Mayotte: The blessings of MTA
Honey: A cure for mankind?
A story of acceptance solely through modern-day technology
Honey under the microscope and what is required to prove it as a “cure for mankind”?
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The Rightly Guided Khulafa and the Prophet’ssa ring From a dars delivered by Hazrat Mir Muhammad Ishaqra
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Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifa A look at the services and life of a noble servant of Islam (Part II)
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THE WEEKLY
www.alhakam.org AL HAKAM | Friday 27 December 2019 | Issue XCIII Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre (ARC), 22 Deer Park Road, London, SW19 3TL. UK info@alhakam.org | F: +44(0)208 544 7673
Safeguarding the institution of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya
Huzoor addresses UK Khuddam at Qaideen Forum n 22 December 2019, after the Isha prayer, Hazrat Amirul Momineen, O Khalifatul Masih V addressed Majlis aa
Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya at their National Qaideen Forum in Islamabad, Tilford. At around 8:30pm, Huzooraa entered Aiwan-e-Masroor, where the concluding session of the event commenced. Following the recitation of the Holy Quran (Surah al-Saff, verse 11-13) by Sadiq Ayub Sahib and translation by Luqman Bajwa Sahib, Khuddam repeated the Khuddam pledge behind Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa. Thereafter, Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ulAhmadiyya UK, Abdul Quddus Arif Sahib
presented a brief report of the Qaideen Forum of 2019. Sadr Sahib said in his report that in the UK, there were 24 regions and 157 qiadats under Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya. This forum acts as a refresher course for all qaideen. This year, 259 representatives were able to participate. The theme for the forum was an address that Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa had delivered to a gathering of Khuddamul-Ahmadiyya Germany, which was on safeguarding and protecting the institution of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya. This address was relayed to all participants. The forum commenced on Saturday,
21 December after the Isha prayer. A discussion took place with Munir Odeh Sahib, Director Production MTA International on his personal relationship with Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya. Sunday began with Fajr being offered behind Huzooraa. After the main agenda item in the morning, Khuddam took part in four workshops, the purpose of which was to spiritually, intellectually and administratively enhance the Khuddam. The workshops were on the following subjects: - Al-Imamu Junnatun (The imam is a Continued on page 2
Hadith-e-Rasul – Sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa
The excellent conduct of the Holy Prophetsa Hazrat Abu Saeed Khudri, Allah be pleased with him, narrates: “The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, used to feed the camels himself. He would perform household chores, mend shoes, darn clothes, milk goats and eat in the company of servants. If a servant became tired while grinding flour, he would help him at this. He would not feel belittled carrying household goods from the market to the house. He would shake hands with the rich and the poor alike. He would always be the first to extend greetings. He would not disdain accepting an invitation, not even so small an invitation as to join in eating dates. He would relieve those who toiled. He was mild tempered and kind-hearted. His conduct was excellent and he was always cheerful. He would smile but would not laugh loudly; he would not frown even when vexed. He was humble, but not lowly; generous, but not extravagant. He was tender-hearted and merciful to all Muslims alike. He would never eat his fill to the point where one is likely to start yawning. He would never extend his hand motivated by greed.” (Mishkaat)
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, In His Own Words
Our community ought to make progress in morality And so, it is incumbent upon our community to make progress in morality. As the proverb has it: الاستقامة فوق ا��رامہ “Steadfastness is more than a miracle.” They ought to remember that if someone behaves harshly towards them, they should insofar as possible respond in a soft and gentle manner. Even at a Continued on page 16
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Friday 27 December 2019 | AL HAKAM Continued from page 1
This Week in History 27 December - 2 January A selection of brief incidents from the first and second era of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya 27 December 1929: Jalsa Salana took place where Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra continued with his series of lectures about the blessings of the Holy Quran. 17,316 members of the Jamaat attended the event.
written and approved by Huzoorra.
27 December 1939: Eastern Turkey experienced an earthquake that reached the magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter scale. It is commonly known as the 1939 Erzincan Earthquake. The Jamaat expressed its grief with those affected and invited people of India to take part in relief operations.
28 December 1956: It was the final day of Jalsa Salana and Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra had already elaborated the background of a conspiracy against the Jamaat regarding Khilafat. On this date, Huzoorra further spoke on the topic of Khilafat and set the rules to how a Khalifa would be elected. He further announced concerning he who would be elevated by God Almighty to the blessed position of the third Khalifa of the Jamaat, “I already extend towards him the glad tiding that if he would remain steadfast with faith … then even if world governments confront him, they shall perish.” During the course of the same Jalsa, Huzoorra also graciously gave three scholars of the Jamaat the title of “Khalid-e-Ahmadiyyat”: Jalaludin Shams Sahib, Abul Ata Jalandhari Sahib and Malik Abdur Rahman Khadim Sahib.
27 December 1941: Hazrat Chaudhry Mahboob Alam Baqapurira passed away. He was a companion of the Promised Messiahas. 27 December 1945: Hazrat Hafiz Nur Muhammadra of Faizullah Chak passed away. He accepted the message of the Promised Messiahas very early on, performing Bai‘at on 21 September 1889. 27 December 1947: Jamaat Lahore convened its two-day annual Jalsa, where, owing to the prevailing hardships of the partition, ladies could not attend. Only 2,000 men were allowed to attend from different chapters. Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra delivered three speeches. 27 December 1947: Qaid-e-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Governor General of Pakistan, appointed Hazrat Chaudhry Sir Zafarulla Khanra as the first foreign minister of the country. 27 December 1949: Hazrat Hafiz Jamal Ahmad, may Allah be pleased with him, passed away. He did Bai‘at in 1908 and served the Jamaat in Mauritius for 21 years as a missionary.
28 December 1940: Baseless, false and inciting stories were published against the Jamaat by the Civil & Military Gazette and other newspapers.
28 December 1956: Hazrat Sardar Sher Bahadur Qaiseranira passed away. He was a companion of the Promised Messiahas. 29 December 1929: Majlis Ahrar-e-Islam was founded on this date during the annual gathering of the Indian National Congress. 29 December 1944: In response to the unpleasant behaviour and foul language used by the opponents of the Jamaat during the course of Jalsa Salana, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra instructed Jamaat members to recite the following prayer during Isha in its final rak‘ah: “We take You as a shield against whatever is in their [the enemy’s] heart. We seek protection against every evil of theirs and its dangerous effects.” This practice continued for 40 days into the new year. 29 December 1962: The foundation stone of the Waqf-eJadid building was laid in Rabwah, Pakistan.
Twitter @KashifMD
27 December 1951: Jamaat Indonesia organised its third annual conference in Padang, the capital of Indonesia’s West Sumatra province. 27 December 1960: Eastern Africa convened its 18th Conference. Some translations of the Holy Quran in local languages were exhibited. 27 December 1960: Chief Justice of India was given Jamaat literature as he was visiting Tarapur, a census town in Palghar district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. 27 December 1964: In celebration of the successful and blessed completion of 50 years of the second Khilafat, Lajna promised to raise 200,000 rupees, which would be spent on building a mosque in Copenhagen, Denmark. 28 December 1928: An All Parties Convention was proposed and held to discuss the Nehru Report. Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra represented the Jamaat, as he was serving as the nazir of external affairs. 28 December 1928: Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Australia convened its first ever Jalsa Salana. 28 December 1935: Eid-ul-Fitr was celebrated in Qadian and saw a huge attendance, owing to the gathering of Jalsa Salana that had recently concluded. 28 December 1937: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra delivered a speech entitled “The true revolution”, in which he took an oath from Ahmadi men that they would give women a share of their inheritance. Around 28,000 people attended this Jalsa. During the course of the Jalsa, Hazrat Chaudhry Sir Zafarulla Khanra spoke of his suggestion, which was about the proposed Khilafat Jubilee in 1939. The suggestion was later finalised,
31 December 1946: Hazrat Mualvi Syed Zia-ul-Haqra passed away. He was amongst the twelve early and famous companions of the Promised Messiahas from Odisha, eastern India. 31 December 1954: The daily Al Fazl commenced its printing from Zia-ul-Islam press, Rabwah. 31 December 1957: Hazrat Malik Abdur Rahman Khadim passed away at the relatively young age of 47. He was famous for his debates in comparative religions and a well-established scholar. As mentioned above, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra had labelled him as one of three Khalid-e-Ahmadiyyats. His compilation of important references known as Tablighi Pocket Book has been a timeless treasure of knowledge to this day. 31 December 1959: US President Eisenhower was presented with Jamaat literature during a four-day visit to Delhi, India. 31 December 1960: Hazrat Syed Dilawar Shah Bukharira passed away. This companion accepted the message of the Promised Messiahas in 1907. January 1910: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira instructed for a tabligh delegation to travel to Ceylon and Singapore to spread the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat. This was later materialised during the era of Khalifatul Masih IIra, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud. January 1911: Hazrat Mir Qasim Alira launched a new magazine called Risala Ahmadiyya. The magazine was in response to allegations raised against the Jamaat by opponents such as Maulvi Sanaulllah of Amritsar and Maulvi Ibrahim of Sialkot. January 1914: After seeking the permission of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira, Hazrat Sahibzada Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra prepared a detailed plan to spread the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat across the whole of India. A separate fund for tabligh activities was also launched. January 1914: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira continued working tirelessly for the Jamaat despite his prolonged ailment. For Continued on page 15
shield) - The departments of Aitmad, finance and tajnid - The importance of protecting the markaz - Open forum for qaideen, wherein Khuddam were able to ask questions pertaining to their responsibilities Zuhr and Asr prayers were offered behind Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa. A special sitting followed Salat, in which Sahibzada Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib spoke on the sacrifices of Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya in the history of the Jamaat. Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib mentioned various incidents in this regard, while explaining the importance of the responsibility of safeguarding the institution of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya. He explained that those who associate themselves with Khilafat succeed, and those who detach themselves cease to prosper. Thereafter, Khuddam were able to ask questions. Maghrib was then offered behind Huzooraa, after which various workshops took place until the Isha prayer. At around 8:45pm, after reciting Tashahud and Ta‘awuz, Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa addressed the Majlis Khuddam-ulAhmadiyya Qadieen Forum in English. Huzooraa explained the meaning of “qaid”, after which he elaborated on the responsibilities qaideen had towards God and their fellow beings. Huzooraa said: “The first thing I wish to remind you is that ‘qaid’ means leader, and a proper leader is someone who leads by example and takes his people on a path, which he walks upon himself.” Huzooraa then went on to explain the responsibilities of a qaid. He said that all qaideen should strive to perform their duties and do their utmost to serve as rolemodels for other members of the Jamaat. In this regard, Huzooraa said that it was of paramount importance for officebearers to have the conviction that Allah was looking at them at all times and would hold them accountable for their actions. They should never forget that although
ANNOUNCEMENT Jalsa Salana Qadian, which was scheduled to take place on 27, 28 and 29 December 2019 has been postponed due to the current circumstances of India
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Friday 27 December 2019 | AL HAKAM
they may be able to hide things from others, they can never conceal anything from Allah, Who is aware of everything that is in our hearts. Thus, office-bearers should do their utmost to perform their duties, showing no neglect in this obligation. All office-bearers should pay heed and reflect upon their pledge, in which it has been declared that they will give precedence to their faith over all worldly objects. As office-bearers, they must always uphold this pledge and utilise the skills and capabilities for the fulfilment of their Jamaat duties. Huzooraa went on to say: “If all our Jamaat office-bearers serve with this spirit of keeping the fear of Allah in their hearts, we can bring about a great spiritual transformation, not just within our Jamaat, but amongst the wider society and humanity at large. As a qaid, or whichever position you serve the Jamaat, you must prove yourself to be a person who others consider a sincere and positive role model, from whom they can learn and benefit.” Huzooraa added that certain offices within our Jamaat are elected, whilst sadrs are made by appointment. Regardless of whether a person is selected or elected or how a duty is bestowed, it is given with the expectation and belief that the officebearer will discharge their duties with utmost dedication and integrity. Huzooraa instructed that all Khuddam must spare no effort in showing obedience to their superiors and ultimately, Khalifatul Masih. They must do true justice to the responsibility assigned to them as this will lead to the success of the majlis and achieving the great objectives of the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdias, who was foretold and who eventually would bring mankind back towards its Creator. Qaideen and other office-bearers must ensure that they are living their lives in accordance with the teachings of the Promised Messiahas. “Only then will you be in a position to guide others towards spiritual and religious prosperity.” Undoubtedly, everyone, Huzooraa said,
should be very familiar with the instructions and guidance of the Promised Messiahas which are an everlasting treasure for the Jamaat. The auxiliary office-bearers should consider themselves to be the first addressees of his instructions and so, before anyone else, it is up to them to obey him in every single respect. Only if they adopt such qualities and values will we begin to fulfil the objectives of the advent of the Promised Messiahasand for which he founded the Jamaat. Huzooraa then quoted the Promised Messiahas in which he explained the importance of the Islamic creed, “La ilaha illallah” (There is no god except Allah). He also added that his followers should show the highest levels of remembrance of Allah and fulfilling the rights of humanity. They should have love and sympathy for others – both members of Jamaat and the wider society. Huzooraa then said: “We are living in an age where people are moving far away from God Almighty and so, their goals and aspirations are devoid of spirituality. For example, people have worldly employments or responsibilities, which they fulfil according to worldly rules and regulations. As a result, they achieve certain limited targets or influence others to some extent through materialistic ways and means. “However, the work of a purely spiritual community founded according to divine will is completely different because it is underpinned by a direct and constant link with Allah the Almighty. Thus, any representative or office-bearer of a divinely established spiritual community can never be successful in discharging their duties, save for the blessings and mercy of Allah the Almighty, and to attain His blessings, our office-bearers must develop an unwavering conviction in the truth of ‘La ilaha illallah’ – ‘There is no god except Allah.’ Thus, if you wish to succeed, you must, above all else, turn towards Allah the Almighty.” Huzooraa then explained that the primary way to achieve this is to perform
the five daily prayers on time and in congregation. Huzooraa also said that Khuddam must make it a daily feature of their life to recite the Holy Quran and make it a source of inspiration. This would help in forming action plans and ensuring that targets would prove fruitful. Huzooraa also said that qaideen and office-bearers should not waste time waiting for instructions from their superiors. Of course, Huzooraa said, the centre would give targets and highlight key responsibilities, however qaideen should take personal responsibilities also. Huzooraa reminded the audience that the Promised Messiahas expressed his heartfelt desire for members of the Jamaat to become muttaqi – righteous and pious. In fact, this was not only his direction but is an instruction of the Holy Prophetsa and a commandment of Allah the Almighty. In the sight of Allah, righteousness is a virtuous moral and a truly pious person is he “who before conducting any activity or before speaking, remembers that Allah is watching over them. They ask themselves whether what they are about to pursue is according to the teachings of Islam and if it is not, they refrain.” Answering what is permissible in Islam, in view of the writings of the Promised Messiahas, Huzooraa explained that we should fear Allah and then go about doing our activities. Whilst fearing Allah, it is impossible to act in contrast to His commandments. Therefore, the intention of a qaid should be solely to please Allah and not merely to please others or gain the Alam-eInami. This does not mean that the Alame-Inami is wrong or accepting the thanks and recognition of others is wrong, as this, as well as other awards of the Jamaat, have been introduced to promote healthy competition. However, Huzooraa said that for a servant of the Jamaat and a righteous person, winning an award or gaining praise should never be their motivation, rather their intention and desire should be to please Allah the Almighty. This is the ultimate reward.
Huzooraa said: “Building a personal bond with Allah the Almighty is the golden key, which will enable you to unlock the doors to prosperity in your Jamaat duties and all other aspects of your lives.” Huzooraa then explained that the Tahajud prayer must also be offered regularly to enhance one’s bond with Allah and eventually helping them serve their fellow beings with Allah’s help. Huzooraa reminded everyone that the Promised Messiahas said that entering his fold should be akin to a new life and focusing solely on Allah the Almighty and considering everything else as secondary. In this society, this is crucial. “It is also vitally important that you and the members of your majlis take every opportunity to increase your religious knowledge rather than focusing solely upon secular education. Today, with the grace of Allah, we have a great treasure trove of Jamaat literature easily available, both in printed form and electronic form, on the various Jamaat websites. In particular, on alislam.org, the commentaries of the Holy Quran are available as are the books of hadith, the books of the Promised Messiahas and the books and sermons of the Khulafa. Therefore, it is extremely easy for people to increase their religious knowledge as long as they are willing to sacrifice their time to read and study.” Another important point the Promised Messiahas reminded his followers of was of the moral standards of his followers, controlling their emotions and tongue. Every Ahmadi, especially office-bearers, should pray that they are able to display meekness, compassion and humility. It should not be that we are kind and considerate in public whilst being harsh at home. A truly pious person is he who practices what they preach and whose standards of morality are of the highest order, both in private and in public. Thus, kindness and warm-heartedness towards everyone is crucial. Huzooraa reminded everyone to listen to the Friday Sermons and addresses of Khalifatul Masih in order to increase religious knowledge and improve moral and spiritual standards. Huzooraa said: “You should reflect upon what I say and ensure you are acting upon all of my guidance and instructions. When you are following this guidance and instructions, the members of your majlis will naturally learn from you and you will become a positive role model for them. “Leading on from this, you should understand that the principle objective and task of Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya is to stand on the front lines, protecting and guarding the institution of Khilafat-eAhmadiyya. The best way to do this is by listening to and acting upon the words of the Khalifa-e-Waqt and to be completely loyal and obedient to Khilafat at all times and in all circumstances. “You cannot fulfil this great duty until and unless you recognise the fact that the success or failure of our Jamaat hinges upon our unity. To become united, we must follow the means taught by Allah the Almighty Himself and in this era, He has established the institution of Khilafat-eAhmadiyya as the spiritual rope that keeps us bound together.
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“Consequently, to help ensure the continued unity of our Jamaat, you must ensure you are personally loyal and obedient to Khilafat and seek to increase the bond between the Khuddam and Atfal in your area with Khilafat. If you are able to achieve this, you will be playing your role in protecting the Jamaat and guarding the institution of Khialfat. Without any shadow of doubt, if the Jamaat of the Promised Messiahas remains united at the hand of Khilafat, we will continue to witness the blessing of Allah rain down upon us. “We may confront challenges; we may
encounter grief; we may face persecution; yet, rest assured, if we remain under the shade of Khilafat, all trials and tribulations are destined to pass and in their place, great glad tidings and eternal prosperity will surely emerge.” Huzooraa then prayed that all participants were able to benefit from the refresher course and from the guidance given to them. Huzooraa prayed that his address would give them the determination to fulfil their duties in the future and before asking others to adopt the things they have learnt here, that they
would practice it themselves. Huzooraa said: “As a qaid, you may be treated with respect by the Khuddam and Atfal in your qiadat, but I hope and pray that their respect is wholehearted and not given out of a sense of duty or necessity, rather I pray that they generally respect you and consider you their friends because they know that you uphold their dignity and meet them with love, sincerity and kindness. “Certainly, your concern for them should be heartfelt. You should pray for
100 Years Ago...
Tabligh efforts in 1919 UK Al Fazl, 22 December 1919
Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Rahim Nayyarra
Tabligh to eminent persons According to the week under report, the list of those noteworthy persons who were conveyed the Ahmadiyya Jamaat’s message of truth is as follows: 1. A pensioner, who is a commissioner, met with cordial love and sincerity. The teachings of the prophet of Arabia, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, as well as the splendour of heavenly signs of the Promised Messiah, peace be upon him, are causing this Englishmen of noble descent to come towards Islam. He has read the translation of the first chapter of the Holy Quran, which has been published by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and said that this translation is, “The most excellent.” 2. The green turban happened to introduce us with an army personnel. When we were about to exchange addresses with him after an hour of discussion, tabligh and questions and answers, it was disclosed that the addressee of Nayyar
was none other than the well-known old pensioner, General Odin.
person you keep remembering [and] that he has appeared.”
Blessed chanda There are various methods of collecting Chanda in foreign countries. One way is door-to-door visits in order to receive contributions. Witnessing the heavenly signs, the Christian people eagerly await the coming of the Messiah. A new sect has been formed by the name of Seventh Day Adventist, i.e. the group which believes that the Messiah will come soon. A priest of this sect met me and requested for Chanda with regard to his mission. I brought him home and sat him down on a chair with great respect. I presented the signs of God’s Messiah before him and gave a comparative analysis of Islam and Christianity and kept him occupied for an hour or so. The priest experienced a reversal of fortune. He was a man of noble nature. I presented him Ahmadiyya literature to study and said to him while biding him farewell, “This is a blessed donation which I have given you today because it bears the news about the
Ladies and gentlemen being preached Below is the list of those men and women who are being conveyed the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat. (By the will of Allah Almighty, the news of several new souls accepting Islam will soon be sent by us in the next week): 1. Mr and Mrs Cliff, residents of Folkestone, who are friends of Chaudhry Sahib. They are convinced about [the fulfilment of] Hazrat Khalifatul Mashi II’sra prayers 2. Mr and Mrs French have listened to the lectures of Chaudhry Sahib. They have expressed their interest in Islam through verbal discourse 3. Mr Bottomley is corresponding with this humble through letters and coming closer towards Islam 4. Mr Harry Wallad who is a young English electrician and knows Hindustani Continued on page 7
them and above all, you should earnestly desire and strive to bring every single person in your majlis closer to their Creator.” Huzooraa then prayed for their positive influence upon others and in their belief in God’s unity and the truth of Islam and the Promised Messiahas. Huzooraa prayed that they may fulfil the requirements of Bai‘at and become of those who are truly obedient to Khialfat. Huzooraa then ended the concluding session with dua.
Romania: Preaching Islam to academics Faheem Uddin Nasir Missionary Romania
youth event was held in Braila, Romania, which was aimed at A academics, professors, leaders and teachers
to share their views on topics such as the future of the youth and religious tolerance. The event was held in the largest and most central library of the area and a score of academics and professors were invited to the event. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in Romania was also invited to speak about Islam. I had the honour of representing the Jamaat and spoke about the Holy Quran, the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, how Islam promotes peace, Islam’s view on other religions, an introduction to Islam Ahmadiyyat and the mission of the Promised Messiah, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, peace be upon him. The audience had many questions, ranging from subjects to do with the concept of Jihad to polygamy in Islam.
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Honey: A cure for mankind?
Dr Tauseef Ahmad Khan The University of Toronto, Canada
oney, a sweet liquid made by honey bees H from the nectar of flowers, is highly regarded by many as a pure and nutritious
food. Among Muslims, it has a special significance as the Holy Quran denotes it as a cure for mankind. It states in chapter 16 (Surah al-Nahl, the Chapter of the Bee), verses 69-70: “And thy Lord has inspired the bee, saying, ‘Make thou houses in the hills and
Engagements of Sri Lanka Jamaat
in the trees and in the trellises which they build. Then eat of every kind of fruit, and follow the ways of thy Lord that have been made easy for thee.’ There comes forth from their bellies a drink of varying hues. Therein is cure for men. Surely, in that is a Sign for a people who reflect.” Previous religious scriptures have also mentioned honey. Prophet Solomonas is reported to have said: “My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste. So shall the knowledge of
Abdul Aziz, Sri Lanka Correspondent
eeratun Nabi celebrations were held S in Colombo on 14 December 2019 at Bait-ul-Hamd and was organised by the
Colombo chapter of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Sri Lanka. Nasir Ahmad Sahib, National President of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Sri Lanka; Nizam Khan Sahib, National Vice President; Mushthaq Ahmad Sahib, Missionary-inCharge and MA Anis Ahmad Sahib, Sadr Colombo Jamaat addressed the event. An introductory speech about the Sinhala Translation of the book, Life of
wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.” (Old Testament, Proverbs 24:13-14) It is for this reason that many Jews believe that eating honey can lead to mental keenness. Prophet Jesusas is reported to have eaten fish with honey comb along with his disciples when he appeared before them after surviving the crucifixion: “While they were still in disbelief because of their joy and amazement, He asked them, ‘Do you have anything here to eat?’ So they gave Him a piece of broiled fish and some honey comb, and He took it and ate it in front of them. (Luke 24:42) Honey is 80% sugar, so it has high energising properties, and along with fish which provides protein, Jesusas had all the necessary food to recover after his ordeal. Honey has had a role in healing and medicine for mankind throughout the ages as the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and Muslims used honey for curing various ailments and also as a curative salve to cure infections, heal wounds and better digestion. At the time of the Holy Prophetsa, honey was used to cure diarrhea. Hazrat Abu Saeed al-Khudrira narrated, “A man came to the Messengersa and said, ‘My brother has pain in his stomach’, so the Messengersa said, ‘Give him honey to drink.’ The man came back and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! It only increased his illness!’ So the Messengersa said, ‘Give him honey to drink.’ The man came back and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! It only increased his illness!’ The Messenger of Allahsa said ‘Allah spoke the truth and your brother’s belly has lied. Go and give him honey to drink.’ He went and gave him honey and was cured.” (Sahih alBukhari and Sahih Muslim) The Holy Quran has used the word shifa (cure) for the holy book itself and for honey only. This is why the Holy Prophetsa has also stated: “Make use of the two cures: Honey and the Quran” (Sunan Ibn Majah) In Europe, the use of honey was prevalent as a healing agent. It had a great role in saving many soldiers from infected wounds in World War I as poultices of honey were used to heal wounds after battle. However, after the discovery of antibiotics, and their miraculous effects in World War II, the use of honey as a cure declined and it was virtually forgotten as a cure in modern medicine. A few decades ago, after the rise of antibiotic resistance, where bacteria no longer respond to antibiotics, there was a
renewed interest in honey. This was mainly led by research performed in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, which found that honey had a very strong antimicrobial effect and bacteria were unable to develop resistance to it. Further research showed that honey could kill bacteria through multiple pathways, so developing bacterial resistance was very unlikely. Honey was also found to improve healing through modulating the repair mechanism and the inflammatory and immune response of the body. These findings proved the usefulness of honey as a powerful antimicrobial agent and a repair agent of wounds, and it started being used in hospitals to cure non-healing infected wounds and for burn victims for quicker recovery. However, it must be noted that the antimicrobial effect of honey is limited to its application topically, and no evidence exists that it can treat systematic infections. These days, Manuka honey, which comes from New Zealand prepared by honeybees from the nectar of the Manuka tree, is used as a medical grade honey. While Manuka honey has shown to possess the highest antimicrobial effect of all tested honeys, there is no evidence yet that suggests that Manuka honey is better than other honeys for other health conditions. Recent research has now shown that honey can be useful for a childhood cough being comparable to standard cough medicine. Honey can heal burns, cure specific eye infections, sore throat, improve ulcers in the mouth and might also help treat diarrhea if used as an oral rehydration. There is only weak evidence that honey might be protective against stomach ulcers and seasonal allergies. This is the sum total of the curative work of honey discovered by modern science. The big question remains: Is honey the cure for mankind as described by the Holy Quran? Unfortunately, till now, honey has found no role in treating the major chronic diseases of modern times like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, gout, cancer, arthritis etc. Though this has not stopped people from consuming honey in the hope of a cure, in our knowledge, there are no published cases of cures using honey for any of these major diseases in the scientific literature. While there are numerous studies performed in animals, which show a promising potential of honey for a vast variety of disease models, however there
Muhammad written in Urdu by Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, may Allah be pleased with him, was the main feature of the event. 81 books were handed out among the members and a total of 228 members participated.
members present. Nasir Ahmad Sahib, National President of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Sri Lanka and Musthaq Ahmad, Missionary-in-Charge and others addressed the event. A leading newspaper, Veerakesar covered the event and published a story.
Ansar Ijtema Majlis Ansarullah Sri Lanka held their Ijtema on 24 November 2019 at the Ahmadiyya Jubilee Hall, Negombo, Sri Lanka. The event started with Tahajud prayer and the opening session started at 9am with flag hoisting, followed by the Ansarullah pledge being read out by Shafiullah Sahib, Sadr Majlis Ansarullah, Sri Lanka and repeated by all
Tabligh Seminar A tabligh seminar was organised by Negombo Jamaat on 15 December 2019 at the Ahmadiyya Jubilee Hall. The subject was “Islamic purdah: Its significance and the Islamic concept of Jihad”. A question and answer session was also part of the event in which a large number of Ansar and Khuddam attended.
Continued on page 6
Friday 27 December 2019 | AL HAKAM
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Continued from page 5
are questions about the direct relevance of animal results in humans and many of these mechanistic findings need replication and translation in human trials. Lack of relevant research is one problem but there is another fundamental reason why honey in its current form is lacking in its promised potential as a “cure for mankind”. The main issue in the field of honey research is that serious consideration has not been taken that the Holy Quran guides towards. The Holy Quran makes three specific points about honey, which should be considered, and only when we follow them, can we find true cures in honey. Firstly, the Holy Quran states “There comes forth from their bellies a drink of varying hues” i.e. it is of different colours. The major determinant of honey colour is its floral origin, which means the flower nectar honeybees use to make the honey. Honeys that are predominantly from one flower are known by that floral origin. Acacia honey is light and sweet, while Manuka honey is dark and less palatable in taste. There are more than 40 different floral honeys sold across Europe e.g. Manuka, Acacia, Tupelo, Clover, Thyme, Lavendar, Rosemary, Lotus, Citrus, Pine, Thyme, Alfalfa, Borage, Buckwheat etc. People in some European countries like Germany and Italy prefer these types of “monofloral” honeys, while the majority of honey sold in the UK, USA and Canada is usually blended at origin (polyfloral) or by honey packers. This point was raised by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira who, when explaining this verse, said: “Of varying hues”: The Arabs have found 400 types of honey because in the Arabic language, there are 400 different names for it. (Badr, 10 February 1910) What the Holy Quran is telling us is that the research on honey must be performed on each unique floral honey to find its properties and health effects. A blended honey from the supermarket shelf might have some general beneficial properties but its specific effects would have been diluted by the blend. Manuka honey is a prime example of a success story of research on a single flower honey. The late Dr Peter Molan, a research scientist in New Zealand found that Manuka honey had antibacterial effects and after long and arduous research spanning
two decades, he showed that its effects were very specific for killing bacteria without any resistance. This honey was then chosen for use in hospitals as a medical grade honey and the production of Manuka honey is a billion-dollar industry for New Zealand. Research on other unifloral honeys is severely lacking and there are thousands of honeys from different flowers whose potential is yet to be discovered. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud, Khalifatul Masih IIra emphasised this point during Jalsa Salana Rabwah on 28 December 1955. He said: “Different types of honey are cures for different diseases. This is why the Holy Quran does not only say that within honey is cure but it also says ‘in that is a Sign for a people who reflect’, meaning He has given the clue, now it is our task to undertake the research. If we ponder over it, we will find that different coloured honeys are cures for different diseases.” (Sair-e-Ruhani, Vol. 9, pp. 8-9) Secondly, the Holy Quran states, “Therein is cure for men”, where the word fihi or “therein” denotes honey or the colours of honey. When we focus on what is inside honey and the properties in honey that determine its colours, a new vast world opens for research. The latest review on honey published in 2018 by De-Melo et al from Spain states: “Pigments are responsible for the color of honey. The most important are polyphenols, carotenoids, xanthopylls and anthocyanins that can be grouped in water soluble and lipid soluble pigments. Other compounds that can contribute to honey color are sugars, minerals and amino acids.” (Journal of Apicultural Research, 2018) Many of these pigment compounds are plant derived with some contribution by the honeybee. The second most important compounds that determine colour are sugars in honey. In fact, sugars are the largest component, with 80% of honey comprising of only sugars, while pigment compounds comprise of only about 1%. Honey is a complex sugar solution with 80-85% sugars comprising of regular sugars like fructose and glucose, while around 15% of sugars in honey are rare sugars. These rare sugars make honey unique as no other natural foods offer a large percentage of rare sugars. Rare sugars are types of sugars that are present in limited quantities in nature and
thus, are difficult to study. There has been a recent interest in rare sugars as they can provide alternative to regular sugar without the harmful effects. In addition, these rare sugars have shown to have beneficial effects, separating them from other regular sugars. These benefits include fewer calories, lower glucose response than glucose, no harmful effect on teeth, improvement of sugar digestion and metabolism, lower adiposity by improving the body’s ability to oxidise lipids, stimulate gut hormones, being beneficial for gut bacteria and immune modulatory effects. Rare sugars now present a promising new avenue of research on honey. Several dozen rare sugars have been identified in honey, and except for a few which are characterised, very little is known about the vast majority of rare sugars in honey and their metabolic and health benefits. The Promised Messiahas, more than a century ago, highlighted the difference between normal sugar and honey by stating: “Honey is made by the revelation of God and therefore, it should not be like other sugary things at all. If it (honey) were like these then all sugary things would have been called ‘cure for mankind’ but this (phrase) has only been reserved for honey. Thus, this property of honey is the proof of its benefit and because it is prepared according to revelation, the bee must only take beneficial substances when it sucks the nectar from flowers” (Badr, Vol. 3, pp. 44-45 [1904]) Finally, the Holy Quran states, “Surely, in that is a Sign for a people who reflect.” It behoves Muslims to reflect and research on
this topic. Alas, very few Ahmadi Muslims are working in this field. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh once lamented this fact and in a Friday Sermon on honey, said: “I am hopeful that [Ahmadis] will ponder over this grand design [of honey] and benefit from it. And as I had mentioned once before also, they will perform experimental studies on them because there are many types of honey, of different times, with various effects, of various colour – all this is hinted at in the Holy Quran, but detailed studies are desperately needed. I hope that Insha-Allah Ahmadi researchers will focus on honey and perform very detailed studies on them. Do not leave this research to non-Muslims. It is a strange injustice that the teaching is given by the Holy Quran and those acting on it are nonMuslims.” (Friday Sermon, 31 March 2000) Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa has also urged Ahmadi Muslims to go into this area of research when discussing honeybees: “Ahmadis should go into [honeybee and honey] research. As the system of revelation is linked with the honey bee, therefore Allah will help those [researchers] who are specially linked with the oneness [of God] and revelation” (Friday Sermon, 19 December 2008) Young Ahmadis who read this article should consider going into this area of research. By following the guidance of the Holy Quran, they can discover new undiscovered secrets about honey and their research will benefit mankind and provide further evidence of the existence of God. Insha-Allah.
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Friday 27 December 2019 | AL HAKAM Continued on page 4
language as well. He is ready to announce his conversion to Islam by the tabligh of this humble one 5. Miss Annie Kaye, seeing the poster on our house, came inside. She is clarifying her misconceptions through Chaudhry Sahib. Last Sunday, she was present at my lecture. She is a theosophist by faith. 6. Miss Faraday Dean is a young and intellectual lady who has listened to the attributes of the [living religion of] Islam from both this humble one and Chaudhry Sahib. We are hopeful that she will accept Islam Ahmadiyyat. She belongs to a noble family. 7. Mr Moses Johnson is an educated Nigerian gentleman who is comparing Christianity and Islam. He is under the tabligh of this humble, the servant of Mahmud[ra]. We express our complete hope in Allah Almighty that he is reformed. Sunday’s lecture At 6pm, last Sunday evening, this humble one’s lecture was held in the Ahmadiyya Lecture Hall on the subject of freedom from sin. The address continued for quarter of an hour. I explained, with the help of the Holy Quran, ahadith, literature of religious noblemen and words of the Promised Messiahas, as to how a person can free himself from sin. I highlighted the right way of repentance and explained that it is not dependent on [the sacrifice of] someone else’s blood. The lecture was heard with keen interest. The audience included Dr Fehmi Berkovich of Bosnia, an expert in eastern languages and Shams-ul-Ulema [sun of scholars], Maulvi Kamaludin Ahmad MA Sahib. They expressed delight regarding the lecture. Members of the Jamaat are requested to pray for both of them so that they are illumined by the light of Ahmadiyyat. After my lecture, brother Muhammad Suleiman Faith delivered an extraordinary and extemporary speech. English ladies and gentlemen as missionaries Mostly, the audience is engaged in mutual discussion when the lectures conclude. Hence, the discourse began after the completion of my lecture as well. On one side, brother Muhammad Suleiman Faith carried out tabligh to Dr Fehmi, while on the other hand, respected Fatima Catherine started to convey the message of Ahmadiyyat to a friend from India, who is a well educated scholar. Below is a discussion which took place before me: Fatima Catherine: Are you an Ahmadi? Scholar: No, I am Muhammadi. Fatima Catherine: We are also Muhammadi, but we are reformed Muslims. As a reformed Christian becomes a Muslim, likewise a reformed Muslim becomes an Ahmadi. I mean there was rust on the pure metal and Ahmadas polished it. Scholar: Ahmadis are nice. I like every good deed, but it is not necessary to indulge in formalities by signing Bai‘at forms. Fatima Catherine: It is a way of attaining peace of heart and an expression of faith.
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You write down the matter in which you believe and say, “I am an Ahmadi.” Scholar: How long have you been an Ahmadi? (He expressed in Hindi that she was a very passionate lady.) Fatima Catherine: I will tell you with honesty. I became a Muslim just for the sake my husband (pointing towards me), but upon his arrival and paying attention towards me and making me understand Ahmadiyyat, I sense a sweetness in my religion and feel happiness. A question which should be answered by all Ahmadis Brother Faith asked me, “Do our Ahmadi sisters from among the women also work?” and added, “Work does not mean to cook bread, look after children and perform household chores, but to restore sight of the blind, grant ears to the deaf, give tongue to speak to the dumb and to convey the message of the Promised Messiahas.” This work is the real task, regarding which a recent convert of hardly five weeks asks about. Join this question with the passion of the recent convert (of two and half or three months), Fatima Catherine. Respond with conviction by saying that your wives, sons and daughters are devoted to Islam and each one of them, with their strength, courage, determination and prayers, is engaged in spreading the message that the Promised Messiahas brought from God. Lecture of Mr Sagar Chand Brother Sagar Chand departed from here on 6 November. Before setting off, he delivered two lectures in Hastings. Regarding one of his lectures, it was published in the Hastings and St Leonard’s Observer: “The World in a melting pot “A meeting of New Thought Minister was held on the evening of Saturday at Lower Park Road, Hastings. Mr Sagar Chand delivered a lecture on ‘What is the world waiting for.’ He said that in order to solve this question, we should cast an extensive
and deep eye over the general state of the world. Then we will come to know that the world happens to be in a melting pot.” It also said that people were of the view, during the world war, that once it came to an end, everything would fall into place. But at last, people had to admit that they were wrong in their opinions. In fact, the world was awaiting a certain reformer who would reform their conditions and satisfy their hearts, regarding whom it is written in the revealed scriptures that he would appear in 1873 and it is also prophesied that he would be born a twin. Hence, in accordance with the [prophecies], Ahmadas, the Promised Messiah, has been born. Then, Mr Sagar Chand shed light on how Ahmadas could be a prophet? How were his prophecies fulfilled? This prophet holds a special interest in England. Following the prophecy of [world] war, he prayed for England’s victory and God practically answered it in his favour. Letter of Sister Saeeda Wilson On a small scale, we have a langar khana (a place funded by charity, offering accommodation and food for all) in London as well. Our respectable guest of the present week is Sister Mrs Saeeda Dora Wilson of Leicester. For the time being, she expresses her delight in the following few lines. I present the letter of the respected Sister before you … : “Dear brothers and sisters! Assalamo alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu. I am your sister who belongs to Leicester city of England. Nowadays, I am on a visit to see my brothers at the residence of Ahmadiyya missionaries. I am happy to express this fact that I have come here and met my missionary brothers. I am witnessing through my eyes that our mission is carrying out an extremely beneficial service of Islam. “The weekly gatherings prove very successful. The momin [believers] return [from these congregations] with an enhancement of faith and the nonMuslims with an increase of interest and
love. On 9 November, there was a lecture of Abdul Rahim Nayyar on freedom from sin. After his interesting and educating address, Brother Mufti and Muhammad Suleiman Faith also delivered lectures. On 16 November, Maulvi FM Sayal presented a lecture on a message of peace. Following this lecture, respected Mufti Sahib and brother Faith gave remarks on it. “I am compelled to express with great delight and happiness that though Muhammad Suleiman Faith has been an Ahmadi for a month, his passion is no less than the early Muslims. He delivers lectures with the passion of a born Muslim. Brother Abdul Rahim Nayyar concluded the Jalsa with a brief address and said to the audience, ‘God Almighty, by His grace, sent Prophet Ahmadas of peace and harmony in this age. Through his message of peace, He [God Almighty] taught the means whereby a person can attain perfect harmony with His pure Being. Accept him and obtain blessings.’ “Maulvi Nayyar also made an announcement that on the coming Sunday, 23 November, our new brother, Mr David Faith would deliver a speech on which characteristics of Islam had an impact on his nature. “In the past week, our missionaries have admitted six ladies and gentlemen in Islam [Ahmadiyyat]. Below are names of these new converts: 1. Miss Annie Kaye, Amatullah 2. Miss Faraday Dean, Farida 3. Mr Moses Johnson, Musa 4. Miss Beatrice Robertson, Barkat 5. Mr Thomas Robertson, Rafiq 6. Mr Harry Wallad, Bashir Ahmad I am your sister, Saeeda Wilson.” Another respected Ahmadi sister We announce this fact with great delight that a fully educated English lady doctor nurse has entered the Ahmadiyya [Muslim] Jamaat.
Friday 27 December 2019 | AL HAKAM
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100 Years Ago...
The annual Ahmadiyya gathering at Qadian The Review of Religions (English), Jan & Feb 1920
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he annual meeting of the Ahmadiyya community was held at Qadian on the 26, 27, 28 and 29 December 1919. Ever since the inauguration of this annual meeting, the number of Ahmadis gathering at Qadian on this occasion had been rapidly rising which showed that the Ahmadiyya community was growing both in numbers and enthusiasm. There were many drawbacks this year and it was feared that there might be some falling off in the numbers of men assembling at Qadian. In the first place, all the roads to Qadian were blocked by the Indian National Congress and the All-India Moslem League, which were being held at Amritsar, the junction of all the railway lines by which visitors to Qadian have to travel. The danger did not lie in the Congress or the League itself; for, however attractive they were this year for other communities, they had little attraction for the Ahmadiyya community. So the mere fact that the Congress and the League were holding their meetings at Amritsar where all the roads to Qadian converge could be no hindrance to our friends taking part in the annual gathering of the Ahmadis, and they could be depended upon not to delay their visit to Qadian even for an hour on account of the Congress or the League. Their love for Qadian was too strong to permit them to do so.
The hindrance lay in the fact that the Congress and the League had attracted huge crowds of men from all parts of the province and the traffic on all the railway lines to Qadian had become so abnormally heavy that it was feared that it would prevent many of our friends from attending the Qadian meeting. Secondly, it began to rain only three or four days before the meeting and it was feared that December rains would prevent our friends from setting out on their journey to Qadian. They had to come mostly from the villages and the difficulties of a journey in the country by kachcha [unpaved] roads in a cold, rainy season can easily be imagined. Thirdly, Qadian is not a railway station. It is a village lying at a distance of 11 miles from the Batala railway station and the road leading to it is kachcha and badly broken on account of heavy traffic. The Batala-Qadian road is the most frequented, and at the same time the most neglected road in the Gurdaspur district. Being already full of ruts and pits, it became muddy and slippery to boot on account of the rain. Hence it was justly apprehended that the condition of the road to Qadian might deter many an Ahmadi from attending the annual Jalsa. Fourthly, in addition to the above difficulties, the visitors to Qadian had this time to face another difficulty which they
had never experienced before, and which greatly aggravated the trouble due to the rain. It is always difficult to provide an adequate number of conveyances for the large crowds that flock to Qadian every year on the occasion of the Jalsa, and consequently by far a large majority of the pilgrims travel the distance from Batala to Qadian and back on foot, and only a small minority, consisting of women, children, old men and some of the wellto-do persons not habituated to travelling on foot come by ekkas [a two-wheeled one horse-drawn cart] and other conveyances. This year the need for conveyances was the greater on account of the rain and the muddy condition of the road. But by a strange irony of fate, though the need was greater this year, they were not, for some reasons, available at Batala for some days and the visitors coming on those days had to make their way to Qadian through mud and water. Under these circumstances it was feared that the annual gathering at Qadian would not this year be so large as in the previous years, but to our pleasant surprise, the gathering turned out to be larger than even that of the previous year. Great as the difficulties were, they failed to subdue the zeal and enthusiasm of the Ahmadiyya community, and their devotion proved too strong for such obstacles. No other community is so sincerely devoted to
their cause and no other people are fired with such enthusiasm as the Ahmadiyya community. They came surging to Qadian in spite of all obstacles and gave an unmistakable proof of their devotion and sincerity. It is highly gratifying to note that every year members of the community assemble at Qadian not only in ever increasing numbers but also with ever-growing zeal and enthusiasm. To become true Muslims themselves and to convey the message of Islam to others by all means in their power is their governing desire. That desire has made them attached to their leader; for, while on the one hand his wise words and magnetic influence serve to purify their hearts and give them an impetus to follow the teachings of Islam as illustrated in the life of the Promised Messiah[as]; his inspiring words and noble lead, on the other hand, stimulate them to greater and greater exertions in the cause of Islam. The proceedings began on the 26th. The first sitting was presided over by Seith Abdullah Allah Din of Sikandrabad, and the audience were addressed by Maulvi Ghulam Rasul of Rajeki, his subject being “Nature of Prophecy.� The second sitting took place after the Jum’a service and was presided over by Chaudhry Nasrullah Khan, Vakil [lawyer] of Sialkot. The second speaker was Maulvi Hafiz Roshan Ali who delivered a learned discourse on the Truth of the Promised Messiah. Similarly, there were two sittings on the second day. During the first sitting which was presided over by Khan Zulfiqar Ali Khan of Rampur, Maulvi Abdur Rahman, Maulvi Fazil, (ex-student of Azhar University) delivered a lecture on the prophethood of the Promised Messiah[as], and during the second sitting, the audience had the privilege of listening to words of wisdom from the sacred lips
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Friday 27 December 2019 | AL HAKAM of His Holiness Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad[ra], son and second successor of the Promised Messiah[as] and head of the Ahmadiyya community. The first sitting on the third day, which was presided over by Maulvi Abul Hashim Khan Chaudhry, M. A., of Bengal, was occupied with reports from the different secretaries to Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih, and from General Secretary, Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, Qadian. Secretary for propagation announced that in the year under report, 1763 new men were registered as members of the Ahmadiyya Movement, and that this number mostly consisted of men who had sent written applications for admission into the movement, there being many others whom Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih admitted into the movement at Qadian and whose names could not be registered. The secretary for education reported that about 40 Primary Schools and 5 Middle Schools were being conducted in various parts of the Punjab for the education of Ahmadi children. The additional secretary to Hazrat KhalifatulMasih, among other things, mentioned the services which the Ahmadiyya community had rendered to the government during the year under report. The secretary for finance announced that the income during the last financial year (October 1918 to September 1919) had been 20,175 rupees, 4 annas and 5 paisas while the total expenditure during the same period had been 191,500 rupees, 6 annas 8 paisas rupees. In the second sitting, Hazrat KhalifatulMasih delivered another speech on the subject of taqdir [fate]. He explained what was the true significance of taqdir and how a belief in it was essential for one’s spiritual progress. The address remaining incomplete, he continued his speech on the following day, the 29th of December. The second sitting on the 29 December was presided over by Khan Sahib Farzand Ali of Ferozepur. Qazi Abdullah BA BT spoke on the work of the Ahmadiyya Movement in England and Hakim Khalil Ahmad delivered a highly impressive speech on the work of the Promised Messiah, may peace and the blessings of God be upon him! The proceedings were brought to a close by a speech from the chair. The president also read to the audience our brother Mufti Muhammad Sadiq’s message from England. Before dispersing, the meeting offered their united prayer to God for the success of the Ahmadiyya propaganda [promulgation]. Ahmadi ladies held a separate meeting in the Masjid Aqsa and they were addressed by Hazrat KhalifatulMasih II[ra], Hafiz Roshan Ali, Hakim Khalil Ahmad, Qazi Amir Husain, Hafiz Ghulam Rasul of Wazirabad and Maulvi Ghulam Rasul of Rajeki. The addresses to the ladies were specially adapted to their requirements and we are glad to note that Ahmadi ladies do not lag behind Ahmadi gentlemen in their devotion to the holy cause of Islam.
The Holy Quran and Science Conference, Mississauga, Ontario
• Microbiology • Handling depression • Refuting allegations of so-called scientific errors in the Holy Quran • Interaction between surface-water and seawater • Analysis of empirical evidence on cohabitation and marriage The audience really enjoyed the presentations and asked interesting questions. This session concluded at lunch which was followed by a break for congregational prayers. Session three started with presentations on: • Cancer immunotherapy • Large scale graphene production • Robust energy storage towards a clean environment and sustainable resources • Heavy elements, their uses and toxicity
Syed Mukarram Nazir Correspondent Canada
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his year the 6th Annual Holy Quran and Science Conference and Exhibition was held on 24 November 2019 at Baitul Hamd Mosque, Mississauga, Canada. The event was attended by 400 members and over 1,400 enjoyed the live stream. The event was reported by Waseem Ahmad Sahib. The main purpose of the conference was to provide food for thought and enable the attendees to ponder and reflect on the Holy Quran from a scientific perspective. The conference presented many flavours from various speakers with diverse educational and scientific backgrounds. The speakers worked in various domains with one common goal, to find the hidden treasures in the Holy Quran. The day covered a broad spectrum of sciences, from geology to physics, chemistry to biology, and history to medicine. Similarly, a Holy Quran exhibition was also set up for the audience.
The programme started with the recitation of the Holy Quran followed by welcome remarks, the inaugural address and greetings by dignitaries and guest speakers. The Prime Minister of Canada, Right Honorable Justin Trudeau, Mayor of Vaughan, His Worship Maurizio Bevilacqua, Mayor of Mississauga, Her Worship Bonnie Crombie, and many other politicians sent their warmest greetings and messages to the attendees of the conference and offered their best wishes. During the first session, presenters covered topics such as: • Mountains drift like the clouds do • Reconciling heart and brain – the Quranic perspective • Studying honeybee behavior • Evolution in the light of the Holy Quran At the end of the session, a question and answer session opportunity was provided to the audience. After a refreshment break and exhibition visit, session two started which covered topics including:
• Science and God (which was the keynote presentation) The final session discussed topics such as: • Novel biomaterials for health applications • Health potential of rare sugars in honey • Science of colours • Science of learning • Health literacy After each session, Amir Jamaat Canada, Lal Khan Malik Sahib presented gifts to all the speakers. After the final question and answer session, a vote of thanks was presented by the conference chair, National Secretary Talim Canada, Dr Hameed A Mirza Sahib. Dinner was served and an exhibition was opened for the participants. May Allah immensely reward all the presenters, the organisers and participants and enable us to benefit from the divine wisdom presented in the Holy Quran. Amin.
Friday 27 December 2019 | AL HAKAM
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Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifa Part II Malik Saif-ur-Rahman Sahib, the author of the article given below, was a highly educated and established scholar of Islam, having studied and taught at famous Islamic institutes prior to accepting Islam Ahmadiyyat. He devoted his life to the Ahmadiyya Jamaat in Islam and served in many capacities. In 1947, he was appointed as Mufti-e-Silsila and later, also served as the principal of Jamia Ahmadiyya Rabwah for ten years. He is famous for his services to the Jamaat and notable works such as the compilation of HadiqatusSalihin and authoring Tarikh Afkar-e-Islami, which includes the article presented below Malik Saif-ur-Rahman
Compilation of books Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifarh never wrote any book himself. Some journals are attributed to him, for instance Al-Fiqh-ul-Akbar, which was on doctrine and Kitab-ul-Alim wal-Muta‘allim, which was on the etiquette of gaining knowledge. There is a letter that he wrote to a famous scholar of the time, Uthman al-Laythi explaining the issue of irja [postponement of an edict]. Two of his students preserved his fiqhrelated views. Both these students are famous by the term, “Sahibain” [the two gentlemen]. One of them was Hazrat Imam Yaqub bin Habib al-Ansari, who is famous by the appellation of Abu Yusuf. The other was Hazrat Imam Muhammad bin Hasan al-Shaybani. Imam Abu Yusuf was the qazi al-quzat [chief jurist] in the time of Harun al-Rashid, which was a respectable post under the Abbasid rule. He was the first to be given this post and was famous by the appellation of qazi al-quzat. During the Abbasid reign, he appointed qazis [jurists] mostly belonging to the Hanafi mazhab [order], due to which the entire government was highly influenced by the Hanafi beliefs. Imam Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi would often say that two mazhabs of fiqh had influenced the policies of governments: the Hanafites had gained ascendency during the Abbasid reign and the Maliki order was popular under the Caliphate of Cordoba. At one point, when the Ayyubid dynasty was dominant in Egypt and Syria and Sultan Mahmud Sabuktigini [Mahmud of Ghazni] ruled over Transoxiana, the Shafi‘is held the same position and were considered the state religion. Hazrat Imam Abu Yusuf was a prolific writer. His work, Kitab-ul-Khiraj gained much acclaim. Similarly, his second book, Al-Athar, and pamphlets, Ikhtilaf ibn Abi Layla and Al-Raddu Ala Siyaril-Auza‘i were also famous. Imam Abu Yusuf passed away in 183 AH. He left behind a lot of wealth. His will said that 100,000 dirhams should be distributed respectively among the needy and deserving in Mecca, Medina, Baghdad and in Kufa – the city where he spent his childhood, acquired knowledge and was given great respect in spite of being the son of a poor tailor. The other worthy student of Hazrat
An old picture of Abu Hanifa Mosque, Iraq, where Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifa’srh tomb is situated
Imam Abu Hanifarh was Imam Muhammad bin Hasan al-Shaybani, who also served as a jurist, but whose nature was inclined more towards preparing literature. It is for this reason that he is considered the biggest compiler of Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifa’srh views. Imam Muhammad bin Hasan was born in 132 AH. He belonged to a prosperous family. He passed away in 189 AH. He was a student of Imam Abu Hanifarh for around three years. At the time, he was very young, yet Abu Hanifarh remained vigilant about the educational and moral wellbeing of this young child and would sit him beside him during lessons. That is why he is also famous by the term, “Tarafain”, i.e. he who sits beside the teacher. When Imam Abu Hanifarh passed away in 150 AH, he completed his education studying from Imam Abu Yusuf and also studied for three years under Hazrat Imam Malikrh. There are various copies of Hazrat Imam Malik’srh compilation of traditions, which is famous by the name, Al-Muwatta. Two such copies are popular; one is called Muwatta Imam Malik, which was narrated by Yahya
bin Yahya al-Laythi, while the other is Muwatta Imam Muhammad, as narrated by Muhammad bin Hasan al-Shaybani. Imam Muhammad bin Hasan alShaybani authored many voluminous books, most of which is based on the Hanafi school of thought. Among these books, the following are famous: Kitab al-Mabsut, Kitab al-Ziyadat, AlJamey‘ al-Saghir, Al-Jamey‘ al-Kabir, AlSiyar al-Saghir and Al-Siyar al-Kabir. These six books are famous by the name of Zahir al-Riwayat. Two other books of his are also deemed to be of the same calibre: one is called AlRad ala Ahlil-Medina, while the other is Kitab al-Athar. Muwatta Imam Muhammad is also very famous. Many other students of Imam Abu Hanifarh were positioned at key posts and were no less in the field of knowledge. Imam Zufar, Daud Tai, Hasab bin Ziyad and Abdullah bin al-Mubarak were all saints of their age. Due to his students, Imam Abu Hanifa’srh fiqh-related views were widely circulated. A heavy portion of the Muslim population living in Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Turkistan, Afghanistan and
Hindustan associate with the Hanafi order. His followers can be found in other Muslim countries also. The Ottoman reign of the Turks was based on the Hanafi school of thought and due to the Turks, the Hanafi order was spread widely. Beautiful aspects of the life of Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifarh Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifarh would adopt a beautiful approach when addressing contentious matters. He would try his utmost to clear the matter, without hurting anyone’s sentiments. He once presented a beautiful example regarding this. He said: “If four people dispute about a white coloured sheet – one saying that it is red, the other saying that it is black, another calling it green and the last one, who knows that the actual colour is white – and remain adamant on their stance, then the person who knows the true colour should not say to the others, ‘You are wrong’, but rather should say, ‘As far as I am aware, the colour is white.’” Imam Abu Hanifarh was very clean. He would wear clean, presentable clothes and would desire the same for others.
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Friday 27 December 2019 | AL HAKAM Once, some scholars arrived to meet him, of whom one wore old, dirty, torn and tattered clothes. After their meeting, when they got up to leave, Imam Abu Hanifarh asked the gentleman with torn clothes to stay behind. When the others had left, he gave 1,000 dirhams to the gentleman to purchase new, decent clothes. The man replied, “I am a wealthy person. I do not need such financial help.” Abu Hanifa replied, “When God has given you wealth and has made you affluent, then you should be thankful to Him for this blessing upon you. There should be a practical display of this blessing upon you. It is thanklessness to wear such torn and tattered and unclean clothes. It goes against the verse: ْ َ َ ََ َو ا ّما ِبن ِْع َم ِت َر ِّبک ف َح ِّدث [‘And as for the bounty of your Lord, do relate it (to others)’ (Surah al-Duha, Ch.93: V.12).] It goes against the hadith that says that there should be a practical display of God’s beneficence.” Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifarh was a great neighbour and had the great quality of solving disputes and quarrels. A neighbour of his was a dissolute alcoholic and would create a lot of disturbance. During the nights, his alcoholic friends would gather at his home, where dancing, drinking and many acts that disturbed the environment would take place. This was somewhat unsettling for Imam Abu Hanifarh, however, due to the guidance about treating neighbours with kindness, he did not consider it suitable to file a complaint against him. One night, the area’s chief of police was walking past, when he heard the disturbance from the man’s house. When he approached the house to enquire about the disturbance, he ended up arresting them all and putting them in jail. The following day, when Imam Abu Hanifarh came to learn of this, he met with the governor of the city and gave him the guarantee of treating his neighbour kindly. With that, the prisoner was freed and Imam Abu Hanifarh brought him home. Imam Abu Hanifarh said to him, “You would often recite a couplet saying that a neighbour should be such who helps in times of difficulty. So, what sort of a neighbour have you found me to be?” The following couplet could often be heard being sung from his house: ُ َ َ ً َ َّ َ َ ْ ْ ُ َ َ اع ْوا ْ َ اضاعونِ َی و ای ف َتی َاض ل َِی ْو ِم ک ِریْ َہ ٍة ّو ِسدا ِد ثغ ِر After freeing his neighbour, Abu Hanifarh jokingly asked him: ََ ْ َ َ ہل اض ْع َناک The neighbour was so overwhelmed by the treatment of Imam Abu Hanifarh that he ceased such activity and started to live a peace-loving, pious and sincere life. Imam Abu Hanifarh was a steadfast and intelligent person who would resolve conflicts. He would respond to harsh words in such a way that would leave the other feeling ashamed, yet wanting to correct their way. Due to fiqh-related disputes, scholars would use harsh words for him and the ignorant followers of such scholars would take this anger to extremes. However, whenever people would observe his patience and fortitude, they would be forced to change their views. Once, a person called him an innovator
and disbeliever. In response, Imam Abu Hanifarh replied, “May Allah forgive you. I am not what you claim I am. Ever since I accepted Islam and Allah bestowed spiritual wisdom upon me, I hold fast only to Him. I neither consider anything parallel to Allah, nor do I deify anything. Is this what a disbeliever is?” Upon hearing this response, the man felt embarrassed and sought forgiveness. Imam Abu Hanifarh said, “When a person commits a mistake unknowingly, upon repenting, Allah forgives them.” Once, Imam Abu Hanifarh was sitting in a mosque when a person following an opposing scholar came and started hurling abuse at him. Imam Abu Hanifarh remained quiet throughout his abuse, but that person increased in his verbal abuse. When Abu Hanifarh got up to leave, that person started to follow him and continued his verbal assault. When he eventually reached his home, he turned to the man and said, “This is my home. I must go inside. If anything remains, please express it now. Otherwise, do not say later on that you still have a desire to continue.” Upon hearing this reply, the man felt ashamed and repented from his actions. During the time of the Umayyads, Kufa’s governor, Ibn Hubayra and the second Caliph of the Abbasid reign, Abu Jafar Mansur tried their utmost to have Imam Abu Hanifarh accept the role of chief judge, however he would always reject the offer. Both these rulers were harsh towards him during their periods of rule, at times lashing and imprisoning him. Abu Hanifarh bore this time with immense forbearance, however he disliked any wrongdoings. Once, his mother said quite anxiously to him, “Son, what has this knowledge brought you? Troubles and lashings?” He replied to his mother: ْ ُ ُ ّ َ ْ ُّ َ َ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ ُ َّ ُ َ ُ ٓاخ َر َة َواِنِّ ْی اَ ْخ َت یا اماہ ی ِریدون ِن ْی علی ار ِ الدن َی َا واِن ِ ْیَ ا ِریْد ٰال ّ َ َ ُْ َ َ َ اب الل ِہ ِ عذابہم علی عذ “My dear mother, these people present the world, yet I yearn for the Hereafter. I bear the pain they extend so that I may be saved from Allah’s punishment.” Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifarh was a very balanced, moderate and God-fearing saint. Once, while scholars had gathered to meet the ruler of the city, a debate started on a certain issue. Everyone gave their opinion and Imam Abu Hanifarh also presented his view. Among them was a scholar, Hasan bin Ammara; when he presented his stance, Abu Hanifarh responded, “This view seems more accurate. We were all thinking along the wrong track.” After hearing this, Hasan bin Ammara replied, “If Abu Hanifa wanted, he could have remained adamant on his stance, but due to his taqwa, he accepted the truth.” Once, a sanction was placed against him by the government that prohibited him from making a fatwa [ruling] on any issue or addressing any issue. While at home, his son, Hamaad enquired about a certain matter, to which he replied, “The government has prohibited me from giving my view on any religious matter. If anyone from the government asks whether I issued any ruling, then how will I reply?” As far as possible, Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifarh maintained friendly and sincere relations with contemporary scholars. He had great respect for Hazrat Imam Malikrh.
Whenever he would meet him, they would share views on different religious issues. He had the same sort of relationship with other moderate scholars. Imam Abu Hanifarh had a very content and satisfied disposition. Once, when a wife of Abu Jafar Mansur enquired of a religious matter from him, the reply Imam Abu Hanifarh gave was so pleasing to her that she sent 50,000 dirhams, a concubine and a horse as a gift for him. He replied that his fatwa was not given in the lust of any reward and that whatever truth he knew, he had mentioned it. Thus, he returned the gift with thanks. Imam Abu Hanifa’srh astuteness to critical questions His style of rejoinder was very unique. Even in the most complicated circumstances, he would reply in such a fashion that all onlookers would be left amazed. The fitna [unrest] of the Kharijites was in full swing during his lifetime. These people were usually ill-mannered and always ready to create disorder. Once, a group of Kharijites stormed into the main mosque of Kufa whilst Imam Abu Hanifarh was teaching his class. He instructed everyone not to fret and remain calm. When the head of the group arrived, he asked everyone sternly, “Who are you people?” Imam Abu Hanifarh promptly replied: َ ْ َ ن ْح ُن ُم ْست ِجی ُر ْو َن “We are refugees.” The Kharijites assumed that he was referring to the verse of the Holy Quran that mentions giving refuge to the idolater who wishes to seek refuge whilst listening to the Quran so that they may listen to God’s word and then to shift them to a place of rest i.e. their homes. Nonetheless, the leader said to his men to recite the Quran to them and then to return them safely to their homes. Through his astute wisdom, not only was the life of everyone saved, but they were taken home safely. Once, the Kharijites turned up all of a sudden. The leader of the Kharijites, Dahhak bin Qays said to Imam Abu Hanifarh, “If you are in favour of tahkim [the incident of a mediator being appointed between Alira and Muawiyyahra] then you should repent, otherwise we shall be forced to kill you.” Imam Abu Hanifarh replied, “Do you wish to use force or will you listen to reason?” He replied, “If you have any reason, then of course, do present it.” Abu Hanifa said, “Who can decide whether this argument is correct or not?” He replied, “We can assign a mediator”, to which Imam Sahibrh replied, “Okay, fine. We shall accept [so and so] from your party as a mediator.” Dahhak agreed and asked Imam Abu Hanifa to present his arguments. He astutely and immediately responded, “What can be more of an argument than the fact that you have yourself accepted the option of mediation; this is called tahkim.” Dahhak was immediately dumbfounded and could not utter anything else. Once, a group of Kharijites came to visit Imam Abu Hanifarh with swords in their hands. They were of the belief that a person who had committed atrocious sins would be summoned to the hellfire for eternity. Therefore, they said to Imam Abu Hanifarh, “We have two questions only. Answer them, otherwise we shall kill you.” He responded,
“What are the questions?” They said, “The first question is that if a person consumes a lot of alcohol and dies whilst drunk, or if a woman commits adultery and gets pregnant as a result and dies whilst pregnant with that child, tell us, will they both be considered Muslims?” Imam Abu Hanifarh replied, “Were they Jewish?” They replied in the negative. “Were they Christians?” They replied negatively. “Were they Zoroastrian?” They again replied in the negative. He then asked, “Then what religion did they belong to?” They replied, “They were Muslims.” Imam Abu Hanifarh immediately replied: ُ َ َْ قد ا َج ْبت ْم “You have yourself answered the question.” This shows that he considered anyone a Muslim who called themselves a Muslim. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, they said, “Alright, then tell us, are they hell bound, or can they enter paradise?” Imam Abu Hanifarh replied, “My answer is that which Abrahamas and Jesusas gave. Abrahamas said: َ ُ َ َ َّ َ ّ َّ َ َ َ ف َم ْن ت ِب َع ُہ ف ِان ُہ ِمن ِْی َو َم ْن َع َصانِ ْی ف ِانک غفوْ ٌر ّر ِح ْی ٌم “‘So whoever follows me, he is certainly of me; and whoever disobeys me – Thou art, surely, Most Forgiving, Merciful.’ (Surah Ibrahim, Ch.14: V.37) Jesusas, the Messiah, said: َ ُاد َک َو ِا ْن تَ ْغ ِف ْرل َ ُہ ْم َف ِانَّ َک اَن ْ َت ال ْ َعزیْ ُز ال ْ َح ِک ْیم ُ ِا ْن تُ َع ِّذ ْب ُہ ْم َف ِانّ ُہ ْم ِع َب ِ “‘If Thou punish them, they are Thy servants; and if Thou forgive them, Thou surely art the Mighty, the Wise.’” (Surah alMaidah, Ch.5: V.119) Upon hearing this response, they felt ashamed and went on their way. Once, Imam Abu Hanifarh visited the court of Abu Jafar Mansur where an official of Mansur, Abul Abbas Tusi, who held animosity against Abu Hanifarh, was also seated. Abul Abbas Tusi found an opportunity to create mischief and intended to have him punished by any means necessary. In front of Mansur, he asked Imam Abu Hanifarh, “If Amirul Momineen calls someone and orders him to smite another person’s neck while they are unaware of their crime, should such a person follow such orders?” Imam Abu Hanifarh realised the mischief and asked, “In your view, does Amirul Momineen issue commands with justice and integrity, or are his orders unjust and without reason, bearing a thirst for the blood of others?” Abul Abbas Tusi immediately felt uneasy and abruptly answered, “Amirul Momineen’s decision is just”, to which Imam Sahibrh replied, “A just order should be obeyed.” A person once made a will for Imam Abu Hanifarh in his absence. According to the law, his property was handed to the court. When Imam Abu Hanifarh finally arrived, he filed a lawsuit and explained the circumstances. The witnesses attested to the fact that the will was, in fact, in Abu Hanifa’srh name. Upon hearing this, the adjudicator said to Imam Sahibrh, “Can you swear on oath that what the witnesses are saying is the truth?” Imam Sahibrh replied, “How can I take an oath when I was not even present when the will was made?” to which the adjudicator responded, “Then you have lost this case.” Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifarh was very intelligent and so, when he assessed that the adjudicator was testing his intellect, he said
Friday 27 December 2019 | AL HAKAM
12 to him, “If a blind man is beaten by someone and injured and witnesses attest that so and so was the one who beat the blind man and that they were present and saw it happen, would you require for the blind to take an oath that the witnesses are telling the truth?” Observing Imam Sahib’srh intelligence and astuteness, the adjudicator was left stunned and called a decision in favour of Imam Sahibrh. A mentally challenged lady would often walk the bazaars of Kufa. Once, someone harassed the lady, to which the lady became enraged and started hurling foul language, calling him “Ya ibnal-zaniyain” (son of two adulterers). This incident took place in the bazaar close to the main mosque and was witnessed by Kufa’s qazi [judge], Ibn Abi Layla. He instructed for the woman to be arrested and sentenced her to twice the amount of the usual sentence of lashing. When Imam Abu Hanifarh came to learn of the injustice against the lady, he could not just sit by and observe. He criticised the sentencing and said that the qazi had made many blunders, for example: 1. The lady was insane and such people cannot be held accountable for their crimes and cannot be punished 2. The punishment was given inside the mosque, whereas the mosque is not a place for meting out punishments 3. When the lady had been punished, she was standing, even though women should be seated whilst being punished and cannot be punished whilst standing 4. By ascribing two crimes to the lady, the qazi issued two punishments, even though one punishment was enough. If a person falsely makes an accusation against an entire group of people, they would be punished once only and only that false accuser would be punished 5. The qazi issued both punishments together, even though the limits prescribed are that there should be a gap of a few days between such sentences so that the injuries sustained from first punishment can heal 6. Those who have been accused of being adulterers should also be present during sentencing and their refutation should be
heard, rejecting any truth in the claim. It is apparent that in the case mentioned, this did not happen The qazi, Ibn Abi Layla, complained to the governor of the city about Imam Abu Hanifa’srh criticism, saying that he had defamed the court. Thus, the governor issued sanctions upon Abu Hanifarh that prevented him from issuing any fatwas or answering any theological question. Imam Abu Hanifarh considered it acceptable to criticise issues surrounding the Shariah. He would himself criticise and would welcome criticism. Once, a qazi called Shurayk was presented with a question on what to do if a person was in doubt about whether they had divorced their wife or not. To this, Shurayk answered, “Such a person should divorce his wife and then do ruju‘ [seek to return to the wife] to remove any doubt.” Imam Thawrirh said that in such circumstances, divorce was not required as the husband’s intention was equivalent to ruju‘. Imam Zufarrh said that their Nikah was certain and that doubt was not more credible than certainty. Therefore, she would remain his wife as she was prior to the doubt. When Imam Abu Hanifarh heard of these views, he remarked that Imam Zufar’srh views were closest to the principles of fiqh, Imam Thawri’srh fatwa was based on taqwa, while Shurayk’s suggestion was similar to a person, who says that they are in doubt about whether their clothes were contaminated with urine, being told to urinate on their clothes and then to wash them. Shurayk was offended by Imam Abu Hanifa’srh strict criticism and never ceased in his spite for him. A case was presented before Shurayk, the qazi, in which two witnesses were presented. One was Nazar bin Ismail, while the other was Imam Abu Hanifa’srh son, Hamaad. Both were noble scholars of fiqh and respectable members of society, however Shurayk rejected their testimonies. Nazar was accused of being the imam of a certain mosque and accepting money for this responsibility, while Hamaad was accused of believing in false principles, alongside his father, who supposedly said
that the level of faith of the evil and pious was the same. During the course of raising accusations against Nazar, when Nazar replied, “You also take money whilst being a qazi”, he replied by saying, “When I come as a witness in your court, feel free to reject my testimony.” Shurayk would often say that the existence of the Hanafi school of thought was the misfortune of Islam. Accusations against Imam Abu Hanifarh The governor of the city once required an intellectual thesis on a particular subject. Qazi Ibn Shibrima and Qazi Ibn Abi Layla exerted all efforts, yet they were not able to prepare the required thesis. When the matter was referred to Imam Abu Hanifarh, he prepared it in a very calculated and precise manner, which the governor highly appreciated, leading him to praise Abu Hanifarh. When Ibn Abi Layla left the court of the governor, he said to his companion, Ibn Shibrima, “Did you see how this foolish and stupid person surpassed us?” Ibn Shibrima replied, “The real ‘foolish and stupid person’ is the one who was not able to formulate even a few lines on this subject and who is now furiously hurling insults at the scholar who was capable of it.” He would be at the receiving end of a lot of verbal abuse and accusations. Some would allege that he did know Arabic, while others said that his knowledge of hadith was not sound. He was accused of having ties with the Murji‘ah sect, not accepting the importance of actions, being a Shiite, claiming to love the Ahl-e-Bait [close family of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa] despite being a disbeliever or a Jew. Thousands of accusations were levelled against him, but who bears the capacity to humble a person whom God desires to favour? Those who raised false accusations against him have been effaced and are not remembered today, whereas Imam Abu Hanifarh and his students are venerated even today throughout the world. Once, the chief jurist of the city, Imam Abu Yusuf was asked, “You have accomplished so much. Do you still have any unfulfilled desire?” He replied, “Firstly,
to have the purity of Hazrat Musar bin Kudam and secondly, to be destined to become a great master of fiqh as was Abu Hanifa.” Harun al-Rashid, upon hearing this response, said, “This is a desire even higher than that of Khilafat.” The greatness of Imam Abu Hanifarh Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifa Numanrh bin Thabit was a great scholar of fiqh. He was an exemplary imam, had a noble personality and was a saint of the highest order. The Muslim Ummah remembers him as “AlImam al-A‘zam” [the Great Imam], a title he deservedly earned. He was bigger than all of the famous imams of fiqh, age-wise and otherwise. Everybody attested to his intellectual prowess. He had the honour of initiating the compilation of fiqh. He was the teacher of such students who would go on to become great men and took great pride in being his students. His fiqh became known as an ocean of knowledge due to the stretch of principles and abundance of rulings. Islamic governments of various eras adopted his fiqh to rule. As compared to other imams of fiqh, his following is much larger and it is for this reason that the Imam of the age, the Promised Messiahas praised him and said with respect to him: “The fact is that the aforementioned Imam Sahib, in terms of his aptitude of ijtihad [hermeneutics], comprehension of hadith, understanding and wisdom was superior and greater than the other three imams [i.e. Hazrat Imam Malikrh, Hazrat Imam Shafi‘irh and Hazrat Imam Ahmadrh bin Hanbal]. His God-given decision-making skills were so refined that he knew how to differentiate between evidence and lack of evidence. His reasoning skills had a special power to understand the Holy Quran and his nature had a deep familiarity with the word of God, elevating him to the highest stage of Godrealisation. It is for this reason that in terms of ijtihad and deduction, he was accepted as the highest authority, something which the rest were unable to attain.” (Izala-e-Auham, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 3, p. 385) (Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu in Tarikh Afkar-e-Islami, written by Malik Saif-ur-Rahman Sahib)
Why Muslims do not celebrate Christmas Shamshad Ahmad Nasir Missionary USA
ith Christmas just gone by, I feel that it is an opportunity to write about W the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s
beliefs and views about Christmas and its related celebrations. Muslims do not celebrate Christmas. Many people know this, but they do not know why. If Jesus, peace be upon him, is so revered in Islam, why do we not celebrate his birthday? It is necessary to point out that Jesusas and his mother Hazrat Maryam (Mary), are revered highly by Muslims. The Holy Quran mentions the name of Jesusas 25 times and that of Hazrat Maryam 34 times. In fact, a whole chapter in the Holy Quran has been dedicated to Hazrat Maryam (Surah Maryam, chapter 19) which gives a detailed account of the birth of Jesusas and
the related circumstances. As far as celebrating Christmas as the birthday of Jesusas is concerned, we, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, do not celebrate it, just as we do not celebrate the birthdays of any other prophet. We believe that following and adopting a prophet’s teachings as a way of life, amounts to a celebration of his birth. If the teachings are not followed, the Almighty’s displeasure is invoked. To quote an example from the Gospel, Jesusas preached non-violence to his followers. He said that if someone slaps you on one cheek, do not retaliate violently, but to turn the other cheek towards the attacker (Matthew 5:39). If this policy of non-violence, and humbleness was strictly adhered to by the followers of Jesusas, surely peace would reign on earth. This is just one Continued on page 16
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Friday 27 December 2019 | AL HAKAM
Wives of the Holy Prophetsa
Hazrat Safiyyah Bint Huyayy “[Tell them] how you could fare better than me, while Prophet Aaronas was my father, prophet Mosesas was my uncle and Muhammadsa is my husband!” (The Holy Prophetsa) Awais Rabbani Missionary Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat
Name: Safiyyah bint Huyayy Born: 610 Father’s Name: Huyayy bin Akhtab Tribe: Banu Nazir Demise: 670 Early life Hazrat Safiyyara bint Huyayy belonged to a noble and influential family. Her father, Huyayy bin Akhtab was the chief of the Jewish Tribe Banu Nazir. She was the descendant of prophet Aaronas, brother of Mosesas. In this sense, after her marriage to the Holy Prophetsa, she was the only wife who had the privilege to have familial relationship with three prophets. Even the Holy Prophetsa recognised this distinction and on one occasion told her to respond to anyone who ridicules her for having a Jewish heritage in the following words: “How could you fare better than me, while Prophet Aaronas was my father, Prophet Mosesas was my uncle and Muhammadsa is my husband!” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi)
Battle of Khayber and marriage to the Prophetsa Despite manifest signs in support of the Holy Prophetsa, the Jews resolved to oppose the Prophet of Islamas and continued to conspire against him. Among them was the father of Hazrat Safiyyah, Huyaiyy bin Akhtab. Owing to the actions of his tribe, which were synonymous with instigating war, the Messengersa of Allah had no choice but to confront them. Before the war, Hazrat Saffiyahra saw a dream that the moon had fallen in her lap. When she narrated this to her father, he admonished her for wanting to marry the king who had come to besiege them i.e. the Holy Prophetsa. Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra narrates this in the following words: “Safiyyahra, the daughter of a Jewish Cheiftain of Khayber, Huyayy bin Akhtab, saw a dream that the moon had fallen into her lap. Her father also interpreted that one day, Safiyyahra would come into the matrimonial tie of an Arab Ruler.” (The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets, Vol. 1, p. 236)
After Banu Nazir was defeated, Hazrat Safiyyahra became a prisoner of war. When the Holy Prophetsa learnt of her, he offered to marry her. With this, he intended to relieve the tension between the Jews and Muslims. When Banu Nazir would see their princess married to the Prophetsa, it was likely that their animosity would fade away and both parties could live in harmony and peace. The great exemplar Her marriage to the Holy Prophetsa was proof of the truth and high morals that the Prophet of Islamsa held. She lost her husband and father during the war and one can fathom the hatred she might have had against the Muslims at first. However, she was so impressed by the kindness and affection the Holy Prophetsa demonstrated to her and the survivors, that on her own accord, she agreed to the marriage. It is narrated on the authority of Hazrat Anasra bin Malik: “When we proceeded to return to Medina from Khayber and it was time for Saffiyahra to mount upon the camel, He [the Holy Prophetsa] prepared the howdah and folded the [cloak] that he was wearing and laid it down to further soften it for her.” (Sahih al-Bukhari) On another occasion, while returning from a place called Asfaan, the camel on which the Holy Prophetsa was riding slipped. Hazrat Safiyyahra was also seated beside him and both of them fell off. Hazrat Anasra relates: “While returning from Asfaan, the camel on which the Prophetsa and Safiyyara bint Huyayy were sitting on slipped and they fell off. Abu Talha jumped from his camel and said, “O Allah’s Messenger! May I be sacrifice
unto thee. The Prophetsa replied, ‘Take care of the lady first.’ So, Abu Talha veiled his face with a garment and went to Safiyyahra and covered her.” (Sahih al-Bukhari) The Holy Prophetsa acknowledged her heritage and the family she was from and hence it was only befitting that he would marry the woman of such noble origin to accord her the proper respect and treatment she deserved. When she observed purdah, the companions too understood that she had now become one of the mothers of the faithful, which was her rightful place. It was such gestures of affection and care that won her heart over and forsook any hostility she held before and became a devout Muslim and a devoted wife. When the Prophetsa of Islam was ill before his demise, Hazrat Safiyyahra, for the loyal wife she was, was extremely upset and said: “I wish it was I who was suffering instead of you.” Her compassion Despite coming from an influential family, she was a humble woman and always sought to help others during duress. During Hazrat Usman’sra Khilafat, when his house was under siege from the rebels, she headed straight into the face of danger to defend him and to calm the crowd. Although she was turned away, it was an extremely brave act of selflessness. She continued to supply provisions to him and rendered her support as much as she could. She passed away during the reign of Hazrat Muawiyyahra and was buried in Jannatul-Baqi.
Mayotte: The blessings of MTA International Usama Joya Missionary Mayotte
ayotte is a beautiful archipelago in the Indian Ocean between M Madagascar and the coast of Mozambique.
In essence, it is an extension of France, known as “Department of Mayotte”. The culture and heritage of Mayotte resembles the neighbouring Comoros islands. Mayotte is the only department of France with 95% of the population being Muslim, mostly Salafist. With nearly 30,000 people, Mayotte is extremely under privileged and people do not have basic needs, like drinking water, electricity and access to education. Before I was sent to Mayotte in 2015 by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah be his Helper, a missionary had never been sent to the island. However, to the reader’s surprise, there existed a Jamaat and a community of believers in Mayotte! I had no hand in converting these people to Islam Ahmadiyyat. In reality, Allah blessed this island through technology. The first converts to Islam Ahmadiyyat in Mayotte were actually guided through Muslim Television Ahmadiyya (MTA International). The background to this story takes us back to 2009, when a local Muslim who would preach about Islam in different villages of Mayotte and also possessed a
madrasah (Islamic School) heard about MTA through a friend, Zaidou Saindou. After research and speaking about the channel with his friend, he finally decided to have MTA installed at his home. The gentleman began to regularly watch MTA 3 Al-Arabiyya, especially the extensive programmes on the death of Jesusas. After watching MTA 3 Al-Arabiyya for a few months, he decided to learn more about Islam Ahmadiyyat. During his research, he would discuss his findings with his students who would come to his madrasah to learn about the Quran and hadith. Finally, after extensive research into Islam Ahmadiyyat, the gentleman decided to accept Ahmadiyyat as he saw it as the truth. He began preaching the beliefs of Islam Ahmadiyyat to his students (most of whom were ladies) and told them that he had accepted a Jamaat called “Ahmadiyyat”. Slowly but surely, after discussions and preaching across three years, his students also accepted Islam Ahmadiyyat. In this manner, a community of believers was formed solely through MTA International. No missionary was present on the island, but Allah decided to guide them and once again fulfilled the great prophecy given to the Promised Messiahas that “I shall cause thy message to reach the corners of the earth”.
Friday 27 December 2019 | AL HAKAM
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Responding to Allegations
The glad tiding of a blessed son A young Sahibzada Mirza Mubarak Ahmadra is seen in the lap of Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra, who is seated on the chair
he opponents of the Promised Messiah, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of T Qadian, refer to an announcement of as
the Promised Messiahas that he issued on 5 November 1907. They say that he prophesied in the announcement, after the death of his son, Mubarak Ahmadra, that God would grant another son in Mubarak Ahmad’sra place. The opponents suggest that this prophecy was not fulfilled because no other son was born after Mubarak Ahmadra. In reality, these opponents have neglected to mention the complete statement of the Promised Messiahas that he issued in the announcement. Sadly, they do this in order to mislead and misinform others. Below is the actual announcement of the Promised Messiahas regarding his son, Sahibzada Mirza Mubarak Ahmadra: “Soon after the demise of Mubarak Ahmad, God Almighty sent this revelation: ّ انا نبشرک بغلام حلیم ینزل منزل المبارک “Meaning, ‘We give you glad tidings of a son who will be gentle and will be [born] in the station of Mubarak Ahmad and will
be his replacement and will resemble him.’ Hence, God did not desire that the enemy rejoice. Therefore, He gave the good news of another son shortly after Mubarak Ahmad passed away, so as to realise that Mubarak Ahmad had not died and is alive. He turned towards me and stated in a revelation: ّ انی اریحک و لا اجیحک و اخرج منک قوما “That is, I shall comfort you and shall not uproot your progeny and shall raise a great people from your progeny. These are the words of God which shall be fulfilled at the appointed time. If some people of this age will attain a long life, they will witness the glad tiding foretold by God today – that it will manifest with absolute glory, strength and power. The words of God cannot be averted and will manifest. That God who protected Prophet Abrahamas, then Mosesas and then Jesusas, and after all of them, our master and chief, the Holy Prophetsa, from deadly and bloodthirsty enemies, will save me as well.” (Majmua Ishtiharat, Vol. 3, pp. 587-588) It is quite evident from the above extract that the opponents have pointed out the first part of the statement for the sake of
raising an objection but the second part has either been overlooked or deliberately omitted because it presents a series of other revelations which also explain the prophecy highlighted by the opponents. Looking at the complete excerpt, it is clear that the Promised Messiahas was given the following glad tidings by God Almighty: 1. Another son would be born who would be an embodiment of Mubarak Ahmadra 2. The progeny of the Promised Messiahas would not be uprooted and in fact, a “great nation” would be born from his progeny 3. As Abrahamas, Mosesas, Jesusas and the Holy Prophetsa were protected by deadly and bloodthirsty enemies, the Promised Messiahas too would be safeguarded. As these prophets were guarded from being murdered by their enemies, he would be saved as well In accordance with the above prophecies, God Almighty caused the progeny of the Promised Messiahas to spread to such an extent that his family members can be found in every continent of the world. Moreover, his enemies were not able to harm him in any manner. Hence, if these prophecies were not from Allah Almighty and had these revelations been fabricated by the Promised Messiahas, then surely, the AllPowerful God would have annihilated him through the hands of his opponents and his progeny would have ceased as well. As far as the prophecy about his son, Sahibzada Mirza Mubarak Ahmadra is concerned, he was born to the Promised Messiahas on 14 June 1899. Mentioning the revelations which were revealed to the Promised Messiahas regarding Sahibzada Mirza Mubarak Ahmadra, Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karimra Sialkoti wrote: “A day prior to and a day after the birth of Mubarak Ahmad, God Almighty, through the tongue of the son, revealed the following revelation to the Promised Messiahas: ّٰ ّ انی اسقط من اللہ و اصیبہ “That is, ‘I fall upon the earth from the Hand of Allah and shall proceed towards Him.’ After this, it was revealed: ٰ کفی ھذا “[‘This is enough.’]” (Al Hakam, 30 June 1899) Regarding the same revelation, the Promised Messiahas states: “I received the revelation just prior to his [Mubarak Ahmad’s] birth: ّٰ ّ انی اسقط من اللہ و اصیبہ “That is ‘I fall upon the earth from the Hand of Allah and shall proceed towards Him.’ “My own interpretation of this revelation is that either this boy will be righteous and will face towards God and will move towards Him or that he will die early. Allah alone knows which of these two interpretations is in accordance with His design.” (Taryaqul-Qulub, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 15, pp. 213214) According to the second interpretation
of the above prophecy by the Promised Messiahas, which was recorded in his book, Taryaq-ul-Qulub on 20 August 1899, his son, Sahibzada Mirza Mubarak Ahmadra passed away on 16 September 1907. The fulfillment of this prophecy is a clear manifestation of the truthfulness of the Promised Messiahas. However, only those people attest to this truth who fear God Almighty, as it is stated in the Holy Quran: ْ َّ ْ ّ ُھ ًدی ل ِل ُمتقِی َن “It is a guidance for the righteous.” (Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.1: V.3) The act of not mentioning various other revelations that were present in the same extract shows that the opponents were aware of the fact that they might have been fulfilled and in their view, only the prophecy regarding Sahibzada Mirza Mubarak Ahmadra could have been objected to. To establish the truthfulness of a prophet we only need to look at the example Allah has set for us in the Holy Quran. During the incident of Prophet Mosesas, the Holy Quran talks about a person who secretly believed in Mosesas: َ َ ّ ْ ُّ ُ َ َ َ َ َآل ف ِْر َعوْ َن يَ ْك ُت ُم إِيْ َمان َ ُه أتَ ْق ُت ُلوْ َن َر ُجلًا أ ْن ّيَقُوْ َل َرب ّي ِ وق ٰال رج ٌل مؤ ِم ٌن ِم ْن ِ ُ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ ْ َُ َ ْ ََُّ ات ِمن ّر ِّبك ْم ۖ َو ِإ ْن ّيك كا ِذ ًبا ف َعل ْي ِه ك ِذبُ ُه ۖ َو ِإ ْن الله وقد ج ِ اءكم ِبال َب ِّين ّٰ َّ ْ ُ ُ َ ْ َّ ُ ْ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ ً َ ُ َّ ٌالل َه لَا يَ ْهد ْي َم ْن ُهوَ ُم ْسرف يك صا ِدقا ي ِصبكم بعض ال ِذي يعِدكم إِن ِ ِ ٌ َك َّذ اب “And a believing man from among the people of Pharaoh, who kept hidden his faith, said, ‘Will you slay a man because he says, “My Lord is Allah,” while he has brought you clear proofs from your Lord? And if he be a liar, on him will be the sin of his lie; but if he is truthful, then some of that which he threatens you with, will surely befall you. Certainly, Allah guides not one who exceeds the bounds and is a great liar.’” (Surah al-Mumin, Ch.40: V.29) The words, “if he is truthful, then some of that which he threatens you with, will surely befall you” signify that the truth of a prophet can be tested through the fact that some of the prophecies will surely be fulfilled before the people of that time. Hence, some of the prophecies present in the statement of the Promised Messiahas were clearly fulfilled, which are the proof of his truthfulness. Moreover, as it has been previously mentioned that a day before the birth of Sahibzada Mirza Mubarak Ahmadra, the Promised Messiahas was foretold by God ٰ Almighty, “ ”کفی ھذاi.e. this [son] is enough, indicating that no other son would be born to him in future. After this revelation, when his last son passed away on 5 November 1907, the Promised Messiahas received this glad tiding: ّ انا نبشرک بغلام حلیم ینزل منزل المبارک “We give you glad tiding of a gentle son. He will resemble Mubarak Ahmad.” Comprehending the above prophecy in ٰ light of the revelation, “”کفی ھذا, shows that as the Promised Messiah was not foretold about his own physical son, but in fact he was given the news of a son from his progeny who would carry the traits of Sahibzada Mirza Mubarak Ahmadra. In this way, the prophecy bore the glad tidings of the birth of his first grandson, Hazrat Sahibzada Mirza Nasir Ahmadrh, who was born on 16 November 1909, and would later become the third Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat on 8 November 1965. The opponents are mistaken in
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Friday 27 December 2019 | AL HAKAM Continued from page 2 example, he would regularly call Maulvi Muhammad Ali Sahib for his translation work of the Holy Quran. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira would listen to his notes and advise him accordingly. January 1915: Special arrangements were made at Jamia Ahmadiyya Qadian for senior students. For instance, a separate hostel was allotted and a special superintendent was appointed, while a series of lectures by scholars of the Jamaat were also scheduled for the upcoming missionaries. The whole project was supervised by Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad MAra, son of the Promised Messiahas. January 1915: A book written by Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra titled, Allah ki Madad Sirf Sadiqon ke sath hay (The help of Allah is only with the truthful) was published.
Sahibzada Mirza Mubarak Ahmadra
suggesting from the prophecy of a son that he must be the physical offspring of the Promised Messiahas because Allah the Almighty had not declared in the revelation that the blessed son would be born in his lifetime. On the other hand, the glad tiding of a son could also refer to a grandson. This is indicated in the Holy Quran. Regarding Hazrat Sarah, Allah Almighty states: َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َّ َ َ َ ُاق يَ ْعق وب فب�رناھا ِب ِﺈسحاق و ِمن ورا ِء إِسح “We gave her glad tidings of the birth of Isaac and, after Isaac, of Jacob” (Surah Hud, Ch.11: V.72). However, Prophet Jacobas was not the physical male offspring of Hazrat Sarah but in fact, her grandson. Similarly, it is stated in the Holy Quran about Prophet Abrahamas: َ َ ْ َُ ََََْ َ ُاق َويَ ْعق وب ووھبنا لہ ِإسح “And We gave him Isaac and Jacob” (Surah al-Anam, Ch.6: V.85). The fact that prophet Jacobas was the grandson of Abrahamas and not his actual son, shows that the prophecy of a son could also refer to a grandson. Moreover, it should be borne in mind that the word “son” signifies son, grandson, great grandson, or any one of the progeny of an individual. Countless examples of such use are found in Arabic. For instance, most of the tribes were named after honourable ancestors and their people were called their sons. The Umayyad and Abbasid tribes are very famous in the history of Islam. Harun al-Rashid and Mamun al-Rashid are commonly referred to as the sons of Abbas, but in reality they are not his own physical offspring. Similarly, Khalifa Marwan and Umar ibn Abdul Aziz are called the sons of Umayya, but they were not his actual sons. Hence, according to the custom of humanity, where every Syed calls himself the son of the Holy Prophetsa and everyone is called the sons of Adam etc., the Promised Messiahas was given a glad tiding of a son from his progeny by God Almighty and the prophecy was fulfilled in the person of Hazrat Sahibzada Mirza Nasir Ahmadrh.
January 1916: During the first week of the month, notable guests visited Qadian and had the honour to meet with Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra. The guests included Mr Walter, Secretary of the Christian Youngman Association in Lahore; Mr Hume, the Educational Secretary and Mr Lucas, Vice Principal Foreman Christian College Lahore. Mr Walter later published his work entitled Ahmadiyya Movement. Mr Lucas, on some occasion during a speech in Ceylon, observed that the battle between Islam and Christianity would attain its decisive phase in Qadian. January 1925: Maulvi Muhammad Hussain – once a childhood friend and later, a fierce opponent of the Promised Messiahas – died after a painful ailment. January 1926: A telegram office was installed in Qadian. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra wired his first message towards some large chapters of the Jamaat in India using the new facility. January 1927: Fanatics filled the air of India with hatred and harm against Muslims and Islam using the resources of Shradhanand Memorial Fund. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra directed Jamaat members to use every tabligh opportunity to defuse the damaging situation. Huzoorra hinted that from now on, things could be settled through tabligh. At the same time, Huzoorra invited other Muslims to join hands in order to tackle the state of affairs in the country. January 1934: Hazrat Muhyuddinra passed way. He was considered amongst the early converts to Islam Ahmadiyyat from the Malabar region of India. January 1934: An office was set up in Qadian by Majlis Ahrar. January 1935: With the start of the new year, a new and fierce wave of persecution was witnessed where attempts on the lives of Ahmadis, brutal beatings of innocent Ahmadis and damage of Jamaat properties by anti-Ahmadiyya mobs was rampant. Further, Ahmadis faced problems during the burials of their deceased, water was denied to Ahmadis in certain places, mosques and other properties were attacked and seized and Ahmadi ladies were also attacked. Glimpses of the oppression that occurred are recorded in volume 7 of Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat. Despite the abuse and torment, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra advised Jamaat members to remain calm and patient and show the highest standards of morals. January 1935: The quarterly magazine, Al Basharat-ulIslamiyya from Palestine commenced its publication. January 1935: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra set up a separate and independent office for Tahrik-e-Jadid, where Maulvi Abdur Rahman Anwar Sahib served as its director until 1946. January 1936: A monthly magazine in Swahili titled Mapezi ya Mangu commenced its publication from Mombasa, Kenya. January 1937: A local from Singapore, Haji Jaafar Sahib entered the fold of Islam Ahmadiyyat. January 1937: During the rise of the Franco-Turkish dispute, the Jamaat was directed to engage in prayers for the Turkish side. January 1938: The rules and regulations of Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya were printed for the first time. January 1938: A missionary, Haji Ahmad Khan Sahib reached Czechoslovakia to spread the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat. Unfortunately, months later, he had to return due to visa issues. January 1942: A magazine titled Furqan was launched by a small group of young scholars named Majlis Rufaqa-e-Ahmad. Maulana Abul Ata Jalandhari Sahib was its editor. The main theme of this scholarly journal was to address misconceptions that were being falsely spread by the Lahori Jamaat. January 1944: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra was in Lahore due to the medical treatment of his wife, Hazrat Umm-e-Tahirra. She was admitted to Lady Willingdon Hospital, while Huzoorra resided at the house of Sheikh Bashir Ahmad Sahib. January 1945: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra announced the appointment of amirs of eight different districts. This was the
first time in the Jamaat where such appointments had taken place. The districts included Hoshiarpur, Sargodha, Ferozepur, Jalandhar, Sialkot, Gujrat, Gujranwala and Multan. January 1945: Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Qadian launched its central bulletin and named it Tariq. January 1947: Chaudhry Muhammad Sharif Sahib, a missionary serving in Palestine, publically invited the patriarch of Antioch and other patriarchs in Palestine and Syria for a decisive debate about Islam, however no one stepped forward. January 1948: Abdul Latif Shahid Sahib from Gujrat launched a monthly magazine to spread the teachings of the Holy Quran. January 1950: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’sra research was published, entitled Islam aur Milkiyat-e-Zameen. The book countered communist narratives and discussed Islam’s teachings about property and land. January 1951: A health facility in Qadian started a laboratory. Female nurses also began working at the facility to ensure the privacy of female patients. January 1953: Jamaat members observed seven voluntary fasts at the start of the new year, as directed by Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra in his Jalsa speech. All seven fasts were observed on Mondays, each week. January 1959: Sweden Jamaat launched a monthly magazine, Active Islam. The publication had articles in three language, Swedish, Norwegian and Danish. January 1959: The Holland mission commenced publication of the monthly magazine Al Islam in Dutch. January 1961: Switzerland Jamaat started its Ahmadiyya Gazette to cover its activities. January 1963: The mission in Spain reported to the Markaz that by this date, it has dispatched the translation of The Philosophy of The Teachings of Islam to governors of 27 provinces. January 1964: The message of the Jamaat started to reach the masses in Liberia through a television channel. Moreover, due to the efforts of the Jamaat mission, Muslim employees across the country were granted a one hour leave every Friday to offer Jumuah prayers in congregation. 1 January 1919: One of the most remembered and remarkable works of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra was the establishment of a central administrative body, Sadr Anjuman. On this date, Huzoorra unveiled new changes to the body and detailed new features for Sadr Anjuman, adding the nazarat system. Huzoorra also appointed Hazrat Maulvi Sher Alira as the first nazir-e-ala of Sadr Anjuman. 1 January 1933: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, along with some other members of the Promised Messiah’sas family, enjoyed, for the first time, a ride in an aeroplane as the famous pilot, Mr Chawla landed in Qadian with his small plane. 1 January 1934: Madrasa Ahmadiyya in Kababir, Palestine was established, where Maulana Abul Ata Jalandhari Sahib served as its first head master. 1 January 1936: Malik Saif-ur-Rahman Sahib did Bai‘at and became a member of the Jamaat. He had undertaken a long and deep study of the Jamaat prior to accepting. He was a renowned scholar of Islam and was very well respected in the Ahrar Movement prior to his acceptance of Islam Ahmadiyyat. 1 January 1936: Hazrat Syed Nasir Shahra, a companion of the Promised Messiahas, passed away. 1 January 1948: Shopkeepers in Qadian began a strict social boycott towards the Darweshan (sing. Darwesh) residing there. All sorts of household items and basic commodities were denied to these devout servants of Islam. This episode of hardship ended on 26 January. 1 January 1955: Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Ghana launched its first ever newspaper named Sunrise. It was the first Muslim newspaper of the country. 2 January 1929: Hazrat Maulvi Muhammad of Mazangra, a companion of the Promised Messiahas, passed away. 2 January 1956: A high ranked Chinese official was visiting Kolkata, where he was also presented with Jamaat literature. 2 January 1960: Billy Graham was a renowned American evangelist, who preached in 11 countries across Africa, including Liberia. On this date, he was invited by the Jamaat’s missionary appointed in Liberia to come and accept a prayer duel. Mr Graham did not come forward and opted to remain silent.
Friday 27 December 2019 | AL HAKAM
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Hadith in Commentary
Continued from page 1
The Rightly Guided Khulafa and the ring of the Prophet Hazrat Mir Muhammad Ishaqra
fter the demise of the Holy Prophet, A peace and blessings be upon him, Hazrat Abu Bakr, Hazrat Umar, Hazrat
Uthman, and finally Hazrat Ali, may Allah be pleased with them all, consecutively kept the ring of the Holy Prophetsa during their Khilafat (the imprint of which can be seen on the right and at the end of the letter shown below). These esteemed Khulafa would use the ring’s seal to stamp their letters etc. They would not use any sort of other personal
stamp or imprint [to sign their letters and documents]. By doing this, they were giving a message out; we are following the footsteps of [only] the Holy Prophetsa and are not presenting any sort of new teaching or a new form of Islam. Whatever we have or whatever we guide people towards, is exactly what the Holy Prophetsa taught. (Originally published in Al Fazl on 13 January 1940 [page 3] in the form of notes taken by Mahmood Ahmad Khalil Sahib from the lectures on hadith by Hazrat Mir Muhammad Ishaqra, brother-in-law of the Promised Messiahas)
time of retribution, they ought to avoid cruelty and severity. Humans possess an inner self as well, which is of three types: one which incites to evil, one which reproves man for evil and the soul at rest. In the state that incites man towards evil, a person is unable to restrain their emotions and inappropriate passions, and fails to remain within appropriate bounds, falling from a state of morality. However, in the state of self-reproof, a person manages to restrain themselves. I am reminded of an anecdote written by Sa‘di in his book Bustan, in which he states that once a noble man was bitten by a dog. When he returned home, his house-folk noticed the dog bite. A simple and innocent girl who was present said, “Why did you not bite the dog in revenge?” The man responded, “Humans cannot behave like dogs”. Similarly, when a person is abused and cursed by a wretch, it is incumbent upon a believer to abstain from responding in kind. Otherwise, this example of doglike behaviour shall be applicable to such people. The beloved of God have been abused with the worst of invectives and are grieved in the worst possible manner. However, they were always addressed in the following words: ْ َْ ْ ْ أع ِرض َع ِن ال َجا ِھلِی َن “Turn away from the ignorant.”
Above images credit: Wiki Commons
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example, there are scores of others related to everyday life. The other question that needs to be addressed regarding Christmas is whether 25 December is the actual date of birth of Jesusas. According to the Bible, when Jesus was born, shepherds slept outside in the open to tend to their sheep and date palms were the seasonal fruit. When the baby (Jesusas) was born, Hazrat Maryam shook a date palm tree and ate the dates that fell. She drank water from a nearby stream. It was the season of the ripening of dates, probably around August or September. Both the Quran and Bible (New Testament, Luke 2:7-8.) give evidence of the actual time of Jesus’ birth as autumn
rather than winter. Winters, and especially winter nights in Bethlehem are too cold to sleep in the open. Christians themselves are unsure of the actual date of the birth of Jesusas. The consensus was to adopt the date of the ancient rituals related to the Winter Solstice, as the day of his birth (Encyclopedia Britannica, 15th edition). When the authenticity of the date of an event is doubtful, how can it form the basis of a celebration reflecting Christian faith and beliefs? And last but not least, the Christmas spirit has become a business and marketing venture leading to wasteful expenditure and activities that negate the spirit and teachings of Christianity.
Today, Christmas has been all about receiving and not giving. Children expect adults to give them expensive gifts, rather than being content with what they have. In a nutshell, Ahmadi Muslims do not celebrate Christmas because: 1. People should follow the teachings of their prophets and take the time for reflection, rather than make their birthdays occasions for merriment and enjoyment 2. The Quran and Bible both give evidence that 25 December is not the date of birth of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him)
Even the perfect man, our Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was given immense anguish; he was abused, reviled and insulted, but how did this paragon of morality respond? He prayed for those who inflicted this upon him and Allah the Exalted promised that if the Holy Prophetsa turned away from the ignorant, He would protect and safeguard the Prophet’s life and honour, and save him from the attacks of such miscreants. And so it proved to be. The opponents of the Holy Prophetsa were unable to tar his honour and only humiliated and disgraced themselves, ultimately falling at the Prophet’s feet or perishing before his eyes. Hence, it is a characteristic of the reproving self that even in a state of struggle, one is able to bring about reformation. It is a common fact that if an ignorant person or some wretch unleashes abuse or creates mischief, the more one distances oneself from such people, the more one’s dignity is preserved. The extent to which you wrangle and contend with such people is the extent to which you will suffer ruin and disgrace. In a state when the soul is at rest, one becomes inclined towards piety and goodness, and one severs one’s ties with the world and all that is beside Allah. Such a person walks about on earth and interacts with the people of this world, but in reality they are not present here on earth. They live in a different realm altogether, where the heaven and earth is of a different kind. (Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, Malfuzat, Vol. 1, pp. 98-99)
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Friday 27 December 2019 | AL HAKAM
Friday Sermon Men of Excellence 29 November 2019 After reciting the Tashahud, Ta‘awuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:
H
azrat Yazidra bin Thabit was a Badri companion of the Holy Prophetsa. He belonged to a family of Banu Malik bin Najjar from the Khazraj tribe of the Ansar. Hazrat Yazid’sra father was Thabit bin Zahaak, and his mother’s name was Nawaar bint Malik. Hazrat Yazidra was the elder brother of Hazrat Zaid bin Thabitra. (Usdul Ghabah, Vol. 3, p. 137, Zaid bin Thabitra, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2008) (Usdul Ghabah, Vol. 4, p. 677, Zaid bin Thabitra, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2008) He married Dubaiyyah bint Thabit. (AlTabaqaat-ul-Kubra li ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 3, p. 254, Thabit bin Khalid, Dar Ihyaa al-Turath alArabi, Beirut, 1996) It is said that he participated in both the battles of Badr and Uhud. He was martyred in 12 AH in the Battle of Yamama, during the caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakrra. According to another narration, he was struck by an arrow on the day of Yamama and owing to this injury, he passed away while returning from this battle. (Al-Isti‘ab, Vol. 4, p. 132, Zaid bin Thabit, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2002) (Kitab al-Thiqaat li ibn Habban, Vol. 1, p. 468, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1998) Hazrat Yazidra bin Thabit narrates that they were sitting in the company of the Holy Prophetsa when they saw a funeral pass by them. The Holy Prophetsa stood up and everyone sitting around the Holy Prophetsa also stood up. They remained standing until the funeral had passed. (Sunan an-Nisa‘i, Kitabul Jana’iz, Bab Al-Amru bil Qiyaami Lil Jana’iz, Hadith 1902) The details of this incident are recorded in another narration as follows: Hazrat Yazidra bin Thabit narrates that he was sitting along with a group of Companionsra in the company of the Holy Prophetsa when a funeral passed by. When the Holy Prophetsa saw this, he stood up immediately and the Companionsra followed suit. They continued to stand until the funeral had passed by them. Hazrat Yazidra states, “By God! I do not think that
the Holy Prophetsa stood up due to some discomfort or a lack of space. I also think that this was the funeral of a Jewish man or a Jewish woman and we did not ask the Holy Prophetsa as to the reason why he stood up for it.” (Al-Musannaf li Ibn Abi Shaibah, Vol. 3, p. 732, Kitabul Jana‘iz, Man Qaala
Yuqamu lil Jana‘iz idhaa marrat, Hadith 12030, Maktabah Rahmaniyyah, Lahore) There is another narration by Hazrat Yazidra bin Thabit, which is from Sunan alNisai. Hazrat Yazidra bin Thabit states, “The Holy Prophetsa came outside and saw a new
grave.” (In fact, this is a different incident being narrated altogether.) He states, “We went outside with the Holy Prophetsa. Upon seeing a new grave, the Holy Prophetsa asked, ‘What is this?’ The companionsra responded, ‘This is the grave of the slave girl who belonged to such and such tribe.’ The Holy Prophetsa knew who the grave belonged to. The Companionsra informed the Holy Prophetsa that she passed away earlier in the afternoon while he was resting. They said that they did not deem it suitable to wake him up at the time as he was resting. When the Holy Prophetsa heard this, he stood up. The companions formed rows behind the Holy Prophetsa, who then recited takbir four times”, meaning that the Holy Prophetsa stood by her grave, instructed everyone to form rows and offered her funeral prayer. The Holy Prophetsa then stated, “As long as I remain among you, you must inform me when any one of you passes away, because my prayer serves as a mercy for the deceased.” (Sunan al-Nisai, Kitabul Jana’iz, Bab As-Salatu Alaa al-Qabr, Hadith 2022) Similarly, this narration is also recorded in Muslim, Sunan Abi Daud and Ibn-eMaja. It is mentioned in Ibn-e-Maja in the following manner: Hazrat Yazidra bin Thabit, who was older than Zaidra, states that they were in the company of the Holy Prophetsa. When the Holy Prophetsa reached Jannatul Baqee‘, he discovered that a new grave had been dug. The Holy Prophetsa enquired about the grave, to which the Companionsra replied that it was the grave of such and such woman. The narrator says that the Holy Prophetsa recognised her and asked why they did not inform him about her? They replied that he was resting in the afternoon and he was also fasting. Hence, they did not wish to burden him. Upon this, the Holy Prophetsa said, “Do not perform any deed that I am unaware of.” In other words, “I have never ordered you as such. As long as I remain among you, you must inform me of whoever passes away. The reason for this is that my prayer will become a source of mercy for that individual.” Following this,
Friday 27 December 2019 | AL HAKAM
18 the Holy Prophetsa went to her grave. They formed rows behind the Holy Prophetsa who then recited four takbirat. (Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitabul Jana‘iz, Bab Maa Jaa’a fi asSalati Alaa al-Qabr, Hadith 1528) There is another narration from Sahih al-Bukhari, which has been narrated by Hazrat Abu Hurairara and is in relation to a woman of dark complexion and offering her funeral prayer at her grave. In this narration it is mentioned that she used to sweep the floor in Masjid Nabawi [the mosque of the Holy Prophetsa in Medina]. One day, this woman who used to sweep Masjid Nabawi passed away. When the Holy Prophetsa did not see her for several days, he enquired about her, upon which the companionsra informed him that she had passed away. Upon this, the Holy Prophetsa said, “Were you not going to inform me about this? Tell me where this woman’s grave is.” Hence, the Holy Prophetsa visited her grave and led her funeral prayer. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitabus Salah, Bab Kansul Masjid wa Iltiqaadh al-Kharq, Hadith 458) (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitabus Salah, Bab bil Hadhmi lil Masjid, Hadith 460) The author of Injaz-ul-Haajah, a commentary of Sunan Ibn Majah, writes that this woman had dark complexion. Imam Bayhaqi has mentioned her name to be Umme Mehjan and Ibn Manda has mentioned her name to be Kharqa. She has been counted among the female companions. It is also possible that her name was Kharqa and that Umme Mehjan was her title; i.e. both of these names are correct. (Sharh Ibn Majah, Vol. 4, p. 332, Kitabul Jana’iz, Bab Maa Jaa’a fi as-Salati Alaa al-Qabr, Hadith 1527, Dar an-Noor, Islamabad, 2011) The name of the next companion to be mentioned is Hazrat Muawwiz bin Amrra bin Jamuh. Hazrat Muawwizra belonged to the Banu Jusham of the Khazraj tribe of the Ansar. (Al-Sirat al-Nabawiyyah li Ibn Hisham, p. 470, Al-Ansar wa man ma’ahum, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2001) Hazrat Muawwiz’sra father’s name was Amrra bin Jamuh and the name of his mother was Hindra bint Amr. Hazrat Muawwizra bin Amr bin Jamuh participated in the Battle of Badr along with his two brothers, Hazrat Muazra and Hazrat Khalladra. In addition to this, they also participated in the Battle of Uhud. (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra li ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 3, pp. 426-427, Wa Akhuhu Mu’awwidh bin Amr, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2012) The father of Hazrat Muawwizra is Amrra bin Jamuh, who was prevented from participating in the Battle of Badr by his sons owing to a limp and pain in his foot. I have already mentioned this incident in a previous sermon, but will mention it briefly again. On the occasion of the Battle of Uhud, Hazrat Amrra bin Jamuh said to his sons that they did not permit him to go to war on the occasion of Badr. However, he said that this time he would most certainly participate in the battle of Uhud and they would not be able to stop him. His sons explained to him that due to his impediment, he was not even obliged to participate in the battle under such circumstances. However, Hazrat Amrra bin Jamuh did not accept this. He presented himself before the Holy Prophetsa and said, “O Messengersa of Allah! My sons are preventing me from
participating in the battle due to my injured foot. However, I wish to participate in the Jihad alongside you.” The Holy Prophetsa replied, “As for you, Allah the Almighty has exempted you and as such, Jihad is not obligatory upon you.” Nevertheless, seeing his zeal and passion, the Holy Prophetsa granted him permission. Hazrat Amrra bin Jamuh collected his provisions for the war and as he was about to set off, he said, “O Allah! Grant me martyrdom and do not return me to my family unsuccessful.” Subsequently, this desire of his was in fact fulfilled and he was martyred in the Battle of Uhud. Following his martyrdom, his wife, Hazrat Hindra, carried him and her brother, Abdullah bin Amrra on the same horse and buried both of them in the same grave. The Holy Prophetsa stated, “I swear by Him Who holds my life in His hands! I have seen Amr walking in heaven with his limp.” (Usdul Ghabah, Vol. 4, pp. 195-196, Amr bin alJamuhra, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2008) The name of the next companion is Hazrat Bishrra bin Bara bin Ma‘rur. Hazrat Bishrra belonged to the Banu Ubaid bin Adi of the Khazraj tribe of the Ansar. According to another narration, he belonged to Banu Salama; these are two different narrations. (Al-Sirat al-Nabawiyyah li Ibn Hisham, p. 471, Al-Ansar wa man ma’ahum, Dar-ulKutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2001) (Usdul Ghabah, Vol. 1, p. 380, Bishr bin al-Baraara, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2008) Hazrat Bishr’sra father’s name was Hazrat Barara bin Ma‘rur and the name of his mother was Khulaida bint Qais. (AlTabaqaat-ul-Kubra li ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 3, p. 291, Bishr bin al-Baraara, Dar Ihyaa Al-Turath Al-Arabi, Beirut, 1996) The father of Hazrat Bishrra, Hazrat Barara bin Ma‘rur was among the twelve appointed chiefs during the Second Bai‘at at Aqabah and was the chief of the tribe of Banu Salama. Hazrat Barara passed away during a journey one month prior to the migration to Medina. When the Holy Prophetsa had migrated to Medina, he visited his grave and recited four takbirat. (Usdul Ghabah, Vol. 1, pp. 365-366, Al-Baraa bin Ma‘rurra, Dar-ulKutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2008) Hazrat Bishrra participated in the Second Bai‘at at Aqabah along with his father. Furthermore, from among the companions, Hazrat Bishrra bin Bara was a skilled archer. The Holy Prophetsa established a bond of brotherhood between Hazrat Bishrra and Hazrat Waqidra bin Abdullah, who had come from Mecca to Medina. Hazrat Bishrra participated alongside the Holy Prophetsa in the Battle of Badr, Uhud, Khandaq, the treaty of Hudaybiyyah and the Battle of Khaybar. (Al-Isabah Fi Tamyeez Al-Sahabah, Vol. 1, p. 426, Bishr bin al-Baraara Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2005) (Al-Tabaqaatul-Kubra li ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 3, p. 291, Bishr bin al-Baraara, Dar Ihyaa Al-Turath Al-Arabi, Beirut, 1996) Abdur Rahman bin Abdullah narrates that the Holy Prophetsa said, “O Banu Nazala (in some narrations it is written as Banu Salama)! Who is your leader?” They replied, “Jadd bin Qais.” The Holy Prophetsa said, “On what basis do you consider him to be your leader?” They replied, “He is wealthier than us and is affluent. Therefore, we have made him our leader. However, the only fault we find in him is that he is miserly.” They did not like that he was extremely miserly.
The Holy Prophetsa said, “Is there a greater shortcoming than miserliness?” In other words, miserliness was a grave flaw and owing to this he could not be their leader. They replied, “O Messengersa of Allah! Do tell us then who is our leader?” The Holy Prophetsa said, “Bishrra bin Bara bin Ma‘rur, is your leader,” i.e. the companion who is being mentioned. According to another narration, it is recorded that the Holy Prophetsa said, “Your leader is Bishrra bin Bara bin Ma‘rur, who has a fair complexion and curly hair.” (Al-Isabah Fi Tamyeez AlSahabah, Vol. 1, pp. 426-427, Bishr bin alBaraara Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2005) (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra li ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 3, p. 291, Bishr bin al-Baraara, Dar Ihyaa Al-Turath Al-Arabi, Beirut, 1996) Hazrat Bishr bin Barara married Hazrat Qubaisara bint Saifi and they had a daughter named Aaliya. Hazrat Qubaisara accepted Islam and pledged allegiance to the Holy Prophetsa. (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra li ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 8, p. 435, Qubaisah bint Saifira, Dar-ulKutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1996) Hazrat Ibn Abbasra narrates, “Prior to the advent of the Holy Prophetsa, the Jews used to pray for victory against the tribes of Aus and Khazraj by supplicating in their prayers for the prophet [whose advent was foretold in the earlier scriptures].” They used to fight with one another and prayed for victory to be granted to them in the name of the prophet, whose advent had been prophesied, and would supplicate to God Almighty for this. However, when God Almighty raised the Holy Prophetsa from among the Arabs, they rejected his message. This has been the practice of those who reject [prophets] from time immemorial. Once, Hazrat Muazra bin Jabal, Hazrat Bishr bin Barara and Hazrat Daudra bin Salama said to them, “O Jews! Fear God and accept Islam. Prior to this you would pray for victory through the advent of a prophet by the name of Muhammad and would say that this prophet would appear, whose name would be Muhammad. You would pray for victory through him. Prior to this we were idolaters.” Hazrat Bishrra bin Bara then said, “We were among those who associated partners with God and regarding us you would say that a prophet would appear and the time has come for his advent. You would narrate to us about the signs of his coming. But now that he has appeared, why do you not accept him?” Salam bin Mishkam – the leader and treasurer of the Jewish tribe of Banu Nazir and also the husband of Zainab bint Harith, the woman who offered poisoned meat to the Holy Prophetsa during the battle of Khaibar – replied, “This prophet has not brought to us anything that we recognise and he is not that prophet whom we described to you.” Despite the fact that all the signs that they used to mention themselves were fulfilled, their answer was that the Holy Prophetsa did not bring what they could recognise and so all the signs had not been fulfilled. Hence they did not accept him. Subsequently God Almighty revealed the following verse: َ ُ َ ّ ٌ ّٰ ۡ ٰ َ َو ل َ َّما َج آء ُہ ۡم کت ٌب ِّم ۡن عند الل ِہ ُم َص ّدق ل ِ َما َم َع ُہ ۡم ۙ َو کانوۡا ِم ۡن ق ۡب ُل ُ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ُ َ َ ۡ ُ َ َ َّ ۡ ُ َ ِ َ َّ َ َ ۡ ِ ُ َ َ ِ َ ۡ َّ ِ َ َ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ یستفتِحون علی ال ِذین کفر ٰوا ۖۚ فلما جآءہم ما عرفوا کفروا ِب ٖہ ۫ فلعنۃ ٰۡ َ ّ الل ِہ َعلی الک ِف ِریۡ َن ‘And when there came to them a Book from Allah, fulfilling that which is with them – and before that they had prayed for victory over the disbelievers – yet
when there came to them that which they knew, they rejected it. The curse of Allah be on the disbelievers.’ [Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.2: V.90] (Al-Siratun Nabawiyyah Li Ibn Kathir, p. 381, Ma Nazala min al-Baqarah fi al-Munafiqin wal yahud, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2001) (Al-Siratun Nabawiyyah Li Ibn Kathir, p. 512, Ghazwah Suwaiq, p. 698, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2001) (Al-Raud al-Anf Fi Sharh alSirat al-Nabawiyyah Li ibn Hisham, Vol. 2, p. 325, bab Kahinah Quraish, Maktabah ibn Taimiyyah, 1990) Hazrat Zubairra bin Awwam relates, “During the Battle of Uhud, when the situation of the battle changed dramatically, I was near the Holy Prophetsa. At the time, we were stunned and in a state of shock, when a state of sleep descended upon us. It was such a state that it felt as if we had been overtaken by slumber. There was not a single one of us whose chin was not resting on their chest” i.e. their heads were lowered in this state of sleep and drowsiness. “By God, it felt to me as though I had heard the voice of Muattibra bin Qushair in my sleep and he was saying to me that if it was up to us to decide, we would never die here in this manner.” Hazrat Muattibra bin Qushair was an Ansari Companion who participated in the pledge at Aqabah and the battles of Badr and Uhud. “I committed to memory the words I had heard in my state of slumber. With regard to this occasion, God Almighty revealed the following verse: َ ٌ َ َ ُ ۡ ً َ َ ٰ ۡ َّ ً َ ُّ ً َ َ َ ّ َ ۡ ۡ َ ۡۢ ّ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ َّ ُ اسا یغشی طآئِفۃ ِّمنک ۡم ۙ َو طآئَِفۃ ق ۡد ثم انزل علیکم ِمن ُبع ِد الغم امنۃ نع ُّ ُ َۡ َ َ َّ ُ َُ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ َ ِ ّٰ ا َہ ّم ۡت ُہ ۡم انف ُس ُہ ۡم یَظنوۡ َن ِبالل ِہ غی َر ال َح ّ ِق ظ َّن ال َجا ِہ َل َِّی ِۃ ٰؕ یقوۡلوۡ َن َہ ۡل لنا ِم َن ّ ٗ ّ ُ َ ۡ َ ۡ َّ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ َ ۡ الامرِ ِمن شی ٍء ؕ قل ِان الامر کلہ ل ِل ِہ ‘Then, after the sorrow, He sent down peace on you – a slumber that overcame a party of you – while the other party was anxious concerning their own selves, thinking wrongly of Allah like unto the thought of ignorance. They said, ‘Is there for us any part in the government of affairs?’ Say, ‘All government belongs to Allah.’’ [Surah Al-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.155] Hazrat Ka‘bra bin Amr Ansari states, “On the day of the Battle of Uhud, I was with 14 of my fellow tribesmen alongside the Holy Prophetsa. Thereafter, we were overtaken by a state of slumber which granted us peace” i.e. the slumber brought about tranquillity in them. “Although we were still in the midst of a battle, yet this slumber granted us contentment. There was not a single person from among us who one could not hear the sound of snoring from.” At times, one can enter in a state of deep asleep. He further says, “I witnessed the sword of Bishrra bin Bara bin Ma‘rur (i.e. the companion being mentioned) fall out of his hand, but he was completely unaware of this, all the while, the idolaters were advancing towards us.” (Al-Sirat al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 2, p. 310, Dhikr Maghaziyah, Ghazwah Uhud, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2002) (Usdul Ghabah, Vol. 4, p. 432, Mu’tab bin Qashirra, Dar-ul-Fikr, Beirut, 2003) Nonetheless, it may well be that he perceived the sword to have fallen, because despite their state of slumber, they were used to gripping their weapons firmly or they would feel a sudden jerk if it began to slip out of their hands. The word used in this verse is nu‘as and Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh has explained its meaning in great detail in one of his lectures. He said that analysing all the various meanings of the words
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Friday 27 December 2019 | AL HAKAM “Amantan nu‘asan”, they can be summarised in this verse to mean, “After your sorrow, such a tranquillity was sent down upon you which can be termed as a form of sleep, or such a slumber which bestowed peace”; or that God sent down upon them peace and tranquillity, which had similar effects to that of sleep. Hence, this is the meaning of “Amantan nu‘asan”. Slumber also means to momentarily lower one’s head when overcome with sleep. However, this meaning of nu‘as does not apply here, rather the meaning in this context is a state that is between one being awake and asleep. Prior to falling asleep, there is a state where all of one’s nerves and every part of the body experiences a state of calm, and this indeed is a state of complete contentment. If this state is prolonged, then one falls asleep. If one is walking whilst they experience such a state, they will fall over, or at the least, they will feel a sudden jerk and then realise what state they had just experienced. However, if one falls asleep, they do not have voluntary control over their nerves and parts of the body. Nonetheless, it could be the case that Bishrra bin Bara experienced this state of deep sleep, but it was sleep that was peaceful. Despite the fact that they were in the middle of a battle, he experienced a state of tranquillity which results in one’s muscles to completely relax. For this reason, if we accept this to be the case, it was therefore owing to this state that his hands became slightly relaxed and his sword fell down. Nevertheless, this is such a state that one quickly realises that they are about to fall into deep sleep and owing to a sudden jolt, they wake up. Thus, God Almighty states that He sent down peace upon them, which was similar to that of sleep, but not deep sleep whereby one loses voluntary control over their senses. It granted them peace and tranquillity, but did not render them ineffectual. In a hadith of Bukhari, Hazrat Abu Talhara narrates, “On the day of Uhud, we were overcome by slumber at the peak of the battle.” This was the slumber that was referred to earlier. Hazrat Abu Talhara further states, “My sword would constantly slip out of my hand, but then I would grip it firmly again.” Thus, from this hadith it shows that it was not such deep sleep whereby the possessions in their hands would drop or that they would fall over whilst walking. Although it was a state of tranquillity, but they had full control over their senses. [He says:] “When the sword would slip, I would grip it firmly.” Thus, it was not the case that slumber suddenly overcame them, rather this was a state that descended over them for a short while. In Tirmidhi, Abwab-ut-Tafseer, Hazrat Abu Talhara narrates, “During the Battle of Uhud, I looked around and saw that every single person was slouched behind their shields in a state of slumber.” This was owing to them remaining awake or due to tiredness, but the companions were in a difficult condition. God Almighty then caused a state of peace and tranquillity to descend upon them. It was not a state that is usually experienced by soldiers who become tired after a battle, rather Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh has stated that it was as if something suddenly descended from the heavens upon all the Companionsra
alongside the Holy Prophetsa, who were engaged in fighting against the enemy, and this state then overtook the Companionsra. At the time, they were in dire need of this source of peace. They needed to refresh and awaken their senses, but there was no time to take any rest. When someone experiences this and is tired to such an extent, this state can be experienced. Nonetheless, if everyone suddenly falls in a state of slumber such as this, when the battle is at its peak and one is fearful of an attack by the enemy, then this is a miracle and not a coincidence. This can happen to certain people and this did not take place by chance, rather it was a miracle and God Almighty sent down this state of peace upon them at that time. (Ma‘khuz Dars al-Quran biyan farmudah Khalifatul Masih al-Rabi‘, 6 Ramadan al-Mubarak, 17, Feb 1994) During the Battle of Khaybar, Hazrat Bishrra also ate the poisoned goat meat alongside the Holy Prophetsa, which was given to them as a gift by a Jewish woman. When Hazrat Bishrra swallowed a piece of the meat, he had not yet moved from his place when all of a sudden, his facial complexion changed and became like telasaan – a cloth which was predominately black in colour. The pain was so severe that for an entire year, he was unable to turn over in bed without assistance and eventually he passed away in this painful state. It also stated [in other narrations] that the poison was so deadly that he had not yet moved from his place when after a short while of eating the meat, he passed away. (Al-Tabaqaat-ulKubra li ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 3, p. 291, Dar Ihyaa Al-Turath Al-Arabi, Beirut, 1996) When Hazrat Bishrra bin Bara passed away, his mother was severely grief stricken. She went to the Holy Prophetsa and said, “O Messengersa of Allah, The death of Bishrra will destroy the Banu Salamah! Those destined to die from among the Banu Salamah will indeed pass away, however will the deceased recognise one another (owing to the impact of this action of the enemy, the Banu Salamah will be greatly affected, however will the deceased recognise one another) and is there any way of sending greetings to Bishr?” The Holy Prophetsa replied, “O Umme Bishr! Indeed, they will recognise one another. I swear by Him, Who holds my life in His Hands, just as birds recognise one another in the trees, in the same manner the inhabitants of paradise will recognise one another.” (Subul al-Hudaa Wa al-Rashaad, Vol. 3, p. 132, Fi Tanbihaat Alaa Ba’d fawa’id Tata’aluq bi Qissati al-Mi’raj, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1993) This meant that they would be able to recognise one another and that she would be able to send her greetings to him with those who are close to their death. In another narration it is stated that after hearing this response from the Holy Prophetsa, whenever a person from among the Banu Salamah neared their end, the mother of Hazrat Bishrra would go to that person and say, “O such and such, peace be upon you,” to which they would reply in kind. She would then say, “Please convey my greetings to Bishrra. (Mirqaatul Mafaatih Sharh Mishkaat al-Masaabih, Vol. 4, p. 99, Kitabul Jana‘iz, Bab Ma Yuqalu ‘Inda Man Hadarahu al-Maut, Dar-ul-Kutub alIlmiyyah, Beirut, 2003) Whenever a person from among the Banu Salamah would near their death, she
would go to them and ask them to convey her greetings. Earlier, while referring to the statement [that is, Bishr’s death would destroy the Banu Salamah, therefore would the deceased be able to recognise one another?] it may seem as if Hazrat Bishr’sra mother was as if they were the enemy, however this is not the case, rather it was a particular style of expressing her grief. Therefore, as a result of this enormous grief, she asked if the deceased would recognise one another and whether her greetings could be conveyed to Bishrra. The Holy Prophetsa replied in the affirmative and as a result, she would visit every person who was nearing death to convey her greetings to Bishrra in Paradise. In one narration, the sister of Hazrat Bishrra visited the Holy Prophetsa close to the time of his demise. The Holy Prophetsa said to her, “The morsel that I ate along with your brother at Khayber has severed my insides.” (Al-Sirat al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 3, p. 82, Bab Dhikr Maghaziyah, Ghazwah Khaibar, Darul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2002) Explaining this incident in detail, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states: “A Jewish woman asked the Companionsra what part of an animal the Holy Prophetsa preferred to eat. She was told that he preferred the shoulder of lamb or goat. The woman slaughtered a goat and made cutlets on hot stones. Then she mixed with them a deadly poison, especially in pieces cut from the shoulder, believing the Holy Prophetsa would prefer them. The Holy Prophetsa was returning to his tent, having led the evening prayers in congregation. He saw this woman waiting for him near his tent and asked, ‘Is there anything I can do for you?’ “She said, ‘Yes, Abul-Qasim, you can accept a present from me.’ The Holy Prophetsa asked a Companion to take whatever the woman had brought. When the Holy Prophetsa sat down to eat his meal, this present of roasted meat was also laid before him. The Holy Prophetsa took a morsel. A Companion Bashir bin Barara bin Ma‘rur also took a morsel.” Some books of history state the name as Bishr bin Bara, whereas in other places it is recorded as Bashir bin Bara. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra has mentioned the name Bashir bin Bara, i.e. the same Bishr bin Barara. “The other Companions present at the meal stretched their hands to eat the meat. But the Holy Prophetsa stopped them saying, ‘My hand has informed me that the meat has been poisoned.’” This did not mean that he had received a revelation, rather this is an expression used by the Arabs, which meant that upon tasting the meat, the Holy Prophetsa thought that it was poisoned. Therefore, this is the meaning of the aforementioned phrase and the Holy Prophetsa used it as an expression. The meaning of “his hand informing him” was that upon tasting the meat, the Holy Prophetsa realised that the meat had been poisoned. The subsequent quote [in regard to the incident] would shed further light on the matter. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra has elaborated on this stating that the Holy Quran has made mention of a wall in the time of Prophet Mosesas. It is stated that “the wall wished for it to fall down”, however, this simply referred to the fact that the condition of the wall was such that it appeared that the wall would collapse at any moment. Thus,
even in this incident this statement was in fact an expression. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra then further says, “Bashirra, i.e. Bishr bin Bara, then said, ‘I swear by God, Who has granted you honour, I too thought the morsel was poisoned. I wished to spit out the morsel, however I thought that if I did so, then perhaps you may dislike my action and it may disturb you while you are eating.’” (He said that he too was hesitant about the food and thought there was something suspicious with it). “‘Seeing you take a morsel, I also took one, but I soon began to wish you had not taken yours as I suspected that it may have been poisoned.’ Soon afterwards Bashirra became ill and, according to some reports, died there in Khayber. According to other reports he died after remaining ill for some time. “The Holy Prophetsa then took a piece of the meat and gave it to a dog, but it too died shortly after eating the meat. The Holy Prophetsa then sent for the woman and asked her if she had poisoned the meat. The woman asked the Holy Prophetsa how he ever got to know about it. The Prophetsa was holding a piece of the goat in his hand, and said, ‘My hand told me this,’ The woman then realised that the Holy Prophetsa had discovered the truth. The woman admitted what she had done. The Holy Prophetsa asked, ‘What made you commit such a heinous act?’ She replied, ‘My people were at war with you and my relations were killed in this battle, I decided to poison you, believing that if you were an impostor, you would die and we should be safe, but if you were a Prophet, God would save you.’ Hearing this explanation, the Holy Prophetsa forgave the woman. Otherwise she would surely have been given the death penalty. This incident shows that the Holy Prophetsa was ever ready to forgive those who attacked him and his followers, and punished only when punishment was necessary, when it was feared the guilty one would continue to cause mischief and strife.” (Dibacha Tafsirul-Quran, Anwarul Ulum, Vol. 20, pp. 327329) Some enemies of Islam allege that the Holy Prophetsa passed away due to this poison. This has also been discussed in certain books of history and biographies of the Holy Prophetsa. Certain historians are willing to accept the narrative that the Holy Prophetsa passed away due to this poison, as they wish to declare the Holy Prophetsa as a martyr. However, this is contrary to the facts. The research cell has also sent a report and I will mention that here. It is written that irrespective of what is said in any book of history or biography of the Holy Prophetsa or any hadith, the Holy Prophet’ssa demise was not due to poisoning. If someone asserts this, then either they are ignorant of all the narrations, or they are mistaken. It should be remembered that the incident of the poisoning took place during the Battle of Khaybar, which occurred at the end of 6 AH or the beginning of 7 AH and the Holy Prophetsa remained alive for approximately four more years. He lived a healthy life just as he did before the incident and even went for battles. There was not even the slightest change in his routine with respect to his worship or other daily activities. To pass away after approximately four years, owing to a fever and a migraine, no rational individual would assert that his
20 death was due to the effects of poisoning. In actuality, there is a hadith recorded in Bukhari as well as some other books of hadith and owing to not understanding the translation correctly, people have inferred from it that the Holy Prophet’ssa demise was due to the effects of poisoning, whereas this is incorrect. The hadith mentioned in Bukhari is as follows – I will mention the translation: Hazrat Aishara narrates that during his last days, the Holy Prophetsa would say, “O Aishara! I have always felt the effects of what I ate at Khaybar. Even today, I feel as if my insides are have been greatly affected due to the poison.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitabul Maghazi, Bab Marad an-Nabisa wa Wafatihi, Hadith 5073) From this hadith, some Muslims – Muslim exegetes and scholars of Hadith – have inferred that the Holy Prophetsa passed away due to the effects of the poison. Some of them then explain that owing to this, the Holy Prophetsa can be deemed as a martyr, whereas this narration does not support this viewpoint. In this narration, the Holy Prophetsa simply expressed a sense of pain he felt. Everyone is aware that an injury or [specific] pain can revert at times owing to certain factors. If one analyses the details regarding the narrations about the Holy Prophetsa eating poisoned meat at the time of Khaybar, it is also written that the Holy Prophetsa put the poisoned meat in his mouth but did not swallow it. Even if he did swallow it, the fact that he lived a healthy life is proof that his death was not as a result of the poison. Indeed, the poison would have had a severe effect on the stomach or intestines and this is a natural consequence of it. Likewise, since the morsel was placed in his mouth, it would have affected the uvula and owing to this he may have occasionally felt pain whilst eating. All the details regarding this incident can be found in the ahadith. It is also written that the Holy Prophetsa knew that the meat had been poisoned and he stopped his companionsra from eating it. When the Holy
Friday 27 December 2019 | AL HAKAM Prophetsa called the woman responsible for it and asked her, she said she added poison to see that if the Holy Prophetsa was a true prophet of God, he would be saved. Otherwise, they would be rid of him. The Jews even admit to the fact that the Holy Prophetsa survived. The poison that was used was fatal, yet the Holy Prophetsa survived. In fact, according to some narrations, this woman then accepted Islam. Nevertheless, the Jews themselves admit that the Holy Prophetsa survived and consider this to be a miracle. Therefore, it is utterly false to assert that the Holy Prophetsa passed away due to the effects of the poison. I will continue narrating more accounts in the future, Insha-Allah. At present, I will speak about two deceased members and Insha-Allah – after the prayers, I will also lead their funeral prayers in absentia. The first funeral is of Respected Naseer Ahmad Sahib, son of Respected Ali Muhammad Sahib of Rajanpur. He passed away on 21 November 2019 at the age of 63: َ ٰ َ َ َْ ّ َ ّ ّ اج ُعوْن ِ ِانا ل ِل ِه و ِانا ِالی ِہ ر “Verily to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.” Ahmadiyyat entered the family of the deceased through his paternal great grandfather, Muhammad Din Sahib. He belonged to the village of Malsian, in Zira, district of Firozpur. He accepted Ahmadiyyat by sending a letter pledging allegiance in 1907 along with his brother, Respected Ilahi Baksh Sahib. He then had the opportunity to pledge allegiance at the hands of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira during the Qadian Jalsa in 1908. The late Naseer Ahmad Sahib had the opportunity in Rajanpur to serve as the naib amir of the district, as well as, zaim ansarullah and sadr Jamaat. He was regular in offering the five daily prayers in congregation and would make arrangements for it. He lived in a join-family system and would constantly remind all of his brothers, nieces and nephews for the prayers. At Fajr prayers, he would go around the entire
manor house. They lived together in a large manor house which had separate dwellings. He would wake everyone up for the Fajr prayers. He would not only recite the Holy Quran himself, but also encouraged all of his relatives, including children and asked them if they had done so. If they were negligent in this matter, he would encourage them about it. He would read the books of the Promised Messiahas and encourage his children and other relatives including his nieces and nephews. He would listen to the Friday sermons on MTA regularly and it was his habit to ensure that all of the residents of his household had also listened to the Sermon. Despite facing severe opposition, he never let any opportunity pass by to perform tabligh [spread the message]. If his family members advised him to err on the side of caution, he would reply by saying, “How can I stand before God Almighty if I do not spread the message of the one appointed by Him to others.” The deceased was a musi [member of the institution of Al-Wasiyyat]. Apart from his wife, he leaves behind one daughter and three sons. One of his sons, Khalid Ahmad Sahib is currently serving as a missionary in Mali (West Africa) and owing to his duties, he was unable to attend the funeral. May God Almighty elevate the status of the deceased, grant him His forgiveness and enable his children and future progeny to continue his virtuous deeds. The second funeral is of Respected Ataul Kareem Mubashar Sahib, son of Mian Allah Ditta Sahib, who was originally from Kirtu, district of Sheikhupura, but was currently residing in Canada. He passed away on 13 November at the age ofَ 75:ٰ َ َ َْ ّ َ ّ ّ اج ُعوْن ِ ِانا ل ِل ِه و ِانا ِالی ِہ ر “Verily to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.” Ahmadiyyat entered the family of the deceased through his father, Respected Mian Allah Ditta Sahib, who performed Bai‘at at the hands of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra in 1934 and after performing Bai‘at, he spent his entire as a Waqf [life-devotee]. He would
be engaged in the works of Tabligh and many families accepted Ahmadiyyat through him and he spent his entire life with this spirit of dedication. Aside from this he served the Jamaat in many other capacities whilst he was in Lahore, Pakistan. In 2007, he moved to Canada and had the opportunity to serve as Secretary Ishaat for his Jamaat. Owing to an ailment of the lungs, he constantly used oxygen [through a machine]. Until his health permitted him, he would regularly attend the mosque in order to offer the prayers on his wheelchair. He fought his illness courageously and never complained of anything. He had a bond of loyalty and sincerity with the Nizaam [system of the Jamaat] and the institution of Khilafat and exhibited a lot of love for them. He was very intelligent and wise; he possessed a pure heart and was honest. Every member of his family has spoken about the deep bond they had with him. He was sincere with everyone and would provide ease to others. He never complained to anyone and had a loving and friendly relationship with everyone. The deceased was a musi. Aside from his wife, he is survived by two sons and two daughters. One of his sons, Ataul Mannan Tahir Sahib is a missionary who is currently serving as naib nazir in the office of Sadr Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya. One of the deceased’s grandsons, Jazib Ahmad is studying in Jamia Ahmadiyya in Canada. The deceased was the elder brother of Abdul Kareem Qudsi Sahib, who is a poet of the Jamaat. May God Almighty shower His mercy and forgiveness on the deceased and elevate his status. May He enable his children and future progeny to continue his virtuous endeavours. (Originally published in Al Fazl International, 20 December 2019, pp. 5-9. Translated by The Review of Religions.)
The True Nature of the Mahdi In this book, the Promised Messiahas explains the true nature of the Mahdi and Messiah and further explains the true interpretations of the misunderstood concepts of the Mahdi that the Muslims have today.
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