Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Irfanira (1875-1957)
Ahmadis of Portsmouth
Portsmouth is a beautiful town located on the southern coast of England. Although it is referred to as a ‘town,’ in terms of population, it is even larger than Lahore. Upon the request of some local friends, two lectures by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] were scheduled at the Universal Church on 14 September 1924. One lecture was on the Second Coming of the Messiah, and the other was on A Message from Heaven.
A small Ahmadiyya community had been established in Portsmouth some time ago, but due to a lack of proper edification and training, only two families remain, consisting of five Ahmadis. However, they are sincere and loyal. One of them, before accepting Ahmadiyyat, was an active member of the local Labour Party and served as their enthusiastic secretary. He was also involved in other societies, but after accepting Ahmadiyyat, he left them.
We departed from London’s Waterloo Station after 10 am and reached Portsmouth Station around 12 pm. One of the Ahmadis, Brother Yunus, was at the station, though we were unfamiliar with each other. However, due to our turbans and traditional Indian attire, he recognised us and greeted us with great warmth and sincerity. Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad Sahib[ra] and Malik Ghulam Fareed Sahib[ra] were already in Portsmouth, but they assumed we would be on a later train, so they were not at the station. Nevertheless, we met Chaudhry Sahib[ra] in the city and stayed at the Royal Beach Hotel, which is located by the seashore.
First lecture
The first lecture was scheduled for 3:30 pm. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] had appointed Maulvi Muhammad Din Sahib[ra], the missionary to America, to deliver the lecture. The purpose behind this was to observe how the appointed missionaries conducted their speeches. We arrived at the appointed time, where we were received with a heartfelt welcome. The church priest greeted Huzoor[ra] with great respect. This is the Universal Church, and though they are Christians, they have exhibited such a level of open-mindedness that it has made them inclined toward religious unity.
If this revolutionary attitude continues, and they sincerely develop these ideas, God willing, the day is not far when they will find true peace and satisfaction in Islam. Such ideas reduce prejudice and foster broad-mindedness. Upon entering the hall, they concluded their worship according to their customs, after which the church priest, Mr Abbott, introduced Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] with the following words:
Introduction
“This afternoon, we are fortunate to have a special meeting. I call it special because we have among us a person who is connected to God and has the honour of being close to Him. God had promised that, in the latter days, a leader would come to the world. This promise is widely known in the religious history of the world, and the world awaits the arrival of this Master (Teacher).
“Today, you will hear about this awaited leader from the mouth of a person who has a close relationship with God and whose father was a Messenger of God. At this moment, he will speak on the Second Coming of Messiah, and later in the evening, he will deliver A Message from Heaven.
“Since you all here are supporters of religious unity, I do not feel the need to offer any explanation. Our church is the Universal Church and is not confined to any particular group or sect. Therefore, it is our great fortune to hear about A Message from Heaven and the Second Coming of Messiah from this person.
“May God shower His blessings upon us, and may we become pioneers of religious unity. May we attain the purity that brings forth His blessings. May God bless you all.”
As Maulvi Muhammad Din Sahib[ra] had been appointed to deliver the lecture at this time, and since the priest, Mr Abbott, had announced Hazrat Khalifatul Masih’s name for the lecture, it was explained to him that a companion of the Khalifa would give the lecture according to the Khalifa’s instructions. Mr Abbott then stood again and said:
“The lecture on the Second Coming of Messiah will now be delivered by a companion of His Holiness, who has been instructed by him. His Holiness himself will deliver the evening lecture.”
Lecture by Maulvi Muhammad Din Sahib
Following this, Maulvi Muhammad Din Sahib[ra] stood at the pulpit, a place reserved in this church for the proclamation and preaching of Christianity. It was remarkable that today, at the very same pulpit, a servant of the Promised Messiahas was standing and refuting modern-day Christianity. I would indeed call it a refutation, for as he addressed the second coming of the Messiah, highlighting the errors in the Christian perspective and informing them that the Messiah they awaited would not come, and that the one meant to come has already arrived, thereby leaving no doubt regarding the invalidation of the Christian faith.
Maulvi Muhammad Din Sahib[ra] spoke for an hour and a half, delivering his lecture with great proficiency and enthusiasm – an enthusiasm that kept him focused on the topic at hand. Although he had written down his lecture, he delivered it from memory. His speech was based on Biblical evidence and an explanation of the second coming of the Messiah as described in the Gospels.
The summary of Maulvi Sahib’s[ra] speech that can be presented here is simply to outline its division and arrangement. The lecture, which lasted an hour and a half, was divided into the following sections:
1. The belief in the coming of a reformer in the latter days is a unanimous and universal belief.
2. How did Jesusas of Nazareth explain the concept of the second coming? When someone is promised to return, what does this mean according to Jesusas? Does it mean that the same person will return, or that another individual, similar in letter and spirit, will come?
3. Who can descend from heaven? Here, the reality of the ascension of Jesusas was also discussed.
4. The signs and warnings related to the second coming of Messiah.
5. Where will the second coming of Messiah happen – Europe, Jerusalem, or India?
6. The Messiah, whom the world awaited, has already come. Whoever has eyes to see should see, and whoever has ears to hear should hear – he is Ahmadas of Qadian.
On these points, Maulvi Muhammad Din Sahib[ra], with great skill, used the Gospels itself to prove his claims. He demonstrated that Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Buddhists, and Muslims all share the belief in the coming of a reformer in the latter days, though they call him by different names. He also referred to the decision of Jesusas regarding Elijah’s return, explaining that the person expected to return is not the same individual. In this context, he interpreted the statement of Jesusas that “No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven” [John, 3:13]. He discussed the signs of the second coming of the Messiah as mentioned in the Gospels and, by considering those signs, he calculated the time when the second coming should occur. Finally, using the Gospels, he indicated that the place of his coming would be India, and concluded by giving the glad tidings of the Promised Messiahas.
The audience listened to the lecture with great interest and satisfaction, remaining silent and attentive until the very end. After the lecture, Mr Abbott gave a brief speech, praising Maulvi Sahib’s[ra] presentation, and expressing, “I want him to speak more, though time constraints have forced him to conclude.”
Afterwards, we moved to an adjoining room, where Mr Abbott requested a prayer from Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] and introduced him to some people. In this gathering, those Ahmadi Muslims who had attended with their family also met with Huzoor[ra]. Since there was still time, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] returned to the hotel, accompanied by two new converts, who joined us in prayers.
The intention of building a mosque in Portsmouth
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] was greatly pleased with the sincerity and devotion of the new converts, enquiring about their Islamic names and the conditions of their children. He engaged in a lengthy discussion regarding the Islamic needs of Portsmouth. His desire is to purchase land for a mosque here, and he, in a way, consulted the new converts on various aspects of propagating Islam. Huzoor[ra] expressed that there had been a lapse on their part in providing edification and training, and that the path to the acceptance of Islam in Portsmouth could be made easier.
After 4 pm, Huzoor[ra] proceeded to the second lecture, and he also invited these new converts, along with their families, to join him for dinner in the evening.
A Message from Heaven at the Universal Church
When we arrived at the hall for the evening lecture, it was completely filled. Except for the seats reserved for us in the front, there was no room left. Mr Abbott quickly concluded his evening service and prepared his congregation for the lecture by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra]. Mr Abbott said:
“Tonight, the speech you will hear is from a man who has a direct connection with God and is the leader of [approximately] 800,000 people. He is the holy son and successor of the Holy Master [Holy Teacher] – a Holy Master who was also a messenger of God. This is the first time in the history of our world that such a holy teacher has come for the unity of religions, and it is a great honour for our Universal Church that his message will be heard here first. I tell you truly that not only will he deliver a heavenly message, but he is someone who can take you to the heavens. It is a great joy for us to be present in this place, and I want my friends to understand well that we are all brothers, regardless of race or country. We are fortunate to be gathered here today for a cause that will strengthen this brotherhood.
“Your Holiness, we all welcome you here and thank you for your kindness in delivering the heavenly message to us. May God grant you success and bless you in this holy mission.
“I mentioned that His Holiness’s father was a holy man who sacrificed everything for God. His pure life brought many closer to God. He made great prophecies, and if you read them, you will understand what an extraordinary person he was. Today, from the mouth of his holy son, we will hear that sacred message which comes from heaven. I have already said that His Holiness has come for the unity of religions, and now, with respect, I invite him to deliver his message.”
After saying this, Mr Abbott sat down, and Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] stood at the pulpit that was present in the hall for this purpose, i.e., the same podium from which the name of the Promised Messiahas had been raised that morning. A spiritual manifestation was evident in Huzoor’s[ra] demeanour. The image that came before my eyes was of the moment when the Promised Messiahas stood to deliver the Khutbah Ilhamiyyah (The Revealed Sermon). I do not attribute this to mere belief, as I am inclined to scrutinise everything critically, but I cannot conceal the truth. The Promised Messiah’sas countenance was glowing with spiritual manifestation, and he was truly about to speak like a divine trumpet.
Delivering a speech in English, even if it is written, is a challenging task, especially before an English audience consisting of scholars and people from all walks of life. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] initially intended to read a small portion and then hand over the rest to Chaudhry Zafrulla Khan[ra] to complete. However, when the time came, Huzoor[ra] delivered the entire speech himself. Once again, the scene reminded me of the Promised Messiah’sas words, “I will speak a few words,” but then he went on to deliver an extensive sermon that demonstrated the omnipotence of God.
Here too, we witnessed a scholarly marvel. Although he had planned to read a small part of the written speech and let Chaudhry Sahib[ra] finish it, when he stood up, Huzoor[ra] delivered an extemporaneous introductory speech for about 15 minutes. This was not the type of speech anyone could give with just a few memorised sentences. When one reads the speech, one will understand the depth and substance it contains.
First impromptu English speech
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] had previously delivered an English speech before an audience, but it was a written speech that he had read out. Therefore, the speech given in Portsmouth deserves to be called his first English address. After the recitation of the tashahhud, the following lecture was delivered by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra]:
“First of all, I apologise that I cannot speak English. Before this journey, I never had the opportunity to speak English. So, I have only been speaking English for a month. My method is that I write my lecture in Urdu, and then one of my brothers and companions translates it into English, and he reads it out. This lecture, too, was written in the same way, but I will try to read it myself as much as possible. If I find it difficult, I will hand it over to one of my brothers, who is also my follower, to read it.
“Today, I heard Mr Abbott speak on Universal Religion. I express my great happiness in stating that the great person who first introduced the concept of a universal religion to the world was none other than our beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Similarly, the one who practically taught the unity among religions for the first time was also the Holy Prophetsa. He clearly explained the principles and guidance that can establish unity among the different religions of the world. From his life, I will share an occasion that illustrates how he dealt with those who held religious differences from him and taught the world how to take the first practical step toward interfaith harmony.
“A group of Christians from Najran, a southern part of Arabia, came to meet the Holy Prophetsa, while he was in the mosque. They wanted to go outside to perform their prayers. However, the Prophet, peace be upon him, told them there was no need to go outside and that they could freely perform their worship according to their faith within the mosque. Consequently, these Christians performed their prayers inside the Prophet’ssa mosque with complete freedom, and no one interfered with them.
“In our present age, the Promised Messiahas has demonstrated the same by following the example of the Holy Prophetsa. Our sacred founder has granted freedom to people of every faith to express their views in our mosques. For instance, Hindus have come to our mosques and shared their thoughts. This idea and this teaching were born from Islam, and I am delighted that you are following it here. May God Almighty, by His grace, enable us to act upon the other guidance and teachings of Islam. Now I will begin my main speech on the topic of The Heavenly Message.”
After this, Huzoor[ra] began his lecture, and read it completely. He had made no prior preparation for it. His initial plan was to read a few pages and then hand it over to Chaudhry Zafrulla Khan[ra]. However, to our great delight, he ended up reading the entire lecture in English, which lasted for about an hour.
(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu, published in the 16 October 1924 issue of Al Fazl)