RR200803

MANAGEMENT BOARD CONTENTS March 2008, Vol.103, No.
03
Mr Munir-ud-din Shams (Chairman)
Mr Mansoor Shah (Secretary) KHILAFAT CENTENARY SPECIAL EDITION NO.6
Mr Naseer Ahmad Qamar
Mr Mubarak Ahmad Zafar LOVE FOR ALL, HATRED FOR NONE
Mr Mirza Fakhar Ahmad
Mr. Abdul Baqi Arshad
THE LIFE OF
HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH III(ru)
CHIEF EDITOR AND MANAGER (compiled by Sarah Waseem – UK)
Mansoor Ahmed Shah
BEFORE KHILAFAT
Memorisation of the Holy Qur’an, MA (Oxon)
EDITORIAL BOARD and various posts held by him. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Bockarie Tommy Kallon
Fareed Ahmad ELECTION AS KHALIFA
Fazal Ahmad Khalifatul Masih III’s(ru) maiden address. . . . . . . . . 7
Mansoor Saqi
Sarah Waseem.
Tanveer Khokhar SIGNIFICANT APPEALS
Fadli Umar Foundation, guesthouses, publications,
Waqf-i-Ardi, inauguration of mosques, Nusrat
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS Jahan Scheme, Ahmadiyya Centenary Fund. . . . . . 11
Amatul Hadi Ahmad
Farina Qureshi CONFERENCE ON DELIVERANCE FROM
PROOFREADERS
THE CROSS
Abdul Ghany Jahangeer Khan Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih III’s
Shaukia Mir address at the London Conference in 1978. . . . . . . 18
DESIGN AND LAYOUT HISTORICAL TRIP TO SPAIN:
Tanveer Khokhar LOVE FOR ALL, HATRED FOR NONE
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III’s aspiration about
DISTRIBUTION Spain.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Muhammad Hanif
PUBLISHER
1974: ANTI-AHMADI HOSTILITIES
Al Shirkatul Islamiyyah Majlis Ahrar and Maududi’s attempts to halt the
progress of the community. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
All correspondence should be
forwarded to the editor at:
IMPACT OF KHILAFAT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
The Review of Religions
The London Mosque SOME CHERISHED MEMORIES
16 Gressenhall Road By Majeed Sialkoti (UK). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
London, SW18 5QL
United Kingdom DIVERSITY IN HUMAN NATURE
Email:
By Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru).. . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
reviewofreligions@gmail.com
© Islamic Publications, 2008
ISSN No: 0034-6721 COVER PHOTO: © Makhzan-e-Tasaweer, 2008
The Al-Aqsa Mosque in Rabwah, Pakistan, which was
Views expressed in this publication are not inaugurated by Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) on 31
necessarily the beliefs of the Ahmadiyya
Muslim Community
March 1972. The mosque can accommodate 150,000
worshippers.
Hadhrat Hafiz Mirza Nasir Ahmad(ru)
(1909 – 1982)
2 The Review of Religions – March 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru)
BEFORE KHILAFAT
Early life his friend on 26 September 1909
On the death of the King that God had informed him that
Messiah, his kingdom would He would give him a son who
pass, according to the Talmud, to would strengthen the fabric of
his son and then after him, to his Islam.
grandson. In his book Haqiqatul
Wahi,(1) the Promised Messiah(as), ‘God has also told me that He
thanks God for granting him four shall bestow a son unto me
sons and the promise of the birth who will be a Nasir (Helper)
of a grandson at a future date. of the faith and devoted to the
The words of the prophecy speak service of Islam’(2)
of “Yahya” and the Promised
Messiah(as) thought that he would Mirza Nasir Ahmad’s early edu-
be bestowed a long life. Yahya(as) cation was both religious and
was taught the word of God at an secular. By 17 April, 1922, under
early age. The much awaited the directions of his revered
prophecy was fulfilled when father, this grandson of the
Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Promised Messiah(as) had com-
Mahmud Ahmad(ra) the son of the mitted to memory all 114
Promised Messiah(as) and the chapters of the Holy Qur’an from
Second Khalifa of the beginning to end, thus becoming
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community a Hafiz at the very early age of
was granted a son on 16 only 13. Hadhrat Khalifatul
November, 1909. He was named Masih II(ra) placed great emphasis
Mirza Nasir Ahmad. on the acquisition of religious
education. In pursuance of that
Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din goal, Mirza Nasir Ahmad was
Mahmud Ahmad, later elected as enrolled at the Madrasa
Khalifatul Masih II(ra) wrote to Ahmadiyya, Qadian, from where
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6 The Review of Religions – March 2008 3

HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA): BEFORE KHILAFAT
he qualified as Maulawi Fadhil ‘He impressed his college

(theological and oriental studies professors as a very well-
at the level of High Proficiency) behaved and deep-thinking
in July 1929. After this, he went student. During his sub-
through formal English sequent visit to this country
education and by 1934 he he called at one of these
obtained his Bachelor of Arts professors’ residence and was
Degree from the Government warmly welcomed by him.
College, Lahore. The professor told other
members of the community
On 5 August, 1934, his marriage that he had [Mirza Nasir
took place with Hadhrat Ahmad] seen signs of
Sayyidah Mansoora Begum leadership in this young
Sahiba, a grand-daughter of the student and was certain that
Promised Messiah(as) and the he would be a leader amongst
eldest daughter of Hadhrat his people one day. Little did
Nawab Mubaraka Begum Sahiba he realise how right he was.
and Nawab Muhammad ‘Ali He kept regularly in touch
Khan Sahib of Malerkotla. She with his parents and kept
was about two years younger them informed about his
than Mirza Nasir Ahmad. On 6 educational progress’(3)
September, 1934, a month after
marriage, he proceeded for In November 1938, he returned
postgraduate studies to England to the town of his birth, Qadian
where he remained till November (India), where he was appointed
1938. a professor at the Jamia
Ahmadiyya, the missionary
In England, he obtained his theosophic training college of the
Honours (Oxon) degree of the Ahmadiyya Movement. In 1939,
University of Oxford at Balliol he took over as the Principal of
College, Oxford, and later this college. From May 1944 to
became Master of Arts of the November 1965, he was the
University of Oxford. Principal of the Ta‘lim-ul-Islam

College, more popularly known served as the Naib Sadr of Majlis

as T.I. College, first at Qadian, Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya.
then at Rabwah.
On 16 November, 1947, follow-
‘His students remember him ing the partition of lndia and
as a tough disciplinarian, Pakistan, he moved along with
gracious, generous and other family members from
benign at times and a source Qadian to Pakistan to settle in
of encouragement and Rabwah, the Ahmadiyya
inspiration to others. A Community’s new headquarters
master of Arabic, theology, established in 1948
arts, science, etc., he com-
manded sincere respect From June 1948 to June 1950,
among the college professors Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad
and the students who went served as a member of the
through the classrooms, committee of the Furqan
corridors and playing fields Battalion composed of young
of the college year after Ahmadis dedicated to the
year.’(4) security of Kashmir.
For a number of years he also In 1953, the Ahrar movement

served as a member of the unleashed a plot of civil unrest
governing body of the Punjab and riots in bitter opposition to
University. the Ahmadiyya Movement.
Mirza Nasir Ahmad was
Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad imprisoned briefly and on 28
served as Sadr (President) of the May 1953, his release was
Central Majlis Khuddam-ul- obtained.
Ahmadiyya from February 1939
to October 1949, and from In a Friday sermon delivered in
October 1949 to November 1973, he referred to the
1954, while Hadhrat KhalifatuI disturbance saying:
Masih II(ra) was the Sadr, he

‘The disorders of 1953 Anjuman Ahmadiyya of Pakistan

brought about such humil- (the central administrative body
iation upon these people that that handles all matters relating to
if they had any sense at all, Pakistan, including at that time
they would never mention what is presently called
1953 again. The Ahmadiyya Bangladesh) and up to his election
community saw great signs of as KhalifatuI Masih, he remained
the support and help of God at that post.
during those disturbances, and
in consequence of all that
happened then, Allah the References:
Exalted, through His Grace 1. Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Ruhani
and Mercy, greatly fostered Khaza’in, Vol.22.
the Community. For us,
therefore, 1953 proved a 2: Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II,
blessed period which put the Tarikh Ahmadiyyat, Vol. IV,
Community on a course of p.320.
very rapid progress during
which it scaled many heights 3. Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III.
both from the point of view of A brief history of his life
discipline and propaganda and before his 161⁄2 year Khalifat,
of numbers.’(5) Muslim Herald. July 1982.
4: Ibid.
In 1954, he was elected as Sadr
Majlis Ansarullah, an organi-
5: Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru)
sation established by Hadhrat Summary of Address (Friday 4
Khalifatul Masih II(ra)for the May, 1973).
education and social support of
male members of the community
over the age of 40 years.
In May 1955, Hadhrat KhalifatuI

Masih II(ra) appointed him as Sadr

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru)
ELECTION AS KHALIFA
Hadhrat KhalifatuI Masih II(ra) had votes were cast and Hadhrat
established during his lifetime, a Sahibzada Mirza Nasir Ahmad,
selection committee or electoral eldest son of Hadhrat KhalifatuI
college as well as defined rules for Masih II(ra) was elected as the new
the election of a Khalifa with the Khalifa by an overwhelming
Majlis Mushawarat (Advisory majority vote. All the members of
Committee) comprising of the committee entered afresh into
representatives of various Jama’ats. covenant of allegiance on the
blessed hand of Hadhrat Mirza
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra), the Nasir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih III.
Musleh Mau’ood, passed away, He made a brief address and then
aged 77, after 52 years of Khilafat all those who were outside the
on the midnight of 7 and 8 Mubarak mosque (numbering well
November, 1965. Accordingly, on over 5000) took the oath of
the demise of the Second Caliph at allegiance. He then led the funeral
7.30 p.m. after Isha prayers, on 8 prayers of his father at 4.45pm on 9
November 1965 at Masjid November 1965.
Mubarak, Rabwah, a meeting of
Majlis Intikhab (the Electoral The first address by Hadhrat
College) was held under the Hafiz Mirza Nasir Ahmad
chairmanship of Hadhrat Mirza Khalifatul Masih III(ru)
Aziz Ahmad, Executive Director, After the recitation of Kalima
Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya. Shahada and Surah Fatiha, Hadhrat
KhalifatuI Masih III(ru))recited the
First, all the members of the pledge and then said:
Electoral College pledged their
allegiance to the institution of ‘This is a pledge that I have
Khilafat according to the pre- repeated in front of you with
established rules. Then persons solemn resolve and keeping
were proposed and seconded and Allah in view as if I am in His

HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA): ELECTION AS KHALIFA
presence, with total conviction me that in spite of being a

that He is the Knower of the recipient of countless blessings
unseen; with the conviction that and bounties, our beloved
cursed is the person who Imam, the Promised Messiah(as),
resorts to deception. addressing Allah the Almighty,
said about himself:
I will continue to try my utmost
to call unto the way of Allah “Oh my Beloved! I am a worm
and I will treat all in a goodly lowly as dust, not the son of
manner. Adam”
As you have placed a very When our beloved Imam

heavy responsibility upon me, I addresses his God in these
trust that you will continue to words ‘as lowly as dust’ I hold
help me with your prayers and no comparison in rank before
counsel so that Allah the him. At the same time it crossed
Almighty grants this worthless my mind that no doubt I am
and humble man, the capability worthless and my state is no
necessary for the propagation more than dust that holds no
of faith and establishment of the value, but if Allah the Almighty
unity of God and out of His wills He can grant light to the
Grace and Mercy instills that worthless dust and He can instil
heavenly light in my heart and that energy and power which no
teaches me the things which a one can imagine; and He can
human being cannot learn by grant such quality and such
himself. shine which is not possessed by
gold and diamonds.
I have little knowledge. I am
incapable. I possess no I do not have the words with
strength, and have no which to express my weak-
knowledge. When my name was nesses. So help me with your
proposed my whole being shook prayers. I will try my best to do
and my mind questioned my good to each one of you. There
worth. Then the thought struck can be differences amongst us

brothers, but differences should to him that I assure you that no

not become a source of disunity member of the family of the
or creating factions or unrest in Promised Messiah(as) can ever
the community. sacrifice the interests of the
Jama’at for personal gain.
When Hadhrat Khalifatul Every member of the family of
Masih II(ra) passed away and the Promised Messiah(as)
even after that, every member belongs to God, belongs to the
of the family of the Promised Promised Messiah(as) and
Messiah(as) made the solemn belongs to the Community.
pledge that they would not There will be no weakness or
allow any discord to take place discord by us.
in the community . They would
make whatever sacrifice is Therefore this responsibility
needed but would not allow that has been placed on my
personal interest to override the shoulders now by Allah the
interests of the Jama’at in any Almighty and for which you
way. The interests of the have elected me, I am too weak
Jama’at will always remain [to shoulder this responsibility]
paramount in all for it and therefore it is your
circumstances. duty that you help me with
prayers that Allah the Almighty
Sayyidna Hadhrat Khalifatul grants me the ability to
Masih II(ra) was granted discharge my responsibility
extraordinary success by Allah fully and there are no hurdles in
the Almighty and he fulfilled the path of service and the
with excellence the task preaching and spread of faith;
entrusted to him by the on the contrary with the Grace
Almighty. Now it is our duty and Mercy of Allah the
that we do not allow any Almighty may our services
weakness to set in. continue to grow and flourish
until Islam is victorious as the
In this regard yesterday a friend true faith over all false
wanted to speak to me but I said religions.

You will find me sympathetic not know what overcame me but

and caring because that is how I did not sit with these children.
Hadhrat Musleh Mau’ood The result was that Hadhrat
Khalifatul-Masih II(ra) has Amma Jan(ra) did not offer me
trained us. I was young and any food until the evening when
have now reached an age when I asked her personally and then
we felt that it was his wish that ate.
his children become a source of
good for mankind. No body There was a lesson that those
should suffer any difficulty whom the world calls orphans
because of them. This desire is and helpless, the true servants
expressed in the verse of Allah understand that it is
their duty that they safeguard
‘My Lord! Make it so that eyes them and become their
only discern good (in them).’ carers.(1)’
Then, the mother I had, under So in 1965 at the age of 56 years,

whose supervision I was Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru)
brought up i.e. Hadhrat Ama succeeded as the third Khalifa of
Jan, Nusrat Jahan Begum the Ahmadiyya Muslim
sahiba(ra) (wife of the Promised Community.
Messiah(as)) whose training was
such that no expert psychologist
could match her quality.
References :
To cite an example, I remember 1. Daily Al-Fazl, 17 November,
that she had two orphans, a 1965.
brother and sister whom she
brought up. She washed them,
dressed them and removed their
head lice. I still remember that
room where food was served.
Hadhrat Amma Jan(ra) made the
children sit next to herself. I do

SIGNIFICANT APPEALS
Fadl-i-’Umar in a short span of time, members
One of the first initiatives of contributed Rs. 3.4 million towards
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) the capital of the foundation.
was an appeal on December 21st,
1965 for the establishment of the The purpose of the Foundation was
Fadl-i-Umar Foundation in to honour the loving memory of
memory of the Second Caliph. the late Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-
Din Mahmud Ahmad(ra) by
The role of the Foundation was not promoting an understanding of the
to take over or intervene in the Qur’an through his commentaries;
exercise of any function that had reading his books; speeches on
been allotted to any of the existing various topics; comprehending the
institutions or departments of the depth of his poetry; reading his
Movement, but instead, it could be biography and viewing his
called upon to render aid or photographs; and, learning about
assistance in carrying out any the schemes he launched and the
project which the department programmes he started.
concerned was unable to put
through for lack of adequate One of the projects started was for
personnel or resources. stimulating the intellectual capa-
cities of those members of the
An appeal was made to the Movement who were interested in
Community to provide two and a scholastic pursuits. It was
half million rupees (equivalent announced that five awards would
GBP £125,000 at historic exchange be made every year to the value of
rate, £1=20PKR) as the capital of one thousand rupees to each
the proposed Foundation, the scholar who would prepare and
income of which would be utilised submit to the Foundation a thesis
by the Foundation for the on any of the diverse intellectual
achievement of its purposes. The topics specified by the Foundation,
project got off to a flying start and which in the estimation of the

SIGNIFICANT APPEALS
Foundation gave proof of high Fadl-i-Umar Foundation not only

intellectual endeavour. paid for the building but the cost of
the furniture and the books.
With the development of Rabwah
as the Headquarter of the Guesthouses
Movement, the need of an ade- With the opening of new Missions
quate library became apparent. In of the Community, and the
1952, Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih proliferation of its branches across
II(ra) directed during the Majlis the globe, the number of members
Mushawarat that his library and the in foreign countries visiting
central library of Sadr Anjuman Rabwah in all seasons of the year,
Ahmadiyya into one library. The but more particularly on the
Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya had not occasion of the Annual Conference
been able to make financial in the last week in December, had
provision for the housing of such a grown. The Tahrik Jadid had built
library and so the Foundation came a modest guesthouse simul-
forward with the offer that it would taneously with the construction of
undertake the construction of the its offices, which was maintained
building and other facilities in good condition, but the
pertaining to the library on some accommodation provided therein
suitable site to be provided by the was limited and soon became
Anjuman. The offer of the inadequate for the demands made
Foundation was accepted; the upon it. Thus the need was felt for
foundation stone was laid on 18 a much larger hostel suitable for
January 1970; the building was foreign visitors.
erected and on completion was
handed over to the Sadr Anjuman. Again the Foundation came
On 3 October, 1971 Hadhrat forward with the offer to construct
Khalifatul Masih III(ru) inaugurated such a hostel on the scale and to the
the new Khilafat Library in specifications that would meet the
Rabwah, which now houses over need that had arisen. This offer was
100,000 books, rare manuscripts, accepted by the Tahrik Jadid. The
children’s section, administrative demand for hostel accommodation
offices and science displays. The of various types had continued to

SIGNIFICANT APPEALS
grow and a number of smaller Rabwah on 6 July and returning

hostels had been constructed at the home on 24 August, 1967. He
instance of institutions of the visited Germany, Switzerland,
Community other than the Fadl-i- Holland, Denmark and England.
Umar Foundation. During his visit to England, he
took a break in the Lake District
Publications and staggered tourists and the local
The Foundation also began people with his flawless Oxford
publishing the addresses delivered accent. In Copenhagen, the capital
by Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra): of Denmark, Hadhrat Khalifatul-
Khutabat-i- Mahmud (sermons of Masih III(ru) inaugurated the first
the Second Khalifa(ra). Then in mosque built entirely by the
1981, a book depot selling financial contributions of Ahmadi
publications at low cost was women.
opened in Rabwah by Khalifatul
Masih III(ru) On 31 March, 1972 Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih III(ru) inaugurated
Waqf-i-Ardi Scheme the magnificent al-Aqsa Mosque in
On March 12, 1966 Hadhrat Rabwah which can accommodate
Khalifatul Masih III(ru) introduced over 150,000 worshippers. The
the Waqf-i-Ardi project. Waqf-i- entire cost of the project, over
Ardi means temporary devotion of 600,000 rupees, was borne by an
one’s time. Participants are affluent Ahmadi.
required to spend at least two
weeks at an assigned place in the In 1976 Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih
country. The purpose of this III(ru) opened a mosque in the
project is to promote the learning Swedish city of Gothenburg.
and teaching of the Holy Qur’an as
well as imparting religious Initiation of the Nusrat Jahan
knowledge to local members. scheme
On 4 April 1970, Hadhrat
Inauguration of Mosques Khalifatul Masih III(ru), became the
In 1967, Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih first Khalifa to travel to Africa to
III(ru) travelled to Europe, leaving make an appraisal of the

SIGNIFICANT APPEALS
community and opportunities of activities of the Community in

further progress. West Africa through the
establishment of a substantial
He visited Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory number of schools, colleges,
Coast, Liberia, Gambia and Sierra clinics and hospitals, which were
Leone. During this and subsequent the great need of the people of
visits, he forged new and long- West Africa. He mentioned that the
lasting relations with the Heads of programme that he had in mind for
various African countries who the next three years would require
beseeched him to pray for their an outlay of one hundred thousand
country. His friendship with Mr. pounds sterling and called upon the
Williams V.S. Tubman, Liberia’s Community to furnish a substantial
longest serving President (1944- portion of that amount as early as
1971), Gen. Yakubu Gowon of possible so that there should be no
Nigeria, amongst others was delay in launching the programme.
respected by all.
As Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru)
At the end of his visit to those later wrote:
countries of West Africa, he
arrived in London and, in an ‘When I was in The Gambia
address to the Community in a Allah, the Glorious, inspired
meeting in which all the branches me forcefully with the idea
of the Community in Britain were that should I invest a hundred
represented, gave a brief account thousand pounds in these
of the impressions he had gathered countries, He would bless it
in the West African countries that greatly and it would produce
he had visited, and stressed the great results. I was beside
great need of pressing forward myself with joy. I had some
with humantarian services in West plans and programmes in
Africa. mind, but now Allah had taken
over. I came to London. I
He announced a scheme that he explained to friends that
had conceived under Divine Allah, the Glorious, had
direction, of expanding the indicated His Will to me that

SIGNIFICANT APPEALS
we should invest the minimum account and named it “Nusrat

sum of one hundred thousand Jahan Reserve Fund”.(1)’
pounds in the six countries (of
Africa that I had toured). I Volunteers called on all Ahmadi
had in my mind the entire Muslim homes in the UK and in no
scheme detailing heads of time, the total amount pledged by
expenditure in this behalf and the Community for the Nusrat
that I wanted in this Jahan Scheme, far exceeded the
connection immediately from hundred thousand pounds which
the Ahmadiyya Community of was the original target. But this
England, two hundred was only the financial requirement.
devotees willing to donate
£200 each and another two Teachers, physicians and surgeons
hundred devotees prepared to were needed for the schools and
contribute £100 each and the hospitals that were to be set up in
rest willing to offer £36 at the West Africa. On 26 June, 1970, for
rate of one pound per month. I the Leap Forward Scheme, he
told them that £10,000 should called upon Ahmadi doctors and
be collected in cash before I teachers to volunteer their services
started on my return journey. for work in West Africa, and
The departure was 12 days indicated that in case he found that
away at the time. I was with the number of volunteers did not
the members for two hours. I correspond to the need, he would
had a one-hour sitting with select the teachers and doctors who
them on Friday, and another would be required to proceed to
one-hour sitting on Sunday – West Africa under his directions.
we had new participants on He announced that he had
that day. A total contribution promised the African countries that
of £28,000 was promised he had visited to establish a
within these two one-hour minimum of twenty-five health
sessions with £3,000 to centres and seventy to eighty
£4,000 in ready cash. I schools in those countries.
arranged under personal
supervision a new bank By the end of 1972, sixteen new

SIGNIFICANT APPEALS
hospitals and thirteen new projects including the building of

secondary schools had been mosques in different parts of the
opened and were in full operation. world; the publication of the
The success of the medical centres translations of the Holy Qur’an in
was so remarkable that in many French, English, Russian, Italian,
instances they became self- Spanish and other languages;
multiplying. In deserving cases publication of the philosophy of
relief was administered free, and the teachings of the Qur’an in
yet the income from several of the suitable brochures in one hundred
centres not only enabled the needs languages; opening new Missions,
of suitable buildings and necessary the setting up of a large printing
equipment to be met but the press at the Headquarters of the
surplus helped to establish new Community, the establishment of a
health centres in areas where their broadcasting station in some
need was most urgent. country of West Africa where
permission for such a station might
So successful was the Nusrat Jahan be forthcoming.
Scheme, that it was extended from
the initial plan of a three year At the Annual Conference of 1973,
programme to become a perma- Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru)
nent endowment. presented the details of a grand
project known as the Centenary
The Ahmadiyya Centenary Jubilee Plan before the members.
Fund
The first centenary of the The main objectives of the
foundation of the Ahmadiyya Centenary Jubilee Fund were:
Muslim community was due to be
held in March 1989. Hadhrat • To spread the message of Islam
Khalifatul Masih III(ru) decided to throughout the world.
make an announcement con-
cerning the celebration of the • To establish additional
centenary of the Movement in the Ahmadiyya Mission houses.
Annual Conference of 1973, in
which he enumerated a number of • To publish Islamic literature in

SIGNIFICANT APPEALS
a hundred languages of the Norway and Spain.

world.
• Scholarships and medals given
• To install a modern printing to outstanding students for
press in Pakistan. academic achievements.
• To establish a radio station in • Construction of the Centenary

an African country. Jubilee office in Rabwah.
• To translate the Holy Qur’an In August 1976 Hadhrat Khalifatul

into six languages. Masih III(ru) paid a visit to Ahmadi
communities of the United States
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) of America and Canada, making
requested the members to him the first Khalifa to visit the
contribute Rs.2.5 million towards North American continent.
this project. The pledges received
in this respect were four times the
requested amount.
References
It is worthy of note that the 1. Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru);
following projects were carried out ‘A ‘Message of Peace and a
successfully under the Centenary Word of Warning.’ (Address
Jubilee Project: delivered on July 28, 1967, at
Wandsworth Town Hall,
• Construction of a mosque and London, England.
mission house in Sweden.
• Construction of a huge mosque

and mission house in Srinagar,
Kashmir.
• Islamic literature printed on

large scale.
• Construction of mosques in

Conference on Deliverance from the Cross
Conference on Deliverance from the Cross
One of the eventful incidents of the Third Khilafat was the
‘Deliverance of Jesus from The Cross Conference’(1) that took place in
The Royal Commonwealth Institute in Kensington in London from 2
June to 4 June, 1978. The event was organised by the Ahmadiyya
Muslim Community of the United Kingdom.
Scholars from the principal faiths read papers discussing the events
surrounding the Crucifixion. The explanation provided by the
Promised Messiah(as) regarding the death of Jesus(as) were presented. Sir
Zafrulla Khan and Sahibzada M.M. Ahmad also gave presentations.
The Church put out a statement refusing to be drawn into the debate
that had been re-opened by the unveiling of the Turin Shroud and now
this Conference and trying to dismiss the Ahmadiyya Muslim
community as not representing the teachings of Islam. In his address
(reproduced below), Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) refuted the
Christian doctrine of resurrection and redemption. He reaffirmed the
oneness of Allah and beautifully expounded the status of the Holy
Prophet Muhammad(saw). The conference was well attended with
extensive international media coverage leading up to the Conference.
Address by Hadhrat All worthiness of perfect Praise

Khalifatul Masih III(ru) belongs to Allah alone Who is
In the name of Allah, Most One and Peerless.
Gracious, Ever Merciful – We
praise Him and call down The scope of this conference is
blessings on His noble very wide and it has many
Messenger; and on His servant, ramifications. You have heard
the Promised Messiah. several expositions of the main
problem from diverse angles. I
CONFERENCE ON DELIVERANCE FROM THE CROSS
shall confine myself to drawing His righteous servants in visions,

your attention to some funda- but He has neither shape nor
mental considerations that form. God possesses all perfect
should enable you to view the attributes and manifests all
whole matter in its proper praiseworthy qualities. He is the
perspective, and to arrive at the Source of all good and
right conclusion. comprehends all Power. He is the
Creator of everything and is the
The Unity of God is the basic Master of all. All grace proceeds
reality of the universe. God is from Him and He determines
One and has no associate. everything. He has a personal
Nothing and no one is like unto relationship with everything. All
Him He is Unique in His being life is derived from Him and is
and His attributes. No being is maintained by Him. He
like unto His being, nor are the possesses every perfection and is
qualities of anything like unto free from every defect, default
His attributes. In His being, as and weakness. He alone is
well as in His attributes, He is worthy of worship by all who are
Eternal and Ever-Existing and on the earth and in heaven.
Unchangeable. His knowledge
encompasses all that is manifest Man cannot determine the
and all that is hidden. He knows purpose of his life on his own,
the overt and the covert of inasmuch as he did not come into
everything. His knowledge is this world of his own will, nor
inherent in Him and is not be- will he depart from it by his own
stowed by, or derived from, any choice. He Who has created man
teacher, and is without limit; can alone inform him of the
while the knowledge of man purpose for which he has been
requires a teacher and is limited. created. He has revealed in the
Holy Qur’an:
God is One and without
associate. He has no son and no And I have not created the
consort. He manifests Himself to Jinn and the men, but that

they may worship Me. then restored to life, and thus

(Ch.51:V.57) provided the means of salvation
for those who might believe in
Man has been called upon to him. In this way the supposed
worship God not by compulsion conflict between the Divine
but of his own volition. To enable attribute of Justice, which
him to do so, God has bestowed demanded punishment, and the
upon him two basic faculties. Divine attribute of Mercy, which
One, he has been bestowed the demanded forgiveness, was
faculty whereby he can suppress resolved.
his low desires and safeguard
himself against sin. Secondly, he Islam considers that this design
has been bestowed the faculty offends against reason, and is
whereby he can arrive at a stage unacceptable from every point of
in the love of God Almighty, in view. Looked at from the point of
which he wholly forgets all that view of justice, it is clearly unjust
is beside God. For the direction that an innocent one should be
of these two faculties God has punished for the sins of the guilty.
provided man with heavenly From the point of view of spiritual
guidance and law. philosophy, sin means rebellion
against God and His command-
The Christians subscribe to the ments and thus becoming bereft
doctrine that God so loved the of His love. How can man win
world that, to bestow salvation through to the obedience and love
upon man, He placed the burden of God, by depriving God, the
of the sins of the whole of son, of the obedience and love of
mankind upon His son Jesus, and God, the Father?
made him accursed by bringing
about his death upon the cross. Islam teaches that in order to find
According to some, Jesus(as) God, it is necessary for a person to
passed three days and three discard all vice, and this can be
nights in hell, as atonement for achieved only through such
the sins of mankind, and was recognition of God Almighty as

fills the heart with the realisation His displeasure, a poison, and is
of God’s Majesty and Greatness, all the time apprehensive lest, in
and instils His fear in the human consequence of any sin or
soul. To win the love of God it is disobedience on his part, his
necessary to love Him to a degree Beloved should cut asunder from
that entails losing oneself him.
altogether in Him, and gaining a
new and pure life from Him. Thus he who is bestowed perfect
fear and perfect love is
As the highest excellence of man safeguarded against all sin,
is the winning of Divine love, as inasmuch as sin proceeds from
testified to by the witness of fearlessness or daring. This is
millions of the righteous, it true salvation, and for such
follows that the true purpose of salvation we do not stand in need
human life is the winning of of any blood or any crucifixion,
God’s love and nearness to Him. nor do we need any atonement.
Islam teaches that perfect All that we need is the sacrifice
recognition of God is the root of of the ego. This demands that the
fear, and love, and appreciation of nurture and development of our
Him. He who is bestowed perfect natural faculties should be
recognition, is also bestowed carried out under the guidance of
perfect fear and perfect love. the One True God, Who is also
the Creator of our nature.
Man’s true love of God attracts
the love of God and the true lover God is the source of all beauty
of God, who is wholly devoted to and all light. His benevolence is
God, in turn becomes the beloved so vast that His favours and
of God. Such true and perfect love bounties are without number.
cannot subsist along with the Such beauty and benevolence
wrath of God and the fire of hell. impress upon every heart the
One of the signs of such perfect truth that all perfect delight is to
love is that such a lover deems the be found in God, and that to be
disobedience of his Beloved, and cast away from Him is ruinous

hell. Thus it is an impossibility Justice comes into play as a

that true recognition and result of reason and regulation.
disobedience should find room in The concept of Justice also
a human heart at the same time. involves the concept of law. It is
Divine law that establishes rights
Salvation does not mean merely between people. He who
deliverance from punishment of contravenes Divine law departs
sin. Salvation means the from justice and becomes guilty
achievement of that eternal of sin in Divine estimation.
prosperity after which human
nature thirsts, and which can be The punishment of an offender
acquired only through true by God Almighty in the hereafter
recognition of God, perfect fear is not a right the enforcement of
and perfect love, and the which can be demanded by the
establishment of a true and wronged person. If God
strong relationship with God. Almighty should forgive one
who has committed a wrong
Reflection upon the meaning of against his brother and should
justice and mercy reveals that compensate the wronged one
there is no conflict between richly in contrast with earthly
them. Justice means that the values, it cannot be reasonably
rights of people should be said that the demands of justice
safeguarded and that if one cannot be met unless the
person trespasses against offender is cast into hell.
another, the one who is wronged
should be restored his right The truth is that God Almighty,
specifically, and if that should out of His limitless mercy,
not be possible, he should be bestowed His law and guidance
justly compensated, and that the upon nations without any right
trespasser should be duly on their side, in order to provide
chastised so that order is for their welfare. Out of such
maintained and wrong-doing is mercy, divine law regulated their
suppressed. relationship with each other on

the basis of justice. Thus justice group. All the rights and
is in effect a consequence of penalties that relate to life,
Divine mercy, and this fountain property and honour are a
of human welfare flows out of manifestation of mercy for
that source. Had there been no mankind. The Gospels do not
mercy, no guidance, no revealed affirm that theft, embezzlement,
law and no rights had been robbery, murder and false
established between men, there witness become permissible in
would have been no concept of consequence of the atonement of
trespass or of justice. Jesus(as), and that the penalties
prescribed therefore are
Thus the doctrine that Divine remitted. Every offence carries
justice cannot be fulfilled its own penalty, which is still
without atonement is meaning- enforced by the Christian courts.
less, and it is a fallacy that
justice and mercy cannot be The belief that God, of His
combined in the Divine Being, infinite mercy, can bestow
inasmuch as justice demands unlimited reward upon man in
punishment and mercy demands respect of his limited righteous
forgiveness and forbearance. As action negates altogether the
we have just indicated, Divine notion of any one becoming
justice is also an aspect of accursed for the purpose of
Divine mercy, for it has been securing man’s salvation.
instituted for the benefit of man.
The Divine law which gives rise The Unity of God has been
to the concept of justice repeatedly proclaimed in the
establishes reciprocal rights Bible. Prophet after prophet was
between people, and all these raised to establish the Unity of
rights have been instituted by the Divine. Not a single prophet
God Almighty so that order may in Israel announced that God had
be maintained and one group any associate.
should not create disorder by
trespassing against another In the idiom of the Bible, men

have often been called gods or sepulchre, what resemblance

sons of God. If Jesus has been was there between him and
called the son of God, he Jonah?
occupies no higher status than
those who were also called sons It is also well known that after
of God. his deliverance from the cross,
Jesus (as) exhibited his wounds to
God is the Light of the heavens the disciples. If he had been
and the earth. He is Self- bestowed a new life of glory,
Existing, and everything else how is it that the wounds of his
exists only with His support. If earthly life were visible on his
His support were to be glorious body?
withdrawn for a second, the
universe would be totally upset. These are myths on which the
This Mighty Being, Who doctrine of the godhead of Jesus
possesses every good attribute had been constructed. But the
and is free from every defect, time is coming; indeed it has
weakness and fault, can neither arrived, when God Almighty will
suffer death, nor be killed, nor be blow away all these myths like
crucified. minute particles.
The Holy Qur’an has affirmed Jesus(as) was a Divine Messenger

the truth by pronouncing that and was a favoured and holy
Jesus(as) was delivered from man. It is the height of injustice
death on the cross, and was to conceive, even for a moment,
safeguarded against an accursed that such a chosen one was
death. The Gospels also bear hanged upon the cross and, dying
witness to this truth, inasmuch as on it, became accursed. The
Jesus(as) had described his favoured servants of God
resemblance to Jonah, and every Almighty and His beloved
Christian knows that Jonah had Messengers, who lose them-
not died in the belly of the selves in their love for God and,
whale. If Jesus(as) lay dead in the out of that love, discard this

mortal life, and are invested with God, so that God becomes his
a new and holy life, are bestowed enemy and is disgusted with him,
the blessing that they are able to and he is disgusted with God. It
purify others from the stain of is thus clear that the concept of
accursedness, and cannot curse is so vicious and unholy,
become accursed themselves. that it cannot apply to any
They may be nailed to the cross, righteous one who entertains the
but if death by crucifixion is truly love of God in his heart. The
an accursed death, it becomes Christians could not have
necessary that such chosen reflected on the meaning of
servants of God should be becoming accursed, at the time
delivered from such a death, and of inventing this doctrine, for if
should be safeguarded against its they had done so, it is not
stain. possible that they should have
used this expression for a
In Arabic and Hebrew, the righteous one like Jesus(as). Can it
concept of curse is related to the be said that at any time the heart
heart and a person can be called of Jesus(as) had, in truth, turned
accursed only if in truth his heart away from God, and had denied
turns away from God, and God, and was disgusted with
becomes black, and is bereft of God, and had become the enemy
God’s mercy, and is deprived of God? Can we imagine that the
altogether of the love of God and heart of Jesus(as) ever felt that it
is emptied of all recognition of had turned away from God, and
God and, becoming blind and had become the enemy of God,
bereft like Satan, is filled with and was plunged into the
the poison of misguidance, and darkness of disbelief and denial?
retains not a ray of the light of Such a concept is not only
the love and recognition of God, inconsistent with the station of
and cuts asunder from all prophethood and messengership
relationship with God, and is of Jesus(as), but is also incon-
filled with rancour and hatred sistent with his claim of
and disgust and enmity towards excellence and holiness, and

love, and recognition of the them out in detail on this

Divine, mentioned repeatedly in occasion. It is well-known that
the Gospels. Pontius Pilate held Jesus(as)
guiltless, his wife was warned in
A study of the Gospels reveals her dream that Jesus(as) should not
that Jesus(as) affirmed that he was be put to trouble, he so arranged
the light of the world, was a that Jesus(as) was not put upon the
guide, and had an exalted cross till the afternoon of Friday,
relationship of love with God, a few hours before sunset; the
and had been bestowed a holy onset of a storm and the spread of
birth by God, and was His darkness necessitated the
beloved son. Then how can the removal of Jesus(as) from the
unholy concept of curse be cross even ahead of sunset, his
applied to the heart of Jesus(as), in bones were not broken. In these
view of his permanent and holy circumstances, a healthy young
relationship with God? It is thus man of 33 years, of strong
proved without a doubt that physique and good habits, could
Jesus(as) did not die on the cross, not have succumbed within so
inasmuch as he was safeguarded short a time. He did become
from the consequences of death unconscious, and was taken
upon the cross. As he did not die down from the cross in that
on the cross, his heart was fully condition. His wounds were
secured against the unholy treated with an ointment that the
condition of becoming accursed. disciples had already prepared in
That being so, there was no view of Divine prophecies, and
resurrection, and no bodily which has since been known as
ascent to heaven, as these are the Ointment of Jesus. His body
links of the same vicious chain. was wrapped in a linen cloth
fourteen feet and three inches
The Gospels reveal several other long, and four feet and seven
factors which refute the notion inches wide and was laid in a
that Jesus(as) ascended bodily to spacious rock-hewn chamber. He
heaven. It is not necessary to set was so ministered unto that,

despite having undergone severe and injuries that had been

physical suffering, and his still inflicted upon him in the course
fresh wounds, he was soon able of the process of crucifixion.
to go about his normal life. They beheld only the physical
body of Jesus(as), and did not
It is worthy of note that the observe any glorified mani-
Ointment of Jesus(as) is not festation.
mentioned in any of the books of
medicine that were compiled There is the evidence of the
before the event of the disciples that Jesus(as) travelled in
crucifixion, but it is mentioned in their company for a few miles on
more than a thousand his way to Galilee, and that, at
authoritative medical books, their request, he passed a night
compiled after the event of the with them at Emmaus.
crucifixion with the explanation
that it had been prepared for The disciples bear witness that
Jesus(as). The authors of these Jesus(as) was at that time hungry,
books belong to all religious and asked them for food, and was
denominations. Millions of given broiled fish and a
people have had access to these honeycomb to eat. This also
books and the world of confirms that he was then in his
Christianity has known of this physical body, and had not
ointment over the centuries and discarded it for a spiritual, or a
has made use of it, and is thus a glorified manifestation.
silent witness that this ointment
was prepared for use on the body All this shows that Jesus(as)
of Jesus(as). comported himself, after the
event of the crucifixion, all the
The disciples of Jesus(as) bear time, according to the require-
witness that a few days after the ments of a physical, material
event of the crucifixion they body, eating, drinking, sleeping
beheld, on the physical body of and travelling, which activities
Jesus, the marks of the wounds are utterly inconsistent with his

having discarded his physical unconscious so that he appeared

body, and having assumed a to be dead, should, after
glorified spiritual manifestation. regaining consciousness, feel
It is worthy of reflection how, that he had risen again. In this
having been invested with a context, the expression ‘risen
glorious and immortal body, free again’ cannot mean coming back
from the needs of a mortal body, to life after suffering death.
with which he was to sit on the There is no doubt, however, that
right hand of God Almighty, and the deliverance of Jesus, in all the
which was free from every stain, circumstances of his crucifixion,
pain or defect, and was illumined was a great miracle and was not a
with eternal Divine glory, he still normal event.
bore the marks of his injuries and
suffered pain and was subject to The Holy Qur’an affirms that
all the needs and requirements to neither the Jews, nor the
which a physical body is subject. Christians, had a firm belief that
Jesus(as) had died on the cross.
It is thus obvious that Jesus(as) did God Almighty had created
not die upon the cross, nor was circumstances at the time of the
he invested with a new glorious crucifixion, wherefrom the Jews
body but had become and the Christians assumed that
unconscious on the cross and had Jesus(as) had died on the cross, but
the appearance of one who had they had no clear proof available
died. to satisfy them that Jesus(as) had
died on the cross for certain. The
The reported affirmation of evidence that has now become
Jesus(as): ‘But after I am risen available establishes that God
again, I will go before you into Almighty had delivered Jesus(as)
Galilee’ (Matt. 26:32), does not from death on the cross. God
cast any doubt on his deliverance Almighty has caused the proofs
from the cross. It is no wonder and the reasons which had
that a person who was nailed to remained hidden, to be
the cross and had become manifested in the days of the

Promised Messiah(as), whereby it crucifixion would become

has been established, as clearly manifest. That will be the
as the bright day, that Jesus(as) did end of this doctrine. It will
not die on the cross and that not be brought about
loved one of God was spiritually through war or fighting, but
exalted. In this context the through heavenly means,
following Pronouncement of the which will be made manifest
Promised Messiah(as) has great in the shape of knowledge
significance: and reason. It was, therefore,
necessary that heaven
‘It was God’s design that the should hold back this
shining weapon, and the evidence and these decisive
truth disclosing reasoning, proofs, till the Promised
that should put an end to the Messiah (as) should appear in
doctrine of the cross, should the world. So it has come
be made manifest to the about. Now that the
world by the Promised Promised one has appeared,
Messiah(as), inasmuch as the all eyes will open and people
Holy Prophet(saw) had pro- will reflect that God’s
phesied that the religion of Messiah having come,
the cross would not enter minds will now be illumined
upon its decline, nor would and hearts will pay attention,
its progress be restrained, till and pens will gain strength,
the Promised Messiah(as) and loins will be girded up.
appears in the world. It is he Now every fortunate one
who would achieve the will be bestowed intelli-
breaking of the cross. This gence, and every right-
prophecy indicated that thinking one will be
under God’s design, in the bestowed wisdom, inasmuch
time of the Promised as that which shines in
Messiah(as), means would heaven also illumines the
become available whereby earth. Blessed are those who
the reality of the event of the partake of this light and

fortunate is the one who is borative. Even if this genuine

bestowed a portion of it.’ piece of linen cloth had been lost,
(Jesus in India, pp.64-65). its loss would not have detracted
in the very least from the very
It is necessary to point out that important and plentiful evidence
the Holy Shroud of Turin which establishes that, after his
possesses no particular deliverance from the cross and
significance in the estimation of his restoration to health, Jesus(as)
the members of the Ahmadiyya continued his ministry for a long
Movement. It is true that this time among the lost tribes of
linen cloth has been preserved in Israel. The tribes believed in him
the Christian world, with great and it was the result of his
care and reverence, through teaching that when they came to
centuries. It is either genuine, know of the advent of the Holy
that is to say, it is the very linen Prophet of Islam(saw), they were
cloth in which the body of able to recognise his truth and
Jesus(as) was wrapped-up, after it became Muslims.
had been treated with the
Ointment of Jesus, or it is a Thus the Holy Shroud has not the
fabrication. It is for the Christian character of the missing link in
world to determine, after careful the chain of evidence in support
investigation and research, of the deliverance of Jesus(as)
whether it is genuine or not. If it from the cross. If the shroud is a
is not genuine, why has it been fabrication, the Christians are
given so much importance and responsible for according
why has it been held in such undeserved reverence to it. If it is
great honour? If it is genuine, the genuine, it is additional evidence
evidence that it furnishes, in in support of our thesis, and adds
support of the removal of the to our knowledge on the subject.
body of Jesus(as) from the cross But if it is not genuine, it does
while he was still alive, is not in not in any way detract from the
itself fundamental and indis- knowledge that we possess. The
pensable. It is merely corro- Divine purpose of the raising of a

prophet is that the people among Israel on the true teachings of the
whom the prophet is raised may law of Moses(as), and should win
be delivered from their vicious back those who had become
life, and by acting upon the Buddhists into the fold of
guidance furnished through the Moses(as) and into the obedience
prophet, should advance towards of the Mosaic law, and to re-
the One True God and win His establish those who had become
love. Jesus(as) was raised among Hindus on the Unity of God, and
the children of Israel. It is a obedience to Mosaic law. Jesus(as)
historical fact that only a portion achieved great success in this
of two tribes of Israel dwelt in mission and all these ten tribes
Palestine at the time of the achieved the good fortune of
advent of Jesus(as). believing in the Prophethood of
Jesus(as), and became firmly
Ten of the twelve tribes had, established on the Unity of God.
through various causes, been
dispersed through Iraq, Iran, Jesus(as) was the last prophet in
Afghanistan, India and Kashmir. the Mosaic dispensation, and
Large Jewish settlements had there was to be no other prophet
been established in Kashmir, and in Israel after him. Prophethood
they were ‘lost’ not only because was to be cut off from Israel, and
they had been cut-off from their was to be transferred to the
original home, but they were also House of Ishmael(as). There was,
‘lost’ in the sense that they had therefore, the hazard that through
been weaned away from the law their ill-fortune the children of
of Moses, and many of them had Israel might refuse to accept the
become Buddhists, or idol- prophet who had been mentioned
worshipping Hindus. in the Torah (Deut.18:18: under
the title ‘That Prophet’. Jesus(as)
One of the two principal was, therefore, charged preparing
purposes of the advent of Jesus(as) the minds of the children of
was, that he should re-establish Israel for the acceptance of ‘That
these lost sheep of the house of Prophet’ who was to bring the

last, perfect, enduring universal fixion. He had not yet even

law; the prophet whose coming established contact with the lost
was to be the coming of God. sheep towards whom he had been
sent, nor had he yet entered upon
History shows that just as the lost impressing upon the minds of the
tribes believed in Jesus(as) and children of Israel, the importance
accepted him, in the same way, of the advent and the stature of
almost all of them, who were ‘That Prophet’, whose advent
settled in those lands, believed in had been prophesied by Moses(as)
the Holy Prophet of Islam(saw), and the other prophets of Israel.
and in the idiom of the Torah, The event of the crucifixion
they received at his hands the occurred in the third year of the
baptism of the Holy Ghost and ministry of Jesus, and Jesus(as)
fire. Thus Jesus(as) succeeded in had passed this brief period in
the achievement of this purpose comparative obscurity, and in
of his advent also. silent teaching and propagation.
The Jews of Palestine paid little
God Almighty has so ordained, attention to him and to what he
that those prophets who are said. If he was a true Messenger
commissioned for a particular of God, which he undoubtedly
purpose, do not suffer death till was, he was not to die upon the
they have achieved that purpose, cross. He had had no opportunity
or have made provision for its of carrying his message to the
achievement in due course. For lost sheep of the house of Israel,
instance, John the Baptist was nor had he yet made any
the fore-runner of Jesus(as). When provision for safeguarding the
Jesus(as) was baptised by John future generations of those tribes
with water, the purpose of John’s against the misfortune of
advent was fulfilled, and he did rejecting ‘That Prophet’ on his
not thereafter survive for long. In advent, nor had he yet impressed
the case of Jesus(as), no great or upon the minds of the children of
significant event was manifested Israel the high status of ‘That
before the event of the cruci- Prophet’, which had been set

forth by Moses(as) and other would be achieved at Mount

Prophet’ under Divine direction. Paran. The Torah itself indicates
that Paran is the mountain near
In the Holy Qur’an the advent of Makkah, where Ishmael(as), the
our Holy Prophet(saw), has been ancestor of the Holy Prophet(saw),
described as the coming of God was settled. This is confirmed by
Himself (Ch.17:V.82), whereby geographical maps. It is well-
Satan, with all his hosts was put known that no prophet has been
to flight and his teachings were raised in Makkah except the
brought into contempt, and he Holy Prophet of Islam(saw).
suffered a great defeat. On Observe, therefore, how clearly
account of the universal and has Moses(as) testified that the
comprehensive guidance that rays of the sun of righteousness,
was to be committed to the Holy which shall appear on Mount
Prophet(saw), God took a firm Paran, shall be the brightest of all
covenant from the previous and that the climax of the light of
Prophets, that they must instruct truth will be reached in the
their people to believe in him and blessed person of the Holy
to help him (Ch.3: V.82). That is Prophet(saw).
why all the prophets from
Adam(as) to Jesus(as) affirmed the Time does not permit of the
greatness and glory of the Holy citation of even a few of the
Prophet of Islam(saw). numerous prophecies made by a
number of prophets including
Moses(as) said in Deut. 33:2: ‘The David(as), Solomon(as), Isaiah(as),
Lord came from Sinai, and rose up John(as) and Jesus(as), which refer
from Seir unto them; he shined clearly to the Holy Prophet of
forth from mount Paran.’ Thus he Islam(saw).
indicated clearly, that the
manifestation of God’s glory We recognise the tremendous
would arrive at its perfection at achievements of science and
Mount Paran, and that the full technology, but it cannot be
refulgence of the sun of truth denied that these achievements

also constitute a threat of ruin am made restless by your

and destruction. The only way of sufferings, and am rendered
deliverance from the ruin sorrowful by your privations.
threatened by our own Your real privation is the lack of
handiwork is that we should recognition of your Gracious and
place our hands in the hand of Merciful Lord. I call you to that
God and, discarding totally the True One, Who provided for all
worship of idols and of men, and our needs before our coming into
of our own ego, and every type of existence, and made available to
association of partners with God, us the means of achieving true
we should all gather together prosperity. He bestowed upon us
under the shade of the mercy of all that was demanded by our
the One True God. faculties and capacities, so that
we should not lack anything that
I take this opportunity of may be needed for establishing a
conveying to you with great living relationship with Him. But
humility and love the following we behaved ungratefully. That
message: – Be happy and sing which had been bestowed upon
the praises of God that the us, for the purpose of the
Messiah, whose advent had been establishment of peace and
prophesied in the ancient security, was employed by us in
scriptures, and in the Holy promoting disorder and corrup-
Qur’an, and had been foretold by tion. The misuse of that which
the Holy Prophet of Islam(saw), had been bestowed upon us for
that spiritual son of the promotion of our health, and
Muhammad , has already
(saw) the development of our intellect,
appeared. I, who am standing and the upholding of our morals,
before you, and have the honour and the exaltation of our souls
to address you, am the deputy has plunged us into the depths,
and Third Successor of that and has alienated us from God.
Messiah(as). True and deep There is yet time that we should
sympathy and love for you surge call a halt, recognise our Lord,
through my heart like an ocean. I and turn towards Him in

repentance. He will forgive all who have knocked on it. Why

our sins and defaults; He will should you despair that it may
raise us up with love and will not be opened for you? Come
lead us into the gardens of His forward and, responding to the
pleasure. Our own tears, and the call of the Successor of the
agonised yearning of our hearts Muslim Messiah, accept Islam,
for meeting with God, are our for therein lies your own total
atonement. I urge you to turn to good and the good of your future
the One God without associate, generations, failing which, a
and to bend your necks to His terrible catastrophe awaits you,
obedience, for in that lies your of which I warned you in detail
total good. eleven years ago in this city.1
I call you to follow Muhammad,

on whom be peace. The paths,
treading on which he found his References
Lord and was bestowed the 1. This was reproduced in ‘A
bounties of both worlds, still bear Message of Peace, A Word of
the marks of his footsteps. Warning,’ delivered in
Wandsworth Town Hall, London
Follow those footsteps, for if you
SW18 in 1967.
do that, you shall win the love of
God, and you shall hear His dear
voice assuring you: “If you will
be Mine, the universe will be
yours.”
The false joys and artificial

delights of this mortal world
cannot be compared to the love
of God. I invite you to make a
trial of winning the love of God.
That door has been opened,
through the ages, for the millions

HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH III(RU)
Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad(ru) at a young age

Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad(ru) at a young age

Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad(ru) before Khilafat (sitting third from right)
Jamia Ahmadiyya Qadian (1939-1940)

Hadhrat Hafiz Mirza Nasir Ahmad(ru) is sitting third from the right

Hadhrat Musleh Maud(ra) accompanied by the

Principal of Talim-ul-Islam College, Hadhrat
Mirza Nasir Ahmad(ru), when he visited
Rabwah
Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad(ru)
(when principal of T.I. College) with
Professor Naseer Khan to his right.
FAR LEFT: Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad(ru);

CENTRE: Muhammad Zafrulla Khan
FAR RIGHT: Mirza Muzaffar Ahmad, UK, 1935.
LEFT PICTURE: Hadhrat Mirza Nasir

Ahmad(ru) enjoying one of his many
sporting activities, table tennis.
PICTURE ABOVE: Hadhrat Mirza Nasir
Ahmad(ru) and Sahibzada Mirza
Muzaffar Ahmad at Trenordon
Farm, UK, 1935.

Hadhrat Hafiz Mirza Nasir Ahmad(ru) and Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad (later to become
Khalifatul Masih IV(ru) at an Annual Khuddamul Ahmadiyya Ijtema
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) during the first Jalsa Salana (Annual Conference) of his
Khilafat held in 1965 at Rabwah, Pakistan.

Major General Yakubu Gowon, head of President Tubman of Liberia welcomes

the Nigerian State welcomes Hadhrat Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) on a two-
Khalifatul Masih III(ru) day official visit at the President’s invitation
Thousands welcome Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) upon

his arrival at Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) leading the prayers at Saltpond, Ghana
Hadhrat Khalifatul-Masih III(ru) presides over a Jalsa Salana. Maulana ‘Abdul Munir
Nurul Haq is at the podium

Delegation of Jama’at Ahmadiyya to the National Assembly of Pakistan 1974
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) with Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(ru) at Jalsa Salana,
Rabwah, Pakistan

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) laying the Foundation stone of Masjid Basharat,
Pedrobad, Spain
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) delivering the Friday Sermon at Fazl Mosque, London

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) and Sir Muhammad

Zafrulla Khan in London

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6
Hadhrat khalifatul Masih III(ru) and Professor Dr. Abdus Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) receives a
Salam, Nobel prize winner and world renowned physicist Roman Catholic Bishop
The Mayor of Frankfurt is presented a copy of the Holy
The Review of Religions – March 2008

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) meeting the Mayor of New
Jersey, USA in 1976 Qur’an in German by Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) ,1976
45
Directors of Fadl-i-Umar Foundation with Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru)
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) with European Missionaries


“Love for All, Hatred for None”
Historical Trip to Spain
Introduction Greatly encouraged by this dream,
The history of Islam in Spain is a Tariq is said to have ordered all the
glorious one and one which saw its vessels that had shipped him there
revival during the Khilafat of to be burned and boosted the
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) morale of his force by a heart-
inspiring address which he
Islam first arrived in Spain when concluded with these words: ‘The
Spanish subjects requested the enemy lies in front of you and the
help of the Muslim general Musa sea behind you. The boats have
ibn Nusair, to rid them from the been burnt. There is no way of
cruelty of the tyrant Roderick. escape save in valour and
Musa bin Nasir despatched Tariq resolution. O ye brave Muslims,
bin Ziyad at the head of an 8,000 attack the enemy without fear as
strong military force, which victory has been destined for
swelled to 12,000 with you.’(1)
reinforcements.
Tariq’s small force annihilated the
Tariq reached Gibraltar (Jabal at- enemy and established an Islamic
Tariq) which was to bear his name state in Spain. For more than
forever, near the coast of Spain. seven centuries Europe benefited
That night, in the land of visions from the universities and libraries
and dreams, it is reported that he of Qur’anic teachings, philosophy
had a dream in which he saw the and science and from Islamic
Holy Prophet(saw) along with culture and from the sense of
Hadhrat Abu Bakr(ra) and Hadhrat fairness and justice which have
Umar(ra). The Holy Prophet(saw) told today become a legend as recalled
him: ‘Dear Tariq! Attack the by tourist guides who take you
enemy without fear. We will be around Spain’s captivating historic
with you in the battle. Victory is past.
yours.’
“LOVE FOR ALL, HATRED FOR NONE” - HISTORICAL TRIP TO SPAIN
However, with Muslim rulers when I visited there. Muslims

immersed in other pursuits, were utterly wiped out from
Christianity regained its domi- Granada, being the capital of
nance and Islam was reduced to the country; it had many
extinction except for a few historic libraries; it had a University
buildings. Nothing remained of where leading padres and
the grand mosque at Cordoba, the bishops were enrolled as
capital, except for a few mounds pupils of Muslim professors.
and the glory of this Muslim city All the glory and pomp of
sank into oblivion only worthy of Islam, secular, spiritual and
interest to the historians. moral, was obliterated.
The tour of Hadhrat Khalifatul You have no idea of my agony.

Masih III(ru) to Europe in 1970 When I went to Granada what
included a trip to Spain. In a was upper-most in my mind
speech he gave to the Community was the thought that once
he commented on how deeply prayers for the Holy
anguished he had been at the Prophet(saw) echoed from its
pitiable condition of the Muslims walls and portals and now
under General Franco’s Spain and there were curses instead. I felt
supplicated for the resurgence of terribly depressed.
Islam in Spain.
Then I decided on invoking
Speaking of that visit Hadhrat blessing on the Holy
Khalifatul Masih III(ru) said: Prophet(saw) as a small atone-
ment but the Wisdom of Allah,
‘Muslims ruled there for seven the Glorious, without a
hundred years. As a result of warning, changed the expres-
the conspiracies and perverse sion on my lips. When after
activities of some of the priests quite a while I suddenly
of the time, Muslims lost their pondered the words I found
sway over that land. Not one that instead of invocation of
Muslim was left there... I blessings on the Holy
suffered great mental torture Prophet(saw) I was reciting:

(There is none worthy of bring world nations to the

worship but Thee, there is fold of Islam as servants of
none worthy of worship the Holy Prophet(saw) and
except Thee). since this race also was one
of the world nations how will
My tongue was reciting the they join Islam? In short, how
credo of Divine Unity. Then, I was this going to happen.
concluded that the basic
reality was the Divine Unity This was the shape of the
indeed and the advent of the thoughts, around which my
Holy Prophet(saw) aimed at prayers revolved; that was
establishing it. My resolve the state of my mind the whole
that I should lay great stress night. ...
on prayer was right, but I had
personally chosen my words. The day rises there early. I
The credo that Allah is One guess it was between 3 a.m.
takes precedence over the and 3.30 a.m., When I lay
invocation of prayers on the down after morning prayers
Holy Prophet(saw). I was very and suddenly my eyes became
happy then since Allah, the heavy-lidded; and then this
Supreme, Himself gave the verse of the Holy Qur’an was
new direction to my tongue. on my lips. (The Holy Qur’an,
Ch.65:V.4)
I could not sleep the whole of
the night, wondering that we ‘And will provide for him
lack material resources and from where he expects not.
these nations are great And he who puts his trust in
powers and have made long Allah – he is sufficient for
strides in material him. Verily, Allah will
advancement. We lacked accomplish His purpose. For
wealth and means. How then everything has Allah
are we going to convert them appointed a measure.’
to Islam? The Promised
Messiah’s(as) mission was to Here was the answer to the

question how would all this bother; for, Allah is sufficient.

take place in the absence of I had then a feeling of great
resources. Allah, the tranquillity in my heart. I
Magnificent said: ‘One who have therefore placed no
puts his trust in Allah need scheme before you in this
not concern himself about any behalf, for, I do not know the
other means. He is sufficient plan of Allah, the Sublime, in
for him.’ When Allah, the this respect.’(2)
Glorious, sets an objective
before Him, He always Laying of the Foundation Stone
achieves it. You should Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III’s(ru)
therefore neither bother nor total submission to the Will of God
worry how all this will come and total reliance on His help was
about. This must happen and rewarded. The community found a
shall transpire. For, Allah, the plot of land in Pedrobad a few
Supreme, says that the very miles from the cultural city of
mission of the Promised Cordoba, an imposing site near the
Messiah(as) is aimed at rolling busy motorway from the north.
all mankind into the fold of After a lapse of more than 700
Islamic unity under the feet of years, at 3.40 p.m. (local time) on
the Holy Prophet(saw). 9 October, 1980, he laid the
Foundation Stone of the first
The second thought that was mosque in Pedroabad in Spain.
in my mind and my prayers
was when will it happen? Addressing the congregation
There was the answer to it Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru)
too. Allah, the Illustrious, has said:
fixed a measure and an
estimate for everything; when ‘Erecting a mosque is a matter of
its hour strikes, it will come great importance, and it is always
into shape; you should built with the aim that Allah alone
therefore not worry on that be worshipped there. The lesson
score. If there are no material that it imparts is that all human
resources you should not beings, in the eye of Allah, are one

whether they may be rich or poor; added further that people should
whether they may be learned or be told that the coming of the
illiterate; whether they may be Mahdi was predicted to be in the
residents of Pedroabad or come fourteenth century and that the
from a distance of 1,000 miles or fifteenth century has just arrived
more and may be residing in with only one claimant to Mahdi
Pakistan; as human beings they are and Messiah in whose support
all equal. Islam teaches us to live God Almighty has manifested a
with mutual love and affection and great number of Signs in the earth
with humility. It teaches us no as well as in the heaven.
distinction between a Muslim or a
non-Muslim. My message to
everyone is that you must have
‘Love for all, Hatred for none!(3)’ References:
1. Muslim Herald, September, 1982.
This drew huge applause from the
people of Pedroabad. It was in this 2. Al Fazl, 15 July, 1970, p.13
background that the spontaneous
words uttered by Hadhrat 3. M.A.Saqi: Laying the foundation
of the Pedrobad Mosque. The
Khalifatul Masih III(ru) became the
Muslim Herald, 1982.
unique slogan of the Ahmadiyya
Muslim community. It was
repeated again at a press
conference and at the Cafe Royale
in Piccadilly in London at another
press conference.
During this trip Hadhrat Khalifatul

Masih III(ru) commented that it
was a matter of great satisfaction
and joy that the first mosque of the
fourteenth century Hijra would be
erected in Spain for which God
Almighty should be thanked. He

Events of 1974 – Anti-Ahmadi Hostilities
Introduction
At the Annual Gathering of 1956 One of the greatest challenges
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra) that Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih
said: III(ru) faced during his Khilafat
was the anti-Ahmadi distur-
‘Whenever the election of the bances of 1974. Before describ-
next Khalifa takes place and ing these it is necessary to
whoever is duly elected, I explain the background.
wish to give him the glad
tidings that God shall favour Background to 1974
him with His support and Pakistan’s original 1956
whosoever stands in oppo- constitution outlined in clear
sition to him, whether a great terms the right of each citizen to
man or small, shall face profess, practise, and propagate
humiliation and ignominy his religion (Article 20), to attend
and is bound to suffer ruin school without religious
and disgrace; because the instruction freely (Article 22), to
next Khalifa shall, indeed, enjoy places of public
walk in the footsteps of the entertainment without religious
Promised Messiah(as); and discrimination (Article 26), to
shall uphold and establish the qualify for appointment in the
institution of the Islamic service of Pakistan without
Khilafat. Therefore, I give religious discrimination (Article
glad tidings now to him who 27), and to preserve and promote
will be elected the Third his own language, script, or
Successor in my place, that culture without religious discri-
even if the governments of mination (Article 28). These
the world oppose him, these provisions had their roots in
shall be shattered into Articles 1(3) and 55(c) of the
pieces.’(1) U.N. Charter, which emphasise

EVENTS OF 1974 – ANTI-AHMADI HOSTILITIES
non-discrimination on the basis of population even though the Ahrar

religion, and in Article 18 of the had openly opposed the creation
UDHR (Universal Declaration of of Pakistan. The Ahrar opposition
Human Rights), the language of movement climaxed during the
which tracks Article 20 of peak of the Punjab disturbances.
Pakistan’s constitution.
Extremist Muslim groups then
In March 1949, the first started to argue that the very
Constituent Assembly of Pakistan creation of Pakistan was per se
introduced the so-called un-Islamic, and began to pressure
Objectives Resolution, pledging government officials to transform
that Pakistan’s first constitution the country into an Islamic
would make adequate provision theocracy. The leader of this new
for non-Muslims to enjoy full struggle was a Marxist Maulana
religious freedom. Soon after the Maududi, head of Jama’at-i-
Objectives Resolution was passed Islami (Lit. Party of Islam).
into law by Pakistan’s General Maududi sought to unify
Assembly, the Majlis-e-Ahrar-e- Pakistani Muslims under the
Islam (Ahrar), a Muslim common cause of
separatist movement, began to excommunicating Ahmadis from
engage in anti-Ahmadi agitation. Pakistan. The ruling Muslim
On May 1, 1949, Ahrar activists League Party opposed both the
made their first public demand idea of creating a theocracy in
that Ahmadis be declared a non- Pakistan, and the government’s
Muslim minority. The Ahrar ensuing crackdown on the
insisted that all Ahmadis in public Jama’at-i-Islami resulted in
service be removed from their violent demonstrations by
positions. They also accused Maududi’s movement against
members of the Ahmadiyya Ahmadis in 1953. The Pakistani
Muslim Community of conspiring government’s independent Munir
with India (and particularly Report found no definition of
remnants of the British regime) Muslim according to the various
against Pakistan’s Sunni sects and condemned these anti-

Ahmadi demonstrations as a separation of Bangladesh from

threat to public order. Pakistan in 1971, the National
Assembly approved a new
However after 1954, the constitution in 1973, portions of
government started to give which embodied the legal and
ground to the extremists. For the political machinery of the
next two decades, Ahmadis would Shari’a as espoused by the
face severe attacks on their orthodox religious clergy. In
properties and businesses; in 1974, a new wave of anti-
1962, the “Islamisation” of Ahmadi disturbances spread
Pakistan’s constitution received across Pakistan.
its first major push when a
“repugnancy clause” was added Having made significant gains in
to the constitution: their 20-year political struggle
for an Islamic theocracy,
“No law shall be repugnant to members of the orthodox clergy
the teachings and require- saw the disturbances as their
ments of Islam as set out in the opportunity to pressure Prime
Qur’an and Sunnah [actions Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to
of the Holy Prophet], and all declare Ahmadis as non-
existing laws shall be brought Muslims. Under Bhutto’s
into conformity therewith.” leadership, Pakistan’s parliament
introduced Articles 260(3)(a) and
Pakistan’s reformation of its (b), which defined the term
constitution under the strictures of “Muslim” in the Pakistani
the Shari’a had resulted in a context and listed groups that
steady deterioration of the rights were, legally speaking, non-
and protections found therein. Muslim. The goal of this
Nowhere was this more evident constitutional amendment was to
than in the 1974 amendment to bring some of Pakistan’s
the constitution. remaining progressive consti-
tutional provisions under the
After a bloody civil war and the purview of the Shari’a. Put into

effect on September 6, 1974, the carrying the students arrived,

amendment explicitly deprived into a conflict in which slight
Ahmadis of their identity as injuries were inflicted on
Muslims under Pakistan law. some of the students in the
party. At the next stop of the
The 1974 disturbances train, preparations had
Rabwah Incident already been made to receive
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru)’s the students as “heroes” who
announcement of the centenary had suffered grievous injuries
celebrations riled a number of in the cause of Islam at the
the bigoted Muslim divines in hands of the members of the
Pakistan According to Sir Community. Fiery speeches
Muhammad Zafrulla Khan: were made and the utterly
false and misleading
‘In the middle of 1974 they accounts of the incident were
devised a plan which was further embroidered in the
aimed at provoking anger and press next morning, with the
rancour against the addition of such false,
Ahmadiyya Community fictitious and horrifying
which unfortunately suc- details as that the students
ceeded only too well in its had been cruelly maimed,
immediate purpose. An that some of them had had
incident was staged at the their tongues cut out and that
Rabwah railway station, others had had their genitals
which was so managed that a cut off. This sent a wave of
party of students who horror throughout the
belonged to an organisation province and all sorts of
bitterly hostile to the premeditated atrocities were
Movement succeeded in let loose against the members
provoking a number of of the Movement. In the
Ahmadis, who happened to inquiry subsequently con-
be present at the railway ducted by a Judge of the
station when the train Lahore High Court into the

incident, it was established there were several instances

by the medical evidence pro- in which the police openly
duced that all the injuries and actively encouraged the
alleged to have been received unruly and disorderly
by some of the students were elements to do their worst.’(3)
simple bruises and scars and
not a single one of them was The Community again set an
grievous.’(2) example of perfect steadfastness
under extreme suffering and
He also noted that in the complete confidence in God.
widespread disorders that Boycotts of the Community
followed the Rabwah incident a were organised in several places,
number of Ahmadis were killed, which imposed great hardship
maimed and injured, and there upon the members of the
was large-scale looting and Movement who were affected by
destruction of properties of them, especially women,
Ahmadis. However, children and old people.
‘... in not a single instance On the whole, however, the

did the police or the civil Community at large emerged
authorities intervene to from the trial stronger, more
extend their protection to the united and in greater vigour than
victims of violence, no had been the case before the
investigation was made into trouble started. Their opponents
any of the numerous outrages now began to agitate that the
committed against the Movement should, by legislative
persons and properties of the action, be declared outside the
Ahmadis, no one was pale of Islam. They prevailed
arrested or tried in respect of upon the Prime Minister to make
any of them, and no a declaration that appropriate
compensation was awarded action would be taken in the
to any Ahmadi for the loss National Assembly to achieve
inflicted upon him. In fact that end.

Muhammad Zafrulla Khan with the requisite majority

writes again: and it was sent up to the
Senate for its approval, which
‘At the start of the session of was accorded within a few
the Assembly, a resolution hours. Despite repeated
sponsored by the government requests the proceedings of
was moved, the purport of the Committee of the
which was to declare that the National Assembly were not
members of the Ahmadiyya made public.(4)
Movement were not Muslims
for the purpose of the law and At the Annual Gathering in
the constitution. During the Rabwah on 26 December, 1974,
debates on the resolution Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru)
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih said:
III(ru) was invited to make an
exposition of the beliefs and ‘The bitter atrocities felt
teachings of the Movement personally by the members of
before a committee composed the community as a result of
of the total membership of the their faith cumulated in
National Assembly. He was myself. During those days,
examined at great length by there came certain nights
the Attorney General on the when, by the Grace and
minutest details of the beliefs, Mercy of God Almighty, I did
doctrines and teachings of the not sleep for a minute without
Movement. The whole pro- praying throughout for the
ceeding boomeranged upon members of the
the sponsors and promoters of community.’ (5)
the resolution and served to

make them appear incon- The government of Pakistan
sistent and ridiculous even in required the Head of the
their own eyes. Nevertheless, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at,
the Assembly was dragooned Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad,
into adopting the resolution Khalifatul Masih III, to present

himself personally before the historical document. After the

aforesaid Committee of the submission of this document, the
National Assembly to enunciate Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at was
his standpoint, and to answer all subjected to a grilling inqui-
the questions that may be asked sition, for eleven days, in the
of him on that occasion. He was National Assembly of Pakistan,
allowed to have four self- by the Attorney General of
selected representatives to assist Pakistan and clerics. Hadhrat
him. The five-member dele- Khalifatul Masih III(ru) personally
gation of the Ahmadiyya Muslim answered all the allegations that
Jama’at consisted of the were made, and provided their
following four who assisted solid, well-reasoned and con-
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru): clusive rebuttal. This was an
excellent defence of the beliefs
• Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, of the Ahmadiyya Muslim
(later to become Khalifatul Movement; the hollowness of the
Masih IV(ru) oft-repeated false allegation is
evident from the fact that despite
• Maulana Abul ‘Ata repeated requests, the pro-
Jallundhari(ra), a renowned ceedings have not been
scholar. published.
• Sheikh Muhammad Ahmad
The situation worsened in later
Mazhar, Former Amir, Jama‘at
years under the martial law
Ahmadiyya, District Faisalabad
regime of General Mohammad
Zia-ul-Haq, culminating in 1984
• Maulana Dost Muhammad
with the infamous Ordinance
Shahid, Historian.
XX which undercut the activities
The exposition of the Ahmadiyya of religious minorities generally,
Muslim Jama‘at’s position, was but struck Ahmadis in particular.
made in the form of the Mahzar
Namah – the Memorandum – Under Ordinance XX, Ahmadis
which was submitted as a could no longer profess their

faith, either verbally or in Section 295-C. The mere

writing. Pakistani police des- existence of practising Ahmadi
troyed Ahmadi translations of the Muslims can be considered
Qur’an and banned Ahmadi blasphemous and punishable by
publications, the use of any death.
Islamic terminology on Ahmadi
wedding invitations, the offering
of Ahmadi funeral prayers, and References
the displaying of the Kalima (the 1. Khilafat-i-Haqqa Islamiyah,
principal creed of a Muslim) on p.p17-18.
Ahmadi gravestones. In addition,
Ordinance XX prohibited 2. Renaissance of Islam,
Ahmadis from declaring their Muhammad Zafrulla Khan.
faith publicly, propagating their
3. (ibid).
faith, building mosques, or
making the call for Muslim 4. B.A. Rafiq; A former Imam of
prayers. the London Mosque and private
secretary recalls. The Muslim
With the passage of the Criminal Herald, November 1977.
Law Act of 1986, parliament
amended Section 295-C of the
Pakistan Penal Code by raising
the penalty against blasphemy
from a fine or imprisonment to
death. Because the Ahmadi
belief in the prophethood of
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) was
considered blasphemous insofar
as it “defiled the name of Prophet
Muhammad(saw),” Zia-ul-Haq and
the Pakistani government institu-
tionalised the persecution of
Ahmadis in Pakistan with

IMPACT OF KHILAFAT
Each of the successors of the second manifestation. The
Promised Messiah(as) is a testi- coming of that manifestation
mony to the second manifestation is a lot better for you because
of the power of God. it is eternal, the succession of
which will not terminate till
‘...at the time of the demise of the end of days. When I go,
the prophet when difficulties Allah will send to you the
mount and the enemy is in full second manifestation and it
might and thinks that they will stay with you forever.’(1)
(the followers of the prophet)
are in disarray and is sure that Each Khalifa has provided
now this community will be guidance to the Community and
destroyed. Even some within each has ensured the message of
the community become Ahmadiyyat continues to be
hesitant and their backs are carried to all parts of the world.
broken and some unfortunates Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru)
among them even apostatise, was the third successor to the
then God manifests His strong Promised Messiah(as).. He
hand of might and sustains the travelled widely, spreading the
collapsing community. Thus message of Islam wherever he
he who shows patience till the went. He was the first Ahmadi
end, watches this divine Khalifa to travel to Africa. A
miracle. lasting consequence of that
historic journey was that the
You should, therefore, neither Ahmadiyya Jama’at expanded its
grieve over what I have told efforts in the service of humanity
you (that the hour of my in West Africa. As a result of the
demise is nigh) nor should selfless efforts of Hadhrat
you be heart-broken for it is Khalifatul Masih III(ru), the Nusrat
mandatory that you see God’s Jahan scheme was established,

IMPACT OF KHILAFAT
and to this day still continues to of Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru)

provide medical and educational .
help to West African nations. Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru)

argued that Islam granted
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) absolute freedom of choice in
also established mosques and matters of faith and conscience
missions in various parts of and there was no earthly penalty
Europe. It was under his prescribed for apostasy. In a
guidance and leadership that the sermon delivered on Friday 29
Ahmadiyya community has the December, 1978, he said:
honour of witnessing the historic
return of Islam to Spain. ‘Freedom of conscience and
freedom of belief are the
‘Love for All, Hatred for None’, fundamental rights of man.
is the simple phrase that became His very creation is for that
established as the slogan of the purpose. If man is not free in
Ahmadiyya Muslim community respect of these matters, if
during this Khilafat. For far too people are to be driven
long, Islam had lived under the forcibly into Islam like sheep
shadow of militancy and ‘holy and goats, then there can be
war’. That was not the message no recompense by God, the
with which the Holy Prophet(saw) One and Unique, for any
won the hearts of millions – not human action. Will you
through war, but peace; not compel God Almighty to
through hatred, but love. Those accept the hypocritical actions
simple words are also a lasting of people performed by them
testament to the behaviour of the under compulsion so that God
members of the Ahmadiyya Himself must love them under
community during the severe compulsion? Would you
anti-Ahmadi hostilities which force some one to declare
took place in 1974, hostilities himself a Muslim and assure
which were borne with patience him that though his heart is
and fortitude under the guidance not convinced of the truth of

IMPACT OF KHILAFAT
Islam, yet if he performs the perfect goodwill will continue

Salat for show, God would to win His love; let the world
reward him for it and would say what it will and think
not be aware of his hypocrisy what it will. Keep suppli-
and the true condition of his cating, therefore, that God
heart? God affirms that He is Almighty should not let Satan
fully aware of the secrets of create any doubt in our minds
your hearts and yet you think and that our devotion and our
that He would be unaware of worship may not be tainted
all this. If He is aware of it with show or hypocrisy…
how would He reward such
hypocritical action We esteem ourselves as
beneficently? On the other Muslims; we are Muslims. We
hand, if a person’s heart is have never thought of
filled with sincere faith and departing from Islam. We
devotion and with perfect deem it a curse that our tongues
understanding of God and His should say that we are not
attributes and loves Muslims, that we have
Muhammad and out of that
(saw) abandoned God and that (God
love he obeys God Almighty forbid) we do not believe in
and worships Him, and all the Muhammad(saw), the Messenger
powers of the world combine of Allah. It is not possible that
in the declaration that he is we should depart from the
expelled from Islam and that light and the truth with which
God would not deal with him this world is illumined, and
out of love and would not which we have seen with our
bestow upon him the best own eyes and so flounder in
recompense for his righteous darkness. It is true, however,
actions, would God be that man is weak and cannot
compelled to accept and act achieve God’s mercy and His
upon their verdict? Indeed blessing without His support
not. Those who submit to and grace. Continue to
Him sincerely and with supplicate that you may

IMPACT OF KHILAFAT
remain secure in the citadel of matriculation; in 1974, he asked

the mercy of God Almighty the community to always remain
and that His angels should cheerful and to keep smiling; his
continue to safeguard you ‘Prayer of the Heart’ was
against going astray and that published in The Review of
every moment you should win Religions in April 1992 and he
the love of God. Nothing promoted healthy living by
more is needed...’(2) advocating horse-riding, using
soya lecithin and honey.
Amongst many other matters, he
was a member of the Academic Another achievement
council and Senate of the Punjab God Almighty revealed to the
University, a Patron of Badminton, Promised Messiah(as):
Basketball, Mountaineering and
Rowing Clubs. An English “He (God) has conveyed to
translation of Hadhrat Khalifatul me that my followers will
Masih III(ru) delivered on 12 June excel so much in knowledge
1970 on his return to Rabwah and insight that they will
from Africa, is available as confound all others with the
‘Message of Love and light of their truth, their
Brotherhood to Africa;’ his 23 reasoning and their signs.”
great objectives of building the (Tajalliyaat-e-Ilaahiyyah,
House of Allah provide a deep p.21)(2)
insight into his comprehensive
knowledge of Islam; on 17 The above prophecy has been
December, 1965, he instructed fulfilled in various forms many
the Jama’at to feed the poor, times over, and will, God willing,
orphans and prisoners; in 1967, continue to do so. During the
he launched a struggle to remove blessed tenure of the Third
evil customs followed slavishly Khilafat, this prophecy was
by Muslims; he insisted that the magnificently manifested in the
community should ensure that all person of the late Professor
Ahmadis are educated up to Abdus Salam. He was a

IMPACT OF KHILAFAT
renowned scientist who received heart attack. Then at 00.45 a.m.,

the Nobel Prize in physics in on 9 June, 1982, in Islamabad at
1979. He was the first Muslim the age of seventy-three he passed
and the first Pakistani to receive away. May his soul rest in peace.
the prestigious award.
His body was brought to Rabwah
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) where the newly-elected Khalifa,
also sent him a message of warm Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad,
greetings stating that it was a Khalifatul Masih IV(ru) led the
matter of great pride that the first funeral prayer. Close to one
Muslim ever and the first hundred thousand people
Pakistani scientist to receive the attended the funeral. He was
Nobel Prize was an Ahmadi. buried next to the tomb of
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra) in
Last days the reserved section of the
Hadhrat Sayyida Mansoora Bahishti Maqbara in Rabwah.
Begum, first wife of Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih III(ru), passed
away on 3 December 1981 after a References:
short illness. He bore this loss 1. Al-Wasiyyat, pp. 6-7)
with fortitude. After a while he
decided to remarry and 2. Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru),
Freedom of Faith and
supplicated for forty days.
Conscience in Islam, (English
Reassured by virtue of his translation of the sermon,
entreaties to God Almighty, he Friday 29 December, 1978)
married Sayyida Tahira Siddiqa
sahiba, daughter of a devout
Ahmadi, ‘Abdul Majeed Khan of
Weerowal on 11 April 1982.
A few months later in June 1982

while Huzur was visiting
Islamabad, he suffered a severe

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru):
SOME CHERISHED MEMORIES
by Majeed Ahmad Sialkoti – Tilford, UK
Towards the beginning of 1982, deal with his letters. I noticed

having returned to Pakistan from that when putting his signature in
my appointment in Sierra Leone, response to the requests for
I was on leave; it was during this prayers, he always used to pray
period that Hadhrat Khalifatul synchronously.
Masih III(ru) appointed me as
regional missionary of the At the end of my first day’s work
important Jama’at of Islamabad. with Huzur, he very graciously
During my stay in Islamabad, I told me not to be afraid of the
was honoured by Huzur’s visit work allotted to me; he said that
four times. I would be able to have a firm
grip on my duties within two to
I consider it very fortunate three days. I realised with great
indeed that I had the opportunity satisfaction that Huzur’s attitude
of working for three months with towards me was not formal, but
him. Every moment of these one of affection and kindness.
three months is precious to me There was more love and
and has left an indelible mark on understanding than formality. I
me. He was an example of manly must point out that the members
grace coupled with spiritual of Huzur’s private secretary’s
insight. staff, e.g. Messrs Saleem,
Rasheed and Mian, the security
During our stay at Baitul Fazal F- officers Sher Bahadur and Nasir
8/3, Islamabad, Pakistan, I had to Saeed and Huzur’s chef, Shera
deal with the daily corres- and also a few others, were my
pondence. He had given me his helping hands and were
personal instructions on how to extremely kind to me.

Additionally, I must underline Huzur’s saintliness and love

the fact that the local Islamabad for the Jama’at
Jama’at was also very co- Huzur was very punctual in
operative in all matters, in coming for prayers and always
particular the Amir, Sheikh cast a fleeting glance over the
Abdul Wahhab, Sheikh Naseem, whole gathering before leading
Munir Farrukh, Mahmood the prayer. This charming picture
Bullar, Chaudhry Ejaz still fleets before my eyes and
(Advocate), Shareef Mitto, even now I feel as if I am
Mujeeb-ur-Rehman(Advocate), standing behind Huzur in prayer.
and many others. After the prayer he used to wait
for a few minutes so that the
Huzur used to phone me from latecomers might also finish their
Jehlum to enquire about the prayers, while repeating the
arrangements at Baitul Fazal, Tasbihaat (words of glorification
Islamabad, about his own room and praise of God).
and concerning the provisions
made for his medicine. Sometimes, Huzur would hold a
Majlis-e-‘Irfan (Question and
I remember that the first thing he Answer session), either after the
asked me was the time of the combined Zuhr and ‘Asr prayers,
congregational prayers. It was or after the combined Maghrib
one of my duties to go and and ‘Isha prayers. Before
inform him five minutes before commencing to speak, Huzur
the prayers would start. If he would remain silent for a while,
wanted to lead the prayers in deep thought. It seemed to me
himself, he would say ‘Alright,’ that at that time he was no doubt
but occasionally he would say seeking Allah’s permission to
‘Permission is granted.’ This speak.
would mean that I was to go and
lead the prayers myself. Huzur very often used to come in
the sitting room for a chat.
During these sessions, Huzur

would speak on diverse subjects. Salana and when the mulaqat was
Huzur used to speak of his over, one old lady among them
personal experiences in his requested him to pray before they
travels all over the globe and departed. Huzur said: ‘As I raised
once said, ‘If you want to see my hands, the ladies began to cry
Ahmadiyyat as a vast majority of so fervently that I was amazed;
the population, go to West tears came to my eyes too and I
Africa.’ By the grace of Allah, felt that the prayer had been
Ahmadiyyat is very popular in accepted.’
Ghana. Huzur told me on one
occasion: ‘A Christian scholar Huzur frequently used to talk
came to see me and said: “Only a about the worthy qualities of his
short time before, the Pope and deceased wife, Sayyida
the Archbishop of Canterbury Mansoora Begum Sahiba. He
had come to Ghana; I had seen talked very highly of her
them and I see you, but we did excellent qualities and mentioned
not see the dignity in their faces that in one of their visits to
that we see in yours. They did not America it was she who had
claim in public, as you claim: expressed some misgivings she
“God speaks to me.”’ had concerning a certain doubtful
person, and had thus helped them
Once in a sitting Hadhrat to discover his sinister intentions.
Khalifatul Masih III(ru) said that It turned out that the person in
there are three Jama’ats which question had intended to harm
outshine all others in their love Huzur, but thanks to Hadhrat
for the Promised Messiah(as) and Begum Sahiba’s farsightedness
in the changes they have brought he was prevented from causing
about in themselves: the Ahmadis any harm. Huzur mentioned that
of West Africa, the Ahmadis of Hadhrat Begum Sahiba had left
the USA and the Ahmadis of such an excellent impression on
Indonesia. He said that a few the Jama’at of USA that they had
Indonesian ladies came to see written several articles on her
him on the occasion of the Jalsa blessed character.

Huzur liked people to speak directions that funds were to be

clearly and concisely and had a used only on his own instructions
great abhorrence of falsehood and that there was no need to
and lies. Once, Huzur told me: give him a detailed account. The
‘Majeed, outside Ahmadiyyat, it first time I presented the details
is all darkness. It is within of expenditure along with the
Ahmadiyyat and by remaining bundle of receipts, Huzur
attached to Khilafat that man can lovingly pulled my ear and said:
find true comfort and peace of ‘I don’t need these receipts; I
mind. This is the universal truth.’ have already placed my trust in
you. Just give me the balance.’
Huzur’s Love of Plants
Huzur would always check his During his first visit to
flowering plants, in particular Islamabad, Huzur asked me
rose bushes, whenever he visited whether his account needed any
his residence in Islamabad. replenishing. I said that I had
According to Huzur’s instruc- only spent 447 rupees out of it.
tions, I would place a bouquet of He replied: ‘Are you not making
roses picked from his garden on a mistake?’ I said, ‘No, Huzur. I
his table. Once, Huzur gently have got it all in writing.’ It
pointed out to me that the colours appeared he did not believe what
of the roses in my bouquet were I was saying, for he said: ‘Then
not matching, and taught me how you must have been miserly. You
to arrange different colours must not be stingy.’ He added:
together so that they would ‘In future, I would like you to be
complement each other. open-hearted in treating my
guests.’ From then on, I always
Huzur’s Generosity entertained Huzur’s guests quite
I enjoyed the great honour of lavishly. The fact was that Huzur
acting as his private banker. I use was a truly generous man, but as
the term ‘bank’ because that is for his own person he was very
precisely the word used by Huzur frugal. Among his guests, some
himself. He gave me his personal of the most prominent were

several lawyers from Lahore, Every time he returned to

Chaudhry Anwar Hussain Sahib Rabwah, Huzur would stop at
who was then the Amir of Kallar Kahar rest house. All the
Shekhupura and Khawaja guests were served meals at his
Sarfaraz (Advocate) of Sialkot. expense. He also used to sit with
his guests, to whom delicious
Huzur had a highly generous naans were also served. These
nature. Whenever he learned of Huzur would pass on to his guests
someone really in need, he would with his own hands. Even during
immediately arrange to help him. his final illness, he used to
Before returning to Rabwah, it enquire whether the guests were
was his custom to give 200 being properly looked after.
rupees each to the household staff
working at Baitul Fazal and he In short, Huzur was a host far
always used to leave an amount above par. It was always his wish
for distributing to the poor. that no man should ever go away
from his house without being
His Hospitality properly fed. Boxes of sweets and
Hospitality was another of his biscuits were supplied all the time
sterling traits. He used to say that to me so that no one who came
entertaining guests was a specific should leave without being
attribute of the Holy Prophet(saw). entertained.
He always enquired from me
what had been prepared for his Concern for the Sick
guests to eat and he greatly The Khalifa of the time is always
stressed that each and every guest the best among the chosen
was to be properly fed. He used to servants of Allah. Allah listens
send a number of dishes from his to his solicitations and as a result
private kitchen, which the guests many a sick person recover their
ate with great relish. Even those health. Many have their needs
who had already eaten used to fulfilled. Hadhrat Khalifatul
join in for the sake of Masih III(ru) always had
benediction. sympathy for the sick and ailing

– those who suffered from Huzur’s Reaction to

physical ailments as well as Provocation
those who were spiritually ill. I In the year 1982, a number of
recall that Maulawi Iqbal Najm, non-Ahmadi divines, planned to
missionary for Spain, became ill celebrate the Holy Prophet’s Day
and a heart operation had been in Rabwah merely for the sake of
suggested for him. Huzur was provocation. They sent out
very much concerned and processions onto the streets of
especially directed Dr. Noori to Rabwah in rowdy and unbridled
look after him. Maulawi Najm columns holding insulting
was operated upon and Huzur banners and shouting themselves
showed great anxiety throughout hoarse with the most indecent
and continued to ask for his slogans. In the name of the Holy
news at short intervals. The Prophet(saw) these divines and
doctors were very surprised at their unruly followers gave an
the speedy recovery of the exhibition completely opposite
patient. to his teachings.
It was during these very days When Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih

that news reached Huzur that Mr III(ru) received these reports he
Mahmood Jan in London and Mr was terribly upset. Even when he
Saadat Ahmad Paracha in Zurich arrived in Islamabad a few days
had had serious heart attacks. later he was still very disturbed.
Huzur became very anxious and He mentioned the sad incident
not only prayed for their health several times. He could not
but also kept regular contact condone such ugly behaviour
with both missions; this became from the so-called pillars of the
a source of great relief to their faith. Whenever a non-Ahmadi
parents, relatives and friends. Muslim gentleman came to see
Who in this wide world could be him, he would mention to him
more anxious than the Khalifa that ugly demonstration in the
himself? name of Islam, and the Holy
Prophet(saw), had been held in

Rabwah. Even when Huzur published a news item that there

visited Islamabad, Mullahs had been a clash between a
would habitually make noise section of a minority group and a
using loudspeakers, shouting section of the majority at
abuse at Huzur and at the Kashmoor, in the Sindh
Ahmadiyya Jama’at. province. Property of the
minority clan had been damaged
One day a few non-Ahmadi and destroyed and many of them
Muslim gentlemen came to see had been wounded.
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru).
He called me to bring him a few On reading these reports,
copies of the booklet “Bilal” for Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru)
them. He gave them each a copy sent for me. He said that he was
of that booklet and said: ‘We very concerned because of that
have published this for our news, adding: ‘I sincerely hope
children,’ and added that there the minority described in the
was a lesson in it for the elders news are not our own people. I
also. Huzur said: ‘We are at the would like you to find out the
present stage passing through the truth about these reports by this
same trials as Bilal, who had evening.’
been made a victim of the most
brutal assaults.’ I, therefore, made contact with
different sources of information
Affection for the Jama’at and rang the Amirs of Karachi
I would like to specify that it was and Sindh. From them, I gleaned
also one of my duties to go the information that the minority
through the important Urdu and community mentioned in the
English daily newspapers and news were in fact Hindus. Our
underline in red, news of interest Jama’at was not at all involved in
to us, so that Huzur’s time would that trouble.
not be wasted.
I knew full well that Hadhrat
On one occasion, The Daily Jang Khalifatul Masih III(ru) was very

much perturbed about the news His Enthusiasm for Jama’at

and I wished to let him know the Activities
truth at the earliest moment. I Huzur was very keen about the
therefore tried to contact him at proposed mosque to be built in
Murree. He was not there. I Spain. In this connection, he very
began wondering how to contact often gave instructions to
him. I was still thinking about Maulawi Karam Ilahi Zafar
this matter when I saw Huzur’s Sahib in Cordoba and also to
car entering the compound, the Maulana Sheikh Mubarak
other cars following. I went out Ahmad Sahib in London. He was
and as soon as I opened the door also very enthusiastic about the
of his car the first question he Qasr-e-Khilafat that was at the
asked me was whether I had time under construction in
gleaned any information about Rabwah.
the news in the Daily Jang. I told
him what I had learned and he Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru)
became cheerful again. also spoke frequently to Maulawi
Naseem Mahdi Sahib in
This small incident is a reflection connection with the French and
of the very great concern he Spanish translations of the Holy
always had for the Jama’at. Qur’an that were being carried
out there. He always used to
Huzur always spoke to us very praise God that the work of
courteously. Even when he spoke translation was going very
to children, he would address smoothly during his time.
them politely and was never
harsh to them. In many of his It was Huzur’s practice that
sermons, he also stressed this whenever a good report came
point very much. He always from any of the Ahmadiyya
reminded us that the Holy missionaries working abroad, he
Prophet(saw), was always very would make kind mention of it to
polite to his juniors and kind to me, and would express his
children. appreciation. I clearly remember

Huzur mentioning Messrs very swollen. Huzur told us, ‘Do

Mahmood Bengali, Abdul not worry. This is due to the
Wahab bin Adam of Ghana, pooling of blood as a result of
Naseem Mehdi and Siddique the long journey. Also, the work
Gurdaspuri. Huzur used to say pressure has been intense for the
that he used to love most of all last few days. I have had to
those missionaries who were remain seated the whole day.
very prayerful persons who Insha Allah, it will be alright.’
prayed for others, who were We continued to massage Huzur
devoted to the upliftment of their daily, but his condition did not
Jama’ats and were mindful of improve much. As soon as
the instructions issued by the Huzur felt even a slight
Headquarters. improvement, he would proceed
immediately to his office and
Huzur’s Last Days would work the whole day there,
Huzur visited Islamabad for the at times pouring over his
very last time on the 23 of May, correspondence, and at others
1982. Huzur was accompanied meeting people. There was no
by Hadhrat Tahira Siddiqa time for him to rest. Indeed,
Begum Sahiba, Sahibzadi Khilafat is not like any worldly
Amatush-Shakoor Sahiba, post; for the Khalifa of the time
Sahibzada Mirza Anas Sahib and has to contemplate and work for
Sahibzada Mirza Luqman Sahib, the betterment of the Jama’at
along with their wives and and the entire world.
children. With them were
members of the delegation Due to the deterioration of
having returned from Spain. Huzur’s health, the last Friday
After the prayers of Maghrib and sermon before his demise was
‘Isha, I along with a few others delivered in Islamabad by
had the blessed opportunity to Sahibzada Mirza Tahir Ahmad –
give a massage to Huzur. We who later became Khalifatul
were shocked to discover that Masih IV. This sermon was very
the veins on Huzur’s legs were short but heavy with anxiety and

emotion; it contained a darkness spread over everyone.

passionate appeal to the Jama’at But God soon showed His mercy
to pray for the recovery of once again and brought His
Huzur. During this Khutbah, the beloved Jama’at back into the
state of anxiety of the Ahmadis light of peace and security.
of Rabwah was described in
such a way that the assembly I call Allah as my witness when
was filled with profound grief. I say that Hadhrat Khalifatul
Masih III(ru) was indeed a most
On the night between the 8 and 9 wonderful person, very dear to
of June, Huzur experienced a each and every Ahmadi; it is not
second heart attack. Mirza possible to state how dear he was
Fareed Ahmad Sahib came down to me. Every particle in my body
and said that we should is indebted to his kindness. He
announce to the Jama’at that was and shall remain most dear
Huzur’s condition was now to me. He was truly a great
critical. All those who had Spiritual Leader.
gathered at Baitul Fazal were
extremely anxious and restless. O my Merciful God! Shower
We could see from the faces of Thy mercy most abundantly
Huzur’s sons and other relatives upon the holy soul of my master
that Huzur’s condition must and raise him to Thine own
indeed be exceedingly worrying. Throne of Nearness. Amin.
Then, at around thirty minutes
past midnight, Mirza Fareed
Ahmad Sahib came down and,
standing on the staircase,
signalled with his hand and
softly recited the Qur’anic verse:
Verily, to Allah we belong and to
Him is our return. The whole
assembly was so shocked that all
were left speechless. Fear and

DIVERSITY IN HUMAN NATURE
An article by Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru), first published
in The Muslim Herald, October 1970)
Human nature is unique but this difference and variety

varied, so varied indeed that continue with equal meaning-
humans differ from one fulness and emphasis in
another in personality morals and in other fields of
structure, mental and physical spiritual attainment.
equipment, experience,
habits, training, tastes and a Now why has Allah created
host of other areas of human man against this vast
behaviour and endeavour. kaleidoscope of rich human
Some are refined, sensitive variety? The Holy Qur’an
and intelligent and react points out three main reasons
sharply to their surroundings for this amazing pheno-
and the mental and moral menon:
climate in which they are
placed. Others are not so The first reason is contained
sensitive and refined and in the following verse of the
react slowly even to strong Holy Qur’an:
stimuli. Some impress while
others are impressionable. Allah says:
Some lead, at different levels
of human existence; others Is it they who would
are led. There is, in fact, an distribute the mercy of Thy
infinite variety of tastes and Lord? It is We who distribute
interests. among them their livelihood
in this present life, and We
The difference is extreme and exalt some of them above
the variety unending. And others in degrees of rank, but

THE DIVERSITY IN HUMAN NATURE
alas merely to result in the Imagine a world in which all

subjugation of some by have the same tastes and
others. And the mercy of Thy interests. Supposing all were to
Lord is better than that which become heads of States. It would
they amass. make statecraft a pretty
(Ch.43:V.33) interesting study. Or if all
became Newtons and Einsteins,
It is not for man to distribute who would feed them or clothe
Divine favours. It is the Act of an them or do their daily chores? If
Absolute King. He created some all started taking one kind of
of us with capacities of an staple food, say wheat or rice, the
average order, others with human race would die of
qualities, which are higher or starvation. It is clear, therefore,
lower than the average. The main that difference is the spice of life.
purpose of this distribution is to Difference in nature and nurture
enable human societies to run eventually makes for the
their affairs with facility and difference in functions. Students,
ease. teachers, workers, artisans,
executives, experts, leaders all
We cannot live except with have their valid and legitimate
mutual help, for man is a social roles to perform. All contribute
animal. He has different to the total sum of human happi-
functions to perform, functions ness. All add to the pool of
which make it possible for him to human performance. By helping
share the burden of others. Men one another we help our own
are born different and are selves, according to our own
exposed to different en- standards and tastes. It is because
vironmental influences. Without of this that the wheels of social
this variety of tastes and interests life continue to move.
human life would become
impossible and come to a Secondly the Holy Qur’an says:
complete standstill.

Verily We have made all that positive value of virtue

is on earth as an ornament established over evil. For if all
for it, that We may try them as were born angels, the fact of
to which of them is best in human choice and responsibility
conduct. would become redundant. The
(Ch.18:V.8) question of right and wrong,
good and bad, virtue and evil
This verse clearly shows that our would not arise. Man, the best of
apportioned roles with all their Allah’s creation, grows and
dimensions and levels of prospers and attains the highest
existence and their contexts and stages of perfection only because
relations altogether constitute a he is so made and placed.
picture, and a pattern and are Angels, or, for that matter, lower
truly an ornament, a thing of animals, have not been blessed
beauty and rhythm and with this favour. It is man’s
symmetry. The resultant actions prerogative alone and is a divine
and conduct, which can assume gift.
infinite variety of shapes, will be
virtuous if it promotes the But we must remember that the
rhythm and purpose of Divine gift is a favour, not a right. We
creation, evil if it does not. must prove our bona fides as
Therefore, personality humans and as conscious adults,
differences have much higher conscious of our duties and our
functions to perform, higher than stations in life. All of us are on
the functions of facilitating and trial as sons, daughters, hus-
making our social life possible. bands, wives, fathers, mothers,
leaders, followers, and in a host
This difference makes it possible of other capacities. It does not
to single out the right from the matter what we are. What
wrong, the good from the bad. It matters is how we behave and
is because of this that virtue and shape our conduct. Every
evil can be distinguished and told individual, therefore, is an
apart and the superiority and ornament to this earth. Therefore,

it is his conduct, not his station, creation). Life continues to be a

which is judged. miracle all the time.
The third reason for the The diversity of forms life

individual differences is that assumes, is amazing. Even in the
Allah wants to manifest His same species no two individuals
power and might and the glory of are exactly alike. Just think of
His control over all, and to show man. There have been thousands
that they are a gift, not a right. of billions of men throughout
Man has no claim over this gift recorded history. In spite of their
whatsoever. It is Allah’s mercy similarity, they are yet dissimilar.
and grace, which shines through In form or feature, voice or gait,
these favours. habit or behaviour, they
somehow differ from one
He says in the Holy Qur’an: another. To the discerning eye, it
is this infinity of form, this
Allah has created every variety of shape and function,
animal from water. Of them this unending procession of
are some that crawl upon individual differences, which
their bellies, and of them are effectively proves the Power and
some that go upon two feet; Glory of Allah, the Creator of us
and among them are some all.
that go upon four. Allah
creates what He pleases.
Surely Allah has the power to
do all that He pleases.
(Ch.24:V.46)
There is infinite variety of

animate beings beginning with
unicellular organisms like (the
amoeba and ending with man,
the most complex and best of His

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MANAGEMENT BOARD CONTENTS March 2008, Vol.103, No.

2 The Review of Religions – March 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6 The Review of Religions – March 2008 3

he qualified as Maulawi Fadhil ‘He impressed his college

4 The Review of Religions – March 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6

College, more popularly known served as the Naib Sadr of Majlis

For a number of years he also In 1953, the Ahrar movement

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6 The Review of Religions – March 2008 5

‘The disorders of 1953 Anjuman Ahmadiyya of Pakistan

In May 1955, Hadhrat KhalifatuI

6 The Review of Religions – March 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6 The Review of Religions – March 2008 7

presence, with total conviction me that in spite of being a

As you have placed a very When our beloved Imam

8 The Review of Religions – March 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6

brothers, but differences should to him that I assure you that no

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6 The Review of Religions – March 2008 9

You will find me sympathetic not know what overcame me but

Then, the mother I had, under So in 1965 at the age of 56 years,

10 The Review of Religions – March 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6 The Review of Religions – March 2008 11

Foundation gave proof of high Fadl-i-Umar Foundation not only

12 The Review of Religions – March 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6

grow and a number of smaller Rabwah on 6 July and returning

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6 The Review of Religions – March 2008 13

community and opportunities of activities of the Community in

14 The Review of Religions – March 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6

we should invest the minimum account and named it “Nusrat

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6 The Review of Religions – March 2008 15

hospitals and thirteen new projects including the building of

16 The Review of Religions – March 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6

a hundred languages of the Norway and Spain.

• To establish a radio station in • Construction of the Centenary

• To translate the Holy Qur’an In August 1976 Hadhrat Khalifatul

• Construction of a huge mosque

• Islamic literature printed on

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6 The Review of Religions – March 2008 17

Address by Hadhrat All worthiness of perfect Praise

shall confine myself to drawing His righteous servants in visions,

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6 The Review of Religions – March 2008 19

they may worship Me. then restored to life, and thus

20 The Review of Religions – March 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6 The Review of Religions – March 2008 21

hell. Thus it is an impossibility Justice comes into play as a

22 The Review of Religions – March 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6 The Review of Religions – March 2008 23

have often been called gods or sepulchre, what resemblance

The Holy Qur’an has affirmed Jesus(as) was a Divine Messenger

24 The Review of Religions – March 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6 The Review of Religions – March 2008 25

love, and recognition of the them out in detail on this

26 The Review of Religions – March 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6

despite having undergone severe and injuries that had been

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6 The Review of Religions – March 2008 27

having discarded his physical unconscious so that he appeared

28 The Review of Religions – March 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6

Promised Messiah(as), whereby it crucifixion would become

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6 The Review of Religions – March 2008 29

fortunate is the one who is borative. Even if this genuine

30 The Review of Religions – March 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6 The Review of Religions – March 2008 31

last, perfect, enduring universal fixion. He had not yet even

32 The Review of Religions – March 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 6

forth by Moses(as) and other would be achieved at Mount