Tahmeed Ahmad & Awwab Saad Hayat, Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre
In the late 1920s, Egypt faced a surge of missionary activity, with well-organised efforts to convert Muslims to Christianity. An American mission leader even claimed that around two hundred Muslims had already converted. It was in this challenging landscape that Hazrat Maulana Jalaluddin Shamsra arrived in Egypt on 7 December 1929. While many Muslim scholars had given up, he stepped forward with unwavering determination. In just five months, he engaged in deep discussions with scholars – including professors from Al-Azhar University – wrote countless articles and published books and leaflets. His tireless efforts not only defended Islam’s honour but also led to many embracing the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
His impact was so profound that contemporary publications took notice. We at the Ahmadiyya Archive and Research Centre have uncovered an article from Misr Al-Hadithah Al-Musawwarah, edited by Tawfiq Al-Bazji, published on 6 February 1930 (Vol. 3, Issue 32, pp. 7-9). While not authored by Hazrat Maulana Shamsra, it is evident that he provided key insights. The article, presented below, offered the Egyptian people of that time an introduction to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, shedding light on its beliefs and mission. The English rendering of the article is as follows:
“Preacher of the Ahmadiyya missionary sect in Cairo
“Spreading the message of Ahmadiyya; an Indian sect in the Near East
“Opponents who debate the Ahmadis die within a year
“Have you heard that the very Indians who reject British political authority and strive for independence are also spiritually conquering London? They are making efforts to attract the English to the faith of an Indian sect.
“Not only in London, nor among the English people alone, but also in Paris, Berlin, New York and Chicago, missionaries are actively preaching the message of Ahmad[as] the Messiah of Punjab with great dedication.
They have mosques and newspapers in English and French, aiming to convert prominent figures from the world’s leading nations to the Ahmadiyya Sect.
“Who is Ahmad[as] the Messiah?
“Let us take a journey back to the year 1836 and travel in our imagination to the Punjab region, located in the northwest of the geographical area we call Hindustan.
“In Punjab, there is a village called Qadian, located 11 miles from the city of Batala. It was in this very place, on the aforementioned date, that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad[as] was born.
“He was from a Mongol-origin family and neither men nor women at the time of his birth could have imagined that this child would come to rival Jesus[as] of Nazareth.
“Nor did they foresee that Qadian, within a century, would rise to religious prominence alongside Bethlehem, Jerusalem and the Honoured Mecca.
“However, the reality of history shows us that this newborn and that village have reached an unexpected position.
“Mirza Ghulam Ahmad[as] grew up under the sky of Punjab. He received only a basic education and did not have the opportunity to study at higher schools or universities – a trait often seen in prophets. The only exception to this was Prophet Moses[as].
“Since his father was engaged in his medical profession, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad[as] oversaw the family lands and supervised agricultural activities while also immersing himself in religion, deeply studying the Quran, Torah and the Gospels.
“It is said that he had many visions and received divine revelation on multiple occasions.
“In the year 1889, when he was 53 years old, he announced his mission, proclaiming that he was the Promised Messiah. He declared that he had come to fill the earth with justice and righteousness and to establish the true foundations of Islam.
“Here are some of the statements that are said to have been revealed to him by God:
- ‘All kinds of Holiness belong to Allah, Who possesses all Blessings and is the Highest. He has raised your status. The name and respect for your forefathers will be cut off – that is, they will not be known and honoured in their personal capacities – and God will start the respect and honour with you.’ [Tadhkirah (English), p. 83]
“The missionary currently in Egypt preaches about him and his mission, stating:
“‘This prophecy has now been fulfilled in the clearest manner, as every male descendant in his father’s family has passed away, leaving only the children and grandchildren of Ahmad[as] the Messiah.’
- ‘You will […] behold distant progeny. We shall bestow upon you a good life; eighty years or thereabouts.’ [Ibid., p. 243]
“Their interpretation of this prophecy is that Ahmad[as] the Messiah lived for 75 lunar years, as he was born in 1836 and passed away in 1908. His lifespan of 72 solar years is equivalent to 75 lunar years.
- ‘The mercy of Allah is near. Hearken! The help of Allah is near. His help will reach you from every distant track. […] Men will help you whom We shall direct from heaven.’ [Ibid., p. 508]
“According to their interpretation, when Ahmad[as] the Messiah passed away, he had hundreds of thousands of followers.
“By 1914, the number had reached 500,000 and today, they claim that their followers exceed one million worldwide.
- ‘You are of those who are helped by God.’ [Ibid., p. 508]
- ‘I shall […] grant predominance to your followers over those who disbelieve, till the Day of Judgment.’ [Ibid., p. 127]
- ‘You are on the straight path, of high standing in this world and the hereafter and of those who are close to Allah.’ [Ibid., p. 117]
- ‘All praise belongs to Allah Who has made you Masih ibn-e-Maryam [Messiah, son of Mary]. He chooses for Himself whom He wills. He is not accountable for that which He does and they are accountable. […] We shall show them Our Signs in the universe and in their own selves. (On that day) proof will be completed and there will be open victory.’ [Ibid., pp. 509-511]
“Thus, revelation continued to descend upon him.
“After announcing his mission, he authored more than eighty books, the majority of which were on religious matters.
“The challenge
“One of the most well-known aspects of Ahmad[as] the Messiah and his Ahmadiyya followers was his bold challenge: The challenge of death. In a village near Amritsar, India, named Ajnaala, a debate arose between Christians and Muslims regarding which religion was more truthful and worthy of being followed.
“After debating with his opponents, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad[as] would issue a challenge:
“‘Whoever is false in their beliefs will die within a year, whereas the truthful ones will remain unharmed.’
“To illustrate this challenge, I will recount a specific incident involving Christian missionaries in Amritsar.
“This took place during the time when Mirza Ghulam Ahmad[as] had proclaimed his mission as the Promised Messiah.
“Both groups – Christians and Muslims – agreed to hold a 15-day debate between the two faiths.
“On the Christian side, several priests and missionaries participated, while on the Muslim side, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad[as] represented Islam.
“At the conclusion of the debate, revelation descended upon Mirza Ghulam Ahmad[as], stating:
‘I have prayed to God and He has revealed to me that the one who has deliberately lied and chosen a powerless human as his god will perish within 15 months unless he repents and accepts the truth.’
The narrator states that within 15 months, three of those Christian priests died, while others suffered from severe illnesses. However, some locals objected, saying that Reverend Abdullah Athim, the leader of the Christian debaters, had not died. To this, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad[as] responded:
“‘Reverend Abdullah has turned towards the truth. He now prays to God day and night.’
“Mirza Ghulam Ahmad[as] then challenged Reverend Abdullah Athim again:
“He offered him 4,000 rupees if he would swear an oath that he had not been afraid of the prophecy and that his heart did not believe in the truth of Islam.
“If Atham took this oath, then the result would be sealed – he would surely die.
“However, Abdullah Atham refused to swear the oath.
“Mirza Ghulam Ahmad[as] repeated the challenge four times, yet Atham continued to decline.
“Finally, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad[as] received another revelation, which stated:
“‘He will die within six months.’
“And indeed, Abdullah Athim passed away before the end of six months.
“An American missionary told me this story 25 years ago and claimed that Abdullah Athim and the other missionaries were poisoned by the followers of Ahmad[as] the Messiah.
“However, the followers of Ahmad[as] the Messiah firmly state that God caused their deaths as a result of Ahmad’s[as] challenge.
“For them, the death of their opponents is the clearest proof of the truth of Ahmad’s[as] claim.
“The Ahmadiyya missionary currently in Cairo claims that similar events have happened in his debates with Hindus, whom they refer to as Magians, followers of Brahmanic traditions. He further states that he is ready today to debate anyone who denies the Ahmadiyya claim in Cairo.
“He challenges them with the following:
– Forty people will stand on the side of the Ahmadi missionary.
– Forty opponents will stand against him.
– They will engage in debate.
– At the end of the debate, the challenge will be announced:
“Within one year, none of the forty Ahmadis will die, but all forty opponents will perish. Whoever wishes to participate in this challenge is invited to do so.
“According to him, this is the divine sign proving the truth of Ahmadiyya Islam.
“Ahmadiyya Principles
“The Ahmadis claim to follow true Islam. They believe in the five pillars of Islam – they perform prayers, give zakat and adhere to the idea that all rulings must be based on:
“1. The Holy Quran,
“2. Hadith that aligns with the Quran,
“3. Scholarly interpretations,
“4. Independent reasoning (ijtihad) according to established conditions.
“They advocate monogamy, except in cases where there is a valid reason for polygamy. An Ahmadi man is not permitted to shake hands with a woman.
“Their administrative system resembles that of the Rightly Guided Caliphs and their society resembles to some extent, Plato’s ideal state.
“Their leader is called the Khalifa of Ahmad[as] the Messiah [Khalifatul Masih], elected through free voting. He is assisted by a Supreme Consultative Council, composed of ministers (Nazir) overseeing the following departments:
“1. Foreign Affairs
“2. Internal Affairs
“3. Education and Training
“4. General Affairs
“5. Preaching and Propagation
“6. Commerce
“7. Authorship and Compilation
“8. Treasury (Bait-ul-Maal)
“Each minister (Nazir) has representatives in every country, who send him weekly reports. Every Ahmadi pledges a monthly financial contribution and sends it through designated representatives to the Treasury (Bait-ul-Maal).
“The ministers meet weekly with the Khalifa, presenting summaries of reports and receiving his instructions and guidance.
“Preaching and Propagation
“The Ahmadiyya movement has missionaries in all parts of India and many followers in Ceylon [now Sri Lanka], Burma [Myanmar], Afghanistan and China.
“In addition, they have 12 missionaries abroad, including:
“- Two in London, where they publish an English-language magazine.
“- One in Chicago, who also publishes a magazine.
“- They built a mosque in London, called the Ahmadiyya Mosque.
“Prince Faisal bin Saud was scheduled to inaugurate its opening ceremony, but opposition and rejection of the Ahmadiyya movement prevented this.
“- They have missionaries in Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Mauritius, where they publish a French-language magazine.
“- One missionary in Australia.
“- Followers in the Philippines.
“- A missionary in Arab countries, who gained followers in Syria and Palestine and is currently in Egypt.
“His name is Jalal-ud-Din and he propagates Ahmadiyya in the East through peaceful means. He believes that many people worldwide will eventually accept this faith.
“Qadian is the capital of the Ahmadiyya Community and the seat of the Khalifa.
“Every year, they hold an annual convention attended by 20,000 people, all of whom are guests of the Treasury (Bait-ul-Maal). The conference takes place from 31 December to 2 January.
“They have schools, newspapers and magazines in both Hindi and English.
“When Ahmad[as] the Messiah passed away – whom they believe to be a human being – he was succeeded through election by Mirza [sic., Hakeem] Noor-ud-Din, who served as Khalifa from 1908 to 1914.
“After his death, the Ahmadis elected a new Khalifa, Mirza Bashir-ud-Din, the son of Ahmad[as] the Messiah.
“However, they insist that he was not chosen simply because he was the Founder’s son, but because of his qualifications.
“For them, Khilafat is based on election, not hereditary succession.
“Thus, we see that religions, for some people, do not stop at revelation alone. Rather, they evolve and change based on necessity and modern intellectual developments.
“And certainly, this modern evolution in religions has no indication except that it may guide reason toward a righteous path.”