Kashmir is in the news again! It always has been since the long-gone days of the British Empire; always for unrest, disturbance and conflict.
Day by day, the tragedy and suffering continues within Kashmir, without any sign of cessation.
What India and Pakistan contest each other for is a secondary question; the primary question is what the British Government had in mind when they sold it to Gulab Singh for peanuts back in the days. One could say that that too is a by-gone, so why plunge into the closed chapters of history?
But the tragedy (or the good thing rather) with history is that it is hard to shun wherever we go, floating on the tides of time. So the British saga is something we cannot avoid. Having sold Jammu and Kashmir to Gulab Singh – the so-called Maharaja – the British sat back with their feet up while communal unrest became rife in the region.
It took decades for a befitting response from the Muslims to emerge and that too on an All-India scale. The British-Indian government was taken aback, as well as the Maharaja of Kashmir. Who was behind this nationwide response of Indian Muslims?
Well, this is another interesting story. The Muslims of India had been planning to unite for the cause of the Kashmiri Muslims but had not yet been able to do so.
After many failed attempts, they decided to invite Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IIra to unite the Muslims at one hand. Not being a political leader, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra reluctantly agreed only in the name of Muslim unity – something that was a dire need of the time for Muslims to progress in any field and not just the Kashmir cause.
The turn of the 1930s decade saw riots replacing diplomacy and becoming the only way of political expression. This, of course, was not the way to resolve complex issues that prevailed the region of Jammu and Kashmir. An All India Kashmiri Muslim Conference was held, soon after the bloody riots of 25 July 1931, by prominent Indian-Muslim leaders to put their heads together and find a pragmatic way forward.
Sir Muhammad Iqbal, Sir Mian Fazl-i-Hussain, the Nawab of Malerkotla, Sir Muhammad Zulfiqar Ali Khan, Khwaja Hasan Nizami of Delhi, Khan Bahadur Shaikh Rahim Bakhsh, as well as other notable Muslims leaders, were present.
Sir Iqbal nominated Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra and the members of the conference unanimously elected him as the president.
Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra was able to organise peaceful processions and conferences in various parts of India to demand the usurped rights of Kashmiri Muslims. He asked for funds to be raised and that too happened very successfully. He himself donated relatively large sums for the Kashmir cause.
It was this incredible, never-before-seen success at Muslim unity that inadvertently invited anti-Ahmadiyya sentiments to make their way; make their way into the hearts of none else but Muslims.
Blindfolded by jealousy, the potential Muslim success was seen as an Ahmadiyya victory in Kashmir and it was demanded that Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra step down as president. Happily, he accepted the demand and the committee handed over the reins to Sir Muhammad Iqbal, who had by then sold his “khudi” to the Ahrar and the “hawk” of his mind had been captured in narrow, dark and gloomy burrows of prejudice (khudi – self-respect – and hawk being two iconic metaphors of Iqbal’s nationalistic poetry).
Very able historians like Ayesha Jalal agree on the fact that it was at this point that the All India Kashmir Committee came down to shambles, never to be erected again.
We fast-forward and move to the time of the Indian partition in 1947 – Kashmir continued to remain a bone of contention between the two emerging states, with riots, unrest, conflict and war continuing to symbolise the region.
In 1949, both India and Pakistan ended up in the United Nations seeking to resolve the issue. Who was seen as the most suitable spokesperson for Pakistan on the Kashmir issue? Again, none else but an Ahmadi, Sir Zafrulla Khanra.
The solution he presented was simple and clear: Give the public of Kashmir the right to vote! He urged that the people of Kashmir were the only ones who should be deciding the fate of Kashmir. He sought for Kashmir to be demilitarised and a plebiscite be held if a just resolution was to be attained. His stance was acknowledged by the rational minded class of Indians and Pakistanis alike.
However, the advice was not paid heed to and the situation has ever since only deteriorated.
We do not intend to go into India-Pakistan diplomatic tensions here. All we want to say is that the best available advice on Kashmir has always come from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat.
The present Imam of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat holds high the flag of international peace and harmony. Is it still not time to pay heed?
After Jalsa, Ahmadis around the world are informed through Hazrat Amirul Momineen’saa Friday Sermon about the general impression of Jalsa Salana.
However, we rarely get to hear about guests’ impressions specifically related to the person of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa.
It is an honour for Al Hakam to present the sentiments and impressions of guests with respect to Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa below:
Photos courtesy of AMA UK
Al Haj Muhammad, Inspector General for Religious Affairs of Boke province, Guinea Conakry said regarding Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa:
“Listening to the addresses of Khalifatul Masih, I felt as if they were the exhortations of a prophet being given to his nation for their reformation. I feel that if anyone wishes to act in accordance with the true teachings of Islam and would like to follow the footsteps of the Holy Prophetsa, then the spiritually charged addresses of Khalifatul Masih will suffice for them.
“I am very happy and pray that Allah the Almighty grants Khalifatul Masih a long life, not only for Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya but also for the whole Muslim Ummah. This is because we are in need of a spiritual leader who is able to give guidance in the best possible manner.”
John Arandia from Bolivia, who has his own show on television and radio, said the following about the addresses of Huzooraa at Jalsa Salana:
“I gathered from the addresses of the Khalifa, especially his address to the ladies, that he does not care about what the media or external guests think [about what he says]. His aim, rather, is to present the true teachings of Islam before the world and to exhort his followers to act in accordance with them. Initially, I found it strange that the Khalifa said that he does not care about what the media says. But, after explanation, I understood that the responsibility of a spiritual leader is not to follow the world or the media, rather it is to bring the world towards the correct spiritual path.”
Fanta Fofan Oumar, lieutenant at customs in Guinea airport expressed:
“I swear by God that after seeing Khalifatul Masih, all my doubts and uncertainties vanished. By attending the Jalsa, I am certain that if there is any Jamaat in the world that can represent Islam, then it is the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat.”
Umar Mikashir, a new convert from France said:
“I came to Islamabad a week ago and my son was extremely ill. The compassion Khalifatul Masih showed us during our mulaqat will never be forgotten by me or my son. Due to the illness of my son, I had initially planned not to attend the Jalsa. However, after the mulaqat with Huzooraa, my resolve and confidence grew and at the same time, the condition of my son also began to improve…
“Jalsa is never complete without the addresses of Huzooraa. How great was the final address of Huzooraa in which he pointed out for others what Islam is. He explained how the absence of modesty leads to the destruction of a nation. Huzooraa, in the best possible manner, presented Islamic philosophy for the betterment of society. It was a great address! The address increased my knowledge manifold and I heard the answers to those questions of mine that no one else could answer.”
Tony Radakin, First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy, regarding Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa, stated:
“Previously, I was neither aware of the Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Community nor his efforts towards establishing peace. The best aspect of his speech was that he speaks to his Jamaat in a very open manner. Having the chance to meet him was an honour for me.”
Yoshida Nichiko, the chief of the Buddhist temple in Japan, addressing Huzooraa, said:
“During the International Bai‘at ceremony, I could not control myself and decided to give my hand to you for the establishment of worldwide peace and to create a society based on the pillars of love and brotherhood. Thus, I also participated in the Bai‘at. I recognise your leadership and I have promised that I shall assist you towards your efforts in establishing world peace.”
Haja Musu Damba Kamara from Sierra Leone expressed:
“The addresses of Huzooraa had a tremendous impact and was very insightful. By listening to the Jalsa speeches, I have increased my religious knowledge. In reality, these speeches were the reason I participated in Jalsa.”
Bai Tass Bubu Ngbak IV, a chief from Sierra Leone, said to Huzooraa:
“The addresses of Huzooraa were full of knowledge and I was deeply touched by his insight.” Alimamy Brun Kanu, Member of Parliament, Sierra Leone, said:
“The addresses of Huzooraa were the foundation and an important part of Jalsa Salana. He informed us about Islamic values and told us that the way we can be protected from the current condition of the world is through prayers and a connection with God.”
Rafael Leon, the architect of the Basharat Mosque in Pedro Abad, Spain, said:
“Every member of our delegation is touched by the messages of Khalifatul Masih; he has shaken our core. This community has practically showed the importance of hospitality. We are also aware of the atrocities that are carried out against this Jamaat in a completely unjust manner. We have also come to know more about this Jamaat through the publishing of its numerous books.”
Ilana Calles, Member of Parliament, Guatemala expressed:
“This Jalsa was a unique experience for me. The great personality of Khalifatul Masih is spellbinding. He is exerting every possible way to establish peace and love within the world.”
Harry Van Bommel, a previous member of parliament from Holland was overjoyed after meeting Huzooraa and expressed his desire with Holland Jamaat members to further promote Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya in Holland. An expert psychologist from Holland said that she was not able to say anything while in the presence of Huzooraa. However, she said to convey her gratitude to Huzooraa later on.
Simeon Sawadogo, Minister of Religions, Interior Minister and Minister of State for Burkina Faso, said the following regarding Huzooraa:
“His Holiness is very experienced. When one observes him, it becomes evident that he is a man of God. His Holiness has a very deep understanding of the world and I was amazed that he knew so much about Burkino Faso. When I began my discussion with him, I felt as if he knew what I was thinking. His Holiness is a personality who can be trusted. When he smiles, it looks very delightful.”
Regarding the International Bai‘at ceremony, he expressed:
“It was a chain of sincerity, loyalty and obedience that is a model for the world. People are not understanding the message of the Khalifa. The world today is chasing materialism, however humanity will be at a loss because of this. Huzooraa presented guidelines from which a better society can be established. He spoke of the rights of parents as well as the rights of children. He even spoke to the extent of the rights of enemies. Now, when I return, I will be ready to serve the Jamaat in a better manner.”
Sayouba Quedraogo, Member of Parliament from Burkina Faso, said:
“I would like to deeply thank His Holiness. He listened to us with great attention, gave our delegation a lot of respect, laid importance upon Burkina Faso and granted us a lot of time. The prayers His Holiness gave us, our leaders and for the establishment of peace within our country are precious to us. We were also welcomed in a very agreeable manner at Jalsa Salana. We listened to His Holiness’ addresses with great attention. His Holiness stressed the importance of unity and working together. He also spoke of the rights of women, men, children and the elderly and presented these from the teachings of the Holy Quran.”
Al Haj Ismael Nignan, owner of SMTV Channel and a member of the Superior Council of Communication in Burkino Faso, expressed:
“I have been deeply affected by the personality of His Holiness. His simplicity is alluding, and he possesses a very high spiritual rank. He also has a lot of knowledge.”
Gabriel Negrin, the chief rabbi of Athens, speaking of his meeting with Huzooraa, said:
“It is a great honour for me to have a brief, yet meaningful assembly with His Holiness.”
Rafael Cocoles from Spain, who is a councillor of La Pobla de Vallbona, said:
“The educational elements of His Holiness’ addresses were remarkable. I will further spread this message of peace. I am also very thankful for having the opportunity to meet His Holiness.”
Mrs Luz Gomez Garcia, a professor of Arabic and Islamic studies from Madrid University, expressed her sentiments by saying:
“I would like to thank His Holiness for openheartedly reminding us in accordance with the hadith that, like the parts of the human body, the health of every member of humanity is essential.”
Male Hoso Yaqub, Vice President of the Muslim Committee in Benin attended the Jalsa for the first time. He said:
“His Holiness addressed the whole world in his speeches. This message is not exclusive to Muslims alone, rather it is a global message. I have been deeply affected by the fact that there is someone within the Muslim world who can also address global issues at an international level and present their solutions…
“By meeting His Holiness, I felt as if I was before a spiritual entity who Allah has bestowed with wisdom, understanding and knowledge and has granted great powers upon to carry out this work. There has been a deep impression upon me after meeting His Holiness.”
Susana Mangana, a professor of oriental studies from Uruguay, said:
“From the missionaries to the volunteers, in various departments, whether they are serving food or are drivers, there is one common factor: they all have extraordinary obedience and sincerity towards their Khalifa.”
Comlan Patrice Nobime, Member of Parliament and Head of the Finance Commission in Benin, expressed:
“When I met with His Holiness, I felt as if he knew me personally. He was aware of every country and was personally informed of their conditions. Prior to this, I could not comprehend what power was informing him of these conditions. Then I perceived that it was his connection with his Lord that was telling him.
“During the meeting with the Benin delegation, His Holiness was so happy and joyful that I thought we were the first group to meet with him. However, later I found out that numerous groups had already come to meet him. The addresses of His Holiness are, in the truest manner, a guide for establishing peace.”
Sireen Amsita from Senegal expressed:
“Meeting His Holiness, it was as if we were with light. It is true, the Jamaat is assembled in a chain of love under the leadership of His Holiness. Especially, witnessing the children waving at Amirul Momineenaa from a distance and expressing their love towards him. At the Jalsa, we saw love from the Imam.”
Paul Biyoghé Mba, previous prime minister and member of parliament of Gabon, attended the Jalsa Salana for the first time. He expressed:
“The atmosphere of the Jalsa was very pleasant. The atmosphere surrounding Khalifatul Masih was spiritual and this is something I cannot forget. I have been very impressed by the organisation at Jalsa Salana. Both elders and youngsters were working like a chain and were serving the guests for the love of God.
“The addresses by Khalifatul Masih have deeply affected me. He is very simple, yet has an influence and possesses spirituality. His speeches were very good and impressionable, they are a perfect guide for establishing peace, love and brotherhood. With great depth, His Holiness spoke of the ways to develop peace and love amongst children, the elderly, women, men, husbands, wives and how to make one’s life full of peace.”
Shantel Marth Ilati from the council of Gabon in Benin, regarding her meeting with Huzooraa, said:
“Prior to meeting His Holiness, I was wondering how the meeting would go. However, when I entered his office, I saw him smiling as if he knew us. He is very simple, yet has an impressionable personality. Time passed so quickly during the meeting that I regretted it had finished so early. Nevertheless, this meeting had a great impression upon me.”
Harry Ali Gonisa, who is the advisor to the president of the Central Republic of Africa, attended the Jalsa for the first time. He said:
“The Ahmadiyya Jamaat has a purpose to establish brotherhood across the world and they are exerting a great amount of effort day and night. Other organisation lack this great sincerity that we witness here. The addresses that His Holiness delivered were of a very high calibre and the teachings he spoke of had a great effect…
“I pray for Khalifatul Masih, who is working for the betterment of humanity, that Allah grants him a long life. The atmosphere of Jalsa was a new experience for me; it was as if everyone knew one another.”
Jesus Gabalam, a journalist and lawyer from Columbia, expressing his sentiments, said:
“The manner in which Khalifatul Masih presented human rights is especially praiseworthy. Without a doubt, Khalifatul Masih is a great personality who is continuously striving to establish global peace…
“As a journalist, I have had the opportunity to meet and interview important political, social and religious figures. However, the spiritual personality of the Imam of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat has had a profound effect upon me. I desire to acquaint the people of Columbia with the beautiful teachings of Islam, as this is something my country is in great need of. For this, I would like Ahmadi missionaries to be sent there.”
Mustafa Mohzat, a Moroccan from Belgium, said:
“The addresses of His Holiness have had a great impact on me. They reflected the true teachings of Islam. Due to the wrong interpretations of Islam by scholars, I became distant from Islam. Other Muslims used to say not to question and to just follow what the Imam had to say. However, the Moroccan Ahmadis present here [at Jalsa] have answered my questions with great depth.”
Maria Eugenia Delgado Padilla from Mexico Jamaat, said:
“I have been given great love here from everyone and in the worlds of Khalifatul Masih in particular, have filled my heart with the love of Islam.”
Ma Dolores Luna Campos, from Mexico, said:
“By pledging allegiance at the hand of the Khalifa, I felt as if Allah has forgiven all my sins. I have now become a Muslim and will never leave this Jamaat.”
Bethania Escobar, a new convert from Paraguay, said:
“Huzoor’saa addresses had such teachings within them that we can implement immediately. They were a guidance for both Muslims and non-Muslims. I felt as if I was speaking to God Almighty during the Jalsa. I had lots of questions that were not answered fully, however after listening to the addresses of Huzooraa, all of my questions were answered. I felt as if Huzooraa delivered his addresses while keeping my questions in mind. From a spiritual perspective, I am returning with a wealth of knowledge.”
Egar Sahib, a religious expert and author from Ukraine performed Bai‘at during Jalsa Salana after an extensive study of the Jamaat. He is the first Ukrainian Ahmadi. He said:
“I was able to learn the purpose of my life after listening to the addresses by Huzooraa. On numerous occasions, Huzooraa has laid stress on establishing righteousness during his speeches at Jalsa Salana. Huzooraa is our religious guide and a very simple-natured person, who is constantly striving to turn the attention of people towards believing in God.”
Artur Sahib from Kazakhstan said:
“Prior to meeting with Huzooraa, one is always worried and perplexed over what he will say. However, as soon as Huzooraa looks towards you with great love and affection, you cannot put that into words. I am fortunate that Huzooraa allowed me to embrace him. After embracing Huzooraa, I felt as if my heart had been saturated with peace and my faith was refreshed. After I came out of the meeting with Huzooraa and had the opportunity to hug him, I felt as if I was born again.”
The mission from Honduras said that a new convert, Lorenzo Louiz, became so emotional during his meeting with Huzooraa that he could not control himself. He later told the missionary that prior to meeting Huzooraa, he had not met such a spiritually great person who gave him such love and attention. Don Francisco, a member of the royal family from Brazil who also owns a newspaper and radio station, talking of Huzooraa, said:
“His Holiness is no ordinary person. He is a great, sacred personality who has knowledge of the past. He knows history and is also acquainted with the current affairs of the world. Whenever he speaks, he does so with great wisdom, deep knowledge and a wealth of experience. Whenever he talks to someone, it is as if he is not only looking towards them but also their internal condition.”
Mauro Henrique, who is the president of the Petropolis city council in Brazil, said:
“Another aspect that had a profound effect upon me and which I must mention is that whenever the Khalifa arrives, thousands of people gather and instantly stop talking. No one needs to say anything. From this, it is evident that it is not only the organisation that people respect and honour, rather they have an immense amount of respect and honour for the Khalifa within their hearts.”
Mr Edison, a new convert from Brazil, states:
“I have seen the Khalifa closely and I felt that the status of the Khalifa is evident from his every action and movement. His standing, sitting, talking and seeing etc. is the true reflection of Islam. Whenever an Ahmadi meets Huzooraa, naturally he becomes emotional due to his closeness.”
Orli Mesias Haro a bishop from Ecuador expressed:
“The addresses by the Khalifa were full of spirituality and knowledge. They contained all those aspects that were necessary to change our views. The best aspect of these speeches for me was that he did not single out any negative point of a nation or religion, rather his whole focus was upon the true and positive teachings of Islam …
The Khalifa’s addresses were full of references and incidents and were extremely rich.”
Regarding his meeting with Huzooraa, he said:
“This was a very strange and spellbinding experience for me. The spiritual aura and magnetic attraction of the Khalifa could be felt in the whole surrounding. The aspect which had the most effect on me during the meeting was that the Khalifa met with every person at the same level. Present in the meeting were journalists, religious personalities and even very important ministers. However, for the Khalifa, each person was as important as a minister. By witnessing this, I was reminded of Jesus [peace be upon him] whose companions were also seen as the same, irrespective of being poor or rich. I also saw the face of Jesus by witnessing the Khalifa’s humility and meekness.
Antonio Miguel Carmona from Spain, who attended this year’s Jalsa Salana, later on, in an interview with Spanish television, said:
“I have met with their Khalifa and he is a saint. The Khalifa is a sacred person.”
Kooper W Kruah, a Liberian minister of post and communications, talking about Huzooraa, said:
“The meeting with the Imam of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat has left a profound effect on me. He has heartfelt anguish for the establishment of peace within the world. He was worried particularly about my country, Liberia. He was so worried that he especially prayed for our country, our leadership and our economy. Thus, I truly believe the Imam of the Ahmadiyya Community to be a man of God. I pray that Allah grants continuous success to the Ahmadiyya Community and that he blesses the Khalifa.”
Senaid Begic, Member of Parliament in Bosnia, attended with his family. He expressed:
“The one thing that affected myself and my family the most during Jalsa was our meeting with the Khalifa. The way I can describe this meeting is that his words were simple, yet every word had an effect … His way of speaking was graceful yet covered the topic with wisdom … In his personality, I witnessed a courteous friend. For this reason, I announce today that for my whole life, I too will maintain a connection with this friend with full sincerity.”
Renee Trujillo from Belize said:
“His Holiness’ addresses are in direct accordance with the need of the time. The greatest impact upon me were his addresses at the ladies’s side … This experience has enabled me to better understand the religion of Islam”
Barry Schwortz, an internationally renowned Turin Shroud expert, said:
“The Khalifa is very gracious to us. Whenever we meet him, he always gives us a book of his or a special book on Islam. As I have visited five times before and had the opportunity to meet him each time, I have acquired a collection of books from him. So, this year, when he was about to give me some books, I said to him that I already have these books and that he should give them to those people who are deprived of them so they too benefit. Upon this, he accepted my recommendation, thanked me and did not give those books. Just a minute ago, a man came to me and said that Huzooraa has sent these new books for you. This was a very astonishing thing for me. He is a great personality.”
Hugh Farey, a Catholic Christian and scientist, after meeting with Huzooraa, said:
“I am a scientist, therefore I do not pay much attention to this special feeling. I ask other Christian doctors as to what they mean when they say that they have a special feeling towards Jesusas. I ask them to explain this to me as I do not understand the presence of anything or this feeling. However, when I met with the Khalifa, I truly experienced this feeling and presence.”
Matha, an artist who had visited Jalsa Salana, said the following about Huzooraa:
“It was an honour to meet with His Holiness. I did not know much about him. I was very happy to meet a Muslim who opens the doors to the world like he does and who is the embodiment of love and tolerance. Like I said before, I did not know much about the Ahmadiyya Jamaat, however after meeting him, I was very pleased and was able to understand more about Islam.”
A guest, Emanuala, commented saying:
“Meeting with the Khalifa was amazing. One can sense his insight and kind nature instantly … He would keenly listen to each person with great attentiveness. This was no formal meeting, rather it had a friendly atmosphere.”
For the first time, representatives from Uyghur Muslims came to Jalsa Salana. Rushan Abbas, the Executive Director for Uyghur Muslims, said:
“Meeting with His Holiness was very special and emotional. Prior to the meeting, I had seen light upon the face of the His Holiness. I was very anxious, but His Holiness removed all worry through his captivating smile. During the meeting, he showed us a picture of Dr Abdus Salam on which something was written in the Uyghur language. His Holiness loudly read out what was written to which we were all surprised that His Holiness knows how to read Uyghur language.”
A Shiite wrote to Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra that his spirit urged him to write to Huzoorra as he found himself extremely confused. He expressed that he held Shiite beliefs very dear to his heart, but he also firmly believed that the prayers of Huzoorra would be a source of solace for him in order to find the right direction. He stated that he liked Ahmadiyyat and was ready to take Bai‘at if Huzoorra could help him change his beliefs. He assured that along with him, 40 members of his family would also embrace Ahmadiyyat. In the end, he pointed out six beliefs which he had adopted after deep consideration. He stated that he would convert to Ahmadiyyat if Huzoorra would let him abide by these beliefs:
1. After the Holy Prophetsa, the status of Hazrat Alira is higher than any other of his companions and that Hazrat Alira is the greatest believer
2. The status of Ahl-e-Bait – members of Prophet Muhammad’ssa immediate family – is higher than every other companion, be it Abu Bakrra or Umarra
3. Amir Muawiyahra was a bad person and he is beyond the pale of companions as he killed Hassanra and rebelled against the Khalifa of that time
4. Lamentation of Imam Hussainra is a fundamental belief
5. The person who is the enemy of the Prophetsa and his progeny is worthy of being cursed
6. Lastly, the Shiite stated, he was against the practice of using abusive language for the companions
Below is the response of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra towards the aforementioned letter:
My dear, Assalamo Alaikum wa Rahmatullahe wa Barakatuhu.
Your letter emits a fragrance of nobility. Moreover, it shows the courage of your heart that you do not care about the reproach of a critic when you accept or express a matter which you believe to be true.
My friend, it is an intolerable and delusional thought that someone tries to take my Bai‘at with the intention to try and increase the number of my followers or to grant me worldly fame by adding to the number of my followers.
The reason behind the person who enters my Bai‘at or the one whom I call towards myself, is that Allah the Almighty by His grace and benevolence, through the personage of the Promised Messiahas, desires to re-establish the spiritual blessings and national unity which had been lost due to the dissention among Muslims. Thus, O friends! if the truth of the Promised Messiahas has become evident upon you people, then it is compulsory upon the person who has identified the one sent by God Almighty to reform his beliefs and practices by following the beliefs and practices of His chosen one. This is because people, out of their personal disagreements, had developed corrupt beliefs and inappropriate practices in their faith. Thus the divinely commissioned Imam Mahdias serves as a standard and criterion to differentiate between right and wrong beliefs and practices.
Hence, as you are ready to enter the Bai‘at and your hearts have accepted the truth of the Imam Mahdias, then your approach should have been to ask, “What has been declared regarding these particular beliefs of mine by the one appointed by God Almighty? So that I may follow them.” If a person decides in advance that he would stick to certain beliefs, whether those beliefs are contradictory to the beliefs of the one sent by God Almighty and he is also ready to take Bai‘at, then it shows that he has not understood the real meaning of Bai‘at.
Bear in mind, my Bai‘at is in actuality the Bai‘at of the Promised Messiahas, and his Bai‘at is in fact the Bai‘at of God Almighty and the Holy Prophetsa. Therefore, you should have asked that after taking your Bai‘at, which beliefs should you continue and what should you discard?
Below are the answers regarding your particular beliefs over which you should ponder:
Regarding the belief you have expressed in the first and second point that Hazrat Alira and Ahl-e-Bait-ul-Nabisa – members of Prophet Muhammad’ssa immediate family – are superior than all the companions, be it Abu Bakrra or Umarra, this is not attested by the Holy Quran, nor is it confirmed by Hazrat Alira and the holy persons of the Ahl-e-Bait. It is your own personal opinion and you have not mentioned the reasons behind it.
I could have pondered over them if you would have stated [those reasons]. In our view, these people are worthy of great respect. The Promised Messiahas states:
جان و دلم فدائے جمالِ محمد است
خاکم نثار کوچۂ آل محمد است
[My soul and heart are immersed in the beauty of Muhammadsa and my ashes are ready to be sacrificed for the progeny of Muhammadsa.]
They [who are higher in rank in view of the Shiite] could be considered superior in two ways; firstly, if they are extremely near and beloved of God Almighty; secondly, if they have surpassed all the rest in carrying out the service of Islam. The love of God cannot be estimated unless God Almighty Himself indicates that these [people] are His most beloved and close ones and therefore they are superior.
Moreover, it is impossible to find out whether they carried out a special service for Islam that was not performed by Abu Bakrra, Umarra and rest of the companions. Therefore, considering superiority as a belief is not necessary because the basis of beliefs should rest on clear evidence.
For instance, the Promised Messiahas has declared himself superior than Jesusas and Hazrat Imam Hussainra, which is evident from divine rewards and compelling proofs. Your third and fifth point states that you consider Amir Muawiyahra a bad person and among the enemies of the Prophetsa and Ahl-e-Bait and worthy of being cursed.
There is not a shadow of doubt that those who are the enemies of the Prophetsa and Ahl-e-Bait are worthy of being cursed. Amir Muawiyahra remained a rebel during Hazrat Ali’sra Khilafat but Hazrat Imam Hassanra, who was the successor of Hazrat Alira, made peace with him and rescued him from the pit of rebellion.
Hence, it is not right to accuse him of rebellion now because he left it within his lifetime. Further, it has not been proven that the murderer of Imam Hassanra was Amir Muawiyahra. If it is proven, then indeed it is up to you to possess any kind of view regarding him.
The fourth and sixth statement of yours is that lamentation of Hussainas is part of your faith and [you] do not use foul language for the companions.
Lamentation cannot be considered a part of anyone’s faith. It is a condition of heart which originates out of grief. As the feeling of sorrow begins to recede and time passes on, the grief starts to subside.
Hence, if your feeling is permanent, then you should pray for patience before Allah the Almighty. On the other hand, if grief over takes [you] in the days of Muharram [first month of Islamic calendar in which Hazrat Imam Hussainra was martyred] due to certain rituals, then it is artificial and manufactured. Try to abstain from it. If your heart is full of grief for Hazrat Imam Hussainra, then the rest of Ahl-e-Bait’s imams have passed away as well.
Moreover prophets and saints are no more in this world. So why don’t you not feel sorrow for them? If Hazrat Imam Hussainra had not embraced martyrdom, would he have lived forever in this world? And those who did not embrace martyrdom in Karbala [the place in Iraq where Hazrat Imam Hussainra was martyred], have they been living forever? As a matter of fact, the one who embraces martyrdom, he is alive forever.
“Think not of those, who have been slain in the cause of Allah, as dead. But in fact, they are living, and are granted gifts by their Lord, [and they are] jubilant.”
You ought to comfort your heart that Hazrat Imam Hussainra is alive forever and happy, owing to the martyrdom. Then, why is it that your heart grieves? The fact that you do not use foul language for the companions is nothing significant. A noble person does not abuse anyone.
A decent man expresses the quality of another person and overlooks shortcomings. Hence, you ought to praise the companions and pray for them.
On a final note, we do not change those beliefs of anyone which are well established through reason and recount. In fact, we adopt those beliefs for ourselves and we express gratitude towards that person who presents a true and pure belief before us.
Our duty is to accept the truth and convince others to believe in it also. That is the reason behind our Bai‘at.
Hence, this fear must not overtake you that you will have to leave the right beliefs after joining the Ahmadiyya Jamaat. The primary work of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat is to adopt the correct beliefs and to spread them.
From 16 to 18 August, Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Kenya and Majlis Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya Kenya held their 37th and 6th National Ijtemas respectively.
Both events took place at the Jamaat headquarters located along Murang’a Road in Nairobi, Kenya. The theme for this year’s Ijtema was, Salat is the Key to Success and Fortune.
At approximately 10am, on Friday, registration began as both Khuddam and Atfal arrived at the mosque and the Ijtema marquee. Kenya, as a nation, is divided into 12 regions. These are North Coast, South Coast, Taveta, Voi, Nairobi, Eastern, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyanza, Kakamega, Shianda and Mabera.
The Jumuah prayer and Asr prayers were jointly performed followed by lunch. Then, members attentively listened to the live Friday Sermon of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa.
At exactly 4:15pm, members gathered for flag-hoisting and proceeded to the Ahmadiyya Hall for the joint opening session. During this session, Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Kenya, Mr Farouq Zaid Sahib, welcomed all attendees to the Ijtema. He explained that this was one of the events for the tarbiyat of Ahmadis and that everyone should take this as an opportunity for their spiritual upbringing by participating fully in both academic and sports activities.
This was followed by academic competitions for Khuddam, including tilawat and hifz, while Atfal proceeded to the mosque for their separate Ijtema opening session chaired by Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Kenya.
The two sessions proceeded till Maghrib, which was performed jointly with Isha prayer.
This was followed by First Aid training session, after which dinner was served. On the second day after Tahajud, Fajr and breakfast, all Khuddam and Atfal proceeded to the field for sports competitions. These included football and athletics. Teams were formed region-wise and they competed strongly. Some regional teams were combined due to attendance from those regions. This went on till Zuhr time, which was jointly performed with Asr.
After serving lunch, the second session of religious competitions continued for Khuddam with speech, nazm and qaseeda competition. At the same time, Atfal had a session with the Amir and Missionary-in-Charge of Kenya, Imam Tariq Mahmood Zafar. Atfal read out speeches and poems.
Thereafter, the sports competitions’ second session commenced including volleyball and shotput for Khuddam and arm wrestling and musical chairs for Atfal. This continued until Maghrib and Isha prayers.
Thereafter, Khuddam proceeded to the Ahmadiyya Hall for an open forum, where members were given the opportunity to talk about challenges they faced as members of MKA and the way forward. During this, Atfal remained in the mosque where they watched a short video about the history of Islam.
On Sunday, after Tahajud, Fajr and breakfast, the last session of academic competitions began for Atfal. Khuddam engaged in table tennis and other competitions.
The closing session for both Khuddam and Atfal was jointly held in the Ahmadiyya Hall and was chaired by the amir and missionary-in-charge Kenya.
After tilawat and poem, Sadr Sahib read the Khuddam progress report for the period of November 2018 to June 2019.
This was followed by the prize giving session to winners of both academic and sports competitions. Thereafter, Amir Sahib delivered his concluding remarks and closed the Ijtema with silent prayer.
The 36th Jalsa Salana of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Norway was held on 17 and 18 August, at the Baitul-Nasr Mosque in Oslo.
This year’s Jalsa Salana was a great success with an overall attendance of over 1,000 people from 13 different countries.
This year, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa appointed Imam Raja Burhan Ahmad Taaley as his representative.
The Jalsa officially commenced with the flag hoisting ceremony at 11:30am. The Liwa-e-Ahmadiyyat was hoisted by Imam Raja Burhan Ahmad Sahib followed by silent prayer, which marked the official start of the 36th Jalsa Salana of Norway.
The first formal session started on Saturday, 17 August at 11am local time. The inaugural speech, after the recitation of the Holy Quran and nazm, was delivered by Zahoor Ahmad Choudry Sahib, Amir Jamaat Norway. In his speech, he spoke on the purpose of Jalsa. He shed light on the purpose of Jalsa and highlighted what the Promised Messiahas intended for these Jalsas.
The next speech was by Imam Haroon Ahmad Choudhry on the topic of Blessings of Khilafat. He took the audience through the 111 years history of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya and expressed that we should be grateful for Khilafat.
The third and last speech of this session was delivered by Mr Faisal Suhel, Secretary Tabligh for Norway, who mentioned various aspects of Islam’s truth from the Bible.
The second session started at 3pm local time with the recitation of the Holy Quran.
The first speech of this session was delivered by Imam Shahid Mahmood Kahloon, Missionary-in-Charge and Vice President of AMJ Norway. The topic of his speech was The Purpose of Life is to Worship Allah. In his speech, he said:
“When an object fulfils its purpose, it holds high value in the eyes of its creator, but if the object stops functioning, it loses its value. Humans have also been created with a purpose, which is to worship Allah.”
The next speech was by Imam Tahir Mahmood Khan who delivered a speech on the signs of mubahilla (prayer duel) where he talked in great depth about them in their historical context.
The last speech of the day was delivered by Imam Yasir Fawzi on the life of Hazrat Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad Sayyal.
Sunday, 18 August was the second and last day of the Jalsa. The first session started with the recitation of the Holy Quran and a poem. The first speech of the session was about the Promised Messiah’sas enthusiasm for tabligh by Syed Shan Ahmad, General Secretary AMJ Norway.
Following this was a speech delivered by Syed Kamal Yousuf Sahib, Sadr Qaza Board AMJ Norway, on The Importance of the Five Daily Prayers.
The final speech of this session was by Mr Noor Ahmad Truls Bolstad on the six articles of faith.
The final session started at 3pm with the recitation of the Holy Quran followed by a poem. This was followed by the prize distribution ceremony of The Abdul Salam Award and Amin ceremony. Imam Raja Burhan Ahmad distributed prizes to those children who had completed the reading of the Holy Quran in the previous year.
After this, a speech was delivered by Amir of Norway, Zahoor Ahmad Chaudary Sahib, thanking all the attendees of the Jalsa for their support in making this Jalsa Salana successful.
This year, 14 guests from different political parties were invited at the final session. All guests had the opportunity to address the attendees. They congratulated the Norwegian Jamaat on this Jalsa Salana and extended their gratitude on being invited to such a convention where the message of peace and love was being spread.
The concluding speech was delivered by Imam Raja Burhan Ahmad on the topic of Khilafat. He shared many faith-inspiring stories, which motivated and inspired many of the listenered.
After his speech, Imam Raja Burhan Ahmad led everyone in silent prayer, and upon this, the 36th Jalsa Salana Norway came to its successful end.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in Bulgaria was able to hold a large scale project on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha across different regions of Bulgaria under the banner of Humanity First Germany over various days.
Food was provided to about 1,150 people in need. In Plovdiv, the second largest city of Bulgaria, a meeting was held with the Director of the Department for Social Politics, Ms Veselina Boteva, who provided a list of 14 centres in which Humanity First could help.
The list included various care homes for people with mental disabilities, dementia and physically disabled people along with people from old age homes, women’s shelters for homeless mothers with young children and orphanages. Both of the missionaries of Bulgaria, Abdullah Sahib and Jawad Uddin Uffan Sahib, met with the head of these centres and organised a lunch event with a high quality food menu, for which they were very happy and thankful.
For those physically unable to attend, the meal was served to their beds. A dinner was organised for homeless mothers with infants, young orphans and the elderly. The head of the centres and Deputy Mayor, Mr Georgi Tityukov himself was also present. Invitations were sent to the representatives of different NGOs, government officers and religious representatives.
The deputy mayor thanked Humanity First and said that this was the first time the children, mothers and the elderly were all together at one place and smiling. In Plovdiv, Humanity First was able to help a total of more than 600 people. The head of the old age home presented a letter of gratitude and a hand-made gift from elderly people towards Humanity First Germany and the children and old people recited poetry as a gesture of gratefulness.
The news about this event was also published in an online newspaper. In the village of Dolno Osenovo, Humanity First provided meat during the Eid-ul-Adha festival with a distribution to about 200 people in need. Similarly about 50 people were helped in Blagoevgrad and about 50 people the city of Mikrovo. In the village of Jigurovo, with the full support of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Bulgaria and the cooperation of the mayor (who also provided a place and other facilities), a dinner for Eid-ul-Adha was held in the centre of the village. About 150 people from 4 different cities (Sofia, Blagoevgrad, Sandanski and Petrich) came, among which many were needy and poverty-stricken. Other religious representatives were also present.
The local people from the village volunteered for the preparations and worked very hard throughout the day. All the people thanked Humanity First for organising this event because it was the first time that they were able to celebrate Eid in that village. Th e mayor and people wished the same for the future.
After the event, about 100 food packets were also provided to the people who could not attend the event. At the end, a Bulgarian doctor who has previously helped in Humanity First projects announced that he would provide free health care check-ups under Humanity First in the village.
Following this, he voluntarily provided free health care checkups for a whole day, from 9am to 4:30pm. That day, many patients were attended to by Dr Dimitar Manikatov.
The medicines required by these patients have also been purchased for them.
May Allah grant health and prosperity to all those who worked tirelessly to ensure the success of these events as well as those who attended.
I have given you this advice because you, who hold a relationship with me, have become my limbs. Act upon my words and make use of reason and the Word of Allah so that the light of true insight and certainty develops within you, and so that you may become a path that leads others from darkness into light. For in this era, various allegations are raised on the basis of natural science, medicine and astronomy; it is necessary, therefore, to acquire a knowledge of the scope and background of these sciences so that we are able to understand such allegations before responding.
(Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, Malfuzat, Vol. 1, p 66)
The 32nd Annual Majlis Khuddam-ul Ahmadiyya Canada Ijtema was held on 26, 27 and 28 July at Hadiqa-e-Ahmad, Bradford, Ontario where hundreds of Khuddam from all over Canada participated.
Official registration began at the Ijtema site at 10am, with Khuddam arriving to participate in a weekend of spiritual transformation.
Lunch was served at mid-day. After lunch, they had the opportunity to listen to the Friday Sermon of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa. It was a hot day by Canadian standards. Thermometers showed 30 degrees Celsius, while the humidity made it feel like 35 degrees.
The Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya flag was raised by Markaz Representative, Additional Nazir Islah-o-Irshad & Dawat Ilallah, and Mufti-e-Silsila, Mubashar Ahmad Kahlon Sahib, accompanied by Amir Jamaate-Ahmadiyya Canada, Lal Khan Malik Sahib.
The Canadian flag was raised by Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Canada, Zubair Afzal Sahib.
The first azan for Friday prayers followed flag hoisting.
Amir Jamaat Canada, Lal Khan Malik Sahib delivered the Friday Sermon. He shared the summary of the sermon delivered by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa earlier in the day. He advised Khuddam on how to get maximum benefit from the Ijtema.
After prayers, the audience prepared for the opening session. The opening session started with the recitation of the Holy Quran followed by nazm.
Mubashar Ahmad Kahlon Sahib delivered an inspiring speech on the topic of obedience, which was followed by silent prayer. After the opening session, there were three options for Khuddam to choose from: the first, academic competitions with tilawat, azan and book-reading quiz; the second offered individual and team sports, along with various races, while the third offered workshops on a variety of topics, including virtual reality tour of Mecca and tackling mental health issues.
Multiple recreational activities were also arranged for Khuddam throughout the Ijtema. These included archery, arm wrestling, pull up challenge, ring toss and a limbo challenge.
For more relaxed individuals, the Patio area provided a lounge, carrum board, PlayStation 4, fussbal and a table tennis setup.
Various exhibitions and food stalls were set up and gave the Ijtema a fun-filled atmosphere. All those present came together for dinner and prepared for the Maghrib and Isha prayers afterwards. Some spent the evening at the very entertaining and challenging impromptu speeches, while others opted for a game called Kahoot!
The Patio was open for all to enjoy a barbecue hosted by various participating regions. Similarly, Khuddam enjoyed food stalls, indoor games and exhibitions. The second day commenced with Tahajud and Fajr prayers. This was the longest day of Ijtema, with temperatures forecast to 33 Celsius, with a real-feel of 38 Celsius with humidity.
Round 1 of Canada’s Smartest Khadim challenged the brainiest Khuddam to test their intellectual skills against one another in the early hours of the new day. Educational events included speeches in English and French languages, Ahmadiyya Muslim Students Association Inter University Quiz and a message relay competition.
Individual and team sports, along with races, filled up the sports events. Various physical activities from the first day continued, along with some new ones such as canoeing, punching power, bubble soccer, sumo suit fight, and hot air balloon rides.
Lunch was followed by congregational Zuhr and Asr prayers.
Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Canada, Zubair Afzal Sahib delivered an inspiring address on the topic of “Identity of an Ahmadi Khadim in the Western Society” at the start of the Second Session of the Ijtema.
Following this was a very interesting question and answer session with Mubashar Ahmad Kahlon Sahib.
He was accompanied by Amir Jamaat Canada and Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Canada. The questions and answers were very informative and the audience really enjoyed the knowledge and guidance shared by the panel. Questions covered a myriad of topics, including common issues faced by our youth on talim, tarbiyat, tabligh etc.
A special sitting for Arabs, new-converts and Khuddam from families of martyrs was held with Mubashar Kahlon Sahib.
In sports, individual and team matches, along with a 4-way tug of war tournament were available to participate.
An interesting workshop called How to Start a Business was of interest to entrepreneurial-minded Khuddam.
A bonfire was setup where any Khadim could come and share his talent, while others could enjoy the gathering. Some continued their recreational activities in the Patio area where they also enjoyed corn on the cob, tea and stargazing. They also had the option of attending a session called Ask a Murabbi Questions, or they could write to Huzoor-e-Anwaraa.
Lights went out at 10:30pm for all to recover for the next day.
Sunday was the last day of the Ijtema and Khuddam prepared for Tahajud and Fajr prayers. After Dars-ul-Quran, some went to participate in the memory and observation test. All came together for the final breakfast service of the annual Ijtema.
Afterwards, many went to the nazm and hifz-ul-Quran competition, as well as the final round of Canada’s Smartest Khadim contest. At the same time, some chose to relax and spend time with other Khuddam from all over the country. The finals for team sports were held along with 100m, 400m and relay race competitions.
Many enjoyed recreational events at the Patio while others participated in the final workshop event on physical fitness and health. Sunday was the hottest day of the Ijtema, with temperatures feeling like 36 degrees Celsius (with humidity).
Khuddam came together for the closing session of the Ijtema. Everyone enjoyed the prize distribution ceremony, before Mubashar Kahlon Sahib delivered the final address of the National Ijtema.
The Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya pledge by Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Canada, Zubair Afzal Sahib brought the Ijtema to an end.
Zuhr and Asr prayers were followed by lunch service.
By the grace of Allah, the total attendance was 2,352 from across Canada, an increase of 124 (6%) from last year, and 282 guests also attended.
