Friday Sermon
10 March 2023
The Promised Messiahas: Status and glory of the Holy Quran
After reciting the tashahud, ta‘awuz, and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:
In the recent Friday sermons, I have been speaking about the excellences and beauties of the Holy Quran. Whilst mentioning its excellences and beauties, the Promised Messiahas said that the Holy Quran is a perfect book; elaborating further on this, the Promised Messiahas says:
“I tell you truthfully that the Holy Quran is such a complete and comprehensive book that no other book can match it.”
Giving an example, the Promised Messiahas says, “Is there any verse of the Vedas that can match [the verse] ہُدًي لِّلۡمُتَّقِيۡنَ [‘it is a guidance for the righteous’]? If verbal confessions are to be considered, that is, if one is to overlook the fruits and results [of a book], then the entire world acknowledges God in one way or another and also views one’s devotion, worship, almsgiving and virtuous deeds as something positive. Moreover, it also acts upon these things in one way or another. In that case, what did the Vedas give to the world? (He was replying to Hindus here.) You should either prove that those nations that do not follow the Vedas are void of virtuous deeds or present an outstanding sign.”
The Promised Messiahas further says:
“At the very outset of the Quran, those advancements have been promised that the soul naturally desires. In Surah al-Fatihah اِہۡدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الۡمُسۡتَقِيۡمَ [‘Guide us in the straight path’] has been taught and we have been told to pray by saying, ‘O Allah! Guide us to the straight path.’”
Allah the Almighty taught us this prayer and along with teaching us this prayer for seeking guidance, it also contained a promise that He will guide us in the straight path.
The Promised Messiahas further says:
“The straight path of those on whom You have bestowed Your favours. Along with this prayer, the following glad-tidings have been given in the very first verse of Surah al-Baqarah, ذٰلِکَ الۡکِتٰبُ لَا رَيۡبَ فِيۡہِ ہُدًي لِّلۡمُتَّقِيۡنَ [This is a perfect Book; there is no doubt in it; it is a guidance for the righteous.]’”
Along with teaching a prayer for seeking guidance, a code of conduct for its attainment has also been presented, saying that if one acts in accordance with this book, they will be guided like the righteous.
“In other words, the souls supplicate and the acceptance of that prayer manifests itself simultaneously and the promise of the acceptance of prayer is fulfilled in the form of the revelation of the Holy Quran. On the one hand, there is prayer, and on the other hand, there is its result. This is the favour and grace of God Almighty upon us, but it is unfortunate that the world is unaware and ignorant of it and is being destroyed because it has distanced itself from it.”
Following this, the Promised Messiahas says:
“I say once again that the characteristics of the righteous that have been outlined by God at the beginning of the Holy Quran are counted as ordinary characteristics. However, when a person believes in the Qur’an and makes it their source of guidance, they attain those lofty stations and ranks of the righteous, which have been stated in the clause: ہُدًي لِّلۡمُتَّقِيۡنَ [‘it is a guidance for the righteous.’] Contemplating over this purpose of the Holy Quran grants one such pleasure that it is not possible to put it into words. The reason for this is that because of this, one becomes aware of the special favours of God Almighty and the perfection of the Holy Quran.” (Malfuzat [1984], Vol. 8, pp. 317-318)
Elaborating on the teachings of the Holy Quran being perfect, the Promised Messiahas says:
“The conditions and needs of the time are also proof of the necessity of the advent of the Holy Prophetsa, and the ultimate outcome of it has been stated in:
اَلۡيَوۡمَ اَکۡمَلۡتُ لَکُمۡ
“[Today I have perfected (your religion) for you. (Surah al-Ma’idah, Ch.5: V.4)]”
It means that the time and conditions of the world were proof of the advent of the Holy Prophetsa, because there was a need for this at the time. Thus, the advent [of the Holy Prophetsa] and the competition of the teachings were mentioned as follows:
اَلۡيَوۡمَ اَکۡمَلۡتُ لَکُمۡ
That is, “This day I have perfected [your religion] for you.”
The Promised Messiahas further states:
“Hence, this is the second chapter in the book of prophethood, as it were. ‘Perfection’ does not simply mean that all the chapters were revealed [from God]; rather, it also refers to the perfection of the self and the purification of the heart.”
Though the Holy Quran was revealed and the teachings were given in book form, this is not what is meant by “perfection”. Rather, perfection means that all the prerequisites of purifying one’s soul are contained within it. Those who acted upon it, it [i.e. the Holy Quran] made them into complete beings; it purified the heart and cleansed it.
The Promised Messiahas further states:
“[The Holy Quran transformed man] from an animal-like state into humans, then after this into intelligent and moral humans, and then transformed them into God-fearing humans and purified the soul and elevated them in the perfection and taming of the self.”
The Holy Quran taught humanity the highest stages of becoming civilised and taught the highest stages of purification of the self and elevated them to this rank.
“And in this way, the teachings of the Book of Allah are perfect and complete.”
The Promised Messiahas further says, “To the extent that there is no verity or truth that is not found within the Holy Qur’an. I have said to [Shiv Narayan] Agnihotri many times…”
He was the founder of a religious group of Hindus. He initially was part of a sect and later started his own sect or organisation. Nonetheless, there was much debate happening between him and the Promised Messiahas.
The Promised Messiahas further states:
“I said to him many times that tell me any truth that is not present in the Holy Quran, but he was not able to do so. I have been studying the Bible for a long time. The teachings that the Christians are proud of; all such truths are preserved and presented with even more perfection within the Holy Quran, but how unfortunate it is that Muslims do not pay attention to this. They do not even ponder over the Holy Quran, nor is there any awe in their hearts for it. Otherwise, this fact alone is reason enough to be proud of the Quran and there is no comparison with anything else.”
The Promised Messiahas further states:
“Thus, the verse اَلۡيَوۡمَ اَکۡمَلۡتُ لَکُمۡ [‘Today I have perfected your Religion for you’] has two aspects to it. Firstly, that it has purified you (it has cleansed man). Secondly, it completed the book. (He revealed the complete Law and code of ethics.) It is said that when this verse was revealed, it was a Friday. A Jewish man said to Hazrat Umarra that he should have celebrated a day of Eid at the revelation of this verse. (It is such a perfect and awe-inspiring verse, that Eid should have been celebrated on that day out of happiness. This is what the Jew said to Hazrat Umarra). Hazrat Umarra said that Friday is already an Eid day. (The verse was revealed on a Friday, so Friday is already Eid), but many people are unaware of this Eid. On the other Eid days, people wear new outfits, but they completely neglect this Eid [the Friday prayer], and they come in dirty and tattered clothing. (Hazrat Umarra is also elucidating the importance of Friday prayer, and how important it is to offer Friday prayer.) He said, ‘In my opinion, this Eid is greater than the other Eid days’ (meaning there should be special care and preparation to offer the Friday prayers. One should not [absolve oneself by] simply offering the Eid prayer every year.) For this Eid, there is Surah al-Jumuah, and it is for this reason that the Eid prayer is shortened. And it was on a Friday, at the time of Asr, that Prophet Adamas was born. And this Eid is also a proof of this age that the first man was born on this Eid, and the completion of the Holy Quran happened on this day also.” (Malfuzat [1984], Vol. 8, p. 399)
Then, explaining the idea that the Holy Quran is the true judge of Hadith, the Promised Messiahas states:
“Another error that exists among a vast majority of Muslims is that they give precedence to the Hadith over the Holy Quran, which is wrong to do. The Holy Quran possesses a rank of certainty, while the Hadith possess an element of conjecture. (The teaching of the Holy Quran is a definitive teaching, we cannot call the Hadith definitive. Many narrations were collected later on.)
“The Hadith are not a judge over the Holy Quran, rather, it is the Holy Quran that stands as an authority over the Hadith. (It is the Holy Quran that will pass the verdict.) Nevertheless, the Hadith are an exposition of the Holy Quran (there are many ahadith from which we can find explanations of a verse) and ought to be given their due rank. It is incumbent upon one to believe in a hadith so long as it accords with and does not contradict the Holy Quran. However, if a hadith contradicts the Holy Quran, then such a statement is no hadith at all but is rather a worthless statement. Nevertheless, the Ahadith are important in order to understand the Holy Quran. (But we should also remember that there are many narrations among the Hadith from which verses of the Quran are elucidated. This is why there are some narrations of the early companions; for this reason, we should try to understand it, but we should be cautious that a hadith is not contradictory to the Holy Quran.)
“For the divine commandments revealed in the Holy Quran were first put into practice by the Holy Prophetsa, and then practised by others under his instruction. In this manner, the Holy Prophetsa set an example. If this example had not existed, Islam could never have been understood. Still, the primary source remains the Holy Quran. Some who experience visions learn certain Ahadith directly from the Holy Prophetsa while others do not know about them or are able to confirm the authenticity of a hadith that is already present.” (Malfuzat [1984], Vol. 8, pp. 363-364)
The Promised Messiahas has also written about himself that he directly heard some ahadith from the Holy Prophetsa himself. (Seeratul Mahdi, Vol. pt. 3, p. 550, narration: 572)
Then, with regards to the eloquence of the Qur’an, the Promised Messiahas states:
“[…] its style is profoundly eloquent, balanced, delicate, soft, and awe-inspiring. Even if a zealous critic and staunch opponent of Islam, who is also well-versed in Arabic writing and composition, were categorically commanded by a ruler having full authority, to produce the like of the Holy Quran in, say, twenty years—which amounts to a lifetime of effort—under the penalty of death, he will fail to do so. Nay, even if he is told to take just a few lines from the Quran and try to match or excel them in such a way that his text should not only comprise all the truths and verities contained in the relevant portion of the Quran, but should also be equally eloquent, even then, in spite of his undying enmity, fear of being disgraced as well as of death, he can never have the power to produce anything like it, even if he were to summon to his aid hundreds of linguists and writers from around the world.” (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Part 3, p. 33 [English Translation])
Despite being in a state of fear and being told by the judge that he has twenty years to produce something equal to the Quran, or even a few verses or lines, he will be incapable of doing so. This is the excellence of the Holy Quran and of its eloquence.
The Promised Messiahas states:
“This is no imaginary supposition or fanciful thought, rather, ever since the Holy Quran was revealed, this challenge has been presented to the world of producing something the like thereof.”
Even today, some enemies of Islam attempt to produce something equal to it. Every day someone causes mischief and claims they will produce something like it, yet they always fail to get anywhere near the eloquence and articulacy of the Quran, and all that remains are mere claims.
The Promised Messiahas states:
“In respect of its eloquence and articulacy (it is impossible to match it), if the sequence of the verses in Surah al-Fatihah, for example, were altered, the superlative meanings and lofty objectives in the current sequence could never be expressed in any other manner. Take any chapter of the Holy Qur’an, even if it is Surah al-Ikhlas:
قُلۡ ہُوَ اللّٰہُ اَحَدٌ
“[Say, ‘He is Allah, the One’]
“The insights and verities that have been expounded in the Holy Quran in such an exquisite and subtle manner cannot be matched by anyone. This too is a miracle of the Quran. I am astonished when certain ignorant people, in their attempt to attack the unparalleled nature of the Holy Quran, assert that the Maqamat-e-Hariri and Sab’ah Mu‘allaqat (these are two books) are matchless and peerless. (They think that these are very lofty books and are matchless.) They do not even understand that the author of Hariri has never claimed that his work is unequalled, and further, even he himself was convinced of the miraculously eloquent nature of the Quran. Such critics disregard the truth and virtue present in the Holy Quran and give preference to mere words. Books of this nature are devoid of truth and wisdom.
“The excellence and grounds for a miracle are that it takes every aspect into consideration. It ought to maintain eloquence and articulacy but preserve truth and wisdom as well. This miracle is specific to the Holy Qur’an alone (i.e., it possesses eloquence, articulacy, truth and wisdom), which shines like the sun and which possesses a miraculous power in every sense.” (Malfuzat, Vol. 1, pp. 81-82 [English translation])
The Promised Messiahas then states:
“In an attempt to challenge the miraculous nature of the Holy Quran in respect of its eloquence and articulacy, Reverend Pfander once presented various passages of Hariri, Abul-Fadl and some English books. This was quite a while ago. Even then, I thought to myself that he was being deceptive. Firstly, none of these writers has ever claimed that their words are unparalleled; in fact, they have always admitted their own inability and praised the Holy Quran. Secondly, in the works of such authors, meaning is always subordinated to the choice of words. They are nothing but words joined together. For the purpose of rhyme, a writer looks for one word to complement the other, and wisdom and meaning are ignored in the text. However, the Holy Qur’an ensures that truth and wisdom are never compromised. (There is truth therein, as well as wisdom. It is not merely a joining of words. Beauty is not produced from this.) The fact of the matter is that to state words of truth and wisdom and also maintain rhyme in such words is a feat that is possible only through divine succour. (The true essence is that there be truth and wisdom, whilst adhering to the correct rhyming pattern. Only then can one understand it is from divine support.) Otherwise, the words of human beings are like the examples we see in the works of Hariri and others.” (Malfuzat, Vol. 3, pp. 98-99, [English Translation])
The Promised Messiahas once further expounded upon this in a gathering. In this gathering, it was mentioned that in Tafsir Ijaz-ul-Masih it is mentioned that God has not given anyone the ability to challenge the Holy Quran. (This exegesis was being discussed). Upon this, the Promised Messiahas stated whilst sitting in this gathering:
“There are two views with regards to the Holy Quran being a miracle. The first is that God Almighty rendered the opponents powerless. In other words, they did not have the ability at the time in order to challenge the Holy Quran. The second view – which is correct, true and authentic, and which we also hold – is that the opponents themselves were powerless in order to offer any challenge. The fact is that their knowledge and intellect had been seized from them. The miracle of the Holy Quran can be understood in light of our exegesis of the Quran. There are thousands of opponents present at this time who are deemed to be great scholars, and even in the public announcements that were issued, such words were used in order to rouse their sense of honour, yet despite this, there was not a single one of them who could challenge this sign.” (Malfuzat [1984], Vol. 2, pp. 217-218)
Thus, we ought to read the literature of the Promised Messiahas in light of this perspective as well, so that we understand the Holy Quran.
On another occasion, the Promised Messiahas states:
“God Almighty has made the Holy Quran a miracle and that is with respect to its extraordinary moral teachings, the principles it sets forth for establishing a civilization, its eloquence and articulacy. There is no one who can challenge this. Likewise, its knowledge of the unseen and prophecies are also a miracle. In this era, no master magician can ever make such a claim. (It is filled with eloquence and articulacy and also contains knowledge of the unseen and prophecies. A magician cannot produce such a thing nor make a claim of this kind.) Similarly, Allah the Almighty has granted a clear distinction to my signs, so that no one can have any excuse [to not accept them] and God Almighty has clearly manifested His signs, which are free of any kind of doubt or misgiving.” (Malfuzat [1984], Vol. 10, p. 172)
Then, in relation to the eloquence of the Holy Quran, the Promised Messiahas states:
“The eloquence and articulacy of human beings is subject to vocabulary and possesses nothing more than rhymes. For example, an Arab has written:
سَافَرْتُ اِلٰي رُوْم
وَ اَنَا عَلٰي جَمَلٍ مَاْلُوْمٍ
“This means, ‘I set out for Rome, and set out I did on a camel whose bowels were closed.’ It is obvious that these words at the end have only been employed for the purpose of rhyme. It is a miracle of the Holy Quran, however, that all of its words have been strung like pearls and placed precisely where they belong in such a manner that not a single word can be moved from one place and put somewhere else, or replaced with another word more apt, and despite all this, it contains all the necessary elements of rhyme, eloquence and articulacy.” (Malfuzat, Vol. 2, p. 104, [English Translation])
Then, on another occasion, whilst expounding upon the beauty of the Quran’s eloquence and articulacy, the Promised Messiahas stated in a gathering:
“All of the signs and miracles that are being manifested here are, in fact, the miracles and signs of the Holy Prophetsa, and likewise, these prophecies are, in fact, the prophecies of the Holy Quran. This is because all these blessings are due to my subservience to the Holy Prophetsa and the teachings of the Holy Quran. At this present time, there is no other religion whose followers and adherents can claim that they can make prophecies or that miracles are demonstrated through it. Thus, in this respect, the miraculous nature of the Holy Quran is far superior to any other scripture.”
The miracles of the Promised Messiahas are in fact owing to the Holy Quran and his subservience to the Holy Prophetsa.
The Promised Messiahas further states:
“Another aspect of its eloquence and articulacy is that it is of the highest degree and so perfect that even the opponents, who possess a fair mind, have had to acknowledge this fact. The Holy Qur’an has declared:
فَاۡتُوۡا بِسُوۡرَةٍ مِّنۡ مِّثۡلِہٖ
“[then produce a Chapter like it]
“However, to this day, no one has been able to produce a like thereof. (This is the challenge of the Holy Quran to bring forth any chapter like thereof.) The Arabs spoke with great eloquence and articulacy, and they would hold large gatherings on special occasions and recite their poetry before them, but even they were unable to meet this challenge. Furthermore, the eloquence and articulacy of the Holy Quran do not simply mean that one should focus on its flow of words and ignore the meaning. In fact, just as its words have been placed in an extraordinary sequence, so too do they contain great verities and insights. It is not possible for any human to convey such truths and verities and at the same time also take into consideration its eloquence and articulacy.”
The Promised Messiahas then stated:
“In one place Allah the Almighty states:
يَتۡلُوۡا صُحُفًا مُّطَہَّرَةً فِيۡہَا کُتُبٌ قَيِّمَةٌ
“That is, he recites unto them the pure scriptures, which contain truths and verities. Those who hold expertise in the art of writing know that whilst writing it is very difficult to also be considerate of imparting a holy teaching and high morals. Moreover, it is such an effective and captivating teaching that it removes one’s base morals and instils excellent morals in their place. The condition of the Arabs is not hidden from anyone. They had become an embodiment of all the ills and evils and had been in this deteriorated state for centuries. However, the grace and blessings of the Holy Prophetsa were so powerful that the entire condition of the country was transformed in a period of just 30 years. It was indeed the impact of this teaching.”
The Promised Messiahas further states:
“If one takes even the shortest of chapters of the Holy Quran, they will find that not only does it contain a high degree of eloquence and articulacy, but it is also filled with unique qualities of its teachings and wondrous signs. Take the example of Surah al-Ikhlas; it has mentioned all the various aspects of Tawhid [Unity of God] (i.e., it is a short chapter, yet it contains the entire subject of Tawhid) and rejected every form of shirk [idolatry]. Similarly, take the example of Surah al-Fatihah; how miraculous it is. It is a short chapter that only contains seven verses; however, it contains the gist, essence and exposition of the entire Holy Quran. Furthermore, it mentions the existence of God, His attributes, the need for prayer, the means of its acceptance, the best method of attaining benefit through one’s supplication, how to avoid those paths that can lead one to harm and also the rebuttal of all the false teachings in all the religions of the world. (All of this has been mentioned in this short chapter, Surah al-Fatihah.) If one observes the other scriptures and the followers of other faiths, one will find that they mention the ills and flaws of other religions and level criticism against their teachings. However, what the followers of other religions fail to do is present a superior teaching in place of the teachings that they level criticism against. They may claim to protect one from a particular ill, however, they do not present a superior teaching in its place. This is not found in any religion and this honour belongs to the Holy Quran alone. Where the Holy Quran rejects and highlights the false teachings of other religions, it also presents the true and pure teaching as well.” (Malfuzat [1984], Vol. 3, pp. 46-48)
This is such exquisiteness that even the so-called intellectuals cannot even deny it. I have observed on many occasions that when a solution to a particular issue in light of the Holy Quran is presented before non-Muslims, they acknowledge it.
While mentioning the qualities of the Holy Quran, the Promised Messiahas states:
“The Quran is a book that is easy to understand. Some foolish people claim that they cannot understand the Holy Quan, therefore there is no need to pay attention to it as it is very difficult. This is a mistake on their part.”
They have found an excuse that, since it is very difficult, there is no need to pay much attention to it and reading it once is enough. The Promised Messiahas states:
“The Holy Quran has explained the beliefs in such an eloquent manner that it is unmatched and peerless and its arguments leave an impression upon the hearts.”
As far as matters related to beliefs are concerned, the Holy Quran has clearly expounded upon them. The Promised Messiahas further states:
“The Quran is so eloquent and articulate that even the Bedouins of Arabia, who were completely illiterate, were able to understand it. Therefore, how can people today not understand it?” (Malfuzat [1984], Vol. 9, p. 228)
They were illiterate people who lived away from the city and were completely ignorant. In fact, they were even worse than humans and were later transformed into godly people. Therefore, if they were able to understand [the Holy Quran] then how is it that these people, a majority of whom are educated, fail to understand it?
The Promised Messiahas says:
“Straightforward, true, and simple logic is what is present in the Holy Quran. There is no complexity in it. It is a straight path that God has taught us. One should study the Quran carefully and make note of the dos and don’ts discreetly and act upon them, and just by doing this, he will get to please his God. (It is a simple process; one ought to act on all the commands that have been ordained and refrain from those things that have been forbidden. Through this, God will be pleased.) As for the phraseology coined by the philosophers and Sufis [mystics] – they mostly become a cause for people to stumble because they embody ambiguities and intricacies.”
One should not follow the philosophers and the mystics, because they have mentioned certain terminologies and presented the teachings of the Holy Quran in such a difficult manner that it becomes a source for people to stumble. Thus, if people in the world face any difficulties, it is owing to philosophers, mystics, or so-called scholars.
The Promised Messiahas states:
“A venerable person has written – I believe in good faith with some good intention, despite his statement being incorrect – that Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani was not a perfect saint and as his nuzul [descent] was not complete, he only had su‘ood [ascent], (i.e. he refers to his ascent and connection with Allah the Almighty, saying that he did not receive divine revelation, but his prayers were accepted) and that is why he showed many miracles. Had his nuzul been perfect, he would not have shown any miracle. (This is what the person stated.) The extent to which this statement contradicts the Holy Quran is quite obvious. This statement is totally against the Holy Quran and the Hadith. The truth is that Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani was among the perfect servants of God. If one were to criticise him for his miracles, then this criticism would extend to all Prophets.”
However, it should be remembered that some people; some of their followers have mentioned greatly exaggerated accounts of the miracles they demonstrated. These things are wrong, indeed, they demonstrated those miracles that are in line with the law of nature and the Islamic Sharia. These are demonstrated by prophets and that is what they performed as well. The Promised Messiahas states, “All this is a result of people following the erroneous terminologies of the mystics, which have no basis in the Quran, nor the ahadith.” (Malfuzat, Vol. 10, pp. 8-9, [English Translation])
One sect does not believe in it at all, whereas, on the other hand, another sect exaggerates to such an extent that they exceed all bounds. As for those who do not accept, it is due to the mystics and those who do accept make their own erroneous interpretations. For this reason, we must always deliberate and analyse them in light of the law of nature and sharia, as well as the miracles performed by the prophets. Nobody can demonstrate a miracle greater than that shown by the prophets.
The Holy Quran presents God in His true form. In this regard, the Promised Messiahas states:
“Thank God that the Quran has not presented a god of such imperfect attributes who is neither the owner of souls nor of particles; he cannot give them salvation, nor can he accept the repentance of anyone. According to the Holy Quran, we belong to a God Who is our Creator, our Master, and our Sustainer. He is Most Gracious, He is Most Merciful, and He is the Master of the Day of Judgement. It is an occasion for the believers to be grateful that He has granted us the Book that reveals His true attributes. This is a great blessing from God Almighty.” (Malfuzat, Vol. 10, p. 117-118, [English Translation])
God Willing, I shall narrate further extracts on the Promised Messiah’sas wisdom and understanding related to the station and rank of the Holy Quran, and will conclude this for now. May Allah the Almighty enable us to understand these teachings and to act upon them; may He enable us to read and understand the Quran. I will now mention some deceased members, including one who was martyred in Bangladesh and I will lead their funeral prayers in absentia.
As we all know, last Friday, the Jalsa Salana was taking place in Bangladesh when rioters and terrorists attacked. Initially, the police had reassured the organisers that they would maintain order and that nothing would happen, and they said we could go ahead with our Jalsa. However, when the rioters came, the police stood by as mere spectators, to the extent that only after several hours had elapsed and they received orders from their superiors did they take action. However, by then, a lot had already happened. Nonetheless, in this disorder, one of our young brothers, Zahid Hasan Sahib, son of Abu Bakr Sahib of Bangladesh, was martyred:
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
The National President, Abdul Awwal Sahib, writes, “Zahid Hasan Sahib was martyred on 3rd March during the Jalsa, which was taking place in Ahmednagar, Panchagarh district, whilst he was on duty at the gate of the premises, owing to an attack by the opponents. At the time of his martyrdom, he was 25 years old.
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
The deceased pledged allegiance in 2019. After just three months, he requested to join the Al-Wasiyyat scheme. His family followed the Ahl-e-Hadith. After accepting Ahmadiyyat, the late martyr began preaching to his parents, as a result of which they had the fortune of pledging allegiance in 2020.”
After pledging allegiance, the late martyr would write letters to me regularly. The reason for his conversion was that one of his fellow students, Muhammad Rifat Hussain, who was studying for a BSc in science and technology at the Pundra University of Science [and Technology], Bogra, began preaching to him about Ahmadiyyat. When he understood the truthfulness of Ahmadiyyat after two years of preaching, he pledged allegiance.
Awwal Sahib writes, “Since the start of the Jalsa, the clerics and their accomplices had surrounded the Jalsa premise and began attacking the walls and western gate. Aside from throwing stones, they would use any local weapon they could get their hands on, such as axes, stakes, etc., and they set fire to whatever they could. Khuddam carried out their duties with immense bravery. Nobody was outside [of the premises] except those on duty. Everyone, including the khuddam, was protecting [the premises] from the inside.” He further says, “1 hour and 45 minutes after the Jalsa began, the opponents managed to break one part of the wall. It was at that time that the khuddam were instructed to ensure the safety of the Jalsa site at all costs. At the time, Zahid Hasan Sahib, the late martyr, was stationed at Gate Number 1. Along with his fellow khuddam, he bravely and quickly made his way to stop the people who had entered and were heading towards the jalsa gah. During this time, he became separated from his fellow khuddam and so the attackers used this opportunity to strike him. They struck him in the back of the head with an axe or some other sharp weapon and dragged him for some distance. They mercilessly and brutally attacked his face, body and other parts, thus proving their inhumanity. The deceased martyr, Zahid Hasan Sahib, was so mercilessly killed that it took two hours to identify him.”
This is the state of these Muslims. They have exceeded all bounds in cruelty and barbarity in the name of Allah and His Messengersa. During times of war, the Holy Prophetsa forbade mutilating even the enemy and disbelievers, yet these people carry out such actions against those who proclaim their belief in Allah and His Messengersa. It is Allah alone Who can seize them and reduce them to dust.
“They say that the assailants also snatched his identity card from his chest, but since he was wearing the Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya duty uniform, they were able to identify him. When his body was finally retrieved, his funeral prayer was offered after the Tahajjud and Fajr prayers; thousands of Ahmadis from around the country who had gathered for the Convention participated in the funeral. During the funeral prayer, a condition like no other overcame everyone and everyone was extremely emotional as they wept profusely before God Almighty. According to the law, a post-mortem exam was done on his body, after which an envoy departed in the afternoon with his body in an ambulance towards his ancestral village, where he was buried at 10pm.”
The deceased martyr’s closest friend, Riffat Hussain Sahib, says that he befriended him during their time studying at university. He was naturally very kind; however, he was not very inclined towards worship, but after accepting Ahmadiyyat, he completely changed and he became regular in offering prayers in congregation. He was an extremely humble and meek young man. He says, “I had never seen him speak in a loud tone in five years. His auspiciousness can be gleaned from the fact that a few months after accepting Ahmadiyyat, he had the honour of doing his Wasiyyat.” He then says, “Zahid Hasan, the martyr, was an active member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association. Before his martyrdom, he had been serving as the regional mo‘tamid for Dhaka and Barishal and he was also the zaeem for the Motijheel area.”
The qaid and mohtamim muqami of the same area, Zahoorul Islam Sahib, says, “He was active in the auxiliary work and he was very obedient to his seniors. He would happily fulfil whatever duty he was assigned. He would always be the first to convey the greeting of ‘salaam’ and he would always be smiling.” He says, “About a year or a little more than a year ago, he obtained his BSc after which he began doing service in a company. If ever he had to leave Dhaka for his service, he would find an opportunity to visit the nearby jamaats. On his personal Facebook account, his profile was the translation of the following verse:
وَمَنۡ يَّتَوَکَّلۡ عَلَي اللّٰہِ فَہُوَ حَسۡبُہٗ
[‘And he who puts his trust in Allah – He is sufficient for him’].”
Sharif Ahmad Sahib, who is a missionary, says, “I was posted in the Tabaria Jamaat when his friend Riffat Hussain brought him as a tabligh contact and he expressed his desire to pledge allegiance. I told him that he should take some more time and investigate thoroughly. He replied, ‘Although I already attest to the truthfulness of this Community, I will do as you say and come back and pledge allegiance later.’ Hence the deceased came back again, or perhaps it was the time after and pledged allegiance.”
The missionary says that after performing the bai‘at, the deceased made a great effort in order to understand Ahmadiyyat and the institution of Khilafat. He acquired knowledge in great depth. As I mentioned earlier, he would also write to me. In his last letter, which he wrote to me was just before leaving for the Jalsa and he mentioned, “We are travelling to the Jalsa by train and the enemy has very dangerous plans. In some places, they have also lit fires. Nevertheless, we shall – God Willing – conduct the Jalsa.” He then expressed his sentiments about his faith. He also expressed his desire that his relatives and members of his village also accept Ahmadiyyat and for his entire village to enter the fold of Ahmadiyyat. This was the letter that he wrote to me.
A khadim mentioned, “The deceased martyr was such a humble worker that whenever someone assigned him some work, he never refused. In a light-hearted manner, I would often say, ‘Brother Zahid, if we continue to work like this, we shall come to an end.’ Upon hearing this he would always laugh. The deceased was also a musi. I once asked him why he entered the scheme of Wasiyyat so quickly. Upon this, he said, ‘The Imam Mahdi is true and whatever he said is also true. The Promised Messiahas instructed the members to do Wasiyyat; therefore, I did the Wasiyyat.’ Upon hearing his response, I was left astounded at how strong his belief was in the Promised Messiahas.”
He further states, “Once, the deceased martyr was asked about the primary factor that led to his bai‘at. To this, he said that until now, neither anyone who had claimed to be Imam Mahdi, Messiah, or a prophet had ever succeeded, nor had any community. It was only Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas of Qadian [who succeeded]. If the Promised Messiahas was not truthful, then his fate would have been like that of the other false claimants.”
As was mentioned earlier, the deceased martyr’s parents are alive and by the grace of Allah the Almighty, they are Ahmadis. The deceased martyr was their only son and was not married yet. He has two sisters, both of whom are married, however, they are non-Ahmadi and are still being preached to. May Allah the Almighty grant patience and steadfastness to his parents. As I said, he was their only son and so it is an immense sense of grief for them. One can only overcome this grief through the grace of Allah the Almighty. May Allah the Almighty also elevate the station of the deceased martyr. Nonetheless, he has acquired a life of eternity in accordance with the instructions of Allah the Almighty. May Allah the Almighty bestow His special favours upon him and may He quickly seize the perpetrators of this cruelty.
The enemy thinks that by making the Jamaat members undergo these trials and through these harsh measures, they will make them lose courage. However, it is the total opposite. I have received letters from the members of the Bangladesh Jamaat and also from the youth, saying that “if further martyrdoms are required, then pray that we are also among them.” Thus, the wretched enemy cannot do any harm to such people. In any case, we ought to pray that Allah the Almighty may protect us from their evil ploys and bestow His mercy and grace upon us. Pay particular attention to prayers these days.
The second funeral I wish to mention is of Kamal Badah Sahib of Algeria, who passed away on 2 February at the age of 57.
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
The President of the [local] Community Abdul Haleem Sahib, writes, “The deceased was a true believer and a sincere Ahmadi. He always kept his home open for the Community’s events, prayers, and activities for propagating the message. All Ahmadis attest to the strength of his faith, hospitality, and open-heartedness. The deceased is survived by his wife and three children; two sons who are not Ahmadis and a daughter who is an Ahmadi. His wife, the respected Karima Sahiba, has previously served as the President of the Women’s Auxiliary Organisation.”
Hassan Zamoli Sahib of Algeria says, “Kamal Badah Sahib was a very sincere Ahmadi who rendered great services. Despite facing difficulties from his neighbours, he kept his home open for prayers until the very end. Sometimes, he would even cook food himself for those coming to offer Friday prayers. He would participate in various humanitarian works as well as donate blood. Different events would also be held at his house, as well as the Eid prayers. The deceased was also part of a delegation on behalf of the Community that went to meet the government.”
The deceased used to say, “We are writing the history of this Community due to the difficulties we are facing these days in Algeria.” Now, the deceased himself has become a part of this very history. May Allah the Almighty bestow His forgiveness and mercy.
The next funeral is of Dr Shameem Malik Sahiba, who was the wife of respected Maqsood Ahmad Malik Shaheed, who was martyred at Darul Zikr, Lahore, in 2010. Sometime after her husband’s martyrdom, she moved to Canada, which is where she passed away. The deceased attained her PhD; she taught as a college professor. She continued to climb the ranks until she became the head of the department; however, at the same time, she carried out her responsibilities at home and raised her children in an excellent manner. Without any discrimination, she was hospitable with an open heart to all different types of people. She tended to the needy and gave sound advice. She always preached the message to non-Ahmadis, including non-Ahmadi relatives. She would study the books of the Promised Messiahas. During her lifetime, a thesis was written about her at Punjab University. Usually, a thesis is written after [someone has passed away] but this one was written during her lifetime. She had a profound passion for education. She taught the Holy Quran to many. She was regular in fasting, offering prayers, and reciting the Holy Qur’an. She was also regular in offering Tahajjud [pre-dawn voluntary prayer]. She always adhered to the tenets of Islam and observed the veil. She was sincere and loyal; she had a special love for Khilafat. The deceased was a musia and is survived by a son and four daughters. She was the sister of Malik Tahir Ahmad Sahib, Amir Jamaat Lahore. May Allah the Almighty grant her forgiveness and mercy and enable her children and progeny to always remain attached to Khilafat and the Jamaat.
The next mention is of Farhad Ahmad, son of Irshad Ahmad Amini Sahib of Germany. He recently passed away at the age of 26.
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
The young man was studying at Frankfurt University. He was part of the blessed scheme of Waqf-e-Nau. Prior to his demise, he had the opportunity to serve the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association at a local and regional level. He was a very virtuous, positive, obedient and sociable young man. He was always ready to serve the Community and its auxiliaries. Just a day before his passing, he spent all day and then went late into the night serving at an event of the Community. The next morning, after offering Fajr [prayer offered right before dawn] in the mosque, he participated in a meeting of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association. After the meeting, he set out to return home. When he reached his car, he began feeling unwell. The missionary saw him from the window of the mission house and went to help him. In the meantime, he was able to sit in his car; however, his health greatly deteriorated. Doctors later confirmed that he had a severe heart attack. The ambulance arrived in a matter of three to four minutes and administered first aid and tried for about 45 minutes, however, God Almighty’s decree prevailed, and he passed away.
Farhad Ahmad was his parents’ only child. May Allah the Almighty grant his parents patience and forbearance, bless him with forgiveness and mercy, and elevate his station.
The next funeral is that of Javed Ahmed Bismil Sahib, who was residing in Canada. He recently passed away at the age of 72 after enduring an extended illness. He served for about 20 to 25 years as the manager of the Tahrik-e-Jadid grounds. He then also had the opportunity to serve the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association along with other services to the Community. He also had the opportunity to serve as the Amir of District Umarkot. He is survived by his wife, four sons and two daughters.
His son Tahir Ahmed Sahib says, “My father possessed many great qualities. He was a servant of the faith, beneficial to others, had a deep love for Khilafat, and he always strove to establish a unique relationship with Khilafat. He took great care of the poor. Whenever he went back [to Pakistan], since he was a landowner and had property in Sindh, he would take gifts and clothes for his poor farmers which they could use for their weddings.” He says, “He was very hospitable and there would be guests at our home every day whom he would tend to with simplicity. Allah the Almighty also made him very brave. He always kept the pride and honour of the Community at the forefront whenever faced with opposition. He bravely followed the Community in various legal matters. It was due to this that the opponents attacked him twice, however, Allah the Almighty saved him. He worked tirelessly and he always carefully regarded the wealth of the Community. He had a great deal of trust in Allah the Almighty. He was a simple person, and his greatest quality was that in his final illness which extended for a long time, he endured it with great patience and remained content upon the will of Allah the Almighty.” He says, “A day before his demise, his doctor said that never before had he seen such patience in a person. He never complained. When he was informed that the doctors had deemed him to be incurable, (he was somewhat conscious, he could not speak but he could hear), he took this news very calmly and accepted it.” His son says, “He had a passion for offering Tahajjud and the remembrance of Allah and his first prayer was always for the Khalifa of the time. He would also encourage us to pray as well. He was very perceptive and intelligent. He was extremely grateful and would endure strained and difficult circumstances with a smile. He had a pure heart.” Then, his son writes, “He was an excellent teacher and a kind father. He would fulfil all of our desires and was an excellent confidant. He had a strong character.”
By the grace of Allah the Almighty, his children are well attached to the Community. I have also known him for a long time; the qualities that his son has mentioned and others have also written about him, I have seen for myself that he did indeed possess all of these great qualities. May Allah the Almighty grant him forgiveness and mercy.
(Official Urdu transcript published in the Daily Al Fazl International, 31 March 2023, pp. 2-7, Translated by The Review of Religions)