agree to this. However, the chances of a war breaking out at the border of Lebanon seem to be increasing, which would impact the Palestinians in the West Bank. There is no trace of justice among Western governments. Now, Western commentators are openly declaring that the injustices have exceeded all bounds. The US President is

fanning this war only to improve their own economy, as doing so increases their income through the arms trade. Now, their own analysts say that the US is trying to extend this war and creating disorder in the world in order to better its own economy. They do not realise that they cannot avoid the wrath of God Almighty.

“Through prayers and reaching out to their contacts, Ahmadis must play their part in order to prevent these atrocities. Recently there was also news that the US and UK stopped funding a UN agency that renders aid. They refused to do so because 11 or 12 members of Hamas were involved with them, and as a result of this, they are perpetrating the injustice of not helping the Palestinians. This is nothing but a ploy to compel the Palestinians. But it is astonishing that if the Western world has stopped their aid, why is there no news from any of the Muslim countries that have the wealth of oil announcing that they will help render aid instead. The UN agency has announced that if they do not receive any help, then they will not be able to provide any aid beyond the month of February. May Allah the Almighty enable these Muslim countries to play their role and may the disorder in the world come to an end. Now there is also a risk of a war with Iran.

Similarly, pray for the Ahmadis in Yemen. A sincere Ahmadi there died while imprisoned or being held captive due to not receiving proper medical attention. Details are difficult to come by; in any case, pray for these people as well, who are engulfed by difficulties. Upon receiving further details, insha-Allah, I will lead his funeral prayer.

Pray for the Ahmadis in Pakistan as well. Ahmadis are always made targets for their political gain. Similarly, the Community also faces threats from certain extremist groups. Members of the Community face a two-fold danger wherever they are [in Pakistan]; one on account of being citizens and the other due to being Ahmadis. Pray for the Ahmadis in Rabwah and all other cities; may Allah the Almighty keep them under His protection. May He turn the evil of the evildoers back on them. May Allah the Almighty protect Ahmadis in every country. May the world recognise the reality that there is no path other than turning to Allah the Almighty. The only way for them to survive is to recognise Allah and accept the one sent by Him. May Allah the Almighty enable them to do so. [Amin.]

(Official