Al Hakam - 5 April 2024

Dua: 13 ways to have prayers accepted and answered this Ramadan

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‘I call myself a cultural Christian’: A response to Richard Dawkins’ LBC comments on Islam

‘Spread the message to other Swedes’: My journey from atheism to Islam

Satanic origins of arrogance and the Quran’s antidote

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THE WEEKLY

www.alhakam.org AL HAKAM | Friday 5 April 2024 | Issue CCCXVI Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre (ARC), 22 Deer Park Road, London, SW19 3TL, UK info@alhakam.org | ISSN 2754-7396

From Ramadan to Eid A call to charity and compassion As we navigate the final days of Ramadan, a time of intense prayers and devotion, the anticipation for the joy of Eid lies ahead. As Eid approaches, preparations are underway, contemplating how to celebrate the occasion. Many will be organising gatherings with families, where meals will be meticulously prepared and loved ones will come together. Undoubtedly, mosques will be bustling with worshippers expressing gratitude to God for another blessed month of Ramadan. Prayers will be fervently offered, beseeching for the privilege of witnessing the advent of the next Ramadan.

To maintain and cultivate a bond with Allah, we must strive to emulate His beloved Messengersa. It is by following the example of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa that we can truly aspire to earn the love of Allah Almighty. His noble character and morality radiate through the accounts of his life in the books of seerah. Each time we delve into his biography, we should imbibe his qualities as one would embrace a fragrant scent.

It is narrated that the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa was, “the most generous of all the people, and he used to become more generous in Ramadan.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-manaqib, Hadith 3554) And so, if we are to enact one change, let it be this: Let us emulate the example of Prophet Muhammadsa. Let us endeavour to foster a transformation within our families,

Mark Tegethoff| Unsplash

friends, and society, embodying his spirit of generosity. This task is not arduous; in fact, it is one of the simplest.

Regarding various kinds of good deeds, we find guidance from Allah’s Messengersa, who said that even smiling at your fellow brother in humanity is an act of charity; guiding others towards goodness and deterring them from wrongdoing are charitable deeds. Providing directions to a lost individual is considered an act of charity for you. (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-birri wa s-salati ‘an rasulillahsa) As we celebrate Eid, embracing our faith, strengthening our bonds with Allah, and reuniting with family, let us each take a moment to perform at least one good deed. Let us not forget our fellow human

beings, especially those around the world who endure poverty or unfavourable circumstances. And, if I may suggest, let us all contribute by giving to charity, helping our brothers in faith in Gaza.

Any contribution, no matter how small, carries significant weight in the eyes of Allah. (hfuk.org/donate/disasterrelief/) Often, disbelievers pose the question: If there is a God, why does He allow such suffering? As Muslims, we should introspect: The same God who has granted us the means to assist, why should we not extend our help accordingly?

Do not let it be that on the Day of Judgement, God says to us: You prayed to Me, and I granted you the means to help those in need, yet you did not.

Hadith-e-Rasul – Sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa

Intercession by fasting and Quran

َ​َ َ ّٰ َ ّٰ َ َ ���‫ﻋ ْﻦ ﻋ ْﺒ ِﺪ ا��� ﺑْ ِﻦ ﻋ ْ� ٍ�و أ ّن َر ُﺳﻮل ا‬ َ َ ّ ّٰ ّ ّ :‫ﺎل‬ ُ ‫اﻟﺼ َﻴ‬ ‫ﺎم‬ ‫ﻗ‬ ‫ﻢ‬ ‫وﺳﻠ‬ ‫�ﻠﻴﻪ‬ � ��‫ﺻﻠﻰ ا‬ ِ

ْ ُ ُ َ​َ َْ ُ ُْ َ ‫ﺎن ﻟِﻠ َﻌ ْﺒ ِﺪ ﻳَﻘﻮل‬ ِ ‫واﻟﻘ ْﺮآن �ﺸﻔﻌ‬ َّ ُ ُ ْ َ َ ّ ّ َ ْ َ ُ َ ّ َ ‫اﻟﻄ َﻌ‬ ‫ﺎم‬ ‫اﻟﺼﻴﺎم أي رب ِإ�� �ﻨﻌﺘﻪ‬ ِ َ َّ ّ َ​َ َ ّ ‫ﺎﻟﻨ َﻬﺎ ِر ﻓﺸﻔ ْﻌ ِ�� ِﻓﻴ ِﻪ‬ ِ ‫َواﻟﺸﻬ َﻮ‬ ِ‫ات ﺑ‬ ُ َُ​َ ُّ ُ ُ ‫ﻮل اﻟ ْ ُﻘ ْﺮ‬ ‫اﻟﻨ ْﻮ َم‬ ‫آن َ� َﻨ ْﻌ ُﺘﻪ‬ ‫وﻳﻘ‬ ّ َ َ َّ .‫ﺑِﺎﻟﻠ ْﻴ ِﻞﻓﺸﻔ ْﻌ ِ�� ِﻓﻴ ِﻪﻓ�ﺸﻔﻌﺎن‬ It is narrated by Hazrat Abdullah ibn Amrra that Allah’s Messengersa said, “Fasting and the Quran will intercede for the servant. Fasting will say, ‘O my Lord, I prevented him from food and [other] desires during the day, so allow me to intercede for him.’ And the Quran will say, ‘I kept him from sleep at night, so allow me to intercede for him.’ Then, they will both be allowed to intercede.”

(Mishkat al-Masabih, Kitab as-sawm, Hadith 1963)

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, In His Own Words

The objective of fidya “Once it occurred to me to ponder the rationale behind the prescription of fidya, and it was revealed to me that it is for the attainment of capability [tawfiq], so that one may Continued on next page >>

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be enabled to fast. It is solely the prerogative of Allah the Almighty to confer such capability, and one should seek everything from Him alone. Allah the Almighty alone is the All-Powerful. Should He wish, He could even endow a consumptive person with the strength to fast. Thus, the objective of fidya is precisely to acquire such strength, which comes exclusively through the grace of Allah the Almighty. Therefore, I deem it most appropriate for one to supplicate, ‘O my Lord, this is Your blessed month, and yet I find myself deprived of it. And who knows whether I will be alive next year or if I will be able to make up for these missed fasts.’ If one earnestly implores for the capability, then I am convinced that Allah the Almighty will indeed endow such a heart with strength.” (Malfuzat, Vol. 4, 1984, pp. 258-259)

Photo courtesy of Suhaib Ahmad

Pray for Palestine, prisoners in Yemen and an end to the oppression against Jamaat During his Friday sermon, delivered on 29 March 2024, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa said: “Pray, especially for the progress of the Jamaat during the prayers of Ramadan.

“Pray for the Ahmadis imprisoned in the path of Allah. May Allah swiftly provide means for their release. Pray for the prisoners in Yemen, especially for a lady who is being held in a narrow cell unjustly, separate from the other prisoners. Yet she exhibits great patience and steadfastness in her faith.

May Allah quickly facilitate their release and remove the misconceptions that people, i.e., our adversaries, harbour against the Jamaat.

“Remember the Palestinians in your prayers.

While it is claimed that significant changes are happening, the situation is only worsening. Despite the UN resolution that has been passed, the oppression continues unabated. This also exposes the double standards

of the Western powers. When similar oppressions are inflicted on their favoured nations or countries, sanctions are promptly imposed on another country, but not in the case of Israel. In fact, America recently approved several billion dollars of unconditional aid for them, while only a fraction of that has been approved for the Palestinians, with the stipulation that they do not

approach the Court of Justice or any forum where they might speak against Israel. What can one expect from such people? Hence, prayer is the only recourse. May Allah the Almighty deliver the oppressed people from their oppressors and grant us the ability to duly fulfil our obligation of praying for them.

[Amin]” (Friday Sermon, 29 March 2024, @AlHakamWeekly on X)

Peace Symposium held in Melbourne, Australia Athar Sadiq Nazim Tabligh, MKA Melbourne West, Australia

Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Melbourne West, Australia, hosted a Peace Symposium on 18 February 2024, at the Burnside Children’s & Community Centre. The event was part of the global “Voices for Peace” campaign launched by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community to promote peace and end conflicts.

A total of 65 members participated, and 21 external attendees were also present from various sectors of society, including representatives from the State Government, local councillors, members of the Victoria Police, and religious leaders from different

faiths.

The event hosted an exhibition of the Holy Quran, showcasing translations of the Holy Quran in 24 different languages, and a Tabligh Stall offering a variety of literature.

We also conducted interviews with external guests, providing an opportunity for dialogue and exchange of ideas.

In an effort to reach a wider audience, we distributed pamphlets to all external members and neighbouring houses during and after the event. In total, we distributed over 400 pamphlets, spreading the message of peace.

The programme began with a warm welcome to the guests and an acknowledgement of the traditional owners of the land. After outlining the housekeeping

rules, the formal proceedings started with the recitation of the Holy Quran with its English translation.

The introduction to the event was followed by a series of speeches by esteemed speakers, including Waqas Bajwa Sahib, the local president; Evan Mulholland, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council and a Member of the Northern Metropolitan Region; Gilbert Menezes, a religious education teacher at Tarneit’s Thomas Carr Catholic College; Rabbi Ralph Genende, Interfaith and Community Liaison for the Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council; Raewyn, a spiritual leader from Brahma Kumaris; and David Cowan, President of the Melton Interfaith Community Network.

Image courtesy of AMJ Australia

Atif Ahmed Zahid Sahib, a missionary, delivered a speech in which he presented the beautiful teachings of Islam essential for the establishment of peace.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks and gift bags for each of our speakers, followed by a silent prayer.

AL HAKAM | Friday 5 April 2024

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Dua: 13 ways to have prayers accepted and answered this Ramadan Abdur Rahman

UK

‘Du‘a’, ‘supplication’, or ‘prayer’ are terms that hold profound significance in Islam. ‘Du‘a’ literally means ‘calling out,’ a personal plea or appeal to Allah, coming straight from the heart of a believer. It’s a conversation where one opens their heart to their Creator, expressing their desires, fears, and hopes and seeking His guidance and assistance. It serves as a means to connect directly with Allah, to thank Him, to ask of Him, and to draw closer to Him, especially so during Ramadan – a time when the reward for sincere devotion is believed to be multiplied.

Allah the Exalted tells us in the Holy Quran:

َ َ� َ َ ۡ َ ُ ۡ ُ ٌ ۡ َ ۡ � َ ۡ � َ ۡ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ‫الَّد ِاِع ِ​ِاَذا‬ ‫اِدۡی َعِّنِۡی َف ِ​ِاِّنِۡی َق ِ​ِرۡیٌب� ُا ِ​ِجۡیُبَ َدۡعَوَۃ‬ ِ ‫َو ِ​ِاَذا َسَاَلَک ِ​ِعَب‬ ُ � َۡ َ َ ُ ۡ ‫اِن� َفۡل َ​َی ۡ​ۡس َ​َت ِ​ِج ۡ​ۡی ُ​ُبۡوۡا ِل ِ ۡ​ۡی َ​َوۡل ُ​ُی ۡ​ۡؤ ِ​ِمُنۡوۡا ِب ِ ۡ​ۡی َل َ َ​َعَّل ُ​ُہ ۡ​ۡم َیَ ۡ​ۡرُش ُ​ُد ۡ​ۡو َ​َن‬ ِ ‫َدَع‬

“When My servants enquire from thee concerning Me, O Prophet, tell them I am close. I respond to the call of the supplicant when he calls on Me. So should they respond to Me and have firm faith in Me, that they may be rightly guided.”

(Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.2: V.187) This verse is a promise of closeness from Allah that Ramadan makes all the more tangible.

Ramadan is this incredible time when every sincere whisper in prayer feels like it’s got a direct line to Allah. It feels like Allah is right there, ready to listen, to understand, and to respond. Ramadan is all about seizing this chance, with open hearts and hopeful spirits, to have those real, raw conversations with Allah, where we pour out everything and find peace in His presence.

The big question is, ‘How’! In what manner should a person engage in du’a in hopes of greater acceptance? What conditions should be met for a prayer to be accepted and answered? Below, we try to elucidate some of those conditions and methods, inspired by two Friday sermons (of 21 and 28 July 2016) by Hazrat Muslehe-Maudra, published in the 29 July and 8 August 1916 issues of Al Fazl.

Understanding Allah’s Sovereignty Firstly, it’s crucial to grasp a fundamental truth in this regard: Allah, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, holds the keys to all our prayers. He isn’t bound by our demands or timelines. This isn’t about a cosmic vending machine; it’s about a relationship, a dialogue with the One Who knows us better than we know ourselves.

Allah is the King of all kings. For someone to harbour the notion that Allah must accept all my prayers, and not reject

a single one for Him to be deemed God would be akin to believing that they are the master and God, the attendant; they, the owner, and He, the slave, God-forbid.

Moreover, Allah’s response to our prayers isn’t a test of His power or willingness to help but a reflection of what’s best for us, even when it’s hard to see.

Imagine you’re asking for something with all your heart, and it feels like it’s just not happening. Here’s where faith steps in, reminding us that Allah hears every whisper, every silent tear, and He responds – sometimes in ways we hadn’t imagined, sometimes later than we hoped, and sometimes by withholding for a greater good we might not yet understand. It’s about trusting that, no matter what, He’s got us, and His plan is always for the best.

True submission isn’t in making demands; it’s in surrendering to the wisdom of the Almighty, acknowledging that He is the Master over all affairs, and finding solace in His perfect timing and judgement.

1. Listen to Allah, and He will listen to you Now, if we’re looking to make our prayers hit home, the first step is really about us – our actions, our sincerity, and our effort to live in a way that pleases Allah. It’s like keeping the soil fertile for the seeds of our prayers to take root. Those moments when you’re fully aligned, doing good, and staying away from what dims your spirit – that’s when your prayers get this extra shine because you’re moving in harmony with what Allah wants for you and from you.

This doesn’t mean absolute perfection; rather, it’s about striving, about making those daily choices that reflect our love and reverence for Allah. It’s about stepping in rhythm with His will, and being responsive to His call. When Allah says, َۡ “Respond to Me (‫)َفۡل َ​َی ۡ​ۡس َ​َت ِ​ِج ۡ​ۡی ُ​ُبۡوۡا ِل ِ ۡ​ۡی‬,” it means that if we want Allah to listen to us, we need to listen to Him. In the abovementioned verse, Allah isn’t just assuring us of His nearness; He’s setting the terms of engagement. It’s about reciprocity – tuning in to His commands and shaping our lives around His decrees. That’s when our prayers transcend beyond mere words, soaring high and resonating with the Divine.

2. Have absolute conviction in Allah’s powers At the heart of prayers is this unshakeable belief that Allah can, Allah hears, and Allah responds. It’s about having the full conviction that when you raise your hands in prayer, you’re not just speaking into

3. Never ever give up

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the void. You’re connecting with the One who created the stars, the One who brings life into being, and the One who has been guiding humanity since the dawn of time.

Yet, here’s where many falter – in the depths of their hearts, some harbour uncertainties. They pray, but beneath the surface, there’s a whisper questioning Allah’s ability to answer or a shadow cast by their own perceived unworthiness.

“How could Allah possibly respond to me?” they wonder, allowing these doubts to dilute their supplications.

Allah, in His infinite wisdom, addresses ُ َ – underscoring this directly with “‫”َو ُلُیو ِ​ِمُنْوْا ِبِي‬ the necessity of full conviction in His omnipotence and mercy. This isn’t just about believing in His existence but in His boundless capability and power to answer our prayers. The Holy Prophetsa said that Allah states, ‫“ أنا عند ظن عبدي بي‬I am as My slave thinks I am.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 7405) At another place, he َ ُ ُ ‫ٰ� ه َ َ ْ ُ �م‬ ُْ admonished, �‫الِإ َ​َجاَبَ ة‬ ِ ‫اْدُعوا الّٰل� َوَأْنُت ُموِقُِنوَن ِ​ِب‬ “Supplicate to Allah with unwavering certainty of (His) response.” (Jami‘ atTirmidhi, Hadith 3479) Thus, for prayers to ascend and for that spiritual connection to be unclouded, one must shake off the whispers of despair and unworthiness and embrace the full conviction that Allah is indeed near, listening, and more than able to transform our conditions. It’s this unshakeable faith, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges or personal shortcomings, that lifts our supplications to a level where they become deserving of acceptance. Otherwise, why should the All-Powerful God listen to our prayers when we do not even believe that He can and will?

Here’s something about prayers that’s both challenging and beautiful: the call to keep at it, even when the answers seem to take their time. Allah loves the steadfast, the coming back to Him again and again, not out of despair but out of unwavering hope and trust. It’s like knocking on the door of mercy, knowing it will open at the right time, in the right way.

This persistence isn’t about nagging or desperation. It’s a testament to our faith, a way of saying, “I believe in Your wisdom and Your timing, even when I can’t see the way forward.”

It’s common, however, for many to start their prayers with hope but soon find their hearts clouded with impatience or discontent. They might feel as though they’re merely going through the motions, sifting through dust with their pleas, convinced that nothing will come of it.

Yet, here’s a piece of advice from the Promised Messiahas for those moments of doubt: within that very dust lie untold blessings. The process itself, the steadfast supplication, begins to align our hearts with our words, bringing our ultimate objectives into sharp relief. There comes a moment when the heart, in its full submission and patience, aligns perfectly with the tongue’s pleas, and that’s when objectives are not just sought but found.

(Al Hakam, Vol. 4, No. 31, 24 August 1903, p. 3)

4. Help Allah’s creation and He will help you One of the most profound ways to elevate the power of our prayers is by turning our attention and efforts towards easing the pain and suffering of others. This isn’t merely about performing an act of charity in the conventional sense; it’s about tapping into a profound connection that Allah has with His creation. Just as a parent feels gratitude towards anyone who saves their child, Allah, whose love for His creation far exceeds our understanding, holds in high regard those who show compassion and mercy towards others.

The Holy Prophetsa said:

ُ َْ ْ َ ُ َ ْ ُ ٰ ْ َ� ُ ُ ُ َ ْ َ َ ُ َ� ‫ِض َيَ ْ​ْر َ​َح ْ​ْمُك ْ​ْم‬ ِ ‫الَّرا ِ​ِحُموَن َيْرَحُمُهُم الَّرْحٰمُن اْرَحُموا َمْن ِفِي الَأْر‬ َ� � ‫الَّس َ​َما ِ​ِء‬ ‫الَّرَ ِ​ِح ُ​ُم‬ ‫َ​َم ْ​ْن ِفِي‬

“The merciful are shown mercy by ArRahman, the Gracious God. Be merciful on the earth, and you will be shown mercy from the One Who is above the heavens.”

(Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-birri wa s-silati ‘an rasulillahisa, Hadith 1924) Therefore, when we seek the acceptance Continued on page 5 >>

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This Week in History

A glimpse into the rich history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

7 April 1934: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra embarked on his first-ever visit to Lyallpur (now Faisalabad), British India.

The Civil and Military Gazette, on 10 April, reported under the heading “Ahmadiyas at Lyallpur”:

5-6 April 5 April 1948: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra delivered a lecture at the Special Government Hall in Peshawar, titled “Pakistanion se khuli khuli baatein”, as part of a series of lectures titled “Istihkame-Pakistan” — The Consolidation of Pakistan.

Inspection of Radio Station, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

and Khwaja Kamaluddin Sahib attended this event as well. In this regard, Syed Sulaiman Nadvi writes:

Sandeman, MP, and there were quite a number of other nonMoslems present.

“Maulana [Shibli Nomani] wanted that all sects should unitedly work for the propagation [of Islam]. For this reason, he did not even deny the participation of Mirza Bashir-udThe Civil and Military Gazette, on Din Mahmud Ahmad Sahib – who is 9 April, reported under the heading the current Khalifa of Qadian – and “First Observe Then Demand Shariat Khawaja Kamaluddin Sahib. Upon Law – Ahmadiya Head”: this, Maulana was questioned during the same jalsa as to why he had “Mirza Bashir-ud-Din, the head of invited Qadianis to this jalsa, and the Ahmadiya community, while allowed them to deliver speeches.” addressing a public meeting here (Hayat-i-Shibli [ed. 1970], p. 571) yesterday, accused all those who were not following the Shariat and even For more details, see “Hazrat Muslehthen clamouring for Shariat rule, of e-Maud’s response to the Shuddhi ‘being dishonest to themselves and movement and the Jamaat’s relentless deceiving the world.’ He asked the services for Islam” at alhakam.org (17 people ‘first to take strictly to the December 2021, p. 18).

Shariat themselves.’”

6 April 1933: On this day, M A Jinnah For more details, see “‘Consolidation attended a reception at the Fazl of Pakistan’: Lectures by Hazrat Mosque in London, on the occasion Musleh-e-Maud on how Pakistan can of Eid-ul-Adha. Reporting on this, see success”, at alhakam.org (6 May the Sunday Times of London wrote 2022, p. 10). on 9 April, under the heading “The Wimbledon Mosque”: 6 April 1912: Allama Shibli Nomani, a prominent Muslim leader organised “[T]here was also a large gathering a three-day jalsa in Lucknow, in the grounds of the little mosque in commencing on this day, to find the Melrose Road, Wimbledon, where Mr solution to the Shuddhi Movement. Jinnah, the famous Indian Moslem, On his invitation, Hazrat Sahibzada spoke on India’s future. The chair Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra was taken by Sir Nairne Stewart

“Mr Jinnah made unfavourable comments on the Indian ‘White Paper’ and the ‘safeguards’ from a national point of view. The chairman, in reply, took up the Churchill attitude on the subject, and this led to heckling by some of the Muslim students present, who were, however, eventually calmed by the Imam of the Mosque.”

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

6 April 1984: On this day, during his Friday sermon, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh emphasised the importance of reciting seven specific prayers to seek protection from the malign influence of adversaries.

Additionally, these prayers encompass themes of praising Allah, invoking blessings upon the Holy Prophetsa, seeking forgiveness, mercy, steadfastness and Allah’s help. (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 3, pp. 187-198)

“For the first time in the history of Lyallpur, His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad, Head of the Ahmadiya Community visited Lyallpur and today delivered a message to a huge gathering of his followers. In the evening he was entertained at a garden party in the Dist. Engineer’s Bungalow.”

For more details, see “‘Our sole objective is to foster a connection between God and His servants’: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s first-ever visit to Lyallpur, 1934”, at alhakam. org (7 April 1934, p. 8).

8 April 1948: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra delivered a lecture at the Mission College (Edwardes College) in Peshawar, as part of a series of lectures titled “Istihkame-Pakistan” — The Consolidation of Pakistan.

For more details, see “‘Consolidation of Pakistan’: Lectures by Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud on how Pakistan can see success”, at alhakam.org (6 May 2022, p. 10).

8 April 1988: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih IVrh inaugurated the new building of the Baitur Rahman Mosque in Glasgow, Scotland and delivered the Friday sermon. (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 7, pp. 229-244)

7-8 April

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5 - 11 April

of our prayers, especially for significant matters, actively seeking out and alleviating the suffering of others can act as a powerful catalyst for Divine favour.

5. Praise Allah before praying 11 April 1900: On this day, after the Eid-ul-Adha prayer, the Promised Messiahas delivered an extempore sermon in very articulate and expressive Arabic, known as Khutbae-Ilhamiyyah.

For more details about the history of earthquakes, see “Who was behind the Arabic works of the Promised Messiah a.s.? – Part III (Khutba-eIlhamiyah [The Revealed Sermon])”, at alhakam.org (18 September 2020, pp. 8-9).

11 April 1905: On this day, Shimla, the summer capital of British India, was struck by severe earthquake aftershocks.

For more details about the history of earthquakes, see “Prophecies of the Promised Messiahas: Earthquakes”, at alhakam.org (31 May 2019, pp. 10-11).

11 April 1982:On this day, the 7th Jalsa Salana of Jamaat Germany concluded.

This two-day-long Jalsa was held in Haus Gallus Hall in Frankfurt and a message from Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh was presented before the participants. Late Mubarak Ahmad Saqi Sahib was sent as a representative from the Markaz. The Jalsa’s total attendance was 762.

For more details, see “History of Germany Jalsa”, at alhakam.org (7 September 2018, pp. 4-7).

11 April 9 April 1908: On this day, Badr published a letter to the Promised Messiahas by Hazrat Munshi Muhammad Haider Khanra from Ceylon, wherein he mentioned some Ceylonese individuals who accepted the Promised Messiahas, and some who had a keen interest in Huzoor’sas teachings. He mentioned an individual named Abdul Azeez, who was the president of a Muslim association there, who later accepted Ahmadiyyat through a letter.

For more details, see “Early history of Ahmadiyyat in Ceylon: A glimpse into the Ceylonese newspapers”, at alhakam.org (26 January 2024, p.

10).

10 April 1988: On this day, the Ojhari Camp in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, witnessed a catastrophic disaster due to a series of explosions in a stored weapons depot. In response, volunteers from the local jamaat swiftly mobilised to provide physical and financial assistance to those affected. Furthermore, a message of condolence and a monetary aid of

9 - 10 April

one hundred thousand rupees was dispatched from Markaz.

(Silsila-e-Ahmadiyya, Vol. 4, p. 847) 10 April 2004: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa inaugurated Benin’s MTA studios. Then, the national amilas of Majlis Ansarullah and Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya had separate mulaqats with Huzooraa.

(Al Fazl International, 30 July 2004, p. 23 ) 10 April 2017: On this day, while in Germany, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa inaugurated the Aafiyat Mosque, which is located in the city of Waldshut-Tiengen. This mosque is historic in the sense that it is the 50th mosque of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in Germany. Marking the opening of this mosque, a special reception was held which was attended by 110 dignitaries and guests. (“50th Ahmadiyya Mosque in Germany opened in WaldshutTiengen by Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community”, 13 April 2017, www.pressahmadiyya.com)

Take your time before diving into your du‘a: Start by praising Allah and invoking salawat on the Holy Prophetsa. (Sunan atTirmidhi, Hadith 3477) This practice of starting our prayers with praise [tahmid] is exemplified by Surah al-Fatiha. This Surah opens with the glorification of Allah and recognising His major attributes before moving to a plea for guidance, demonstrating the natural way of asking from Him. Furthermore, the Quran teaches us to call upon Allah by His beautiful attributes.

(Surah al-A‘raf, Ch.7: V.181) By asking in this manner, we open ourselves to witnessing the manifestation of these divine attributes in our lives. Allah responds to the humble supplicant in ways that affirm His attributes, showing the believer that He indeed is as He has described Himself in His attributes.

6. Invoke blessings upon the Holy Prophetsa Invoking blessings upon the Holy Prophetsa holds a unique significance. Uttering salawat, sending peace and blessings upon the Prophetsa, isn’t just a ritual; it’s a bridge of light connecting us to the Holy Prophetsa, inviting his intercession and drawing down Allah’s blessings upon us.

The Holy Prophetsa also taught us that, while you are praying to Allah, also remember that your prayers will remain suspended between heaven and earth until you send salawat upon him. (Sunan atTirmidhi, Hadith 486) Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa states: “Everyone should keep in mind that in order to win the pleasure of Allah, to attain His love, and to have our prayers find acceptance with Allah, we need the intermediation of the Holy Prophetsa. The best way to do that – as we are told in the hadith – is to invoke Allah’s blessings upon him. The Promised Messiahas has also admonished that durud should be recited abundantly.” (Conditions of Bai’at and Responsibilities of an Ahmadi, p. 61)

7. Purify yourself and your surroundings before du‘a The act of purification, through practices like wudu or the cleansing of our attire and surroundings, serves as a preparation, readying us inside and out for a mulaqat, an audience with the Most High. It not only underscores our respect for the sacred act of du‘a but also our deep yearning for Allah’s grace.

Rooted deeply in Islamic tradition, this practice highlights the essential connection between physical cleanliness and our spiritual health. It illustrates how our physical state and environment not only shape our interactions with the world around us but also significantly impact our spiritual readiness for a deep and intimate

communion with Allah.

8. Select the right time and place The ambiance in which we pray can significantly affect the quality and focus of our supplications. Seeking out moments of solitude and tranquillity, where the hustle of worldly life fades into the background, allows our hearts to turn fully towards Allah. This is why the last third of the night, the time before breaking the fast, and the quiet of solitude are all moments ripe with spiritual potential. Fasting provides us with a great opportunity to wake up at that time for tahajjiud or qiyam al-layl as it is called. In these times, our supplications, as Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra put it, become like arrows shot with precision, more likely to reach their mark. It’s about finding those pockets of peace in our day, those sanctuaries of silence, where our souls can speak without reservation to their Creator. Those are the times that infuse greater passion in our supplications, making them more worthy of being accepted.

Likewise, the place where we choose to pray can add an additional layer of spiritual significance to our supplications. Whether it’s a quiet corner in our home that we’ve dedicated to prayer and reflection, the local mosque, or any place purified by the memory of righteous actions and intentions, these spaces become sanctuaries for our souls. They, of course, include all the holy places of Islam, such as the Masjid al-Haram, Safa and Marwa, Bait-ud-Du‘a, etc. They are places where the veil between us and the Divine feels thinner, and our hearts are more receptive to the whispers of spiritual insight. The ahadith mention various occasions and places where there is a greater chance of the acceptance of prayer. One should seek those out.

9. Undertake a self-analysis and realise your desperation Before we approach Allah in du‘a, embarking on a deep self-reflection to recognise and confront each and every one of our weaknesses is crucial. This process should be so intense that it feels as though our ego has been completely subdued, recognising our total ineffectiveness without Divine support. In this state of utter humility, akin to a child wholly reliant on their parents, we should then present our prayers. Just as parents tenderly care for their dependent child, Allah, in His infinite mercy, attends to the needs of His servants. Such profound humility before Allah, acknowledging our dependence on Him as a helpless baby depends on its guardians, is essential. This submission not only aligns us more closely with His will but significantly bolsters the likelihood of our prayers being answered.

10. Contemplate Allah’s blessings and His wrath Our supplications gain depth and sincerity when we balance hope in Allah’s mercy with fear of His displeasure. Reflecting on the blessings Allah has showered Continued on page 7 >>

Friday 5 April 2024 | AL HAKAM

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‘I call myself a cultural Christian’ A response to Richard Dawkins’ LBC comments on Islam Ayesha Naseem UK

In a recent interview with the LBC, Professor Richard Dawkins took some people by surprise when he stated that he identifies himself as a ‘cultural Christian’.

He also said: “I do think that we [Britain] are a culturally Christian country. I call myself a cultural Christian. I’m not a believer but there is a distinction between being a believing Christian and being a cultural Christian and so, you know, I love Hymns and Christmas carols, and I sort of feel at home in the Christian ethos. I feel that we are a Christian country in that sense. It’s true that statistically the number of people who actually believe in Christianity is going down, and I am happy with that, but I would not be happy if, for example, we lost all our cathedrals and our beautiful parish churches. It would matter if we certainly substituted any other religion, that would be truly dreadful.”

This was not all, however. The Professor also said he was “horrified to hear that Ramadan is being promoted instead” and that if he had to choose between Christianity and Islam, he would choose Christianity. For Professor Dawkins, Christianity seems like a “fundamentally decent religion […] in a way that Islam is not.” When asked to elaborate on this, he claimed that there is “an active hostility to women” promoted “by the Holy Books of Islam” and although Muslims “are quite different”, the “doctrines of Islam, the Hadith, the Quran, is fundamentally hostile to women.”

At the end of his response, he reiterated that although he does not “believe in the single word of the Christian faith”, he prefers to live in a culturally Christian country.

Professor Dawkins has campaigned against the belief in God and against the need for religion for as long as one can remember but now, it seems, that he has reduced it to his problem with Islam.

Further, by self-proclaiming himself to be a cultural Christian while clearly emphasising he does not believe in the religion of Christianity, he is also mocking the Christian faith.

The Holy Quran and Hadith actively promote hostility toward women?

While elaborating on why he believes the

Image: Screengrab via LBC/X

religion of Christianity is fundamentally decent in a way the religion of Islam is not, Professor Dawkins made the reckless claim that the doctrine of Islam is hostile towards women. He made not a single reference to the Holy Quran or the books of Hadith [Sayings of the Holy Prophetsa] – the books he believes are the premise of hostility against women.

As repetitive as this might get, these claims are purely inaccurate and, hence, should be countered.

So, God forbid, is the Holy Quran really hostile? To answer this, we will turn to the sacred text of the Holy Quran itself.

For any argument or counterargument, providing evidence and references is imperative. This is the very fabric of academia and research, even if the Professor himself neglects it to make his point.

In Surah an-Nisa’ of the Holy Quran, it is stated:

َ​َ​َ َ ۡ َ� ۡ � ۡ ُ َ َ َ ۡ َ� ُ ُ َ� َ ۡ ُ َ� ُ َ� َ ُ� َ � ‫ﺲ �َوا َِح َ​َّد ٍَۃ �َوًخَّل َﻖ‬ ٍ ‫ۡیِاۡیُہِا الُنِاس ا�قَوا ْرَبُكۡم ال َِذۡی ًخَّلقُكۡم ِ​ِمن َنْف‬ ً ‫ِ​ِم ُۡن َُہِا َ​َز َۡو َِج َُہِا َ​َوَبَ �َﺚ ِ​ِم ُۡن ُ​ُہ َْمِا ْرِ َِجِالًا َُک ِﺜۡی ۡ ً​ًرا �َ​َونِ َۡس‬ ‫ﺂِء‬

“O ye people! fear your Lord, Who created you from a single soul and created therefrom its mate, and from them twain spread many men and women.” (Ch.4: V.2) In the Five-Volume English Commentary of the Holy Quran, it has been explained: “The expression, and created therefrom its mate, does not mean that woman was created out of the body of man but that she belonged to the same kind and species as man, having the same nature and the same propensities. The meaning of this expression becomes clear when elsewhere we read in the Quran: And Allah has made for you mates from among

yourselves (16:73); and He has made for you pairs of your own selves, and of the cattle also pairs (42:12). This means that, like other human beings, a wife was provided for Adam from his own species. And just as other men’s wives are not created from their ribs, so was the wife of Adam not created out of his ribs; and just as our wives have been made from ourselves in the sense that they are of the same kind as ourselves, so was the wife of Adam created from his rib in the sense that she belonged to the same race as Adam did. “[…] The Quran lends no support whatever to the view that Eve was actually created from the rib of Adam, as is clear from the following verses: We have created you in pairs (78:9); And of everything have We created pairs (51:50), which means that, just as God created a mate for every living thing, so did He make one for Adam.

He did not need to depart from this law in respect of Adam and to create a female for him out of his own body […] The expression ‘created from a rib’ is evidently figurative and must not be taken literally.’

(Five Volume English Commentary of the Holy Quran, Vol. II, pp. 611-612)

The right to earn Then, establishing the economic status of women, the Holy Quran states that both men and women get to keep the share of what they earn.

It is said in Surah an-Nisa, verse 33:

ۡ َ � َ َ َ � َۡ َ ‫َّلُن َۡسﺂ ِ​ِء ن ِﺼ ۡ​ۡی ٌُب �ِ​ِم �ْمِا اَک َ​َت َۡس�ۡ َ​َن‬ ِ ِ ‫ِاَل ن ِﺼ ۡ​ۡی ٌُب �ِ​ِم �ْمِا اَکَت َۡس َُبَوۡا َ​َول‬ ِ ‫ل ِ​ِ�ِرِج‬

“Men shall have the share of that which they have earned, and women a share of that which they have earned.”

The only distinction with this principle is that Islam makes the man responsible for providing for his wife and children, whereas the woman is under no obligation to do so. Her money stays with her and it is only by her own choice and liking if she spends it on her household but by no means can a husband demand from her to do so.

The right to inherit and own property Further, regarding the right to inherit and to own property, the Holy Quran states in Surah an-Nisa’, verse 8:

َۡۡ ٰ ۡ َ َ َ � َ َ َ � ‫َّلُن ُ َۡسﺂ ِ​ِء ن ِﺼ ۡ​ۡی ٌُب‬ ِ ِ ‫ِاَل ن ِﺼ ۡ​ۡی ٌُب �ِ​ِم �ْمِا َتۡرَك الَوَال َِّد َِن َ​َوالاَق َِرَبَُوۡ َ​َن � َ​َول‬ ِ ‫ل ِ​ِ�ِرِج‬ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ ‫�ِ​ِم �ْمِا َتۡرَك الَوَال َِّٰد َِن َ​َوالۡاَق َِرَبَُوۡ َ​َن ِ​ِم �ْمِا ِق �ٍَل ِ​ِمُن ُ​ُه ا َۡو ُک� ًَر ن ِﺼ ۡ​ۡی ًَبِا‬

ً َۡ ‫�ِمَف ُۡر َۡوﺿِا‬ “For men is a share of that which parents and near relations leave; and for women there is a share of that which parents and near relations leave, whether it be a little or much – a determined share.”

The Islamic system of inheritance aims at a wide and fair distribution of property. If a person should die, leaving his or her surviving parents, wife or husband, sons, and daughters, they all share in the inheritance. There is no room for discrimination between the heirs under this system, like, for instance, primogeniture, or exclusion of women.

The Holy Quran then elaborates in succeeding verses and states in verses 12 to 13 of Surah an-Nisa’: “Allah commands you concerning your children; a male shall have as much as the share of two females; but if there be females [only], [numbering] more than two, then they shall have two-thirds of what the [deceased] leaves; and if there be one, she shall have the half. And his parents shall have each of them a sixth of the inheritance, if he have a child; but if he have no child and his parents be his heirs, then his mother shall have a third; and if he have brothers and sisters, then his mother shall have a sixth, after [the payment of] any bequests he may have bequeathed or of debt […]

“And you shall have half of that which your wives leave, if they have no child; but if they have a child, then you shall have a fourth of that which they leave, after [the payment of] any bequests they may have bequeathed or of debt. And they shall have a fourth of that which you leave, if you have no child; but if you have a child, then they shall have an eighth of that which you leave, after [the payment of] any bequests you may have bequeathed or of debt. And if there be a man or a woman whose heritage is to be divided and he [or she] has neither parent nor child, and he [or she] has a brother or a sister, then each one of them shall have a sixth.

“But if they be more than that, then they shall be [equal] shareholders in onethird, after [the payment of] any bequests which may have bequeathed or of debt, without [intent to cause suffering to anyone] …” (4:12-13) According to this law, women have not only obtained a right to inherit, but they receive, like their husbands, the right to contract debts and to leave property.

It may get asked that, still, men have

AL HAKAM | Friday 5 April 2024 twice the share of women and how is that fair. That’s because Islam assigns an extra share to the man because he has an obligation to financially support his wife and children. The husband can never be freed from his responsibilities of being a guardian over his wife and children and hence, from the share that he inherits, his foremost responsibility of providing as the breadwinner comes into practice. (The Economic Status of Women in Islam, Al Hakam, www.alhakam.org)

The right to divorce History is a testament that, be it preIslamic Arabia or the early modern Western civilisation, married women did not have the right to divorce or seek divorce by law. The religion of Islam granted women this invaluable right from the very outset.

In the Holy Quran, it is said in Surah al-Baqarah, verse 228:

ٌ �ٰ َ َ َ َ� َ ‫َع ِ​ِل ۡ​ۡی ٌ​ٌم‬ َ ‫َ​َو ِ​ِا ۡ​ۡن َع َ​َز ُ​ُموا الَّطَلَاَق َف ِ​ِا �َّن الّٰل َ​َہ َ​َس ِ​ِم ۡ​ۡیٌع‬

‘And if they decide upon divorce, then surely, Allah is All-Hearing, AllKnowing.’

Under certain conditions – either due to a lack of compatibility and understanding or for any other reason – Islam has given permission to both, men and women, to terminate a marriage with an equal say. Where a man has the right to talaq [a man’s right to divorce], the woman has the right to khul‘ [a woman’s right to divorce]. Islam has cautioned men that they should exercise their right to divorce with the utmost thoughtfulness as under no circumstances should a woman be unfairly treated in the event of a divorce.

Hazrat Chaudhry Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khanra, former President of the International Court of Justice, has written: “Divorce is permitted in Islam, but the Prophetsa has said that of all things permitted, the most obnoxious in the sight of God is divorce. The process of divorce is spread over a period, during which every effort must be made at smoothing out differences and at reconciliation. If differences become acute, the counsel and help of mediators, one from the wife’s people and one from the husband’s, should be sought (The Holy Quran, Surah an-Nisa’, Ch.4: V.36). If divorce is finally decided upon, the husband cannot take away from the wife anything he has given her (4:21-22) and must make suitable provision for her over a period of six months, which is normally required for the process to be completed. If husband and wife are reconciled to each other during this period, the divorce proceedings are dropped (Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.2: V.229230).” (Islam: It’s Meaning for Modern Man, p. 247) In response to a question regarding women’s rights during the process of divorce, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa explained: “As far as talaq and khula are concerned, there is no difference in them either. Rather, it is a favour of Islam that it has not only given men the right to divorce but has also given women the right to obtain khula. Men and women

7

have been given equal rights in this matter too. When a man divorces a woman, he is made to pay all kinds of financial dues to her. Moreover, whatever financial support he may have given to her before, he cannot take any of it back. Likewise, when a woman obtains khula, without any fault on the husband’s part, she also has to pay back some of the financial dues such as the dowry money etc. However, if it is proven that the woman is obtaining khula due to a fault on the husband’s part, then the woman has been given this additional benefit under such circumstances that she remains the owner of the dowry.” (“What is the status of women in Islam”, Al Hakam, www.alhakam.org, 13 November 2020) What has been described above is nowhere near complete; the Holy Quran is full of perfect and complete commandments and guidance that protect the matters of women and grants them the empowering rights that even governments and societies of today have still not fully managed to implement.

The narrations of the Holy Prophetsa – the books of Hadith Richard Dawkins also alleged that apart from the Holy Quran, the books of Hadith are also hostile towards women. Again, he did not reference a single hadith to back this. We can help with this.

In pre-Islamic Arabia, where people used to bury their new-born girls alive, or in the West, where until the 21st century, girls and women did not have access to education or employment, the Holy Prophet of Islamsa, promised that parents who provide care, affection and upbringing to their daughters will find a great reward for themselves.

In a narration, it has been reported that the Holy Prophetsa said that one who brings up his daughters well will be as close to him in Paradise as his fingers are close to each other. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab a, Bab fadli l-ihsani ila l-banaat, Hadith 2631) In another well-known narration, the Holy Prophetsa said: “The most perfect of believers in the matter of faith is he whose behaviour is best, and the best of you are those who behave best towards their wives.” (Riyad as-Salihin, Kitab al-muqaddamat, Bab alwasiyyah, Hadith 278) Hazrat Aishara – the wife of the Holy Prophetsa and also the first female scholar of Islam – relates that “Once a woman came to me begging with her two daughters; I could not find anything except a single date, which I gave her. She divided it between her daughters and did not herself eat any of it. Then she got up and left. When the Holy Prophetsa came, I told him of it. He said, ‘One who is tried with daughters and treats them well will find that they will become his shield from the Fire.’” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab azzakat, Bab ittaqu n-nara wa law bu shiqqi tamrah, Hadith 1418) Regarding consent in marriage, the Holy Prophetsa has established the right of a woman to give her say. During his address to the ladies session of Jalsa Salana Germany in 2017, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa explained:

“There is also the matter of rights in marriage. Some parents, who do not follow the teachings of Islam themselves, give non-Muslims the opportunity to level allegations, whereas the Holy Prophetsa has established the right of a woman to decide her matrimonial match. We find in one narration that a young woman approached the Holy Prophetsa and said that her father had arranged her marriage, but she did not approve of it. Hence, the Holy Prophetsa gave her the right to either maintain that relationship or to refuse and end it.” [Sunan Abi Daud, Kitab annikah, Bab fi l-bikri yazujuha abuha wa la yasta’maraha, Hadith 2096] Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa further stated: “Although Islam grants the father [of the bride] guardianship in matrimonial matters, and at the time of nikah [Islamic announcement of marriage] it is the father who expresses approval, however, the approval of the daughter is absolutely necessary, barring any issue [in the proposed matrimonial match] relating to religion. If, however, the girl herself is firm in her faith and gives precedence to faith over the world then she herself would not approve of such a proposal.

Thus, the allegation against Islam that women do not have the right to choose whom they marry is entirely untrue and a completely false allegation. If a father arranges his daughter’s marriage without asking her and without her consent, then he is the one at fault, not the teachings of Islam.’ (Islam’s Protection of Women’s Rights, reviewofreligions.org)

Conclusion: ‘Muslims are quite different’ but the ‘doctrine of Islam is fundamentally hostile’ The strangest and paradoxical part of Professor Dawkins’ comments was his distinction between the doctrine of Islam and the Muslims who are supposedly different from it. This could not be more inaccurate.

In Surah al-Baqarah, verse 2 of the Holy Quran, it is said: “This is a perfect Book; there is no doubt in it; [it is] a guidance for the righteous […]”

This means Muslims do follow the Holy Quran and its commandments so if they are ‘quite different’ from Professor Dawkins, then it just goes to prove that he lacks knowledge of Islamic theology. The very doctrine he has a problem with, is the guidance Muslims use and strive to follow in their day-to-day life.

There are Muslims who may not always follow the doctrine and can inevitably act in contrast to its teachings but if he claims that Muslims and their attitudes are supposedly better than the doctrine of their faith, then clearly his argument fails because the problem is not with the theology but with his unsolicited and illinformed claim.

Consequently, the professor should let go of his unwillingness to engage with religious texts he scrutinises so much. And if he must persist with his arguments and claims, he should bring relevant references – surely, for a professor in academia and research, that’s the bare minimum.

<< Continued from page 5

upon us fills our hearts with gratitude, while being mindful of His punishment for our transgressions instils a healthy fear that guides our actions. This balance keeps our spiritual journey in perspective, motivating us to strive for what is pleasing to Allah and to steer clear of His wrath.

11. Be energetic in supplication The state of our physical being when supplicating matters.

Approaching Allah with alertness, a lively spirit, and with an engaged heart makes our supplication more impactful. It signifies our earnestness and our active yearning for Allah’s guidance and mercy. Just as we would prepare ourselves to meet someone of importance in this world, how much more so should we prepare when standing before the King of all kings?

The Holy Prophetsa warned:

ّ� ُ ْ ً ‫ستجيُب ُ​ُد‬ ُ َ‫أَّن ال ٰ�ّٰل َ​َه لا َي‬ ‫واعلُموا‬ ‫عاًء من قْل ٍ​ٍب غاِفِ ٍ​ٍل َلَا ٍ​ٍه‬

“And know that Allah does not respond to a supplication from the heart of one heedless and occupied by play.” (Jami‘ atTirmidhi, Hadith 3479)

12. Take a gradual approach in supplication Rushing into our main requests in du‘a can sometimes feel abrupt, both for us and in the spiritual realm. Starting with smaller, more general prayers helps warm our hearts and builds a rhythm of supplication that gradually leads to the more significant, personal appeals. This approach not only helps in articulating our prayers more clearly but also mirrors the natural way in which conversations unfold, starting broad and then narrowing down to specifics.

13. Make such du‘as first, which Allah always accepts Beginning our supplication session with du‘as that are universally recognised for their acceptance, such as those for the manifestation of God’s majesty, the continuous elevation of the ranks of our lord and master, the Holy Prophet Muhamamdsa and his progeny, and the victory of Islam Ahmadiyyat, sets a positive tone for our personal requests.

It aligns our desires with the will of Allah and the good of the entire ummah, thereby elevating the likelihood of our subsequent, individual prayers being answered.

Conclusion As we go through the spiritually charged atmosphere of Ramadan, it’s essential to recognise that du‘a is not merely a ritualistic utterance but a profound conversation with our Creator. The principles and practices we’ve explored are designed to deepen this conversation, making it more meaningful, focused, and, ultimately, more likely to be accepted. May Allah enable us to utilise these methods in the best possible manner and may he accept our prayers. Amin.

Friday 5 April 2024 | AL HAKAM

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Suez and Panama canals A Quranic prophecy fulfilled

Usama Awan Radiologist, USA

In the contemporary maritime landscape, the Red Sea remains a testament to the enduring strategic significance of key waterways in global trade and politics.

Recently, this vital maritime route has garnered heightened attention due to escalating tensions involving the Houthis of Yemen. This situation underscores the continuing geopolitical importance of major waterways like the Suez Canal, which connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean and serves as a poignant backdrop to our exploration of a prophecy of the Holy Quran.

The Holy Quran contains many prophecies, some of which have only relatively recently been fulfilled. One of these prophecies foretells the construction of the Suez and Panama Canals. These are two canals that have revolutionised global trade, politics, and societies. They have shortened the distance between far-off lands and helped to create a global village.

Before we delve into the prophecy and the verses that describe the construction of these monumental canals, it is important to briefly glance at how they were built along with their geographical locations.

and vice versa without having to traverse around the southern tip of Africa. This canal saves ships approximately a month’s journey leaving from India headed towards the United Kingdom – the 19th-century version of Amazon Prime. As one can imagine, this was no simple task and took sophisticated equipment and modern engineering to accomplish. Thousands of labourers died in building the canal, mainly due to cholera and other diseases. (“The Suez Canal: A waterway to die for”, ahram. org.eg) Eventually, however, the Suez Canal Company built a 120-mile-long, sea-level waterway connecting the two seas.

The Suez Canal also had tremendous political implications. Initially, the canal was owned jointly by the UK and France. In 1956, the President of Egypt, Gamal Abdel Nasser, nationalised the canal. This move led to the Suez Crisis and the UK, France and Israel invaded Egypt. Ultimately, the United States intervened to prevent an escalation to war. (“Suez Canal” and “Suez Crisis”, britannica.com) The Panama Canal, on the other hand, was built in the Western Hemisphere. In comparison to the Suez Canal, this was an even more arduous task, although it is less than half the length. Noting success in the Suez Canal, the same developer, Ferdinand

Image: Typical sailing circumnavigation of the world via the Panama Canal and Suez Canal, using the trade winds | Wikimedia

Let us first discuss the Suez Canal, which was built in Egypt. The developer of this project was a French man named Ferdinand de Lesseps. Construction began in 1859 and finished a decade later, in 1869. (“Suez Canal”, britannica.com) The canal serves to connect the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, thereby allowing ships to travel from the Indian Ocean to Europe

de Lesseps, tried to replicate the process for the Panama Canal and build a sea-level waterway. Construction began in 1881.

However, after 8 years of laborious work, nearly 20,000 deaths due to various tropical diseases, and $287 million US dollars spent, the French abandoned the construction of the canal. Realising its immense potential, the US intervened in 1904 and re-initiated the project. (“Why the Construction of

the Panama Canal Was So Difficult—and Deadly”, www.history.com; “Panama Canal”, britannica.com) In contrast to the Suez Canal, a system of

without having to circumnavigate the southern tip of South America. (“Panama Canal”, britannica.com) As is evident from this brief background,

Image: Rodrigue, J-P (ed) (2020), The Geography of Transport Systems, Fifth Edition, New York: Routledge.

locks was used when the US intervened due to the topography, as a sea-level waterway was not possible. This is because the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean are not at the same height at the site of the Panama Canal. One can think of traversing through the Panama Canal as similar to climbing a hill, but in water. These locks determine the maximum size of a ship that can traverse through the canal. Therefore, ships are made to this standard even today and are known as Panamax vessels. The construction of the Panama Canal was such a monumental feat, that the American Society of Civil Engineers has ranked it as one of the seven wonders of the modern world. (“Civil engineers create wonders of the world”, www.asce.org) Similar to the Suez Canal, the economic and political ramifications were high.

Initially, agreements were underway between Columbia and the United States. However, the Senate of Columbia did not ratify the proposed agreement.

After this failure, President Theodore Roosevelt pursued another option – that of Panamanian independence from Columbia.

He sent military aid to thwart any possible Columbian retaliation and Panama declared independence on 3 November 1903. The United States recognised Panama as an independent nation and three days later signed a treaty with them, initiating the work on the Panama Canal. The project was finally completed in 1914, thereby allowing ships to travel from the Pacific to the Atlantic

both of these canals had and continue to have a tremendous economic, political, and societal impact. Both involved Western powers, modern technology and massive feats of engineering to accomplish. It is therefore even more astonishing that the Holy Quran predicted their construction 1300 years prior to their formation. This is undoubtedly a sign of the truthfulness of Islam.

Let us discuss the verses of the Quran that describe the creation of these canals.

Firstly, the Quran records the phrase ‫ِمۡرج‬ ‫ الَبحِرۡین‬meaning “He merged the two seas” only twice - once in Surah al-Furqan and again in Surah ar-Rahman. In Surah alFurqan the details of the Panama Canal are discussed and in Surah ar-Rahman details of the Suez Canal are discussed. It is evident from the history of these canals that their formation was revolutionary for the entire world’s affairs and so there is wisdom in recording these events as a sign for believers and non-believers alike.

Firstly, we turn to Surah ar-Rahman and the discussion of the Suez Canal. Verses 2023 are as follows:

ۡ ۡ ۡ ‫َِمۡرَ َج ال َ​َبح َِرۡیۡ ِن ۡیَ​َّل َ​َت ِق ٰۡی َِن‬ َ� ٌ َ َ ‫َبَ ۡ​ۡیُن ُ​ُہ َْمِا َبَ ۡ​ۡرَزخ لا ۡیَ َۡب ِغ ٰۡی َِن‬

َ َ � َُ ُ ‫َف َِبِا ِ�ۡی ٰالَ� ِ​ِء َْر �َِبُك َْمِا َتُك َِذ َٰب ِن‬ ُ ‫ۡیَ ۡ� ُِر ُج ِم ُۡن ُ​ُہ َْمِا ال �َُّل ۡ​ۡؤل ُ ُۡؤ َ​َو ال ۡ َْم ۡ​ۡر َِج‬ ‫ِاَن‬ ِ

AL HAKAM | Friday 5 April 2024 The first verse mentions that He has merged the two seas, but the second verse explains that presently, there is a barrier between them, preventing them from encroaching upon each other. As we know, that barrier was removed with the construction of the Suez Canal, and now the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea are able to flow into one another. Notably, the word ‫[ يلتقيان‬yaltaqiyaan] is used here to denote their meeting and mixing into one another.

This is possible through the sea-level waterway that has been created. They have started to mix to such a degree that marine life from the Red Sea has begun migrating into the Mediterranean Sea – a phenomenon known as Lessepsian migration or Erythrean invasion. But how can we know for sure that these are the two seas that are mentioned and not some other seas? The subsequent verse gives us the answer, which records that pearls and corals come out of them.

The Red Sea is well known for its corals and coral reefs. Coral reefs are mostly found near the equator, where water temperatures typically stay greater than 68 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. The reefs in the Red Sea run along the entire coastline – nearly 1200 miles. The Red Sea houses one of the most biodiverse coral reef systems in the world. This narrow strip of sea contains more than 300 species of coral – much more than those found in all of the Greater Caribbean. The Red Sea also contains the Pinctada Radiata, also known as the Gulf Pearl Oyster. This oyster is generally found throughout the Indo-Pacific oceans.

Recently, however, it has found a new home in the Mediterranean as well due to the Lessepsian migration via the Suez Canal, as described previously.

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better comprehend. Measuring the salinity – or the grams of salt dissolved in 1 kg of water – is quite a difficult task. The salinity of oceans depends on various factors, such as the weathering of rocks, evaporation, precipitation, and the melting of ice. NASA sent a specific satellite named Aquaris in 2011 to measure the salinity of the oceans so that it can help scientists better understand the ocean currents and the water cycle, which are heavily dependent on ocean salinity. Using special sensors, it was able to gather more data in the first few months than all of the data that had been gathered in the past 125 years. Below is a picture from NASA’s mission:

َ� ٌُۡ َ َ ٌ ُ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ ‫َ​َو ُ​ُہَوَ اَّل ِ​ِذ ۡ​ۡی َ​َمَرَ َ​َج اۡل َ​َبۡح َ​َرۡیۡ ِ​ِن ٰ​ٰہَذا َ​َعۡذ ٌ​ٌب ُف َ​َراٌت �َّو ٰ​ٰہَذا ِ​ِمۡلٌح ُا َ​َج ٌاٌج� َ​َو‬ َ َ ًَ َ ‫َ​َج َ​َع َ​َل َبَ ۡ​ۡیَن ُ​ُہ َ​َما َبَ ۡ​ۡرَزًخا �َّو ِ​ِح ۡ​ۡج ً​ًرا �َّم ۡ​ۡح ُ​ُجۡوۡ ً​ًرا‬

“And He it is Who has caused the two seas to flow, this palatable [and] sweet, and that saltish [and] bitter; and between them He has placed a barrier and a great partition.” (Surah al-Furqan, Ch.25: V.54) In this verse, we see that the two seas that are being described are described as possessing different qualities than those mentioned in Surah ar-Rahman. Instead of mentioning corals and pearls coming from them it records that one is sweet and palatable and the other is salty and bitter.

The salinity of oceans is a complicated science that oceanographers and other scientists have only recently started to

Suez Canal Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea

‫مرج البحرين‬

Merged the two seas

Panama Canal Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean

‫مرج البحرين‬

Merged the two seas

‫عذب فرات‬

‫عذب فرات‬

Sweet, Palatable

Sweet, Palatable

‫ملح أجاج‬

Salty, Bitter ‫بينهما برزخ‬

‫ملح أجاج‬

Salty, Bitter ‫بينهما برزخ‬

Between them Between them is a barrier is a barrier

Image: www.nasa.gov

What is immediately evident from this satellite image is the large orange-red area within the northern Atlantic, where the salinity is almost 40 parts per million.

According to NASA, this part of the Atlantic

Image: www.coraldigest.org

Let us turn from the Suez Canal to now discuss the other use of the phrase ‫مرج البحرين‬ in Surah al-Furqan where the specifics of the Panama canal are mentioned:

and Pacific Oceans. It is an absolutely astonishing prophecy that science has only recently affirmed. It is impossible that the Prophet Muhammadsa or any Arab, or anyone else for that matter, could have known of the differences in salinities of the world’s oceans in the 7th century. “And in the Earth are signs for those who have certainty of faith.” (Surah Adh-Dhariyat, Ch.51: V.20) Furthermore, we find that the verse in Surah al-Furqan which describes the Panama Canal records another phrase that is not used in describing the Suez Canal. ً ً or a great partition.

The phrase is ‫محجوًرا‬ ‫حجًرا‬ Additionally, the word ‫ يلتقيان‬is not used, meaning that the “meet” as is used in Surah

is “analogous to deserts on land” where salinity levels are extremely high compared to other parts of the world. This is mainly due to the high levels of evaporation and little rainfall. NASA even sent a special vessel to the saltiest locations to corroborate the data reported by the Aquarius satellite.

In contrast, the Pacific Ocean is mainly green and even purple/blue in areas west of the Panama Canal, indicating extremely low salinity.

It is also important to note that the difference in salinity between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea is nowhere as stark and both are on the saltier end of the scale. Whereas, there is an enormous difference in salinity between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, especially near the Panama Canal.

Returning to the verses of the Quran, one sea is described as ‫[ عذب فرات‬sweet and palatable] and the other as ‫[ ملح أجاج‬salty and bitter], which clearly describes the Atlantic

ar-Rahman to describe the Suez Canal. This is another beautiful prophecy elucidating that the Panama Canal is fundamentally different from the Suez Canal. The difference is that the Panama Canal uses a system of locks to transport vessels from one side to the other. If the reader recalls, Ferdinand de Lesseps, who had much success in building a sea-level waterway in the Suez, tried to replicate the process for the Panama Canal, but failed miserably. This is due to the fact that there is still a partition between them, not allowing the two waters to flow freely into each other, as is the case with the Suez Canal. Therefore, even though the two seas have been caused to join, they cannot be said to have “met” one another.

Below is a schematic explaining how the system works. Essentially, as a vessel enters one of the locks, the lock in front is dropped down so that water can fill up, raising the vessel to a certain height so that it can travel above the lock. The vessel can then travel for some time until reaching the next lock, whereby the next lock is dropped, once again filling the water up and raising the vessel. In this manner, vessels can cross from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean and vice versa.

To summarize the two verses, below is a table comparing and contrasting the two:

ً ً ‫محجوًرا‬ ‫حجًرا‬

ً ً ‫محجوًرا‬ ‫حجًرا‬

A great barrier

A great barrier

The Holy Quran has described both of these canals to tremendous detail in just a few words. These were no ordinary canals either - they revolutionised the world economically, politically, and socially.

Undoubtedly, this is a faith-inspiring prophecy for the believers. Notably, both were also built in the same period of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Just as the world set off on a course of increasing globalization, Allah sent His Messiah, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas to join humanity under one banner. “Surely, in that is a sign for a people who reflect.” (Surah anNahl, Surah Ch.16: V.12) Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh mentioned in one of his Quran classes that this prophecy should be at the tip of every Ahmadi’s tongue so that they can use it to ask nonMuslims as to how it was possible for the Prophet Muhammadsa to have come up with this on his own. No doubt it was Allah, ‫عالم‬ ‫ الغيب‬the Knower of the unseen, who informed the Prophet Muhammadsa. These verses serve to prove the truthfulness of Islam and the existence of Allah.

Image: semanticscholar.org

Friday 5 April 2024 | AL HAKAM

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‘Spread the message to other Swedes’ My journey from atheism to Islam Alexander Svensson Sweden

My name is Alexander Svensson and I am a 26-year-old convert from Sweden. I accepted Islam Ahmadiyyat on Jalsa Salana UK 2023 and I wish to share my story in the hope of inspiring anyone out there who might need it. In order to do so in the best possible way, I will try to break down the main events of the journey itself, my thoughts at the time of these events, as well as my own analysis of what effect they might have had on the development and progress of my beliefs when looking back at the journey today.

Early stages of my search for the truth I grew up in a family without any belief whatsoever. The only religious connection I can see my parents having is that they were baptised in church as well as celebrating Christmas and Easter, though all of this was done traditionally rather than religiously.

Naturally, growing up as a child in an environment of disbelief and being told that religious texts are fairy tales, is going to apply to my own beliefs as well. Do not get me wrong, my parents are incredibly loving and caring. I love them with all my heart and I know that they did the best possible parenting they could with the ways they knew and the experiences they had at the time.

As I was getting into my teenage years, I was starting to question our existence more and more. These are common existential questions that we all ask ourselves, more or less, like “What is the purpose of life?” and “What happens after death?” Even though most people have these thoughts, I think they probably occupied and bothered me more than most people. I have always been a deep thinker in a way that I easily get caught up in over-analysing the smallest details.

At this point in my life, I did not appreciate that trait about myself like I do today.

Nowadays, this applies on a more objective and philosophical level but at that age and in this society, you easily get caught in the trap of wanting to fit in. This, in combination with the feeling that I was a bit differentminded from an average Swede, had me over-analysing my behaviour in comparison to theirs, leading to more insecurity and feeling even more different. I also had a hard time expressing my thoughts and feelings, and even though I had a lot of friends, all of this made it very difficult for me to connect with people on a deeper level. From the perspective I have today, I believe that this

has been key for me to find Allah. While the people around me found their meaning in life in their family and friends, my search had to continue.

Becoming an adult, I was still stuck searching for answers in worldly things. I was of the impression that modern science had proven religions wrong and thereby made them obsolete, and because of that, they were not worth looking into. I think this, unfortunately, is the case with a lot of people in today’s day and age. I do not know who to blame for this other than all the ignorant people of faith we can see today, who spread lies about, for example, Adamas being the first human being rather than the first divinely guided human being and Christians claiming that the Bible teaches that the earth is flat. Beliefs of this kind are so widespread amongst the believers in the world today that non-believers casually dismiss religion without doing any research of their own, thinking these are the true teachings when actually, they are mere wrongful interpretations applied to religions over time by misguided people. It was not until I learned that Islamic science and modern science are completely aligned that I found interest in learning more about the religion, but before I got to that point, there was another stage of my search that I believe to have played a big part.

I moved out of my parents’ home at the age of 18 or 19. When analysing this today, I think moving out at this early age might have been crucial for my progress in finding Allah. I think that this limited the influence my family had on me, enabling me to start thinking more for myself.

At this point, I started to notice more of what was happening around the world, the warmongering of the great powers and the rise of the influence and power of corporations over governments and nations.

I started noticing the evil in the world. I also noticed that what we hear and see on the news often does not correspond with what is happening. This made me determined to find out what the people in power are actually doing and what they are trying to hide, and without going into detail on what I learned, I can confidently say, in the hope of not sounding too cynical, that the world today is mostly under the sway of true evil, an evil that I today, without any doubt, can define as “Shaitan”.

I remember a discussion I had with a couple of friends back in 2020 about religion. I do not remember in detail what we discussed, but one of my friends said something that I think I will never forget.

Something very simple, yet containing a lot

Jorchr | Wiki Commons

of wisdom. He said, “If there is evil in the world, there is also good.” This may seem like something obvious to many people, but in a world where bitterness and hopelessness are increasing, and to people who personally experience this to some degree, I believe this can be a great eye-opener.

How I found spirituality through science Later on, I discovered quantum mechanics, which intensely caught my curiosity and when I find interest in something, I tend to go pretty deep. I will try my best to describe why this has affected my progress towards believing in God. For those who are not acquainted with quantum mechanics, it is the most advanced field in physics. In simple terms, it is the study of the behaviour of subatomic particles, which is not at all in correspondence with the other laws of physics as we know them. Quantum mechanics has proven that particles behave differently while being observed than when they are not being observed. And apparently, how they behave seems to be random to the human mind so through probability calculations, physicists try to predict the behaviour of the particles.

So basically, merely looking at an object impacts the behaviour of the particles in that object, implying that the particle itself has an awareness that it is being watched.

Albert Einstein is one of the pioneers in the area, although he was somewhat critical of it since even he did not understand it (which says a lot), as no human is properly able to and probably never will be able to do. He famously said: “If quantum theory is correct, it signifies the end of physics as a science,”

describing the absurdity of it concerning the established laws of physics we have discovered over the last few centuries. As famous chemist Louis Pasteur once said, though not regarding quantum mechanics, but still highly relevant to the subject, “A little bit of science distances you from God, but a lot of science brings you closer to Him.” By researching this, I also learned that through quantum mechanics and string theory (a more recent theory of particle physics that operates within the quantum realm), the concept of higher dimensions above the three dimensions that we all know of (four when time is considered a dimension) has been theoretically proven. Some studies suggest ten or eleven, and others suggest as many as 26 dimensions. I have always been good with logical thinking, and I have, up until this point, always perceived our world as purely logical. So it was when I learned about all of this, which is illogical (at least to the human mind), that my eyes and my mind for the first time, opened up to the possibility of a spiritual realm connected to the world that we live in. After having this worldview-breakthrough, my development of faith became very intensified. I started connecting things happening in my everyday life to my understanding of this spiritual realm. Things like, when you think about something happening and the exact same thing happens right next to you the very next moment, or when you say something to a friend and they say, “I was just thinking about that exact same thing,” or when you call someone on the phone and they say, “I was just about to call you.” These kinds of things happen way too frequently

AL HAKAM | Friday 5 April 2024 to be mere “coincidences,” and all of this made me understand that everything in this world is connected, one way or another. But I still had not yet gotten to the point where I understood that the “thing” connecting everything is Allah, as I know Him today.

I remember having a conversation with my mother. This was early 2021 and I was 23 years old at the time. I told her for the first time that I had come to believe in something spiritual. I remember using both God in the singular and gods in the plural in my effort to describe it, which is kind of selfexplanatory of my confusion at the time. I will not forget the look on her face while I was trying to describe it, probably thinking this was the last thing she thought I would ever say.

A couple of months later, I saw a movie on TV about the life of Jesusas from a Christian perspective. This movie had a profound effect on me and it even brought me to tears. The very next day, I started reading the Bible for the first time in my life.

Since then, I started seeing cues around me much more frequently, to the point where I feel certain that “someone” or “something” is trying to tell me something, and I tried to interpret these cues as some form of guidance, which I tried to follow if possible.

However, at this point, I am still not able to connect these cues directly to God.

Getting to know Allah through Islam Time passed and the progress of my belief slowed back down and remained at more or less the same stage until the middle of 2022 or so. I am still connecting things happening around me to some form of spiritual entity but I am not getting any further in finding out what that entity is. At this point, I happened to come into contact with a Muslim friend who had recently started practising Islam after many years of not practising and we started discussing. I asked some questions about his religion as well as shared some of my thoughts and experiences. He was very eager to inform me and he was very helpful as he gave me many satisfying answers to the questions I had. I had encountered Islam many times in my life but I only knew about some of the obligations and prohibitions of the religion and had never gotten a deeper understanding of it. He explained to me how the New Testament is made out of several Gospels, that there are more Gospels written than those we can find in the Bible today, and that men of power in history with personal agendas have decided which Gospels should be included in it and which should not. Also, he explained how verses have been added, removed and altered. Then he informed me about the philosophy behind some of the prohibitions and obligations of a Muslim, which all made very much sense to me. He also explained that the Quran is the only religious scripture that is still in its original state and he strongly recommended that I start reading it. Finally, he sent me a 60-page document containing nothing but extracts from the Quran with facts about every single scientific field that has only been proven by modern science in the past couple of hundred years. This document, which contained verses from the Quran that can not be rationally explained in any other way than being the word of God, is what sparked my interest in Islam.

So, I took my friend’s advice and started to

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read the Quran.

I have come to understand that reading the Quran is crucial to getting to know Allah and His attributes. Learning about the science of the Quran, as well as the prophecies made by Prophet Muhammadsa about the end times, which we can see fulfilled to an amazingly great extent today, are the aspects that convinced me that Islam is the truth. After several months of mainly focusing on my studies but also studying Islam in my spare time, I had gathered a solid amount of knowledge about the religion and I was starting to feel ready to become a Muslim.

A quest for True Islam I decided to reach out to different mosques in my area in order to learn even more and in the hope of establishing a relationship with the Muslim community. One of the mosques I came in contact with was Jamaat’s Mahmood Mosque in Malmö, Sweden, and this is when I first got to know about Islam Ahmadiyyat. I began visiting different mosques and asking different questions. In addition to learning more, I listened to their different answers to try to see who described Islam in the most accordance with what I had already learned from the Quran and sunnah. I also considered where I felt the most “at home” since my intention was to find a mosque where I wanted to keep coming after my conversion. The people I met in Sunni mosques seemed more interested in making me take the shahadah than informing me of the religion, while the imam I met at Mahmood Mosque, was quite the opposite. This made the conversation with him feel more relaxed and informative to me. He advised me to pray to Allah for guidance, not necessarily in prostration, but to start having a conversation with Him. I think this is very important as well for a non-Muslim who is in search of the truth.

He explained the Ahmadiyya Muslim view on what happened with Jesusas, which made a lot more sense to me than what the other imams said. He also told me about who Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas is and what role he plays in the Ahmadiyya belief.

I spent a lot of time and effort researching the possibility of him being the Messiah, I went through a lot of fulfilled prophecies and other facts about him and his claim and even though there was abundant evidence, I was still not convinced. Then, after seeing the imam a couple of more times, both in the mosque and in video meetings, my perspective began to shift. The turning point came as I dedicated myself to studying the signs and prophecies of the Latter Days.

This study, which included a myriad of signs, seemed to align with the unfolding events around me and with the spiritual journey I was on. It was this immersion in the prophecies and a series of personal revelations that led to an overwhelming feeling of spiritual awakening. After this point, everything else started to fall into place. I realised that this journey of understanding and the insights gained from it were the signs I needed. Allah, the Turner of Hearts, had at this point turned my heart towards the truth.

At my next meeting with the imam from Mahmood Mosque, he invited me to come with him to Jalsa Salana UK and without making any promises, he said that he would try to get me a meeting with the Caliph while

we were there. At the time, I understood that getting a meeting with him was a pretty big deal. But from the perspective I have now, I did not understand how big of a deal it actually was, but still, I was very much looking forward to it.

I had a couple of months from the time of the invitation to the day of the flight to London. Although I did not decide that I was going to accept Islam during Jalsa, I thought that there was a possibility that I might. I had a lot of insecurities going through my mind when I thought about becoming a Muslim. One thought in particular held me back and was really bothering me for a long time and that was, “How will I, who have grown up with western, secular values and behaviours, be able to become a good Muslim?”. Eventually, I had a dream in which a being, which I think might have been an angel but I am not sure, showed me a huge staircase with every step of the stairs being very, very tiny. After seeing this dream, those insecurities almost completely perished and I felt much more confident, Alhamdulillah. During these months before Jalsa, I also started praying by prostration and using a prayer mat that I bought. I did not pray five times a day or even proper prayers, but at least I tried to learn the different steps of the prayer and instead of reading the prayer like you are supposed to, I had a sort of conversation with Allah during the steps and each and every time I did this, I was brought to tears.

My Jalsa Salana UK experience Now moving on to describe the best days of my life, the days where my life would change forever, the days of Jalsa Salana UK 2023. I arrived in London on Friday morning, and I was warmly welcomed at the airport by an Ahmadi on duty. He arranged for me to get picked up and get a ride to my hotel, which Jamaat so kindly provided for me. The Ahmadis on duty were always incredibly helpful and whatever I had on my mind, they would always be available and willing to help me. Once I got to the Jalsa area, I met up with the imam that I had been seeing back in Sweden. He guided me through this whole weekend, brought me along with him wherever he went and was always very informative and kind. He introduced me to a lot of different people from all over the world and everyone was very kind and polite. Even though I was very nervous, I enjoyed every second of the experience.

The atmosphere was like something from out of this world and I would not be able to describe it in any other way. You could feel Allah’s blessings on the event and I think that is something you have to experience on your own to fully comprehend. I listened to a lot of different interesting speeches, and I had many interesting conversations with people during those days. Visiting Jalsa Salana UK is something that I would recommend everyone do. Whether you are Ahmadi, non-Ahmadi, or non-Muslim, does not matter; in any case, I guarantee you an amazing and unforgettable experience.

On the second day of Jalsa, the imam who accompanied me explained that the next day, there would be a mass-bai‘ah event that would be made by the hand of the Caliph, i.e., the international bai‘at. After explaining it to me, he asked me, “How do you feel about it?” My heart rose, and I thought about it for a couple of seconds

before I answered, “I think I might be ready.” He then tried to arrange for me to get entry to the green area, but unfortunately, they told us that it was already full. I, thinking that you needed to be in the green area to participate in the bai‘at, was very disappointed and thought my chance was over, though without expressing my disappointment to anyone. However, later that afternoon, while we were sitting in the office of the imam, who is in charge of the entry cards, he handed me a card on which I could read my name. I will never forget the joy I felt in this moment.

The next day, during the bai‘at, I am mainly focused on trying to hear the words that I am supposed to repeat. However, before and after, my thoughts went to my late ancestors and I, at this very moment, am doing what they currently, in their graves, wish that they would have done. I was thinking that if they were able to see me, they would be proud to see me breaking the curse of disbelief in my family, and I am feeling incredibly grateful and blessed to be one of those whom Allah chose to guide. In the evening, when I got back to the hotel and met the Ahmadis on duty there, I told them, with an unfathomable amount of joy flowing through my body, about doing the bai‘at. They were very happy to hear it, and they embraced me and welcomed me to the Community. Then I went to my hotel room and there I experienced something truly extraordinary. As I was lying down on the bed, scrolling through my social media feed, I saw a video of a beautiful Quran recitation with the translation on the screen, and it started with, “And I have chosen thee; so hearken to what is revealed.

Verily, I am Allah; there is no God beside Me. So serve Me, and observe Prayer for My remembrance. Surely, the Hour is coming; I am going to manifest it, that every soul may be recompensed for its endeavour. (Surah Taha, Ch.20: V.14-16) In tears, I went to the comment section to see what Surah this is, and the comments said it was from Surah Taha. I then took my Quran, which I have next to me, planning to look for these verses, and I opened it on the page where I have my bookmark, and on that very page I read, “Surah Taha,” and on the very next page, I saw the same verses that were just recited to me. This was to me a clear sign from Allah and I have saved that video and still watch it in times when I need to motivate myself to always keep going.

My first mulaqat The next morning, I and the imam went to Islamabad, Tilford, and, Alhamdulillah, I was blessed with a personal mulaqat with Huzooraa. Many people told me how lucky I was to get a personal mulaqat on this day when Huzooraa was extremely busy. We waited several hours before it was my turn, and my mulaqat happened to be the last one before the Zuhr prayer. I was nervous to the degree that I was shivering during the mulaqat. Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa assigned me a duty to spread the message to other Swedes and to show them “the true meaning of love,” as Huzooraa put it. After about three minutes, the mulaqat was over and it was time for Zuhr prayer behind Huzooraa. And during this prayer, something very special happened to me. I will try my best to describe Continued on next page >>

Friday 5 April 2024 | AL HAKAM

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Fasting in Ramadan: An Islamic lesson in empathy Jazib Mehmood Jamia Ahmadiyya International Ghana

Every year during the lunar month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from drinking water or eating from dawn to dusk. And although there are many deep philosophies that underscore the importance of this form of worship in Islam, one major significance lies in understanding the pain and suffering of others.

This is basically described as empathy – the act of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes to understand what they go through.

Empathy is important because, without it, we cannot truly comprehend what other people go through in life, and we cannot truly help them without this understanding.

The man who first coined the word “empathy”, Edward B. Titchener, believed that empathy stemmed from a sort of physical imitation of the distress of another, which then evokes the same feelings in oneself. (Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence, 1995, p. 98) Building on this fundamental point, Daniel Goleman, an American psychologist and author, writes in the preface of his book Emotional Intelligence that, “the root of altruism lies in empathy, the ability to read emotions in others; lacking a sense of another’s need or despair, there is no caring.

And if there are any two moral stances that our times call for, they are precisely these, self-restraint and compassion.”

Hunger around the world This rings true now more than ever. The world is currently in the throes of a moral struggle to understand how humans could

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it, but the experience was beyond words to describe and I also do not remember it with even close to the same clarity that I had during the experience.

It felt like I received information and insights that I did not possess before. I got so much insight about myself and my past.

Scenes from events from my past, mostly from difficult times, kind of flashed before my eyes. I kind of re-lived these moments for a second and felt, in my soul, the presence of Allah during these moments, even though I did not believe in Him at these times. And instead of feeling sorry for myself and other negative feelings, like I did before, I felt an indescribable gratitude.

Because, what I suddenly understood was that all of those things had to happen in

be the cause of a famine in embattled city of Gaza. How we help the situation, and how much we care can be determined by our empathy and our compassion for our fellow humans.

Of course, Gaza is not the only place facing famine. Many places around the world, particularly in Africa, regularly face hunger and starvation. (“The world’s hungriest countries”, www.actionagainsthunger.org. uk) In fact, a few days ago, CNN reported that, according to the UN, nearly 800 million people go hungry around the world every day. At the same time, the report said that nearly 1 billion meals are wasted across the world each day. (“The world wastes more than 1 billion meals every day as hundreds of millions go hungry, UN report finds”, www. edition.cnn.com)

Ramadan, empathy and altruism This heart-breaking report tells us that although the world has the power to end the hunger crisis, it has so far been unable to do so. Muslims around the world that fast during the month of Ramadan know something of the suffering of such people who regularly feel the pangs of hunger.

Explaining one of the purposes of fasting during Ramadan, Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IVrh says: “The institution of fasting is extremely important because it cultivates the believer in almost every area of his spiritual life.

Among other things, he learns through personal experience about what hunger, poverty, loneliness and discomforts mean to the less fortunate sections of society.

Abstention from even such practices during

order for me to get to where I am today, and Allah was right there by my side the whole time. I also understood that these events of my past made me evolve and acquire traits and attributes that fit very well with the duty I received from Huzooraa. I have never cried that much in my entire life, but those were not tears of sorrow or sadness. Those were the tears of pure gratitude. After the prayer, the clarity quickly receded, and I only remember a small part of it, but I remember enough to know that it was not the work of any man, Alhamdulillah.

When analysing this today and understanding that this was not a common kind of experience, I think that you who are born Muslims have the obligation to follow your parents’ guidance in the religion and Allah will judge how well you are doing that.

But regarding us converts, maybe Allah

pictavio| Pixabay

the month of Ramadhan as are permissible in everyday life plays a constructive role in refining the human character.” (An Elementary Study of Islam, pp. 45-46) Learning about the suffering of others drives us to help them (or at least it should).

So although Islam emphatically teaches us to help the less fortunate, altruism is especially emphasised during Ramadan.

In this regard, the remarkable example of the Holy Prophetsa is before us; spending in the cause of the poor was a daily practice with him which has been likened unto a breeze, never ceasing to bring comfort and solace to the needy. However, during Ramadhan, the Holy Prophet’ssa altruism seemed to pick up speed and blow like strong winds. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab almanaqib, Bab sifati n-nabiyyisa, Hadith 3554) In this regard, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih

IVrh writes: “In Islam, alms-giving and care for the destitute is so highly emphasised that it becomes part of a Muslim’s daily life.

However, when it comes to Ramadhan, the month of fasting, Muslims are required to redouble their efforts in this field. […]

“Alms-giving and care for the destitute are so highly emphasised that in no period during the year do Muslims engage in such philanthropic purposes as they do during the month of Ramadhan.” (An Elementary Study of Islam, p. 44) During Ramadan, it is pertinent to remind ourselves of these teachings, so that we may be in the best position to fulfil our responsibilities to the world and to our Creator. May Allah enable us all to do so.

Amin.

himself steps in to take a larger responsibility in showing us the way. You who are born Muslims should be very grateful for being blessed with a childhood of faith and for not having to go through the kinds of mistakes, hardships and times of hopelessness that many converts have to go through before they manage to find their faith. Remember to never take your faith for granted and to never be settled in your relationship with Allah, because there is no limit to how good that relationship can become and there is never a guarantee in keeping your faith.

Look at how many Muslims go astray these days due to arrogance and worldly priorities.

since becoming Muslim. They have also noticed how I have become more helpful and considerate of the people around me. I feel that my faith just keeps increasing over time. Of course, I have my ups and downs, as everyone probably has, but as a whole, I definitely feel like I am marching in the right direction. I try to take every opportunity I get to serve Allah and Jamaat, and I recently got the chance to serve as Secretary Tabligh for my local Majlis. Even though we live in dark times with a lot of awful things happening around the world, I look at the future with great optimism in a way that I would never be able to without Allah in my life, and I try my best to always be grateful for every little thing in my life.

May Allah bless you all, and may Allah bless Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya. Amin.

Six months later Skipping ahead to the present time.

Alhamdulillah, my family has noticed how my motivation and ambition have risen

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Satanic origins of arrogance and the Quran’s antidote of Allah, Allah will elevate him in status (in some narrations, Allah raises such a person to the Seventh Heaven). (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-birri was silah, Hadith 2588) The Holy Prophetsa was a man of his word and his character was a testament to this. He forgave his oppressors, remained calm when provoked or even attacked, dressed simply and modestly, put others before himself, accepted advice from those lower in rank, and helped around the house in domestic affairs – a famous tradition is “The best of you is the one who is best to his wife, and I am the best example in this regard”. (Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab an-nikah, Hadith 1977)

Romaan Basit Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre

Arrogance plays a huge role in our lives. It destroys our good deeds, deteriorates our noble morals, and causes a decline in our spirituality. This all-too-common sin has been condemned in the strongest terms in the Holy Quran: “Allah does not love an arrogant boastful person”. For believers, what could be worse than failing to attain the love of Allah?

Hell is the abode of the arrogant as mentioned in Surah az-Zumar (Ch.39: V.73), and Prophet Muhammadsa stressed that even a seed’s worth of arrogance will stop one from entering Paradise. (Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 173) Allah takes us a step further, instructing believers to “walk not haughtily in the earth” and to adopt humility and meekness instead.

(Surah Bani Isra’il, Ch.17: V.38) From this verse, we learn that even our physical actions have a direct impact on our hearts – the way we walk, talk and carry ourselves should be carefully analysed so that we steer clear of the original sin: Arrogance.

Arrogance originates from Satan Arrogance finds its genesis in none other than Satan. “Arrogance has originated from Satan and it turns a human being into Satan”, wrote the Promised Messiahas. (Malfuzat [1984], Vol. 7, pp. 275-276) Surah al-A’raf contains a pertinent conversation between Allah the Almighty and Satan. He defies Allah’s command to prostrate before Adam due to his pride and arrogance, and declares boastfully: “I am better than [Adam]. Thou hast created me of fire while hast Thou created of clay”. (Surah al-A’raf, Ch.38: V.77) This is the worst example of arrogance, but how many of us see shades of this in our day-to-day lives? People looking down on others due to their cast, creed, religion, gender, wealth, and the status they hold in society? Worse still, we may be the culprits of such behaviour ourselves (if we introspect enough and hold ourselves accountable).

The Holy Quran tells us that man has been created weak, and so all human beings are very susceptible to such vices taking over our good side. Really and truly, not a single person is safe from the attacks of Satan.

Thus, any seed of arrogance we find in our hearts is a footprint of the accursed Satan.

Don’t follow in the footsteps of Satan Therefore, it is safe to call arrogance a ‘footprint of Satan’. We are told so many times in the Quran not to follow in his footsteps, as his very mission is to misguide us. He said it to Allah himself after defying the command to prostrate: “Then will I

Teachings of the Promised Messiah on humility

Max Saeling| Unsplash

surely come upon them from before them and from behind them and from their right and from their left, and Thou wilt not find most of them to be grateful.” (Surah al-A‘raf, Ch. 7: V.18) He strives to do so in a variety of ways, one of them being to plant the seeds of arrogance in a person’s heart.

But all is not doom and gloom! Allah also gives us a glad tiding in the Holy Quran: that Satan will have no power over the true righteous servants of Allah. (Surah al-Hijr, Ch.15: V.43) So, if we want to save ourselves from the disease of arrogance and free ourselves from the shackles of Satan, we must strive to become true people of God and humble ourselves.

Adopting humility is the antidote Humility is the antidote which will drive out the arrogance from within us. “An arrogant individual essentially becomes a sibling of Satan”, writes the Promised Messiahas, “for it was arrogance that led to Satan’s humiliation and disgrace”. (Malfuzat [1988], Vol. 4, pp. 437-438) He goes on to emphasise that it is imperative for a believer “not to harbour arrogance but to embody humility, meekness, and deference”. (Ibid.)

A key sign of true servants of Allah we find in Surah al-Furqan is that they walk with utmost humility on the earth, and when the ignorant address them, they say ‘salaamaa’, i.e., ‘peace’. (Surah al-Furqan, Ch.25: V.64) The golden principle to remember is that the more we humble ourselves, the higher Allah the Almighty raises us in status and rank.

A common misconception in our society is that without an ego, or inflated ego, should I say, attaining any sort of power or status in life is impossible. On the contrary, Prophet Muhammadsa told us that the person who humbles himself in the way

As we move further away from the time of the Holy Prophetsa when Islam was in its most pristine form, we become more in need of reminders to keep us on the straight path and revive our faith. This was the reason for the advent of the Promised Messiah and reformer of our age, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas of Qadian – to revive the Muslim world and reignite the essence of Islam once again. He wrote and taught extensively about humility. He likened the disease of arrogance to being on par with murder which shows the extent of it. He said: “Arrogance is an exceedingly perilous affliction; its emergence within a person signifies spiritual demise. I am thoroughly convinced that this malady surpasses even murder in its gravity. An arrogant individual essentially becomes a sibling of Satan, for it was arrogance that led to Satan’s humiliation and disgrace. Therefore, it is imperative for a believer not to harbour arrogance but to embody humility, meekness, and deference.”

(Malfuzat [1988], Vol. 4, pp. 437-438) As mentioned earlier in this article, Prophet Muhammadsa was the best and most complete embodiment of humility.

The Promised Messiahas carried on to say: “These virtues are particularly pronounced in those divinely commissioned; they exhibit a degree of humility and submission unparalleled, most exemplified in the Holy Prophetsa. When one of his servants was enquired about his experience of serving him, the servant responded: ‘The unvarnished truth is that He serves me more than I serve him.’” (Ibid.)

In another place, the Promised Messiahas explained that the best path to purify oneself is the shunning of arrogance: “Thus, in my view, the finest path to purification is to relinquish any form of arrogance or pride – be it intellectual, familial, or financial. No better method than this could possibly be found.” (Malfuzat [1988], Vol. 4, p. 213) Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa echoes these teachings today. Huzooraa, on numerous occasions,

has imparted timeless and profound advice on this very topic. The following has been taken from an article published in Al Hakam in 2020, in which Huzooraa advised and guided an office-bearer regarding humility.

Mentioning the following saying of the Promised Messiahas: ‫دبرتونبرہاکیےساےنپایخلںیم‬ (‘Consider yourself lower than everyone else.’)

Commenting on this, Huzooraa said, “When you bear this in mind, submitting with humility will become easier.”

Similarly, on another occasion, Huzooraa said: “You should read the following line from the poem of the Promised Messiahas with mein hoon [I am] instead of mein tha [I was]: ‫ںیماھترغبیوےبسکوانمگموےبرنہ‬ “[I was poor, helpless and without any skill].”

In another instance, Huzooraa said: “God Almighty revealed to the Promised Messiahas: ‫ریتیاعزجاہنراںیہاسوکدنسپآںیئ‬ “[He is pleased with your humble ways].

“So remember, Allah is only pleased with those who tread the path of humility.” (“Where stars descend – Chapter 4 (Subduing the ego) – Part I”, Al Hakam, 31 July 2020, pp. 4-5, www.alhakam.org)

Conclusion The Holy Prophetsa himself said, “I have been sent to perfect good character.” Following and practising the religion of Islam in the true sense of the word should make us better people. It should improve our morals and refine our character, gently washing away our vices and impurities. Arrogance should be first on the list.

So, what are we to do? We must deeply introspect, hold ourselves accountable, and do the exact opposite of what Satan would want us to do. Instead of walking proudly and haughtily, we must walk with humility as Allah commands us to. Any undesirable traits we may find in ourselves can be driven out by striving to do good deeds instead.

Focusing on good deeds in turn slowly suffocates bad ones and drives them out, as mentioned in Surah Hud, verse 115.

Arrogance, pride, egotism – Satan wants us to adopt all such traits. If we want to truly be righteous servants of Allah the Almighty, we must run far, far away from these – and fast! Instead, we should focus on adopting humility and piety. Then, we will break free from the shackles of Satan and attain the pleasure and love of Allah the Almighty.

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The Big Iftar 2024 welcomes all to experience Ramadan Staff Reporter Al Hakam

The Tabligh Department of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat UK, along with Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya UK, hosted the highly anticipated annual “The Big Iftar” event on 30 March 2024. Held at the Baitul Futuh Mosque, this event drew participants from various walks of life to partake in the customs of Ramadan and gain insight into broader Islamic teachings and traditions.

The event started at 16:00 with an insightful tour of the mosque. The evening’s programme was meticulously curated, featuring a recitation of the Holy Quran by Ahtasham Ahmad Khawaja Sahib, with the English translation provided by Jalees Khan Sahib.

The attendees were welcomed and the programme for the evening was introduced

by Rehan Syed Sahib from the Tabligh Department UK. This was followed by a thought-provoking speech on “The Philosophy of Fasting in Ramadan” by Ibrahim Ikhlaf Sahib, the National Secretary for Tabligh, UK. Participants also received an introduction to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat through an engaging video presentation. The programme continued with a range of guest speakers, including Jonathan Lord, MP for Woking, and Khalil

Yousuf, Lib Dem Candidate for Farnham & Bordon. Video messages from Ed Davey MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, and Jeremy Hunt MP, Member of Parliament for South West Surrey, were played, offering their perspectives and support. Additionally, a written message from Siobhain McDonagh, Member of Parliament for Mitcham and Morden, was read out.

The keynote address was delivered by Rafiq Ahmad Hayat Sahib, Amir Jamaate-Ahmadiyya UK. Amir Sahib delved into the true meaning of Jihad, elucidating its profound significance far beyond its common misinterpretations, and highlighting its role in personal struggle and spiritual betterment. He further expounded on the essence of Ramadan, drawing connections to the spiritual stages of human development as outlined by the Promised Messiahas. Additionally, Amir Sahib addressed the current plight of Palestinians, emphasising our shared responsibility in the pursuit of justice and peace. This was followed by a brief Q&A session and a silent prayer.

As dusk fell, the azan resounded at 18:31, called by Feroz Alam Sahib, Head of the Central Bangla Desk, marking the end of the day’s fast. This was followed by the breaking of the fast and the Maghrib prayer.

The event concluded with a dinner shared among the participants.

Sri Lanka Jamaat celebrates Musleh-e-Maud Day A. Abdul Aziz Sri Lanka Correspondent

Jalsas were held in Colombo, Polonnaruwa, and Negombo jamaats in Sri Lanka to mark Musleh-e-Maud Day. The sessions were presided over by the respective local presidents.

The jalsa in Negombo took place on 23 February 2024, on 24 February in Colombo, and in Polonnaruwa Jamaat on 25 February.

All three jalsas started with a recitation from the Holy Quran and its translation, followed by an Urdu poem.

Addressing the jalsa in Negombo at the Jubilee Hall, I. Aslam Sahib, Sadr Jamaat-eAhmadiyya Negombo, put forward the full text of the prophecy of Musleh-e-Maud and explained it in brief. The missionary, Tahir Sahib, also addressed the gathering.

The Colombo jalsa was held at the Baitul Hamd premises. In his brief address, the local Sadr, S. Nizam Khan Sahib, explained the prophecy about Musleh-e-Maud and

emphasised reading the relevant literature.

M.A. Anis Ahmad Sahib spoke about the prophecy of the Holy Prophetsa that the Promised Messiah would marry and have children and explained it in the words of the Promised Messiahas. While expressing the services rendered by Hazrat Muslehe-Maudra, he explained the details of the administrative system he had established within the Jamaat.

After this, the missionary-in-charge, Javed Raheem Sahib, addressed the gathering in the Sinhala language.

The missionary, A.B. Mushtaq Ahmad Sahib, delivered a speech and quoted Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V’saa Friday Sermon of 23 February 2024 in which Huzooraa explained why we celebrate Musleh-e-Maud Day. In Polonnaruwa, missionary Asmat Sahib delivered a speech on the background of the prophecy of “Musleh-e-Maud” and how it was fulfilled.

A large number of Ahmadi men, women, and children attended the jalsas.

Image courtesy of AMJ UK

Although registration for the event reached full capacity, indicative of the public’s keen interest in the event, “The National Fasting Challenge” invited nonMuslims through the Tabligh Department’s online platforms to personally experience the rigours and spiritual upliftment of fasting. This challenge is designed to offer a glimpse into the discipline practised by billions of Muslims worldwide.

The Big Iftar is a welcoming event for everyone, whether they are Muslim or

not, and is known for its enlightening, live experience, and conversations about the profound physical and spiritual aspects of Ramadan. For further details or queries, the public may contact the event organisers at info@thebigiftar.co.uk.

The event ended with a strong sense of community and togetherness. The Big Iftar is poised to continue its mission of promoting interfaith dialogue, cultural exchange, and the propagation of Islamic teachings in future iterations.

US Embassy representative visits Jamaat’s centre in Kosovo Besmir Yvejsi Kosovo Correspondent

On 28 February 2024, Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Kosovo welcomed Mr Dominic McIntyre, the Political Officer for Human Rights, and Ms Raba Gjoshi, the Political Advisor for Human Rights of the US Embassy in Kosovo.

The meeting was held at the Jamaat’s centre in Prishtina.

Among the participants were the local mu‘allim of Peja Alban Zeqiraj, along with my humble self as General Secretary of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Kosovo, and Jinahuddin Saif Sahib, President of Jamaate-Ahmadiyya Kosovo.

The conversation touched upon the recent delegation to Jalsa Salana Germany 2023 and the unveiling of the new translation of the Holy Quran with a short commentary in Albanian. The topic of discussion has also been the upcoming 11th Jalsa Salana Kosovo, which features the international campaign “Voices for Peace”. Mr McIntyre expressed keen interest and even pledged potential

participation on behalf of the US embassy.

The significant contributions of Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah be his Helper, to the cause of peace were also highlighted.

As a gesture of gratitude, the guests were presented with literature, including The Review of Religions’ December 2023 issue, which is exclusively about peace and interfaith dialogues.

Mr McIntyre wrote in the guest book: “Thank you for the good work you have done across the world to advance peace, tolerance, and reconciliation. All the best!”

Image courtesy of AMJ Kosovo

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for their country [and compatriot].

100 Second Ahmadiyya

Tabligh to fellow-countryman

Years conference in Essam, Ago... West Africa Al Fazl, 25 & 28 March 1924

Friday Sermon

Al-Haj Hakim Fazl-ur-Rahman Sahib (1901-1955)

In the Friday sermon, insight was provided on the subject of what leads to sin and the courage to commit it. Moreover, the remedy for the removal and avoidance of sin was explained in light of the blessed writings of the Promised Messiahas.

Jalsa at Essam On 9-10 January [1924], the second halfyearly Ahmadiyya Conference was held [in Essam, Africa]. Apart from all the representatives of the Jamaat, around 100 other members were also present in this jalsa.

Second session The second session of the final day of the conference commenced at 3 pm. In this session, the discussion was conducted on financial matters and details were given regarding the special donation collected to buy a car for the needs of the mission.

It was decided to appoint a delegation for the purpose of collecting the remaining donations from the jamaats who have not yet fulfilled their promises. This session ended at 5 pm.

Outdoor lecture As friends could not turn up in the expected numbers on 9 January [1924], it was considered appropriate to wait for the people before starting the regular proceedings of the conference.

In order to utilise the busiest hours of the believers in the best possible way and to exalt the name of Allah the Almighty, an outdoor lecture was delivered in the marketplace. Around 100 Christians and idolaters of this town attended this lecture.

The chief of the [Essam] village, who is an open-minded educated Christian, could not attend the lecture due to ill health.

However, we went to his house in the evening and conveyed the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat. The book, A Present to the Prince of Wales, was also presented to the chief. He sincerely promised to contemplate this matter. May God Almighty grant him guidance, for He alone is the ultimate guide and teacher.

First day On the first day [of the conference], meetings were held with friends, and answers to various issues and enquiries were provided from early morning till 9 am.

At 10 am, the regular proceedings of the jalsa commenced. The means of spiritual progress of the Jamaat, explanation of the five pillars of Islam, responses to various allegations of the opponents, and reasons of the truthfulness of Ahmadiyyat were discussed in detail.

The formal proceedings of the first day concluded at 10 pm. During the day, breaks were taken at times of prayers. In those breaks, Zuhr and Asr prayers, and Maghrib and Isha, were performed combined.

From 10 pm to 12 pm, meetings were held again and many questions were answered.

Second day The first session of the second day started

Group photo Al-Haj Hakim Fazl-ur-Rahman Sahib

at 8 am and ended at 1 pm. Some time ago, members of the Jamaat had requested that the markaz [centre] of the [Saltpond] Mission should be moved from the coast to the inland. At their request, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] also gave permission.

But later on, after further consideration, they decided that shifting the centre of the mission from the coast would not be as useful as had been previously thought.

Consequently, rather than moving it out of Saltpond, it was requested not to change its location. Apparently, Allah the Almighty also approved of this request, as after the initial decision we had rented a house and given some money in advance to the owner for the renovation of the building, but that person passed away and left the house unfinished. Thereafter, his heirs put such conditions before us that it became difficult for us to acquire the property. Apart from that, there was no other suitable place in this village, and on the other hand, the Jamaat here does not have the means to build its own house, though we have bought a piece of land for this purpose. However, the construction costs are very high. Hence, in the first session, this matter was discussed in detail and members forwarded their request to me by mutual consultation that they withdraw their first proposal related to shifting the centre and submit that the mission centre should remain in Saltpond.

At 1 pm, this session was dismissed for lunch and Jumuah prayer.

Late Hazrat Maulvi Obaidullah Sahibra had written to us that the friends of Saint Pierre were very eager to see the photos of Chief Mahdi and members of other jamaats [in Africa]. For this purpose, a photo of the Jamaat members was taken on the occasion of this jalsa [in Essam].

However, unfortunately, the news of his demise reached us through Al Fazl before all the photos could be prepared. To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return!

Conveyance for mission The growing needs of the mission drew the attention of members to immediately buy a car to avoid further expenses in missionary journeys. However, due to the harvest time, our friends had gone to distant places inland.

Consequently, the required donation of 350 pounds could not be collected. It was thus considered appropriate to make a contract with a company to pay the remaining amount through instalments and purchase the car.

Accra On 16 January 1924, departing from Essam, I reached Accra at 10 o’clock in the night. This is the second time I visited Accra. Instead of sojourning at Messrs Dialdas and Sons, this time I stayed with Messrs Moolchand Chauharmal because they insisted that, “You stayed with your former friends the first time, so this time over, you should stay with us.” I had to stay there for six days.

During this period, they fulfilled their duty of hospitality, manifesting great admiration

In the factory [of our hosts], a friend, who had recently arrived from India, was filled with great enthusiasm for the movements of Swaraj and Shuddhi. Consequently, while sitting in a foreign country, Allah the Almighty granted this humble one the opportunity to convey the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat to his fellow countrymen. We had a detailed discussion on the Islam of Hazrat Baba Guru Nanakrh, the irrationality of the concept of reincarnation, the truthfulness of Hazrat Krishna of Qadian, peace be upon him, the atrocities of Hindus on the helpless Malkanas, the filthy accusations against the noble Aurangzeb, and the question of British Government’s benevolences, etc. During the few moments we got to sit at his house, this was our only occupation. In those few minutes, the complete sketch of tabligh in India came before my very eyes. All praise belongs to Allah who gave me this opportunity.

This time, I also had the opportunity to convey the news of the arrival of Hazrat Mahdias to the nominal Muslims, (who often speak Arabic language). I sent a message to their community through a deputy imam of Accra that I am endeavouring to open an Arabic-English school in Saltpond, so they should send their kids as well. He conveyed this message to his people word for word.

However, these people like to live in the darkness [of ignorance]. The name of this deputy imam is Muhammad Abbas and he was the one who wrote letters to some of our jamaats in an unsuccessful attempt to turn them away from the True [Islam, i.e., Ahmadiyyat]. But I did not inform him of this correspondence, though I knew full well about it. In this way, by reiterating the [disparaging] contents of his letters and giving detailed responses through his lips, I crushed the head of falsehood. Upon hearing those words [from his mouth], the people openly said, “Some devil has given them false news, but now, we are satisfied.”

Efforts for a lecture in Accra When I travelled to Accra, I did not come prepared for a lecture, etc., or bring any books with me, as I thought I would only buy a car and return the same day. But as the car was not ready, I had to wait there for six days. During this period, I met the president of the Native [Literary] Club there and tried my best to hold a lecture, but unfortunately, it could not be arranged. The real issue is that the hearts of the civilised world, (who call themselves civilised), have become averse to Islam due to the unlawful practices of the nonAhmadi Muslims here. Just as in Europe and America, Islam is assessed by the [moral] state of the Turks, in the same way, people here judge Islam by the examples of these non-Ahmadis. Thus, the need for the propagation of Islam is not limited to Europe and America, in fact, there are also such patients in the land of Africa who need [spiritual] healers. Rather, the disease of these people has become more deadly due to being merged with ignorance.

The people of Europe and America Continued on next page >>

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Unrivalled preservation and spiritual significance of the Holy Quran Awwab Saad Hayat Al Hakam

The Promised Messiahas stated about the Holy Quran in one of his couplets: ‫سکےساسونریکنکمموہاہجںںیمہیبشت‬ ‫وہوترہابتںیمرہوفصںیماتکیالکن‬ “The similitude of this light [i.e., the Holy Quran] cannot be found in the entire world, “For it is unique in every way, and matchless in every quality.” (Barahin-eAhmadiyya Part III, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 1, 1982, p. 274) Among the sacred texts of various religions, the Holy Quran stands unique as the only scripture that is recited multiple times within a month. Muslims across the globe engage in daily recitation, with the month of Ramadan dedicated to its thorough and complete reading. This practice, embraced by Muslims in every country, highlights the Holy Quran’s distinct place as a universally recited text, a characteristic unparalleled by any other religious book.

The Promised Messiahas writes: “I reflected over the word Quran and then it became evident to me that this blessed word in itself contains a magnificent prophecy. The prophecy is that this book alone is the Quran, i.e. a book that is worthy of being recited, and there will be a time when this will be the case even more so than before. In the era when other books will also be recited alongside the Quran, the Quran alone shall be worthy of being recited so that the honour of Islam may be saved and falsehood may be uprooted; other books will deserve to be forsaken completely.”

(Malfuzat [English], Vo. 3, p. 9) Without a doubt, the Holy Quran stands unparalleled in its splendour and supremacy across all dimensions when compared to other religious scriptures. Its unmatched preservation, the breadth of content, linguistic richness, and depth of its teachings highlight the Holy Quran’s exceptional nature. Beyond being the culmination of Islamic law and guidance, it showcases remarkable miracles and unique distinctions in every aspect.

Beyond Islam, the world’s major religions such as Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Zoroastrianism, and Jainism, hold a rich tapestry of sacred texts.

A notable development occurred upon the advent of the Promised Messiahas; it was during his era that the scriptures from these diverse religions were extensively translated and made widely accessible. This pivotal moment allowed individuals from all walks of life to explore, study, and compare these holy texts, paving the way for a deeper understanding and appreciation of the truth across different faiths.

Reflecting the era marked by a significant

linguistic milestone, the sacred texts that had remained bound to their local vernaculars for centuries were translated into English, the lingua franca of our time. This Herculean effort, overseen by the distinguished orientalist, researcher, and linguist Friedrich Max Müller (1823-1900), culminated in the creation of the Sacred Books of the East.

This comprehensive 50-volume anthology, published by Oxford University Press in the United Kingdom, began in 1887 and was completed in 1910 with a detailed index.

Through this groundbreaking project, religious texts from Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Zoroastrianism, Jainism, and Islam were made accessible globally, unveiling centuries-old knowledge to a worldwide audience. (“Sacred Books of the East”, wikipedia.org) By complementing Müller’s extensive collection with earlier translations of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, revered by Jews and Christians, the breadth of accessible sacred texts from major religions during the era of the Promised Messiahas is significantly enhanced. Consequently, this initiative ensured that the foundational scriptures of nearly all major religions present during the Promised Messiah’sas lifetime became accessible to a global audience.

Reflecting solely on Müller’s work, the estimated page count for each volume ranges from 400 to 600 pages. This brings the total for Müller’s 50-volume compilation to approximately 20,000 to 30,000 pages, offering a profound exploration of religious texts from multiple traditions.

This extensive collection, representing a significant scholarly effort, serves as a crucial resource for those seeking to understand the underpinnings of various faiths around the world.

These sacred texts were meticulously translated from seven languages, including Sanskrit, Arabic, Pali, Pahlavi, and Chinese, involving a roster of distinguished translators. This effort underscores the transition of ancient and, in some cases, scarcely used languages into English, making these treasures accessible to a wider audience. Unlike these languages, many of which have limited contemporary use and are considered classical or even “dead” languages, Arabic – the language of the Holy Quran – remains vibrant and widely spoken.

This distinction highlights the Quran’s unique accessibility and its continuous impact on millions of people who engage with it in its original language, underscoring its unparalleled preservation and relevance in the modern world.

While the Bible has been translated into a vast array of world languages, making it broadly accessible, questions linger about the preservation of its original texts and languages. Unlike the Holy Quran, which is recited and understood in its original Arabic

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by a vast global community, the original languages of the Bible do not have the same level of living engagement. This difference raises considerations about the continuity and direct connection of believers with the original scriptural messages, emphasising the Quran’s distinctive preservation and the active use of its original language.

It is noteworthy that among the texts mentioned, none assert the spiritual reward of their recitation in the way the Holy Quran does. The Quran uniquely promotes the idea that reciting its verses not only purifies the soul but also enhances the reader’s spirituality, piety, and purity. Additionally, these other scriptures do not present themselves as paragons of eloquence, a quality the Quran is celebrated for. This distinction underlines the Quran’s singular position as a source of both spiritual

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participate in lectures because they live in educated countries, and there is always eagerness in their hearts to learn more about new things. However, the people here do not even listen to the lectures as they lack knowledge. Consequently, there is a pressing need to extensively publish our literature, and having a press of our own; we should distribute small pamphlets like rain showers upon these people [of Africa].

New converts During the compilation of this report, by the grace of God Almighty, 6 men and women joined the Ahmadiyya Jamaat and entered into the obedience of Syedna Mahmud, [Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra].

May Allah grant them perseverance. The new converts included a non-Ahmadi Muslim and a Christian, while the rest of them were idol worshipers.

enlightenment and linguistic mastery.

Moreover, the Holy Quran stands alone as the only religious scripture that has remained unchanged since its revelation, a testament to its unparalleled safeguarding over centuries. This distinctive characteristic of the Quran highlights its exceptional status among religious texts, underscoring its enduring authenticity and purity.

Amidst these insights into the Holy Quran’s unique attributes, we are drawn to a verse that captures its essence and the divine challenge it poses:

َ ُ َ ۡ � َ ٰ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ� َ ۡ َ َ َ ‫ِلِّذۡک ِ​ِر َف َ​َہ ۡ​ۡل ِ​ِم ۡ​ۡن �ُّم �َّدِکِ ٍ​ٍر‬ ِ ‫َوَلَقۡد َیَّسۡرَنا اۡلُقۡرٰاَن ِل‬

“And indeed We have made the Qur’an easy [to understand and] to remember.

But is there anyone who would receive admonition?” (Surah al-Qamar, Ch.54: V.18)

Their Islamic names are as follows: 1. Musa 2. Hakeem 3. Aeysha 4. Zainab 5. Abbas 6. Hawa

Mail In January 1924, a total of 79 letters were received and 80 were dispatched.

Our correspondence mostly consisted of responses to enquiries pertaining to religious issues.

Additionally, the available literature [of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat] was sent to those seeking the True [Islam]. We hope that beneficial outcomes may ensue with the help of Allah the Almighty.

(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu, published in the 25 and 28 March 1924 issue of Al Fazl)

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Friday Sermon Mubarak Mosque, Islamabad, Tilford, UK

8 March 2024 Muhammadsa: The Great Exemplar After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:

During the Battle of Uhud, there is an incident in which the Holy Prophetsa offered prayers so that the prayers of his companion, Hazrat Sa’dra, would be accepted. The incident is as follows: ‘Aisha bint Sa’d relates from her father, Hazrat Sa’dra who stated: “When the people [disbelievers] returned and launched their attack, I moved to the side and said that I will deal with them personally. I will either free myself, or I will be martyred. I then suddenly saw an individual with a reddish complexion.” He says: “The idolaters were close to defeating us. This individual filled his hand with pebbles and threw them at the [enemy].

Suddenly, Miqdad came between me and that individual. I wanted to ask (Miqdad) about him. He said to me: ‘O Sa’d! That was the Holy Prophetsa.’ Following this, he said: ‘He was calling out for you.’ I stood up and I felt as if I had not been caused any harm at all.” Sa’d was wounded, or was in pain prior to this. He says: “As soon as I heard this voice, I immediately stood up and felt as if I had not been caused any harm. I went to the Holy Prophetsa and he sat me down in front of him. Each time I was going to shoot an arrow, I would say: ‘O Allah! This is your arrow, strike Your enemy with it.’ Upon this, the Holy Prophetsa would say: ‘O Allah!

Accept the prayer of Sa’d. O Allah! Allow the aim of Sa’d to find its target. O Sa’d! May my mother and father be sacrificed for your sake.’ Hence, with every arrow I shot, the Holy Prophetsa would simultaneously say: ‘O Allah! Allow the aim of Sa’d to hit the target and accept his prayer.’

“Once I had shot all the arrows from my quiver, the Holy Prophetsa spread out the arrows from his quiver and handed me an arrow without an arrowhead and without any feathers.” That is, it neither had an arrowhead nor was it properly made from the back. He says: “He gave me the arrow and that arrow proved to be faster than the other arrows.”

Allamah Zuhrirh has written that on that day, Sa’d shot 1,000 arrows. (Subul alHuda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 4, Dar al-Kutub al‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, pp. 200-201) Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra has written the following: “The Holy Prophetsa would hand arrows to Sa‘dra himself and Sa‘dra would continue to shower the enemy with arrow upon arrow. At one instance, the Holy Prophetsa addressed Sa‘dra saying, ‘May my mother and father be sacrificed upon you – go on shooting arrows!’ Even to the very end of his life, Sa‘dra would recall these words of the Holy Prophetsa with great pride.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 2, p.

338) In one narration, it is recorded that Hazrat Sa’d bin Abi Waqqasra used to say: “On the day of [the Battle of] Uhud, the Holy Prophetsa took out the arrows from his quiver, spread them out for me and said: ‘Shoot these arrows! May my mother and father be sacrificed for your sake.’” (Sahih alBukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi, Bab Iz Hammat Ta’ifatni Minkum […], Hadith 4055) Under directives from the Holy Prophetsa, how did Hazrat ‘Umarra repel the attack on the mountain, which was launched under the leadership of Khalid bin Walid. In relation to this, there is mention that when the Holy Prophetsa was stationed with a group of his Companionsra on a small hillock, a band of the Quraish suddenly reached the top of the hillock. Among these was Khalid bin Walid. When the Holy Prophetsa saw them at the top, he prayed:

�ٰ َ ُ َ َ ْ َ� �ٰ َ َ� َ َ ُ ‫الّٰل ُ​ُهّمّ ِ​ِإَّن ُ​ُه َلَا َيَْن َ​َب ِ​ِغي َل َ ُ​ُه ْ​ْم َأ ْ​ْن َي ْ​ْعُلْوَْنا الّٰل ُ​ُهّمّ َلَا ُق �َّوَ​َة َلَ​َنا ِإَِّلا ِ​ِبَك‬

the hillock. Owing to this incident, Allah the Almighty revealed the following verse:

“O Allah, it does not behove them to defeat us. O Allah, we have no power nor might except with You.” At that moment, Hazrat Umar Farooqra confronted them with a group of Muhajirin and drove them away, forcing them down

“Slacken not, nor grieve; and you shall certainly have the upper hand, if you are believers. (The Holy Quran, 3:140)” (Sirat al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 2, Dar al-Kutub al-

َ َ َۡ ُ ۡ َ ُ َ ۡ ُ ُۡ ‫َ​َوَلَا َت ِ​ِھُنۡوۡا َ​َوَلَا َتۡح َ​َزُنۡوۡا َ​َوَاۡن ُ​ُت ُ​ُم اۡلَۡا ۡ​ۡعَلۡوۡ َ​َن ِ​ِا ۡ​ۡن ُکۡن ُ​ُت ۡ​ۡم �ُّم ۡ​ۡؤ ِ​ِم ِ​ِنۡی َ​َن‬

Ilmiyyah, Beirut, p. 323) Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra has stated whilst narrating this incident: “When the Holy Prophetsa had arrived at the mountain pass, a contingent of the Quraish headed by Khalid bin Walid attempted to ascend the mountain and wage an attack, but on the command of the Holy Prophetsa, Hazrat ‘Umarra fought them

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along with a few Muhajirin and drove them off.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 2, p. 340) There is mention of the Holy Prophet’ssa concern for his Companions despite being injured himself. Hazrat Aishara relates, “Whenever Hazrat Abu Bakrra would mention the day of [the Battle of] Uhud, he would say, ‘That day belonged to Talhahra,’ and then explained, ‘I was among those people who rushed back towards the Holy Prophetsa on the day of the Battle of Uhud. I saw one person was fighting whilst protecting him.’” The narrator states, “I think that Hazrat Abu Bakrra said that this person was defending the Holy Prophetsa. Hazrat Abu Bakrra stated, ‘I said to myself, if only that person was Talhah. Whatever chance I have lost, so be it, and it would please me greatly if that were anyone of my people.’”

He then continued, “There was a person between me and the Holy Prophetsa whom I could not recognise, even though I was closer to the Holy Prophetsa than him. He was walking so swiftly that I could not walk that fast. I then saw that this person was Hazrat Abu Ubaidah bin al-Jarrahra. I then reached the Holy Prophetsa and saw that his lower incisor (i.e., the tooth between the two front teeth and the canines) had been broken and that his face was wounded. The rings of his helmet had pierced into his cheek. The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘Both of you go and help your companion.’” (Subul al-Huda, Vol. 4, Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, p. 199) He was referring to Talhah, who had lost a lot of blood. Instead of saying that he should be tended to himself, the Holy Prophetsa instructed that they look after Talhah to see what state he was in and try to treat his wounds.

Then there is mention of the Holy Prophet’ssa love and affection for Ziyad bin Sakan, and in turn, his love for the Holy Prophetsa. In this regard, Ibn Ishaq has written, “When the disbelievers had surrounded the Messengersa of Allah, he stated:

َْ َ ْ ‫َ​َم ْ​ْن َ​َر ُ​ُج ٌ​ٌل َيَْش ِ​ِر ْ​ْی َلَ​َنا َنْف َ​َس ُ​ُه‬

“Who will devote themselves for our sake?”

Thereupon, Ziyad bin Sakan and five Ansari Companions stood up—some say that it was Ummarah bin Yazid bin Sakan.

Subsequently, they displayed great feats of courage in front of the Holy Prophetsa, and one by one, they were martyred until only Ziyad or Ummarah remained. They kept fighting until they sustained many injuries, then a party of Muslims returned and pushed the disbelievers away from the Holy Prophetsa. After this, the Holy Prophetsa said, “Bring Ziyad bin Sakan closer to me,” so the Companions brought him closer to the Holy Prophetsa. The Holy Prophetsa used his blessed feet as a pillow for Ziyad, and he died in such a position that his cheek was resting upon the blessed feet of the Holy Prophetsa.

He sustained 14 wounds to his body.” (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 4, Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, p. 203) I have related some of these incidents before as well. There are some new points in some of these narrations or some new parts, or there is a different style of narration; for this reason, I narrate them again.

The Holy Prophetsa returned to Medina from Uhud. It is mentioned in narrations

that on the day of the Battle of Uhud, after the Holy Prophetsa buried the martyrs of Uhud, he returned to Medina. (Taken from Da’irah Ma’arif Sirat Muhammad Rasulullahsa, Vol. 7, Bazm-e-Iqbal Lahore, p. 55; Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 4, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, p. 227) There is also mention of the fact that the Maghrib prayers were offered in Medina.

Thus, an author has written, “When they returned to Medina from the plains of Uhud, Hazrat Bilalra called the Adhan [call to prayer] when it was time for Maghrib [prayer offered right after sunset]. The Holy Prophetsa leaned on Hazrat Sa’d bin Ubadahra and Hazrat Sa’d bin Muadhra in order to come to the mosque and pray.

After offering the prayer, the Holy Prophetsa returned to his home. When it was time for Isha [the late evening prayer], Hazrat Bilalra once again called the Adhan, but the Holy Prophetsa could not come due to sleep (meaning he was resting and sleeping. He could not come to the mosque after the Adhan at the time for prayer). Hazrat Bilalra was sitting and waiting outside the door of the Holy Prophetsa (He did not simply return and offer the prayers; rather, he sat there waiting). After a considerable amount of the night passed, Hazrat Bilalra called the Holy Prophetsa for the prayer. When the Holy Prophetsa arrived for the prayer, his health was much better than before. After leading the Isha prayer, the Holy Prophetsa went back to his house. The Companions had formed rows from the prayer area to the home of the Holy Prophetsa. The Holy Prophetsa walked between them and went home alone. At this time, he did not need to lean on anyone’s shoulder.

(When he came for the Maghrib prayer, he used others as support. Then he rested, and offered the Isha prayer later, and he did not require any support going to and from [the mosque]). During this time, some women were wailing over the death of Hazrat Hamzara, so the Holy Prophetsa stopped them from doing so (as I mentioned in the previous sermon as well). When the Holy Prophetsa returned to his home, aside from those on guard, all the men and women had returned to their homes.” (Taken from Da’irah Ma’arif Sirat Muhammad Rasulullahsa, Vol. 7, Bazm-eIqbal, Lahore, p. 63) Only those on duty remained.

Regarding this, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra states: “After having discharged all relevant engagements, the Holy Prophetsa set back to Medina, as evening drew near.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetssa, Vol. 2, p. 348) Meaning all the work was finished. It was not that they returned home immediately because they were injured, rather, they finished all the work that needed to be done.

Previously, I have mentioned examples of the exemplary patience and contentment of the women of Medina. There are more examples in relation to this as well. What were the emotions of Hazrat Hamnah bint Jahshra? When the Holy Prophetsa returned to Medina after the Battle of Uhud, he met Hazrat Hamnah bint Jahshra, the wife of Hazrat Mus‘ab bin Umairra. The people had informed her that her brother Hazrat Abdullah bin Jahshra had been martyred.

She replied by saying:

ۤ َ� �ٰ َ� ‫ِ​ِاَّنا ِلِّٰل ِ​ِہ َ​َو ِ​ِاَّنۤا ِ​ِاَل َ ۡ​ۡی ِ​ِہ ٰ​ٰر ِ​ِج ُ​ُعۡوۡ َ​َن‬ [Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]

And she prayed for him to be granted forgiveness. Then they informed her of the martyrdom of her maternal uncle, Hazrat Hamzara, to which she again replied

ۤ َ� �ٰ َ� ‫ِ​ِاَّنا ِلِّٰل ِ​ِہ َ​َو ِ​ِاَّنۤا ِ​ِاَل َ ۡ​ۡی ِ​ِہ ٰ​ٰر ِ​ِج ُ​ُعۡوۡ َ​َن‬

And she prayed for his forgiveness.

Thereafter, the people informed her that her husband, Hazrat Mus‘ab bin Umairra, had also been martyred, upon which she began to weep and became anxious. The Holy Prophetsa then said, “A husband holds a special status in the eyes of his wife.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, p. 396, Dar Ibn Hazm, Beirut) There is another tradition in which Hazrat Hamnah bint Jahshra is mentioned: it is stated that when she was told that her brother was martyred she replied, “May Allah have mercy on him” and said:

ۤ َ� �ٰ َ� ‫ِ​ِاَّنا ِلِّٰل ِ​ِہ َ​َو ِ​ِاَّنۤا ِ​ِاَل َ ۡ​ۡی ِ​ِہ ٰ​ٰر ِ​ِج ُ​ُعۡوۡ َ​َن‬

The people then said that her husband had also been martyred, to which she said, “Woe be unto me!” The Holy Prophet(sa) then said, “The relationship between a wife and her husband is like no other.” (Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab al-jana’iz, Bab ma ja’a fi l-buka’i ‘ala l-mayyit, Hadith 1590) Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh also mentioned this incident in an address in his own words. Relating the incident of Hazrat Mus’ab bin Umair’sra martyrdom and his wife’s reaction upon learning about it, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh stated: “Those male or female Companions of the Holy Prophetsa who had lost more than one close relative, would be informed about the loss of their loved ones gradually and not all at once, so that they could process the worrisome news and not be overwhelmed by being told all at once. (Meaning that if a Companion [had lost] more than one relative, they would be informed of it oneby-one rather than all at once. First, they would be told about one martyrdom, then after that another, and so on, to avoid burdening people with all of the heavy news at one time).

“And so, when Hazrat Abdullah’s sister, Hamnah bint Jahshra, came to the Holy Prophetsa, he said to her: ‘O Hamnah, be patient and seek a great reward from your Creator.’ Hazrat Hamnah inquired, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, for whose loss?’ The Holy Prophetsa replied, ‘Your uncle Hamzah.’

Hearing this, Hazrat Hamnahra replied:

ۤ َ� �ٰ َ� ‫ِ​ِاَّنا ِلِّٰل ِ​ِہ َ​َو ِ​ِاَّنۤا ِ​ِاَل َ ۡ​ۡی ِ​ِہ ٰ​ٰر ِ​ِج ُ​ُع َۡوۡ َ​َن‬ � ُ َ ً َ ُ َ َ​َ ُ َ َ​َ​َ َ ‫الَّش َ​َه‬ ‫اَدة‬ ‫َغَفَر َلُه َوَر ِ​ِحَمُه َه ِ​ِنيًئا َلُه‬

“[‘Surely to Allah we belong and Him shall we all return, May Allah forgive and have mercy on him and grant him the status of a martyr.’]

“After this the Messengersa of Allah said, ‘O Hamnah, be patient and seek a great reward from your God.’ She inquired, ‘for whose loss?’ The Messengersa of Allah replied, ‘Your brother, Abdullah.’ Again, Hazrat Hamnah replied:

ۤ َ� �ٰ َ� ‫ِ​ِاَّنا ِلِّٰل ِ​ِہ َ​َو ِ​ِاَّنۤا ِ​ِاَل َ ۡ​ۡی ِ​ِہ ٰ​ٰر ِ​ِج ُ​ُع َۡوۡ َ​َن‬ � ُ َ ً َ ُ َ َ​َ ُ َ​َ​َ​َ َ ‫الَّش َ​َه‬ ‫اَدة‬ ‫َغَفَر َلُه َوَر ِ​ِحَمُه َه ِ​ِنيًئا َلُه‬

“After this, the Holy Prophetsa again said ‘O Hamnah, be patient and expect a great reward from Allah.’ She again inquired, ‘for whose loss?’ The Messengersa of Allah replied, ‘For Mus’ab bin Umair.’ Hearing this, Hazrat Hamnah said: ‘Woe be unto me!” Hearing this, the Messengersa of Allah replied, ‘Verily, the wife has a great right over her husband that knows no equal.’

“Hazrat Hamnah was asked why she had only articulated her grief for her husband.

She replied, ‘O Messengersa of Allah, It occurred to me that his children have become orphans, which worried me, and it was in this state that I uttered these words.’

“Upon hearing this, the Holy Prophetsa prayed for the children of Mus‘ab, saying, ‘O Allah, be their Guardian and Protector, treat them with kindness and affection and take good care of them.’” (Taken from Khutbat-eTahir Before Khilafat, p. 363) The following incident is about Hazrat Hindra, whom I spoke about in a previous sermon; what was her love for the Holy Prophetsa and how did she strive to attain the pleasure of Allah the Almighty? It is stated that her husband, brother and her son were all martyred. When she found out that they had been martyred, then, as mentioned previously, she desired to bring them back to Medina. However, she later took them back [to Uhud]. In this regard, further details state that it was God Almighty’s desire for the martyrs of Uhud to be buried in Uhud.

This much has been narrated previously.

Hazrat Aishahra had set out to enquire about what happened at Uhud. She enquired about Hazrat Hindra, who was returning from Uhud. I mentioned her reply in a previous sermon – further details about this incident are as follows: Hazrat Hindra replied: “The Holy Prophetsa is alive and well. Aside from him, we can endure every calamity.”

Meaning that if the Holy Prophetsa was fine, then nothing else mattered. Following this, Hazrat Hind recited the following verse:

َ� �ٰ َ َ �ٰ َ َ َ​َ َۡ ُ َ ‫َ​َو َ​َر �َّد الّٰل ُ​ُہ اَّل ِ​ِذۡیۡ َ​َن َکَف ُ​ُر ۡ​ۡوا ِبَِغ ۡ​ۡی ِ​ِظ ِ​ِہ ۡ​ۡم َل َ ۡ​ۡم َیَ َٰناُلۡوۡا َخۡی ً​ًرا� َ​َوَکَفی الّٰل ُ​ُہ‬ َ ً َ � َ َ​َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُۡۡ ‫اۡلُمۡؤ ِ​ِم ِ​ِنۡیَن اۡل ِ​ِقَتاَل� َوَک‬ ‫اَن الّٰل ُ​ُہَق ِ​ِو �ًّیا َع ِ​ِزۡیۡ ً​ًزا‬

“And Allah turned back the disbelievers in their rage; they gained no good. And Allah sufficed the believers in their fight.

And Allah is Powerful, Mighty.” (The Holy Quran, 33:26) Hazrat Aishara asked who was on the camel? It was then that Hazrat Hindra said: “My brother, my son, Khallad and my husband, Amr bin Jamuh.” Hazrat Aishahra asked: “Where are you taking them?” She replied: “I am taking them to Medina to bury them.” She then tried to pull her camel but the camel sat down at that very spot.

Hazrat Aishahra said: “There is too much load on the camel.” Hazrat Hindra stated: “This camel can usually take the load of two camels. But right now it is doing the complete opposite.” She then scolded the camel, upon which it stood up. But when she tried to direct it towards Medina, it sat down again. Then when she pulled it in the direction of Uhud, it began to move quickly.

Hazrat Hindra came to the Holy Prophetsa and informed him of this incident. The Holy Prophetsa replied: “This camel was under divine command (i.e., it was under divine orders not to go towards Medina and stay at Uhud) Did your husband say anything to you before he left for Uhud?” She replied: “When Amr was about to set off for Uhud,

AL HAKAM | Friday 5 April 2024 he turned to face the direction of the Ka’bah and prayed, ‘O Allah! Do not return me to my loved ones in a state of humiliation and grant me martyrdom.’” The Holy Prophetsa responded: “It was for this reason your camel was not moving. O people of the Ansar!

There are certain pious people among you that if they take an oath in God’s name, God Almighty will certainly fulfil that oath.

Amr bin Jamuh was indeed one of them.”

The Holy Prophetsa then turned to Amr bin Jamuh’s wife and said: “O Hind! From the time your brother has been martyred, angels have formed a covering over him and are waiting for him to be buried.”

The Holy Prophetsa remained there until the martyrs were buried. He then said: “O Hind! Amr bin Jamuh, your son, Khallad and your brother, Abdullah, are together in paradise as friends.” Hind replied: “O Messengersa of Allah! Please pray that may Allah the Almighty place me in their company.” (Kitab al-Maghazi, Vol. 1, Dar alKutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, pp. 232-233) Sa’d bin Abi Waqqasra narrates that the Holy Prophetsa passed by a woman from the Banu Dinar, whose husband, brother and father were all martyred in the battle of Uhud, fighting alongside the Holy Prophetsa.

When condolences were conveyed to her, she asked about the wellbeing of the Holy Prophetsa. The people replied: O such and such! The Holy Prophetsa is fine and, by the grace of Allah, he is in the way that we all desire him to be. The woman replied: “Show me, I wish to see for myself.”

Someone indicated in the direction of the Holy Prophetsa. When she saw the Holy Prophetsa, she said: “Aside from [any news about] the Holy Prophetsa, every calamity is insignificant.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, Dar alKutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, p. 545) In another narration, there is mention of the woman’s son being martyred. Hazrat Anas bin Malikra states that during the battle of Uhud, rumours of the martyrdom of the Holy Prophetsa reached Medina, as a result of which the people of Medina became extremely uneasy, to the extent that people could be heard wailing and screaming in the streets of Medina. One woman from the Ansar became frightened and came outside.

In front of her were the bodies of her brother, son, and husband. The narrator states: “I do not know which of them she saw first, but when she moved to the last of the bodies, she asked, who are they? The people replied: ‘It is your brother, husband and your son.’

She asked, ‘How is the Holy Prophetsa?’ The people replied: ‘He is up ahead.’ The woman went to the Holy Prophetsa and held onto the cloak of the Holy Prophetsa and said: ‘O Messengersa of Allah! May my mother and father be sacrificed for you! As long as you are well, I have no worry for any other loss!’”

(Mu‘jam al-Ausat, Vol. 5, Hadith 7499, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut, pp. 329-330) According to one narration, the name of the woman was Sumairah bint Qais, who was the mother of Nu’man bin Abd Amr. (Kitab al-Maghazi, Vol. 1, Dar al-Kutub alIlmiyyah, Beirut, p. 251) Whilst mentioning this incident, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra once stated: “We find numerous such examples of bravery amongst the blessed Companionsra.

Only one or two examples like these can be found amongst millions of people across hundreds of countries, however, one can find hundreds of these examples in just a

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few thousand Companions (it is possible that one will find such an example in other people, but that will only be one or two examples amongst millions of people.

However, in this case, one will find hundreds of such examples in just a few thousand people). What a great example this is in relation to this woman.”

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra then states: “I have related this incident many times and it is worthy of being mentioned in every gathering in order to keep the memory of this incident alive. Certain accounts are so extraordinary that even if they are recounted over and again, they still do not get old. So too is the incident of this woman, who, on the occasion of the Battle of Uhud, heard that the Holy Prophetsa had been martyred.

Out of anxiousness, along with the other women of Medina, she came outside and upon seeing the first horse-rider coming from the direction of Uhud, she enquired, ‘How is the Holy Prophetsa?’ He replied, ‘Your husband has been killed.’ Upon this, she stated, ‘I have enquired from you about the Holy Prophetsa and you are informing me about my husband.’ He then said, ‘Your father has also been killed.’ However, this woman stated, ‘I am enquiring from you about the Holy Prophetsa and you are telling me about my father.’ The rider then stated, ‘Both of your brothers have also been killed.’ However, this woman again said, ‘Just answer my question. I am not asking about my relatives. I am enquiring about the Holy Prophetsa.’ Since this Companion’s heart was content knowing that the Holy Prophetsa was well, therefore he felt that the most important matter for her would be to inform her about the death of her relatives.

However, for this woman, the most beloved thing was the life of the Holy Prophetsa. It is for this reason that she sternly told him that he should answer her question. Upon this, he stated that the Holy Prophetsa was fine and well. Hearing this, she stated, ‘if the Holy Prophetsa is alive then I have no sorrow regardless of who dies.’”

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states: “It is evident that the example of the old lady is of no significance compared to the example of this woman which even the reporter acknowledges.”

The example which Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra was giving was that of an old German lady whose son was killed during the Second World War. She laughed sarcastically in reaction to this news. This incident was reported in the newspapers at the time and mentioned how much patience this lady had expressed upon the death of her son and that she did not express any grief, rather reacted to it by laughing. Whilst mentioning this Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states: “This expression of emotion seems to bear a great burden. (Although she laughed but in reality it carried with it a great burden). Deep within her heart, she (i.e. the German lady) was crying, but on the outside, she displayed strength as if to say that it was fine.”

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states: “However, this was not the case with the female Companion; she was not suppressing her emotion and crying within her heart and not outwardly expressing it. In fact, she was expressing emotions of joy even within her heart knowing that the Holy Prophetsa was alive. The German lady indeed was sorrowful but was not expressing it, however

this female Companion felt no grief in her heart. This is such an extraordinary example which is unparalleled in the history of the world. And if these people are not the ones to whom this statement applies:

َ َ َ ۡ ‫ِ​ِمۡن ُ​ُہ ۡ​ۡم �َّم ۡ​ۡن َق ٰ​ٰضی َن ۡ​ۡح َ​َب ٗ​ٗہ‬

“Then who else would it apply to?”

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra further states: “When I read this incident of this woman, my heart is filled with respect and honour for her and my heart desires to touch the mantle of this woman and then place my hands over my eyes for this woman has left such a unique and unparalleled example in her devotion to my beloved.” (Taken from Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 20, pp. 542-543) Whilst recounting this very expression of love and devotion, Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra states elsewhere: “Ponder as to how great her love was for the Holy Prophetsa. People informed her about the demise of her father, brothers and husband, one after the other, and yet she continued to ask about the Holy Prophetsa.

This is an account of another woman who expressed such deep love for the Holy Prophetsa.” (Quroon-e-Ula ki Musalman Khawatin ka Namoona, Anwarul Uloom, Vol. 25, p. 440) In another place Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra states: “Try to picture this scene in your minds for a moment; every one of you has experienced someone pass away who is close to them. Someone may have witnessed their mother, father, brother or sister pass away. Try to think of that time; when those who are about to die have the finest food prepared for them by their relatives and are provided with treatment and care. But the state of the one who is about to die is as if a calamity has befallen in their home and the one dying is not concerned about anything else apart from their death. However, the Holy Prophetsa had instilled such love in the hearts of his Companions that they did not have any concern for anything except for him. However, this love for him was derived from the fact that he was God Almighty’s beloved. They did not love him simply for being Muhammadsa, rather it was for him being a Messenger of Allah.”

Then, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra further states, “In essence, these people loved God Almighty, and because God Almighty loved the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa, his Companions also loved him. It was not just the men, but if you observe the women, their hearts were also brimming with immense love and devotion for him.” He further states, “This love for the Holy Prophetsa was put into their hearts by God Almighty. Despite this, however, they always gave precedence to God Almighty over everything, and it was this belief in the Unity of God that enabled them to triumph in all parts of the world. Their love for God Almighty eclipsed even their parents, siblings and spouses.

They pursued only one goal, and that was to please their God. It is for this reason that Allah the Almighty stated the following regarding them:

ۡ �ٰ ‫َ​َر ِ​ِضَیَ الّٰل ُ​ُہ َ​َعۡن ُ​ُہ ۡ​ۡم‬

“[Allah is well pleased with them. (Holy Quran, 5:120)] “They preferred Allah the Almighty

over everything, and Allah the Almighty preferred them.” Nonetheless, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra continues, “With the passage of time, the Muslims failed to uphold this standard. Now, if they have a relationship with Allah the Almighty, it is only imaginary; they imagine as though they are very deeply connected. Indeed, in their minds, they claim to believe in Allah the Almighty and His Unity. However, their hearts are devoid of this and are inclining elsewhere. Any mention of the Holy Prophetsa tugs at their heartstrings; they indeed possess love [for him], however, they lack belief in the Unity of God in its true form.” (Taken from Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 23, pp. 46-47) A biographer writes, “Indeed, the plight of Medina was painful. However, when comparing Mecca to Medina, both sides suffered a loss under vastly different circumstances. (Medina was under immense hardship as the situation was dire.

Mecca had its own hardships and they were in danger. Yet when compared against one another, there was a stark difference. What was that difference?).

The idolators of Mecca took their loss at Badr with weakness, anguish and anxiety.

On the other hand, after experiencing hardship at Uhud, the people of Medina demonstrated unprecedented patience, faith, steadfastness and courage. Muslims suffered a loss at Uhud, but their reaction was to show unparalleled patience, steadfastness and bravery. The loss incurred at Uhud by Medina’s army did not cause any of its residents to become feeble, anxious and helpless. The greatest testament to this is a Muslim woman who lost her son, husband, brother and father in the Battle of Uhud.

She was not unsettled by this, nor did this loss cause her to become intemperate. She was a woman belonging to the Banu Dinar who stepped onto the battlefield and saw her own son, husband, brother and father killed in cold blood. Losing control is a whole separate matter, she was not bothered in the least and only asked about the one person who was dearer to her than the four she had lost: that was the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa. When she saw that he was well, she remarked, ‘Any calamity, no matter how severe, pales against the safety and wellbeing of the Holy Prophetsa.’” (Muhammad Ahmad Bashmil, Ghazwah-e-Uhud, Nafees Academy, Karachi, pp. 237-238) I will, insha-Allah, mention further accounts in the future.

Pray for the Palestinians. May Allah the Almighty create ease for them. As a result of their depraved mentality and actions, the enemy is bent upon destroying them.

Rather than trying to stop the war, the major powers are trying to fan its flames.

The US President called for a ceasefire last Monday, and now it is said that a ceasefire will happen before Ramadan, but only as a temporary one for six weeks. All this will do is give Israel time to recoup and then start their cruelties afresh. It is only Allah the Almighty Who can put a stop to them.

Hence, we must pray a great deal.

Through charity organisations, Ahmadis should try to provide the Palestinians with food, medicine or any sort of aid. In your own respective social spheres, you should also make efforts to bring an end to these injustices. As I mentioned before, you should continue writing letters to politicians

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and not tire of doing so. You should tell them that what they are doing is wrong.

May Allah the Almighty enable the Palestinians to also increase their prayers and improve their spiritual conditions. The risk of a world war is also increasing amidst the war between Ukraine and Russia, in which – according to news reports – America and Europe are becoming directly involved. We, here, should also pray for that Allah the Almighty saves the world from ruin.

As a precautionary measure, I have previously prescribed, as did Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh, a homeopathic remedy to safeguard against the impacts of nuclear radiation. It is available in the Jamaat’s homeopathy department in plentiful quantities. Everyone should at least complete another course of three doses each of these medicines. Furthermore, Ahmadis should stockpile rations for two to three months in their homes, especially in those parts of the world where the impact of the war can be direct. Even if the war does not take place, this is beneficial. The stockpiles people made prior to this helped them through various troubles that came, and they reported that it was beneficial for them.

Pray for the Ahmadis in Yemen as well, that Allah the Almighty swiftly procures the means for their release. The Yemeni army or a group has developed suspicion that the Ahmadiyya Jamaatis scheming against the country; may their suspicions be removed and may [the Ahmadis] swiftly be released.

May Allah the Almighty grant the world reason, so that rather than falling into the depravities of the world in the name of advancement, they may recognise Allah the Almighty instead. May Allah the Almighty establish the Muslim countries upon justice, thereby enabling them to become united.

May He also enable us to spread the message of Allah the Almighty to every single person.

There is also some tragic news. Tahir Iqbal Cheema Sahib, son of Khizar Hayat Cheema Sahib, who was the local president of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Chak 84, District Fatah, District Bahawalpur, was recently martyred.

ۤ َ� �ٰ َ� ‫ِ​ِاَّنا ِلِّٰل ِ​ِہ َ​َو ِ​ِاَّنۤا ِ​ِاَل َ ۡ​ۡی ِ​ِہ ٰ​ٰر ِ​ِج ُ​ُعۡوۡ َ​َن‬

[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]

The incident leading to Tahir Iqbal Cheema Sahib’s martyrdom is as follows: Two unidentified individuals opened fire on 4 March, resulting in his martyrdom. At the time of his martyrdom, the deceased was 60 years old. Further details are that after Fajr [prayer offered right before dawn] Tahir Iqbal Cheema Sahib, the local president of Chak 84 Fatah District Bahawalpur left for a walk as was his routine. Two unidentified individuals riding a motorcycle followed him and opened fire. He was struck in the head by two bullets, as a result of which he was martyred at the scene. The assailants fled after the incident. The police have filed a case against the two unidentified individuals, however, there has never really abeen ny actual investigation into these matters there. Nonetheless, a case has been filed. The deceased martyr did not have any enmity or personal grudge against anyone.

Friday 5 April 2024 | AL HAKAM

Pray for the Palestinians. May Allah the Almighty

create ease for them. As a result of their depraved mentality and actions, the enemy is bent upon destroying them. Rather than trying to stop the war, the major powers are trying to fan its flames. The US President called for a ceasefire last Monday, and now it is said that a ceasefire will happen before Ramadan, but only as a temporary one for six weeks. All this will do is give Israel time to recoup and then start their cruelties afresh. It is only Allah the Almighty Who can put a stop to them. Hence, we must pray a great deal.

He had a good reputation in his village and the surrounding villages and was known as being very noble. Aside from the element of religion, there does not seem to be any other reason for his martyrdom.

Ahmadiyyat was established in the deceased martyr’s family through his great paternal grandfather Muhin Khan Sahib’s brother Hazrat Hakim Din Sahib, a companion of the Promised Messiahas.

In 1905, he travelled from Chak 46 North Sargodha to Qadian, where he pledged allegiance and then subsequently remained in Qadian. Thereafter he encouraged his brothers and other members of his family to pledge allegiance and join the fold of Ahmadiyyat. As a result of this, the deceased martyr’s great paternal grandfather, Muhin Khan Sahib, along with all of his brothers pledged allegiance through a letter and joined the fold of Ahmadiyyat. This family later moved to Chak 84 Bahawalpur. In 1964, the deceased martyr was born in Chak 84 Bahawalpur and it was there that he obtained his education until the Matriculation level. He went on to adopt the occupation of farming.

By the grace of God, he was part of the Wasiyyat scheme. At the time of his martyrdom he was serving as the Local President of his Jamaat. Prior to this, he had the opportunity of serving as the Secretary Maal and Zaeem Ansarullah. He was regular in offering financial contributions, he was regular in offering prayers and keeping fasts while also being very mindful of offering

Tahajjud [pre-dawn voluntary prayers].

Even while travelling, he would be particular about offering prayers. He loved Khilafat; he regularly listened to my sermons and would ensure whether everyone at home had also listened to the sermon.

At the time of his martyrdom, his accounts for all mandatory financial contributions and Hissa Jaidad were complete. He would particularly tend to the hospitality of Jamaat guests and would strive to host them at his own home and thus take care of them personally, rather than at the Jamaat level. The deceased also oversaw matters pertaining to the cemetery there. There are many difficulties when it comes to graves and cemeteries in Pakistan; with every passing day, some evil individual or group breaks the headstones of our [members’] graves. He tended to matters of the cemetery there. He would monitor the graves and maintain them as well; this is a big undertaking there these days. Many people would commit their things to his trust, including non-Ahmadis as well. The only person they trusted was an Ahmadi, knowing that he would be the one to properly care for their things, yet they still maintain their opposition. Their ways of doing things are strange. In any case, those who did placed their assests in his trust were good people; however, others still do not understand. His wife, Kishwar Naheed Sahiba says, “My late husband was very kind to me. At home, he would evaluate the offering of prayers and whether everyone

had listened to the [Friday] sermon. He always treated my relatives as his own and like friends.”

The martyr’s daughter, Madiha Tahir, says, “He was at the forefront of serving the Jamaat and obedience was one of his salient qualities. He had the utmost respect and devotion for Khilafat. He was a fearless and courageous Ahmadi. He always treated his children as friends.”

The Amir of Bahawalpur District, the missionary in Bahawalpur District and other office bearers have always spoken highly of the deceased martyr. He was loved by everyone. He was filled with a passion for serving humanity and hospitality were some of his salient features. He treated representatives from the Markaz and lifedevotees as his own. The deceased martyr is survived by his wife, two sons and one daughter. One of his sons, Luqman Ahmad, lives in Germany with his family.

His daughter, Madiha Tahir, is here in the UK. One son, Salman Tahir, was with him and worked as a farmer as well. May Allah the Almighty elevate the deceased martyr’s station, grant him mercy and forgiveness, and grant his entire family patience and enable them to carry on the legacy of his virtues. God willing, I will lead his funeral prayer [in absentia] after the [Friday] prayer.

(Official Urdu transcript published in the Daily Al Fazl International, 29 March 2024, pp. 2-6. Translated by The Review of Religions.)

Editor-in-Chief: Qaasid Muin Ahmad | Executive Editors: Ataul Fatir Tahir, Aqeel Ahmed Kang | Research: Awwab Saad Hayat, Iftekhar Ahmed | Associate Editors: Jalees Ahmad, Ata-ul-Haye Nasir Translations: M Adam Ahmad | Design: Tahmeed Ahmad | Social Media: Romaan Basit | © Al Hakam 2024