Vol. 40 No.

9-10 - September/October 2011

AHMADIYYA

CANADA

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Condolence Resolution
Demise of Hadrat Shibzad Nsir Begum Shiba
On the demise of Hadrat shibzad Nsir Begum shiba, the beloved mother of our beloved Imm, Hadrat
Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalfatul Mash Vaa, the Ahmadiyya Gazette Canada team and its readers offer
their heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathy to our beloved Imm, Hadrat shibzad Amatus Sabooh
Begum shiba, and all the children and family of the Promised Messiahas. Inna lillhi wa Inna ilaihi Rji`n.
We pray that May Allh grant this great and eminent elder of the Jam`at the highest station in heaven and
may He wrap her in His clad of mercy and forgiveness, mn. May the grieved family be granted patience
and fortitude at this great loss. mn.
Hadrat shibzad Nsir Begum shiba passed away in Rabwah, Pakistan and returned to her Creator at
the approximate age of 100 years.
Hadrat shibzad Nsir begum shiba was born in September 1911. She was the eldest granddaughter
of the Promised Messiahas, the eldest daughter and second child of Hadrat Musleh Ma`dra and Syeda
Mahmooda Begum shiba. Her mother was the daughter of Dr. Khalfa Rasheeduddin. Hadrat shibzad
Nsir begum shiba was also the sister of Hadrat Khalfatul Mash IIIrh and Hadrat Khalfatul Mash IVrh,
and the wife of Hadrat shibzada Mirza Mansoor Ahmad.
Hadrat shibzad Nsir begum shiba was raised in a highly spiritual atmosphere. She was educated up
to the FA standard and passed the qualification of Maulv in 1929.
In July 1934, her Nikkah was announced with Hadrat shibzada Mirza Mansoor Ahmad, son of Hadrat
Mirza Sharif Ahmadra shib, by Hadrat Musleh Ma`dra.
She served as the President of Lajna Im`illah Rabwah for several years and played an instrumental and
active role in the tarbiyyat and moral training of Lajnt, serving in various departments in her greatest
capacity at Jalsa Slns. During her term as President, she always aspired and worked hard for Rabwah
Lajna to secure a prominent position within Pakistan.
Hadrat shibzad Nsir Begum shiba possessed a high spiritual resolve and was a devout worshipper.
Her love of Allh was of the highest degree, followed by her love of the Holy Prophetsa, the Promised
Messiahas and Nizm-e Jam`at. She had infinite love for Khilfat. She was pious, noble, personable,
pleasant and hospitable. She had a great zeal to serve selflessly and had utmost concern for people and
their well-being.
Those who witnessed her virtues and had the honour of being in her company were very blessed to have
lived amongst such a pious and noble character, being fortunate to benefit from her presence. It is our
prayer that may the future generations follow in her footsteps as a role model and living example of
achieving the highest spiritual and worldly status. Insh`Allh.
During this time of great grief and immense loss for our beloved Imm, his siblings, all the family members
of the Promised Messiahas, and the entire worldwide members of the Ahmadiyya Community, we express
our sincerest remorse and condolences. May Allh grant everyone solace and give the deceased a lofty
station in paradise and grant His mercy and forgiveness to her. May Allh accept Hadrat shibzad Nsir
Begum shibas prayer, I seek the mantle of Your mercy as He wraps her in the cover of His mercy and
forgiveness. mn.
We are members of the Ahmadiyya Gazette Canadas Team and its Readers

Ahmadiyya Gazette Canada

An Educational and Spiritual Publication
Volume 40 - No. 9-10 - September / October 2011
Shawwl / Dhul-Qadah / Dhul-Hijjah 1432 - Tabk / Akha` 1390 HS

Pearls of Wisdom
Selection from the Holy Qurn and Ahdth

p.2

So Said the Promised Messiahas

p.3

Guidance from Hadrat Khalfatul Mash Vaa

Summary of Friday Sermons

p.4

Articles
The Pilgrimage

p.8

Introduction to Baiat - Part IV

p.14

Purdah: A Divine Security Measure for Women

p.22

Masjid Mahd Jamaica

p.26

Run for Vaughan 2011

p.28

A Success Story & Role Model for Ahmad Immigrants

p.29

Announcements

p.30

Amr Jam`at:

Lal Khan Malik
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Prof. Hadi Ali Chaudhary
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Hassan Mohammad Khan Arif
Editors:

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Assistant Editor:

Hana Malik
Manager:

Mubashir Khalid
Graphics Layout:

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Muzaffar Ahmad
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Jamnik Graphics

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The Holy Qurn

And complete the Hajj and the Umrah for the sake
of Allh: but if you are kept back, then make whatever
offering is easily available; and do not shave your
heads until the offering reaches its destination. And
whoever among you is sick or has an ailment of the
head, should make an expiation either by fasting or
almsgiving or a sacrifice. But when you are safe, then
he, who would avail himself of the Umrah together
with the Hajj, should make whatever offering is easily
obtainable. But such of you as cannot find an offering
should fast three days during the Pilgrimage, and
seven when you return home; these are ten complete.
This is for him whose family does not reside near the
Sacred Mosque. And fear Allh and know that Allh
is severe in punishing.
The months of the Hajj are well known; so whoever
determines to perform the Pilgrimage in these
months, should remember that there is to be no foul talk,
nor any transgression, nor any quarrelling during the
Pilgrimage. And whatever good you do, Allh knows
it. And furnish yourselves with necessary provisions,
and surely, the best provision is righteousness. And
fear Me alone, O men of understanding.
(Chapter 2 - Al-Baqarah, Verses 197-198)

Hadth of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa

Abu Hurairara narrates:

The Prophetsa said, Whoever performs Hajj for Allhs

pleasure and does not have sexual relations with his
wife, and does not do evil or sins then he will return
(after Hajj free from all sins) as if he were born anew.
(Bukhr Kitbul Hajj)
2

Pearls of Wisdom

So Said the Promised Messiahas

The human heart too is like Hajr-e-Aswad [the Black Stone] and a persons bosom resembles Baitullh [the House
of Allh]. All thoughts of others, aside from Allh, are idols which have been installed in this kabah [of his heart.]
The idols of the holy city of Mecca were obliterated when our Holy Prophetsa, accompanied by ten thousand
saints, arrived there and so Mecca was triumphed over Therefore, to defeat and obliterate the idols that are
beside Allh, it is necessary that they should be invaded in the same manner In order to clear this house of its
idols, a Jihd is needed and I shall tell you the manner of that Jihd, and I assure you that if you follow it you
will succeed in breaking those idols. This is not something that I have invented, rather God has appointed me to
disclose it to you. What is that way? It is that you should follow me and obey me. This is not a new call. To clear
Mecca of idols, the Holy Prophetsa also announced:

3:32 - Say, If you love Allh, follow me: then will Allh love you.
In the same way, if you will follow me you will be able to
break the idols that are inside you and you will be able to
purify your bosoms which are filled with idols of many kinds.
No hard disciplines are needed for the purification of the
self. The Companions of the Holy Prophetsa did not subject
themselves to any hard disciplines nor to any purposeless
repetition of formulas. What they possessed was something
very different: they were wholly committed to obedience
of the Holy Prophetsa. The light that was in himsa passed
through the duct of obedience and fell upon the hearts of
his companionsra and wiped out all thoughts of everything
beside Allh. Their bosoms were filled with light in place of
darkness. Remember well that the same is the situation today.
You cannot be purified until the light which comes through
the Divine duct falls upon your hearts. The human bosom is
the place of descent of Divine light; that is why it is called the
House of Allh. The grand design is that the idols that fill it
should be broken and Allh alone should dwell in it.
-Malfzt, Vol. 1, pg. 187-188

Pearls of Wisdom

Guidance from Hadrat Khalfatul Mash Vaa

The Correct Islmic Viewpoint of Intercession

Summary of Friday Sermon Delivered on May 6, 2011

On May 6, 2011, Hadrat Khalfatul

Mash Vaa delivered the Friday
Sermon at Baitul Futh Mosque,
London.
Hudraa began his sermon after
reciting the following verse of the
Holy Qurn:
Allh there is no God but He,
the Living, the Self-Subsisting
and All-Sustaining. Slumber
seizes Him not, nor sleep. To
Him belongs whatsoever is in
the heavens and whatsoever
is in the earth. Who is he
that will intercede with Him
except by His permission? He
knows what is before them
and what is behind them; and
they encompass nothing of
His knowledge except what
He pleases. His throne extends
over the heavens and the earth;
and the care of them burdens
Him not; and He is the High,
the Great. (2:256)
Hudraa said that in this age, there
is a growing tendency towards
worshipping saints and seeking
favours by visiting their shrines.
Some people believe dead saints
can fulfil all their wishes and some
even go to the extent of prostrating
before their graves. Some women
4

even say their child was not

given to them by God, but by the
blessings of such and such a saint.
We, however, are fortunate for we
have found the Promised Messiahas
and he has guided us away from
these superstitions and onto the
right path.
Hudraa negated the Christian
concept of salvation through
atonement and said, For a Shaf,
or intercessor, it is necessary
that he should first establish a
perfect relationship with God
and absorb His favours before
he can benefit mankind. One
cannot be an intercessor until his
relationship with God and with
His creation reaches the pinnacle.
In this sense, our Holy Prophetsa
is a perfect example, for he saved
the world from spiritual and
physical fire and dragged people
out of sin thus bringing about a
great transformation. He was the
perfect intercessor who rid people
of idolatry and transgression and
made them into highly moral
people.
Elaborating on the true philosophy
of intercession according to the
teachings of Islm, Hudraa said,
The verse I have recited is known

as the chief of all verses of the Holy

Qurn, this is because it contains a
very beautiful portrayal of Divine
attributes. Allh sends His blessings
on those who gain awareness of
His attributes and endeavour to
purify themselves, and such are
the people who merit the Holy
Prophetsas intercession. There is
no use depending on intercession if
one does not have full faith in God,
does not offer prayers and pays no
heed to Divine commandments.
To put ones faith in saints is also
a form of idolatry. In this verse,
Allh says that intercession can
only work with His permission and
requires worship and prayer that is
performed with utmost devotion.
Hudraa further added that we can
only be loved by God if we follow
His Messengersa. There is no use
calling ourselves believers unless
we follow him. In order to merit
his intercession, we must follow
his example and place ourselves
under the Qurnic injunctions.
The Promised Messiahas says that
the true purpose of intercession
is to cool down the passions of
the self and to eradicate sin and
disobedience and replace them
with good deeds.
Continued on pg. 13...
Guidance from Hadrat Khalfatul Mash Vaa

Prophethood of the Promised Messiahas

Summary of Friday Sermon Delivered on May 13, 2011

On May 13, 2011, Hadrat Khalfatul
Mash Vaa delivered the Friday
Sermon at Baitul Futh Mosque,
London.
Hudraa recited verse 22 of Surah
Al-Mujdalah, which is translated
as follows:
Allh has decreed: Most
surely I will prevail, I and My
Messengers. Verily, Allh is
Powerful, Mighty. (58:22)
Hudraa said that members of our
Jam`at are very clear about the
status of the Promised Messiahas as
a Prophet. It is precisely on account
of professing their belief in the
status of the Promised Messiahas
that Ahmads in Pakistan, Indonesia
and many other countries are facing
persecution. Nevertheless, the
sacrifices and fortitude shown by
Ahmads is a clear indication that
they do not show any weakness in
their faith, nor do they hide their
beliefs. The Promised Messiahas
in his writings and discourses has
made his status abundantly clear.
Hudraa continued to say, Today,
in this sermon, I reiterate this
status of the Promised Messiahas
so that there should be no doubt
or hesitation in the mind of any
Ahmad. Hudraa spoke at length
about the excellences and high rank
of the Promised Messiahas.
Pledging Baiat to the Promised
Messiahas requires an act of selfreform and purification. This is why
new Ahmads feel a tremendous
change in themselves, and those
around them testify to this change.
Hudraa stressed that both new and
old Ahmads must undergo this
process of transformation if they
wish to partake of the blessings that
are associated with the Promised
Guidance from Hadrat Khalfatul Mash Vaa

Messiahas.
The Promised Messiah has clearly
outlined the means we must adopt
in order for our Jamat to succeed.
They are: Istighfr, repenting of ones
sins, gaining religious knowledge
and awareness of Gods power
and majesty, and the observance
of the five daily prayers. Hudraa
elaborated on all of these in the light
of the Holy Qurn, Ahadth and
writings of the Promised Messiahas.
Hudraa said salt or namz is the
key through which ones prayers
are accepted; it should be offered
as

the fulfilment of these prophecies.

Nevertheless, we also have to put in
our own efforts for the success of the
Jam`at. We can do this most of all
through self-purification and dawat
IlAllh. We must not sit idle simply
putting our faith in prophecies,
but should make workable plans
towards their fulfilment. And let us
not be deterred by opposition and
persecution because it only helps to
draw the righteous closer to us.
Since God is drawing their hearts
towards us, we hope that He will
also fill their hearts with love for

Allh has decreed: Most surely I will

prevail, I and My Messengers. Verily,
Allh is Powerful, Mighty. (58:22)
punctually, at the appointed time.
It is through prayer that one can
establish a living relationship with
God. In addition to this, one should
fulfil all of ones obligations to God
and to His creatures and keep away
from every kind of sin. All this will
help to bring about a revolution in
our lives.
Speaking of some of the Promised
Messiahass prophesies relating to
the triumph of the Jam`at, Hudraa
said when these prophecies
were published, it was hard to
imagine how his message would
ever spread to all corners of the
world, but today we can see this
happening through MTA. In
addition to this, God Himself is
guiding people through dreams.
Every day we are witnessing, and
will inshaAllh continue to witness

this Jamat. But, first and foremost,

we should strengthen our own
faith, offer our prayers with care
and decorum and lend our full
support to the mission of spreading
the message of Islm. Thus will our
future generations inherit Allhs
blessings.
At the end of the sermon, Hudraa
spoke about the sad demise of the
following: (1) Rashid Latif Rashidi
shib who was the grandson of
Hadrat shibzadah Abdul Latifra
shib; (2) Mubarak Mahmood shib,
who was serving the Jam`at as a
missionary; (3) Muzaffar Ahmad
shib, his wife and three children
who died in an accident. Hudraa
spoke briefly about the deceased
and led their Namz Janzah Ghib
after the Friday prayer.

Potent Power of Salt, Du`a and Connection with God

Summary of Friday Sermon Delivered on May 20, 2011

On May 20, 2011, Hadrat Khalfatul

Mash Vaa delivered the Friday
Sermon at Baitul Futh Mosque,
London.
Hudraa said we can never be
grateful enough to the Almighty
God for having sent the Promised
Messiahas into this world. But
we can show our gratitude by
carefully studying the writings
and discourses of the Promised
Messiahas and molding our lives
according to them. Hudraa read
out the following excerpts from
the discourses of the Promised
Messiahas in which he has spoken
about salt, prayer and establishing
a relationship with God. The
Promised Messiahas says:

become impatient; for prayer

requires great perseverance.
Salt is the highest form of
prayer but sadly people are
unaware of its worth. Nothing
can lead to God as salt can.
Hence we have to keep praying
unceasingly. Salt should not
be offered as a ritual; we have
to understand the meaning of
what we are praying and try to
find pleasure in our worship.
Look how your life is ebbing
away. So overcome your sloth
and supplicate to God. Pray to
Him in seclusion that He may
preserve your faith and be
pleased with you.

never visited with catastrophe

either in worldly matters or in
matters of faith, for he is safe
like one in a castle. One who
does not pray is like him who is
vulnerable and has no weapon
to defend himself. Remember,
therefore, that there is no
greater good and no greater
source of protection for man
than prayer.
Prayer is only second to selfreformation in leading to the
love of Allh. But one should
not abandon the means, for God
wants us to make use of them.

For a believer, prayer is

like water without which he
cannot survive. And the proper
Prayers are not accepted
The Holy Qurn begins and
occasion for prayer is salt
unless ones heart is clean. If
ends
with
prayerwhich
wherein a believer attains such
you harbour rancour or ill-will
signifies that man is weak and
pleasure that even the most
towards any person in worldly
cannot be purified without
intense physical pleasure is
matters, your prayers will
the grace of God and cannot
nothing compared to it. And the
not be accepted. One should
progress in virtue without His
greatest gift of prayer is that it
never hate anyone for worldly
help. Hence, one cannot become
draws one closer to God. When
reasons because this world and
free of the yoke of this world
a believer becomes completely
its provisions are not worth it.
without Divine grace; and it is
absorbed in his prayer, God
God
does
not
want
us
only
prayer alone that attracts Gods
shows him mercy and becomes
grace.
his
friend.
The
Holy
Qurn
begins
and
ends
with
Prayer
is
What
is
our
weapon
salt? It is a
prayerwhich signifies that man is weak and and there is
prayer that
cannot be purified without the grace of God.... no greater
is
offered
w e a p o n
with deep
than prayer.
anguish and fervour. God does
to pray; rather, he wants us to
Happy is he who realizes this.
not hear the prayers of a person
employ all the means at our
aa
until he carries his prayer to the
disposal and make all possible Hudr prayed may Allh enable
us to understand the true meaning
point where death seems before
efforts along with prayer. To
of prayer and to make it part and
him. Among the requirements
pray without making any effort
parcel of our lives. Hudraa also
of prayer is that a persons heart
is against the etiquette of prayer
read out some prayers of the
should melt within him and
and amounts to testing God.
Promised Messiahas seeking Allhs
his soul should flow like water
On the other hand, putting all
protection against the mischief of
onto the Divine threshold, and
of ones trust in ones efforts
the opponents.
the prayer should be offered
without prayer is godlessness.
in a state of great anguish. Nor
Prayer is a great treasure; he
should a man tire of prayer or
who prays continuously is

Guidance from Hadrat Khalfatul Mash Vaa

Second Manifestation of Divine Grace: Ahmadiyya Khilfat

Summary of Friday Sermon Delivered on May 27, 2011

On May 27, 2011, Hadrat Khalfatul

Mash Vaa delivered the Friday
Sermon at Baitul Futh Mosque,
London.
Hudraa recited verses 54-57 of
Srah Al-Nur, which are translated
as follows:
And they swear by Allh their
strongest oaths that, if thou
command them, they will surely
go forth. Say, Swear not; what
is required is actual obedience in
what is right. Surely, Allh is
well aware of what you do.
Say, Obey Allh, and obey the
Messenger. And if they turn away
then remember, whoever does so
will be held responsible for that
reposed in him, as also you will be
held responsible for that which is
reposed in you. And if you obey him,
you will be rightly guided. And the
messenger is not responsible but for
the plain delivery of the Message.
Allh has promised to those among
you who believe and do good
works that He will surely make
them Successors in the earth, as He
made Successors from among those
who were before them; and that He
will surely establish for them their
religion which He has chosen for
them; and that He will surely give
them in exchange security and peace
after their fear: They will worship
Me, and they will not associate
anything with Me. Then whoso is
ungrateful after that, they will be
the rebellious.
And observe Prayer and give the
Zakt and obey the Messenger, that
you may be shown mercy. (24:5457)
Hudraa said that one of the verses
I have recited is known as ayah
alistikhlf, in which Allh has
Guidance from Hadrat Khalfatul Mash Vaa

promised to bless the believers

with the gift of Khilfat. The
Promised Messiahas, in his book
Al-Wassyyat, has also given the
Jam`at the glad tidings of Khilfat
after him. These verses contain
comprehensive guidelines for those
who pledge their allegiance to the
Khalfatul Mash, and the first and
foremost of these is unqualified
obedience. These verses also speak
of the blessings that result from
submission to Khilfat. It is the
responsibility of the Khalfa and
his followers to devote themselves
towards regular prayers and strive
to establish the Oneness of God. If
they do so, they will continue to be
blessed with the gift of Khilfat.
In addition to prayer, there is also
Zakt which purifies our earnings.
[In this context, Hudraa said that
many non-Ahmads prefer to pay
their Zakt or Sadqa to Jam`at
Ahmadiyya because they know that
it will be properly utilized. Hudraa
said that it is alright to receive
Sadqa or Zakt from such nonAhmads but we cannot receive any
other Chanda from them.]
Hudraa further added that, In his
book Al-Wassyyat, the Promised
Messiahas has linked the institution
of Khilfat with that of Wassyyat.
Similarly, the system of Zakt is also
linked to Khilfat. The Promised
Messiahas says,
God has revealed to me that
the world will be visited by
many calamities and disasters,
and that He will cause this
Jam`at to grow both in my
time and after me. Allh
always helps His chosen ones.
Hudraa spoke about the trials
the Jam`at went through
during the times of all the five

Khulafa, and said even today

Allh is fulfilling His promises.
Hudraa said that I may be a
weak and humble person, but
the institution of Khilfat is
backed by the Almighty God
who is the source of all might
and power.
The Promised Messiahas says,
Do not grieve over what I
have said to you; nor should
your hearts be distressed. For
it is essential for you to witness
the second Manifestation also
and its coming is better for you
because it is everlasting. Again
he says, I am a manifestation
of Divine Power and there will
be others after me who will be
another manifestation of Divine
Power... And you too should
partake of the Holy Spirit by
showing compassion and by
purifying your souls...and
totally shedding all base desires
of the self. Choose for the sake
of winning the pleasure of God
that path compared to which
no path can be narrower.... You
are the seed which the Hand of
God has sown in the earth. He
says that this seed will grow
and flourish and its branches
will spread in all directions.
So blessed is one who believes
in what God says and does not
fear the trials which he suffers
in His path.
The Jam`at, by the grace of
Allh, is continuing to make great
sacrifices and we are witnessing the
fulfilment of Allhs promises to
the Promised Messiahas. It is now
upon us to realize the Greatness
and Glory of God and establish His
Oneness in our hearts.
Continued on pg. 13...
7

The Pilgrimage
Hadrat Muhammad Zafrullah Khanra

Vision of Abraham
Abraham, Patriarch and Friend of
God (4:126) saw in a vision that he
was offering his only son Ishmael
as a sacrifice to the Lord. [The Bible
mentions in this context of thine
only son, Isaac (Gen. 22:2). Later in
the same chapter, vs. 12 and 16, the
only son is mentioned without any
name. But the truth is that Isaac was
never the only son of Abraham. His
only son, up to the birth of Isaac, was
Ishmael (Gen. 16:15).] He said to the
boy: Son of mine, I have seen in a
dream that I am slaughtering thee.
So consider what thou thinkest of
it. The boy replied: Father, do
as thou art commanded; thou wilt
find me, if Allh please, of those
who are steadfast.
The great Sacrifice
Abraham made the necessary
preparations. When all was ready
and he was about to proceed to
the fulfilment of what he thought
he had been commanded to do, he
received the revelation that he had
indeed fulfiled his dream (37:103107). The true meaning of the dream
was not that he should sacrifice his
son in the manner in which he had
seen himself doing in the dream,
but that both he and his son should
be ready to make a great sacrifice
to win the pleasure of God (37:108).
This great sacrifice was that the boy
and his mother should be settled in
8

a distant, barren valley, so that the

boy should be made an instrument
for the purpose of establishing the
true worship of God in and around
the Sacred House (14:38).
The Sacred House
The first house consecrated to the
worship of God was at Mecca (3:97).
It became a resort of pilgrimage
and a sanctuary (2:126). Abraham
and Ishmael raised the foundations
of the House (2:128), and Abraham
prayed that Mecca should be a
town of peace, that its dwellers be
provided with fruits, and that God
might be pleased to raise up among
them a Messenger from among
themselves, who should recite to
them His Signs and teach them
the Book, and wisdom, and should
purify them and foster their welfare
(2:127, 130). This prayer found its
answer and its fulfilment in the
advent of the Prophet of Islm
(62:3).
The Pilgrimage
Abraham
was
commanded:
Proclaim unto mankind the
Pilgrimage. They will come to thee
on foot, and on every lean camel,
coming by every distant track
(22:28). The object of the pilgrimage
was that the participants should
derive social benefits therefrom,
join in the worship of God, offer
sacrifices, fulfil their vows, and
perform the circuit of the House

while glorifying and praising God

(22:29-30).
The pilgrimage thus begun through
Abraham became a well-organized
religious institution. In course
of time, the original object was
obscured, though the outward
ceremonial remained. The pure
worship of God degenerated into
the worship of idols, whom the
Arabs regarded as minor deities
who could serve as intermediaries
or intercessors between them
and God (39:4). By the time of the
Prophet as many as three hundred
and sixty idols had been installed
inside the Sacred House itself.
These were demolished and the
Ka`aba was restored to its original
purpose--the worship of the One
True God--on the day when Mecca
opened its gates to the Prophet. The
pilgrimage has since then continued
as one of the obligations incumbent
upon every Muslim adult who can
afford the journey (3:98).
Like the month of fasting, the
time appointed for the pilgrimage,
ten weeks after the Festival of
the breaking of the fast, is fixed
according to the lunar calendar,
and rotates through the year. The
pilgrimage thus falls in all seasons
of the year. The ceremonies and acts
of worship connected with it are
performed both around the Ka`aba
inside Mecca and in a neighbouring
The Pilgrimage

valley. The principal ceremonies in

connection with the Ka`aba are the
circuit of the House, at various times
during the days of the pilgrimage,
and running between Safa and
Marwah, two hillocks situated close
to the Kaaba, in the middle of the
town (2:159). This running between
the two hillocks is in memory of the
agony of Hagar, mother of Ishmael,
running in search of water for her
son and herself after Abraham
had left them there. God revealed
to Hagar the existence of a spring
close to the place where Ishmael,
who had grown very weak from
thirst, was lying. This spring is still
running, and every pilgrim drinks
from it during the pilgrimage
season.
While
particular
days
are
prescribed for the performance of
the pilgrimage, the umra, sometimes
called the lesser pilgrimage, may be
made at any time of the year. This
consists of performing the circuit
of the House and running between
Safa and Marwah. The circuit of the
House is not a mere physical ritual.
A pilgrim while performing the
circuit is occupied in glorification
of God and celebrating His praise
and offering various prayers. The
same is true of the running between
Safa and Marwah.
A Means to
Righteousness
The Quran points out that
honouring that which has been
declared sacred by Allh and
revering the Signs of Allh
promote righteousness of the
heart (22:31,33). This is related
more to emotion than to reason,
but reason itself recognises the
inspiring role of emotion. Indeed,
it is emotions that fertilise the roots
of action, particularly when the
action requires sacrifice of things
and objects held dear, for the sake
of achieving a higher purpose.
The Pilgrimage

The love of wife or husband or

children, the love of relations and
friends and fellow beings, the love
of place or country, the love of
truth and righteousness, and finally
the love of God--all are based on
emotion and are the most powerful
incentives for action and conduct.
The pilgrimage is a highly
emotional experience. When a
person makes up his mind to go on
pilgrimage, and leaves his home for
that purpose, his heart and mind
are captured by a deep emotion. He
is leaving all to whom he is deeply
attached, and in the vast majority of
cases is venturing forth into strange
lands hitherto known to him only
through report and rumour, for a
spot which has, since early in the
course of human history, been the
scene of the manifestation of Gods
beneficence and Gods love for His
righteous servants. By responding
to the call of God, laying aside all
other preoccupations, deferring all
other claims upon him, renouncing
such comfort and loving association
as constitute his joy and happiness,
journeying to the barren valley
where, under Gods direction,
Abraham left his wife and son so
that a center might be established
for Gods true worship, and by
taking part in that worship, the
pilgrim hopes that he may himself
be inspired with that spirit which
inspired Abraham and Ishmael,
and, later, the Prophet as well as
numerous other righteous servants
of God; and he hopes that he may
ultimately be counted among those
who are blessed with the love of
God. The journey--in many cases
long and arduous, and full of
hazards--across deserts and oceans
is undertaken and completed in
this frame of mind. It is easy to
appreciate the whirl of exalted
emotion which uplifts the pilgrims
spirit, rising higher and higher as

the goal approaches.

At a certain point the pilgrim
discards his usual clothing and
puts on the ihram, which, in the
case of males, consists of two pieces
of white, unsewn cloth draped and
fastened round the body in such
manner that the head, the hands,
the right shoulder and arm, and the
feet and ankles are left uncovered.
From all parts of the globe, men and
women converge on Mecca, coming
by sea, by land, and now also by air,
clad in the pilgrims garb, which
effaces all marks and insignia of
wealth, rank, office, family, and
places everyone on the same level.
The simple garb signifies that the
pilgrim has responded to the call
of Allh as he will answer the last
call when his time to depart this
life arrives. All vanity is purged,
and king and subject, master and
servant, the white and the black, the
yellow and the brown, hasten from
all directions to the Sacred House,
repeating:
Here am I, O Allh, here am I;
Here am I, there is no associate
with Thee;
All praise is Thine and all
Bounty;
There is no associate with Thee.
This response to the call of Allh
is interspersed with:
Allh is Great, Allh is Great,
there is no being worthy of
worship save Allh;
Allh is Great, Allh is Great, all
praise belongs to Allh.
The first concern of each pilgrim on
his arrival in Mecca is to proceed
to the enclosure of the Ka`aba
and to perform the circuit of the
Sacred House. The Ka`aba is, par
excellence, the House of God. Of
course, all places of worship are
Houses of God, and as the Prophet
declared, the whole earth is a
9

mosque, but the Ka`aba has been

declared by God Himself to be
the Sacred House, being the first
House consecrated to the worship
of the One True God (3:97). When
the expression House of Allh is
used, it is understood throughout
the Muslim world to mean the Ka`
aba. The tumult of the heart when
the pilgrim approaches the Sacred
House and has his first sight of it is
indescribable.
The Ka`aba itself--not to be
confused with the precincts of
the Ka`aba which extend over the
central sector of Mecca--is a very
simple stone structure, laying no
claim to grandeur of size or beauty
of architecture. It impresses by its
very simplicity. Most of the time it
is covered with a mantle of heavy
black silk, which is renewed each
year.
The Circuits
From whichever direction the
pilgrim enters the enclosure and
approaches the Kaaba, he begins
his circuit from the south-eastern
corner, in which the Black Stone
is placed. A circuit of the Ka`aba
involves going around it seven
times. Each round begins and ends
opposite the Black Stone. At the
end of each round, the pilgrim, if
he can approach near enough and
if he so wishes, may kiss the Black
Stone, which again is an emotional
expression calling to mind that
the Prophet kissed it when he
performed the circuit. The Prophet
kissed it, not because any particular
sanctity attaches to the stone, but as
an expression of his emotion that
the Kaaba, originally constructed
by Abraham and Ishmael, had
been finally restored to the worship
of the One True God, and would
henceforth remain dedicated to
that worship. Fearing that the
Prophets kissing the Black Stone
might be interpreted as ascribing
10

some special virtue to the stone,

Umar, the second Khalifa, when
performing the circuit, observed:
I know that this is only a piece
of stone no different from other
similar stones, and were it not
for the memory that the Prophet
expressed his gratitude to God for
His favours and bounties by kissing
it, I would pay no attention to it.
Similar emotions swell the pilgrims
heart when he runs between Safa
and Marwah, thus calling to mind
the distress of a mother, who,
although resigned to her own and
her sons fate, in the parched valley,
because such was the will and
pleasure of God, was, nevertheless,
anguished by her sons extreme
thirst. Hagar ran from one hillock
to the other straining her eyes to
catch some sign of habitation, a
passing caravan, or even a solitary
traveller--any source, or even a
mere indication, from which water
could be obtained.
All pilgrims drink from the Zam
Zam, the spring disclosed to Hagar
in her distress over Ishmael. This
is no part of the ceremony or ritual
of the pilgrimage, but again the
urge to drink from the same source
which God of His Grace and Mercy
disclosed to the distraught mother
and which continues to run as fresh
and as plentiful as ever, can be
well understood. The Zam Zam is
within the precincts of the Kaaba,
between the Ka`aba itself and the
two hillocks of Safa and Marwah,
but closer to the Kaaba.
Other places within the precincts and
in the neighbourhood of the Ka`aba
that have particular associations
are named accordingly. There is
the Place of Ishmael, immediately
outside the northern wall of the
Kaaba, and the Place of Abraham
a few paces from the eastern wall,
between the Ka`aba and the Zam
Zam; but, characteristically, there

is no place named after the Prophet

himself. The places associated
with him in any way are known,
but they are not named after
him, nor are they marked in any
special way. He was anxious to
attribute everything to God and to
preserve the memories of certain
spots and of their association with
certain events because they were
Gods Signs. He himself was only
a servant of God who had been
chosen by Gods favour and bounty
to be the recipient of revelation,
which contained guidance for the
whole of mankind. In his eyes God
was all; he himself was nothing.
The Ka`aba and its precincts stand
as signs and witnesses of many
things, but also proclaim forever the
singlemindedness and self-effacing
love and devotion of Muhammad,
the Prophet, for Allh, his Lord.
The Ka`aba is situated in the center
of Mecca, and though its enclosure
is big enough to permit large groups
of men to perform the circuit and
to take part in the Prayer services,
the services connected with the
pilgrimage are held in a valley a
few miles outside Mecca at Mina
and Muzdalifa, and on the Plain of
Arafat. It is at the latter place--where
the Prophet delivered his Farewell
Address--that all pilgrims gather
on the actual day of the pilgrimage
(the day to be distinguished
from the ceremonies, which
include the entire period from
the time the pilgrim leaves home
until his return). At the end of the
pilgrimage every pilgrim who
can afford it sacrifices an animal
or joins in making a sacrifice.
Symbolically, the act pledges the
pilgrims life to the service of God
and His creatures, and places that
life at Gods disposal as completely
as the life of an animal owned by
a person is at its masters disposal.
As the Quran says, the flesh of the
The Pilgrimage

animals sacrificed does not reach

Allh, nor does their blood; it is the
pilgrims spirit of righteousness
that reaches Him. Thus has He
subjected these animals to you,
that you may glorify Allh for His
guiding you (22:38). As has been
mentioned, one of the objects of
the pilgrimage is that those taking
part in it may witness its benefits
for them (22:29). It is much to be
regretted that the social, economic,
and political aspects of this object
of the pilgrimage have been greatly
neglected by the Muslims.
The pilgrimage is obligatory only
upon those who can afford the
journey (3:98). This means not
merely that the pilgrim should be
in a position to defray the expenses
of the journey to and from Mecca,
and of his stay there for the period
necessary for the performance of
the pilgrimage, but that he should
be able to afford the time needed
for the journey, and also be able to
make provision during his absence
for those dependent upon him
and for the proper conduct of his
worldly affairs. In other words, the
pilgrimage is obligatory only upon
people who are in comparatively
easy circumstances, those who
constitute the more responsible
sections of the Muslim community
in different parts of the world.
All Islmic services, the five daily
ones for congregational Prayer,
the Friday noon service, in which

The Pilgrimage

an address is delivered, the two

Festival services, one at the end
of the month of fasting, and
the other on the occasion of the
pilgrimage, and the pilgrimage
itself, are so organised as to ensure
the cooperation of all sections of
Muslim society for the promotion
of human welfare in all its aspects.
The five daily services provide
occasions for people who frequent
a particular mosque, and for any
others who may chance to be
present at any of the services, to
exchange greetings and to discuss
before or after the service any
matters, local or of a wider import,
which might affect or interest them.
The Friday noon service brings
together in rural areas people from
several neighbouring villages and
hamlets, and in the towns all the
inhabitants of the town, or, in the
case of large cities, of a section.
The Imams address should deal
with questions in any sphere of
life that are of common interest to
those participating in the service. In
the early days of Islm the Friday
service was led in the capital by
the Khalifa, the head of state, and
in the provincial towns and rural
areas, by the Governor, head of the
district, or by some other prominent
citizen deemed capable of leading
the members of the congregation
and stimulating their action and cooperation in the desired direction.
This continues to be the practice

in some parts of the Islmic world

today, but in many backward or
outlying areas the Imams address
tends to be a routine and formal
affair, not calculated to forward
the purpose it is meant to serve.
There are signs, however, of a
desire to restore to the institution
its true spirit and to utilize it fully
for promoting the moral, spiritual,
social, and economic welfare of
Muslim society.
Two Annual Festivals
On the occasion of the two annual
Festivals, the people of a whole
town and its neighbouring areas
come together to participate in
the service. The Imams address
on this occasion should serve the
same purpose as the Friday-service
address, but in respect of a much
larger number of people drawn
from a wider area.
The pilgrimage draws Muslims
together at Mecca from the ends
of the earth. It should be a truly
representative gathering of the
whole Islmic world. In effect, it
should be the World Assembly of
Islm gathered together in spiritual
association for the glorification of
God and the promotion of human
welfare. The week preceding it and
the week following it, and indeed,
a longer period if it be necessary,
should be utilized for consultation,
discussion, and examination of
schemes and projects having as
their object the strengthening of

11

human fellowship, brotherhood,

and co-operation and the promotion
of human welfare in the whole
world. As this very important
aspect of the pilgrimage has now
been neglected over centuries,
ways of effecting these objectives
must be well thought out. The first
steps would, no doubt, be modest,
but if the effort be inspired by the
true Islmic spirit, the pilgrimage
can, within a matter of years,
become one of the most beneficent
instruments for the promotion of
knowledge, of co-operation, and
of constructive achievement in all
fields. Ultimately it may even serve
to secure the formulation of agreed
policies and the putting into effect
of beneficent projects in every part
of the world. This is an objective
well worth striving for. The spirit
and the occasion are already there;
men of vision and understanding
are needed to harness them for the
service of man, which is the true
service of God.
Visiting Medina
Before or after the pilgrimage, it
is customary for large numbers
of pilgrims to visit Medina, to
supplement their knowledge of,
and association with, the historic
places connected with the life of the
Prophet and with the beginnings of
12

Islm, to revive the memories of the

glories and inspiring events of that
period, and, more particularly, to
express their love for the Prophet
by praying for him at his tomb.
Until recently the journey from
Mecca to Medina was an arduous
one, occupying from eight to twelve
days in either direction. It was
made by camel, which is, under the
best of circumstances, not the most
comfortable or convenient mode
of transport. A few years ago a
macadamized road was completed
through the desert between Jeddah
(port and airport for Mecca) and
Medina, and the journey can now
be made by car in about six hours or
by bus in the course of a day. More
recently, local air services have also
become available. The distance
between Jeddah and Medina is,
roughly, two hundred miles.
Hudaibiyya, where the famous
truce was concluded between the
Prophet and the Meccans, lies
along the road almost half way
between Jeddah and Mecca, a
short distance before the boundary
of the Sanctuary is reached. The
pilgrim proceeding from Jeddah
to Mecca may make a brief stop at
Hudaibiyya or at any other place on
the way. The road from Jeddah to
Mecca is in excellent condition. The

distance, some forty miles, can be

covered by car in about an hour and
a half, and by bus in approximately
two hours. The journey from Mecca
to Medina has to be made by way
of Jeddah, which is the real starting
point for the journey.
Two thirds of the way from Jeddah
to Medina, a short distance to the
left of the road, is the field of Badr,
where the first battle with the
Meccans was fought. This part of
the road runs almost straight and
level through the desert, parallel to
the Red Sea. Beyond Badr and up to
Medina the road winds in and out
of, and around, bare hillocks. There
are many places of historical interest
in and around Medina. There is the
mosque at Quba, the hamlet where
the Prophet stayed for a few days
on his first arrival from Mecca.
There is the mosque in which the
Prophet was leading the service
when the revelation came which
changed the qibla-direction toward
which worshippers face during the
service-from Jerusalem to Mecca
(2:145). There is the graveyard
where most of the early Muslims
are buried, including Uthman, the
third Khalifa; Haleema, the foster
mother of the Prophet; Ibrahim,
the Prophets little son; several
members of the Prophets family
The Pilgrimage

and many of his companions.

There is the battlefield of Uhud, a
few miles east of Medina, where
the second battle with the Meccans
took place, the one in which the
Prophet himself was wounded,
and was at one time thought to
have been killed, and in which his
uncle, Hamza, was killed. Hamza
and those Muslims who were killed
during the battle are buried at
Uhud. Those who were wounded
were taken to Medina, and the ones
who later died from their wounds
are buried in the graveyard at
Medina.
But of course the focal point of
interest is the Prophets mosque, in
the center of Medina. The Prophet
was buried in the chamber in
which he died, and the mosque
was later extended to include the
burial site. Abu Bakr and Umar, the
first two Khalifas, are also buried
here, alongside of the Prophet,
permission having been given by
the Prophets wife Ayesha, to whom
the chamber belonged. The graves
are enclosed within four walls
and the only view of them may
be obtained through a grille in the
southern wall. This is a precaution
both for safeguarding the graves
and also against visitors indulging
in any act or practice which might
savor of ascribing a superhuman
position to the Prophet or to his two
companions buried next to him. The
Prophet abhorred any act that bore
even a semblance of deification,
and he gave repeated expression to
this feeling during his last hours.
A visit to Medina is, like the
pilgrimage
itself,
a
deeply
emotional
experience.
No
ceremonial is involved. The visitor
seeks as many opportunities as may
be available to join in the services
in the Prophets mosque, and also
for supererogatory Prayers therein.
During each visit to the mosque he
The Pilgrimage

prays for the Prophet, adding any

other prayers and supplications
that he may wish, standing as
close to the grille or one of the
walls enclosing the graves as he
can approach, having regard to the
number of other people seeking to
do the same.
At Medina the soul of the visitor
is deeply conscious of the
manifestation of the love of Allh
for Muhammad, His servant and
His Messenger. There he witnesses
throughout the hours of the day
and the night the visible response
of hundreds of thousands, to Gods
command: Allh and His Angels
send blessings on the Prophet. O
ye who believe, do you also invoke
His blessings on him and salute
him with the salutation of peace
(33:57).
The visitor treads the streets and
paths of Medina with his heart and
soul surcharged with love, devotion,
and gratitude to that pre-eminent
Servant of Allh, who dedicated
every moment of his life to the
service of Allh and His creatures
(6:1634).
The
intervening
centuries seem to vanish and the
visitor experiences the feeling that
only yesterday did that gracious
Servant and Messenger of Allh
tread those same paths in humility
and devotion. He, too, is inspired
with the feeling expressed by a
Pakistani poet:
Every path I view with eyes of
love;
Perchance along this one he might
have trod.
This article has been taken from IslmIts Meaning for Modern Man, by
Hadrat Muhammad Zafrullah Khanra
pages 201-218.

Continued from pg. 4...

In short, intercession does not
negate the need for good actions
as is envisaged in the Christian
doctrine of atonementon the
contrary, it encourages virtue and
righteousness.
The Promised Messiahas continues
to say, Praying for someone can
only be helpful if he tries to improve
his condition and establishes
direct communion with God. The
intercession of a Prophet cannot be
of use to one who does not reform
himself. The Promised Messiahas
has taught us to pray, O Allh,
send down Your blessings upon
the Intercessor whose intercession
is accepted by You and who is the
saviour of mankind.
Hudraa further said, Now there
is no Prophet and no Intercessor
for mankind other than the Holy
Prophetsa. So do your utmost to love
this glorious ProphetsaWho has
attained salvation? Only he who
believes truly in God and in the
Holy Prophetsa as the intercessor
between God and mankind. There
is no Prophet like him under the
heavens nor is there a book like the
Holy Qurn.
Hudraa prayed that may Allh
enable us to be among those who
receive Allhs favours and His
blessings. mn.
Continued from pg. 7...
We should have true sympathy for
mankind and free ourselves from
all rancour and ill-will, and keep
moving forward upon the path of
righteousness, preserving our faith
and showing complete obedience.
Closing the sermon, Hudraa
prayed, May Allh enable every
Ahmad to partake of the blessings
of Khilfat, so that this gift remains
with us forever. mn.
13

Introduction to Baiat - Part IV

Hadrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalfatul Mash Vaa
Condition III
That he/she shall regularly offer the five
daily Prayers in accordance with the
commandments of God and the Holy
Prophet Muhammadsa and shall try
his/her best to be regular in offering
the tahajjud and invoking durd on the
Holy Prophet Muhammadsa. That he/
she shall make it his/her daily routine
to ask forgiveness for his/her sins, to
remember the bounties of God and to
praise and glorify Him.
Observe Five Daily Prayers
The first point mentioned in this
condition is that the initiate will
observe five daily Prayers in
accordance with the commandment
of Allh and His Messengersa. The
commandment of Allh is that men
and women as well as children who
have reached the age of ten should
offer Prayers at their appointed
times. Men have been commanded
to establish five daily Prayers in
congregation, to visit the mosques
and inhabit them, and to search
for the Grace of Allh. There is no
concession in the matter of five
daily Prayers. In cases of travel or
sickness, some of the requirements
have been made lenient, for instance
combining Prayers or reducing the
number of rakat. The fact that only
during sickness one is permitted
not to go to mosque to join Prayers
shows the importance of Prayer in
congregation.
14

I will read some excerpts, but I wish

to stress that everyone who takes
the pledge should ponder that
whereas we are making a pledge
to sell ourselves, are we obeying
this explicit commandment of the
Holy Qurn? Every Ahmad has
the duty to remind himself. You
should examine yourself, and
watch your own actions. If we all
start examining ourselves, a great
revolution can be achieved. In the
Holy Qurn Allh says:37
And observe Prayer and give the
Zakt, and obey the Messenger, that
you may be shown mercy. (al-Nur,
24:57)
In surah Ta Ha, verse fifteen it is
commanded:
Verily, I am Allh; there is no
God beside Me. So serve Me,
and observe Prayer for My
remembrance. (Ta Ha, 20:15)
There are numerous other verses in
the Holy Qurn about establishing
Prayer. I will now present one
hadth.
Hadrat Jabirra relates that he
heard the Holy Prophetsa say that,
Neglecting to offer Prayer brings
a man closer to apostasy and
disbelief. (Sahh Muslim, Kitb-ulIman, Babu Bayanit-laqismil- Kufri
Ala man Tarkas-Salah)
The Holy Prophet has said, The
comfort of my eye is in the Prayer.
sa

(Sunan Al-Nasai, Kitbu IshratinNisai, Babu Hubbin-Nisa i)

Hadrat Abu Hurairahra narrates
that the Holy Prophetsa said, The
first thing for which a person would
be called to account is the Prayer.
If he succeeds in this account,
he would be successful and will
attain salvation. If that account is
deficient, he will be ruined and will
be a loser. If there is a shortfall in the
obligatory Prayers, Allh will make
it up from his nawafil. Similarly, all
his other deeds will be accounted
for. (Tirmadh, Kitb-us-Salati, Babu
Inna Awwala ma Yuhasabu bihil
Abdu)
Then it is said in a hadth:
Hadrat Abu Hurairahra has
related that he heard the Holy
Prophetsa saying, Tell me if one
of you had a stream running at
his door and he should take a
bath in it five times every day,
would any dirt be left upon
him? He was answered, No
dirt would be left on him. The
Holy Prophetsa observed, This
is the case of the five Prayers.
Allh wipes out all faults in
consequence of them. (Sahh AlBukhari, Kitbu Mawaqitis-Salati,
Babus-Salatil Khamsi Kaffaratun
Lil Khatai)
The Promised Messiahas says:
Offer the Prayer. Offer the
Prayer. That is the key to all
Introduction to Baiat - Part IV

good fortune. (Izala-e-Auham,

Rhn Khazin, vol. 3, pg. 549,
pg. 829)
He also says:
The essence and spirit of Prayer
lie in supplications. (AyyamusSulh, Rhn Khazin, vol. 14,
pg. 241)
He also says:
So all ye people who count
yourselves as members of my
Jam`at, in heaven you shall
be counted members of my
following only when you truly
begin to advance on the paths
of righteousness. Offer your
five daily Obligatory Prayers
with such concentration and
awe of mind as though you
were seeing God in front of you.
Observe the days of fasting for
the sake of God in full sincerity.
All among you who are liable
for Zakt should never fail
to discharge this important
obligation. And those upon
whom the pilgrimage to Mecca
has become obligatory, without
any obstacles standing in the
way, should duly undertake
that blessed journey. Do all
good deeds with the proper
care they deserve, forsaking
evil from a real repulsion
arising from the heart. Be very
sure that no action, whatsoever,
can take you to God if it is
devoid of righteousness. The
root of everything good is taqwa
[righteousness]; in whatever
action this root is not lost, that
action will never be devoid or
futile. (Kashti-e-Nuh, Rhn
Khazin, vol. 19, pg. 15)
The Promised Messiahas says:
What is the Prayer? It is the
supplication made humbly in
the form of tasbih [glorification]
and tahmid [praise of God],
taqdis
[proclaiming
His
Introduction to Baiat - Part IV

holiness], istighfr [seeking

His forgiveness] and durd
[calling down His blessings on
the Holy Prophetsa]. When you
are occupied with the Prayer,
do not confine yourselves only
to the prescribed Prayers like
heedless people whose Prayer
is all formality and has no
reality behind it. When you
observe the Prayer, besides
the prescribed supplications
taught by the Holy Qurn and
the Holy Prophetsa, you should
set forth your supplications in
your respective vernaculars
so that your hearts may be
moved by your humility and
your earnestness. (Kashti-e-Nuh,
Rhn Khazin, vol. 19, pp. 68
69)
The Promised Messiahas further
says:
The Prayer is so powerful that
the heavens incline towards the
human with it. The one who does
full justice to Prayers feels that
he has died; his soul has melted
and fallen at the threshold
of Allh A house in which
Prayer is offered in this manner
will never face destruction. It is
said in hadth that if Prayer had
been ordained to the people
of Noah, they would not have
been ruined. Hajj is obligatory
but with certain prerequisites;
so is fasting and Zakt. But
the obligation to offer Prayer
has no prerequisites. All other
obligations are discharged
once a year, but the Prayer
is ordained five times a day.
As long as the Prayer is not
performed in accordance with
all its requirements, it does not
earn the blessings that it carries.
Such
allegiance
[without
discharging these obligations]
in not of any benefit. (Malfzt,
2003 ed., vol. 3, pg. 627)

The Promised Messiahas says:

Prayer is obligatory on every
Muslim. It is narrated in hadth
that some people accepted Islm
and submitted, O Prophet of
Allh, please release us from
the obligation of Prayer because
we are traders. Because we tend
to cattle, sometimes we are not
sure about the cleanliness of
our clothes. Moreover, we do
not have the time. The Holy
Prophetsa said, Take heed,
if there is no Prayer, there is
nothing. Faith without worship
is no faith at all.
What is Prayer? To submit
your weaknesses before God
and to seek their solutions
from Him. At times, to stand
straight before him in awe of
His Grandeurready to carry
out His commands. At times,
to prostrate before Him in
complete submission. To beg
from him all that you need. That
is Prayer. To praise Him like a
beggar, to move His Mercy by
narrating His Greatness and
Grandeur, and then asking. A
faith that does not have this
[type of Prayer] is no faith at all.
A man is needy at all times to
seek Allhs pleasure and beg
for His Grace. Only through
His Grace can we accomplish
anything. O Allh, grant us the
ability to belong entirely to You
to stay firmly upon the path of
Your pleasure and thereby earn
Your pleasure. Prayer means
love of God, fear of God, to
always keep Him in mindand
that is what faith is.
So anyone who wants to be freed
from the obligation of Prayer
cannot accomplish anything more
than the animalseating, drinking,
and sleeping. This certainly is not
faith.
15

Condition III
That he/she shall regularly offer
the five daily Prayers in accordance
with the commandments of God
and the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa
and shall try his/her best to be
regular in offering the tahajjud
and invoking durd on the Holy
Prophet Muhammadsa. That he/she
shall make it his/her daily routine
to ask forgiveness for his/her sins,
to remember the bounties of God
and to praise and glorify Him.
This is the way of the disbelievers.
The popular saying, The moment
of heedlessness is the moment of
disbelief is undoubtedly true and
correct. (Al-Hakam, vol. 7, March
31, 1903, pg. 8)
How to achieve
concentration in Prayer?
The Promised Messiahas says [that
a person who derives no pleasure
from Prayer should beg before
Allh]:
Allh the Almighty! Thou
knowest how blind and sightless
I am, and at the moment I am
like the dead. I know that in
a little while I shall be called
and shall present myself before
Thee and no one will be able to
stop me. But my heart is blind
and unenlightened. Do Thou
16

cause to descend upon it such

a flame of light that thereby it
may be inspired with Thy love
and devotion. Do Thou bestow
upon me such grace that I shall
not be raised up sightless and
blind. When he supplicates
in this manner and persists in
the supplication, he will see
that a time will arrive when
something will descend upon
him while he is engaged in such
a Prayer that will melt his heart.
(Malfzt, 2003 ed., vol. 2, pg.
616)
Be Regular in Tahajjud
The third condition stipulates
that one should offer tahajjud
Prayers. Almighty Allh says:
And offer tahajjud with the
recitation of the Qurn in a part

of the night as a
supererogatory
service for thee.
Very soon thy
Lord will raise
thee to an exalted
station.
(Bani
Israil, 17:80)

Hadrat
Bilalra
narrates that the
Holy Prophetsa
said, You should
be very regular
in tahajjud. That
has been the
practice of the righteous ones
in the past and is a means of
attaining nearness to God.
This is a habit that safeguards
against sin, removes blemishes
and safeguards from physical
illness.
(Sunan-ut-Tirmadh,
Kitb-ud-Dawat, Babu Fi Duin
Nabiyy)

In another hadth:
Hadrat Abu Hurairahra has
related that the Holy Prophetsa
said, Our Lord descends every
night to the lowest heaven.
When one-third of the night
remains, Allh says, Who
will call upon Me, so I should
respond to him? Who will beg of
Me, so I should grant him? And
Who will ask my forgiveness,
Introduction to Baiat - Part IV

so I should forgive him? Allh

the Almighty keeps saying so
until dawn breaks. (Musnadu
Ahmadabni Hanbal, vol. 2, pg.
521, printed in Beirut)
Many members of the Community
write letters for prayers. If they
practice this method of prayer
themselves, they will see the
blessings of Allh pouring upon
them.
Hadrat Abu Hurairahra narrates
that the Holy Prophetsa said, Allh
the Almighty says that whoever is
an enemy of My friend, I declare
war on him. My servant can be close
to Me through things that I love
and that I have made obligatory
upon him. By offering nawafil My
servant gets so close to Me that
I start loving him. When I make
him a friend of Mine, I become the
ears with which he hears, the eyes
with which he sees, the hands with
which he holds, and the feet with
which he walks. That is, I fulfil all
that he desires. If he begs of Me,
I provide for him; if he seeks My
protection, I grant him protection.
(Sahh Al-Bukhari, Kitb-ur-Riqaqi,
Babut-Tawadui)
Hadrat Abu Hurairahra has related
that the Holy Prophetsa said, Allh
will have mercy on a man who
gets up at night for his [voluntary]
Prayer and awakens his wife for the
same purpose, and if she hesitates
he sprinkles water over her face to
wake her up. And, Allh will have
mercy on a woman who gets up at
night to offer [voluntary] Prayer
and awakens her husband for the
same purpose, and if he hesitates
she sprinkles water over his face
to wake him up. (Sunano Abi
Dawud, Kitb-ut-Tatawwui, Babu
Qayamil-Laili)
The Promised Messiahas says:
Our Jam`at should make it
incumbent upon itself to offer
tahajjud. Anyone who cannot do
Introduction to Baiat - Part IV

more should make at a minimum

two rakat because he will get
an opportunity to make some
supplications.
Supplications
made at this time have a very
special characteristic because
they are offered with true pain
and eagerness. Until there is
a special pain and heartfelt
agony, how can one wake up
from comfortable sleep? To
wake up at this time creates a
heartfelt pain, which creates
a condition of devotion and
distress, which in turn become
the means of acceptance of
supplication. But someone who
is lax in waking up is obviously
lacking in pain and anguish. But
one who wakes up, obviously
there is a pain that is waking
him up. (Malfzt, 2003 ed., vol.
2, pg. 182)
The Promised Messiahas also says:
Get up at night and supplicate
that Allh the Almighty may
guide you to His path. The
companions of the Holy
Prophetsa also received their
training step by step. What
were they before? They were
like a seed sown by a farmer.
The Holy Prophetsa in turn
watered and prayed for it. The
seed was healthy, and the soil
was fertile. With watering, it
yielded excellent fruit. They
walked the path of the Holy
Prophetsa without hesitation.
They did not wait for day
or night. You should repent
with a true heart. Wake up for
tahajjud. Straighten your hearts.
Leave your weaknesses, and
make your words and deeds
correspond to the will of Allh
the Almighty. (Malfzt, 2003
ed., vol. 1, pg. 28)

Be Very Regular in
Sending Durd Upon the
Holy Prophet Muhammadsa
The third condition also requires
that the initiate shall be ever eager to
send durd upon the Holy Prophetsa.
In this connection Almighty Allh
says in the Holy Qurn:
Allh and His angels send
mercy on the Prophet. O ye who
believe! You also should invoke
blessings on him and salute him
with abundant salutations of
peace. (al-Ahzab, 33:57)
Hadrat Abdullah Bin Amr Bin
al-Asra narrates that he heard the
Holy Prophetsa saying:
When you hear the caller of
adhn, repeat the words that he
is saying. Then invoke Allhs
blessings upon me. He who
invokes Allhs blessing upon
me, Allh will grant him His
mercy ten-fold. Then he said,
Whoever begs Allh that He
may grant me waslah which
is one grade in Paradise, which
Allh will grant to one of His
servants, and I hope that I am
that onemy intercession for
such a person will become
permissible. (Sahh Muslim,
Kitb-us-Salati,
Babul-Qauli
mithli Qaulil Muadhdhini liman
Samiahu Thumma Yusalli Alan
Nabiyy)
Everyone should keep in mind that
in order to win the pleasure of Allh,
to attain His love, and to have our
prayers find acceptance with Allh,
we need the intermediation of the
Holy Prophetsa. The best way to do
thatas we are told in the hadth
is to invoke Allhs blessings upon
him. The Promised Messiahas has
also admonished that durd should
be recited abundantly.
Bless O Allh, Muhammad and his
progeny as You did bless Abraham
and his progeny. Certainly You
17

are Praiseworthy and Glorious.

Prosper O Allh, Muhammad and
his progeny, as You did prosper
Abraham and his progeny.
Certainly You are Praiseworthy
and Glorious.
Hadrat Amir Bin Rabiahra narrates
that the Holy Prophetsa said, A
Muslim who invokes Allhs
blessings upon me will continue
to receive the blessings from the
angels as long as he continues. Let
him, if he wishes, shorten the time
or prolong it.
Hadrat Umar Bin al-Khattabra
says, The supplication remains
suspended between heaven and
earth. Until someone invokes
blessings upon the Holy Prophetsa,
no part of it goes up to be presented
before Allh the Almighty. (Sunanut-Tirmadh, Kitb-ul-Witri, Babu ma
jaa fi Fadlis- Salati Alan Nabiyy)
Hadrat Abdullah Bin Masudra
narrates that the Holy Prophetsa
said, On the Day of Judgement,
the closest to me will be those who
invoke Allhs blessings upon
me most frequently. (Sunan-utTirmadh, Kitb-ul-Witri, Babu ma jaa
fi Fadlis-Salati Alan Nabiyy)
The Promised Messiahas narrates
his personal experience as follows:
Once it so happened that I
was completely absorbed in
invoking Allhs blessing upon
the Holy Prophetsa for a long
period because I was certain that
the paths of reaching Allh the
Almighty are very narrow and
cannot be found except through
the intermediation of the Holy
Prophetsa. As Allh also says:
and seek the way of approach
unto Him(al-Maidah, 5:36)
After a period of time I saw a vision
that two water-men enter my
house, one from the interior side
and the other from the exterior.
On their shoulders they were
18

carrying waterskins filled with

the Divine light. They said: This
is a consequence of the blessings
you invoked upon Muhammadsa.
(Haqiqat-ul-Wahyi, pg. 128, footnote,
Rhn Khazin, vol. 22, pg. 131,
footnote)
Through invoking blessings upon
the Holy Prophetsa it is my
personal experience that, divine
grace in the shape of wonderful
light proceeds in the direction of
the Holy Prophetsa and is absorbed
into his bosom and then issuing
therefrom numberless streams of
it reach everyone deserving them
according to his capacity. Certainly,
no grace can reach anyone without
the agency of the Holy Prophetsa.
Invoking blessings on the Holy
Prophetsa brings into movement his
throne from which these streams
of light issue. He who desires to
obtain the grace of God Almighty
should invoke blessings on him
persistently, so that divine grace
might be brought into motion. (AlHakam, February 28, 1903, pg. 7)
The Promised Messiahas says:
Man is a servant or slave. A
slave is one who carries out all
commandments of the master.
Similarly, if you want to
achieve grace through the Holy
Prophetsa it is essential that you
become his slave. Almighty
Allh says in the Holy Qurn:
Say, O My servants who have
committed excesses against
their own souls! (al-Zumar,
39:54)
Here, slave means an obedient
servant and not a creation. To
become a slave of the Holy
Prophetsa, it is essential to invoke
Allhs blessings upon him, not to
disobey any of his commandments
and to carry out all his injunctions.
(Al-Badr, vol. 2, No. 14, April 24,
1903, pg. 109)
The Promised Messiahas says:

O Allh send down blessings

and peace on him and on his
people proportionate to the
amount of his suffering and
sorrow for the sake of the
ummah and send down upon
him the light of Thy mercy
forever.
(Barakatud-Du,
Rhn Khazin, vol. 6, pg. 11)
Be Regular in Istighfr
The third condition also enjoins
istighfr. Almighty Allh says in
the Holy Qurn: And I said, Seek
forgiveness of your Lord; for He
is the Exceedingly Forgiving. He
will send down clouds pouring
rain for you in abundance, and He
will strengthen you with wealth
and with children, and He will give
you gardens and He will give you
rivers. (al-Nuh, 71:11-13)
Glorify thy Lord with His praise and
seek forgiveness of Him. Surely He
is Oft-returning with compassion.
(al-Nasr, 110:4)
There is a hadth on this subject.
Hadrat Abu Burdah Bin Abi Musara
narrates from his father that the
Holy Prophetsa said, Allh the
Almighty has entrusted me with
two trusts that I must convey to my
ummah in the following verses of
the Holy Qurn: (al-Anfal, 8:34)
But Allh would not punish them
while thou wast among them, and
Allh would not punish them while
they sought forgiveness. Therefore,
when I leave them, I will leave
istighfr with them up until the Day
of Judgement. (Sunan-ut-Tirmadh,
Kitbu
Tafsril-Qurn.
Tafsru
Suratil-Anfal)
Hadrat Ibn-e-Abbasra relates that
the Holy Prophetsa said,
Whoever clings to istighfr (i.e.,
performs it regularly and often)
Allh the Almighty grants him
a way out of all difficulties,
and grants him ease under all
difficulties, and grants him
Introduction to Baiat - Part IV

provisions from ways that he

could not imagine. (Sunano Abi
Dawud, Kitb-ul-Witri, Babun
fil-Istighfr)
The Promised Messiahas says:
istighfr,
which
brings
strength upon the roots of faith,
is mentioned in two ways in the
Holy Qurn. One: to strengthen
the love of Allh in ones heart,
and through the relationship
with Allh, stop the emergence
of sins that arise in privacy
to be engrossed completely in
God and to thereby seek His
help. This is the istighfr of the
elect, who consider it a ruin to
be separated from Allh even
for the briefest of the moments.
They recite istighfr so that
the mercy of Allh may keep
sustaining them.
The second type of istighfr is to
emerge from the bondage of sin
and to flee towards Allh; to try
that, as a tree is firmly planted
in the soil, your hearts should
become completely devoted
to Allh. Your hearts should
thereby be captivated by the
love of Allh and, by attaining
pure nourishment, be saved
from the dryness and decline of
sin.
These two types of istighfr
have been called as such
because ghafara, from which
[the word] istighfr has been
derived, means covering or
suppressing. In other words,
istighfr means that Allh may
suppress the sins of someone
who has immersed himself in
His love and may not permit the
roots of humanness from being
exposed. Rather, He should
grant him a place under the
mantle of His Holiness; and if a
root has been exposed because
of any sin, He should cover it
up again and save it from the
Introduction to Baiat - Part IV

ill-consequences of exposure.
Since Allh is the Source of all
Grace, and His Light is everready to remove all kinds of
darkness, the only way of
discovering the straight path
is that we spread both arms
towards this Fountain of
Purity in fear of this dreadful
condition so that the Fountain
may move towards us with
great force and should carry
away all impurities. There is
no greater sacrifice for pleasing
Allh than to accept death for
His sake and present ourselves
before Him. (Siraj-ud-Din Isai
ke Char Swalon ka Jawab, Rhn
Khazin, vol.12, pp. 346347)
The Promised Messiahas also says:
When one seeks strength
from Allhthat is, does
istighfr[ones] weaknesses
can be removed with the help
of the Holy Spirit and [one] can
be safeguarded from sin like
the Prophets and Messengers.
And if there be someone who
has already become a sinner,
istighfr saves him from the
consequences of his evil deeds,
i.e., from punishment. For no
darkness can stay in the face of
light. But the wrong-doers who
do not do istighfr suffer the
consequences of their misdeeds.
(Kashti-e-Nuh, Rhn Khazin,
vol. 19, pg. 34)
The Promised Messiahas also says:
Some people have an awareness
of sin, others do not. Therefore,
Allh the Almighty has made
istighfr incumbent for all times,
so that one should continue to
seek Allhs protection from
all sinsobvious or hidden,
known or unknown, whether
committed by hand, legs,
tongue, nose, or eyes. These
days the prayer of Hadrat

Adamas should especially be

recited: Our Lord we have
wronged ourselves; and if Thou
forgive us not and have not
mercy on us, we shall surely be
of the lost. (al-Araf, 7:24)
This prayer has already been
accepted. Do not spend your
life in heedlessness. Anyone
who eschews heedless life will
hopefully never be afflicted
with any great misfortune
because such misfortune does
not befall without divine
permission. I was revealed
the following prayer in this
regard: O my Lord, everything
is in your service. O My Lord,
protect me, and help me, and
have mercy on me. (Malfzt,
2003 ed., vol. 2. pg. 577)
Istighfr and Repentance
The Promised Messiahas says: And
that you seek forgiveness of your
Lord, and then turn to Him. (Hud,
11:4) Remember, the Muslims have
been bestowed two thingsone for
obtaining strength and the other
for the practical demonstration of
the strength that has been obtained.
Istighfr is for obtaining strength. It
is also called seeking help. The sufis
have said that as physical strength
and power are fostered through
exercise, in the same way istighfr
is spiritual exercise. Through it, the
soul obtains strength and the heart
achieves steadfastness. He who
desires strength should do istighfr.
Ghafara literally means covering
and suppressing. With istighfr,
man tries to suppress and cover
[those] emotions that keep him
away from God. Thus, the only
meaning of istighfr is that the
poisonous elements that may
well-nigh destroy a man may be
overpowered, and one should
give practical shape to the
commandment of God by avoiding
all obstructions. Remember that
19

Almighty Allh has created two

types of elements within human
beings. One: the poisonous element,
which is activated by Satan. Second:
the remedial element. When
someone is proud and considers
himself to be worth something,
and does not seek help from the
remedial fountain, the poisonous
element gains the upper hand.
But when he considers himself
unworthy and insignificant and
feels within him the need for divine
help, Allh creates a fountain for
him that makes his soul flow. This
is the meaning of istighfr, namely,
to find this strength to overpower
the poisonous element. (Malfzt,
2003 ed., vol. 1, pp. 348349)
Always Express
Gratitude to Allh
The third condition also includes an
injunction to remain ever-thankful
to Allh. In this respect Allh the
Almighty says in the Holy Qurn:
All praise belongs to Allh, Lord of
all the worlds. (al-Fatihah, 1:2)
Then Allh says:
All praise is due to Allh, to
Whom belongs whatever is in
the heavens and whatever is in
the earth. And His is all praise
in the Hereafter; and He is the
Wise, the All-Aware. (Saba,
34:2) Hadrat Abu Hurairahra
has related that the Holy
Prophetsa said, Every matter
of importance that is not begun
with the praise of Allh remains
defective. Another version
is: Every speech that is not
begun with the praise of Allh
is devoid of blessings. (Sunano
Ibn-e-Majah, Abwab-un-Nikah,
Babu Khutbatin-Nikah, Hadth no.
1894. Also Sunano Abi Dawud,
Kitb-ul-Adab, Bab-ul-Hadyi fil
Kalam, Hadth no. 4832)
There is another hadth:
Hadrat Noman Bin Bashirra
20

narrates that the Holy Prophetsa

said from his pulpit, He who is
not grateful for small favours
cannot be grateful for the
bigger ones. He who cannot
be thankful to men cannot
render thanks for the favours
of Allh. To talk about the
blessings of Allh the Almighty
is thankfulness; to not mention
them is ingratitude. (Musnadu
Ahmadabni Hanbal, vol. 4, pg.
278, printed in Beirut)
Hadrat Muadh Bin Jabalra has
related that the Holy Prophetsa
held him by his hand and said,
Muadh, I swear in the name of
Allh! I do love you and counsel
you that you should not miss
supplicating after every Salat.
Allh, help me in remembering
You, and being grateful to
You and worshipping You in
the best manner. (Sunano Abi
Dawud, Kitb-ul-Witri, Babun filIstighfr)
The Promised Messiahas says:
If someone ponders deeply, he
would realise that all praises and
good attributes belong to Allh
the Almighty alone. No human
or other creature deserves
true praise and appreciation.
If one were to reflect without
any tinge of selfishness, one
would obviously discover that
one who creates something,
at a time when it did not exist
nor was there any information
about its existence, such a one
should be worthy of praise.
And [such a one should also be
worthy of praise] who created
necessary means at a time
when nothing existed, nor was
there any information available
about the basic requirement
for creation, sustenance, good
health, and maintenance of
existence. And [such a one
should also be worthy of praise]

who had mercy on a creature

that suffered great misfortune
and who had relieved it from
that misfortune. And [such a
one should also be worthy of
praise] who does not let the
efforts of a hard worker go to
waste and gives full reward to
those who make the effort. Even
though payment of due wages is
a right of the labourer, someone
who makes due payment can
also be a benefactor. All of these
are excellent traits that can
make one worthy of praise and
appreciation.
Now,
ponder
and
you
will recognise that all the
praiseworthy attributes belong
to Allh alone because He alone
possesses all these attributes
in perfection; and nobody else
does. In short, only Allh the
Almighty is perfect in His being
and worthy of praise in an
excellent manner. In comparison
to Him, no one deserves praise
by virtue of its own being. If
someone else deserves praise,
it is only secondary in nature.
This, too, is a Mercy of Allh the
Almighty because even though
He is One, without any partner,
He has included others in those
praises in a secondary sense.
(Roidad-e-Jalsah Du, Rhn
Khazin, vol. 15, pp. 598602)
Giving a general admonition to the
Jam`at, the Promised Messiahas
says:
If you desire that the angels
should praise you in heaven,
then endure beating and be
joyful, hear abuse and be
grateful, experience failure
and do not cut asunder your
relationship with God. You
are the last Jam`at of God, so
practice virtue at its highest
level. Anyone from among
you who becomes slothful will
Introduction to Baiat - Part IV

be cast out of the Jam`at like

a foul thing and will die in
sorrow without having caused
any harm to God. I give you the
good news that your God truly
exists. All are His creatures,
but He chooses the one who
chooses Him. He comes to
the one who goes to Him. He
bestows honour upon the one
who honours Him. So approach
Him with straight hearts and
pure tongues, eyes and ears so
that He may accept you. (Kashtie-Nuh, Rhn Khazin, vol. 19,
pg. 15)
The Promised Messiahas also says:
Dont think that God will let
you go to waste. You are a seed
of the Hand of God which was
sown in the earth. God says that
this seed will grow and flower
and its branches will spread in
all directions and it will become
a huge tree. So blessed is he who
believes in what God says and
does not fear the trials that he
suffers on his way to God. For
the coming of trials is essential
so that God may try you to see
who is true in his declaration of
baiat and who is false. Whoever
slips at a trial, he would do no
harm to God whatsoever and
ill-luck would take him to hell.
Were he not born, it would
have been better for him. But all
those who remain steadfast till
the endthey will be shaken
with quakes of calamities, and
storms of misfortune will batter
them, people will jeer and mock
them, and the world will treat
them with extreme hatred
shall at last come out victorious.
And doors of blessings shall be
opened to them. God addressed
me and said that I should
inform my Jam`at that those
who believe and their belief is
not adulterated with worldly
Introduction to Baiat - Part IV

considerations and is free from

hypocrisy and cowardice and is
such as it does not fall short of
any stage of obedience, these are
the people who are favourites of
God. And God says that these
are the very people who have
a sure footing with their Lord.
(Al-Wasiyyat, Rhn Khazin,
vol. 20, pg. 309)
May Allh the Almighty enable
all of us to hold fast to these
admonitions. May He make us true
Ahmadis and grant us the ability
to be always true to our pledge of
allegiance. May He make us truly
obedient to Allh the Almighty and
His Apostle. May we never commit
anything that blemishes the lovely
Jam`at of the Promised Messiahas.
O Allh! Forgive our mistakes,
conceal our shortcomings, count
us always among those who are
obedient and faithful to You.
Make us hold fast to the pledge of
allegiance. Include us among those
whom You love. Enable our future
generations also to remain true to
the pledge. May we never distance
ourselves from You. Grant us Your
true recognition. O Most Merciful of
all mercifuls, have mercy upon us.
Accept all our supplications. Make
us the inheritors of all the prayers
that the Promised Messiahas made
for those who join his Jam`at.
[From the concluding address
delivered at the Annual Convention
of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam`at,
Germany, on August 24, 2003, in
which fourth, fifth and sixth conditions
of baiat were explained in detail.]
This is a very important subject
and its need is felt in this age
even more. As we move away
from the period of the Promised
Messiahas, we are prone to feel
proud of belonging to the lineage
of a particular Companionra of the
Promised Messiahas, yet we are often
not as conscious of the sacrifices

rendered by our forefathers as we

should be. And, though we have
inherited their genes, the standards
of spirituality have declined. While
it is a natural phenomenon that as
we move away from the period of
Prophethood, some shortcomings
and weaknesses may occur, it is
important to note that progressive
communities do not rest assured by
simply blaming the new conditions
of changed times as the root of
this ill. On the contrary, they keep
striving, trusting in the glad tidings
and prophecies as members of the
Jam`at of the Promised Messiah
and the Mahdias. It is they who will
educate the world in the teachings
of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa.
The condition set forth for us
to achieve this goal is that we
should stand firm in the belief of
the Oneness of God, not only for
ourselves but that we should strive
to make our next generations stand
firm in this belief as well. Now I will
present to you an excerpt from the
writings of the Promised Messiahas
to clarify what he expected of those
who took his covenant of baiat
The Promised Messiahas say:
Seeking forgiveness at my
hands demands a type of death
so that you may be given birth
to a new life. It is purposeless to
take the pledge of baiat without
sincerity of heart. When you
take my pledge of baiat, God
expects an undertaking from
your heart. So the one who
accepts me with a true heart
and truly seeks forgiveness
of his sins, the Forgiving and
Merciful God surely forgives
his sins. Thus he becomes like a
person just born of his mother;
then the angels protect him.
(Malfzt, vol. 3, pg. 262)

21

Purdah: A Divine Security

Measure for Women
Samina Mian

There are many misunderstandings

that surround Islmic teachings,
and a prominent and widespread
example of this is the belief that
Islm aims to oppress women and
forces them to hide behind their
veils. Purdah, especially in Western
society, is regarded as restricting
and backwards; it is seen as a burden
on Muslim women. We, as Ahmad
Muslims, know that this is not true.
Islm is a religion that was revealed
at a time when women were seen as
inhuman and invaluable. Our great
religion taught the unenlightened
people of that time that women also
deserved rights, and it designated
an esteemed position of honour
and dignity for them with the
prescription of purdah. This same
philosophy rings true today; we,
as Ahmad Muslim women, firmly
believe that purdah is a Divine
favour bestowed upon us as a
security measure.
Purdah has been prescribed in
the Holy Qurn as one of many
directives for both men and women.
Therefore, it is the duty of every
Ahmad to practice the greater
Jihd in their daily lives and aim to
follow this commandment of Allh
as mentioned in the Holy Qurn.
Allh the Exalted clearly states in
the Holy Qurn:
And say to the believing
22

women that they restrain

their looks and guard their
private parts, and that they
display not their beauty or their
embellishment except that which
is apparent thereof, and that
they draw their head-coverings
over their bosoms, and that
they display not their beauty or
their embellishment save to their
husbands, or to their fathers, or
the fathers of their husbands, or
their sons, or the sons of their
husbands, or their brothers, or
the sons of their brothers, or the
sons of their sisters, or women
who are their companions, or those
that their right hands possess,
or such of male attendants as
have no desire for women,
or young children who have
not yet attained knowledge of
the hidden parts of women.
And that they strike not their
feet so that what they hide of
their ornaments may become
known. And turn ye to Allh
all together, O believers, that
you may prosper. (The Holy
Qurn, Ch. 24, v. 32)
A common myth is that purdah
involves only the outer physical
covering of a womans body, for
example, by wearing a chador, coat
or burqa. However, the complete
fulfillment of purdah entails much

more than that. In this verse, it

was advocated that believing
women restrain their eyes when
in the company of unknown
men and guard their chastity at
all times. Also, they should not
shamelessly display their beauty
and adornments, whether natural
or artificial. They should be careful
with every aspect of their behaviour
and actions. True and full purdah
occurs when it extends to the mind
and the heart. When men and
women conduct themselves with
propriety and modesty at all times,
especially when in the presence
of each other, the true purpose of
purdah, as prescribed by Allh
and modeled by the Holy Prophet
Muhammadsa, is fulfilled.
In this context, the Promised
Messiahas states:
The Book of God does not
aim at keeping women in
seclusion like prisoners. This
is the concept of those who are
not acquainted with the correct
pattern of Islmic ways. The
purpose of these regulations
is to restrain men and women
from letting their eyes to rove
freely and from displaying
their good looks and beauties,
for therein lies the good both
of men and of women. (The
Philosophy of the Teachings of
Purdah: A Divine Security Measure for Women

Islm, pg.30)
The entire notion of covering and
shielding her beauty from unknown
men is almost futile for a Muslim
woman, if the reasoning behind
the action is not known. The act of
purdah has been deemed necessary
for Muslim women as a means of
protecting them. Falsely interpreted
by Western society, purdah is not
a means of oppressing or limiting
women; rather, purdah has been
prescribed to free Muslim women
from social evils and provide
them with the responsibility of
safeguarding the moral standard
of society. By practicing purdah
in her daily life, a Muslim woman
makes a statement; saying, that
she deserves to be treated with the
utmost dignity and honour; she also
conveys the message that she does
not have to rely on her physical
beauty to have high self-esteem, or
to be successful in all aspects of life.
The Holy Prophetsa and the
prominent women in his life
were exemplary followers of the
conditions regarding purdah. The
wivesra of the Holy Prophetsa were
deemed to set the ideal example
of good behavior for all other
believing women to follow. The
Holy Qurn says,
O wives of the Prophet! You
are not like any other women
if you are righteous. So be not
soft in speech, lest he in whose
heart is a disease, should feel
tempted; and speak decent
words. And stay in your houses
with dignity, and display not
your beauty like the displaying
of the former days of ignorance,
and observe Prayer, and pay
the Zakt, and obey Allh and
His Messenger. Surely, Allh
desires to remove from you all
uncleanness, O Members of
Purdah: A Divine Security Measure for Women

the Household, and purify you

completely. (The Holy Qurn
Ch. 33, v. 33-34)
Although these verses address
the wives of the Holy Prophet
Muhammadsa, they are meant to
be followed by all Muslim women.
They emphasize the difference
between believing and nonbelieving women, and caution the
believing women to speak simply
and in a straightforward manner
that cannot be misinterpreted
to mean anything else. They
also encourage women to stay
in their homes to fulfill their
principal responsibility: the moral
upbringing of their children. Islm
does not prohibit them from going
out to work if necessary, but the
principles of purdah, as mentioned
in these verses, should be applied
in such circumstances.
The Holy Prophetsa was most ardent
in maintaining the segregation of
the sexes, which is a vital aspect of
the concept of purdah. According
to one hadth, Umm Salmahra
reported that she and Maimnahra,
who were both wives of the Holy
Prophetsa, were with him when the
son of Umm Makhtm, who was
blind, came to speak with himsa.
The Holy Prophetsa told his wives
to observe purdah in front of the
visitor. Umme Salamahra said, O
Messenger of Allh, he is a blind
man and will not see us. The
Prophetsa said, He may be blind
but you are not, and do you not see
him? (Sunan Ab Dad, Book 32,
Number 4100)
In Islm, not only women, but
men are also required to practice
purdah. It is the combined effort
of these two groups that creates
an environment of social harmony
and moral stability to be envied by
modern Western society. Allh has

commanded men, in chapter 24,

verse 31 of the Holy Qurn:
Say to the believing men that
they restrain their looks and
guard their private parts. That
is purer for them. Surely, Allh
is Well-Aware of what they do.
This clearly shows that men
and women equally share the
responsibility of observing this
commandment. They should both
restrain their looks when they face
each other, or in other words, they
should observe the purdah of the
eyes.
Our beloved Imm, Hadrat
Khalfatul Mash IVrh, emphasized
this shared responsibility in
his book, Islms Response to
Contemporary Issues. He says:
The Islmic concept of
segregation is only to be
understood in the context
of measures to protect the
sanctity of female chastity
and the honour of women in
society so that the dangers of
violating these objectives are
minimised. Free mixing of both
sexes and clandestine affairs
between men and women are
strongly discouraged. Men and
women are both advised to
abstain not only from casting
covetous eyes at each other, but
to abstain from such visual or
physical contacts as may lead
to uncontrollable temptations.
Women are expected to cover
themselves decently and are
advised not to behave in a
manner as to attract untoward
attention from wayward men.
The use of cosmetics and
ornaments are not forbidden
but they should not be worn
when appearing in public to
attract
attention.
(Islms
Response to Contemporary
23

Issues, pg. 80)

It is clear from this quote that it is the
shared responsibility of men and
women to ensure that the chastity
and the dignity of the woman are
upheld.
We should not think that we are
fulfilling our duty by only teaching
our daughters to practice purdah.
It is our responsibility to also teach
our sons to follow this valuable
commandment. By teaching both
our sons and daughters, we can
ensure that the next generation
continues to reap the benefits of the
blessed concept of purdah.
There is a common complaint from
both Muslims and non-Muslims
that the concept of purdah is
outdated and has no relevance
in todays modern society. They
argue that purdah is prescribed
by an old, backwards religion that
does not understand the workings
of a contemporary society. It is our
duty as Ahmad Muslim women to
clear up this misunderstanding and
teach these objectors that purdah is
our only savior from all of todays
social ills.
Let me give you a present day
example to prove this point. Most
of the sisters are probably aware
of the recent controversy stirred
up by Mr. Jack Straw, a former
British Foreign Secretary. He
alleged that he felt uncomfortable
and ineffective conversing with
someone whose face was covered by
her purdah. The niqb, he claimed,
is a visible statement of separation
and difference. He said that he
would rather the hijb be banned
altogether. What an unbelievable
statement, considering the fact
that Islm is the largest minority
religion in the United Kingdom.
Here, he is entirely ignoring the
24

fact that in the absence of purdah

and segregation of sexes in todays
Western society, significant moral
degradation is taking place.
Women are dehumanized and
degraded and are blatantly and
willingly turned into sex objects.
A staggering $5.7 billion US
worldwide alone is generated
by the pornography industry.
According to the US Department
of Justice, 1 out of every 3 women
has been a victim of physical and
sexual abuse. Also in America, one
woman is raped every 2.5 minutes.
These are alarming statistics. (US
Department of Justice, Bureau of
Justice Statistics, September 2006)
Because women are vulnerable,
Islm advises them to protect
themselves. Islm recognizes that
it is easier to prevent unfortunate
circumstances from taking place in
the beginning rather than having
to deal with them after they have
occurred. Purdah is a physically
manifested barrier to unwanted
harassment.
It is not a disgrace or a hindrance
for a woman; on the contrary, it
honours her and frees her from the
bondage of society and the obstacles
that prevent her intellectual, moral,
and spiritual advancement. Indeed,
by electing to safeguard herself
and her virtues, a woman protects
society from social evils such as
adultery, the spread of sexually
transmitted diseases, children born
out-of-wedlock, rape and divorce.
Regarding the argument that
there is no place for purdah
in contemporary society, our
Promised Messiahas, wrote:
People
are
urging
the
relaxation of purdah in order
to follow the practice of
Europe but this is not at all
appropriate. This freedom for

women is the root cause of evil

and disobedience. Just ponder
over the moral condition of
those countries where this
kind of freedom is tolerated.
If you see a rise in the level of
their purity and chastity as a
result of this freedom, then we
will accept that we are wrong.
However, it is clear that when
men and women have complete
freedom of association with
each other, their relationships
are extremely dangerous and
injurious to society. Casting evil
glances and being overcome
by carnal desires is in mans
nature. If despite purdah, some
succumb to evil deeds and
become disobedient, one can
imagine what would happen
where
freedom
prevails.
(Malfzt, Vol. 7, pg. 134)
In a recent address to Lajna
Imillh UK (Nov 19, 2006), Hadrat
Khalfatul Mash Vaa stressed the
vital importance of purdah for the
security and protection of Muslim
women. Heaa said:
An Ahmad woman must
safeguard her honour and
dignity as this society is everdesirous of taking it from her.
A phenomenon of this society is
the consistent desire to de-clothe
women. Therefore, an Ahmad
woman must be prepared to
defend herself and her faith
against all attacks. Some
women, even though they call
themselves Ahmad, succumb
to inferiority complexes.
Hudraa also said:
Keep in mind that, along with
the headscarf, all remaining
clothing should not be tightfitting or revealing, but should
be loose-fitting. Some nonAhmad Muslim girls have
Purdah: A Divine Security Measure for Women

reacted to the criticisms

against Islm by honouring
the institution of purdah and
they wear the veil, but they do
so by also wearing jeans and
revealing form-fitting blouses.
Such purdah is pointless and
exemplifies hypocrisy as it
defeats the purpose of purdah,
which is to maintain and confer
honour and dignity.

Khalfatul Mash Vaa stressed:

Currently, the attacks leveled
against Islm relate to the issue
of purdah, or the wearing of the
burqa or niqb, in particular.
Although Muslim men can
present countless clarifications
and justifications regarding
the purdah, its real defense can
only come from a God-fearing,
pious and practicing Ahmad
woman. Therefore, instead
of succumbing to complexes
and to allegations that you are
oppressed, demonstrate your
courage by way of your faithful
practice and the strength of
your arguments, to your friends

Indeed, the institution of purdah

must be stressed to our girls. It is
vital for them to understand the
significance of partaking in the act
of purdah. It is their generation that
needs to understand that purdah is
a security measure and it has been
prescribed for their
benefit, not their
An Ahmad
detriment.

adultery and intentional abortions.

In all these cases, it can be seen that
it is the women who are the first
to suffer. Islm offered a solution
to this problem fourteen hundred
years ago. The Islmic veil is not a
hindrance or disgrace to a Muslim
woman. Rather, it frees her from
social obstacles, protects her, and
allows her to focus on talents rather
than her physical appearance. In
reality, it embodies the mercy of
Allh on women.

If the women of todays world can

understand the teachings of Islm
regarding purdah, and realize
the benefits they can gain from
adopting purdah in their daily
lives, and allow
woman must safeguard them to free
themselves from
her
honour
and
dignity
as
this
society
their ill society,
On one occasion,
they
during an MTA
is ever-desirous of taking it from her. A InshAllh,
will soon be
Class for children
phenomenon of this society is the consistent advocating for
on June 9, 1998,
the
adoption
Hadrat
Mirz
desire
to
de-clothe
women...
Some
women,
of
purdah
Thir
Ahmadrh
throughout
the
even though they call themselves Ahmad,
pointed out that
world. Instead
women, especially
succumb
to
inferiority
complexes.
of
purdah
girls, think that
c
o
n
j
u
ring
in this society,
images
of
where purdah is being discarded,
and within your communities. oppression and restriction in the
if they meet their friends with their
Declare that purdah protects minds of others, it will be seen as
veils, their friends will call them
your chastity, dignity and
an institution to be envied and will
backwards, foolish, or mad and say
honour and is not a form of
send messages of honour, freedom,
that this age is beyond purdah. They
imprisonment or oppression. and social harmony between sexes.
forget that dignity and respect is
(November 19, 2006)
Then will society enjoy the bliss of
based on ones character and dress
living under Divine Protection.
As
I
have
mentioned
already,
when
bears no relationship to worldly
honour.
Hudrrh
emphasized we look at todays free society May Allh enable us, as Ahmad
that before observing purdah, all where purdah is discouraged, we Muslim women, to understand the
girls should answer the question visibly see the moral degradation correct Islmic teaching regarding
of whether they care more about and inherent corruption that is purdah, especially the fact that it
Allh or other people. If the answer taking place. In the name of freedom has been commanded to us by Allh
is Allh, then she will not care what and rights, we see the erosion of as a security measure. May Allh
other people think of her. She will morality and spirituality, leading to also provide us with the strength to
be doing everything she can for the the dissolution of society and what adopt it in our daily lives to serve as
are now considered common social a model to be followed by Western
sake of Allh.
ills. We see examples of broken
In this same context, Hadrat marriages, illegitimate children, society. mn.
Purdah: A Divine Security Measure for Women

25

Masjid Mahd Jamaica Summary Report

M. A. Rashid Malik, Project Manager
By the Grace of Allh, the
construction of Masjid Mahdi
Jamaica, the first Ahmadiyya
Muslim mosque in Jamaica has
been completed. The formal
inauguration ceremony took place
on July 10, 2011. A summary report
of the project is as follows.
Project Site
Masjid Mahdi has been built on a
lot of five acres located in the town
of Old Harbour on Highway No A2
which is the main road linking all
major cities and townships on the
south coast of Jamaica to Kingston,
the capital of Jamaica, at a distance
of about 30 kilometers from
Kingston. The land for the mosque
was purchased in May 2010 and
land title was received in January
2011.
Project Design
The project consisting of a mosque,
missionary residence and site works
was designed by the members of
the International Association of
Ahmad Architects and Engineers,
Canada Branch on a voluntary
basis. The following professionals
took part in the design:
Kalim Ahmad,
Architect

Calgary

Malik Muhammad Anwar,

Ottawa - Structural Engineer
Shamoon Rashid, Saskatoon
Electrical Engineer
26

Khalid Omokanye, Calgary

Architectural Designer
Mohammad Atif, Calgary Structural Designer
Mauln Mohammad Sadique
Missionary Jamaica
Muhammad Abdur Rashid
Malik, Mississauga Project
Engineer/ Project Manager
The construction drawings were
done by the local professionals
in Jamaica. The final construction
drawings and building permit were
completed in January 2011.
The mosque has a prayer hall to
accommodate 200 people, an office,
a library, a kitchen and washrooms.
There is a provision in the design to
extend the mosque for another 200
people. The missionary residence
has three bedrooms including one
guest room.
The site works include an eight
feet high security fence around the
premises, a security room at the
main entrance, a parking lot for
40 cars, water and power supply
to the premises, a windmill to
generate 10 kilowatts of power and
landscaping.
Project Construction
The foundation laying ceremony
was held on November 28, 2010,
and was conducted by Mauln
Mubarak Ahmad Nazir shib,

Missionary
In-charge
Jam`at
Ahmadiyya Canada. The ceremony
was attended by a Minister, a
Mayor and many other dignitaries.
Soon after the building permit
was received in January 2011,
the processing of the award of
contract to a suitable contractor
was initiated. Hadrat Khalfatul
Mash Vaa approved construction
of the project in two phases. The
first phase was the construction of
the mosque and site works and the
second phase was the construction
of residence.
The contract for the construction
of the mosque was awarded to a
local construction company and
the work began on February 1,
2011. On May 10, 2011, Hadrat
Khalfatul Mash Vaa also approved
construction of the missionary
residence and the contract was
awarded to the contractor at site.
The work on the construction of the
residence started simultaneously.
By the grace of Allh, the
construction of the mosque was
completed on June 30, 2011, one
month ahead of the scheduled
completion date. The construction
of the residence is also completed
and landscaping work is being
done.
Substantial savings have been
achieved by awarding contracts
directly to the sub trades for many
Masjid Mahdi Jamaica Summary Report

Photos Courtesy of RawalTV

components of the projects. This

saving has been used to build a
two bedroom residence for the
caretaker, a concrete tennis court
which would also be used as a
Jalsa Gah, security lights around
the premises, and an underground
water storage tank with a pump
to automatically start pumping
water in the event of shut down of
municipal water supply.
There is also a provision for one
acre land to plant an orchard and
a community farm where members
of the community will be invited to
plant vegetables for their own and
the mission houses needs. For this
purpose, an irrigation water supply
has also been secured from the
department of agriculture which
has a very low cost as compared to
the drinking water supply.
Inauguration Ceremony
Syedna Hadrat Khalfatul Mash Vaa
appointed Mauln Abdul Wahab
Adam, Amr and Missionary
Masjid Mahdi Jamaica Summary Report

In-charge Jam`at Ahmadiyya

Ghana to represent him for the
inauguration. Lal Khan Malik
Shib, Amr Jam`at Ahmadiyya
Canada, Mauln Mubarak Ahmad
Nazir Shib, Missionary In-charge
Jam`at Ahmadiyya Canada, Amtul
Noor Shiba, Sadr Lajna Imillh
Canada, Shafqat Mahmood Shib,
Sadr Ansarullh Canada, the
representative of Sadr Khuddmul
Ahmadiyya Canada and 15 other
members of Canada Jam`at
including 4 Lajna, represented
Canada Jam`at. Two members of
USA Jam`at were also present.
The team of Rawal TV provided the
coverage of the different events of
the ceremony.
The inauguration ceremony started
with the Friday prayers on July 8,
2011, followed by the first Jalsa
Salana of Jamaica. This Jalsa was
attended by about 100 members of
whom about 80 were the members
of the local Jam`at Ahmadiyya
Jamaica.

The formal inauguration ceremony

was held on July 10, 2011, attended
by about 300 people including His
Worship Keith Hinds, Mayor the
City of Portmore, St. Catherine,
a local church group and local
dignitaries. Mauln Abdul Wahab
Adam shib, Lal khan Malik
shib, Mauln Mubarak Ahmad
Nazir Shib, the Mayor and the
representative of a local church
addressed the audience.
By the Grace of Allh, this ceremony
was a success and the audience
were very pleased to listen to the
speeches, having seen a new face of
Islm (the true Islm).
The members of the Jam`at are
requested to pray for all those who
volunteered for the construction of
this house of Allh, and pray that
this mosque may be a source of
blessings for the members of the
Jam`at in Jamaica and for the
propagation of Islm.
27

Run for Vaughan 2011

Farhan Khan

By the Grace of Allh, the 7th annual

Run for Vaughan was a tremendous
success. This years event was held
on Sunday May 29, 2011 at the
Baitul Islm Mosque in Maple.
Despite the poor weather forecast,
calling for both high winds and
rain, we had the highest ever
attendance and were blessed with
good weather.

and the Carpenters Union. We

also had many new sponsors
approach us, including Wal-Mart,
Bank of Montreal and Canadas
Wonderland, who intend to
expand their support in upcoming
runs. Securing these new corporate
sponsors will enable us to continue
to grow into one of the premiere
runs in Toronto.

The Run for Vaughan attracted 1,100

participants, 550 of which were
non-Ahmad. This is a remarkable
number, and reflects how this run
has grown into an event that is
respected in the racing community
and by local residents. All the
feedback we have received reflects
how positively the residents feel
about the community work that we
accomplish at our mosque.

The excitement of the Run was also

evident within the Lajna, Ansr,
and
Khuddm
organizations.
Sustained registration drives were
set up at the Baitul Islm mosque
in the weeks leading up to the Run.
The participation this year was
unprecedented, and all of the top
fundraising prizes were awarded
to Ahmad brothers and sisters,
including iPads, iPods, and Kobo
eReaders. The top fundraisers all
used their personal and business
connections to achieve their
personal fundraising goals.

Over $50,000 was raised at this

years event, increasing our total
contribution to the hospital to over
$350,000. This is an incredible
success, making us the second
largest fundraiser for the
hospital.
The growing support of the
run has not gone unnoticed by the
business community. It is clear that
the Run for Vaughan will continue
to be the premiere event in support
of Vaughans future hospital. This
year we were happy to welcome
back our Corporate Partner RBC,
and lead sponsors Power Stream
28

The run itself went very

smoothly
with
the
help
of
nearly
1 5 0
volunteers, including Khuddm,
Lajna, and local residents. The
runners were pleased with the
abundance of water stations and
welcoming volunteers.

Mario Iozzo won the 10 kilometre

race in a time of 34:57, for the 6th
straight year. Mario returns yearafter-year because he enjoys our
hospitality and says it is a well
organized race.
The 3 kilometre race was dominated
by young Khuddm who took the
top 5 spots, and was won by Ali
Irfan of Peace Village in a time of
9:54, for the second year in a row.
Ambreen Khan of Vaughan East
Jam`at also finished in the top-3
overall women, which she has done
for the last 3 years.
The childrens carnival was a huge
success, with plenty of games, pony
rides, and snacks for everyone.
We are honoured to have had
in attendance the Honourable
Maurizio
Bevilacqua,
Mayor
of Vaughan; Michael DiBiase,
Honourary Chair of the Run for
Vaughan and Regional Councillor
of Vaughan; Greg Sorbara Member
of Provincial Parliament; along
with Vaughans entire City Council.
Improvements and planning for
next years Run have already
begun, and our corporate
partners are all very excited.
InshaAllh we will continue
to receive Allhs blessings and
spread the kind words of Islm to
all Canadians.
Run for Vaughan 2011

A Success Story & Role Model for

Ahmad Immigrants:
His Worship Justice of the Peace Abdul Malik
Major Abdul Hafeez Khalifa

Sometimes immigration can be

regarded as a synonym for success!
Many of us have heard of a
number of success stories of new
immigrants. Sometimes we may
even ask ourselves, Do we know
them? Have we ever met such people
who have shown determination
and resilience against all odds
when they migrate and set their
feet on the soil of a new country in
pursuit of fulfilling their dreams of
seeking peace, justice and freedom
of conscious and religion?

Science from Florida International

University. He specialised in the
hospitality sector and managed
and owned several businesses in
Pakistan and Canada.
Since his arrival in Canada, Major
Abdul Malik has whole heartedly
remained
involved
in
local
community activities and made
substantial contribution towards its
progress.

In this issue we want to present

one such example of an immigrant
to Canada whose success story
may provide hope to our new
immigrant, showing them that
they too can, by the Grace of
Allh, achieve their goals through
a pragmatic approach, persistent
hard work and sustained effort.

He was a member of York Regional

Police Chiefs Civilian Advisory
Liaison Committee, for fifteen
years. He also served as a member
of the Drug Abuse Council, an
Ontario Provincial Governments
funded project. He remained the
President of Richmond Hill Jama`t
for approximately nine years.
Similarly, he was the first elected
president of the entire Peace Village
when it was a single unit.

Justice of Peace Abdul Malik

migrated to Canada in 1988 with
the permission of Hadrat Khalfatul
Mash IVrh. In 1962, he began his
career in the Pakistan Army. He held
various distinguished command
army staff assignments during his
services. He received a Bachelors
of Arts from the Pakistan Military
Academy and post graduation
from Command and Staff College,
Quetta. After an early retirement
as Major in 1980, he continued his
studies and obtained Bachelors of

Later on, he was elected a member

of National Majlis mila (National
Executive) as Secretary Umr
mm for seven years. In 2001,
during his tenure, he reorganized
the department of National Majlise-Sehat. In the same year, through
his sheer dedication and initiative,
the 10K Run for Vaughan was
organised by the Jam`at. Presently,
this event has gained substantial
momentum and enjoys popular
support among all communities,
businesses, and other institutions

A Success Story & Role Model for Ahmadi Immigrants

in the city of Vaughan.

Since 2001, the charity has raised
and donated a total of $350,000.00
to the city of Vaughan as seed
money for the construction of
proposed Hospital for the City of
Vaughan in proximity of National
headquarters, Baitul Islm. He also
remained Nib Afsar Jalsa Slna,
Hospitality Department.

Continued on pg. 30...

29

Announcements
Drought in Africa
The holy month of Ramadn cultivates the believer
in almost every area of his spiritual life. Among other
things, we learn through personal experience about
what hunger, poverty, loneliness and discomforts
mean to the less fortunate sections of the society.
In this holy month, we should remember all those that
are in discomfort. The current situation in Africa is
heart pinching. While we open our fast with the luxury
of various meals and clean drinking water, we should
remember those who are dying for a drop of water and
a grain of food.
On a daily basis, the media is reporting deaths due to
severe drought in North East Africa. Over 11 million
people are facing severe food and water shortages.
Refugees from Somalia have been trekking for days
to get to refugee camps. In some parts, 60% of cattle
have perished. There are major concerns that the most
vulnerable children and elderly will not survive the
latest crisis. Hundreds are dying every day in the
camps.
Syedna Hadrat Khalfatul Mash Vaa has instructed
Humanity First to carry out relief work in East Africa.
Humanity First Volunteers including 20 women and
50 men from Kenya are helping in the affected areas
and are distributing food parcels to refugees.
I urge the members of Jam`at to donate to Humanity
First for the relief efforts of the Africa drought.
During the month of Ramadn Humanity First is
organizing various Iftr Fund-raising events, members
are encouraged to attend these events and donate
generously.
May Allh enable us to help those in need and may
Allh eliminate the suffering of humanity throughout
the world. mn.
Wassalam,
Lal Khan Malik
Amr Jam`at Ahmadiyya Canada

Wedding
By the Grace of Allh, on April 29 2011, Mr. & Mrs.
Waseem Ahmad shib of Brampton Jam`at held a
wedding reception for their daughter Hiba-tul-Jameel
shiba with Mahmood Mirza shib, son of Mr. &
30

Mrs. Munawar Mirza shib of Toronto East Jam`at.

The wedding reception was held at Paradise Banquet
Hall. The walma reception was held on May 1st, 2011
at Woodbine Banquet Hall. After recitation from the
Holy Qurn, Lal Khan Malik shib, Amr Jam`at
Ahmadiyya Canada, prayed for the success of this
marriage. May Allh bless this marriage and both
families. mn.

Birth
By the grace of Allh, on May 22, 2011, Adam
Alexander Schram and Sidra Abid of Hamilton South
were blessed with their first child. Hudraa graciously
suggested the name Haala, and the baby was named
Haala Tahira Abid-Alexander and is part of the Waqfe-Nau scheme, Alhumdulillh. Haala is the grand
daughter of Ghulam Ahmad Abid and Zahida Qudsia
of Hamilton South. May Allh bless Haala with health
and a pious life. mn.

corrigendum
In the May/June 2011 issue of the Ahmadiyya Gazette
Canada. The following correction should be noted in the
article titled, The Adversaries of Khilafat Ahmadiyya
and Their Fate by Mauln Mirza Muhammad Afzal.
On page 24, it is written, In 1987, Hadrat Mirza Tahir
Ahmadrh addressed the situation in his sermon on
Friday, August 12... You will not be able to escape His
punishment, there is now no way back. Five days later,
on August 17, 1987 Zia ul Haq was killed and torn into
pieces.
The year in both instances should be 1988 instead of
1987. We apologize for this error.
Continued from pg. 29...
He was appointed as Justice of Peace within the
province of Ontario and was sworn in by Associate
Chief Justice/Coordinator for the Justice of Peace,
Province of Ontario Honourable Donald A. Ebb
on July 11, 2007 and was assigned to the Newmarket
Court House.
Members of the community are requested to
pray for him that he may continue performing his
responsibilities with due diligence and serve the
community in its best interest. May Allah grant him
fortitude, foresight and strength. Amn.
Announcements

Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association Canada

breaks Guinness world record
to show good will towards humanity
On July 16th, 2011, at the occasion of the 24th Annual National Majlis Khuddmul Ahmadiyya Ijtim`, a special
and unique Tablgh program was organized to spread the peaceful and loving message of Islm by building
the worlds largest human smiley face.
Along with the smiley face was a banner stating the Jam`at motto, Love for all, Hatred for none. The previous record was set on June 30, 2011 with 2,226 participants. By the grace of Allh, Ansr, Khuddm and Atfl
came together to form the smiley face and set a new record of 2,961 participants.
While we reach to Canadian society with interfaith dialogue and other religious events, breaking this world
record is one way to dispel myths about Islm and present its peaceful face to the World.
- Lal Khan Malik, Amr Jam`at Ahmadiyya Canada
Announcements

31

Instruction from
Hadrat Khalfatul Mash Vaa
During his Friday Sermon on December 3, 2010, our beloved Imm,
His Holiness Khalfatul Mash Vaa gave the following instruction.
I would especially like to draw the attention of Jamat members
in all parts of the world, towards praying for our brothers who are
persecuted, and are caught in troubles and hardship. At the very
least every Ahmad is to offer 2 nafl daily solely for these people
who are suffering any type of pain due to Ahmadiyyat, who are
deprived from their civil and religious rights due to unjust laws.
Similarly, pray especially for the progress of Jam`at Ahmadiyya.
If every Ahmad fully presents his hearts distress to Allh the
Exalted in advance, then he will witness how Allh will look upon
him with love. More than before, Allh the Exalted will take him
in His refuge.

- Al-Fadl Rabwah, December 14, 2010

Nay, Allh is your Protector, and He is the Best of helpers.

l-e-`Imrn Chapter 3 Verse 151

O our Lord! Pour forth upon us steadfastness

and make our steps firm, and help us against the
disbelieving people. (2:251)

O our Lord! Let not our hearts become perverse after

you have guided us; and bestow on us mercy from
Yourself; For surely you are the great Bestower. (3:9)

32

O Allh! We make You a shield against the enemies and

we take refuge in You from their evils.

I seek forgiveness from Allh my Lord, for all my sins

and turn to Him in all sincerity.

Holy is Allh and worthy of all praise, Holy is Allh the

Great. O Allh, bestow Thy blessings on Muhammadsa
and the people of Muhammadsa.

Instruction from Hadrat Khalfatul Mash Vaa

as

Aina Kamlt Islm

Al-Balgh Ya Faryad-e-Dard
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Anjm-e-tham
Anwrul-Islm
Arbain
ryah Dharam
smn Faisla
Ayym-us-Sulh
Barhn-e-Ahmadyya
Barakt-ud-Du
Chashma-e-Marifa
Chashma-e-Masih
Dyul-Haq
Eik Ghalati Ka Izla
Fateh-Islm
Hammat-ul-Bushra
Haqiqatul-Mahd
Haqiqatul-Wah
Hujjatul-Islm
Hujjatullh
Ijz-e-Ahmad
Ijzul-Mash
Islm Usl K Philosoph
Ismat-e-Anby
Istift
Itmmul-Hujjah
Izal-e-Auhm
Jalsa-e-Ahbb
Jang-e-Muqaddas
Karmatus Sdiqn
Kashf-ul-Ghat
Kisht-e-Nh
Khutbah Ilhmyyah
Dfiul-Bala Darratul-Imm
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2011