Indonesia is said to be coming up with some ridiculous ideas in terms of its law-making ventures.
In states like Indonesia, where law is slightly more than just a joke, the legislative bodies have to find some kind of activity to justify their positions and salaries. So what we have now from these law-making bodies is a set of laws which seems to be aiming at bringing Islam into the equation of every move they make; law has to be sacred, after all.
This again follows a pattern of nations that have seen utter failure in the field of law; when the nation’s collective psychology rejects law, it is cloaked in verses of holy scriptures. Pakistan, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia are the first few that come to mind when talking of such lawless nations.
Indonesia has recently thought of introducing a “halal” refrigerator. One would think that such a fridge would be exclusively reserved for storing halal food, but that happens to not be the case; this fridge is being advertised to be sharia-compliant. How far will these so-called Muslim nations fall to invite mockery and shame to their faith?
This “halal” tag on the refrigerator might only have been a marketing stunt, but Indonesia is looking to introduce laws from October next year which would like to see most items, even service-providers, being sharia-compliant or even halal-certified. What items would be “baptised” under this law is not specified but speculations suggest that it is deemed to go beyond edible goods and take in its fold inedible goods – like refrigerators – and even professional services like consultancy and advice.
Such legislations of such countries do not deserve an editorial, but what makes us spill this ink on the editorial column is the reaction shown by the Western media. Otherwise esteemed journals, like The Economist, decided to pick up on this news-story and prove how thoughtless Indonesia has been in its law-making process.
The Economist of 29 June found it extremely unreasonable that Indonesia prosecuted some cartoonists who had been mischievous enough to have made memes of Indonesian politicians; that the law in Indonesia punishes – under anti-pornography laws – someone who performs indecent acts in public; that Indonesia sees someone who harms the environment as a terrorist is seen unreasonable by the Western media; that plausibility of all such broad-brush rules could allow more protestors to take to the streets is rightly identified by the Human Rights Watch.
What surprises us is that the Indonesian government’s backing the persecution of hundreds of thousands of its Ahmadi citizens at the hands of the anti-Ahmadiyya circles has never caught the attention of these political analysts and social scientists who take themselves to be touchstones of morality, ethics and socio-political correctness. A refrigerator being branded as “halal” gets a whole page awarded to it in The Economist, but the brutal and inhumane treatment of a large number of innocent citizens – only for what they believe in – never seems to get to these great giants of publicity and propaganda.
The hand behind the persecution of Ahmadis in Indonesia – and the indifference of the government – is that of the extremist so-called Muslim ulema who have been imported into the country from Pakistan. This infectious, contiguous and malignant product (the extremist mullahs) is now spreading throughout the world and playing an instrumental role in the radicalisation of the youth, especially so in the West.
Rather than worry about halal refrigerators, the Western media would do better to identify the actual problems that arise from such countries and spread to all parts of the world.
(For further information on persecution of Ahmadis, visit www.persecutionofahmadis.org)
On 5 July 1918, a liberal and educated Christian youth, who in reality was in pursuit of the true religion, came to visit Hazrat Khalifatul Masih [may Allah be pleased with him]. He met Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II for the first time, and as a result of this preliminary meeting, a conversation ensued regarding certain subtle matters.
However, it was not the intention of the gentleman to commence a religious discussion on that day, and for this reason, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih also understood that the perfect opportunity would be when he commenced [to convey to him his message]. At one moment, he created a semblance of a doubt which was, in fact, an attack on the motive of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra in England
On that occasion, the sight was worthy of being witnessed; despite suffering poor health that day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih became prepared to answer him with great fervour, stirred by the esteem and respect which he held for the Holy Prophetsa. Moreover, he delivered such sagacious answers that the gentleman was compelled to regret his misgiving. I shall not mention his name in this dialogue.
In order to maintain historical chronology, I should add that following the Asr prayer, the gentleman came at a time when Hazrat Khalifatul Masih was not in good health. He had not even been outside since morning and he was about to leave. However, he overlooked his health for this objective. Ayyadahullahul-Ahad. [May the One God strengthen his hand.]
Chaudhry Muhammed Ismail Khan Sahib, District Superintendent, made the preliminary introduction. Then, Huzoor began the conversation in the following words.
Huzoor: Which religion do you adhere to?
Christian: I am apparently Christian but, in my opinion, religion should be founded on theories of nature. The principles of every religion should be based on these. Those matters which are proven to be incorrect on the basis of experience and observation should not be included in religion. They should not be contrary to reason and logic.
Huzoor: The sum and substance of what you say is that the foundation of religion should lie on reason and logic. Experience and observation are only branches of reason and logic. However, as you have entered into the sphere of religion, whether God exists or not, are you still convinced of a being who consciously acts?
Christian: If such a being exists, his attributes should also be in accordance to the law of nature.
Huzoor: The question which requires addressing currently is not regarding attributes. Rather, the question is whether such a being [God] exists or not?
Christian: Yes, a power exists.
Huzoor: So you believe that there is a power that is not necessarily conscious?
Christian: The capability of such a power is like machinery; it functions automatically.
Huzoor: When He is functioning and has created nature, then won’t you have to accept such a conscious Being?
Christian: Yes, one should.
Huzoor: There are some who reject the fact that He is conscious.
Christian: I do not believe matter to have been created because matter gets conserved. Moreover, God cannot even cause it to disappear. Similarly, there are a few things which have not been created; one is space; the other is time, and lastly, matter. They contain Divine attributes or, in other words, they do not have a beginning, nor an end. It is these which are Divine attributes.
Huzoor: We do not actually believe God to be limited to these attributes. I shall, Insha-Allah, expound on the reality of Divine attributes when the discussion proceeds onto the topic.
Christian: God possesses the attributes of Qahhar [Subduer] but is void of the attributes of Raheem [Merciful] and Kareem [Kind].
Huzoor: I have already mentioned that I shall prove this when the appropriate time comes to discuss the topic of Divine attributes. Presently, I only enquired from you about the religion to which you adhere to discern to what extent you are convinced of the existence of God in religion. The manner of dialogue with a person who has no interest in any religion would be different as they do not adhere to any law. However, a person who is religious can be conversed with, on the basis of the principle which he believes to be true. Therefore, it should be understood which religion you propose for yourself, even if it is a combination; a portion taken from Arya Samajists, a portion from the irreligious, a portion from Jews, a portion from Christians or a portion from Muslims.
Christian: I also do not believe in miracles.
Huzoor: Contrarily, I believe in them. When I shed light on this topic, you will be able to ask questions about them. By the grace of God, our duty is to make you accept the fact that nature does not deny miracles; it is to leave you speechless, whereas to satisfy you is in the Hands of God.
Afterwards, progressing on from this conversation, the Christian gentleman said; “I cannot understand how Jesus was born fatherless” and added, “A priest met me who was irreligious but slightly afraid. When I informed him that I do not accept these notions, he quickly replied that he also rejected such notions. He said that in reality, there are many people in Europe who do not accept these matters.”
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II supported these remarks and stated, “In Britain, there are even certain bishops who disbelieve in these principles of Christianity.” Moreover, referring to a narration of Hazrat Maulana Maulvi Nuruddin Sahib, Khalifatul Masih Ira, he said, “There was once a priest who would preach and did not believe in the divinity of Jesus. Hazrat Maulvi Sahibra enquired the method in which he would carry out his preaching. He replied, ‘I specifically limit my preaching to morals.’”
Thus, the conversation ensued on the subject of irreligiousness in Christianity for a while. In truth, this was manifest proof of the success of the Promised Messiahas which a Christian was giving; the fact that the foundations of Christianity have become so unstable that Christians who adhere to Christianity, look at it with aversion. This is the reality of the breaking of the cross. People are disassociating themselves from Christianity, from within. At present, Christianity is more of a nationality than a true religion.
In relation to this, the Christian gentleman said regarding the Arya religion, “I do not consider it to be a religion. I regard it to be a political body and it has been named a religion for the fulfilment of this purpose. This is because there can be no unity without it.” Then, a dialogue ensued on the topic of unity.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra along with Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra and a guest
Huzoor: We see unanimity also occur for political reasons. However, only a true religion can create true unity. Until there is no unity in principle, nothing is worthy of being called “unity”. Unless there is unity through God and His Prophet, the essence of unity cannot be established. This is why the true purpose of man is to follow the true religion.
Christian: Religion cannot be separated from politics.
Huzoor: This is emotional talk. However, religion cannot be based on politics. It is one thing for politics to play a part in religion and another for religion to be based on politics. The basis of a true religion can never be on politics. The actual objective of religion is something entirely different; it is the creation of the love and cognition of God, and the improvement of the morals of man.
Christian: It is true that the foundation of religion should not be on politics. I have observed the Arya Samaj that they are actually a political body.
At this juncture, the discussion proceeded on the topics of the Shuddhi movement; the “untouchable castes”; that the Arya Samajists cleanse their souls but do not give them the same level of respect; issues surrounding marriage and food [regarding the “untouchables”].
Huzoor: There is no doubt that the Christians have excelled further than the Arya Samajists, but, at times, even in some of their churches, we find that there is segregation of classes and ranks. However, Islam removes such distinctions and does not leave any room for this.
Christian: No doubt, Islam does succeed in this respect that there is no distinction among worshippers in mosques, however the opponents have caused great harm to religion.
Huzoor: Freedom exists within Islamic places of worship to such an extent that through his practical example the Holy Prophetsa illustrated this by granting the Christians of Najran permission to worship in his mosque. This was the method to repel religious misunderstandings, to foster mutual unity and togetherness in relation to true doctrines.
Christian: That was an era when they wished to draw people towards themselves.
Huzoor: That was such an era when Islamic conquests had already taken place.
Christian: The Prophet’s plan was to bring Christians under their fold by any means possible. He must have granted such permission on this basis.
Huzoor: This is the same thing that we wish today as well. Let alone the Christians, we wish that the entire world enters the fold of Islam. However, you should bear in mind that one should not argue regarding the intentions of religious matters which men carry out. In this manner, if intentions and motives are assumed regarding every matter, no piety can exist, nor any morals or acts of compassion. One can even go so far as to accuse their father of carrying out an act to merely satiate their sensual desires and to enquire what right he has left. This is an extremely foul and erroneous path. Doing this, squanders away good deeds and causes all noble matters to go to waste. No doubt, this benefits everyone, but to attack someone’s intentions and say that it was in a person’s interest for them to do such a thing is incorrect. You say that differences between religions have caused loss, but would it not benefit you if the religions unite as one?
Christian: Yes.
Huzoor: Then, can it be said that you say such a thing for your own reasons and benefit? Thus, the thought of personal gain is abandoned where benefit on a wider scale is targeted. If it is brought under focus, there can be no righteousness or morals left in the world. Neither will anybody be worthy of being called a father, nor a mother. No relationship can remain, and our system of civilisation and morals would be brought to ruin.
If a religious individual deems themselves to be true, or in other words, that their religion is from God, it is their definite objective to desire for the entire world to enter its fold. If such a person does not possess this desire and objective, it would mean that they do not believe that religion to be from God. It is a lofty moral stage where a man desires for others what he wishes for himself.
Thus, if this was the desire of the Holy Prophetsa, it is not objectionable, rather, it is a magnificent quality which cannot be found among others. This is because, when it is said that other religions do not desire as such, one would have to admit that the Founder of Islam was the most superior. Further, his superiority continued to be established because other religious people did not manage to abide by this objective. This is not mere conjecture.
The fact of the matter is that the Holy Prophetsa was the most superior because he came for the entire world and was for all times to come. The rest of the prophets used to come for specific areas and nations. For this reason, the sphere of their courage and capabilities was not as vast as the Holy Prophet’ssa. Yet, at this juncture, the only question at hand is whether the permission to worship in his mosque which the Holy Prophetsa had granted the Christians of Najran was based on a self-centred objective. I have mentioned in principle that these supposed objectives are totally foolish. The first and foremost characteristic and principle of a true religion is that self-centred behaviour is repelled from religion. Furthermore, it is outstanding practical proof that Islam has not only repelled such behaviour but bestowed open acceptance, and to term it as a self-centred objective would be largely incorrect. It is wrong to attack the motives of such matters. For instance, there exist many rituals at weddings, which waste much money. However, if somebody, summoning the courage, breaks the trends of adhering to these rituals, they would of course gain financial benefit. Yet, would this not be as a result of their moral courage?
Christian: If such a person does not intend to spend that money, only then is it a sign of their moral courage.
Huzoor: Again, this is an attack on his motive and this is repugnant. If they have saved money, would they not need to spend it? However, this would be the result of halting that undesirable ritual rather than the objective. You should be able to differentiate whether such an action was the outcome, the objective or the reason. Thus, it must nevertheless be recognised to be moral courage, especially when it is due to the fact that such a person is not miserly, and their other actions are of such a lofty standard that they act as a shield against objections upon their motive.
Similarly, reflect upon the life of the Holy Prophetsa. He was a person who proclaimed that salvation could be achieved by accepting those doctrines which he presented and who plainly recited to the Christians, “They surely disbelieve, who say that Allah is the third of three”; a person who powerfully refuted the divinity of Jesus Christ and declared the doctrines of the disbelievers to be false; who announced to his people, who were idolaters, that their idols were the fuel of the fire; then, allowing the people (whose doctrines he had forcefully refuted before them) to worship in his mosque in order to repel the selfish attitude which other religions had, can never be termed an selfish objective.
This is such a wonderful proof of the sincerity and truthfulness of the Holy Prophetsa that Europeans of great renown who would raise allegations – such as the biased person of [William] Muir – were compelled to admit that it would have been very easy and convenient for him – had he desired for people to join him – to merely halt from condemning their idols, and as a result, the entire nation would have been prepared to support and obey him.
It is an authentic account that a delegation of the leaders of disbelievers came before the Holy Prophetsa and presented every feasible possibility to lure him, so much so that they said, “We are prepared to appoint you as our king. Just refrain from condemning our idols.” However, he replied in clear words, “If the sun is placed in my right hand and the moon in my left, I still cannot cease from inviting others to the unity of God”. This was such a moment when the Holy Prophetsa would have gained every kind of respect and honour; he would not only have been reconciled with the entire nation, but he would have gained power and authority. Yet he did not abandon conveying the message and inviting others, for even a single moment. This is such an account which eternally answers the question of the objectives and motives of the Holy Prophetsa.
It should be well comprehended that motives are always judged on the basis of actions. For instance, you visit a person at his home who happens to live in Lahore and is your friend and you only go to meet him. Then a second person asserts that you came to Lahore for an errand and that you came on the pretext of a meeting to save hotel expenses. Or they assert that you only came to carry something back. You would of course declare this to be a clear attack upon your motive because this was not established by your other actions.
The determining of a motive can either be through actions or if the person declares the motive himself.
Similarly, if a person approaches the rulers of a government and makes tall claims of being their servants, but upon meeting their enemies, they say that they are, in fact, with them or they malign them behind their back, such a person would surely have to be called a flatterer. Yet it would be foolish to accuse a person of flattery who courageously notifies the rulers of their errors while at the same time, professing obedience to them.
Thus, had you studied the former deeds of the Holy Prophetsa before objecting, you would not have mustered the courage to do so.
Look, the Holy Prophetsa lived in Mecca for thirteen years. The entire nation was against him and would subject his community to all kinds of pain and suffering. If his sole objective was to bring others under his fold (which is what those who wish to increase their numbers do and who do not differentiate between the pious or wicked) he would not have observed prayer whilst facing Baitul Maqdas [Al Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem]. Rather, he would have prayed facing the Ka‘ba which would have pleased the disbelievers of Mecca. The influence of the Jews and Christians was not [in Mecca], thus, for popularity, it was not required for him to do so. Despite the enmity of the whole nation, their continual persecution of various kinds and the fact that they would have been pleased by such an act, he did not adopt such a path which would have been understandable to a materialistic planning human.
Then, he travelled to Medina, and there, such people were present who knew Baitul Maqdas to be their own qibla [direction towards which a person prays] and who held great regard for it. However, upon arrival, the Holy Prophetsa faced the Ka‘ba. From this, we can clearly understand how he desired to propagate his faith. His aim was not to please any individual, nation or community, rather, his objective was purely the pleasure of God. For the fulfilment of the task for which God the Almighty had selected him, he did not care in the slightest for the enmity and opposition of any community or group. These accounts are powerful witnesses of the resolve and sincerity behind his motives, objectives and the ways he carried out his actions.
One who ponders deeply upon these accounts of the life of the Holy Prophetsa – provided they have a conscience – will have to confess to the grandeur of the Holy Prophetsa.
The Holy Quran also mentions that the foolish object against this, but the answer is that the objective behind it is to distinguish those of stronger faith.
Now, tell us: can any wise person of a sound mind say that a person whose actions are as such and whose life has passed in such a manner that they never cared for any greed while conveying the truth, nor did any suffering prevent them from doing so; who is completely unaffected by anybody in this pursuit, in such a state when they gain victories and are given sovereignty, they say to observe prayer in the mosque just to please the Christians? On the contrary, they would have to confess that this action of the Holy Prophetsa was to spread tolerance.
(O Allah bless Muhammad and the people of Muhammed and cause them to prosper – Editor)
Then, we observe that the teachings of the Holy Quran regarding the freedom of mosques are magnificent and cannot be located in other religions at all. The Holy Quran has declared the act of stopping people from worshipping the Divine in mosques to be the greatest injustice. No one can truthfully raise objections after all the accounts that I have succinctly mentioned and after studying the teachings of the Holy Quran collectively.
The 34th “Mercy for Mankind” Charity Challenge of Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya UK took place in the scenic Rother Valley, Sheffield on 8 July 2018.
Approximately 1,000 members of the Jamaat gathered from across the UK to practice the Islamic teachings of serving humanity by raising funds for British charities.
The event was well attended with youth taking part in various challenges including half a marathon, cycling, raft race and a shorter 3 kilometer running course for Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya.
The Charity Challenge is unique in the sense that it is entirely organised and managed by the youth, who are unpaid volunteers driven by the spirit of fulfilling their core Islamic duty to serve humanity.
Farooq Aftab, event organiser and Naib Sadr Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya UK said:
“The weather was behind us and we had a great turnout with over 700 British Muslims raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for British charities. We have been inspired by the true teachings of Islam and we hope that by raising funds for the needy, without any distinction of faith, colour or creed, this event will serve a dual purpose of not only helping charitable causes but also reminding Muslims and non-Muslims alike that Islam and its founder stood firmly for peace and unity within humanity.”
The event had humble beginnings which started in 1985 as a marathon walk, but today it has evolved into a nationwide showpiece event which encourages Khuddam and Atfal to raise money for those who are less fortunate.
The Mercy4Mankind Charity Challenge is named after the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in light of the Holy Quran, which uses the term Rahmatun-lil-‘Alamin (Mercy for all of mankind) to describe a major part of his responsibility. The event’s tagline, “Every act of goodness is charity” is a saying of the Prophet Muhammadsa who emphasised and encouraged charitable efforts towards all humanity. The event also aims to instil a habit and understanding amongst the Ahmadiyya youth about the importance of struggling for those who are less fortunate.
Besides the annual flagship event, the Mercy4Mankind campaign consists of many national challenges such as 5K and 10K events, Half-Marathons, rides, hikes and so on. However, the Mercy4Mankind initiative is also encouraging regionally based events such as the Fundraising Dinners, 24-hour Football and the Football4Peace Tournament.
The fundraising activities involve direct fundraising for charities through individual collections and through joint collaborations and partnerships with other charities such as holding joint events, marshalling, and bucket and store collections.
Over the past 18 months the youth organisation has raised more than £500,000 for Humanity First and raised money to build 5 schools in Africa, (during this Ramadan) more than 400 eye operations and the installation of 20 water-wells in Africa.
The Mercy4Mankind campaign will carry on throughout the year and Insha-Allah continue to serve humanity.
14 July 1894: The Promised Messiah’sas Arabic book Sirr-ul-Khilafa was published on this day. In it, Huzooras discusses the difference that exists between the Sunnis and the Shiites on the issue of Khilafat after the Holy Prophetsa and gave very convincing proof of the fact that all four Khulafa of Islam were the rightly guided Khalifas, and that Hazrat Abu Bakrra was the best of them all and like a second Adam for Islam.
He has taken up the objections that the Shiites raise against the first three Khulafa and has answered them at some length. He calls upon those who differ with him on this view, for a prayer duel. He also explains the prophecy about the appearance of Mahdi and proves his own claim to be that person. The reason why this book was written in Arabic was to expose the hollowness of the claim of his opponents to the learned people. The main part of the book is in Arabic with an announcement in Urdu. At the end of the book, Hazrat Ahmadas has appealed to them that they should not make decisions about him in haste. He also explains the nature of angels.
14 July 1903: On this day, Hazrat Sahibzada Syed Abdul Lateefra was martyred in a barbaric way in Kabul, Afghanistan. It was a Tuesday. He was a very revered person and had tens of thousands of followers. He was so respected that the ruler of country invited him at his coronation to perform the crowning ceremony. He had read some of the books of the Promised Messiahas that made a deep impression on him. He visited Qadian in 1902 to have an audience with Hazrat Ahmadas. He accepted Ahmadiyyat in his first meeting with the Promised Messiahas. He immensely enjoyed the company of the Promised Messiahas so much so that he decided to stay in Qadian a little longer. During his stay, he received revelations repeatedly forewarning him to be prepared to sacrifice himself for Ahmadiyyat.
Eventually he went back to Afghanistan with Huzoor’s consent. He was buried up to his waist in the ground and stoned. The stoning continued until his soul departed from his body and returned to Allah.
On his martyrdom, the Promised Messiah(as) expressed his grief in the following words:
“O Abdul Lateef, may you be blessed thousands of times as you proved your sincerity in my lifetime … This was a most merciless killing that has no match in this age. What folly has this Amir committed that he has ruined himself by his merciless killing of such an innocent person. O land of Afghanistan, bear witness that a grave offence has been committed in you. O unfortunate land, you have fallen in the estimation of God in that this great tragedy was enacted in you.”
The country has been in turmoil ever since Hazrat Sahibzada Sahibra was martyred.
Hazrat Sahibzada Abdul Lateef Shaheed r.a.
14 July 1907: The Promised Messiahas went to Batala from Qadian to receive his family members as they returned from Lahore after ten days.
15 July 1890: The Promised Messiahas was in Ludhiana, and details of his poor health emerge from reading the letters he sent in those days.
15-17 July 1901: The Promised Messiahas went to Gurdaspur courts for legal proceedings of the Wall Case. In early 1900, Mirza Imam Din, a cousin of Hazrat Ahmadas, began to erect a brick wall to block the lane which led to the south entrance of Masjid Mubarak. Ahmad’sas visitors and guests were all inconvenienced. If they wanted to offer prayers in the mosque or see Hazrat Ahmadas, they had to take a long winding way with which they were not familiar. As the direct and most frequently used way was now completely blocked, Hazrat Ahmadas was practically besieged by his enemies. In short, all efforts from the Ahmadiyya camp failed to solve the dire situation. Finally, a legal case was put forward. On this day, Hazrat Ahmadas was summoned as a defense witness. Huzooras left Qadian in a palanquin at about 7am on 15 July 1901. Hazrat Maulvi Nuruddinra, Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Irfanira and other friends got into yakkas (horse-pulled carts) to go to Gurdaspur via Batala, while Hazrat Ahmadas went direct and reached there at about 3pm. As requested by Maulvi Muhammad Ali Sahib, the party stayed at the house of his father-in-law, Munshi Nabi Bakhsh Sahib. Khawaja Kamaluddin Sahib came from Peshawar in the evening. It was very hot and Hazrat Ahmadas was not feeling very well, so he could not sleep the whole night. Huzooras left for the court at about 10am on the 16th and stopped at the south-eastern corner of the pakka tank in front of the courts as they were situated then. There were about 40 persons in the party. As Hazrat Ahmadas sat there on a carpet waiting for the court call, the multitude flocked to see him from all directions. In a few minutes the hearing of the case began and Khawaja Kamaluddin Sahib and Maulvi Muhammad Ali Sahib – pleaders in the case – went in. After the statements of Bur Singh and Sant Singh who were defense witnesses, Hazrat Ahmadas presented his statement in court.
18 July 1900: The Promised Messiahas wrote a letter to Miyan Shadi Khan Sahibra lauding his financial sacrifice and termed it a sacrifice akin to the sacrifices of the Holy Prophet’ssa Companionsra.
18 July 1947: Hazrat Dr Mir Muhammad Ismailra passed away. He was younger brother of Hazrat Amma Janra. The Promised Messiahas was foretold that he would be appointed as an “assistant surgeon” while he was still a student in medical college. He stood first in the Punjab in the final examination from Medical College Lahore and was appointed as Assistant Surgeon. He was appointed as Civil Surgeon in 1928 and retired in 1936. A deep sense of spirituality can be felt from his prose and poetry.
6 July 1903: Mirza Imam Din departed this world on this day. He was brother of Mirza Nizam Din and cousin of the Promised Messiahas. Both brothers, on account of their irreligious temperaments and their worldly ways, were bitterly opposed to the Promised Messiahas. In fact, they were enemies of Islam itself. But once, a son of the Promised Messiahas, due to lack of understanding in childhood, referred to this abovementioned neighbour and relative in an improper way. The Promised Messiahas stopped him instantly and explained that he was, after all, his uncle.
7 July 1890: The Promised Messiahas went to Ludhiana for a change of routine. He stayed there until October in the residence of Shahzada Haider in the locality of Iqbal Ganj.
7 July 1950: The Ahmadiyya Jamaat was established in the Netherlands in 1947, and since then, the foremost item on the agenda was to build a mosque there. On this day, the Dutch authorities in The Hague approved a piece of land for the mosque to be built. Hazrat Musleh Maudra put forward a unique scheme that that mosque should be built with the chanda (donations) collected only from Lajna Imaillah – ladies of the Jamaat. Huzoorra asked only for 100,000 rupees, but the passion of the Jamaat’s ladies produced 143,664 rupees.
7 July 1954: In Rabwah, Zia-ul-Islam Press started functioning. This press has been serving the Jamaat since the very first day, despite the fact that every now and then, this press and its staff have come under state censorship and unjustified limitations.
9 July 1883: Elder Brother of the Promised Messiahas, Mirza Ghulam Qadir Sahib passed away on this day at 7:00pm at the age of 55. In 1868, Mirza Ghulam Qadir Sahib became seriously ill. Though the Promised Messiahas had seen a dream in which he saw that his brother would die, he prayed to God for his recovery. His prayer was accepted and it was revealed to him that his brother would recover, as he did. Mirza Ghulam Qadir Sahib left behind no child, and his wife, Hurmat Bibi, later entered the fold of the Jamaat as foretold to the Promised Messiahas.
10 July 1885: A very uncommon heavenly sign was shown to the Promised Messiahas on this day. Those familiar with the history of the spiritual world find many likes of it, but terrestrial minds and hearts find it hard to believe. An eye witness, Hazrat Maulvi Abdullah Sanaurira, says the following:
“It was the month of Ramadan and the 27th day, which happened to be a Friday. I had the honour of being in Huzoor’sas blessed presence. After offering the Fajr prayer, the Promised Messiahas, as was his routine, retired into the chamber (the small room to the east of Masjid Mubarak) and lay down on a charpoy. Sitting near him, this humble one began massaging his feet as usual. The Promised Messiahas was lying on his side and his forearm covered his face. While massaging, suddenly I perceived a slight trembling in his body, whereupon he removed his forearm from his face and looked at me. His eyes were wet and were possibly running with tears. He covered up his face again and continued in that posture. When I looked at his ankle, I noticed a red drop which was round and had not spread out. I put the tip of my forefinger on the drop, it spread out and coloured my finger also. Then I observed a few wet red spots on his shirt which made me wonder. I got up and examined the whole chamber but did not find a red stain anywhere else. I was very puzzled. I asked, ‘Huzoor, where did these red drops fall from?’ At first, Huzooras did not answer, but on my persisting, he related the whole incident. He expounded to me in detail the matter of beholding God Almighty and the external materialisation of elements observed in visions. He drew upon the experiences of Hazrat Muhyuddin Ibn-e-Arabirt to make me fully comprehend how perfect individuals are vouchsafed the experience of the personification of Divine attributes of Beauty and Majesty.
“I begged the Promised Messiahas persistently to bestow upon me the shirt on which the red drops had fallen. Huzooras agreed on the condition that I should give a direction in my will that on my death it should be buried along with me. His hesitation in bestowing it upon me was due to his apprehension that after our demises, people might convert it into an object of worship. Thus Huzooras gave it to me after a good deal of discussion between us. This is my true personal testimony.” (Hazrat Maulvi Abdullah Sanaurira can be seen standing with the blessed shirt of the Promised Messiahas with red ink spots, which was given to him with the condition that it should be buried with him upon his demise.)
12 July 1903: The Promised Messiahas used to give talks inside the house also, lest the womenfolk, living, staying or serving inside his house, remain deprived from his wise counsel. Then Editor of Al Hakam, Hazrat Sheikh Yaqib Ali Irfanira put great effort into compiling and recording Huzoor’sas valued sermons for us, something that is of immense value today and will forever continue to remain a treasure. On this day, the Editor of Al Hakam added a small note: “I noted down these words of the Promised Messiah, while standing outside the door, and naturally, sometimes noise made by the children present would disturb my hearing and concentration.”
The Annual Cricket Tournament of Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya and Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya Sri Lanka was held on 27 June 2018 at Major Raj Ground, Kurana, Negombo.
The event started with the recitation from the Holy Quran followed by silent prayer. Missionary, Javed Raheem Sahib made a short speech in which he said that these events are organised to encourage healthy living and to enhance skills to fulfil the needs of our religious duties. He added that such events create unity among members.
The teams in the Khuddam side were Negombo A, Negombo B, Colombo and Pasyala. According to Huzoor-e-Anwar’saa instructions, from Negombo Majlis, two teams were selected combining non-Sri Lankan Ahmadi members who live temporarily in Sri Lanka for the first time.
In total, 6 matches were played with 7 overs each. Negombo A and Negombo B were played in the final and the support for both teams was very passionate. Negombo A batted first and scored 67 runs. In response, Negombo B got 68 runs and were declared winners.
Prizes were awarded to Best Batsman, Best Bowler and Man of the Match of the final. Winners and runners-up were presented trophies by Anis Ahmad Sahib, National Vice President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Sri Lanka.
Similarly, a cricket tournament for Atfal was also held and trophies as well as certificates were distributed to them also.
All participating Khuddam and Atfal spent the entire day in the grounds. In between matches, players offered Zohr and Asr prayers.
The people of the city gave special attention to this event, and as the railway station is next to the playing field, members of public spectated our matches, as well as when the players observed Salat.
There has been much written about my father, Professor Abdus Salam, so rather than simply repeat much of that, I thought it may be interesting to narrate some of the private moments of my father for those who did not know him or meet him, may not have heard about and may give the reader more insight into the character of Abdus Salam.
I have highlighted just a few of memories which will be of interest and, I hope, inspiration to the readers of Al Hakam.
It was clear from an early age that this child was, by the grace of Allah, an exceptionally gifted child. He went to school at the age of six and was admitted into the fourth class, where he stood first in all the exams; he had already memorised the multiplication tables up to forty and was a prodigious reader of books of all subjects which lasted throughout his life. There was no subject he did not at least glance at throughout his life.
Wiki commons | Molendijk, Bart/Anefo
I recall later in life looking through his bookshelf and seeing as diverse a collection as one could find; subjects such as physics, mathematics, biology, history, biographies, comedy, language books, medicine, Islamic history, Islamic art and culture; there were even books such as Teach Yourself Air Navigation and Russian Made Simple!
I recall as a child one of the many lessons my father taught me was to read; he always encouraged me to read as many books as I could. There was never a limit on the amount and variety of books I could have, provided of course I read them. But what was more relevant is that my father would then ask me to précis each book I had read. This made sure I read the book carefully and perhaps more importantly, showed my father’s continued interest and involvement in my education.
A wall from Professor Abdus Salam Sahib’s study | Ahmad Salam
Much of my father’s inspiration and guidance came from his father, especially in his formative years. While he learnt the Holy Quran initially from his mother, it was his father who instilled in him a great sense of duty, discipline, humility, hard work and, above all else, a total belief in the submission to the will of Allah and the teachings of Islam Ahmadiyyat.
When my father won the Nobel Prize, he used the prize money to set up a charity in memory of his parents to offer scholarships to young bright students, in Pakistan and India in particular.
My grandfather had been told in a vision that he would have a son and he was to name him Abdus Salam. In another vision, my grandfather was informed this son would be a great achiever and so he knew that he had to help and encourage the young Abdus Salam to reach the highest standards in both his work and his moral character. An example of my grandfather’s influence was when my father came home from school; my father would complete his homework and then my grandfather would sit and prepare the next day’s lesson so the young Abdus Salam was always ahead of the class. This was a lesson my father remembered throughout his life: to work hard and to always be prepared ahead of time, and not to just do the minimum. My father would tell me “To fail to prepare meant prepare to fail”.
My father would teach me science and maths from a young age. He was not that successful as I chose to follow the arts rather than science. He would also spend time talking to me about great Islamic scholars and the wonderful tradition of education and innovation we have in our Islamic history. He would also talk to me about the great battles and great warriors of Islamic history. My father would also talk to me and teach me about my family’s cultural history as Rajput, of which he was very proud.
Another lesson my father taught me, which he had again learnt from his father was, “Early to bed and early to rise makes man healthy, wealthy and wise”. So my father would sleep by 8:30pm and rise at 3am to pray and work. This was the best time for him as he would awake refreshed and then be uninterrupted. He would work from 3:30am to about 7:30am, then breakfast, shower and dress and go to Imperial College or the Centre when he was in Trieste.
A notebook of Professor Abdus Salam Sahib showing his personal notes | Ahmad Salam
My father worked incredibly hard: literally seven days a week, never taking a holiday. He simply did not see the need for a holiday. When we used to visit him in Trieste during our summer holidays, he would arrange for me to have lessons in Italian, Maths or Physics from one of his students, who he paid of course.
This capacity for hard work came from my father’s father. My grandfather was a very disciplined and hardworking man. He had a great influence on my father, and my father’s wish was always to be buried at the feet of his parents. I am pleased to say we were able to fulfil my father’s last request.
There was also another figure who guided and inspired my father, and that was the late Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khanra. I was only witness to the incredibly deep and affectionate relationship between these two men for a short while, but I knew that my father learnt a great deal from this wonderful man. He was a wonderful teacher, mentor and guide to my father throughout his life. When my father was in London, Hazrat Chaudhry Sahibra would always be kind enough to come for breakfast on Sunday mornings at 8:15am until 10:30am. This was a most valuable time for my father as Chaudhry Sahibra would guide him on how to deal with certain people and situations. This was most valuable advice and guidance which, undoubtedly, was of great benefit to my father. My father’s very close relationship with Chaudhry Sahibra also inspired Chaudhry Sahibra. In Chaudhry Sahib’s book The Prophet at Home, there is a dedication to my father who gave Chaudhry Sahibra the idea to write the book.
Another mentor and sage to my father was the late Mirza Muzaffar Ahmad, the grandson of the Promised Messiahas. Miyan Sahib was a very senior figure in the World Bank in Washington and for a while served as the Finance Minister for Pakistan. Miyan Sahib also advised and guided my father immensely.
Both Miyan Sahib and Chaudhry Sahibra had great regard and respect for time. Just like my father, they hated anything which wasted time. My father would repeatedly warn me against the “Sub-continental” habit of idle talk, or gup in Punjabi. He would warn me in the strongest terms about the destructive nature of such a practice and also how it was un-Islamic and to be avoided at all times.
My father was always very punctual and believed it was important to try and be early rather than late. My father would tell me that being late showed an arrogant lack of respect for other people as it suggested that your time was more valuable than theirs.
However, the greatest influence on my father was the Holy Quran. He would carry a small copy of the Holy Book in his jacket pocket and would always read it when he had a free moment. Indeed, he admitted that his finest works were achieved when he was alone in a room and could listen to one of the many records and tapes he had acquired of the recitation of the Holy Quran in the most melodious and harmonious voices. This would give him great inspiration. His favourite qari was the Egyptian, Abdul Basit, and I recall my father listening for hours to the recitation of the Holy Book.
Allied to this love of the Quran and Islam of course was his total devotion to Ahmadiyyat and the Khulafa he served. I know from my own experience, how highly he valued and treasured their advice and guidance. He would also encourage me to write to the Khalifa just as he had done at an early age to seek their advice and request for prayers. This was extremely important to him throughout his life. I was too young to really appreciate the relationship with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh; but I know how Huzoorrh would always meet my father with great affection. Indeed, we were so blessed that Huzoorrh visited our house in London and I have photos of my father serving Huzoorrh with mangoes.
I witnessed first-hand the love and affection and relationship between Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh and my father.
My father had great humility and always remembered his simple roots. There are countless examples of this, but one which always stick in my mind was when he had returned from a long overseas trip and had come into the house and we had greeted our father, my job was always to ensure my father’s driver had been given food and drink, and only when I had done this and come back into the house would my father then eat himself. He was more concerned about the driver than himself. My Aunt in Karachi would tell me the same story. When my father visited her on his trips to Pakistan, her son would have to give the driver refreshments before my father would sit down and eat with the family.
Another example of this humility was when my father visited India in December 1979, just after he had attended the Nobel ceremony in Sweden. He asked the Indian Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi, to try and find his old primary school teacher, and when he had been found some 50 years after he had taught my father, my father visited him. He was bedbound and could not sit up to greet my father, so my father took the Nobel medal and placed it in his hands and said that that medal was a tribute to his teaching and my father shared it with him.
My father was a simple man who had simple tastes and simple requirements. He was very keen on cleanliness in every way. He did feel the cold badly though and would always keep his head covered; he usually wore an overcoat and sweater even in the middle of summer. He would always keep his room where he would work hot. He would greatly enjoy my mother’s wonderful cooking, be it pilau, roti or simply dal. He liked simple, well cooked meals; one dish was all he wanted. He did not want extravagance or many dishes.
He was also a great one for desserts and had a very sweet tooth. Every meal would be followed with a dessert; usually tinned or fresh fruit if it was in season. He would love tinned lychees, pears, pineapple or peaches. His favourite fresh fruit was Pakistani and Indian mangoes.
I remember in his bag he would always carry some chocolate biscuits, bars of chocolate, nuts and sometimes some dried fruit. He would say that those snacks would give him energy.
Another lesson my father taught me was to always have the upper hand and always be the one to give rather than to take. He would always take gifts for those he would visit.
He gave me a very valuable lesson when I wanted to buy my first car. I have always been interested in cars and I had found a BMW I wanted to purchase. I asked my father if he would lend me the money and said that I would pay him back. He refused and said that if I wanted something, I should go and get a job, save the money and buy a car with my own money; so I did. I got a job as a cashier at a petrol station and earned enough to buy a Fiat 500, one of the smallest cars you can buy. But the point was that I had worked myself to make the money. I was not indebted to anyone and that was a very valuable lesson for which I am ever grateful; not to borrow money to live beyond my means. This is lesson I have followed throughout my life and I hope I have passed it on to my children.
Jalsa Salana Canada 2016 with the presence of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V a.a. | alislam.org
The 42nd Jalsa Salana Canada starts today, 6 July, at The International Centre in Mississauga, Ontario. The Jalsa will continue through Sunday, 8July.
The expected attendance is around 26,000 which comprises Ahmadis from all over Canada. Guests from other countries are also expected to attend.
Farhan Khokhar Sahib, Naib Amir Jamaat Canada, said, “Speakers are travelling from as far as Pakistan to address the annual Jalsa of Canada Jamaat.”
The Jalsa starts at 12:00 EST today with the repeat of the Friday Sermon delivered earlier today by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa being played in the Jalsa Gah. This will lead to the formal opening of Jalsa Salana Canada, followed by the first session.
Maulana Mubashar Ahmad Kahlon Sahib will attend Jalsa Canada as Markazi – central – representative and will also speak on the topic of “Jihad Against Innovations and Bad Customs”.
Malik Lal Khan Sahib, National Amir of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in Canada is scheduled to speak on “Blessings of Nizam-e-Jamaat in the Context of Sacrificing Life, Wealth and Honour”. Other speakers include Mubarak Ahmad Nazir Sahib on “Khilafat: The Source of Unification of Mankind”; Hadi Ali Chaudhry Sahib on “The Religious Awakening of the West”; Khalil Ahmad Mubashar Sahib on “Our Wealth and Progeny: Are they a Test?”; Farhan Iqbal Sahib on “Emerging Societal Challenges and their Solutions” and Asif Afzal Khan Sahib on “Hazrat Muhammadsa: Beacon of Absolute Justice”.
Syed Tahir Ahmad Sahib, Additional Nazir Ishaat (MTA Pakistan) is another distinguished speaker who is expected to speak on “The Great Comet of 1882: A Celestial Sign for the Promised Messiahas”.
Other speakers include Afzal Mirza Sahib, Hanan Sobhi Sahib and Tariq Azeem Sahib.
Maulana Mubashar Ahmad Kahlon Sahib will also speak on the last day of Jalsa on the topic of “The Advent of the Promised Messiahas”.
Speaking to Al Hakam, Asef Hadi Sahib, Head of MTA Studios Canada said, “We will be broadcasting the proceedings of Jalsa Salana Canada via web stream. This will include the Jalsa sessions and speeches, but we will also include some studio discussions and short documentaries in between the sessions.”
It is inevitable that you should also be tried with various forms of anguish and misfortune, just as the faithful before you were tried. Be on your guard, lest you should falter. So long as you have a firm relationship with heaven, the earth can do you no harm. Whenever harm befalls you, it will be from your own hands and not from the hands of your enemy. Even if you lose all honour on earth, God will bestow eternal honour upon you in heaven. So do not forsake Him.
You will certainly suffer pain and many of your desires will not be fulfilled, but do not lose heart in such situations, for your God tries you to see whether you are steadfast in His path or not. If you desire that even the angels should praise you in heaven, then endure beating and remain joyful, hear abuse and be grateful, suffer setbacks but do not sever your relationship with God.
(Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, Noah’s Ark, pp. 26-27)
The Economist (23 June 2018) carries a lead article titled “The Saudi Revolution Begins”. It mentions how Prince Muhammad bin Salman is “revolutionising” Saudi Arabia by, for example, letting women take the wheel to drive. While this is being celebrated as a breakthrough in the “anti-woman” history of Saudi Arabia (as termed by the West), what should be of more surprise is that Saudi history seems to be moving back some 1500 years in what is seen as a move towards modernity.
The Holy Ka’bah, Mecca, 1905
Now more commonly known as the largest exporter of oil and for its gigantic revenues generated through the annual pilgrimage of Hajj, the land of Saudi Arabia is where the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was born and where he lived all his life; Hejaz as it was then known. It was here that the Prophet of Islam, Hazrat Muhammadsa, wrote the first ever documented constitution known as the “Covenant of Medina”. It was here that women were recognised as living- and human-beings rather than the commodities they were treated as before the advent of Islam.
It was through the Prophet Muhammadsa that women were given a say in decisions about them going into a wedlock and also of coming out of it if the need arose; they were given rights in inheritance; they were given the loftiest status they could have imagined in the role of wives, sisters and, above all, mothers. Women in early Islam are reported to have been involved in trade and also in acquiring education. Narrations in history have it that women in early Islam were heavily involved in the public welfare and health facilities of their society.
Apart from the peaceful circles of society, women in the time of the Holy Prophetsa are known to have significantly contributed in battles also. As water bearers and nurses, Muslim women would be present in the battlefield treating the ill and wounded.
Hazrat Rufaidahra bint S‘ad was not only among the first believers in Medina but also the first known nurse from the time of the Holy Prophetsa. She is said to have attained medical skills from her father, Sa‘d al-Aslamy, who was a physician and from the Khazraj tribe of Yathrib (later Medina). Hazrat Sa‘d bin Muazra, when wounded in a battle, was sent to the tent of Rufaidahra by the Holy Prophetsa to be treated. She successfully removed the arrow from his arm, stopped the bleeding and treated him.
In times of peace, Hazrat Rufaidahra is said to have set up a nurse-training camp for Muslim women. Among many women whom she trained, Hazrat Umm-e-Ammarara is one of the most commonly known names from those at the forefront in dealing with injuries and casualties during battles.
As the Holy Prophetsa prepared to head for the Battle of Khaybar, Hazrat Rufaidahra is reported to have sought his permission to accompany the army, along with her team, to the battlefield where they could treat those in need of medical attention. She was not only granted permission but also an equal share from the booty as all other soldiers after the battle.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, in line with this tradition, encourages its women to become active members of the society and help mankind in whatever possible way they can.
Ahmadi women are seen observing purdah and yet working in the fields of teaching, nursing and other areas of medical and surgical excellence. The late Dr Nusrat Jehan, who passed away in 2016, was an excellent reminder of the women from early Islam who stayed in purdah but did not fall behind in serving mankind. In a Friday Sermon not too long ago, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa mentioned her services in the field of medicine, particularly pointing to the tremendous services she had been able to carry out without compromising her faith.
Lajna Imaillah – the ladies’ wing of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat – continues to encourage women to pursue higher education and careers in fields where they can serve humanity. And by the Grace of Allah, they have always lived up to this expectation.
That the Saudi princes are now taking action, however highly they may be spoken of by the Western media, is nothing to be classed as revolutionary. If anything, they seem to be moving (albeit slowly) back to the revolution that was brought about by the Holy Prophetsa of Islam.
In terms of human rights and religious freedom, they still have a long way to go. Ahmadis cannot perform Hajj if their passports say they are Ahmadis. Does the Western influence care the least about this? Perhaps not. And why should it? This doesn’t affect its oil trade with Saudi Arabia!
