Friday Sermon delivered at Masjid Mubarak, Islamabad, Tilford, UK
After reciting Tashahhud, Ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad(aba) said that he would mention another expedition from the life of the Holy Prophet(sa), called the Expedition of Qurta.
His Holiness(aba) said that this expedition took place on 10 Muharram, 6 AH. The Holy Prophet(sa) sent Hazrat Muhammad bin Maslamah(ra) along with 30 other companions towards Qurta. Qurta was a branch of Banu Bakr bin Kilab located in Dariyyah and was at a distance of about seven nights’ journey from Madinah.
His Holiness(aba) said that the Holy Prophet(sa) instructed this envoy to travel by night and hide by day, and to launch a sudden attack. When the envoy reached a place where they could see the Banu Bakr, Hazrat Muhammad bin Maslamah(ra) sent someone ahead to gather information. Upon receiving this information, he and those with him attacked the Banu Bakr resulting in ten of the Banu Bakr being killed. They then returned to Madinah, while a few people were left behind in order to bring the camels and sheep back to Madinah. There were 150 camels and 3,000 sheep. This expedition lasted 19 days.
His Holiness(aba) quoted Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad(ra) who writes according to various historical records:
‘At the time, 6 A.H. had only begun and it was in the first month of the Lunar Year, i.e., the early dates of the month of Muharram, when the Holy Prophet(sa) received news of danger from the people of Najd. This threat was from the Qurta tribe, which was a branch of the tribe Banu Bakr and resided in an area called Dariyyah in Najd, situated at a distance of seven days’ journey from Madinah. Upon receiving this news, the Holy Prophet(sa) immediately dispatched a squadron of 30 mounted troops to Najd under the command of one of his companions, Muhammad bin Maslamah Ansari(ra). However, Allah the Exalted instilled such awe in the hearts of the infidels that they took to flight after only a minor confrontation. As per the custom of war at the time, this was an opportunity for the Muslims to take the women and children of the enemy captive, as they had left them behind and retreated. However, Muhammad bin Maslamah(ra) did not detain the women and children, and returned to Madinah with general spoils of war which consisted of camels and goats.’
(The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa), Vol. 3, p. 5)
His Holiness(aba) said that this clarifies the fact that Holy Prophet(sa) sent this envoy because of having received information that an attack against Madinah was being planned.
His Holiness(aba) said that during this incident, there is also mention of Thumamah bin Uthal, chief of Yamamah accepting Islam. In this regard, His Holiness(aba) quoted Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad(ra) who writes:
‘Upon return from this expedition, the instance of the capture of Thumamah bin Uthal took place. This individual resided in Yamamah and was a very influential chieftain of the tribe – Banu Hanifah. He had exceeded so far in his enmity towards Islam that he let no opportunity for killing innocent Muslims pass. Therefore, on one occasion, an ambassador of the Holy Prophet(sa) went to his region and he, ignoring all the laws of war, conspired to kill him. As a matter of fact, at one time, he even planned to assassinate the Holy Prophet(sa) himself. When the party of Muhammad bin Maslamah(ra) captured Thumamah, they were unaware of the identity of this individual. As a matter of fact, they had captured him only on the basis of suspicion. It seems that by his extraordinary intelligence, Thumamah also did well in concealing his identity from the Muslims. For he knew that he had committed heinous crimes against Islam and that if the indignant Muslim soldiers were to find out who he was, they might deal with him harshly or kill him altogether. He expected kinder treatment from the Holy Prophet(sa) himself. As such, until their return to Madinah, the identity of Thumamah remained hidden to the party of Muhammad bin Maslamah(ra).
Upon arriving in Madinah, when Thumamah was presented before the Holy Prophet(sa), he recognised him at first glance and said to Muhammad bin Maslamah(ra) and his companions, “Do you know who this is?” They expressed their lack of knowledge in this matter, upon which the Holy Prophet(sa) enlightened them. After this, the Holy Prophet(sa) ordered the good treatment of Thumamah as was his custom, and went to his home and instructed that whatever food was available should be sent to Thumamah. Then the Holy Prophet(sa) instructed that instead of keeping Thumamah in another house, to tie him to a pillar on the veranda of Masjid Nabawi. By this, the purpose of the Holy Prophet(sa) was so that his gatherings and the Muslim Salat be held before his eyes and so that these spiritual sights influence his heart, so that he become inclined towards Islam.
During those days, the Holy Prophet(sa) would go to Thumamah and inquire of him, “Thumamah! What are your intentions now?” Thumamah would respond, “O Muhammad [sa]! If you kill me, you have the right to do so, for I have been charged with murder, but if you deal with me in goodness you shall find me grateful. If you wish to accept my ransom, I am willing to pay my ransom as well.” This exchange of questions and answers continued for three days. Finally, on the third day, the Holy Prophet(sa) himself ordered his companions to release Thumamah. The companions released him at once and Thumamah hurriedly left the mosque. Perhaps the companions thought that now he would return to his homeland, but the Holy Prophet(sa) had understood that his heart had been won over. As such, he went to a nearby garden and returned after bathing and immediately accepted Islam at the hand of the Holy Prophet(sa). After this, he said to the Holy Prophet(sa), “O Messenger of Allah! There was a time when I hated your person, and your religion and your city more than anything in the world, but now your person, and your religion and your city are most beloved to me.”
That night in the evening, when food was customarily brought for Thumamah(ra), he ate a little of the food and left the rest. The companions were surprised that until that morning, Thumamah(ra) would eat extravagantly and was a glutton, but now he had eaten only a little. When this news reached the Holy Prophet(sa), he said, “Until this morning Thumamah ate like the infidels and now he has eaten like a Muslim.” Then the Holy Prophet(sa) explained this saying, “An infidel eats in seven intestines while a believer eats in one alone.” By this, the Holy Prophet’s intention was (to express) that where an infidel is so absorbed in the pleasures of this world and is forever engrossed in them, on the other hand, a true believer limits his physical needs only to the extent as is necessary for the sustenance of life. This is because a believer finds true delight in religion alone. It should also be kept in mind that here, the number seven does not infer to the actual numerical value, but in light of Arabic idiom, the number seven is used to imply ‘abundance’ or ‘completion’ as well. In other words, the meaning is that an infidel remains engrossed in worldly comforts and all his attention is spent in worldly affairs, but a believer restrains himself from the comforts of this world and does not cross the boundary of necessity, because the true means of his delight is something else. This teaching is a true illustration of the natural inclination and personal character of the Holy Prophet(sa).
After becoming a Muslim, Thumamah(ra) said to the Holy Prophet(sa), “O Messenger of Allah! When your men captured me, I was on my way to the Ka‘bah for ‘Umrah. What do you now order?” The Holy Prophet(sa) granted him permission and prayed, and Thumamah(ra) left for Makkah. Due to the passion of his faith, upon reaching there, he began to preach openly within the Quraish. At this sight, the eyes of the Quraish gorged with blood in extreme rage. They captured Thumamah(ra) and planned to kill him, but upon the thought that he was the chieftain of the region of Yamamah, and keeping in mind that Makkah had historic trade relations with Yamamah, they abandoned this idea and released him, after some mere verbal abuse. However, the disposition of Thumamah(ra) was full of passion and all the cruelties inflicted upon the Holy Prophet(sa) and his companions were before his eyes. Upon leaving Makkah, he addressed the Quraish saying, “By God, from now on you shall not receive a grain of corn from the region of Yamamah until the Holy Prophet(sa) grants permission.”
Upon reaching his homeland, Thumamah(ra) actually stopped the caravans of import and export to Makkah and since a large portion of Makkah’s food supply came from Yamamah, upon the halt of this trade, Makkah underwent a great trial. Not long had passed before they became worried and wrote a letter to the Holy Prophet(sa), that he always instructed the kind treatment of relatives, and they who were their brothers were trapped, so please may they be granted salvation from this trial. At the time, the Quraish of Makkah were so worried that they did not rely on this letter alone, but also sent their chief, Abu Sufyan bin Harb to the Holy Prophet(sa). He verbally lamented before the Holy Prophet(sa) and whilst presenting his difficulty, he began to seek mercy. Upon this, the Holy Prophet(sa) sent word to Thumamah bin Uthal(ra) that the import and export of caravans which contained food supplies for the Quraish, should not be blocked. Therefore, the circuit of this trade recommenced and the people of Makkah received salvation from this difficulty.
On the one hand, whilst this occurrence is a clear proof of the unprecedented tenderness, mercy and forgiveness of the Holy Prophet(sa), on the other hand, it also proves that initially, the true purpose of the systematic interception of various caravans of the Quraish by the Holy Prophet(sa), was not to force the Quraish’s destruction by famine. The true purpose of this was to secure the borders of Madinah from the threat of the Quraish. This occurrence also proves that in light of Islamic teachings, it is not permitted in normal circumstances to stop the free movement of an enemy at war to the extent that they are deprived of their bread and butter. Nonetheless, the import and export of weapons of war or other items excluding the basic necessities of life, can be intercepted as per the requirements of war. If however, the case is that the enemy cuts off food supplies to the Muslims, then as per the principle teaching of the Qur’an, the recompense of an injury is an injury the like thereof, it is permissible to cut off this supply as well.
As mentioned above, Thumamah bin Uthal(ra) was a very influential chieftain of his region. By his fervent preaching, many people of Yamamah entered Islam. Later, near the demise of the Holy Prophet(sa) and in the beginning of the caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra), when many Bedouins of Yamamah were led to apostasy by the false claimant to prophethood, Musailamah Kadhdhab, not only did Thumamah stay firm upon his faith, but through his passionate efforts he was able to safeguard many people from the evil of Musailamah and kept them gathered under the banner of Islam. He played a great role in combating the mischief of Musailamah.’
(The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa), Vol. 3, pp. 5-10)
His Holiness(aba) said that he would lead the funeral prayers of the following:
Abdul Latif Khan from Middlesex, UK who recently passed away. He was the son of Hazrat Muhammad Zahoor Khan Batyalvi, a companion of the Promised Messiah(as). He was among the pioneering members of the Ahmadiyya Community in the UK. He served the Community in various capacities and possessed many great qualities. He had a strong connection of love with Khilafat and was always ready to serve in any way he was needed. He had a passion for propagating the message of Islam and Ahmadiyyat. He is survived by two daughters, four sons and many grandchildren. His Holiness(aba) prayed that may Allah grant him forgiveness and mercy and enable his children and progeny to remain attached to Khilafat and the Community.
Tayyab Ahmad Shaheed who was martyred with an axe in Rawalpindi on 5 December 2024. He had been visiting his brother in Rawalpindi and was sitting at his brother’s shop when an opponent of Ahmadiyyat came into the shop and started arguing with him. Then the opponent attacked him with an axe due to which Tayyab Ahmad was martyred on the spot. When his brother came over to help, the attacker started striking at him as well and he survived with great difficulty. During the attack, the attacker was raising slogans, saying things like “We have told you Qadianis many times to leave this place.” After the attack, he fled and since then has been apprehended by the police. The family has been facing opposition for the past year and had to change their place of business four times, as recently as three months ago. Despite these circumstances, this family has endured these difficulties with great patience. The deceased martyr was of a simple nature, was regular in prayers, and was kind to his family. He was always ready to serve the Community and had a special love for life-devotees. He would come to the mosque early and would remain engaged in the remembrance of Allah. He is survived by his parents, wife, two brothers and two sisters. His Holiness(aba) prayed that may Allah elevate the deceased martyr’s station and grant his entire family patience.
Muhannad Mu’ayyad Abu Awwad from Gaza, Palestine. He was killed in a drone strike at the age of 20 years old. He remained positive despite the war around him. He was residing in a Humanity First camp, but not only did he reside there, he would help Humanity First in assisting others as well and was regarded by Humanity First as an excellent volunteer worker. He always strove to help his family and those in need. A few days before his martyrdom, the deceased martyr went to Rafah in search of food, where trucks are often attacked and looted. Youngsters go there to try and find anything they possibly could, even if it was flour mixed with dirt. One day, he found some flour and brought it back to his parents upon which his mother became very happy. However, his father told him not to return as it was a miracle to return alive from there. However he did end up going back to find more food for his family. While there, he and his friends saw the corpse of a deceased Palestinian which was being attacked by a dog. They forgot their actual purpose of going to find food and scared the dogs away. They also heard the screams of a mother and her child who had been injured. They were helping them reach aid when the Israelis launched a missile at them upon which Muhammad, his friend and the mother and child he was trying to help were martyred. One of his friends survived and recounted the entire incident. His father is also a sincere servant of the Community, and after accepting Ahmadiyyat he had to face a great deal of opposition and was even jailed. However, he always remained resolute and never wavered in faith. This family has given many sacrifices. His Holiness(aba) prayed that may Allah protect this family, and elevate the deceased’s station.
Maulvi Muhammad Ayyub Butt who was a dervish in Qadian and recently passed away at the age of 100. During his youth, he saw the Holy Prophet(sa) in a dream riding a horse. His mother interpreted this to mean that he would have the opportunity of serving the faith. And so, later on he dedicated his life to the service of faith. He was sent to Iran where he served for five years, then Afghanistan. He was then instructed to return to Qadian after the partition of India and Pakistan. He served in various capacities in Qadian and other parts of India. He rendered excellent services. Many were able to accept Ahmadiyyat through his efforts. His Holiness(aba) prayed that may Allah elevate his station and enable his children and progeny to carry on the legacy of his virtues.
Dr Masoud Ahmad Malik former vice President of the Ahmadiyya Community in the USA. He performed Hajj in 2000. He obtained his PhD in animal nutrition from Nebraska University. He served the Community in the USA as vice President from 2013 until his demise and in various other capacities. He had the opportunity to do research and find references for the Fourth Caliph’s(rh) book, Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge and Truth. He was very obedient to Khilafat and understood the system of the Community. He was very conscious of maximising time, and being careful with spending the Community’s funds. He had a sign on his desk that read, “What have I done today in the service of my Jama’at?” He truly spent everyday in service of the Community. He possessed many excellent qualities and fulfilled his duties in an excellent manner. His Holiness(aba) prayed that may Allah grant him forgiveness and mercy, elevate his station and enable his children to carry on the legacy of his virtues.
Shabeer Ahmad Lodhi who was the father of Farrukh Shabeer Lodhi, a missionary of the Community in Liberia. Due to being in the field of service he wasn’t unable to attend his father’s funeral. Shabeer Ahmad Lodhi was regular in offering prayers giving precedence to faith over the world, reciting the Holy Qur’an, listening to the Friday sermons, fasting and being ever ready to serve the Community. He possessed many great qualities and had complete trust in Allah. Many have written about his kind treatment towards them. When opponents would erase the Islamic creed from mosques of the Ahmadiyya Community he would be tasked to write it once again on the mosque as quickly as possible. He was extremely patient, even if someone wronged him, he would never retaliate. He would combat difficulties with prayers. His Holiness(aba) prayed that may Allah grant him forgiveness and mercy, elevate his station and remain the Protector and Helper for his children.
Summary prepared by The Review of Religions
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