A glimpse into the rich history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat
6 December 1965: On this day, after Asr prayer, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh commenced delivering dars (exegesis) of Sahih al-Bukhari at Masjid Mubarak, Rabwah. Al Fazl published an announcement encouraging members to take full advantage of this blessed gathering. (Al Fazl, 9 December 1965, p. 1)
6 December 2008: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa safely returned to London after shortening his tour of India due to law and order concerns. On 5 December, the final day of his tour, Huzooraa led the Friday prayer at Masjid Bait-ul-Hadi in Delhi. In his Friday sermon, he encouraged Jamaat members to pray for protection from trials and hardships. Huzooraa also met various guests and attended meetings on this last day. (Al Fazl Intl., 30 January 2009, p. 9)
7 December 1892: On this day, the Promised Messiahas published an ishtihar (announcement) titled “Assalamo alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu” in which he explained the importance of Jalsa Salana. (Majmua-e-Ishtiharat, Vol. 1, p. 360)
7 December 1917: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra urged the younger members of the Jamaat to dedicate their lives to the service of Islam. In response to his call, 63 devoted young men came forward, offering their services for this noble cause. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 4, p. 204)
8 December 1905: On this day, during a private sitting with his Companions, the Promised Messiahas expressed his thoughts on establishing a dedicated graveyard for his followers. He remarked, “I desire that a piece of land be acquired to serve as a graveyard, a memorial, and a place of admonition [for future generations].”
Huzooras further stated, “It will be a powerful spectacle to see the members of a Jamaat, who were united during their lifetime, remain united after their demise. This is very good […] Adding inscriptions on gravestones is not an innovation; rather, it serves as a reminder, and each gravestone will become a historical record of the Jamaat.” (Malfuzat, Vol. 4, pp. 586-587)
8 December 2017: During his Friday sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa urged the governments of Muslim countries to make wise political decisions and called upon Ahmadis to pray for the well-being and unity of the Muslim world.
To read more on this need of the hour, see: “A call for Muslim unity under Khilafat” at alhakam.org (15 December 2023, pp. 1-2).
9 December 1955: On this day, Hazrat Sir Chaudhry Muhammad Zafrulla Khanra inaugurated the Mubarak Mosque, the first purpose-built mosque in the Netherlands.
To learn more about this historic milestone, see: “Documentary Release: The remarkable story of Netherland’s first purpose-built mosque, the Mubarak Mosque” at alhakam.org (18 November 2024).
10 December 1901: Amidst the devastating plague claiming countless lives across the Indian subcontinent, the Promised Messiahas, out of profound concern and sympathy for the masses, issued a written announcement on this day. To ensure his message reached a wide audience, the announcement was published in Arabic, Urdu, and Persian, with a supplementary version in Pashto, guiding people on safeguarding themselves against the growing pandemic. (Majmua-e-Ishtiharat, Vol. 2, pp. 537-553)
10 December 1971: On this day, an Ahmadi, Major General Iftikhar Khan Janjua, was martyred while serving his country.
To read more about this topic, see: “Forbidden history: Monumental services of Ahmadis in the Pakistani Armed Forces” at alhakam.org (16 July 2021, pp. 10-11).
11 December 1926: On this day, the then Knight Minister of Agriculture for the Punjab, Sir Sardar Jogendra Singh, visited Qadian and had the opportunity to meet with Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra.
To read more about his visit, see: “Coming from every distant track: Sardar Jogendra Singh, Knight Minister of Agriculture for the Punjab, meets Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud” at alhakam.org (23 February 2024, p. 16).
11 December 1936: Owing to a wide rift with the Church, King Edward VIII of England decided to abdicate. He signed the abdication notices on 10 December and announced his decision to the public via a radio broadcast on this day.
To read about the related events of this rare occurrence in modern monarchical history, see: “The abdication of Edward VIII: An Islamic take on the crisis that shook the Crown” at alhakam.org (4 December 2020, pp. 8-11).
11 February 2014: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa delivered the keynote address at the Conference of World Religions, which was organised by Jamaat UK as part of its centenary celebrations at the famous Guildhall in the City of London. Around 500 delegates attended the conference. The conference also received messages of support from the late Queen Elizabeth II, the Dalai Lama, David Cameron (then prime minister of the UK), and several other dignitaries. (“Historic Conference of World Religions Held at Guildhall, London”, www.pressahmadiyya.com)
12 December 1911: On this day, to address Bengali sentiments, Lord Hardinge announced the reunification of Bengal, reversing the 1905 partition. This decision was a response to widespread protests led by the Swadeshi movement and growing concerns among Hindus about East Bengal having separate courts and policies. Years before this development, the Promised Messiahas had foretold this event in a prophecy. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 4, pp. 383-384)
