Al Hakam - 15 March 2024

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V delivers keynote address at UK Peace Symposium 2024

Baitul Futuh Mosque, London, 9 March 2024: At approximately 19:15 GMT, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa arrived at the Tahir Hall of the Baitul Futuh Mosque Complex for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK’s National Peace Symposium 2024.

The formal event started with a recitation from the Holy Quran (Surah an-Nisa, Ch.4: V.136) by Nafees Ahmad Qamar Sahib, followed by its English translation by Hazeem Ahmad Arif Sahib.

National Amir Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya UK, Rafiq Ahmad Hayat Sahib, gave the welcome speech and an introduction to the Peace Symposium, highlighting the wars between Russia and Ukraine and the relentless suffering of Palestinians at the hands of Israel. He introduced Hazrat Amirul Momineen’saa efforts to establish world peace and his efforts to help humanity throughout the world.

Following the welcome and introductory remarks, Dame Siobhain McDonagh MP, Jonathan Lord MP, and the Right Honourable Sir Ed Davey MP each spoke on the urgent need for peace and global cooperation. Subsequently, the announcement of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Prize for the Advancement of Peace highlighted the contributions of

ﺎﻬﻌﻓﺮﻳ م��ﻈﻤﻟا ةﻮﻋدو لدﺎﻌﻟا باﻮﺑأ ﺎ�� �ﺘﻔﻳو مﺎﻤﻐﻟا قﻮﻓ ���ا ﻚﻧ��ﻧ�� ��ﺰﻋو ب��ا لﻮﻘﻳو ءﺎﻤﺴﻟا

.��ﺣ ﺪﻌﺑ ﻮﻟو

The fasting and the oppressed Hazrat Abu Hurairara reported that, “Allah’s Messengersa said, ‘There are three whose supplication is never turned away: the fasting individual until they break their fast, the just Imam, and the plea of the oppressed. Allah elevates it above the clouds and opens for it the gates of the heavens. And the Lord declares, ‘By My majesty, I will assuredly come to your aid, even if it be after some time.’’” (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi, Kitab ad-da‘wati ‘an rasulillahisa, Hadith 3598)

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, In His Own Words

Fidya

“Allah the Exalted has established the foundation of the sharia upon ease. Those who are travelling or ill, and have the means, should instead of fasting, give fidya, i.e., provide a meal to a needy person.” (Badr, 17 October 1907, p. 7)

<< Continued from previous page

two distinguished honorees: Adi Patricia Roche, recognised for her post-Chernobyl disaster efforts, received the 2020 award, and David Spurdle, acknowledged for his dedication to orphans and underprivileged children globally, was honoured with the 2023 award. Both recipients also shared their insights and experiences at the event.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, then took to the podium to deliver the keynote address.

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa greeted all the distinguished guests, then went on to say that over the years he has constantly expressed his views on how an end can be brought to all forms of warfare.

“Certainly, history teaches us that internal conflicts can spiral into regional wars, often fuelled by the influence and interference of external powers.”

Huzooraa said that in recent decades, we have witnessed the effects of the external interference of such powers. Huzooraa noted:

“Unfair political, legal and economic systems that have prevailed in much of the world are triggering an ever-rising tide of inequality, which in turn is fueling global instability and insecurity.”

Over the years, politicians, intellectuals, and members of the public have agreed with Huzoor’saa assertion that we must strive for peace. However, some had previously said that Huzooraa was wrong to believe that the conflicts would turn into a global war and trigger the use of nuclear weapons.

“Many considered this to be unnecessarily pessimistic.” For a long time, some people did not agree with Huzooraa, either due to their idealism or a desire to look at the world through rosetinted glasses or perhaps their inability to learn lessons from history. Huzooraa said that perhaps they simply did not wish to accept the reality of what was staring them in the face.

“They seemingly ignored the widening cracks that have been opening up” in recent decades. Huzooraa said, “As they say, ignorance is bliss.”

Huzooraa said that today, as wars rage in Europe, the Middle East, and elsewhere, many people are now raising their alarm about the possibility of a global war in which the use of nuclear powers would wreak unimaginable levels of havoc and destruction in the world. But “despite this realisation, many still seem unwilling to consider what must be done to end these conflicts.”

Huzooraa continued:

“As I thought about today’s event, I wondered whether there was any point in us gathering here again. What benefit was there for us to speak about peace and justice if those with the power and ability to influence change were determined not to hear us.”

Huzooraa said, “The stark reality is that even those institutions founded with the primary objective of maintaining the peace and security of the world are becoming increasingly irrelevant.”

Speaking about the United Nations, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:

“For example, the UN has become a weak and almost powerless body where

a few dominant nations yield all the power and easily override the views of the majority.”

Huzooraa said that “instead of deciding each issue based on its facts and merits, nations have formed alliances and vote according to their self-interest.”

“Ultimately, critical decisions are made by a few privileged nations, in whose hands rests the veto power. Instead of faithfully serving the cause of peace and justice, they wield their veto like a trump card, wherever their narrow interests are threatened.” This is done regardless of whether their decisions cause scores of innocent people to be negatively affected.

“Let it be clear, therefore, that where a veto power exists, the scales of justice can never be balanced.”

Huzooraa said that nevertheless, despite all these reservations, he realised that he must use this opportunity to speak because Islam teaches Muslims to never waver in the pursuit of peace. “It teaches us to speak the truth so that, when held accountable before Allah the Almighty, a believer can truthfully claim to have tried his utmost to save His creation from destruction.”

Further, the Holy Prophetsa has stated that the greatest form of Jihad, a very misunderstood and misrepresented term, is to speak courageously before one’s leaders, especially those who are cruel.

Huzooraa stated that certainly, if weaker nations or individuals who have no political affiliation try to speak up, it is rarely appreciated, and those who do can face difficulties or risk sanctions. “Despite this, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, based on the teachings of Islam, continues and will always continue to strive earnestly in the cause of peace and champion the rights of those who are powerless and are the victims of injustice.”

Huzooraa said that we will use all we have in our power to influence those we can to strive towards establishing peace in the world. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is making consistent efforts to foster peace and alleviate the suffering of those who are in grave physical or emotional distress.

Huzooraa noted that due to the inflammatory comments of some

politicians against Islam, recently the question of Islam and wars has been raised.

None of the founders of the major religions, including Jesusas, Mosesas, Holy Prophet Muhammadsa, or any other prophet of God, ever taught their followers to disregard the peace of society and resort to aggression. It is true that in certain extreme circumstances, the limited use of force was allowed, but this was done with the sole intention of ending warfare and oppression.

Islam literally means peace, and every aspect of its teachings reflects this name. The Muslims were only given permission to fight in self-defence, and historically, they only fought back after enduring years of endless persecution.

In chapter 42 of the Holy Quran, Allah commands that where a person or nation has been wronged, they should never respond to disproportionality nor fall into seeking revenge. The verse states:

سَ ۃٌئَیِّسَ اَؤُزٰٓجۡوَ نَیۡمَلَظّٰلاَ بُّحِیُ الَ ہٗنَّاَ ہِلّٰلاَ

“And the recompense of an injury is an injury the like thereof; but whoso forgives and [his act] brings about reformation, his reward is with Allah. Surely, He loves not the wrongdoers.” (Surah ash-Shura, Ch.42: V.41)

Furthermore, Allah says it is better to forgive if it can lead to reformation.

In chapter 49 of the Holy Quran, Allah gives the solution to when two nations go to war:

یۡٓغِبۡتَ یتّٰلاَ اَوۡلَتَاَقَفَ یرٰخۡالَاَ یلَعَ اَمَہَٮدٰحَاَ تۡغَبَ نۡۢاَ اَوۡطُسِقۡ

“And if two parties of believers fight [against each other], make peace between them; then if [after that] one of them transgresses against the other, fight the party that transgresses until it returns to the command of Allah. Then if it returns, make peace between them with equity, and act justly. Verily, Allah loves the just.”

(Surah al-Hujurat, Ch.49: V.10)

Commenting on this, Huzooraa said:

“The objective should always remain to build sustainable peace underpinned by justice. It should be that a third party takes advantage of the vulnerability of the warring parties by usurping their rights for his own benefit.”

Huzooraa said, if such principles were observed by the UN and other relevant bodies, conflicts would be resolved far more amicably and swiftly.

“However, it will prove impossible for true peace to emerge so long as nations, either directly or through their powerful allies, can utilise a veto power.”

Huzooraa said that “the fate of the United Nations seems set to mirror that of its failed predecessor, the League of Nations,” and if the system of international law, weak as it may be, completely collapses, the resulting anarchy and destruction are beyond our comprehension.

Some people may have been conditioned to think that the Israel and Palestine conflict is a religious war, but it is a geopolitical and territorial conflict. As for the war in Ukraine, it is very evidently a geo-political war being fought for territorial reasons.

“I firmly believe that there is only one way to end these wars, by ensuring that justice prevails and that whatever settlements are made are based on equity as opposed to what better serves the interests of external powers. Otherwise, there is no benefit to the UN or international laws and the only rule that shall hold weight will be the one that declares might is right.

“In terms of the Ukraine war, Russia has veto power at the UN Security Council, while, in effect, Ukraine also has one by virtue of its alliance with those Western nations who have permanent membership of the Security Council. How can a settlement be agreed, if both sides can effectively wield a veto?”

Huzooraa said that, as for the IsraelPalestine issue, the veto power has only been used in Israel’s favour.

Huzooraa said that Islam emphasises justice to the highest degree, and surely even non-religious people will understand the importance of such teachings.

It is often alleged that Islam is an extremist religion due to comments by

certain politicians. It should be clear that the wars fought by the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa and his rightly guided successors were entirely defensive. Only after they were subject to years of severe persecution was this permission granted. Huzooraa presented the following verse of the Holy Quran:

مۡہِرٰصۡنَّ یلَعَ ہِلّٰلاَ نۡۢاَوَ اَوۡمَلَظُ مۡہَنَّاَبَ نۡۢوۡلَتَقَیُ نۡیُذِلَل نۡۢذِاَ

رُیُ دٰقَل

“Permission [to fight] is given to those against whom war is made, because they have been wronged — and Allah indeed has power to help them.” (Surah al Hajj, Ch. 22: V. 40)

Huzooraa expounded on defensive wars and said that there were stringent rules in place to make sure they did not exceed the bounds.

The Holy Prophetsa strictly forbade targeting civilians, making sure the scope of war remained as limited as possible, and also prohibited desecrating enemies’ places of worship. Previous practices of mutilation were also forbidden. He said the dead bodies resulting from a war were to be treated with care. Justice was to be upheld every step of the way. The Holy Prophetsa went so far as to say that in battle, the face should not be struck and that bases should not be set up in places that would cause distress.

These are the basic rules of Islamic warfare, and the Holy Prophetsa said that everyone was to uphold them.

Therefore, all nations involved in any sort of warfare must realise that peace in the world can only be established by following these principles. Otherwise, we are on the precipice of a catastrophic global war.

Huzooraa quoted Professor Jeffery Sachs, who spoke of the injustices of Western nations, and Senator Bernie Sanders, who spoke of the injustices of Israel.

Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa said, “During a recent interview, US Senator Bernie Sanders, who himself is Jewish, strongly condemned the actions of the Israeli government.”

Bernie Sanders said that what Netanyahu and his government are doing in Gaza to its people is indescribable

and unspeakable. We are looking at 25-26,000 people who have been killed already, (this figure was when he made the statement; since then, the number has increased). Two-thirds of them are women and children. 65,000 people have been wounded, 70% of the housing units in Gaza have been destroyed, and 1.8 million people have been pushed out of their homes. God knows where they are going, he said.

Senator Bernie Sanders continued to say that there is a possibility of hundreds of thousands of children starving to death in Palestine, and the US, with its financial support for Israel, is complicit in what is happening. He said he would be damned if he were to give another nickel to Netanyahu in order to continue this war with the people of Palestine.

Speaking about the endless brutalities in the world, Huzooraa expressed:

“With all my heart, I hope and pray that – before it is too late – the world comes to its senses and brings an end to the brutalities and wars taking place in the world

Talking about the future of the world and the responsibility of the world, Huzooraa said:

“If we wish to save our future generation from being born with the ill effects of radiation caused by nuclear warfare, and desire to save them from deprivation and desperation, and if we wish to save ourselves from their curses and laments, we must act with urgency and wisdom. Political leaders and those who have access to policymakers must take a long-term view of what is in the best interest of mankind, rather than being blinded by selfish desires to assert their superiority over others. We must all come together, setting aside national, political, and other vested interests, for the greater good of humanity.

In conclusion, Huzooraa said:

“It is the need of the time that we must focus all our energies and efforts on establishing true peace so that we may live in a world of hope and prosperity, rather than a world defined by inequality, hatred, and bloodshed.”

At the end, a silent prayer was led by Huzooraa

the severe impact of recent events in Gaza, contrasting it with his 2019 visit and noting the escalated destruction. He shared a poignant experience from East Jerusalem, illustrating the human cost of the conflict. Davey reiterated the Liberal Democrats’ call for an immediate ceasefire and stressed the importance of unity against division and extremism to foster a peaceful resolution.

Following this, the annual Ahmadiyya Muslim Prize for the Advancement of Peace was presented, which is an international award launched by Huzooraa in 2009 and is awarded to individuals or organisations for their efforts in the advancement of peace. This year, the Community presented two awards, the prize for 2020, which was not able to be given due to Covid-19, and the peace prize for 2023.

Guest speakers

Before the address by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa, as mentioned at the outset, Dame Siobhain McDonagh MP, Jonathan Lord MP, and Right Honourable Sir Ed Davey MP, as well as the two peace awardees, Adi Patricia Roche and David Spurdle, shared their perspectives.

Dame Siobhan McDonagh, Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden, spoke on the ongoing war’s impact, now at 154 days, emphasising the devastation in Gaza, including reduced aid and destroyed infrastructure. She expressed her horror at the daily suffering and called for an end to the conflict. McDonagh praised the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, led by Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa, for advocating peace and reaching out to world leaders for a peaceful resolution. McDonagh underscored the Ahmadiyya Community’s slogan, “Love for All, Hatred for None,” as more crucial than ever in these times.

Jonathan Lord MP, Vice Chair of the APPG for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and MP for Woking since 2010, extended his greetings of peace and congratulations at the 18th Annual Peace Symposium held at Western Europe’s largest mosque. He commended the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s dedication to promoting peace, justice, and tolerance globally amidst the rise of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. Lord expressed solidarity during these challenging times and highlighted the Community’s ongoing persecution in Pakistan and elsewhere. Emphasising the importance of freedom and the right to worship, he praised the Community and Huzooraa for being beacons of peace and unity, upholding values that transcend religious and non-religious boundaries. The motto “Love for All, Hatred for None” was lauded as particularly pertinent today, deserving widespread acknowledgement and support.

Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrats’ leader, emphasised the urgent need to confront global conflicts in Sudan, Yemen, Ukraine, and particularly Gaza, advocating for increased efforts for peace. Highlighting his anticipation for Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V’saa keynote speech, Davey reflected on

The 2020 prize was awarded to Adi Patricia Roche, an Irish anti-nuclear activist and CEO of Chernobyl Children’s Project International, recognised for her extensive work in peace, humanitarian aid, education, and her dedicated efforts to alleviate the suffering of children affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, beginning with her involvement in the Irish nuclear disarmament campaign in the 1980s.

Adi Patricia Roche, addressing the Peace Symposium, began by honouring her receipt of the award. She invoked Albert Einstein’s profound observation on the atomic age: the atom’s splitting altered everything except our mindset, leading us towards catastrophic outcomes. Roche linked Einstein’s insight to the tragic nuclear events in Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and the Chernobyl disaster, underscoring the lasting environmental and human impact. Through her experiences, she shared the profound effects of nuclear disasters on children’s health, emphasising the deep generational scars left by radiation exposure. Roche called for action and compassion, highlighting her commitment to aiding affected children and advocating for love and peace over power. Her message reinforced the strength of humanity and collective efforts for peace, embodying the spirit of love in action to counteract the legacy of nuclear harm.

The 2023 Peace Prize winner was David Spurdle, founder of the “Stand by Me” charity, for his exceptional support for orphans and underprivileged children around the world.

Mr Spurdle, in his speech at the Symposium, shared a poignant narrative of his journey to peace, beginning in 1983 during the Lebanese civil war. His initial humanitarian effort to repair a destroyed sewage system at a boys’ orphanage in Lebanon marked the start. This experience, characterised by witnessing extreme hardship and ethnic cleansing, profoundly affected him. The deep connections he formed with the children led him to resign from his job and establish the charity ‘Stand By Me,’ dedicated to rescuing children from dire situations. Highlighting the success of his efforts, he noted that the charity has helped over 20,000 children overcome significant challenges. Gratefully accepting the award presented to him, Mr Spurdle acknowledged the support of those who have stood by him through his mission, emphasising the triumphs of the amazing children he has worked to assist.

This Week in History

15 - 21 March

A glimpse into the rich history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

15 March

15 March 1907: On this day, the Promised Messiahas issued an announcement for Muslim clerics and invited them to read his book, Haqiqatul Wahi with deep consideration. (Haqiqatul Wahi, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 22, p. 611)

15 March 2004: During his tour of Ghana, on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa met with the then-president of Ghana, John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor. (Al Fazl International, 26 March 2004, p. 16)

16 - 17 March

16 March 1990: During his tour of Spain, on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh delivered his Friday Sermon in the eastern town of Xativa. In his Sermon, Huzoorrh asked Ahamdis to increase their tabligh efforts, so we can see the revival of Islam in Spain. (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 9, pp. 133-144)

17 March 1989: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh delivered his Friday sermon, which happened to be the final Sermon of the first century of the Jamaat. Huzoorrh, while giving the glad-tiding of the ultimate victory of the Jamaat, also advised members to collect the accounts of the elders who made significant sacrifices in the first century of the Jamaat’s history. (Khutbat-eTahir, Vol. 8, pp. 167-178)

17 March 2018: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa delivered the keynote address at the 15th National Peace Symposium hosted by Jamaate-Ahmadiyya UK at the Baitul Futuh Mosque in London with an audience of more than 900 people from 31 countries, including 570 non-Ahmadi guests comprising ministers, ambassadors, members of parliament, and various other

dignitaries. (“Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community says Time has come to Stop Blaming only Muslims for the World’s Problems,” www.pressahmadiyya. com)

18 - 19 March

18 March 1948: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra delivered a lecture at the Theosophical Hall, Karachi, as part of a series of lectures titled “Istihkam-ePakistan”. It was organised by the local Lajna Imaillah, and thus attended by around 600 Ahmadi and non-Ahmadi women, including Lady Abdullah Haroon (former president of All India Women Muslim League & VicePresident of All Pakistan Women’s Association), Begum Shaban (a prominent leader of the Pakistan Movement), Begum Afridi, etc. For more details, see “‘Consolidation of Pakistan’: Lectures by Hazrat Musleh-eMaud on how Pakistan can see success”, at alhakam.org (6 May 2022, p. 10).

18 March 1966: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh announced the blessed scheme of Waqf-e-Arzi –temporary life-devotion. This initiative was designed to support the spiritual education and moral training within the Jamaat. Huzoorrh emphasised the divine opportunity bestowed

upon members to dedicate two to six weeks annually to religious service and to engage in the multitude of activities sponsored by the Community. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 23, p. 49)

19 March 1944: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra announced the extension project of Masjid Mubarak in Qadian. For more details about this mosque, see “Masjid Mubarak – A blessed mosque”, at alhakam.org (24 May 2019, pp. 21-23).

20 - 21 March

20 March 1970: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh delivered a Friday Sermon in Masjid Mubarak, Rabwah in which he stated that Ahmadi Muslims recognised the great status of the Holy Prophetsa and his mercy for mankind. Huzoorrh said that it was our duty to raise the slogans of “Khatam-ul-Anbiya, zindabad!” and “Insaniyyat, zindabad!” with such passion and glory that they reach the Seventh Heaven and the throne of Allah. This sermon of Huzoorrh continued for more than 50 minutes. (Khutbat-eNasir, Vol. 3, pp. 61-72)

21 March 1874: Looking back at the 18th century, one can’t

help but notice how rapidly Christianity was spreading throughout the world, especially in British India. For example, the Cheltenham Mercury wrote on this day that:

“If the present rate of increase was continued, by the year 2001, at least 135,000,000 of people would be converted.” This tide was turned by the advent of the Promised Messiahas

For more details about this, see “How Christianity spread in British India: Crusade of the Clapham Sect”, at alhakam.org (25 March 2022, p. 10).

21 March 1891: Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Nuruddinra served in the state of Kashmir for years. On this day, in a letter to him, the Promised Messiahas highlighted his help for Jamaat, in the following words:

“Your employment is of a great benefit to us. Its exterior may seem worldly but intrinsically, it is all for the faith.

“Although there is a great conflict going on, there seems to be divine wisdom behind you being stationed at such a place.”

For more details about his life in Kashmir, see “Pursuit, betrayal and triumph: The formative years of Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Nuruddin”, at alhakam.org (27 May 2022, p. 6).

A Khadim requesting Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V permission to begin the ceremony of the Guard of Honour. On Huzoor’s left is the President of Ghana. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh holding a Jama‘at Centenary Souvenir, 1989

Opinion

Fazal Masood Malik & Farhan Khokhar Canada.

As death rains from the sky in Gaza and violence erupts in the West Bank, American and British leaders have emerged calling for “restraint” and a “humanitarian pause” in a one-sided conflict between Israel and Palestine. Yet their platitudes and pleas ring hollow when their own hands remain soaked in blood.

For decades, the United States and the United Kingdom have acted as chief enablers and arms suppliers for Israel’s military occupation of Palestinian lands and oppression of the local populace. Following the 1917 Balfour Declaration opening the door for a Jewish state, Western powers backed Israel’s creation in 1948 at the expense of Palestinian self-rule – forcibly displacing 700,000 local Arabs in days remembered as the Nakba.

And the rivers of support have not stopped since $146 billion in American military assistance and tens of billions more in loans and contracts have bankrolled decades of Israeli settlement expansion, police state tactics, aerial bombardments of Gaza, and violent quashing of Palestinian resistance across occupied territories.

(“Bringing Assistance to Israel in Line With Rights and U.S. Laws”, carnegieendowment. org) Despite touting support for a “two-state solution”, since 2015, the UK has approved $474 million in arms sales to Israel and continues to provide 15% of parts for M35s used against civilians in Gaza. The flow of arms and blood money betrays where its true sympathies lie. (“‘Selling Weapons to Israel Could Make UK Complicit in War

A generational bloodstain

Crimes’”, bylinetimes.com)

Like Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth compulsively washing phantom blood off her guilty hands after plotting regicide, the hollow diplomatic pretensions of these Western allies cannot hide the stains of the past. The mass displacement and dehumanisation of generations of Palestinians, facilitated by this aid, haunts their collective conscience.

Efforts at the UN have been obstructed despite worldwide demands for change. The UK and US veto critical resolutions. While publicly promoting peace, their actions allow conditions fueling tensions to persist. This duality frustrates the international community and raises doubts about the impartiality of bodies like the UN.

As for former Israeli PM Golda Meir’s defence that we will “ […] be able to forgive the Arabs for killing our sons, but it will be harder for us to forgive them for having forced us to kill their sons.”, it rings hollow given the lopsided death tolls from Israeli military campaigns. (A Land of Our Own: An Oral Autobiography of Golda Meir [1973])

Religion is not to be blamed. As Golda Meir stated: “There is no Zionism except the rescue of Jews,” (Ibid.) While the Torah prescribes “an eye for an eye”, Israel’s Zionism-based policies have made it a “life for an eye” in a mismatch of reprisal and scale of force. Support from the USA and UK has enabled this doctrine of wildly disproportionate, collective punishment.

Do these Western architects of intervention believe their current policies are isolated in the sands of time without consequence? That the river of history flows in only one direction? Perhaps today,

the military-industrial complex retains total dominance over a largely disarmed, disenfranchised Palestinian population. But the UK and USA ignore the lessons from fallen empires and the would-be invincibles of old.

The ancient legend of Nimrod is instructive: the powerful Babylonian king who ruled by force and fear defied the heavens – only to be humbled and vanished from Earth when the tides turned against him. So too, the judgement of history may one day befall today’s proud powers should they persist in the belief that “might makes right” without remorse or mercy.

Redemption remains narrowly within grasp; however, the prospects may seem dim given the present morass of hatred and mistrust. Allah has sent the Promised Messiahas – an ardent servant of the Holy

Prophet Muhammadsa – to guide us back to peace and the righteous path. Embracing his message of peace and the continued guidance of his successors promises protection that offers to save people from calamity (Surah al-Anbiya Ch.21: V.106108). Without spiritual insight, even the mightiest of civilisations fall into an abyss of their own making, forfeiting moral authority.

The generational bloodstain may never completely wash away. However, initiating the long-overdue process of accountability and reform could potentially catalyse a pivotal shift towards a more constructive trajectory. There may come a day yet when the children of Abraham can again play freely together amid the olive groves and rolling vineyards of this ancient land.

World Religions Conference held in Athens, Greece

Atta-Ul Naseer

National President Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Greece

Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Greece held its second National Conference of Religions of the World in Athens on 1 February 2024, in the framework of the UN World Interfaith Week (1-7 February 2024). The theme of the Conference was “Peaceful Solutions to World Conflicts”.

The opening address was delivered by Samsideen Iddrisu Sahib, a member of the Board of Directors of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Greece.

Distinguished speakers included His Grace Dayanidhi Das Vanachari, President of the ISCKON Community in Greece; His Excellency Archbishop Jan Romeo Pawloski, Ambassador of the Vatican and

representative of His Holiness Pope Francis in Greece; Archimandrite Dr Aristarchos Grekas, Associate Professor of Theology at the National Kapodistrian University of Athens; Mr Dawa Loday, representative of the Pathgate Buddhist Community in Athens; Mr Diljeet Singh, President of the Sikh Community in Taurus, Athens; and Dr Syed Tahir Kazmi, on behalf of the Shia Muslim Community in Peristeri, Athens.

The discussion was moderated by Dr Theodoros Theodorou, former Ambassador of Greece to Kuwait, who summarised the final conclusions of the Conference and read the written message of His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece.

Written messages for the event were also sent by various ambassadors. The Jewish Community of Volos also sent wishes for

the success of the event.

Mr Athanasios Chimonas, Vice Mayor of the Municipality of Athens, closed the event by delivering the greeting of the Mayor of Athens, Mr Haris Doukas.

The Conference was attended by various religious, political and diplomatic officials and representatives of civil society.

Aharon Luria| Unsplash

Images

Answers to Everyday Issues

Part 71

Is it permissible for Muslims to keep dogs inside their homes?

A lady from the UK enquired of Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, “A non-Ahmadi friend of mine posits that we cannot keep dogs within our homes because angels do not favour them. My question is, as Muslims, is it permissible for us to keep dogs inside our residences?”

Huzoor-e-Anwaraa, in his letter dated 6 December 2022, provided the following answer to this question:

“Certain ahadith indicate that angels abstain from entering a home in which there is a dog present. Hence, the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa said:

لِخدٰتَ الَ

“‘Angels do not enter a house that contains a dog or images.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab bad’i l-khalq, Bab dhikri l-mala’ikah)

“Contrastingly, other ahadith detail that dogs may be kept for three specific purposes: for the protection of livestock, for overseeing farmland, and for hunting. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-muzara‘ah, Bab iqtina‘i l-kalbi li l-harth)

“Furthermore, the Holy Quran clarifies that game hunted by trained animals is permissible to eat. (Surah al-Ma’idah, Ch.5: V.5) Additionally, it is mentioned in Hadith that game caught by a hunting dog is considered lawful [halal] meat if the name of Allah is invoked at the time of the hunt. Hazrat Adira bin Hatim narrates, ‘I enquired from the Holy Prophetsa regarding hunting with dogs, to which he responded, ‘Should you dispatch your trained dog for the hunt

Prophethood of Prophet Jesus and Prophet David

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.

while invoking Allah’s name, and the dog does not consume any part of the catch, the prey it secures for you is permissible for consumption. This holds true even if the dog has killed the game.’’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-dhaba’ih wa as-sayd, Bab idha akala l-kalb)

“Therefore, in my perspective, these directives infer that keeping dogs without a valid reason is forbidden. Nevertheless, if one retains a dog for a legitimate necessity, there is no objection; albeit, under such circumstances, dogs ought not to be housed indoors; rather, they should be accommodated outside in a designated area.

“The hadith regarding angels not entering a home where there is a dog could also be interpreted to mean that in homes inhabited by individuals of impure disposition and sullied characteristics, who are deeply engrossed in materialistic desires – exhibiting behaviour comparable to untrained dogs, incessantly salivating and aggressively reacting to all who pass by – such places are bereft of Divine blessings and favour. The Holy Quran similarly uses the analogy of a dog for such individuals, ensnared by worldly desires and personal lust, neglecting spiritual growth. The Almighty delineates their condition as akin to that of a dog, which, upon the raising of a stick, extends its tongue and remains in the same state even when unprovoked. (Surah al-A‘raf, Ch.7: V.177)

“Some hold the belief that dogs are prohibited because they are deemed unclean animals, their contact purportedly rendering items or clothing impure. This notion, however, is unfounded. Imam Bukhari has assembled various narrations about dogs in the same place in his Sahih al-Bukhari. They include for example, narrations concerning a dog’s mouth contact with a utensil necessitating its washing seven times, a person quenching the thirst of a dog suffering from extreme thirst and being granted paradise by Allah, dogs entering the mosque’s courtyard and urinating during the Holy Prophet’ssa blessed era without the Companions washing it off, and the legitimacy of consuming prey caught by a trained hunting dog, etc. By consolidating these narrations, he conveyed that dogs, per se, are not inherently repulsive without

cause; they are merely animals like any other. Nevertheless, since a dog’s saliva can harbour bacteria potentially very harmful to human health, it becomes imperative to thoroughly clean any utensil a dog has licked before using it for human purposes. Nonetheless, mere contact by a dog with a person’s possessions does not render them impure, and the use of trained dogs for specific purposes is sanctioned by both the Holy Quran and Hadith. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-wudu’, Bab al-ma’i lladhi yughsalu bihi sha‘aru l-insan)

“Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh provided an interpretation of this hadith as well. Responding to a query, he remarked:

“‘It is not accurate. Personally, I am aware that angels do visit places where there are both dogs and images. Pictures hung in the home of the Promised Messiahas, and a dog wandered there, yet the angels were not deterred. The mention of a dog here implies a condition where the heart is likened to that of a dog, prone to senseless barking. In places where hearts resemble barking dogs, angels choose not to enter. Moreover, another interpretation might pertain to the fact that, unlike in the West, where dogs are well-trained and do not attack unprovoked, in our region, dogs are not trained and might attack savagely if approached by mistake. Righteous individuals, akin to angels, would naturally abstain from visiting such homes.’

(Daily Al-Fazl, 24 March 2000, p. 4; Video recording, dated 24 October 1999)

“On another occasion, Huzoorrh elucidated:

“‘It simply signifies that if dogs are bite-prone and not thoroughly trained, any unfortunate, decent individual visiting would be subjected to their barking. ‘Angels’ here symbolise righteous individuals; such individuals too refrain from visiting homes where dogs exhibit poor behaviour.’ (Daily Al-Fazl, 17 June 2000, p. 4; Video recording dated 10 November 1999)

“Hence, it is permissible to keep dogs for legitimate reasons, provided they are raised with discipline. Dogs that are trained and disciplined demonstrate remarkable intelligence and loyalty, diligently protecting their owners. They understand their owners’ commands clearly and express their concerns directly to them.”

Were Prophet Jesusas and Prophet Davidas legislative prophets?

A lady from Pakistan wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, stating, “Revealed books were sent down to both Prophet Jesusas and Prophet Davidas, yet why are they not considered legislative prophets, whereas Prophet Adamas, upon whom no book was revealed, is called a legislative prophet? I request guidance on this matter.”

Huzoor-e-Anwaraa, in his letter dated 6 December 2022, provided the following answer to this question:

“Allah Almighty sent a multitude of prophets for the guidance of mankind, communicated with them, provided them with directives for guiding others, and granted scriptures to some. However, the sharia was revealed by Allah Almighty only when humanity was deemed capable of shouldering its mandates. Subsequently, when humanity was ready to undertake the responsibilities of the final sharia, Allah Almighty graced the pure heart of His Beloved and our Master, the most noble Prophet Muhammadsa, who achieved the pinnacle of human perfection, with the descent of His last and eternal sharia, the Holy Quran. Prior sharias, revealed across different epochs, were tailored to the contemporary conditions and capacities of their respective peoples and were intended for specific durations. Thus, Prophet Adamas, was endowed with a sharia suited to the era’s circumstances and the thenhuman capabilities. Subsequent to him, Prophet Noahas received a sharia reflective of his time’s scenarios and states, and in his footsteps, the patriarch of prophets, Prophet Abrahamas, was also sent. All Prophets sent up to Prophet Mosesas adhered to this sharia. When Mosesas was chosen by Allah the Exalted for the guidance of people, He bestowed upon him the Mosaic sharia. Prophets like Davidas and Solomonas who were also the sovereigns of their age, followed this Mosaic sharia. This sharia perpetuated until Jesusas, the last Prophet of the Mosaic sharia. Thereafter, Allah the Exalted revealed His ultimate sharia through the Holy Quran and made the following promise:

Chris Curry| Unsplash

“‘Surely, We Ourself have sent down this Exhortation [i.e., Quran], and We will, most surely, safeguard it.’ (Surah al-Hijr, Ch.15: V.10)

“Therefore, the sharia revealed in the form of the Holy Quran is the ultimate legislation, offering guidance and directives for humanity until the end of time. However, the sharias bestowed upon Adamas, Noahas, and Mosesas were intended for specific epochs. Subsequent Prophets, as decreed by Allah Almighty, adhered to the preceding sharia until the advent of a new legislation. Davidas and Jesusas were sent to affirm and revitalise the Mosaic sharia, without being granted distinct legislations of their own.

“Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, expounding upon verse 88 of Surah al-Baqarah, elucidates:

“‘The term ‘اَنَیِّفَقۡ’ translates to ‘We caused [them] to follow.’ This not only denotes the advent of numerous Prophets following Mosesas but also illustrates that they were not bearers of new laws. Rather, they were followers of Mosesas and trod upon his delineated path [...]. It is a common misconception among exegetes that each Messenger introduced a new sharia. However, herein Allah the Exalted expressly delineates that all Prophets succeeding Mosesas until the arrival of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa were adherents of the Mosaic sharia.’ (Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 2, p. 20)

“The Promised Messiahas, who is the Hakam ‘Adl of this age, states:

“‘The Masih [Messiah] was the follower and servant of the faith of a perfect and highstanding Prophet, i.e. Musa [Moses] and his Gospel is a branch of the Torah.’ (Barahine-Ahmadiyya Part IV, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 1, p. 594)

In his book Shahadat-ul-Quran, he states:

“‘Allah, the Lord of Glory, Himself affirms it in the Holy Quran:

لِسَرُلاَبَ ہٗدٰعَبَ نۡمِّ اَنَیِّفَقۡوَ بُّتَکِلاَ یسَوۡمِّ اَنَیِّتَاَ دٰقَلوَ

“‘Meaning that, We bestowed the Torah upon Moses and after that Book, We sent many Messengers in its support and to testify to its truth. (Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.2: V.88)

“‘Similarly, Allah says in another place:

اَرَتٰتَ اَنَلَسَرُ اَنَلَسَرُاَ مۡثُ

“‘Meaning that, then, We sent Our Messengers one after the other. (Surah alMu’minun, Ch.23: V.45)

“‘All these verses show that it is the way of Allah that after sending down His Book, He definitely sends Prophets in support of it. Accordingly, in support of the Torah, sometimes as many as 400 Prophets were sent at one and the same time, to which the Bible testifies to this day.’ (Shahadat-ulQuran, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 6, pp. 340-341)

“Christians concur that Jesus Christ, peace be upon him, did not introduce any new sharia. The Promised Messiahas, in his treatise Khutbah-e-Ilhamiyyah, corroborated this point by quoting G. A. Lefroy, the then Bishop of Lahore:

“‘The lord Jesus Christ was certainly not a lawgiver, in the sense in which Moses was, giving a complete descriptive law about such things as clean and unclean food, etc.

That he did not do this must be evident to anyone who reads the New Testament with any care or thought whatever.’ (Khutbah-eIlhamiyyah, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 16, pp. 12-14)

“Moreover, it is unequivocally clear that the Prophets sent across different eras were endowed with varying degrees of ranks and virtues. Hazrat Musleh Maudra, in his interpretation of verse 254 of Surah alBaqarah, which reads, یلَعَ مۡہَضَعَبَ اَنَلَضَفَ لِسَرُلاَ کَلَتَ تۡجۡرُدَ مۡہَضَعَبَ عَفَرُوَ ہِلّٰلاَ مۡلَکَ نۡمِّ مۡہَنَمِّ ضٍعَبَ [‘Of these Messengers some have We exalted above others; among them there are those to whom Allah spoke and revealed to them a Law; and some of them He only exalted in rank.’], elucidates this concept by stating:

“‘[Allah states that,] these Messengers previously mentioned were such that We elevated some above others, meaning some held a more exalted status in the sight of Allah Almighty compared to others. This clarification comes in light of a potential query arising from the discourse on earlier prophets, who were each sent to specific nations and contended chiefly with their own people, not facing a universal opposition. However, the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa is proclaimed to have been sent as a harbinger of glad tidings and a warner for all of humanity. How, then, could he triumph against global opposition?

“‘Allah Almighty elucidates that disparities in rank and stature existed among those former Messengers. It wasn’t so that all were of a singular rank. Indeed, there are myriad levels of perfection and distinctions in the degrees of excellence among the Prophets themselves. Hence, being among them does not imply equivalence in rank or absence of distinction. For example, Davidas, mentioned here, was not only a Prophet but also a sovereign, bestowing upon him an apparent superiority over certain other Prophets. Similarly, an exceptional distinction has been conferred upon the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa. Yet, David’sas pre-eminence extended only over a few Prophets, whereas the Holy Prophet Muhammad’ssa distinction spans over all Prophets. He even stated that had Moses and Jesus, peace be upon them, been alive during his era, they too would have adhered to his command. [Al-Yawaqit wal-Jawahir fi bayan ‘aqa’id al-akabir, p. 174, by Allama Abdul Wahab Shi’rani]

“‘Regarding ‘ہِلّٰلاَ مۡلَکَ نۡمِّ مۡہَنَمِّ,’ some individuals interpret it to mean having a direct conversation with Allah, i.e., speaking in such a manner that there is no intermediary like Angel Gabriel involved. However, in my opinion, ‘ہِلّٰلاَ مۡلَکَ نۡمِّ مۡہَنَمِّ’ refers to the law-bearing Prophets, and ‘مۡہَضَعَبَ عَفَرُ تۡجۡرُدَ’ refers to the non-law-bearing Prophets. This is because communication [kalam] occurs with every Messenger. How could one be a Prophet without it? And each has a high rank. However, when a comparison is made, it implies that some were given a sharia, while others were merely bestowed the rank of Prophethood, like Prophet Jesusas, who was not given a sharia but merely Prophethood. This is also supported by the Holy Quran, where Allah the Exalted states regarding Prophet Mosesas, ‘یسَوۡمِّ ہِلّٰلاَ مۡلَکَوَ اَمَیِّلَکۡتَ’, i.e., ‘And Allah spoke to Moses at length.’. (Surah an-Nisa, Ch.4: V.165)

“‘The proof that ‘ہِلّٰلاَ مۡلَکَ’ means being granted a sharia is also found in a hadith. Imam Ahmadrh narrates from Hazrat Abu

Dharra that, ‘The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘Adam was the first Prophet.’ I asked, ‘Was he a Prophet?’ The Prophetsa replied, ‘Yes, he was a mukallam Prophet.’’ (Tafsir Fath al-Bayan, Vol. 1, p. 333). This indicates that not all Prophets were mukallam. And since Allah communicated with all Prophets, here, communication or being mukallam refers to communicating a sharia. And ‘تۡجۡرُدَ مۡہَضَعَبَ عَفَرُ’ means some were not given any sharia; they were merely elevated to the noble station of Prophethood, as has been stated elsewhere that, ‘لِسَرُلاَبَ ہٗدٰعَبَ نۡمِّ اَنَیِّفَقۡوَ بُّتَکِلاَ یسَوۡمِّ اَنَیِّتَاَ دٰقَلوَ’ i.e., ‘Indeed We gave Moses the Book and caused a number of Messengers to follow after him [to spread its teachings].’ (Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.2: V.88) All of these Messengers were non-law-bearing and adhered to the Mosaic sharia.

“‘Then [Allah] states, ‘مۡیُرُمِّ نۡبَاَ یسَیِّعَ اَنَیِّتَاَوَ سدٰقَلاَ حِوَرُبَ ہٗنَّدٰیُاَوَ تۡنَیِّبۡلاَ,’ i.e., ‘And to Jesus son of Mary, We gave manifest Signs and strengthened him with the Spirit of holiness.’

[Ibid.] It is crucial to note that since the Israelites are addressed in this Surah, some characteristics of Jesusas are immediately mentioned, merely to establish an argument against his adversaries. This does not intend to signify any exclusive privilege of his, contrary to what Christians have perceived.

“‘‘

سدٰقَلاَ حِوَرُبَ ہٗنَّدٰیُاَوَ,’ i.e., ‘And We strengthened him with the Spirit of holiness’

[Ibid.], hints at the fact that Jesusas did not

introduce a new sharia; rather, he prominently presented certain teachings of the Torah before the people and was supported by Allah, through the holy spirit. Despite the Mosaic law being complete in Moses’as era, over time, people’s focus shifted from its essence to merely its shell. Thus, Jesusas was sent to ensure adherence to the Torah’s commandments, as he himself declared, ‘Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.’ (Matthew 5:17, KJV) Furthermore, it was crucial to reform those who had clung solely to its outer shell.’ (Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 2, pp. 572-574)

“In essence, Jesus and David, peace be upon them both, were not bestowed with any legislative scripture by Allah. Instead, they were Prophets adhering to the sharia of Moses, peace be upon him. The revelations they received from Allah were actually extensions of the Mosaic Law and not a new sharia. Conversely, Adam, peace be upon him, was a legislating Prophet, but the sharia revealed to him was also tailored to the capacities and circumstances of the people of his time and was intended for a particular era.”

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

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi, peace be upon him, said:

“Those who honour the Quran will be honoured in heaven.”

(Noah’s Ark, p. 22)

hmzasefaa| Pixabay

Simplifying Ramadan

Attiya Shaukat UK

Thank God, gone are the days when, before Ramadan, days or weeks could be spent food prepping. I know many made enormous amounts of samosas, kebabs and condiments for iftar, turning a time of spiritual reflection into a marathon of culinary excess.

It is here that the wisdom and simplicity advocated by our beloved Huzooraa come to light, reminding us of the true essence of Ramadan. With just a few heartfelt words, he has illuminated the path of moderation and spirituality that was exemplified by the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him:

“Whatever I usually have for breakfast, I have the same during the evening meal in Ramadan. As it was the practice of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, I eat a date before the evening meal. Other than that, I do not eat lavish things people generally have, like samosas, pakoras and chaats or other unnecessary dishes. I do not like to eat so much that I would be uncomfortable after the evening meal and even struggle to wake up in the morning for the fast. So a simple routine should be kept.’’ (“Members of Nasirat-ul-Ahmadiyya Australia Have Honour of a Virtual Meeting With The Head of The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community”, pressahmadiyya.com.)

Islam teaches us to control frivolous ways rather than worshipping the stomach.

“As a society, we have made it a tradition that we must certainly eat something special

during the morning and evening meals of Ramadan. We unnecessarily end up increasing expenditure.” (Ibid.)

As the world is feeling the pinch of a financial crisis, for poorer countries, the monetary pinch is more of a punch, so we should be adopting similar ways to help others.

“Fast in a simple way and the money you save by not eating lavish foods should be donated to charity.” (Ibid.)

European travel advisors sometimes warn tourists not to visit Middle Eastern countries during Ramadan, as Muslims stay up filling their stomachs most of the night till dawn, then spend the day sleeping. Essentially, they turn the day and night on their heads. The performance of Tahajjud or pre-dawn tilawat goes out the window. Some sleep so late, miss sehri, which carries a blessing and then struggle with the basic worship of the day.

Instead of preparing for Ramadan in the kitchen days ahead of this auspicious month, we should be preparing our hearts for the pure blessings that will descend on the 9th month of the Islamic calendar, explaining to friends, neighbours and children the spiritual climb ahead.

We should be encouraging children to wake for sehri and at least offer two nawafil before partaking in the pre-dawn breakfast. We should be reciting the Holy Quran and partaking in charity, and so on.

As Ramadan 2024 begins, I am most grateful to Allah, who has not made religion a curse by innovations, but a blessing by sending the Promised Messiahas and his

Khulafa

modes of extravagance that have entered parts of the Muslim ummah May Allah help develop our virtues to

Volleyball tournament held by MKA Belgium

Mohammad Arsalan

Belgium Correspondent

Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Belgium held its national volleyball tournament on 18 February 2024.

The opening session took place at the Bait-ur-Raheem Mosque in Alken. Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Belgium, Asif Bin Owais Sahib, highlighted the importance of brotherhood amongst khuddam. After a silent prayer and rules and regulations from the Sehat-e-Jismani Team, all teams collectively left for the sports hall where the tournament was to take place. A total of 10 majalis participated in the tournament, comprising approximately 100 players. Many atfal, khuddam and ansar were present to watch the games.

An exhibition match was also held between Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya and Majlis Ansarullah. Prayers were offered in congregation.

Images courtesy of AMJ Belgium

Rawan Yasser| Unsplash

who cut through unnecessary

a sublime level, touching the divine and enveloping us in His merciful forgiveness. Wishing all a blessed Ramadan!

Five essential hadiths for seeking Allah’s forgiveness in Ramadan

Jalees Ahmad

Al Hakam

Ramadan is certainly a time when we heighten our relationship with Allah, aspiring for His mercy and closeness. No matter what one’s spiritual status may be, we all need to find a period to exercise and rejuvenate our faith in God.

It is reported that our noble Prophet Muhammadsa would engage in such extensive prayer that his feet would swell. When asked about the reason for his abundant prayers, he would respond: “Should I not be a grateful servant to Allah?” (Sahih al Bukhari, Kitab ar-riqaq, Hadith 6471)

Indeed, without a doubt or any need for dispute, we know for certain that Allah was pleased with the Holy Prophetsa. Therefore, if we desire that God be pleased with us, we have the blueprint before us—the blueprint being the noble character and qualities of Allah’s Messengersa

It is narrated that during gatherings, the Holy Prophetsa would supplicate a hundred times, saying:

مۡیِّحَرُلاَ

بُاَوۡتَلاَ تۡنَّأَ کَنَّإِ ىَّلَعَ بُّتَوَ یلٰۤ رْفِغْاَ بُرُ

“My Lord, forgive me and grant me pardon; You are the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-witr, Hadith 1516)

During this blessed month, there are many things we will read, hear, and experience that will help our faith. However, it can be challenging to remember all those things at all times. Hence, with this in mind, here are five things to remember when seeking forgiveness from Allah this Ramadan.

1. Seek, and it shall be granted

It is narrated that Allah’s Messengersa said: “A servant committed a sin and then said, ‘O Allah, forgive me my sins.’ Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said, ‘My servant committed a sin and then he realised that he has a Lord Who forgives sins and holds the sinner accountable.’ He then sinned again and said, ‘My Lord, forgive me my sin.’ Allah, the Exalted and High, said, ‘My servant committed a sin and then came to realise that he has a Lord Who would forgive his sin or hold him accountable.’ He again sinned and said, ‘My Lord, forgive me for my sin.’ Allah, the Exalted and High, said, ‘My servant has committed a sin and

then came to realise that he has a Lord Who forgives sins or holds him accountable. O servant, do as you wish. I have granted you forgiveness.’” (Sahih Muslim, Kitab attawbah, Hadith 2758a)

This highlights Allah’s boundless mercy and forgiveness for those who sincerely repent for their sins. It shows the importance of acknowledging our wrongdoings and weaknesses, seeking forgiveness, and trusting in Allah’s compassion and willingness to pardon. So, remember: seek, and it shall be granted.

2. ‘None but Thee forgives sins’

It is reported that Hazrat Abu Bakrra once asked the Holy Prophetsa for a supplication to use in his prayers. The Holy Prophetsa replied to him to pray:

مۡیِّحَرُلاَ رُوۡفَغَلاَ تۡنَّأَ کَنَّإِ ،ةًرْفِغَمِّ كَدٰنَعَ نۡمِّ یلٰۤ رْفِغْاَفَ

“O Allah, I have indeed wronged myself greatly, and none but Thee forgives sins. Grant me forgiveness directly from You. You are the Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (AlAdab al-Mufrad, Kitab ad-du‘a, Hadith 706)

Not only was this prayer taught to Hazrat Abu Bakrra directly by the Holy Prophetsa, but it also holds a special message that we must remember: “none but Thee forgives sins.” In our everyday lives, we can, at times, lean towards others and make them the source of our needs. However, we must remember that everything is in the hands of Allah: our forgiveness, life, death— everything. Thus, when we seek forgiveness from Allah, we must do so with firm faith that it is only He who can forgive us our sins and rejuvenate us.

3. Continue to pray to God, for He shall ‘forgive you without hesitation’

Often, when we pray, we feel the need for an immediate answer. Those who are patient benefit, while those who remain impatient may ultimately surrender to failure. Thus, it is our task to pray and to persist in praying. And it is in the hands of Allah to answer. It is narrated that Allah’s Messengersa said:

“Allah, Blessed is He and Most High, said: ‘O son of Adam! Indeed, as long as you invoke Me and place your hope in Me, I forgive you, regardless of what transgressions you may have committed, and I do not hold it against you. O son of Adam! Even if your sins were to reach the clouds of the sky, and then you sought forgiveness from Me, I would forgive you without hesitation. O son of Adam! If you were to bring to Me sins nearly as great as the earth itself, and you then approached Me without associating any partners with Me, I would come to you with forgiveness nearly as great as that.’” (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 3540)

4. Follow this and angels shall supplicate for you

In our very limited time on Earth, we are always in need of prayers. And what better way is there than the angels who are in the command of Allah to pray for you.

Our noble Prophet Muhammadsa said: “The angels continue to seek forgiveness from Allah for any of you as long as they remain at their place of prayer [musalla] and do not break wind (hadath). They supplicate:

ہٗل رْفِغْاَ مۡہَلَلاَ

“‘O Allah! Forgive him, O Allah! Have mercy on him.’” (Sunan an-Nasa’i, Kitab almasajid, Hadith 733)

This short yet powerful hadith of the Holy Prophetsa stresses the importance of maintaining purity and devotion during prayer, as it draws the blessings and forgiveness of Allah, as well as the intercession of angels on behalf of the worshipper. This hadith explains and teaches us the importance of remaining patient and focused in prayer while we are at the place of prayer.

Oftentimes, amidst the hustle and bustle of life, some may be conditioned to praying and leaving immediately to return to their day-to-day routine. This hadith acts as a reminder for us to set our priorities straight and understand that all success lies in patiently seeking God.

5. ‘Forgive others, and Allah will forgive you’

It is narrated that the Holy Prophetsa said: “Display mercy and you will receive mercy. Forgive, and Allah will forgive you.” (AlAdab al-Mufrad, Kitab ar-rahmah, Hadith 380)

This short yet profound hadith carries a great lesson for us all. We read about mercy and forgiveness and the compassion we can instil within ourselves so that we too are seen with compassion by our Lord.

Imagine, never mind the entire world, if at least the Muslim world acted upon this hadith. It would create remarkable change worldwide. Too many times we indulge in matters that, if we think about it, are in fact trivial. Yet, as they escalate and ultimately lead to the cutting of ties, friendships, etc., the act of forgiving others becomes impossible for a person who feels they have been deeply wronged. Yet, we must understand that with what heart, mind and soul will we ask God for something that we are not ready to give? How can we expect God to grant us something that we are not ready to give somebody else?

Thus, the hadith stresses the importance of showing mercy and empathy towards others. And that by doing so, one will receive the same treatment from Allah. And so, remember that to be granted forgiveness, we must not only pray for it but also display it to the creation of Allah.

Hung Li| Unsplash

Women of Islam: Steadfast, courageous & profoundly insightful

Ayesha Naseem UK

We have all heard this phrase used in popular culture in the West that “this is a man’s world”. And, for women in much of the world, to progress and grow, they had to fight for and demand their rights; the basic right to vote, the right to education, the right to own property or inheritance, and the right to divorce, etc. There was a decades-long struggle by women in the West before they attained these rights from their society and governments that were ruled, dominated, and led by men.

Thus, the Western capitals that specifically carry the pretence of being the standard-bearers of civilisation, for they afforded women their freedom and liberty, commonly forget that they were not the first ones to do this. In fact, even today, women continue to struggle to get their rights. Even in most advanced societies, the gender pay gap remains an issue, abuse against women is rampant and the right to abortion –something that is a necessity if it carries lifethreatening risks for the mothers – is not openly afforded to women in several states of America.

For this reason, on 8 March every year, International Women’s Day is commemorated globally to recognise and celebrate women’s achievements in society through culture, politics, and the economy. The day also aims to promote the empowerment of women from all walks of life with a specific annual theme. This year, the theme is Inspire Inclusion.

This whole idea of demanding your rights from other humans is very strange for someone who comes from believing in the religion of Islam, for humans are not dependent on one another to give or grant each other their rights according to Islamic principles. They are meant to fulfil the rights of each other, yes, but they are not dependent on each other for any of their rights.

Muslims believe that Allah the Almighty is the ultimate Bestower of everything. One of Allah the Almighty’s attributes is:

بُاَہِوۡلاَ

al-Wahhāb – O Bestower! –

“The root of  wahhāb  means to give a thing as a free gift and not for any compensation. Al-Wahhāb means He who gives freely, without constraint, and for no compensation […]. Since some of our relationships are inevitably transactional, we can sometimes approach Him similarly. We may hesitate to openly pray because we feel we are asking for a favour that we will not be able to pay back. The name alWahhāb (The Bestower) reminds us that Allah Almighty gives as a gift. He does not

need to hold it over our heads afterwards.”

(“Names of Allah: al-Mājid, al-Majīd, alWahhāb, al-Jalīl, al-Jamīl, Dhul-Jalāli walIkrām, al-‘Azīm, al-Kabīr”, www.alhakam. org)

Just like Allah the Almighty bestows on His people everything that they ask for or need, He also bestows on them the rights that they deserve as human beings, the rights that are owed to them by other humans and the rights that they need to fulfil towards others.

Much is said in the West about Islam and its teachings, specifically with regard to women and their rights, but very little is often true and rarely ever anything positive. In the media and in the narrative promoted by politicians, more often than not, Muslim women are spoken for rather than spoken to. Yet Muslim women are not dependent on men or any society for their rights. Allah the Almighty has already bestowed them with their rights and did so, centuries before any of the advanced and modern societies did.

Rights afforded to women by Allah the Almighty

In pre-Islamic Arabia, women were treated with extreme brutality. They had no rights, and no voice; the height of cruelty was such that newborn girls were buried alive because society considered them to be unwanted. With the advent of Islam and the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, all these cruel practices were forbidden, and women were given the honourable and dignified status that they

deserved like all other human beings.

In the Holy Quran, we find that women in Islam were given the right to education, the right to earn and keep their money, the right to own and inherit property, the right to consent in marriage and the right to divorce.

Regarding the economic rights of women in Islam, Hazrat Chaudhry Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khanra has written:

“Of the great faiths, Islam has been foremost in assigning to women a position of economic independence. It is well known that in the United Kingdom, till as late as 1882, when the first Married Women’s Property Act was passed by Parliament, a married woman could hold no property of her own, independently of her husband. Any property that a femme sole (unmarried woman) held in her own right vested automatically in her husband on her marriage. “A hundred years later, traces still linger in certain aspects of British Law which illustrate a married woman’s position of dependence upon her husband.

“In Islam, the independent economic position of a woman has been established since the very beginning. Mention has been made of the obligation of the husband to make a settlement on the wife, in proportion to his means, at the time of marriage. This settlement is called dower (mehr). If at the time of the death of the husband, the wife’s dower should be still unpaid, it ranks as a debt to be discharged out of his estate, in priority to all his other debts. In addition, the widow is entitled to her share in the husband’s estate, which is determined by

law. Any property that a woman might acquire by her own effort or might inherit as an heir or receive as a legacy or gift, belongs to her independently of her husband. She may ask her husband to manage it, but if she chooses to manage or administer it herself, he cannot interfere in her management or administration of it.

“A married woman who possesses means of her own may, and in most cases does, contribute a portion or the whole of her independent means towards the upkeep of the household, but is under no obligation to do so. The upkeep of the household is the entire responsibility of the husband, even when the wife is in her own right better off than her husband.” (Women in Islam, pp. 2324)

There is a lot more that can be said about the rights that women have in Islam and the honour that the faith grants to them in every respect. The list and their in-depth detail and wisdom are endless. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, observed last week, women from across the world are celebrated, so it’s only fair that in this piece, we look back at the history of Islam to remember just a couple of the exemplary Muslim women who were steadfast in faith, courageous and brave, and were powerhouses of knowledge.

Hazrat Sayyedah Khadijara – the First Muslim

Ummul Momineen Hazrat Sayyedah Khadijahra, the first wife of the Holy Prophetsa belonged to the noble family of Quraish. From her childhood, Hazrat Khadijahra possessed noble qualities. Due to her pious and virtuous personality, the people of Mecca gave her the title Tahirah, which means ‘pure’, or ‘virtuous’. Despite belonging to an affluent family, she was generous with her money and used to overwhelmingly help the poor, the needy, the orphans and the widows.

She was the first wife of the Holy Prophetsa; she was a wealthy businesswoman and was in fact twice widowed. She was introduced to the Holy Prophetsa, when she sought a trader for her trading company. His honesty and sincerity brought much profit to her trade, and being impressed with his character, she proposed marriage to him. She is credited as the first person and woman to convert to Islam.

The life of Hazrat Khadijara personified the rights and freedoms that Islam has granted to women. It shows that the Prophetsa married a widow – who were looked down upon or seen as cursed in some societies. Beyond that, she owned her own business, which was successful, further demonstrating that women can have careers and can earn. In terms of faith

The Dancing Rain| Unsplash

and steadfastness, the fact that she was the first woman to accept Islam also suggests that women can attain the same spiritual standard of faith too.

Hazrat Aishara – Islam’s first female scholar

Hazrat Aishara was the daughter of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiqra - the closest companion of the Holy Prophetsa and the first Khalifa of the Holy Prophetsa. Her life is proof of Islam’s progressive stance on women. At a young age, Hazrat Aishara grew fast spiritually, physically, and mentally, and her intellect was well beyond her years. In certain narrations, it is suggested that a substantial understanding of the spiritual and ethical dimensions of Islam could be gleaned from her insights.

It is recorded that she freed forty slaves in a single instance, distributed money when she herself did not have anything to eat and was regularly consulted by the Companions of the Holy Prophetsa on intellectual queries.

Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra mentions that Urwah bin Zubairra is recorded to have said:

“In the knowledge of the Holy Quran, in the knowledge of the law of inheritance, in the knowledge of lawful and unlawful things, in the science of jurisprudence, in poetry, in medicine, in knowledge of the narrations of Arabia, and in the science of genealogy, I have not seen a greater scholar than Aishara.” (The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets, Vol. II, p. 248)

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa has stated:

“In front of all Ahmadi women is the example of Hazrat Aishahra, who, in terms of religious knowledge, attained a rank far beyond the men of her time or, indeed, any other era. Accordingly, women have the potential to scale the greatest intellectual heights, and so you must never underestimate yourselves. Rather, seek to fulfil your rich potential, as it will provide you with the capability to raise your children in a way that they grow to be beneficial to society. It will also enable you to defend your faith and beliefs.” (“100 Years of Lajna Imaillah”, www.reviewofreligions.org)

Hazrat Aishara learned the teachings and practices of Islam first-hand from the Holy Prophetsa, and over two thousand ahadith [sayings of the Holy Prophetsa] can be attributed to her narrations alone. Scholars of Islamic history believe that one-fourth of Islamic jurisprudence is based on her accounts. Such was her knowledge, which she passed on to the Muslim world.

Hazrat Hafsara – The first known keeper of the Holy Quran

Hazrat Hafsara was the daughter of Hazrat Umarra, she was married to a faithful Companion, Hazrat Khunaysra ibn Hudhafa, who had taken part in the Battle of Badr. After Badr, upon returning to Medina, Khunaysra fell ill and was unable to recover from his illness. Sometime after his demise, Hadrat Umarra began to feel a sense of concern for her second marriage. Hazrat Hafsara was also the wife of the Holy Prophetsa. The account of her marriage to the Holy Prophetsa is rather amusing, which Hazrat Umarra  narrates in the following words:

“When Hafsa bint Umarra lost her husband, a Companion of the Holy

Prophetsa, Khunaysra ibn Hudhafa al-Sahmi, who had fought at Badr and [later] died in Medina, I met Uthman bin Affanra and suggested that he should marry Hafsara, to which he replied, ‘I will think it over.’ I waited for a few days and then he said to me, ‘I am of the opinion that I shall not marry at present.’ Then I met Abu Bakrra and said, ‘If you wish, I can marry Hafsara bint Umar to you.’ He kept quiet and did not respond. I became agitated and it [displeased me] more than Uthman’s [response]. Some days later, the Prophetsa asked for her hand in marriage, and I married her to him. Later, Abu Bakrra approached me and said, ‘Perhaps you were angry with me when you offered me Hafsara for marriage and I gave no reply to you?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ Abu Bakrra replied, ‘Nothing prevented me from accepting your offer except that I learnt that the Prophetra of Allah had referred to the issue of Hafsara and I did not want to disclose his secret but had he (the Prophetsa) not married her, I would surely have accepted her.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-maghazi, Hadith 4005)

At an early age, Hazrat Hafsara learnt to read and write. She memorised the Holy Quran by heart and her knowledge of religious matters was exceptional. It is recorded that at least 60 ahadith have been quoted by her. Like her father, Hazrat Umarra, she was curious about matters by nature and would confidently ask questions to increase her knowledge.

The book of ahadith, Sahih Muslim, mentions an incident in which, once, the Holy Prophetsa told Hazrat Hafsara,  “Of those who took the pledge of Aqabah, none would enter hell.” Hazrat Hafsara, who was of an inquisitive character, replied, “[What about the verse which states] ‘There is not one of you, but will come to it.’” The Holy Prophetsa  pointed her to the next verse which stated, “God shall save the righteous and leave the wrongdoers therein, on their knees.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2496)

A little-known fact about the compilation of the Holy Quran is that when it was put together into a form of a book, its first custodian was a woman. In the early years of Islam, when the Holy Quran was being revealed, it was learnt by heart by the companions of the Holy Prophetsa. It was also carved onto stones or pieces of parchment. But during the Battle of Yamama, several people who had committed the Holy Quran to memory were martyred. This was during the Khilafat of Hazrat Abu Bakrra that the process of compiling the Holy Quran into written form was initiated at the suggestion of Hazrat Umarra. When the pages of Holy Quran were compiled into one book, it was handed over to Hazrat Hafsara for safekeeping.

It is recorded that even the Holy Prophetsa would entrust pieces of parchment with revealed verses of the Holy Quran written on them to Hazrat Hafsara. When the printing and distribution of the Holy Quran to the wider public started during the Rightly Guided Khilafat of Hazrat Uthmanra, it was the copy entrusted with Hazrat Hafsara that was used to initiate the process of dissemination.

Ahmadi Muslim women

An extraordinary example of inspiration and steadfastness from the history of

Ahmadiyyat is that of Hazrat Sayyedah Nusrat Jahanra, the wife of the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas. The literal meaning of her name, ‘Nusrat Jahan’, is ‘Helper of the World’. Indeed, when we look at her life, we find that, in every sense, her name’s meaning was fulfilled. Hazrat Sayyedah Nusrat Jahanra was fondly known as Hazrat Amma Jaanra. She was a spiritual mother and a source of Islamic knowledge to thousands of women of the Community. She was a truly compassionate and generous woman and someone with in-depth knowledge of Islam. (Hazrat Amman Jaanra – An Inspiration for us all)

An inspiring example from her life is worth mentioning here. We all know that Islam emphasises the importance of fulfilling the rights of orphans, so this was also something Hazrat Sayyeda Nusrat Jahanra pursued with great sincerity. In her life, she adopted many orphan children. By doing so, she cared for them and provided them with a home, a family, clean clothes, food, and education. Aminah Begum was adopted by Hazrat Sayyeda Nusrat Jahanra when she was three or four years old and was made part of the family. Reminiscing about the time, she spent with her, Aminah Begum commented: “Her behaviour towards me always remained extremely attentive, sometimes even real mothers can get tired of caring for their own children - but [she] always happily and cheerfully cared for me in this manner.” (Hazrat Amman Jaanra – An Inspiration for us all, p. 144)

Conclusion

The exemplary lives of women from

the history of Islam and the history of Ahmadiyyat are an inspiration for not just Muslims but women and men of the whole world. Today, we take a moment to reflect and show gratitude for all the blessings and rights that Allah the Almighty has granted women. As opposed to this world, which is still engulfed in all kinds of injustices and where women still do not have all necessary rights by the laws of the land, Muslim women are not dependent on any society, any state, or any organisation for any rights and opportunities. Nor are they dependent on men for their rights and dues. We have them in our hands, given to us, bestowed to us by the Lord of all the Worlds, Allah the Almighty.

There is no better way than to conclude with the blessed words of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V, Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa, who encouraged Muslim women to take inspiration from the female Companions of the Holy Prophetsa. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa said:

“Those Muslim ladies (during the period of early Islam) strived to portray the true image of Islam at every juncture of their lives – whether it pertained to obedience to Allah the Almighty, elevated levels of worship, domestic and societal responsibilities, educative responsibilities of children, physical and financial sacrifices, or opportunities of displaying courage and bravery for the sake of Islam. Thus, these women laid an exemplary foundation at every opportunity and step of their lives.”

(Jalsa Salana Germany Ladies Session 2023, “Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Addresses Ladies Session at Jalsa Salana Germany 2023”, www.pressahmadiyya.com)

Mosquegrapher| Unsplash

A guide for the seekers of truth

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s historic lecture in

Jammu, 1929

Ata-ul-Haye Nasir

Al Hakam

In September 1929, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud, Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra, was on a visit to Srinagar, Kashmir. The Al Fazl of 24 September 1927 announced that Huzoorra would depart from Srinagar on 28 September for his return to Qadian.

Al Fazl of 4 October wrote that since the earlier information suggested that Huzoorra would reach Qadian at 10 am on 30 September without any stopover, Ahmadis had gathered at the Qadian railway station in huge numbers, at the time of expected arrival, to welcome their Imam. However, they were then informed that Huzoorra did not depart from Jammu Railway Station on 29 September as per the earlier programme, the reason being that the motorcars of Huzoor’sra entourage did not reach Jammu on time to embark on the relevant train.

According to the new schedule, it was announced that Huzoorra would return on 1 October, after a day’s stopover in Jammu.

Hence, without any prior intention, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra stayed at Jammu for a day, before proceeding to his return journey towards Qadian. However, this unplanned stopover proved to be a very blessed one for the Jammu Jamaat. Moreover, it served as a great opportunity for the spiritual guidance of many local non-Ahmadis as well.

A request by Jammu Jamaat

Sensing it as a great opportunity, the members of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Jammu requested Huzoorra to deliver a lecture. Therefore, Huzoorra addressed a gathering, on 30 September 1929, which was attended

by many non-Ahmadis as well.

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’sra address

After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Huzoorra stated:

“In accordance with the Will of Allah the Almighty, I had to stay at this place for one day, despite the fact that I had planned to depart from here yesterday. I had the heartiest desire to visit this place due to the fact that the first Khalifa and Imam of our Jamaat, Hazrat Maulvi Noor-udDeenra resided here for a long time. As it is a practice that one visits places related to their loved ones, I had this desire for a long time, however, there is a certain time decreed for everything. Despite having a great desire, I could not come before; however, now I had to stay here without any prior intention. The members of our Jamaat here have expressed their desire for me to address those who have not yet joined our Jamaat. There is a great Wisdom of God [behind this stay], because I had thought that my time had been wasted, but now God has arranged this gathering here. It is quite possible that during my speech, those who are in search of the Truth, may find something beneficial that could be fruitful for them.

“In my view, the objective of religion is not to create disorder and chaos, but rather, it aims to purify the souls. If its objective was to create disorder, Satan could have easily fulfilled it well and truly. However, this is not the objective of religion at all.

“A wise person cannot even imagine for a moment that the Holy Prophetsa, who had spent the years of his youth for the betterment of his nation, had stood to create disorder and chaos during his elder age. There is an incident about the Holy

Prophetsa, mentioned in history, to which generally historians have not given much importance but I really adore it. This is an incident from the battle of Uhud, when the blessed teeth of the Holy Prophetsa were injured. At that moment, Abu Sufyan called out, ‘[O Muslims!] Where is Muhammad[sa? Where is Abu Bakr[ra]? Where is Umar[ra]?’ In other words, [he meant to say that] ‘everyone has been killed.’ Upon this, Hazrat Umarra wanted to respond to him, ‘I am here to face you,’ however, the Holy Prophetsa forbade him from responding, and stopped him from saying anything for himself. However, when Abu Sufyan called out: اَعلِ

“In short, he neither boosted his own self, nor did he ever desire any glory for his own self, but rather, he always strived to glorify the Name of God. Hence, in the presence of such incidents, I can never agree that the Holy Prophetsa came into this world to propagate his own glory. Thus, with the narration of this one incident, I advise the Ahmadi [Muslims] and the Muslims from other sects that they are required to leave aside prejudice, and to ponder over the truthfulness.

“Now that some people have presented a few questions while I am going to board the train very soon, it is impossible to answer all of them. However, I will state only one point, which cannot be denied by the followers of any religion. That is, the people who believe in God, hold the belief that no one can ever surpass the love that Allah the Almighty holds [for His servants]. If there is any God, He is more loving than one’s parents as well. Moreover, He cares about our guidance more than anyone else.”

(Hidayat ke mutlashi ko kia karna chahiay?, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 11, pp. 17-18)

After this, Huzoorra mentioned that an

American atheist, in his book, has posed a question for the Christians that if there was a God then no one can deny the fact that He must be loving and caring to mankind more than their parents, and just like one’s parents and friends stop one from taking any poison, why does God not prevent mankind from deviating from the right path?

Huzoorra continued:

“When I reached this point in that book, I was immersed in wajd, thinking that these are the sentiments of human nature. A thought crossed my mind that undoubtedly Christianity could never satisfy him, but Islam could surely do so. God Almighty states in the Holy Quran:

اَنَلَبۡسَ مۡہَنَیُدٰہَنَل اَنَیِّفَ اَوَدٰہَجۡ نۡیُذِلاَوَ

“‘And [as] for those who strive in Our path – We will surely guide them in Our ways’ (Surah al-Ankabut, Ch.29: V.70).

“In this era, there are so many sects that it is difficult to even count them. In such circumstances, a seeker of the truth has no other way than to bow before God and seek the right path.

“There is an incident about a Sufi that while one of his students was leaving him [after seeking knowledge], he wished to give him some advice and asked, ‘Now that you are leaving from here, tell me what would you do if Satan confronts you?’ The student responded, ‘I would contest with him.’ The Sufi asked, ‘Well, if he runs away once, and returns to confront you again, what would you do then?’ The student said, ‘I will still contest with him.’ The Sufi said, ‘In this manner, you would always remain occupied contesting Satan, and thus, how would you progress [in spirituality]?’ The student said, ‘Then please tell me what I shall do.’ He said, ‘Tell me, if you go to visit one of your friends and his dog confronts you,

what would you do in such a situation?’ The student responded, ‘I will remove him from there.’ The Sufi said, ‘What would you do if it does not go away and prevents you from entering [his house]?’ He said, ‘I will call my friend to stop his dog, so that I can get inside.’ The Sufi said, ‘Yes, this is the very method to seek God; when Satan does not get away from one, they ought to pay heed to God and to call Him, ‘Please move it away from my way.’

“Hence, in my view, the best means to seek the Truth is to pay heed to God, and to ask God Almighty, ‘I do not wish to follow a religion merely because my parents are doing so, but rather, I want to follow a religion by [truly] considering it a “religion”. Thus, please help me find the true religion.’ Once a person adopts this method, God will surely guide them. This is my personal experience, in fact, many of the non-Muslims have also had a similar kind of experience, which helped them succeed as well. Thus, if one has not succeeded [in seeking the truth] through arguments, they ought to adopt this method, and God Almighty would surely help them.

“Surah al-Fatihah, which I have just recited [in the beginning], is a prayer and is not particular for the Muslims, but rather, both Muslims and non-Muslims can attain success through it. In this, it has been taught that one should pray: ‘O God, guide us to the pathway which leads us to guidance, the path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings in the past, not of those who have incurred Thy displeasure and gone astray.’ Thus, in my view, the one who is the seeker of guidance is required to leave aside prejudice [...] and pray: ‘O God, You created me, You are the source of all Truths, You are the only guide; thus, please guide me to the path of Truth.’ I believe that if one does so for 40 days, Allah the Almighty will surely create means for their guidance. This is a method from which everyone can benefit regardless of whichever religion they might follow.

“If I present to you the arguments and succeed in convincing you, it is quite possible that someone else might also come to you on another day and declare these points to be ‘incorrect’ and present their ‘arguments’ against them, and finally succeed in convincing you. For this reason, I am advising you on a method that would enable you to seek guidance yourselves from God. This is the method to decide which I would have liked for myself as well if I were in search of truth. However, there are some who want to know and listen to the arguments, thus, I would state some points for such people as well.

“It is our claim that the condition of the Muslims had become very fragile, and they had become completely ignorant of the [true teachings] of the [Islamic] Faith. What was left [in their hearts] was only the name of Islam, and they had abandoned acting upon the Holy Quran. They were only following the [religion] for the sake of rituals. Hence, by the ever-existing practice of God, the advent of a ma’mur and mursal [God’s appointee] had become a necessity, who could better the condition of the Muslims, revive [the true teachings of] Islam, and make them follow the Quran. Hazrat Mirza [Ghulam Ahmad] Sahibas claimed that ‘I have been appointed by God Almighty for this very purpose; I am the Promised

Messiah, and an appointee of God. My task would be to establish Islam in the world, defend it from the attacks of the [followers of] other religions, refute the objections, and to present the true image of Islam.’

“Therefore, it was only him through whom that objection was refuted, which had been raised against the Holy Prophetsa for a long time, that ‘Islam has spread in the world through sword.’ He proved that the reason behind the propagation of Islam was the Holy Prophet’ssa power of holiness, which was able to impact even the most rigid heart. The Holy Prophetsa convinced hundreds of thousands through this very method. In this era as well, God appointed his servant as the Promised Messiah, so that his servant could propagate Islam in the world without the sword, and tell the world that the task that could be fulfilled by a servant, why could it be not accomplished by his master?

“The Holy Prophetsa was the master, and we believe that one can attain the highest perfections through his obedience. Look, would the perfection of a teacher mean to say that ‘he is such a perfect teacher that none of his students can go beyond the primary level’ or that ‘he is so perfect that even his students have attained B.A. and M.A.’ [degrees]? We believe that one can attain prophethood through the obedience of the Holy Prophetsa. The words مۡہَیِّلَعَ تۡمَعَنَاَ [On whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings] which are mentioned in Surah alFatihah, have been elucidated at another place, in the words:

مۡہَیِّلَعَ ہِلّٰلاَ مۡعَنَاَ نۡیُذِلاَ عَمِّ کَئِلوَاَفَ لِوۡسَرُلاَوَ ہِلّٰلاَ عَطُیُ نۡمِّوَ

“[‘And whoso obeys Allah and this Messenger [of His] shall be among those on whom Allah has bestowed His blessings, namely, the Prophets, the Truthful, the Martyrs, and the Righteous. And excellent companions are these.’ (Surah an-Nisa, Ch. 4: V. 70)]

“In this verse, four ranks have been mentioned of those who are bestowed upon by God’s blessings, i.e., prophet, truthful, martyr, and righteous. In other words, one can attain these four ranks through obedience to Allah the Almighty and the Holy Prophetsa. A major difference between the Holy Prophetsa and other prophets is that one could not attain prophethood as a result of obedience to the previous prophets, though they could attain the status of a truthful and a martyr. However, the Holy Prophetsa was granted such perfection that through his obedience, one could attain prophethood as well.

“Some people often say, due to their ignorance, that in this verse, the word ‘عَمِّ’ has been used, which tells that ‘they would not be prophet, but get the company of prophets.’ However, they are unaware that this word ‘عَمِّ’ has not been used for نَیۡبۡنَلاَ [the Prophets] alone, but rather, for ،نَیۡقَیُدٰصّٰلاَ نَیۡحِلَصّٰلاَ ،ءَآدٰہَشُّلاَ [the Truthful, the Martyrs, and the Righteous] as well. If we accept these meanings, it would mean that ‘they would not be prophets, truthful, martyr, or righteous themselves, but rather, they would only attain the company of the prophets, truthful, martyrs, and righteous.’ However, if we ponder over this matter, we find that in light of these meanings, nothing remains of

the ummah [from the spiritual perspective].

“Here, ‘عَمِّ’ is in the meaning of ‘نۡمِّ’, i.e., ‘from among’. This meaning of [the word عَمِّ] is found in the Holy Quran. Hence, it is stated: رُاَرُبَالَاَ عَمِّ اَنَفَوۡتَوَ [‘And in death number us with the righteous.’ Surah Aal-e-Imran, Ch. 3: V. 194)]. It does not mean that ‘Give us death along with the righteous people when they are about to die.’

“Thus, it is proven from the Holy Quran that by way of obedience to the Holy Prophetsa one can attain the status of prophethood. It must be remembered that the one who attains prophethood through the Holy Prophet’ssa obedience [...] would serve as a subordinate [prophet] to the Holy Prophetsa. So, the attainment of such prophethood would not cause any disrespect to the [status of] the Holy Prophetsa. It is mentioned in a hadith:

یۡٓعِاَبۡتَاَ الَاَ اَمَہَعَسَوَ اَمَل نَیۡیِّحَ یسَیِّعَ وَ یسَوۡمِّ نۡۢاَکَ وۡل

“‘If Mosesas and Jesusas were alive, they would have no other way than to follow me.’ (Al-Yawaqit wal-Jawahir fi bayan ‘aqa’id al-akabir, p. 174, by Allama Abdul Wahab Shi’rani)

“Hence, the Holy Prophetsa would have never said this if a prophet being his follower was considered as a disrespect. The Promised Messiahas was proud to be [the Holy Prophet’ssa] follower, despite being a claimant of prophethood, and considered it a source of honour to call himself a servant of the Holy Prophetsa. So, there is a wellknown couplet of him:

تۡسَاَ نۡۢاَشُّنَّ وَ ماَنَّ بَ ہٗےرُے تۡمِّاَرٰکۡ دٰمَحِمِّ نۡۢاَمَلَغْز رُےنَبَاَیِّبَ

“[Though miracles have become very rare, come and witness the servants of Muhammadsa. (Ai‘na-e-Kamalat-e-Islam,

Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 5, p. 649)]

“In another instance, he stated:

مرُمَخمِّ دٰمَحِمِّ قِشُّعَبَ اَدٰخ زاَ دٰعَبَ مرٰفاَکَ تۡخسَ اَدٰخبَ دَوۡبَ ےیُاَ رْفِكَ رُے

“[‘Next to God, I am inebriated with the love of Muhammadsa; if this be disbelief, then by God I am a great disbeliever.’ (Lecture Sialkot [English], p. 69)]

“He wrote such na’ts [poems in praise] of the Holy Prophetsa which were second to none compared to the na’ts written in the past. [...] The Promised Messiahas wrote such na’ts that narrated the distinctive features and perfections of the Holy Prophetsa One can compare these na’ts [written by the Promised Messiahas] only by way of studying them. [...] In short, the Promised Messiahas wrote such na’ts that manifested and highlighted his love for Islam. Anyone who reads these na’ts can never presume that such a person could ever claim anything that would cause disrespect to the Holy Prophetsa. Is it possible that on one hand the Promised Messiahas has [God forbid] committed disrespect to the Holy Prophetsa, and on the other, he has written such na’ts to establish the honour and majesty of the Holy Prophetsa?

“In the end, I advise you all to seek guidance from God Almighty and adopt the means of prayer [du‘a] in this regard. May Allah the Almighty enable me and you all to follow the right path and to attain His pleasure.” (Hidayat ke mutlashi ko kia karna chahiay?, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 11, pp. 19-23)

For further reading on the Promised Messiah’sas poetry and the purpose behind it, see “The Promised Messiah’s usage of verse”, at alhakam.org (20 March 2020, p. 14)

Jamaat delegation meets with Mayor of Council 2 of Niamey, Niger

Muhammad Jamal Niger Correspondent

On 8 February 2024, a delegation of Jamaate-Ahmadiyya Niger had a meeting with Mayor of Council 2 of Niamey, Sidibé Amadou Boureïma, in his office in Niamey. The delegation was led by Amir Jamaat Niger, Asad Majeeb Sahib and included the local president of Niamey Jamaat and the regional missionary of Niamey as well.

During the meeting, Amir Jamaat Niger presented a brief introduction to the Ahmaadiyya Muslim Jamaat and spoke about the need for the Imam Mahdi in this era and the system of Khilafat. Later, Amir

Sahib presented him the a copy of the Holy Quran with a French translation and World Crisis and the Pathway for Peace, for a better comprehension of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya.

The mayor showed a lot of interest in the social help that the Jamaat provides to indigenous communities.

Subsequently, an informal meeting with the Director of Hydraulic, Mr Garba Idi, was held in the Mayor’s office. Amir Jamaat Niger informed him that Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya has been using all its resources to provide assistance to the people of Niger and that Humanity First and IAAAE are working actively on numerous water projects as well.

100 Years Ago...

Satiate the world’s spiritual thirst:

Hazrat Musleh Maud’sra call for tabligh

Al Fazl, 7 March 1924

In his Friday Sermon on 29 February 1924, Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IIra explained that the world was searching for the truth as the true spirit of religion had faded. Even the true teachings of Islam had been masked by erroneous beliefs. In this grave hour, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas of Qadian, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, was sent by Allah the Almighty with divine water to satiate the spiritual thirst of the world.

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra then called upon members of the Jamaat to spread the message of Islam to every corner of the world, emphasising the readiness to make significant sacrifices. – Editor, Al Hakam

After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIaa expressed that though he was unwell, he would still deliver the Friday sermon. Huzoorra then gave the following sermon.

The world is thirsty for the truth

I have repeatedly drawn the attention of my friends that the present-day world is thirsty for the truth. Its example is exactly like a person who is extremely thirsty, with a parched throat and tongue, and all his strength is lost due to thirstiness, eventually nearing the brink of death. In such a state, sweet and cool water is placed in front of him. Just as this person will try his level best to get hold of that water with a protruding tongue, and in fact, his whole body will become an invocation, in the same way, today’s world is thirsty for spirituality.

Divine water of this age

Many centuries have passed since the true religion disappeared from the face of the earth. In this age, Islam itself was masked, rendering Muslims to express, ‘Where is Islam?’ Likewise, the Christians started to question, ‘Where is the god who appeared in the form of Christ?’ The Hindus also cried out, ‘Why does the loving god no longer speak to his servants?’

When the condition of people from every religion and nation reached such a state, after many centuries, a voice came from God Almighty, and a person rose from Qadian, declaring that Allah has sent him in this age with divine water [of guidance]. God Himself recognised the loss of spirituality among mankind and extended His hand to us. This divine call brought immense delight to a nation [thirsting for spirituality].

Perhaps, someone will question why people opposed the Promised Messiahas The reason is simple; people could not believe their eyes that such a person could really bring divine water in this age from God Almighty. To illustrate this point, consider a situation in which a person and his friends are extremely hungry. From somewhere, the said person gets hold of food and suddenly tells others that he found bread. Initially, his companions will consider him a ridiculer and resent him. In the same way, people opposed the Promised Messiahas as many among them became hopeless and thought they could not find God.

At that time, the Promised Messiahas announced, “God can still be found, and I have certainly found Him. Allah has sent me to reunite those people with Him, who have wandered away from Him, but still want to meet Him.” Hearing this, people thought that the Promised Messiahas was ridiculing them. Hence, this was the primary reason for the opposition to the Promised Messiahas; otherwise, how come people from all parts of the world are now flocking towards Islam Ahmadiyyat?

China

Some time ago, a Turk wrote an interesting fact in his book about Ahmadiyyat in China. He stated, “I went to a city [in China]. There, I heard an ongoing dispute about a mosque. Certain people were being prevented from praying in it. I enquired and was told that, ‘They are the Ahmadi people who consider a man from India to be the Promised Messiah. We do not allow these people to pray in the mosque.’”

From this, we learned that Ahmadis are present in China as well. However, to date [i.e., 29 February 1924], not a single Ahmadi missionary has gone there, but this Turk, who is a member of the Turkish Parliament, has explicitly recorded the above incident [in his book].

Now imagine, this is a country where no missionary of ours has yet gone, nor has any of our literature reached there, and a person who has nothing to do with us gives news about Ahmadiyyat. It shows that people are thirsting for the truth.

Beyond boarders

Then, a few days ago, I received a letter while travelling from a person who is a senior political member of the government. He has written astonishing accounts of incidents.

Since this official was appointed to set up boundaries, he had to visit the Russian

border, sometimes the Iranian frontier, and at times, the Chinese border. There is no reason for such a person to tell lies. He writes, “I have been to various parts of the world. Wherever I went, people used to ask me about Ahmadiyyat.”

He further states, “In 1905-06, I was sent to China for setting up the border. During this journey, I boarded a Chinese ship. The captain of the ship asked me, ‘A prophet [named] Ahmad[as] appeared in India. Can you give me some information about him?’ I told him that he was an infidel and an apostate. All the clerics have issued fatwas of disbelief against him. Hearing this, the captain got very upset and replied, ‘He is a very noble person and a great man. Why would you call him an infidel?’ He became so angry that he did not talk to me for several days.

Arab world

The same officer further writes, “I once went to Okan, a locality in Arabia. There, an Arab scholar met me. From his appearance, it seemed he was going insane and fanatical. He expressed to me that, ‘There was a person named Ahmad[as] in the land of India. I have read one of his Arabic books. I have pondered over the [Arabic] works of so many eloquent scholars, but I have never felt such delight in a book as I found in the work [of Ahmadas]. This shows that he is a chosen one of God, and he surely wrote that book with the special succour of Allah the Almighty.’ He then asked me, ‘Do you have any other book of his?’ I said no, I don’t have any of his books.”

The official writes, “I used to call Mirza Sahib an infidel and an apostate in all my travels. However, when I met some Ahmadis

in Shimla and found a lot of goodness in them, my prejudice subsided. Though I did not convert to Ahmadiyyat, and as of now, I am not an Ahmadi, my enmity has diminished. Thereafter, whenever I was asked about Mirza Sahib, I would reply that he is a good man and Ahmadis are good people.”

Turk’s admiration

He then states, “During the war, I went to a region to set up a boundary [near] Russia. There I had a conversation with [a Turk], Arsalan Pasha, who was regarded as a king. He met me with great enthusiasm. During the exchange of views, he asked me, ‘What do you know about the Messiah, Ahmad[as]? He claimed to be the [Promised] Messiah in India. Do you have any of his books?’ I said no, I don’t have any of his written works. He said, ‘When you pay us a visit again, please bring one of his books as a gift.’ He and his friends talked for several hours about Mirza Sahib.”

Then he writes, “After some time, when I went there and met him again, the first thing he asked was, ‘Did you bring any book?’ I replied that I couldn’t bring it as I had not returned to India yet. Hearing this, his eyes turned red. Sometime later, I met him again and he asked the same question, ‘What gift have you brought for us?’ I had forgotten our conversation, so I replied, ‘I brought the musk [fragrance] as a gift.’ He regretfully said, ‘What will I do with this? I wanted the other gift, i.e., Ahmad’s book.’”

The aforementioned incidents manifest a growing thirst for Ahmadiyyat in foreign countries.

Awaiting Ahmadas in Abyssinia

Irewolede| Pixabay

Importance of Ramadan

“Ramadan is a month of immense importance. Anyone who values their faith in Islam begins to feel a special motivation in their heart and a thrill in their body.

So many centuries have fallen between us and the Holy Prophetsa and so many years continue to pass. Every passing day separates us from his time but with the coming of Ramadan, it feels like this month has wrapped up all this span of centuries, bringing us closer to the Holy Prophetsa. In fact, not only the Holy Prophetsa, but since the Quran has been revealed by Allah the Almighty, it feels that Ramadan has shrunken this vast span of time and brought us closer to God. The distance that exists between man and God, between the Creator and His creation, between a frail being and the Creator of the whole Universe all contracts and vanishes, just like the rays of the sun eliminate the darkness of the night. This is the state that Allah refers to when He says:

meaning that when, in the month of Ramadan, My creation enquires about how to find Me, tell them that Ramadan and God are not two different things. It was this month that God appeared before his servants with the desire to attract His servants towards Himself.”

(Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IIra, Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 2, p. 393-394)

The officer then writes, “I was once sent to Abyssinia. There I met a person who was the brother of the king of Abyssinia. Since those people do not adhere to any religion, I asked him, ‘Why don’t you adopt any religion?’ He replied, ‘A great saint emerged in our nation. He wrote a book and our people used to follow it. This book was accidentally eaten by a cow. Consequently, we still have this custom as a superstition that when someone sells a cow, they sell it on the condition that when the cow is slaughtered at some point, the buyer will cut out its stomach and look for the book.’ [The king’s brother] shared another interesting piece of information that the saint also foretold them, ‘When the book will be lost from you and you will not be able to follow its instructions, there will appear a man in “Qudi” located to the east across the sea. You must obey his commands and follow his instructions.’”

The official states, “At the time, I was not aware that Qadian was being alluded to in the word ‘Qudi’, but later, my mind was drawn to the fact that ‘Qudi’ corresponded

to Qadian.”

How to satiate the thirst for truth

The above-mentioned incidents clearly manifest the growing thirst of the world to accept the truth. This desire of mankind cannot be fulfilled unless the existing approach is abandoned and the same zealous method is adopted that was deployed 1300 years ago by the Companions [of the Holy Prophetsa] and then by countless saints after them. The said method is simple, that we spread out like nomads. For this reason, many prophets made it a prerequisite for preachers to live on provisions presented to them. Jesus Christ also made a condition that the preacher should subsist on offered food [Luke 10:7]. However, Islam does not approve of such a lifestyle, but it enjoins simplicity, which is close and similar to the state of a nomad.

Hence, in such a time when the whole world is fervently seeking the truth, if our missionaries gather courage and go out preaching and conveying the message of

God Almighty, they will surely cause a huge stir across the globe within a few days. We will witness many people emerging and expressing that they believed these things [to be true] for so many years. However, as most people in the world are afraid and do not dare to express their faith, many of them are waiting for the opportunity to reveal themselves in their like-minded environment. There will be hundreds of thousands of people who already possess faith in their hearts but are waiting for the right time, though at present they seem to oppose us.

Thus, I call on members [of the Jamaat] to go out empty-handed and carry out tabligh [preaching] across all continents. By any means possible, reach out to the world and preach Islam so that the days of the glory of Islam may return. If such individuals are born within us, I believe Islam will spread rapidly throughout the globe. All it needs is courage to go out and preach in this manner. Once a person gathers courage, they do not find it difficult to perform any kind of task.

Behold, most of the religions in the

world spread in this manner. This is how Christianity grew, and then Islam also spread in the same way. Now, Islam Ahmadiyyat has also been established in the same vein, and many friends of our Jamaat have presented great sacrifices.

The earlier people were able to present many sacrifices and many from our Jamaat have already done so. Hence, there is no reason why our other friends cannot make similar sacrifices. These sacrifices not only promise rewards but also ensure a bright name in the annals of history. The attainment of both spiritual and worldly honours requires sacrifices.

Thus, I call on my brethren to quickly get ready so that we can dispatch them to the areas with the greatest need and [where people] possess the greatest desire [for the truth]. May Allah the Almighty grant us the strength to spread Islam across the globe and convey the message of truth to all and sundry.

(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu, published in the 7 March 1924 issue of Al Fazl)

Friday Sermon

Mubarak Mosque, Islamabad, Tilford, UK

16 February 2024

Muhammadsa: The Great Exemplar

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

The life and character of the Holy Prophetsa as well as the love and devotion the companions had towards him were being mentioned in light of incidents that occurred during the Battle of Uhud. In relation to this, we also find mention of the martyrdom of Hazrat Kharijah bin Zaidra. Hazrat Kharijahra attained the status of martyrdom after fighting extremely courageously and fearlessly during the Battle of Uhud. He was caught in a flurry of arrows and sustained more than 13 wounds.

He was lying [on the ground], weakened by these wounds, when Safwan bin Umayyah passed by him. He recognised him, attacked him and martyred him. Following this, he also mutilated his corpse and said, “He is among those individuals, who killed Abu Ali on the occasion of the Battle of Badr. (That is, he killed his father, Umayyah bin Khalaf.) I have now been given the opportunity to kill the best of Muhammad’ssa companions, and thus put my heart at ease.” He martyred Hazrat Ibn Qauqalra, Hazrat Kharijah bin Zaidra and Aus bin Arqamra. Hazrat Kharijahra and Hazrat Sa’d bin Rabi’ra, the paternal cousins of the Holy Prophetsa, were buried in the same grave. (Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, Al-Isti‘ab fi Ma’rifat al-Ashab, Vol. 2 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah], pp. 2-3)

In a narration, it states that on the day of [the Battle of] Uhud, Hazrat Abbas bin Ubadahra was loudly proclaiming: “O party of the Muslims! Stay close to Allah and your Prophetsa! Whatever affliction has befallen you is due to your disobedience to your Prophetsa. He promised you support, but you were impatient.” Following this, Hazrat Abbas bin Ubadahra took off his helmet and armour and asked Hazrat Kharijahra bin Zaid, “Are you in need of this?” Hazrat Kharijahra replied, “No, I desire the same as you (i.e., martyrdom).” Following this, they fought the enemy. Hazrat Abbas bin

Ubadahra would say, “If the Holy Prophetsa is caused any harm under our watch, then what excuse will we give our Lord?” Hazrat Kharijahra would reply, “We will neither have any excuse before our Lord, nor any argument.” Hazrat Abbas bin Ubadahra was martyred by Sufyan bin Abd Shams Salami and Hazrat Kharijah bin Zaidra was martyred as a result of being struck by arrows. He received more than 10 wounds on his body. (Al-Waqidi, Kitab al-Maghazi, Vol. 1 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al‘Ilmiyyah], pp. 227-228)

In one narration, it is mentioned that on the day of the Battle of Uhud, Hazrat Malik bin Dukhshumra passed by Hazrat Kharijah bin Zaidra. Hazrat Kharijahra was covered in wounds. He received approximately 13 fatal wounds. Hazrat Malikra said to him, “Are you not aware that the Holy Prophetsa

has been martyred?” This is following the second attack of the disbelievers. Hazrat Kharijahra replied, “If the Holy Prophetsa has been martyred, then Allah is alive and will not die.” This was the standard of their faith. “The Holy Prophetsa has conveyed the message to us. You should also fight for the sake of your religion.” (Al-Waqidi, Kitab al-Maghazi, Vol. 1 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah], p. 243)

The enemy is currently fighting you, so you too should fight them. It is also our responsibility to sacrifice our lives for the sake of Allah the Almighty.

Then, we find mention of the martyrdom of Hazrat Shammas bin Uthmanra. Hazrat Shammas bin Uthmanra participated in the Battles of Badr and Uhud. He fought extremely courageously in the Battle of Uhud. The Holy Prophetsa said, “I found

Shammas bin Uthman to be a shield.” In whichever direction the Holy Prophetsa looked, whether right or left, he found Shammasra there, defending him with his sword during the Battle of Uhud until the Holy Prophetsa fell unconscious after being attacked and struck by a rock.

Hazrat Shammasra stood as a shield in front of him until he was severely wounded, and it was in this state that he was carried to Medina (i.e. Hazrat Shammasra was taken back to Medina.) There were still signs of life in him when he was taken to the residence of Hazrat Aishara

Hazrat Umm-e-Salamahra asked, “Will my paternal cousin be taken anywhere aside from my home?” Upon this, the Holy Prophetsa replied, “Carry him to Hazrat Umm-e-Salamahra.” He was therefore taken there, and that is where he passed away due to the wounds he had sustained in the Battle of Uhud. Then, upon the instructions of the Holy Prophetsa, Hazrat Shammasra was taken to Uhud and buried in the same clothes. He passed away two days after arriving in Medina, but he was taken to Uhud to be buried. When he was carried to Medina after being wounded, he remained alive for a day and a night, and it is said that he did not eat or drink anything during that time. He was extremely frail and was, in fact, unconscious. Hazrat Shammasra passed away at the age of 34 and was a young man.

An incident about Hazrat Shammas bin Uthmanra is preserved in history, which demonstrates his example of love for the Holy Prophetsa and the highest levels of sacrifice for the sake of Islam. Where we find mention of the story of Hazrat Talhah’sra love and devotion to the Holy Prophetsa as his hand was struck by an arrow whilst he placed it before his blessed countenance, Hazrat Shammasra also played a vital role there. Hazrat Shammasra stood before the Holy Prophetsa and took all the

blows to his body. The Holy Prophetsa said regarding Hazrat Shammasra, “If I could compare Hazrat Shammasra to anything, it would be a shield. He became a shield for me on the battlefield of Uhud as he fought to the end whilst protecting me from the front, behind, to the right and to the left.” The Holy Prophetsa stated, “Whichever direction I looked, I saw Shammas fighting extremely heroically.” When the enemies were successful in their attempts to attack the Holy Prophetsa, leaving him unconscious as he fell, it was then that Shammasra stood as a shield in front of him until he himself became severely wounded. He was returned to Medina in this state.

Hazrat Umm-e-Salamahra said, “He is my uncle’s son, and I am his close relative. For this reason, he should be treated and tended to at my home.” However, he passed away a day or two later from the severity of his wounds. The Holy Prophetsa stated, “Shammas should be buried in his clothes just like the other martyrs.” (Ibn Sa’d, AlTabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 3 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1990], p. 186)

Then, the details of the martyrdom of Hazrat Nu’man bin Malikra have also been recorded. Hazrat Nu’man bin Malikra participated both in the Battle of Badr and Uhud, and was martyred during the latter by Safwan bin Umayyah. According to a different narration, Hazrat Nu’man bin Malikra was martyred by Aban bin Sa’id. After the Battle of Uhud, Hazrat Nu’man bin Malikra was buried alongside Hazrat Mujadhar bin Ziyadra and Hazrat Ubadah bin Hashasra in one grave. (Ibn Sa’d, AlTabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 3 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1990], p. 414; Ali Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah fi Ma’rifat al-Sahabah, Vol. 3 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2003], p. 157; Ibn Hisham, Sirat Ibn Hisham [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah], pp. 468 and 560; Badr al-Din Mahmud Ibn Ahmad Aini, ‘Umdat al-Qari, Vol. 14 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Ihya’ al-Turath al‘Arabi, 2003], p. 183)

Whilst the Holy Prophetsa was setting out for the Battle of Uhud and Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul was giving his suggestions, Hazrat Nu’man bin Malikra said, “O Messengersa of Allah! By God, I will surely enter paradise.” With a great deal of perseverance, he told the Holy Prophetsa that he would surely enter paradise. In response, the Holy Prophetsa asked how, to which Hazrat Nu’manra replied, “It is because I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that you are His Messenger. Furthermore, I will never flee from battle.” The Holy Prophetsa said, “You have said the truth.” Thus, Hazrat Nu’manra was martyred the very same day. (‘Ali Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah fi Ma’rifat al-Sahabah, Vol. 5 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2003], p. 322)

Khalid bin Abi Malik Jahdira reports that he found the following narration in his father’s book: “Hazrat Nu’man bin Qauqal Ansarira prayed, ‘O my Lord! By Your name, the sun will not have set yet when, despite being lame, I will be walking in the gardens of Your paradise.’ Thus, he was martyred the very same day. The Holy Prophetsa remarked, ‘Allah the Almighty accepted his prayer, for I saw him (in a vision, and Allah the Almighty informed

him) walking in paradise while he was not lame, nor was he limping.’” (Ma’rifat alSahabah, Vol. 4 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar alKutub al-‘Ilmiyyah], p. 317)

Further, there is mention of Hazrat Thabit bin Dahdahra, who played a vital role during the Battle of Uhud. (Siyar alSahabah, Vol. 3 [Karachi, Pakistan: Dar alIsha’ah], p. 522)

After the [false] rumour of the Holy Prophet’ssa martyrdom spread, some among the Muslims said, “Now that the Holy Prophetsa has been martyred, we should return to our people, who will grant us protection.” Upon this, others remarked, “If the Holy Prophetsa has indeed been martyred, will you not fight for the faith and message he brought until you yourselves are martyred and brought before God?” Hazrat Thabit bin Dahdahra addressed the Ansar and said, “O people of the Ansar! Even if the Holy Prophetsa has been martyred, Allah the Almighty is Alive and Impervious to death. Fight for your faith, and Allah the Almighty will grant you victory and success.” Upon hearing this, a group of Ansar Muslims joined Hazrat Thabitra in an assault against a group of polytheists, which included Khalid bin Walid, Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl, Amr bin Aas and Dirar bin Khattab. Whilst sustaining this attack from a small group of Muslims, Khalid bin Walid fiercely retaliated and martyred Thabit bin Dahdahra and his Ansar companions. (‘Ali bin Burhan al-Din al-Halabi,  Al-Sirat alHalabiyyah, Vol. 2 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2002], p. 309)

In another narration, Abdullah bin Umar Khatmi said, “On the day of the Battle of Uhud, Thabit bin Dahdahra came to the front while the Muslims had dispersed in dismay. He proclaimed in a loud voice, saying, ‘O people of the Ansar! Come towards me, Thabit bin Dadahra Even if the Holy Prophetsa has truly been martyred, Allah is Alive and will never die. Fight on behalf of your faith and Allah will make you triumphant and help you.’ Thus, a group of the Ansar gathered around him (and he was also among the Ansar), and they regrouped the Muslims and launched an attack against the disbelievers. As a counteraction, the disbelievers dispatched a fierce battalion led by Khalid bin Walid, Amr bin Aas, Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl, and Dirar bin Khattab. They gathered and launched a collective assault. Khalid bin Walid pierced Thabitra with a spear. Thabitra was martyred and fell to the ground along with his other Ansar companions. For this reason, it is said that these were the last Muslims to be martyred on that day.”

In another narration, it is recorded that Khalid came forth and struck Thabitra with a spear, wounding him and bringing him to the ground. The people picked him up and began to treat his injury. At the time, his bleeding stopped and he recovered, however, after the Battle of Hudaibiyah, his wounds reopened and he died as a result.

There is also another narration. Hazrat Jabir bin Sumurahra narrates, “The Holy Prophetsa walked alongside the funeral procession of Hazrat Thabit bin Dahdahra and returned on horseback.” (‘Ali Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah fi Ma’rifat alSahabah, Vol. 1 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar alKutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2003], p. 440; Sheikh Shah Moinuddin Ahmad Nadvi, Siyar alSahabah, Vol. 3 [Karachi, Pakistan: Dar al-

Isha’ah, 2004], p. 552); Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab ma Ja’a fi al-Rukhsah fi Dhalika, Hadith 1014)

From this narration, it seems that the earlier narration about his wounds reopening at the Battle of Hudaibiyah is unreliable and that he passed away on this occasion [of the Battle of Uhud].

There are also accounts of four martyrs belonging to the same family. Thabit bin Wakhshra and Rifa’ah bin Wakhshra, both of whom were brothers, were martyred during the Battle of Uhud, and alongside them, the two sons of Thabit bin Wakhshra, Salamah bin Thabitra and Amr bin Thabitra, were also martyred. Amr bin Thabitra has also been reported to be called Usairim. All of these individuals were from the Ansar tribe of Banu Abd al-Ash’al. (‘Ali Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah fi Ma’rifat alSahabah, Vol. 1 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar alKutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2003], pp. 454-459)

Rifa’ah bin Wakhshra was an elderly man. He and his brother Thabitra both fought side by side during Uhud. Rifa’ahra was martyred by Khalid bin Walid. (‘Ali Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah fi Ma’rifat alSahabah, Vol. 1 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar alKutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2003], p. 488)

The martyrdom of Thabit bin Wakhshra is narrated as follows. Ibn Ishaq writes, “When the Holy Prophetsa set out for the Battle of Uhud, two elderly men, namely Thabit bin Wakhshra and Husail bin Jabirra – who was also known as Yaman and was the father of Hudhaifah bin Yaman – emerged from the fort where Muslim women and children had taken refuge. One of them asked the other, ‘What are you waiting for? We may not live much longer; if we don’t die today, we will surely die

tomorrow. Shall we not take up our swords and join the Holy Prophetsa? Perhaps Allah the Almighty will grant us the honour of martyrdom.’ Thereafter, they both took up their swords, attacked the disbelievers and joined the battle.” (Ibn Hisham, Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar alKutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2001], pp. 537-538)

Amr bin Thabitra was also known by the name Usairim and his mother was Hazrat Hudhaifah bin Yaman’sra sister. He accepted Islam after the Fajr prayer on the morning of the Battle of Uhud. He accepted Islam after the Fajr prayer; he did not offer the prayer itself, but rather accepted Islam after the prayer. He then mounted his horse and went to meet the Holy Prophetsa. He joined the Muslims and engaged in Jihad until he was martyred. (Sirat Encyclopedia, Vol. 6, p. 358, Dar al-Islam Research Centre)

Hazrat Abu Hurairahra narrates that he asked the companions to tell him about a person who didn’t offer any prayers yet was still heaven-bound. The people did not know about him, and so they asked who it was. They were informed that it was Usairim bin Usairim, meaning Amr bin Thabitra

It is stated in another narration that Usairim used to denounce Islam in front of his people. At the time of the Battle of Uhud, when the Holy Prophetsa had already departed, the truth of Islam dawned upon Usairim and he accepted it. He then took his sword and went to his people, entered the ranks, and started fighting. The wounds he suffered left him incapacitated. During this time, the people of Banu Abd alAsh’al were searching for the bodies of their martyrs when all of a sudden, they

came across him. Astonished, they said, “This is Usairim, but who has brought him here? We had left him behind because he rejected Islam.” Then they asked him, “O Usairim, how did you get here? Was it because of your honour for your people, or because you became inclined towards Islam?” He said, “It was because I became inclined towards Islam. (In other words, he accepted Islam to be true, which was the reason for him being there.) I believe in Allah and His Messengersa and have thus become a Muslim, and with my sword, I fought alongside the Holy Prophetsa until reaching my current state that you see me in.” Then, he passed away in their arms. This was mentioned to the Holy Prophetsa, to which he said, “He is heaven-bound.” (Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani, Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz alSahabah, Vol. 4 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar alKutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1995], p. 501)

I paused earlier because the salutations of “may Allah be pleased with him” were written where it is mentioned that he said he is heaven-bound, whereas it should have been “peace and blessings of Allah be upon him”. It was cause for confusion that perhaps it was a companion who said this, but in any case, this clarifies that the Holy Prophetsa said he was heaven-bound. The previous narration also seems to be correct in that he was the person who was heavenbound without having offered a single prayer. In the end, he came and attained the rank of martyrdom.

The fourth martyr from this family was Hazrat Salamah bin Thabitra. Hazrat Salamah bin Thabit’sra full name was Salamah bin Thabit bin Wakhsh. Hazrat Salamahra also took part in the Battle of Badr. Abu Sufyan martyred Hazrat Salamah bin Thabitra during the Battle of Uhud. Hazrat Salamah’sra father, Hazrat Thabit bin Wakhshra, his paternal uncle Hazrat Rifa’ah bin Wakhshra and his brother Hazrat Amr bin Thabitra were also martyred in the Battle of Uhud. Many members of this family participated in the Battle of Uhud. (Ibn Sa’d, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 3 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1990], p. 337(; ‘Ali Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah fi Ma’rifat al-Sahabah, Vol. 2 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2003],

p. 291)

Mukhairiq was a Jewish man from the Banu Nadhir tribe. Muhammad bin Umar Aslami says that he accepted Islam, while others say that he was from the Banu Qainuqah tribe, and some say he was from the Banu Tha’labah bin Fityun tribe. He was one of the great Jewish scholars. He recognised the Holy Prophetsa through his signs and based on his own knowledge as well, but despite this, the love he had for his own faith prevailed, and so he did not accept Islam. He said on a Saturday, “O Jewish people, by Allah, do you realise that it is binding upon you to help Muhammadsa?” The [Muslim] army had departed on a Friday and he said this on the Saturday. People said, “Today is the day of the Sabbath, we cannot fight today.” He said, “There is no Sabbath for you.” Then he said to the people of his nation, “If I am killed today, then my wealth shall be given to Muhammadsa, and he can spend however he likes from it.” He then took his weapons and marched forward. When the battle took place, he was martyred as he fought, and the Holy Prophetsa said, “Mukhairiq was the best among the Jews.”

According to another narration, the Holy Prophetsa said, “Mukhairiq is the best of the Jews, Salman is the best of the Persians, and Bilal is the best of the Abyssinians.” (Mustafa ‘Abd al-Wahid, Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad fi Sirat Khair al-‘Ibad, Vol. 4 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar alKutub al-‘Ilmiyyah], p. 212)

One historian writes regarding Mukhairiq, “One opinion is that he fought against the disbelievers on behalf of Islam and sacrificed his life, and the blessed tongue of the Holy Prophetsa uttered complimentary words for him.

On the basis of this, many historians have regarded Mukhairiq as a Muslim, including Ibn Hisham, Suhaili, Ibn Hajr, Ibn Kathir, Buladhari, Qazi Ayyaz, Imam Nawawi and others.” (Da’irah Ma’arif Sirat Muhammadsa, Vol. 6 [Lahore, Pakistan: Dar al-Ma’arif], p. 604)

The next mention is of Abdullah bin Jahshra. History records that his love for God and His Messengersa had left him without any need for this world. If he did

have any desire, it was to somehow give his life in the way of God. His desire was fulfilled, and he became renowned by the name “Mujadda’ fi Allah” meaning one whose ear was severed in the way of Allah.

There is also a narration of how Hazrat Abdullah bin Jahsh’sra prayer was accepted prior to his martyrdom. This incident of his prayer being accepted before he was martyred is well-known. Ishaq, the son of Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas,ra, narrates on the authority of his father, “On the day of Uhud, Abdullah bin Jahsh said to my father, Sa’d, ‘Join me and let’s pray to Allah Almighty,’ so they both moved to one side to supplicate. First, Hazrat Sa’d prayed, saying, ‘O Allah! When tomorrow I face the enemy, let my adversary be someone possessed of great courage and skill and among those whom people fear. May I fight such a person, defeat him in battle for Your sake and take his weapons for myself.’ Upon hearing this, Abdullah bin Jahsh said ‘Amin!’

After this, Abdullah bin Jahshra supplicated the following (the previous prayer was made by the first of the two. Abdullah’s prayer was thus): ‘O Allah! May I face a truly skilled opponent tomorrow in battle possessed of an imposing presence. May we battle one another and may he overcome me in battle, slaying me and mutilating my nose and ears. When I stand before You, O Allah, may You ask me in whose path my nose and two ears were cut off, so that I can respond, saying, “O Allah, it was in Your way and in the way of Your Messengersa.” And in response, You will say, “O Abdullah, indeed you have spoken the truth.”’” (Abdullah desired for Allah to say these words.) Hazrat Sa’d explains, “Abdullah’s prayer was greater than mine, for on the last day of the battle of Uhud I saw that his nose and both his ears had been hanged by a thread (meaning that they had indeed been severed) and tied together.” (‘Ali Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah fi Ma’rifat al-Sahabah, Vol. 3 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2003], pp. 194-196)

The manner in which the companions expressed their love for Allah was indeed extraordinary and magnificent. Hazrat Muttalib bin Abdillah bin Hantabra relates, “On the day that the Holy Prophetsa embarked on the expedition of Uhud, he stopped to stay a night in a place near Medina known as Sheikhain, where Hazrat Umm-e-Salamahra brought the Holy Prophetsa roasted shoulder meat, which he ate along with some nabidh, which he drank. This is also a kind of food staple that is in a liquid form, like harirah. A person took the vessel containing the nabidh and drank from it. Then Hazrat Abdullah bin Jahshra took that vessel and finished the remaining drink. A man asked for some of the drink from Abdullah bin Jahshra The man said to Abdullahra, “Do you know what tomorrow morning holds for you?” (Meaning that you’re going to war –who knows who will live and who will be martyred?) Hazrat Abdullah bin Jahshra responded, “Yes, I know where I’m going, for I have firm conviction that I shall be a martyr. To stand before my Creator satiated and full (i.e., having eaten and drunk well) is dearer to me than appearing before Him thirsty.” (Ibn Sa’d, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 3 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al‘Ilmiyyah, 1990], p. 67)

Tomorrow, I’ll be reunited with my Creator anyway, so it is my desire that I meet Him in a satiated state, and that’s why I’m drinking this.

This is the extraordinary and wonderful manner in which the companions demonstrated their love for Allah and the unique preparations they made to meet Him.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Jahshra and Hazrat Hamzahra, the son of Abdul Muttalib, were both buried in the same grave. Hazrat Hamzahra was the maternal uncle of Abdullah bin Jahshra and, at the time of his martyrdom, was just over 40 years of age. The Holy Prophetsa personally executed his will and bought his son goods on the occasion of Khaibar. (‘Ali Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah fi Ma’rifat al-Sahabah, Vol. 3 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al‘Ilmiyyah, 2003], p. 194)

Hazrat Abu Sa’d Khaithamah bin Abi Khaithamah’sra martyrdom, and the request of the Holy Prophetsa to pray for it is also mentioned. He requested prayers from the Holy Prophetsa. This request for prayers is related by Muhammad bin Umar, that “Khaithamah requested the Messengersa of Allah on the day of the Battle of Uhud, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, I was not able to partake in the Battle of Badr, but by God, I was so eager to join this battle, to the extent that when we were drawing lots to see who could go, my son, Sa’d’s name, was drawn instead, and he was blessed with the status of martyrdom at Badr. The other night, he appeared to me looking very handsome in a dream. He was walking about in the gardens and streams of paradise, inviting me to join him. He informed me that he and I would be together in paradise. I have always found the promises of my Lord to be true and, by God, I deeply desire to be my son’s companion in paradise!’ (In other words, ‘I wish to go and meet him there.’). Hence, he said, ‘O Messengersa of Allah! Please pray for me that I may be granted martyrdom and companionship with him in paradise.’ The Holy Prophet Muhammadsa prayed for him, and he was martyred in the battle of Uhud.” (Mustafa ‘Abd al-Wahid, Subul alHuda wa al-Rashad fi Sirat Khair al-‘Ibad, Vol. 4 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al‘Ilmiyyah], p. 219; Hakim al-Nishapuri, AlMustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihain, Vol. 3, Hadith 4929, Kitab Ma’rifat al-Sahabah)

There is mention of the martyrdom of Hazrat Abdullah bin Amrra. It is recorded as such in a narration, that when Hazrat Abdullah bin Amrra intended to depart for the Battle of Uhud, he called his son Hazrat Jabirra, and said, “O my son, I see now that I will be amongst the first to be martyred, and I swear by Allah, I am not leaving behind anyone who is dear to me except the Holy Prophetsa, and then you” (meaning these are the two people who I love in this world: first and foremost the Holy Prophetsa, and after that, my son.) “I have some debt. Fulfil that debt on my behalf, and I instruct you to treat your sisters well.” (Meaning, treat your sisters well, don’t deny them their rights.) Hazrat Jabirra relates, “The next morning, my father was the very first person to be martyred, and the enemies cut off his nose and ears.” (‘Ali Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah fi Ma’rifat al-Sahabah, Vol. 3 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al‘Ilmiyyah, 2003], p. 322)

Hazrat Jabir bin Abdillahra relates that

when the Holy Prophetsa came to bury the martyrs of the Battle of Uhud, then the Holy Prophetsa stated, “Wrap them along with the wounds they suffered because I am a witness to them, and there is no Muslim who is wounded in the way of Allah, except that they will be present on the Day of Judgement, their blood will be flowing, their colour will be saffron, and their scent will be of musk”, meaning these are the beloved [of God] who will be presented in front of Allah the Almighty. “There is no need to perform the ghusl [bathing] or to wrap them with white cloths, for their clothes are their burial cloths.”

Hazrat Jabirra narrates, “My father was buried with one white cloth, and the Holy Prophetsa stated, ‘Who among them has memorised more of the Holy Quran?’ When the martyrs were being buried, then the Holy Prophetsa said, ‘Who knows more of the Holy Quran?’ When it was indicated about one martyr that he knew the Holy Quran more, then the Holy Prophetsa would say, ‘Lower him in the grave first before his companions,’ meaning that because he knew the Holy Quran, the Holy Prophetsa would bury him first.”

Hazrat Abdullah bin Amrra was the first person to be martyred on the day of the Battle of Uhud. During his burial, the Holy Prophetsa said, “Bury Abdullah bin Amrra and Amr bin Jamuhra in the same grave because there was sincerity and love between them.” Furthermore, the Holy Prophetsa stated, “Bury these two, who held love for one another in this world, in one grave.” [The narrator] says, “Hazrat Abdullah bin Amrra was of reddish complexion, and there was no hair on the front part of his head. He was not very tall, whereas Hazrat Amr bin Jamuhra was quite tall.” This means he was not very tall, but Hazrat Amr bin Jamuhra was tall in height. “This is why both were recognisable, and both were buried in the same grave.” (Ibn Sa’d, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 3 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1990], p. 424)

Hazrat Jabir bin Abdillahra relates, “On the day of the Battle of Uhud, my father was brought to the Holy Prophetsa with his body mutilated.” That is, his body parts had been cut off, his nose and ears in particular. His body was placed before the Holy Prophetsa Following this, he says, “As I was going to lift the piece of cloth from his face, people told me not to do so. Subsequently, people heard the shriek of a woman, upon which someone said that it was the daughter of Hazrat Abdullah bin Amrra, Hazrat Fatimah bint Amrra.” It is also said [in other narrations] that it was the sister of Hazrat Abdullah bin Amrra. Upon this, the Holy Prophetsa said, ‘Do not cry, as angels are constantly covering him under their wings.’” (Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, Al-Isti‘ab fi Ma’rifat al-Ashab, Vol. 3 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Jil, 1992], pp. 954-955) In other words, he is fortunate that he has entered paradise; therefore, they should not cry.

In another narration, it is related by Hazrat Jabir bin Abdillahra, “When my father was brought on the day of [the Battle of] Uhud, my paternal aunt started to cry. As a result of this, I also began to cry. People told me not to cry, but the Holy Prophetsa did not do so. Following this, the Holy Prophetsa said to the people, ‘Whether you cry for him or not, by Allah,

angels were granting him shade with their wings until you buried him.’” (Ibn ‘Abd alBarr, Al-Isti‘ab fi Ma’rifat al-Ashab, Vol. 3 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Jil, 1992], p. 956)

In the commentary of a verse of Surah al-Baqarah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra said: “Allah the Almighty has said one should not consider those Muslims who have been martyred that they are dead. They are the living soldiers of God Almighty and He will most certainly exact revenge.”

Hazrat Musleh Maudra further says:

“If we ponder over this, we see that whenever a companion was martyred, by comparison, five idolaters were killed and in every battle, many more idolaters were killed as compared with Muslims, with the exception of the battle of Uhud, in which many Muslims were killed. However, Allah the Almighty took retribution in other battles.” (Tafsir-e-Kabir [2004], Vol. 2, p. 288)

(‘Ali bin Burhan al-Din al-Halabi,  Al-Sirat al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 2 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2002], p. 324); Al-Sirat al-Halabiyyah [Translated], Vol. 2 [Karachi, Pakistan: Dar al-Isha’ah], p. 185)

With regard to the number of Muslims who were martyred during the Battle of Uhud, most scholars state that the total number of those who were martyred was 70. Among them, four were from the Muhajirin; Hazrat Hamzahra, Hazrat Mus’abra, Hazrat Abdullah bin Jahshra and Hazrat Shammas bin Uthmanra. According to another narration, the total number of those martyred during the Battle of Uhud was 80 and 74 of them were from among the Ansar and six were from among the Muhajirin. Allamah Ibn Hajar al-Asqalanirh states that if six Muhajirin were martyred, then perhaps the fifth one was Sa’dra, who was the servant of Hatib bin Ai Balta’ahra, and the sixth person was Thaqeef bin

After the Battle of Uhud, owing to weakness, the Holy Prophetsa offered his prayers whilst seated. (Owing to weakness, he sat down to pray) and the prayer he offered was the Zuhr prayer. Following suit, the companions also prayed whilst seated. Since the Holy Prophetsa was leading the prayers whilst being seated, the companions also sat down to offer the prayers and nobody stood up.

Commenting on this, an author writes: “Perhaps this prayer was offered after the enemy had left. As for the companions sitting down to offer their prayers, they did this to ensure unity between the form of the prayers of the Imam and the congregation. Later on, this command was abrogated (i.e., the congregation can stand up to offer prayers [in such an event]). It has also been recorded – and is an opinion of the author that perhaps the people who offered prayers sitting down were also injured, and since the majority of the companions were injured and sat down for the prayers, for this reason, the wording was that “the Muslims sat down and offered prayers”, i.e., there were some people who offered prayers whilst standing, but they were all those who were uninjured. They were few in number because the majority of the people were injured. Keeping the majority in view, it [may] have been written that all the congregation sat down to offer prayers. This is a narration of Sirat al-Halabiyyah.

Prophetsa would wrap two martyrs from the Battle of Uhud in one cloth and then ask who among the two knew a larger part of the Holy Quran. After one of them had been pointed out, the Holy Prophetsa would lower him into the grave first. If they were in one cloth, then perhaps they would be moved to one side; the one who knew the Quran more would be lowered down, and then the other companion. The Holy Prophetsa would then say, “I will be their witness on the Day of Judgement” and he also instructed for them to be buried in their wounded state. They were neither washed nor was their funeral prayer offered. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab al-Salat ‘ala al-Shahid, Hadith 1343)

In another narration from  Sahih alBukhari, Hazrat Uqbah bin Amirra relates that one day, the Holy Prophetsa came and offered the funeral prayer for the martyrs of the Battle of Uhud. In yet another narration of Sahih al-Bukhari, it is mentioned that the Holy Prophetsa offered the funeral prayer for the martyrs of the Battle of Uhud eight years after the battle took place. (Sahih alBukhari, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab al-Salat ‘ala al-Shahid, Hadith 1343; Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi, Bab Ghazwat Uhud, Hadith 4042)

There are various narrations that have been presented in this matter by different narrators. From this, it seems that the funeral prayer was not offered then, but it was offered sometime later.

In  Sunan Ibn Majah, Hazrat Ibn Abbasra relates that the martyrs of the Battle of Uhud would be brought to the Holy Prophetsa and he would lead the funeral prayer of 10 martyrs at a time. The body of Hazrat Hamzahra would remain beside the Holy Prophetsa, whereas the other martyrs would be taken away. (Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab ma Ja’a fi al-Salah ‘ala al-Shahid, Hadith 1513) (It is possible that he was also mistaken.)

Amrra, who was the confederate of Banu Abd Shams.

According to the book Uyun alAthar, the total number of those who were martyred was 96 and 23 were killed among the idolaters. According to another narration, 22 idolaters were killed. Another narration states that during the battle, Hazrat Hamzahra killed a total of 31 idolaters. (‘Ali bin Burhan al-Din al-Halabi,  Al-Sirat al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 2 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2002], pp. 324-327; ‘Uyun al-Athar, Vol. 2 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Ibn Kathir], p. 47)

However, this narration does not seem to be correct because the total number of idolaters killed was 23. Another historian has written that there are varying opinions with regard to the number of companions who were martyred by the disbelievers during the Battle of Uhud. The number of martyrs cited by the various historians and biographers ranges from 49 to 108, but most have stated the number of companions who were martyred on the day of Uhud is 70. (Da’irah Ma’arif Sirat Muhammadsa, Vol. 7 [Lahore, Pakistan: Dar al-Ma’arif], pp. 39-40)

There are varying opinions in relation to the funeral prayer being offered and the burial of the martyrs of the Battle of Uhud, and the opinions vary significantly. In a narration from Sahih al-Bukhari, Hazrat Jabir bin Abdillahra relates that the Holy

In Sunan Abi Dawud, Hazrat Anas bin Malikra narrates, “The martyrs of Uhud were not washed before burial and were buried in their wounded state and none of their funeral prayers were offered.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab fi alShahid Yughsal?, Hadith 3135)

There is another narration of Sunan Abi Dawud in which Hazrat Anasra relates that the Holy Prophetsa did not perform the funeral prayer of any martyr [of Uhud] except Hazrat Hamzahra. (Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab fi al-Shahid Yughsal?, Hadith 3137)

In a narration of  Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hazrat Anas bin Malikra narrates that the Holy Prophetsa did not offer the funeral prayer of any martyr from the battle of Uhud. (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Kitab alJana’iz, Bab ma Ja’a fi Qatla Uhud wa Dhkir Hamzah, Hadith 1016)

The majority are of the view that the funeral prayers were not offered.

It is recorded in  Sirat Ibn Hisham and  Sirat al-Halabiyyah that the method in which the Holy Prophetsa performed the funeral prayer of the martyrs of the Battle of Uhud was to first of all offer the funeral prayer of Hazrat Hamzahra. He recited the  takbirat [proclamation of the greatness of God] seven times. According to  Al-Sirat al-Halabiyyah, he recited four takbirat

Thereafter, each martyr was brought

“I would now like to say something about the current circumstances of the world. The flames of war continue to spread. A great deal of prayer is required to save humanity from destruction. If Ahmadis truly pray, then they will be able to play their role in this regard. The Israeli government is set in its ways and they find some excuse or another to present at every instance and they are not prepared to accept any reason or rationality.

The other powerful governments in the world – either of their own will or out of fear of Israel – agree with whatever the Prime Minister of Israel or its government say. They initially say that there should be a ceasefire and an end to the injustices, but as soon as they [the Israeli government] say something, they agree with it.

May Allah the Almighty have mercy on the Muslims as well and turn them towards God Almighty. This is the only way these people can take refuge and protect their lives in this world and the next. May Allah the Almighty have mercy on them, enable us to pray, and have mercy on us all as well.

forward one by one and placed alongside the body of Hazrat Hamzahra, then the Holy Prophetsa would perform the funeral prayer of them both. In this way, the funeral prayer of each martyr was performed and that of Hazrat Hamzahra was offered 72 times, and according to others, it was 92 times. (Ibn Hisham, Sirat Ibn Hisham [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah], 395-396;‘Ali bin Burhan al-Din al-Halabi,  Al-Sirat al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 2 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2002], p. 337)

In any case, all these narrations were recorded, but some of them appear to be weak.

It is written in  Dala‘il al-Nubuwwah, a book of  sirah [biography of the Holy Prophetsa], that nine martyrs were brought and placed beside the body of Hazrat Hamzahra and their funeral prayer was offered. Then those nine would be taken away and the next nine martyrs were brought. The funeral prayers of all the martyrs were offered in this manner. In each funeral prayer, the Holy Prophetsa recited seven  takbirat. (Imam Al-Baihaqi, Dala’il al-Nubuwwah, Vol. 3 [Cairo, Egypt: Dar alRayyan, 1988], p. 287)

There has been much debate about the Ahadith mentioned in  Al-Sirat alHalabiyyah and  Dala‘il al-Nubuwwah with regard to the funeral prayers of the martyrs of the Battle of Uhud. In both books, the narration of Hazrat Jabir bin Abdillahra – in which the Holy Prophetsa instructed that the martyrs of the Battle of Uhud ought to be buried in their wounded state and not to be

Editor-in-Chief:

bathed for their funeral – has been declared to be more reliable. (‘Ali bin Burhan alDin al-Halabi,  Al-Sirat al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 2 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al‘Ilmiyyah, 2002], p. 338; Imam Al-Baihaqi, Dala’il al-Nubuwwah, Vol. 3 [Cairo, Egypt: Dar al-Rayyan, 1988], pp. 287-288)

Thus, the conclusion drawn from this is that the funeral prayers were not offered.

Hazrat Imam Shafi‘irh narrates, “It can be strongly determined from the successive narrations that the Holy Prophetsa did not lead the funeral prayer of the martyrs during the Battle of Uhud and the narrations that mention the Holy Prophetsa leading their funeral prayer and reciting 70  takbirat in the funeral prayer of Hazrat Hamzahra are incorrect. And even in the narration of Hazrat Uqbah bin Amirra it states that the Holy Prophetsa led the funeral prayer of these martyrs eight years later.” It is mentioned in the narration that this took place eight years later and did not take place at the time.

Imam Bukharirh has assigned a chapter in his book by the name of Bab al-Salah ala al-Shahid, i.e. “The chapter on the funeral prayer of a martyr,” and he has mentioned only two narrations under this chapter.

The first is of Hazrat Jabir bin Abdillahra in which it is clearly stated that the martyrs from the Battle of Uhud were not bathed, nor was their funeral prayer offered. The second narration is of Hazrat Uqbah bin Amirra, in which he stated: تۡیِّمَلاَ

“One day, the Holy Prophetsa went out and led the funeral prayers of the martyrs from the battle of Uhud.”

This narration is found elsewhere in  Sahih al-Bukhari, namely in the chapter about the Battle of Uhud. The same companion narrates:

عدَوۡمَلاَکَ نَیۡنَسَ ینّاَمَثُ دٰعَبَ دٰحَأَ ىَّلَتَقۡ ىَّلَعَ ہِلّٰلاَ لِوۡسَرُ ىَّلَصۡ تۡاَوۡمِّأَلَاَوَ ءَاَیِّحَأَلل

“The Holy Prophetsa offered the funeral prayers of the martyrs of the Battle of Uhud eight years later in the way that the living or the dead are bode farewell.”

Similarly, Allamah Ibn Hajar alAsqalanirh states that what Imam Shafi‘irh means by this is that after a prolonged period of time has elapsed since one’s demise, one cannot offer the funeral prayer at the grave of that deceased. According to Imam Shafi‘irh, when the Holy Prophetsa learnt that his demise was nigh, he went to their graves and prayed for them and sought forgiveness for them as he bode them farewell. (Ibn Hajr Asqalani, Fath al-Bari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 3, Kitab al-Jana’iz [Cairo, Egypt: Dar al-Rayyan, 1982], pp. 248-249; Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi, Bab Ghazwat Uhud, Hadith 4042)

The Community’s viewpoint on this is the same as that written by Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra. It is clear from the various narrations that the funeral prayer was not offered at the time. Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra has also written:

“Although a funeral prayer was not offered at the time, afterwards,

close to the era of his demise, the Holy Prophetsa especially offered a funeral prayer for the martyrs of Uhud and prayed fervently for them.” (Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra, Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, p. 502)

There are further details regarding this which shall be narrated in the future, inshaAllah

I would now like to say something about the current circumstances of the world. The flames of war continue to spread. A great deal of prayer is required to save humanity from destruction. If Ahmadis truly pray, then they will be able to play their role in this regard. The Israeli government is set in its ways and they find some excuse or another to present at every instance and they are not prepared to accept any reason or rationality.

The other powerful governments in the world – either of their own will or out of fear of Israel – agree with whatever the Prime Minister of Israel or its government say. They initially say that there should be a ceasefire and an end to the injustices, but as soon as they [the Israeli government] say something, they agree with it.

May Allah the Almighty have mercy on the Muslims as well and turn them towards God Almighty. This is the only way these people can take refuge and protect their lives in this world and the next. May Allah the Almighty have mercy on them, enable us to pray, and have mercy on us all as well.

(Official Urdu transcript published in Daily Al Fazl International, 8 March 2024, pp. 2-7. Translated by The Review of Religions.)