Al Hakam - 22 November 2019

From the Markaz

Responding to Allegations

British Conservative Party politician meets Hazrat Khalifatul Masih

World War I and the miserable state of Tsar

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Page 5

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Event at London School of Economics

Our identity – The essence of who we are

How inequality constricts our economy

The purpose behind our presence in this world and how to best carry out our responsibilities

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THE WEEKLY

www.alhakam.org AL HAKAM | Friday 22 November 2019 | Issue LXXXVIII Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre (ARC), 22 Deer Park Road, London, SW19 3TL. UK info@alhakam.org | F: +44(0)208 544 7673

“They will come to you from every distant track” Revelation of the Promised Messiahas E

very month, a great number of visitors call on Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa and get an opportunity to have an audience with him in his office. Among the vast array of visitors are Ahmadis from all parts of the world who would do anything to catch a glimpse of their beloved Imamaa, Jamaat officials seeking instructions in a variety of matters, groups of working bodies of various Jamaat organisations seeking guidance in their pursuits. Alongside these visitors, Huzoor’s schedules are punctuated with meetings held with intellectuals, authors, journalists and politicians. One could ask that the former class of visitors is quite understandable but what interest does the latter class have in having an audience in Huzooraa? Well, this takes us a long way back in the annals of history – back to the time of the Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas of Qadian. As his message got out to the world, every class of society was intrigued to find out more about his claims; claims that were novel and bold and, above all, intriguing. The second advent of the Messiah was a claim that aroused interest of all people of all religions and all walks of life. While the clergy of every faith turned towards him to ask or even question him on this claim, officials of the British Empire could not

resist their raising eyebrows. When the Gazetteer of the Gurdaspur District (1891-92) mentioned him as “a man of great eloquence” and a “distinguished preacher” who proves himself “to be the Messiah … directly inspired by the Almighty”, interest from all spheres was destined to follow. While the Promised Messiahas was warning the world of natural calamities that would befall them if the human race did not repent and did not tread the way of God, he had renowned meteorologists like Clement Wragg visiting him and enquiring his beliefs. As the Promised Messiahas made it clear that he alone was the saviour of the latter days and the only shield for the defence of Islam, Alexander Russell Webb got in touch from the distant land of North America and got to know Islam through him. Webb was constantly in touch before he accepted Islam and travelled all the way from America to meet him. He regretted all his life that he wasn’t allowed to go to Qadian by the Muslim clergy that starkly opposed the Promised Messiahas. Griswold wrote a whole book on the Promised Messiahas and read most of it

Hadith-e-Rasul – Sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa Whoever believes in Allah and the Day of Judgement Hazrat Abu Hurairah, Allah be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Day of Judgement should not put their neighbour to inconvenience. Whoever believes in Allah and the Day of Judgement should treat their guests with respect. Whoever believes in Allah and the Day of Judgement should only say that which is good, otherwise they remain quiet.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, In His Own Words The purpose of prophetic miracles

in a conference in the Victoria Institue in London. The British Press, aroused by the mention of an Indian Messiah, could Continued on page 2

The God of Islam is a powerful God. No one has the right to object against His powers. The miracles manifested by Prophets, peace be upon them, are also for the very reason that they are beyond the understanding of human experience; and when a person witnesses these extraordinary happenings, they are compelled to admit at the outset that these miracles are from God Almighty. However, if such a person employs his reason alone, and does not benefit from divine understanding, both avenues are blocked completely. On the one hand, a person will reject miracles, and on the other hand, flaunt his own defective reason. As a result, these foolish people toil to comprehend the intricate reality at the heart of miracles, the philosophy of which cannot be discovered by earthly intellect and superficial logic. This then drives an individual to further denial until such a one begins to reject the very essence of prophethood itself Continued on page 2

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Friday 22 November 2019 | AL HAKAM Continued from page 1

not help cover the story and highlight the claims. The school founded by the Promised Messiahas in Qadian attracted education officers of the British-Indian government who were excited at the fact that such a small community was able to establish a school in such a small town. They would request an audience and spend time in the company of the Promised Messiahas. A similar level of interest has always been maintained by the intelligentsia, educationists, researchers, historians and politicians throughout the history of the Jamaat. The fifth era of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya has seen, from its inception, a very tumultuous phase of world history. Everything seems to be falling apart – from social norms to religious belief, to economy to international polity. In these times of global unrest, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa has been a tireless voice to all classes of society that can make a difference. Be it social scientists, educationists, historians, religious leaders or politicians, all have been addressed in his lectures and addresses to parliaments and think tanks. They all know that he is around and is the best source of advice. Knowing that Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stands for Islam at its best (which means humanity at its best), who wouldn’t want to come and visit him? It is for this reason that even presently, influentials of society come to visit Khalifatul Masih for blessings and guidance as can be seen in this week’s From the Markaz. (Read letters written by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih to world leaders at www. alislam.org/pathway)

Continued from page 1

and gathers a collection of doubts and objections that become the cause of his misfortune. At times, they state that this man is also one like us, he eats, drinks and has physical needs. How then can his faculties be greater than ours? How can his spiritual power and influence in the acceptance of his prayers be so distinct? Alas! These people make such statements and level allegations, which as I have mentioned, cause them to reject the very nature of prophethood as well. This example requires contemplation and comprehension in that the belief of such people is scant, and yet they vigorously raise objections. Now if such behaviour is not a deliberate and clear rejection of the existence of Prophets then what is? Do they pride themselves on such intellect and learning whereby they have become atheists and idol-worshippers after being dubbed philosophers? The hidden powers of Allah Almighty cannot manifest their marvel without revelation and divine inspiration. It is only through revelation and divine inspiration that they are brought to light. (Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, Malfuzat, Vol. 1, p. 90)

This Week in History 22 - 28 November 22 November 1924: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra was on his return to Qadian after a successful tour of Europe when he reached Delhi on this date. Prior to his arrival in the capital, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra also made a short stop at a place called Sandhan and inspected the headquarters of tabligh activities set out by the Jamaat in the midst of the Shuddhi Movement. 22 November 1931: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra was in Delhi to attend an important session of the Kashmir Committee. 23 November 1924: Travelling back to Qadian from England, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra reached Batala at night by train. 23 November 1932: Hazrat Syeda Begum Sahibara, more commonly known as Nani Jan, passed away. She was the revered mother of Hazrat Amma Jan, Syeda Nusrat Jehan Begum Sahibara. 23 November 1934: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra announced the details of Tahrik-e-Jadid. He elaborated the details during the course of his next two Friday Sermons (30 November and 7 December). During his Friday Sermon on 16 December, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra announced the name of this global out-reach scheme as Tahrik-e-Jadid. 23 November 1944: A special celebration was held in the Masjid Aqsa, Qadian celebrating the successful first decade of Tahrik-e-Jadid. 24 November 1924: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra reached Qadian after his tour of Europe. On this date, he initially arrived in Batala via train and then traveled by car to complete the final phase of this long journey to Qadian. 24 November 1934: Tahrik-e-Jadid received its first ever and full time devotee, Mirza Muhammad Yaqub Sahib. On this date, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra also appointed Chaudhry Barkat Ali Khan Sahib as the Financial Secretary of Tahrik-e-Jadid. Barkat Ali Sahib was later appointed Wakil-ul-Mal. 24 November 1938: Qadian saw 10,000 people, who had flocked to offer Eid-ul-Fitr prayers behind Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra. To accommodate these unexpected numbers, the Jamaat organisers had to appoint some members of the Jamaat to verbally relay the voice of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra to the multitudes of people present. The following year, the Jamaat acquired loud speakers so that everyone could listen to the voice of their Imam. 24 November 1944: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra announced the inception of the second phase of Tahrik-e-Jadid. 26 November 1932: Jamia Ahmadiyya Qadian students travelled towards Saharanpur, 350 kilometres away. The group would participate in sports during the day and deliver speeches in the evenings. The speeches attracted huge crowds and covered a variety of religious topics. Their journey was completed on 9 December 1932. 26 November 1936: The Wachhowali chapter of Sanatan Dharam, a division within Hinduism, held a gathering in Lahore. Maulana Abul Ata Sahib, the Jamaat representative, attended this gathering and delivered a speech. 26 November 1936: After three years since its launch, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra announced that Tahrik-e-Jadid would continue for another seven years. The first ten years of Tahrik-e-Jadid were given the name “Daftar Awal”. This first era of extending to a decade was given the name of “Register Awal” (the first register).

26 November 1948: The Jamaat’s missionary appointed in France, Malik Ataur Rahman Sahib arranged a short tour of Belgium. During the course of this trip, local print media in Brussels covered some of the tabligh activities of the Jamaat. In this way, the Jamaat was introduced to the populace of Belgium. 26 November 1948: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra narrated the faith-inspiring sentiments of missionaries in foreign missions across Europe, like that of France and Spain. Due to the financial burden caused by the partition, the Jamaat was forced to stop the funding of some foreign missions. However, the missionaries responded by saying that they would carry the missions on and make ends meet themselves, without the help of the Markaz. 27 November 1914: During his Friday Sermon, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra emphasised that Minaratul-Masih’s construction should be completed quickly. It had not been completed for a number of years due to lack of funds. After Jumuah prayer, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra relaunched its construction with prayers and also placed a brick at the construction site. 27 November 1934: Hazrat Sheikh Mubarak Ahmad, a missionary sent to Africa, established an organised Jamaat chapter in Nairobi, Nigeria. 27 November 1942: While delivering his Friday Sermon, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra highlighted the harmful impact of music which was played on radio. 27 November 1953: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra announced the beginning of the second term of Tahrik-e-Jadid. 28 November 1947: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra published various articles to raise awareness about the plight of the Palestinians. 28 November 1953: Jamaat members in Aden held their Jasla Seerat-un-Nabi, which was attended by around 138 people. 28 November 1955: Russian Prime Minister, Nikolai Bulganin visited India. He was accompanied by Nikita Khrushchev, who was serving as the first secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. A Jamaat delegate from India presented a copy of the English translation of the Holy Quran to them. 28 November 1957: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra established a publishing house and named it IdaratulMusannifeen, appointing Qazi Muhammad Aslam Sahib as its president. Almost a month later, its registration process was completed with the government. This remarkable institute’s opening budget was a humble 11 thousand rupees, yet it managed to publish the Jamaat’s literature, including the commentary of the Holy Quran by the Promised Messiahas, Tafsir-e-Saghir and Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat. 28 November 1957: A local newspaper from Rawalpindi, Pak Kashmir published a fake letter, falsely ascribing it to Hazrat Hafiz Mirza Nasir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IIIrh. This shameless episode had to be brought to the notice of authorities. A defamation lawsuit was registered. On this date, the court issued its verdict and this newspaper was fined by the court. 28 November 1964: Bombay, India convened an international Eucharistic Conference, which was attended by Pope Paul VI. Jamaat members spread the message there and distributed literature.

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Friday 22 November 2019 | AL HAKAM

From the Markaz

British Conservative Party politician meets Hazrat Khalifatul Masih n 16 November, Jeremy Hunt, a O British Conservative Party politician, met with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V in aa

Islamabad. During the meeting with Huzooraa, topics were discussed about the issues of religious persecution in Pakistan and around the world and the peaceful work the Jamaat is doing globally to promote peace and the motto of “Love for all, hatred for none”. The purpose of his visit was to meet with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih and to visit the new mosque which he described as “extremely impressive”. Jeremy Hunt further expressed that he had been coming to the Jamaat’s plot of land in Tilford for many years and said it was wonderful to see the transformation in Islamabad.

Seventh Jalsa Salana Jamaica

Misbah Anmol Tariq Old Harbour, Jamaica

he seventh Jalsa Salana of Jamaica T Jamaat was held at Mahdi Mosque in Old Harbour from 26 to 27 October. The

Jalsa Salana was an immense success, with a total of 130 individuals, including nonAhmadi guests, attending the event. Guests from overseas who attended the Jalsa were Imam Maqsood Ahmad Mansoor Sahib Missionary-in-Charge Guyana Jamaat and Farhan Khokar Sahib Vice President of Canada Jamaat. One Khadim also flew in from Canada to volunteer under the blessed scheme of Waqf-e-Arzi. The theme for Jalsa Salana this year was “The Holy Prophetsa: A Mercy For Mankind”. The speeches of distinguished scholars of the Jamaat revolved around this theme, educating the attendees on the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa. The theme was very much appreciated by the attendees. It served to increase awareness in regard to the peaceful nature of Islam and its holy founder. The Jalsa Salana consisted of two sessions in total. The first session started with the flag hoisting ceremony on Saturday. Liwa-

e-Ahmadiyyat was raised by our special guest, Imam Maqsood Ahmad Mansoor Sahib, while the Jamaican flag was raised by the national president and Missionaryin-Charge of Jamaica Jamaat, Imam Tariq Azeem Sahib. The first session was attended by several dignitaries along with other guests. The dignitaries were invited to speak and share their thoughts, where they praised the Jamaat for promoting peace, harmony and tolerance in society. The session also included an awards ceremony, to appreciate the outstanding help of volunteers during the School Summer Camp, which was hosted in July by Jamaica Jamaat. The final speech on the first day was delivered by Farhan Khokar Sahib, in which he discussed the Islamic principles for the development

of a nation. The second session was held on Sunday with various speeches aimed at the tarbiyat of Jamaat members. These speeches included the following topics: “Blessings of Khilafat” by Imam Ibrahim Forson Sahib, “Islamic Teachings for a Harmonious Family Life” by Missionary Ghulam Ahmad Sahib, “Allah’s Love for Humanity” by Imam Tariq Azeem Sahib and the concluding address of Jalsa Salana by Imam Maqsood Ahmad Mansoor Sahib on “The Holy Prophetsa: A Mercy for Mankind”. The event concluded with a silent prayer led by Imam Maqsood Ahmad Mansoor Sahib. The proceedings of Jalsa Salana Jamaica were broadcast live via YouTube and were enjoyed by many from across the globe.

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Friday 22 November 2019 | AL HAKAM

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London School of Economics: How inequality constricts our economy

Ataul Fatir Tahir Al Hakam Correspondent

he London School of Economics University (LSE) held a talk about how T widespread inequality squeezes the neck of

our economy on 8 November 2019. The speaker was Heather Bouhsey from Washington, President of the Washington Centre for equitable growth and one of Washington’s most influential economic voices. The evening was chaired by Dr Tahnee Ooma, a researcher at the International Inequalities Institute. The talk was entitled, “Unbound: How inequality constricts our economy and what we can do about it” and took place in the LSE Old Building. The evening showed how rising inequality has become a drag on growth and an inhibition to the competitive US market. Heather, from the outset, pointed out that “there is research evidence” for the negative effects of inequality on the economy. She explained how empirical evidence has been found on the subject due to the wealth of research carried out around the world by scholars, with a total of 5.5 million dollars being spent on research into the subject she said. The researcher also pointed out that her presentation would focus on the economy in the USA. Through a series of research charts, Heather showed that through the 1960s/70s, average growth used to be a good proxy for Americans and when Growth Domestic Product (GDP) rose, so did income rise. The increase in wealth for most people

was about 1.7% and people at the bottom of the ladder grew faster compared to their wealthier counterparts at the top. However, since the 80s, there have been drastic changes in the economy. Firstly, from 1980 to 2016 the national income growth has slowed to 1.3% in the USA. With this, only the top 10 percent has seen above average income growth; the poor are becoming poorer and the rich are getting richer. Heather said that “a rising tide lifts all boats” was true when JF Kennedy said it, but that “is not true now”. She also pointed out that mobility has reduced – this is the probability that children will grow wealthier than their parents. For example, if someone was born in 1940 in USA, they would have a 90% probability to “out earn” their parents. If born in the 1980s, this would reduce to only half a chance. Referring to these statistics, Heather said that “parents are no longer seeing their children do better than they did” and “at the same time, we are seeing a massive rise in wealth concentration”. Further, according to Federal Reserve data, the bottom half has seen no rise in wealth since the 1980s while the top 1% of the affluent recovered very quickly from the Great Recession. “We’ve also seen a rising concentration of firms” Heather said. When analysing inequality, one needs to look at income, wealth and markets. One interesting predictor for future inequality was birth weight, which directly affects employment. Research shows that

children with poorer air quality are born with lower birth weights. “The Lost Einsteins” research was also referred to. This was research carried out by a Stanford professor, Raj Chetty showing that there were lots of children who could become innovators, scientists and entrepreneurs (Einsteins) but somewhere along the way, economic inequality and social inequality stops them being innovators. Children from highest income families are four times more likey to get a patent in innovation than those children with parents who earned less, even though the children may have scored the same in education. Investment is crucial for the growth of our economy and wealth distribution. However, positive investment that the public wants has lowered since 1947. This is due to lack of money because the government is cutting taxes on those on the higher end of the income spectrum, especially corporate companies. Research shows those policies that are favoured for the top elite are the only ones getting passed. This is a subversion that is affecting economic outcomes as investments are not being made at a state level, Heather explained. She further said, “Fewer corporations are being fined for antitrust violations.” The long-term decline in net investment in the USA is due to the rise in market concentration. Large corporate companies eat up competitors. Therefore, there is a lack of investment and flow of money within US society today. For example, Amazon can buy up competitors and lower prices and drive those competitors out. They can undermine product markets and take control. This will not be beneficial for buyers, consumers or society; taking control of the whole market is not a good thing, Heather noted. Talking about solutions, Heather said, “One idea that is super easy, that we can do right now” is “to rethink how we think about economic progress.” GDP is used to measure economic progress across countries. It is an indicator that tells us something about economic progress, but it actually “no longer means anything, for at least USA”, she expressed. Today, an increase in GDP does not necessarily mean an income increase for most Americans. “We need to start changing how we measure economic progress” she said. A plan is also in place to pilot this idea in 2020. When thinking about economic progress, we need a more inclusive measure and see how everyone across a country is doing, Heather said. The evening ended with questions and answers with Heather Bouhsey.

Windsor’s 12th Annual Banquet, Canada S Mukarram Nazeer Canada Correspondent

he city of Windsor is located about 370 T kilometres from Baitul Islam Mosque, Toronto. It sits across Detroit River from

the American city of Detroit. Since 2008, it has held an Annual Banquet bringing together people from different ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds. The aim is to create an environment where mutual understanding and partnering in good deeds can grow among the various participants. General Secretary Jamaat Windsor, Kashif Saeed Sahib reported that this year was no exception. On 7 November 2019, the 12th Annual Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Windsor Banquet was held at Canada Hall, Giovanni Caboto Club – Southwestern Ontario’s largest and oldest Italian Club. The banquet was attended by local and provincial politicians, members of local law enforcement agencies, representatives of various ethnic, cultural and religious organisations, members of Chambers of Commerce, members of academia and the general public. The event was moderated by General Secretary Jamaat Windsor, Kashif Saeed Sahib. Recitation of the Holy Quran and translation by Aqil Butt Sahib started the formal portion of the event. A fiveminute video introduced the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Luqman Ejaz Sahib highlighted the initiatives and activities of Windsor Jamaat in community work in the local counties. Among them was the raising of $45,000 for the Windsor Regional Hospital. This year, the theme of the banquet was “Love of country is a part of faith”. Missionary of Brampton West, Imam Shah Rukh Abid Sahib was the keynote speaker. He explained the emphasis Islam has placed on being loyal to one’s country. Attendees appreciated the message and agreed with it. Many expressed the desire to be part of future such events. Omer Shahid Sahib gave a presentation on “Muslims for Remembrance Day”. Member of the Royal Canadian Legion, branch 594 presented the Canadian National Anthem, recited a war poem called In-Flanders Fields, performed The Last Post and led the two-minute silence associated with Remembrance Day. Tahir Ahmed Sahib introduced some of the dignitaries and invited them to come on stage and say a few words. Naib Amir Canada, Kaleem Malik Sahib gave the vote of thanks and led the concluding prayers. For the benefit of the guests, stalls and exhibitions were put up, which included a book stall, Humanity First, Muslims for Remembrance Day, Run for Windsor and the Review of Religions. The event was well attended with 245 guests and 100 Jamaat members.

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Friday 22 November 2019 | AL HAKAM Responding to Allegations

World War I and the miserable state of Tsar Prophecies of the Promised Messiahas ُّ َ ُ َ ْ ْ ُ َ َ َ ‫الن ُذ ُر َعن َقوْم لَّا يُ ْؤم ُن‬ ‫ون‬ ‫وما تغنِي الآيات و‬ ِ ٍ “The Signs and Warners avail not a people who will not believe.” (Surah Yunus, Ch.10: V.102) The Promised Messiah, peace be upon him, prophesied in his poetry on 15 April 1905: “A sign will appear some days hence, which shall overwhelm country and town and meadow. “People will be seized in a wave of Divine wrath, so suddenly that a naked one will have no time to secure his loin cloth. “Suddenly an earthquake will severely shake them all – be they humans, trees, rocks, or oceans. “In the twinkling of an eye the earth will be turned upside down and streams of blood will flow like channel tides. “Those whose night garments were white as jasmine will wake up in the morning as if clad in red like the poplar tree. “Men and animals will go out of their minds and nightingales and pigeons will forget their songs. “That hour will bear heavily upon every traveller and those on a journey will lose their way in agony. “The waters of mountain streams will run red like red wine with the blood of the dead. “Men high and low will be convulsed with fear and the Czar [Tsar] himself will, at that hour, be in sad case. “That Divine Sign will be a specimen of terror. Heaven will attack with a drawn sword. “Hasten not to repudiate this, thou ignorant fool, for my truthfulness depends entirely on the fulfilment of this Sign. “This is a prophecy based on Divine revelation and will surely be fulfilled; wait then awhile in righteousness and steadfastness. “Note: Divine revelation has repeatedly employed the word earthquake in this context and has indicated that the earthquake will be an example of the Judgement Day. Indeed, it should be termed as ‘earthquake of Judgement’ which is described in the verse: َ​َ ْ ُ َْ َ ُْ َ ‫ت الأ ْرض ِزل َزالها‬ ِ ‫ِإذا زلزِل‬ [‘When the earth is shaken with her violent shaking’ (Surah al-Zilzal, Ch.99: V.2)]. But I am not able to apply the word earthquake with certainty upon its actual manifestation. It is possible that it may not be a common earthquake but some other dire calamity, which would be an example of the Judgement Day, the like of which has not been witnessed before, and which would bring about great destruction of life and property. If no such extraordinary Sign appears, while people have not openly

reformed their way of life, I shall in such case have been proved false.” (Tadhkirah, pp. 707-708) The Promised Messiahas foretold the occurrence of World War I and the downfall of Russian Tsar in the above prophecy well in advance. Sitting in the remote village of Qadian, nobody could have predicted the happenings of such calamities by any other means except through the revelation from the Divine. In accordance with the prophecy, the world witnessed WWI in 1914-1918 and the Tsar of Russia’s demise on 17 July 1918. The Promised Messiahas received another revelation on 11 May 1906: ‫شت‬ ‫شت‬ ‫ک���ی�اں یتلچ ہ ی� ات وہں ُک���ی�اں‬ “Vessels sail so that there might be [naval] actions.” (Tadhkirah, p. 821) Following this revelation, there was a startling increase in the development of naval forces of various countries and the world saw the launch of Dreadnaught battle ships in the exact same year of the prophecy. During WWI, HMS Dreadnaught earned huge fame as it was the only battle ship to sink a submarine in the history of naval war. Hence, the Promised Messiahas received successive revelations by Allah Almighty which clearly point towards the incident of WWI. However, an article has surfaced on the web which raises certain allegations on the prophecy mentioned at the outset. It suggests, referring to the words, “In the twinkling of an eye the earth will be turned upside down,” that the First World War did not happen in the twinkling of an eye but on the contrary it lasted from 1914 to 1918. Moreover, mentioning the words, “Suddenly an earthquake will severely shake them all. … That Divine Sign will be a specimen of terror. Heaven will attack with a drawn sword,” it asserts that the prophecy is very ambiguous as it could also refer to a global disaster or even the scenario of Doomsday. To prove his point, the author of the article then quotes the words of the Promised Messiahas, “It is possible that it may not be a common earthquake but some other dire calamity, which would be an example of Judgement Day, the like of which has not been witnessed before, and which would bring about great destruction of life and property.” The answer to the second objection that the prophecy was ambiguous has been given by the author himself. The statement of the Promised Messiahas clearly indicates that he believed the calamity to be neither an earthquake nor the incident of Judgement Day, “but some other dire calamity.” Moreover, the prophecy points out the miserable state of the then Tsar of Russia when that calamity would strike.

It was surely the time of First World War when the Tsar of Russia saw his demise. This fact clearly indicates that the prophecy was not about the end of times but as the Promised Messiahas explained about the calamity, “which would be an example of the Judgement Day.” As far as the first objection is concerned that the war did not take place, “In the twinkling of an eye,” it should be noted that it is an idiomatic expression. For instance, if someone says, “I will have supper ready in the twinkling of an eye,” does this mean that the supper will be ready within the time the other person blinks? This, in fact, implies that the supper will be ready rather quickly but in the due course of time. Similarly, the words of the prophecy, “In the twinkling of an eye, the earth will be turned upside down and streams of blood will flow like channel tides,” point towards the shortest period of time in which the said calamity would wipe out millions of people and cause immense destruction that had never been witnessed before in the history of mankind. Hence, the causalities of WWI were the highest in any four years of credible human history before that time. The article also suggests that before the founder of Ahmadiyya Jamaat, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas of Qadian published the prophecy, there was social and political unrest against Tsar Nicholas II of Russia which threatened his throne. The author pinpoints the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 and the loss of Russian influence over Manchuria and Korea. Moreover, the article refers to the events of Bloody Sunday, 22 January 1905, during which unarmed demonstrators led by Father Georgy Gapon were fired upon by soldiers in St Petersburg, Russia. The article asserts that the prophecy by the founder of Ahmadiyya Jamaat was merely an accurate political observation based on the incidents which took place before his prediction. Presenting the events of Bloody Sunday as the stimulation behind the prophecy of the Promised Messiahas is a far-fetched idea and an unrealistic approach. Tsar Nicholas II of Russia survived 13 years after those event. Moreover, Bloody Sunday displayed a mere show of power and dominance which the then Tsar possessed. Thus, it is impossible for a common man to predict by means of the events of Bloody Sunday that the majestic monarchy of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia would not only be overthrown but he would die a miserable death. Pondering over the prophecy, we find that the Promised Messiahas through divine revelation not only predicted the downfall of the Russian Tsar and his miserable state but also the exact time of his demise. The

words of the prophecy are, “The Tsar himself will, at that hour, be in a sad case” and “at that hour” refers to the calamity which was WWI as discussed earlier. After the revolution of 1917, both the conditions mentioned in the prophecy were fulfilled when Tsar Nicholas II of Russia saw a pitiable demise by several Bolshevik soldiers and it happened at the end of WWI in 1918. Hence, if the prophecy was a mere accurate observation by an innocent man present in a distant land of Qadian, he would have only speculated the demise of Tsar but to predict the exact time and condition of the Tsar’s demise indicates the hand of the All-Knowing God behind it all. However, for the sake of argument, let us assume that the Promised Messiahas somehow gave an exact prediction of the Tsar’s downfall when Japan overpowered Russia and took control of Manchuria and Korea in 1905. Another revelation of Allah Almighty revealed to the Promised Messiahas on 29 April 1904 shatters this argument once and for all. The prophecy states: ‫وکر ی�ا رطخانک احتل ی‬ ‫م ےہ۔ رشمیق اطتق۔‬ “Korea is in a dangerous situation. Eastern power.” (Tadhkirah, p. 667) The above revelation signifies that Allah Almighty had informed the Promised Messiahas about the conflict of the Eastern power, Japan, with Russia. Moreover, the Promised Messiahas was foretold about the Russians’ defeat at the hands of an Eastern power well before 1905 and the dangerous state of Korea under the rule of Japan. Hence, it was Allah Almighty who was revealing future events in a succession upon his prophet, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas of Qadian.

Friday 22 November 2019 | AL HAKAM

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Our identity – The essence of who we are

Imam Shamshad A Nasir Detroit, Michigan, USA

few days ago, I read in an editorial [of a publication] that the Promised A Messiah, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad,

peace be upon him, gave someone the following words of advice: “The single sign of our identity is that when the time comes for Namaz [prayer], one should perform ablution and offer Namaz; this is sufficient [as our identity].” When I read this statement, my mind immediately went to another [piece of] writing and advice of the Promised Messiahas, which was published in Majmu‘a-e-Ishtiharat (Collection of Advertisements), page 48 of the third volume. Addressing Jamaat members in this way, the Promised Messiahas states: “So, become prudent and mindful and truly benign and good-hearted, humble, and sincere. You will be identified by virtue of the five daily prayers and by [your] moral status.” This community was established for one identifying element which we ourselves are responsible for. In this regard, the Promised Messiahas states: “This Bai‘at [initiation] is only to bring together like-minded righteous people so that the piety of this large party of Godfearing individuals will influence the world. The Almighty Allah established this group in order to reveal His glory and power. It was His will to enable [this group] to make progress so that love, repentance, piety, purity of soul, righteousness, peace and reformation, and kindness to humanity be spread in the world. Therefore, this group will be a unique group and the Almighty Allah will breathe strength into this group with His Own spirit. He will cleanse them of their sinful existence and will bestow a righteous change in their lives.” (Majmu‘a-

e-Ishtiharat, Vol. 1, pp. 196-198) These are the features of identification that the Promised Messiahas expects and desires from all the members of his community. Prayer and righteousness (Taqwa) are included in these characteristics. In the Holy Quran, the Almighty Allah has identified individuals who offer prayers regularly in these words: َ َ َّ َ َ َ َ ْ ْ َ ْ َ ّٰ َ َ ٰ ْ َ ّٰ َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َّ ‫الص ٰلوة َو ٰاتی‬ ‫اجد الل ِہ من امن ِبالل ِہ والیو ِم ٰالٓا ِخ ِر واقام‬ ِ ‫ِانما یعمر مس‬ َ ٰ َّ ّ َّ َ ْ ‫الزکوة َول َ ْم یَخش ِالا الل َہ‬ “He alone can maintain the Mosques of

Allah in a good and flourishing condition who believes in Allah, and the Last Day, and observes prayer, and pays the Zakat, and fears none but Allah.” (Surah alTaubah, Ch.9: V.18) The commentary of this verse, as given by Tirmidhi in Kitab-ul-Tafsir, states: “Hazrat Abu Saeed, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, ‘When you see someone coming and going from a mosque for worship, then vouch for that person as a believer because the Almighty Allah says, “Only those individuals populate Allah’s mosques who believe in Allah and in the Day of Judgement.”’” (Hadeeqatus-Salihin, Hadith 259) Establishing Namaz, [offering] Namaz regularly and punctually, in congregation – this, in point of fact, is our identity which the Almighty Allah has defined in the Holy Quran and thereafter, the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa and God’s pure Messiahas have ordained for us. Therefore, there should be no breach, no hint of indolence nor weariness in this matter so that on the Day of Judgement, we are included among those who will be the recipients of salvation and [everlasting] prosperity. As mentioned earlier, Jamaat-eAhmadiyya was founded in order to fully establish and secure [our] duty to fulfil the rights of Allah, His worship, and to be steadfast about His unity. These distinguishing features will be beneficial in our propagation efforts as well because

the effect of righteousness will be to attract others towards it [Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya], Insha-Allah. It is narrated that once, an individual visited Hazrat Imam Jafar Sadiqrh and asked, “I am leaving to go and preach, so please tell me something I can do that will prove to be helpful in my effort to preach my religion.” The response given by Imam Jafarrh served to cover the [essence of the] entire faith; he said, “Make every effort to avoid using your tongue to preach your religion.” In this regard, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, the Messiah of this age advised members of his Jamaat in his publication Izala-e-Auham on page 546 of Ruhani Khazain, (under the heading, “Guidance for those friends who have entered into the Bai‘at”): “O my friends, who have entered into a bond of allegiance with me [taken my Bai‘at]; may Allah enable me and you to act in ways that will become the source of His pleasure. ... How can we make the Almighty Allah pleased [with us] and how can He be with us? Allah has repeatedly responded to me that ‘righteousness’ is the answer. “Therefore, O my dear brothers! Make every effort to become righteous. Without practical examples, all talk is useless, and without sincerity, no action is acceptable. Hence, the essence of righteousness is that you shun all ills and take a step towards Allah Almighty and give due regard to the finer aspects of virtue. “First of all, become humble, cleanse your hearts and be sincere. Truly become meek of heart, free from flaws, gentle, forbearing and humble because every virtuous or evil deed is born in the heart. If your heart is devoid of evil, then your tongue will be devoid of evil as well. Your eyes and all body parts will behave in such a manner as well. Continued on page 7

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Friday 22 November 2019 | AL HAKAM

Wives of the Holy Prophetsa

Hazrat Zainab bint Khuzaimah Awais Rabbani Missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Born: 595 CE Father: Khuzaimah bin Abdullah Mother: Hind bint Auf Epithet: Ummul-Masakeen (Mother of the poor) Tribe: Banu Hilal Demise: 4 AH Islam lays great emphasis on the status of women. Whether they are singles, wives, daughters, sisters, mothers or widows, she is held in great esteem and honour. The Holy Prophetsa acknowledged the importance and role of women in society. Not only did he encourage them to assert their dignity, demand their rights and discard any notion of inferiority, he liberated them from sociopolitical norms and taboos which ran deep into the patriarchal society of Arabia. In his life, the Prophetsa of Islam entered into numerous unions on account of various circumstances including educating his community on the importance and rights of widows in Islam. It is reported on the authority of Safwan bin Sulaim: “One who cares for the widows and the poor is like the one who fights in the way of Allah. [I shall regard him as one] who stands up (for Salat) without rest and as one who fasts without break.” (Tirmidhi, Hadith no. 1969) Hazrat Zainabra bint Khuzaimah was also a widow when the Holy Prophetsa married her. She was the daughter of Khuzaimah bin Abdullah bin Amr and Hind bint Auf. Before the Holy Prophetsa, she was married to Hazrat Abdullahra bin Jahash. He was martyred at the Battle of Uhud leaving Hazrat Zainabra a widow. Continued from page 6

“Every light or darkness is born first in the heart, then spreads slowly to the rest of the body. Therefore, keep prodding your heart like a betel leaf eater keeps rotating and pruning betel leaves to discard the rotten parts. Similarly, keep evaluating your secret thoughts, feelings, habits and actions. Keep discarding any lowly thought, habit, feeling and action lest your heart becomes impure and you [yourself] are discarded. “Then after this, keep making every effort and also implore Allah Almighty for courage and strength to show your pure intentions, thoughts, feelings, and desires through your physical actions and outward behaviour. In order for your righteous deeds to attain the highest status, any unwanted thought that you have should be kept in your heart, as such thoughts

Family Hazrat Zainabra belonged to a respectable family which had a distinguished line of descent. A number of historians have mentioned her mother, Hind bint Auf, as “the noblest mother-in-law on earth”. This is due to the fact that she was the mother of several companions of the Holy Prophetsa. Five of her daughters married notable companions: After the demise of Hazrat Zainabra, her stepsister and daughter of Hind bint Auf, Hazrat Maimoonara was also married to the Holy Prophetsa. Thus, two of Hind’s daughters were among the Ummahat-ulMomineen i.e. Mothers of the faithful. Another one of her daughters Hazrat Lubabara bint Al-Haris was married to Hazrat Abbasra bin Abdul Mutalib, the Prophet’ssa uncle. Their children included a prominent companion of the Holy Prophetsa, Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbasra. Hind was also mother of Hazrat Asmara bint Umais. Hazrat Asmara married Hazrat Jafarra bin Abi Talib and after his death, she married Hazrat Abu Bakrra and had a son with him, Hazrat Muhammad bin Abi Bakrra. Later, she also married Hazrat Alira bin Abi Talib. Another daughter, Hazrat Salma bint Umaisra was married to Hazrat Hamzara bin Abdul Mutalib, the Prophet’ssa uncle and one of the most distinguished martyrs in Islamic history. They had a daughter named Umamara who was also a companion of the Holy Prophetsa. Lubaba al-Sughra was also one of Hind’s daughters and the mother to one of the greatest commanders in the history of Islam, Hazrat Khalidra bin Walid. Thus, Hind bint Auf was not only the mother-in-law of the Holy Prophetsa, she was also the grandmother of Hazrat ibn Abbasra, Hazrat Khalid bin Walidra, Hazrat

Muhammad bin Abi Bakr and Hazrat Umamara and several other companions of the Prophet of Islamsa, therefore rightfully earning her the aforementioned title. Such was the prestigious and noble family Hazrat Zainabra hailed from. Marriage Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra recounts her marriage in his book, The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophets, on page 385 of the second volume, in the following words: “The Holy Prophetsa had a paternal cousin whose name was Abdullahra bin Jahash, and he was martyred in the battle of Uhud, leaving behind his wife Zainabra bint Khuzaimah without support. The Holy Prophetsa, who was an unparalleled model of kind treatment towards near relatives, sent a proposal of marriage to Zainabra bint Khuzaimah himself and upon her consent, took her into a bond of matrimony. At the time, Hazrat Zainabra was 30 years of age, more or less.” A few months into the marriage, she passed away. Aside from Hazrat Khadijara, she is the only wife of the Prophetsa to have died during his lifetime. It is narrated by Hazrat Aishara that the Holy Prophetsa foretold his wives: “Among you, she would meet me first in the Hereafter whose hands are the longest.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1420) The long hands were the symbol of practising charity. Although she died during the lifetime of the Holy Prophetsa, it has been indicated by some that this hadith may have been fulfilled in her person. However, it has been disputed and many have agreed it was Hazrat Zainabra bint Jahash, another wife of the Prophetsa who was the first to pass away after the Prophet’ssa demise. Irrespective of difference of opinions, Hazrat Zainabra bint Khuzaimah was known for her generosity and sympathy for the

can never elevate your status. Make room in your heart for the magnificence of the Almighty Allah and keep His Majesty in (clear) focus. “If you wish to attain salvation, then follow the religion of humility and meekness, shackle yourself to the teachings given in the Holy Qur’an because the evil one will be destroyed, and the rebellious will be sent to Hell. Those who adopt humility are saved from death. “Do not worship the Almighty Allah to demand riches of this world, as these thoughts will make you stumble. However, you should worship Him because He [Alone] holds the true right to be worshipped. Worship should become your life, and you should consider worshipping Him as a reason for living. The only reason for all your good deeds should be to attain acceptance by the True Beloved and Benefactor as anything less than that is

cause for stumbling. “God is a Great Treasure. Be ready to face difficulties in order to reach Him. He is extremely sought-after, so be prepared to sacrifice your lives for Him. O dear ones! Do not look down on the commandments of the Almighty Allah with ingratitude. ... Follow His commandments like a child. Offer Namaz, offer Namaz as it is the key to prosperity. When you stand up to offer Namaz, do not behave as if this is merely a custom, rather perform physical as well as spiritual ablution beforehand and cleanse your body from any ungodly thoughts, and only then stand up to offer Namaz which is secure in these two [kinds of] ablution. Offer lots of prayers within your Namaz, supplicate abundantly in your Namaz, and develop the habit of crying and imploring, so that [His] Mercy descends on you.” To conclude this advice, the Promised Messiahas says:

needy even before Islam, which earned her the epithet of Ummul-Masakeen – the mother of the poor. Mother of the poor On numerous occasions, the Holy Quran and ahadith have emphasised on the compassionate treatment of the needy. As a matter of fact, the commandments pertaining to the weak and poor have been linked with those regarding parents and relatives which signifies the importance they hold in the eyes of Islam as the Holy Quran states in verse 84 of Surah al-Baqarah, “Show kindness to parents and to kindred and orphans and the poor.” The Holy Prophetsa too gave particular attention to the poor and the less fortunate in society. In fact, he prayed to God that may he be resurrected among the poor. Hazrat Abu Saeed Al Khudrira is reported to have said in Ibn-e-Majah: “Love the poor, for I heard the Messengersa of Allah in his supplication say, ‘O Allah, cause me to live poor and cause me to die poor, and gather me among the poor (on the Day of Resurrection).’” (Ibn-eMajah, Book 37, Hadith 4264) Hazrat Zainabra was renowned for her charity and had no parallel in benevolence and munificence. Once, she was approached by a poor man at her house asking for food. She gave away the last morsel she had and went without food that night. The Holy Prophetsa was moved and told his wives and companions of the gesture, stating: “If you have complete faith in Allah, to which He is entitled, He shall provide for your sustenance just as He does for the birds; they leave their nests hungry in the morning but return full at night.” (Tirmidhi, Hadith 2344) Demise Her marriage to the Prophetsa of Allah was short-lived and she passed away a few months after their union in Rabi‘ al-Awwal 4 AH. The Holy Prophetsa led her funeral prayers and she was buried in Jannat-ulBaqi. Since during the life of Hazrat Khadijara, the current form of Janaza [funeral] prayer was not prescribed, Hazrat Zainabra had the honour of being the only wife whose funeral prayer was led by the Messenger of Allahsa himself.

“It should be that the complete picture of Islam is evident through you; your forehead should show signs of the effect of prostration, and the grandeur of the Almighty Allah should be reflected in you. ... Be steadfast in belief of the unity of God, commit to offering Namaz, give precedence to the commandments of the True Master over everything else, and bear all difficulties for the sake of Islam. ْ َ َّ ُ َ ‫َولَا ت ُموْت َّن ِالا َوان ُت ْم ُم ْس ِل ُموْ َن‬ ‘And let not death overtake you except when you are in a state of submission.’ [Surah Al-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.103].” (Izalae-Auham, Ruhani Khazain Vol. 3, pp. 546552) (Translated from Urdu by Wajeeh Bajwa and Anisa Bushra Salam Bajwa, Jacksonville, Florida, USA)

Friday 22 November 2019 | AL HAKAM

8 100 Years Ago...

called the Antichrist.]

New converts in the UK Al Fazl, 18 November 1919 Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Nayyarra

Meetings In the week which is being reported, various non-Ahmadi new Muslim English ladies and certain educated Indian gentlemen paid a visit of the house to meet us. Discussions were held on the distinguishing characteristics of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat and other subjects like the difference between Ahmadis and nonAhmadis etc. After meeting non-Ahmadi friends, it is disclosed that a conspiracy is being spread with progressive efforts to make people believe that “Ahmadis are enemies of Hindustan and Muslims.” Hapless wrongdoers mislead uninformed people by terming “light” as darkness and the “patron” to be an enemy. If they but knew that the light of God cannot be extinguished from the mouth. It is His promise: ّٰ َ َ ‫الل ُه ُم ِت ُّم نُور ِه َولَوْ كَر َه الْكَاف ُِر‬ ‫ون‬ ‫و‬ ِ ِ [“Allah will perfect His light, however much the disbelievers hate it.” (Surah alSaff, Ch.61: V.9)] We have reformed the views of those who come meet us. Apart from the mentioned persons, we met male and female new-converts at their residences. We endeavoured to refresh their faith by having discussions on religious matters. Lectures I delivered a lecture on the need of the Holy Quran at Ahmadiyya Hall. My previous lecture on the children of God was followed by a significant debate. Similarly, a half hour spirited discussion was carried out after this lecture as well. Brother Muhammad Suleiman Faith and an elderly liberal, Mr McDonalds actively participated in this discourse. The former, with his passion of faith, and the latter presented an ardent desire for finding the truth. Apart from the main lecture, two lectures, one on the subject of Islam and the other on love in Hindustan were delivered on Friday by revered Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad Sayal at Folkestone theosophical society and idealist school, respectively. The president of the gathering said, “There is not a single matter in the lecture with which we do not agree.” Hazrat Mufti Sahib and Qazi [Abdullah] Sahib Hazrat Mufti Sahib is currently serving outside of London at the coastline. There, he distributes literature and carries out the work of tabligh through lectures. A doctor and his wife, along with certain respectable personalities, have started to take an interest in Ahmadiyyat. The health of brother Qazi Sahib is relatively better now and he equally shares the work with me.

New converts Certain Arab and Somalian Muslims came to meet us on Sunday. They kept absorbing information from me about the Ahmadiyya Jamaat for half an hour. After keenly listening to the matters of Jesus’as death and the second coming of the Promised Messiah, they accepted the truth and expressed belief in the Promised Messiahas. Their signed requests of Bai‘at have been sent to be presented before Huzoor[ra]. They have presented one pound, six shillings and six pence Chanda for the expenses of the Jamaat. May Allah grants them the best of rewards. They are determined in offering regular Chanda from now on. Below are the names of the new converts: 1. Yusuf Imad 2. Abdullah Ibrahim 3. Abdullah Daham 4. Ali Adam 5. Farih Abdullah 6. A Muhammad 7. Muhammad Farih 8. Muhammad Ali Members of the Jamaat are requested to pray that their faith may strengthen. Several Ahmadi ladies Below are the messages of female new converts who have sent letters or met in person in the past week for all Ahmadis across the globe: 1. Salma Croxford states, “I am extremely busy, but my Ahmadi associates, owing to their steadfastness and bearing of hardships, always remain before the eye of my heart. Please convey my Salam to everyone.” 2. Ms Fatima states, “I am a poor English lady who has recently converted to Islam. At first I converted to Islam for my husband but now I have become Muslim for the sake of Islam. The attributes of Ahmadiyyat are instilling in my heart. I feel an urge to begin talking on Islam. I request to convey my Salam and pray for me.” 3. Jamila Clara Corden states, “I am a poor English lady who has accepted Islam. I am happy with my current state of life and proud of my religion. I am a member of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat and strongly devoted to my beautiful religion. I am under some hardships, therefore I request prayers.” 4. Lilian Maryam states, “I am learning Namaz. I wish that the day comes soon when I may translate the Holy Quran in my language.” Request of prayer An educated new convert lady is experiencing great hardships. Another

lady’s husband is out of work and also has children. Both of them strongly request for prayers. Respected members The fervour of that God Who, with divine light, commissioned Muhammadsa of Arabia in the Arabian peninsula and who appointed Ahmadas of Qadian in Punjab, is in full swing. His angels are at work. The empire of Christianity has become hollow. People hear and listen to what we have to say with keen interest. For instance, in this very week, questions on religion were presented before this servant in a giant motor vehicle of London. Ladies and gentlemen listened with close attention as if the vehicle was a lecture hall. However, the lack of funds is a hurdle in this way. Everything requires money. [Nowadays] a rupee is like an anna [sixteen annas equate to one rupee] and an anna is like a damri [256 damri equate to one rupee]. Your efforts, sacrifices and prayers, and our honesty, trustworthiness and hard work will surely bear fruit, Insha-Allah. Come and work together with full devotion and have firm faith that: ‫وہ ڑھگی آیت ےہ بج ع� ٰیسی ی‬ ‫اکپر� ےگ ےھجم‬ ‫اب وت وھتڑے رہ ےئگ داجل الہکےن ےک دن‬ [“The time is nigh when they will start calling me Jesus. The days are few in being

Chanda In the week under discussion, a collective Chanda of 1 pound, 8 shillings and 9 pence was received by the newly converted members. End of strikes A correspondent of the labour party’s newspaper, The Daily Herald had a discussion with Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad Sayal Sahib regarding the railway strike. The following report was published in The Daily Herald of 7 October (see below): “No more strikes – Words of the Prophet Ahmad “Invited to meet ‘the Wise Man of the East,’ and hear his Message to England, I found myself (writes a Daily Herald Correspondent) in a quiet room off the Edgware-road with a quiet, cultured Indian gentleman. “Mr Fateh Mohammad Sayal, MA, who disclaims any other title than ‘Follower of the Prophet Ahmed,’ has come from the Punjab to tell us that if we would embrace the true religion of Islam as taught afresh by Ahmad, our troubles would soon he over. “We should have no wars, because the rich, instead of lending money to the state at interest, would be compelled to give it. Also, there would not be any rich because Islam knows no class distinctions, and provides for a fair distribution of wealth. “Ahmad has about 100 followers in England, and Mr Fayal [sic] says that if we all joined up there would be no need for any more railway strikes.” (The Daily Herald, 7 October 1919)

9

Friday 22 November 2019 | AL HAKAM

Friday Sermon Attributes of True Believers 25 October 2019

After reciting the Tashahud, Ta‘awuz, and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa recited verse 42 of Surah al-Hajj and then stated:

“Those who, if We establish them in the earth, will observe Prayer and pay the Zakat and enjoin good and forbid evil. And with Allah rests the final issue of all affairs.” [Surah al-Hajj, Ch.22: V.42] In this verse, Allah the Almighty has outlined that true believers are those who, upon gaining ascendancy after a period of weakness and distress and having attained contentment and improved conditions – whereby they can freely worship and follow their religion – do not follow their desires and vested interests. In fact, [having acquired this state] a true believer observes Salat, pays attention to their prayers, populates their mosques, serves humanity and spends their wealth on the poor and the meek while having the fear of Allah the Almighty. Moreover, they offer sacrifices for the propagation of faith. They purify their wealth by spending it for the propagation of God’s faith. They are mindful of performing good deeds and also admonish others to do the same, fulfilling the rights of Allah Almighty and His servants. They abstain from vices and also stop others from committing sin. Since they do all this whilst having the fear of Allah the Almighty and adhering to His commandments, therefore Allah the Almighty grants fruition to their efforts for God is One Who possesses the final decree and grants the final outcome.Hence, whatever is done whilst adhering to the commandment of God Almighty and instilling His fear within one’s heart, will most surely produce the best result. Thus, if every one of us were to understand this principle, then we will continue to be recipients of the blessings of Allah the Almighty. You have built a mosque here in

Mahdiabad and recently have also inaugurated a mosque in Fulda and Wiesbaden. By the grace of Allah the Almighty, under the 100 Mosques Project, the Jamaat in Germany has had the opportunity to construct various mosques. Certainly, the members of the Jamaat are offering financial sacrifices for the construction of these mosques so that they can raise the standards of their worship whilst adhering to the commandments of God Almighty. Having migrated to this country from Pakistan, your financial conditions have improved. This should draw everyone’s attention towards spending in the way of God Almighty and constructing His house, wherein we can gather together and offer congregational prayers, create such condition in our prayers to attract the direct attention of Allah the Almighty. Moreover, so that we are freely able to fulfil the rights of the worship of Allah the Almighty. We are not granted

religious freedom in Pakistan as the law of the country does not permit us to construct mosques and it does not permit us to worship freely in order to fulfil the rights of Allah the Almighty and to worship Him. However, here we are able to construct mosques in order to fulfil the rights of Allah the Almighty and He has also blessed us financially. And so, every one of us should to continue to strive in fulfilling the rights of God’s creation. We have pledged allegiance to the Promised Messiahas in order to improve our spiritual and moral state. Therefore, as is the case, our mosques should continue to direct our attention towards this fact. Every Ahmadi living here should thus develop such a mind-set and try their best to act in accordance with this. They should develop this within their hearts and also demonstrate it through their actions, otherwise, the construction of a mosque would be of no real benefit.

Every Ahmadi should remember that their objective will not be fulfilled through merely the construction of a mosque; rather, it will be fulfilled when they sincerely draw their attention towards the worship of Allah the Almighty; when they establish their prayers; when they come to the mosque in order to offer the prayers in congregation and focus their attention towards Allah the Almighty in their prayers. In the case that their attention is distracted, they immediately bring their focus back towards the prayer and Allah the Almighty. Moreover, they will be able to fulfil the objective of the mosque when they understand the true reality that during prayer they are being granted an opportunity to converse with Allah the Almighty. It is not enough to merely bow one’s head or to prostrate or simply repeat the words in Arabic, rather we are also to converse with God in our own languages. We should try to offer prayers in a manner whereby we establish direct communion with Allah the Almighty. Stating the characteristics of a righteous person and the qualities of a true believer, the Promised Messiahas states that they establish their prayers. A righteous person establishes the prayer to the best of his ability and whenever the condition of their prayer declines, they re-establish it. The Promised Messiahas states: “A righteous person fears God Almighty and establishes their prayer. In this state, one may develop various forms of anxieties and fears, which can become a distraction in the way of God.” The distractions and thoughts in one’s heart turn one’s attention away from Allah the Almighty and this in fact is

Friday 22 November 2019 | AL HAKAM

10 deemed as decline in the condition of one’s prayer. To refocus one’s attention towards Allah the Almighty is referred to as establishing the prayer. The Promised Messiahas further states:“However, if the heart is filled with righteousness then such a person, i.e. a true believer, continues to establish the prayer despite this struggle of the soul.” That is, the condition of prayer declines because at times, one’s attention is distracted, however righteousness requires us to make an effort and re-establish the prayer and focus our attention towards Allah the Almighty. This is what is referred to as establishing prayer. The Promised Messiahas further states:“If one actively strives and makes a concerted effort to establish the prayer and is steadfast in his effort to achieve the highest standard of worship, then a time shall come when God Almighty shall bestow His guidance through His holy word.” The Promised Messiahas then further elaborates that this guidance signifies that one is no longer in need to struggle to establish the prayer. The prayer of such a person does not decline and he does not lose focus. For such a person, this is no longer the matter. In fact, having attained guidance, the prayer for such a person becomes like a form of nourishment. It becomes as significant as food; just as eating food is vital for a person’s physical body, similarly prayer becomes nourishment for one’s spiritual sustenance. The Promised Messiahas further states (I am elaborating on the words of the Promised Messiahas here) that just as one cannot survive without food, similarly life also ceases to exist without prayer. Furthermore, this form of nourishment is not consumed merely so that one stays alive, in fact the Promised Messiahas states that in fact they derive pleasure from this form of nourishment. The Promised Messiahas further states that the individual is granted such a pleasure and delight during prayer, which is similar to one who drinks cold water in a state of extreme thirst and as a result is able to derive pleasure and is able to quench their thirst. If a person is extremely thirsty and in a difficult situation where they are unable to find water, the pleasure he experiences when he eventually finds water, and cold water for that matter, is similar to the experience felt in prayer by one who is truly guided. The Promised Messiahas gives another example that if a person is hungry and is given extremely pleasant and delicious food, he experiences joy as a result of eating it. Similar is the joy experienced by one who offers the prayer in its true sense. Hence, it is these prayers which are deemed as true prayers, which should be offered with joy and not as a burden. In fact, the Promised Messiahas has likened the prayer of a true believer to that of an intoxicant, without which one experiences great distress, just like in the case of a drug addict who feels great pain and restlessness upon not receiving a dose of the drug. On the contrary, a true

believer experiences a particular sense of contentment and coolness in his heart. The Promised Messiahas states that it is not possible to put into words the pleasure a person feels, who truly offers the prayer. The Promised Messiahas states that a righteous believer experiences pleasure during the prayer, therefore one ought to offer their prayer in a most excellent manner. The Promised Messiahas states that prayer is the root and means of every progress. For this very reason it is stated that prayer is the spiritual apex of a believer through which a person is able to reach God Almighty. (Malfuzat, Vol. 8, pp. 309-310) Thus, our mosques should be constructed for the purpose of offering such prayers. If we are to draw our attention towards constructing mosques then we should do so in order to attain such means which lead to God Almighty and one is granted the opportunity to converse with Him. Hence, one should not become disheartened as to how to attain this condition. In fact, it is through continuous efforts that Allah the Almighty bestows this rank. Many people ask this and question and also write to me that they are unable to maintain their concentration during the prayer. Hence, this is the solution in that one must strive and repeatedly remain focused during prayer. A person also asked this question in a gathering with the Promised Messiahas saying that the condition of his heart was such that he did not experience any pleasure and fervour in prayer and he remained in constant agony as a result of this because he had previously experienced the delight of prayer. Consequently, this gives rise to doubts and misgivings even though one may have tried their utmost to supress them. Thus, what should one do? The Promised Messiahas replied that this is also a blessing and favour of God Almighty in that one is not completely overcome by such misgivings. Although these doubts may be developing yet, having realised this, they do not allow them to overpower him. The Promised Messiahas further says when one does not allow these misgiving to overcome him, even this is deemed worthy of reward. Thus, God Almighty is Benevolent and Merciful that He even rewards this act. The Promised Messiahas states that on the other hand, one who is in the state of Nafs-e-Ammarah [the soul that incites to evil] is not even aware of what sin is and as a result continues to commit sin in his state of ignorance. However, one who is in the state of Nafs-e-Lawwamah [the Reproving Soul] commits sin, but is always anxious and ashamed in doing so. It should be kept in mind that when someone is in the state of Nafse-Lawwamah, they feel ashamed for committing sins and are regretful, but for even this God Almighty grants reward. A person who is remorseful and repents is not a slave of their desires. The Promised Messiahas stated that therefore, this should not be a cause of worry. If an individual experiences distractions and ill thoughts

and they strive to repel such feelings, then Allah Almighty grants reward for this act. Such an individual does not succumb to their inner passions. In fact, to a certain degree, it is necessary to experience such a condition. Therefore, one should not be disappointed because the reward is so immense that when the time comes, God Almighty Himself bestows tranquillity and His light. When the time for God’s mercy arrives, one is bestowed with a cool breeze and no longer remains in that state. Thus, such an individual should not become disheartened and ought to recite the following in the state of prostrations: ُ َ َ َُ َ َ‫ی‬ ‫اح ُّی یَاق ّی ْو ُم بِ َر ْح َم ِتک ا ْس َت ِغ ْیث‬ “O Living, O Self-Subsisting and AllSustaining Allah, grant me Thy mercy.” However, bear in mind that whatever is done in a hateful manner is harmful, thus one should not act in haste. In fact, Islam seeks to instil bravery within its followers and one who shows haste is not brave but rather shows cowardice. After years of trying, eventually the onslaughts of Satan weaken and he runs away. Therefore, we should always keep this principle in mind that one should not do things in haste, and to hold fast to God and to constantly prostrate before Him. Eventually, Satan will be defeated and will run away. If, however, an individual is hasty and does not strive their utmost to establish prayer, then one is taken into Satan’s grasp. Generally, it is observed that people show haste and upon failing to acquire immediate results they claim that there is no benefit in prayer. It should be kept in mind that if an individual only prays for the sake of attaining the worldly gains, then Allah the Almighty does not accept such supplications. On the contrary, if someone supplicates for advancement in their spirituality, faith and nearness to God Almighty, then He becomes close to them and fulfils their worldly needs as well. Hence, there are certain prescribed practices and principles when supplicating to God Almighty, and one should follow these guidelines. How is it possible that on the one hand, Allah the Almighty states: ُ ُ َ ‫ا ْد ُعوْنِ ْٓی ا ْس َت ِج ْب لَک ْم‬ “Pray unto Me; I will answer your prayer”, and yet He fails to accept the prayers of His supplicant. The Promised Messiahas has explained this by stating that the prescribed prayers and Durood to be recited in Salat are in the Arabic language, but it is not forbidden for one to pray in their own language. God Almighty has declared that true prayer is one which is filled with humility and fervency. One should supplicate with humility, a tender heart and the fear of God in that one should be mindful that they are standing before Allah the Almighty and calling upon Him for help. It is these very people, whose sins are wiped away. God Almighty has stated: ٰ َّ َ ْ ْ ُ ٰ َ َ ْ َّ ‫الس ِّیا ِت‬ ‫ِان الحسن ِت یذ ِہبن‬ Meaning, ‘Surely, good works drive away evil works.” The meaning of “good

works” here is the observance of prayer. Concentration and humility in prayers can be attained by supplicating in one’s own language. Meaning that the humility and meekness that causes a person’s heart to melt can only be attained if one prays in their mother tongue and they can comprehend fully what they are praying for. Hence, the Promised Messiahas instructed us to pray in our own language as well. The Promised Messiahas further states that it is vital to offer the prayers that Allah the Almighty has taught us and the best prayer among those prayers is Surah al-Fatihah because it is a complete and comprehensive prayer. In Surah al-Fatihah, Allah the Almighty has taught us the following prayer: ْ ّ ‫ا ْہدنَا‬ ‫الص َر َاط ال ُم ْس َت ِق ْی َم‬ ِ ِ ِ “Guide us in the right path.” The meaning of this supplication is extensive. While elaborating upon this, the Promised Messiahas states that when a farmer learns the traits and skills required for farming, it is at that point that he becomes skilled in the practise of farming, meaning that when a farmer learns the knowledge about farming in that he knows how to plough, sow the seeds, when to fertilise the land, when to irrigate it, when to spray the fields, it is then that one can say that they are on the right path of their profession. In the same way, one should seek the right path to meet with God and pray: “O my Lord! I am your sinful and humble servant. Please guide me!” Supplicate to God for all your needs, regardless of how insignificant they may be, for He is the One Who bestows. The most righteous is the one who prays the most, because if a beggar knocks at the door of a miserly person, he will one day feel ashamed and give something to the beggar. Therefore, one who begs in front of God Almighty, Whose generosity is matchless, how can he not receive from Him? Hence, the one who asks receives eventually. The other name of prayer is supplication as God Almighty states: ُ ُ َ ‫ا ْد ُعوْنِ ْٓی ا ْس َت ِج ْب لَک ْم‬ “Pray unto Me; I will answer your prayer.” He then states: ُ َ ّ َ ّ ْ َ َّ َ ْ َ َ​َ َ ‫ان‬ ِ ‫َو ِاذا َسالک ِع َبا ِدی َع ِن ْی ف ِانِ ْی ق ِریْ ٌب ا ِج ْی ُب َدعوَۃ الد ِاع ِاذا َد َع‬ “And when My servant ask thee about Me, say, ‘I am near. I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he prays to Me.’” The Promised Messiahas states that some people fall into doubt regarding the existence of God, however God Almighty states that a proof of His existence is that when one supplicates and seeks from Him, He will also respond and remember this servant of His. Often people claim that they supplicated profusely but their supplications were met with no response. In relation to this, the Promised Messiahas states: “You are stood in a place and call out to one who is standing at quite a distance from you, but the person you call out to will indeed hear and respond,

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Friday 22 November 2019 | AL HAKAM but owing to the distance, as well as the fact that you have hearing impediments, you will not be able to hear him. (The person you are calling out to will reply, but when he replies from a far, due to your hearing impediment you will not be able to hear him. Since you have a defect of the ear, you will not be able to hear that person’s reply from a distance). However, gradually as these obstacles and the distances are removed, you will certainly be able to hear.” The more you strive to become closer to God Almighty, the more you will be able to hear Him. The Promised Messiahas further states: “This evidence has always been there ever since the world has been created, which is that God Almighty converses with His chosen servants. If this was not the case, then gradually over time, the concept of His existence would have completely disappeared from the face of the earth. Thus, one of the greatest proofs of God Almighty’s existence is that we are able to witness Him and speak to Him. Being able to converse with God Almighty is akin to actually seeing Him. Until obstacles and hindrances remain between God and the one who supplicates to Him, one cannot hear Him.” (Malfuzat, Vol. 7, pp. 226-227) When these intermediary hindrances are removed, one indeed will be able to hear Him. Thus, it is vital to remove the hindrances which lie in-between [man and God]. Moreover, God Almighty has promised that one who earnestly comes towards Him and whilst seeking to comprehend the true reality of His Being, He too shall go towards such an individual. The Holy Prophetsa has also explained this. He states that God Almighty has declared that when His servant takes a step towards Him, He, in turn, takes two steps and when His servant walks towards Him, He comes running. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab-ulTauhid, Hadith no. 7536) Thus, if ever there are any shortcomings, they are from within us. Therefore, it is essential for us to strive towards God Almighty. In order to search for the paths that lead to Him and in order to meet Him, we are in need of His help. If we claim to have pledged allegiance to the Promised Messiahas, then it is essential that we strive to our utmost in order to reach God Almighty. It is not enough to only adhere to one of the instructions of the Promised Messiahas to construct mosques, so that it can serve as a means of introducing Islam to others, rather we must also make every practical effort possible and also seek the help of the Allah the Almighty. One can only achieve success when one makes an effort and is also granted the help of Allah the Almighty. Elaborating upon this, the Promised Messiahas states: “Remember that seeking repentance at the time of Bai‘at [pledging allegiance] produces blessings. In addition to this, if one pledges to give precedence to their faith over all worldly things, it leads one to further progress.”

When one pledges allegiance they are granted blessings but when one also pledges to give precedence to their faith over all worldly things then it leads them to further success. “However, to give precedence to faith is not in your hands, rather one is greatly in need of the help of God Almighty for this to be achieved. Just as God Almighty states: َّ َ َ َ​َ َ ‫َوالَّذیْ َن َج‬ ‫اہ ُد ْوا فِ ْینا لَن ْہ ِدیَن ُہ ْم ُس ُبلنا‬ ِ ‘And as for those who strive to meet us – We will, surely, guide them in Our ways.’” The Promised Messiahas further states: “Without effort and irrigation, a seed sown into the ground will be fruitless.” When a farmer sows a seed but fails to make any effort in cultivating it and neither waters it then it will not bear any fruit, in fact, it would not even grow at all, and even if it did, it will be extremely weak and will quickly wither away. “Similarly, if you do not remind yourself every day of the pledge of giving precedence to your faith over all worldly things and nor pray to God Almighty’s for His help, you will not be granted any blessing.” The Promised Messiahas states:“Without the help of God Almighty, it is not possible to bring about a change in one’s condition.” In order to attain the help of God Almighty, one has to continually supplicate to seek God Almighty’s help and grace. The Promised Messiahas further states: “A thief, a cheat, adulterer or criminal, etc. do not always remain in that condition of theirs, rather there comes a time when they feel remorse over their actions. This is true in the case of every wicked person, thus proving that every individual has virtuous thoughts within them. Therefore, it is essential to seek the help of Allah the Almighty in order to attain these virtuous thoughts. It is for this reason that we have been commanded to recite the Surah al-Fatihah in our َ َ َ five daily prayers and we recite ‫ِا ّياك ن ْع ُب ُد‬ َ َ َ ْ and ‫ ِا ّياك ن ْس َت ِعي ُن‬that is, ‘Thee Alone do we worship and Thee Alone do we implore for help’. This points out to two things. Firstly, in order to attain virtuous deeds, one must employ all of their faculties endowed upon them by God and make every possible effort and this is alluded to in the words, Na‘badu i.e. ‘We worship’. An individual who simply prays and does not make any effort, can never prosper. To simply pray is not enough, rather one must make an effort as well. If a farmer sows a seed but makes no effort, how can he then expect for it to bear fruit? This is the established practise of God Almighty. If one plants a seed and then only prays for it and fails look after it and irrigate and cultivate the land, he will be deprived [of its fruits]. For instance, if there are two farmers, one who works extremely hard in cultivating the land, will surely be successful. On the other hand, the other farmer who does not put any effort, or very little, consequently the yield from his crops will be so insufficient that

perhaps he will not even have enough to pay tax and will remain impoverished. So too is the case in faith. Amongst the people are hypocrites, inept, righteous and saints, scholars and spiritual leaders.” In other words, they are all humans, however some of them are hypocrites and incompetent individuals, and while on the other hand, there are some who are righteous and attain the status of saints, scholars and spiritual heads and are granted an elevated station from God Almighty. “Some of them observe prayers for 40 years but there has not been a single change in their condition and nor do they observe any benefit after fasting for 30 days.” They observe the fasts for the entire month of Ramadan but they do not derive any benefit and return to their original condition. “There are many who claim that they are righteous and have been observing prayers for many years but still fail to become recipient of divine succour. The reason for this is that they only worship ceremoniously and in customary manner. They only worship in the physical sense and do not even think about progress. They do not make any effort to search for the sins that lie within them and nor seek true repentance.” One can only truly seek repentance when they are able to identify their sins. When one ponders over their wrong doings and sins, only then can his repentance be accepted. “They remain stood at the very first step and the condition of such people is no different to that of animals. Their prayers draw the wrath of God Almighty and do not receive acceptance. In fact, their prayers are thrown back in their faces. True prayer grants progress. For instance, if someone suffering from an illness visits a doctor and is prescribed to take a particular medication for ten days, but realises that his health is continually deteriorating, hence after so many days, having received no benefit from it, he will doubt as to whether this is the right medication for him and subsequently will seek to change it. Similarly, worshipping merely in a superficial manner is not correct.” (Malfuzat, Vol. 7, pp. 225-226) Thus, one must change their condition. One must ponder as to why their supplications are not being answered even though God Almighty has declared that He answers the prayers of the supplicant. Thus, true worship is one by which a person draws closer to God Almighty. Then, expounding on the importance of prayers, the Promised Messiahas states: “Salat in essence is a form of prayer. Every single word uttered in Salat takes the form of a supplication. During Salat, if one’s heart is not inclined towards the prayer, then he should prepare himself for the wrath of God because one who does not pray, invites the wrath upon himself. For example, a ruler or a government, repeatedly proclaims that they will alleviate the pain of those who are suffering and will show mercy upon people and will help all those in need. However, if an individual, who is facing

great difficulties, walks by and fails to respond to this call”; a person who is facing difficulty walks by and does not pay heed to the call, nor does he express his difficulty nor ask for help”, then other than facing ruin, what else can he expect for himself? The same is the case for God Almighty; He is ever-ready to grant comfort to mankind but on the condition that one seeks from Him. For prayers to be accepted, it is essential to refrain from disobedience and also one must supplicate with great intensity because a spark is only lit when a stone is hit against another stone.” (Malfuzat, Vol. 7, p. 70) Thus, when one reaches such a stage, then one’s actions and prayers will be carried out solely for the purpose of attaining the pleasure of Allah. In turn, God Almighty would grant them peace despite all their fears. Always remember that whatever you have gained after having come here is only due to the blessings of God Almighty and it is only God’s grace that can increase these blessings. In order to attain these blessings it is vital to turn one’s attention towards the worship of God and fulfilling the rights of God’s creation. You all ought to analyse your own conditions as to what extent you are observing prayer or to what extent one has established a relationship with God Almighty or is striving towards this. How many of our worldly endeavours come between us and our prayers. For this reason, one ought to always remember the saying of the Holy Prophetsa in which he said that the difference between faith and disbelief is the abandoning of Salat. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab-ul-Iman, Hadith no. 82) The aspect that will distinguish between belief and disbelief is the abandoning of prayer. This instruction is one that should cause us to be greatly concerned as it has been declared that a believer is one who is regular in their prayers, otherwise there is no difference between him and a disbeliever. Regarding the reward of offering prayers in congregation, God Almighty has not only said to simply offer the prayers, rather He has instructed to offer the prayer in congregation and whilst also fulfilling it due rights which will in turn grant 25 times – or in some cases twenty seven times – more blessings. (Sahih alBukhari, Kitab-ul-Adhan, Hadith no. 645) If there is no genuine excuse and we do not pay attention towards this, then how unfortunate will we be? Thus, if we have constructed mosques, then we must fulfil the rights of constructing a mosque and we must elevate the standards of our worship. Furthermore, we must also be mindful to offer financial sacrifices, perform virtues ourselves by elevating our moral standards and also encourage others to perform virtues. We must abstain from the evils of society and also protect others from it, otherwise, our pledge of allegiance would merely be a verbal pledge. We must always bear these words of the Promised Messiahas in mind; he says:

12 “You must reform yourselves in a manner whereby your intentions become aligned with God Almighty’s intentions to the extent that nothing is left for one’s own self, rather everything becomes God’s. Purification means that one’s heart is cleansed of all sorts of beliefs and actions that are opposed to God. God Almighty does not assist anyone unless they ensure that their intentions become one with God Almighty’s desires and they completely submit to His will.” The Promised Messiahas says, “I do not take joy of the increasing numbers of my community.” When the Promised Messiahas wrote this, the total number of followers is recorded as 400,000 or perhaps even more than that. “A Jamaat is not formed by simply extending one’s hand to perform the Bai‘at, rather a community will truly be deemed to be a community when they act in accordance with the Bai‘at, through which one brings about a virtuous change within themselves and their lives become completely free from the immorality of sin. One then separates from their carnal desires and the clutches of Satan and becomes immersed in God Almighty. Fulfil the rights of God and the rights owed to His creation wholeheartedly. One ought to remain anxious about the propagation of faith. They would destroy all their desires and wishes and become one with God Almighty. God has stated that one is doomed to go astray and is blind, yet only the one who receives divine light from Him and is granted the elixir of life can be saved. It is God Who conceals the shortcomings of man, otherwise if the inner conditions of people become visible for others to see, then it is possible that some people would not even go near others.” It is the attribute of God Almighty that He conceals the faults of others, for if they become known then it is quite possible that some people would keep away from other people. The Promised Messiahas says: “God Almighty is Sattar [the one Who conceals the faults of others] and He does not reveal the faults of others. Thus, man

Friday 22 November 2019 | AL HAKAM should strive to perform virtuous deeds and always offer prayers. Remember well that if there is nothing that differentiates the people of my Jamaat with others, then God Almighty does not have any personal relation with anyone.” If we as Ahmadis who have performed the Bai‘at are no different to other people, then one ought to remember that God Almighty is not the relative of anyone. Why would He grant us honour and safeguard us? If there is no difference, then God Almighty is not related to anyone that he would be compelled to grant us honour and humiliate others and punish them. The Promised Messiahas says: ّٰ َ َّ ْ َّ ْ ‫ِان َما يَ َتق َّب ُﻞ الل ُہ ِم َن ال ُمت ِقي َن‬ ‘Allah the Almighty only accepts from the righteous.’ The one who abandons every deed that is against the will of God Almighty is deemed as righteous. They consider their carnal passions and everything that is in the world to be nothing compared to God Almighty. The level of one’s faith can only be gauged when it is tested. There are some who listen to something from one ear and remove it from the other. They do not embed these commands in their hearts irrespective of how much one may advise them, they remain unmoved. Always remember that God Almighty is Self-Sufficient and until one prays constantly with great fervency, He does not accept it. Ponder over the fact that when one’s wife or child are ill, that person suffers greatly and is anxious on account of them. Until one develops such fervency and anxiousness in their prayers, praying is a useless and futile act. For the acceptance of prayer, it is essential to develop a state of fervency, just as God Almighty has stated: ُّ ُ ْ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ ْ ُّ ْ َّ َ ‫السوْ َء‬ ‫امن ي ِجیب المﻀ�� ِاذا دعاه ويک ِﺸﻒ‬ ‘Or, Who answers the distressed person when he calls upon Him, and removes the evil.’” The Promised Messiahas then says that when one reforms themselves, they ought to ensure the reform of their families, and one is responsible for the reformation of one’s wife and children. The Promised

Messiahas says: “God Almighty grants succour only to those people who constantly strive to do good and excel as opposed to remaining in one place. It is these people who will have a good reckoning. I have observed that some people are extremely passionate and develop a state of great fervency, yet after a while, they become stationary in one place, as a result of which they do not have a good reckoning. God Almighty has taught the following prayer in the Holy Quran: َ ُ ْ َ ‫ا ْﺻ ِلﺢ ل ِْی فِ ْی ذ ّرِ ّي ِت ْی‬ ‘And make my seed righteous for me’ [Surah Al-Ahqaaf, Ch.46: V.16]. “Alongside praying for one’s own reform, one ought to also pray for one’s wife and children as many people are put into trial due to their children, while others are put in trial due to their wives. Ponder, the first obstacle that Prophet Adamas faced was due to a woman. Balaam abandoned his faith as opposed to Prophet Mosesas and the reason for this was that the king at the time gave certain pieces of jewellery to Balaam’s wife and incited for Balaam to curse Mosesas. Thus, it is due to this that many people are put into trial, and so one ought to strive to reform them and also constantly supplicate for this.” (Malfuzat, Vol. 10, p. 139) May God Almighty enable us to reform our conditions and to not only establish prayer, but to raise its standards. May we purify our wealth, increase our moral standards, perform virtuous deeds and also spread this far and wide. May we abstain from evil ourselves and strive to protect our offspring. After the construction of this mosque, may we spread the true message of Islam to the residents of this city, may we bring them closer to worship of the One God. We can only achieve this if we bring about virtuous changes within ourselves. May God Almighty grant us the opportunity to do so. I will now mention some details about the mosque itself. We had previously named this area as Mahdiabad. The

local area is called Nahe, where this mosque has been constructed and the local Jamaat here is relatively small. This was an agricultural land, which was bought in 1989. Part of it has been given on contract for farming purposes. Previously there was a farmhouse and another building, which we were granted permission to use as a mission house. We were granted permission to construct a mosque inside the large hall and all this was conducted through Waqar-e-Amal [volunteer work]. This is a two-storey building which comprises of a residence for the missionary, which was constructed previously. In 2010, the council granted permission to build on the farmland. As a result, 12 houses were constructed on this land and permission was granted for a purpose-built mosque. Out of the 12 houses, two have been kept by the Jamaat and the rest were sold, which generated income. Income was also generated from the land that was taken back by the council, in fact, a greater amount was received and as a result, this site was bought. Nevertheless, six or seven years ago, or rather eight years ago, I laid the foundations, and now the mosque has been constructed. The covered area of the two-storey mosque is 385 square meters and can hold 210 worshippers. The upper floor is for the men and the lower floor is for women. There are facilities for ablution etc. The total cost of the construction was approximately 560,000 Euros. The local members contributed a little over 200,000 euros and the remaining amount was given by the 100-Mosque Scheme. May God Almighty bless the wealth and progeny of all those who sacrificed for this and with the construction of this mosque, may we fulfil the rights of our worship more than before. (Original Urdu published in Al Fazl International, 15 November 2019, pp. 5-9. Translated by The Review of Religions.)

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