أَشْھَدُ أَنْ لَّا إِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ وَحْدَہٗ لَا شَرِیکَ لَہٗ وَأَشْھَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُہٗ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ

أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَأَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰہِ مِنَ الشَّیْطٰنِ الرَّجِیْمِ- بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِیْنَ۔ اَلرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ۔ مٰلِکِ یَوْمِ الدِّیْنِ۔ اِیَّا کَ نَعْبُدُ وَ اِیَّاکَ نَسْتَعِیْنُ۔

اِھْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِیْمَ۔ صِرَاطَ الَّذِیْنَ اَنْعَمْتَ عَلَیْھِمْ غَیْرِالْمَغْضُوْبِ عَلَیْھِمْ وَلَاالضَّآلِّیْنَ۔

These are the days of the Annual Convention in Qadian. Insha’Allah, Qadian's Annual Convention is starting from tomorrow. Similarly, Australia's Annual Convention has also begun today, and America's West Coast convention is about to start. Due to the time difference, it will probably start shortly. And perhaps in some other countries as well, conventions are being held or will be held during these days. May Allah make all these conventions blessed in every respect. May Allah protect them from the mischief and evil of evildoers.

Qadian's Annual Convention is particularly significant because it is being held in the town of the Promised Messiah, peace be upon him, and it was here that he, with God's permission, initiated these conventions.

Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him), in his various addresses and sermons regarding the Annual Convention, informed us about that era, which was the time of the Promised Messiah, peace and blessings be upon him, and the early days of the Community. Where Hazrat Musleh Maud depicted how the early conventions of the Promised Messiah were held, he also mentioned certain revelations and how Allah demonstrated their fulfillment during those days and continues to do so. Some revelations may pertain to future times, or may have been fulfilled once and will be fulfilled again. At this time, I present some references from Hazrat Musleh Maud in this regard.

Mentioning one of the early conventions, Hazrat Musleh Maud, while recalling his childhood impression and the state of the Community, says: This was in 1936, when he was stating that about forty years ago, at the place where the students of Madrasa Ahmadiyya now study (in Qadian), there used to be a broken-down wall. There was a wall that enclosed the entire population of Qadian. He says that in our forefathers' time, this mud wall was built for Qadian's protection. It was quite wide, and a bullock cart could travel on it. Then, when the British government had it demolished and auctioned, the Promised Messiah purchased a portion of it with the intention of building a guesthouse. It was a long stretch of land. It was a long plot. He says I cannot say whether it was '93, '94, or '95—it was approximately that kind of period. These were December days. This same season, this same month, some people who were not yet called Ahmadis because the Community was not yet identified by the name Ahmadi. (The name Ahmadi was adopted in 1901. Before that, there was no formal designation of Ahmadi.) They were not called Ahmadis, but they gathered in Qadian with the same objectives and purpose.

He says I cannot say whether all the proceedings occurred at this same place or some proceedings occurred here (where he is mentioning) and some in the mosque, because at that time my (Hazrat Musleh Maud's) age would have been seven or eight years. Therefore, I could not remember this matter in great detail. I did not understand the importance of that gathering at that time. I remember that much—that I ran around and played around with those gathered people. For me, considering that era, it was a matter of wonder that some people were assembled. A mat was spread on that wall on which the Promised Messiah was seated, and around him were friends who had gathered under the name of the Annual Convention gathering. He says my memory may err, and there was not one mat but two, but as far as I recall, there was only one mat. On this one mat, some people were seated. There would have been about 150 or 200, and including children, the Promised Messiah published their list at 250 people. He says I think there was one mat or two mats. In any case, they had only as much space as this convention hall's (which he is mentioning) stage has. (Indeed, nowadays the stages of our conventions are even larger.) He says I cannot say why, but I know that much—that the mat was moved to three places. (Lifted from one place, then from a second place, then from a third place.) First, it was spread in one place. After a short while, it was lifted from there and spread a little farther. After a short while, it was moved from there and spread to another place. And then from the third place, too, it was lifted and spread a little farther. He says that, considering my childhood age, I cannot say whether people were stopping those gatherings and saying you have no right to spread a mat in this place, or whether there was some other reason. In any case, I remember that the mat's location was changed two or three times. (Derived from "The Magnificent Progress of the Ahmadiyya Community is the Result of Weeping and Wailing at the Threshold of the Lord of Honor..." Anwar-ul-Uloom, Volume 14, pages 321-323)

Today, those who have gone to Qadian for the convention at this time may not be able to imagine the conditions of that time. Now, by Allah's grace, a vast convention hall is available, which is enclosed by a proper boundary wall, and even in this, the effort is that maximum facilities be provided. In 1936, when Hazrat Musleh Maud was stating this, until Partition, arrangements continued to become more extensive. Later, at the time of Partition, such a period also came upon Qadian when Ahmadis were confined to only the Darul Masih and a few surrounding houses. Indeed, except for a few hundred, everyone had to migrate, and even these few Ahmadis were very weak. But today, again by Allah's grace, expansion is occurring in Qadian, and those going there for the first time—the new generations, the youth, or people coming from outside—are now only seeing this expansion. But when we look through the window of history, we see the rain of Allah's favors. Today, the residents of Rabwah must also be anxious these days, so they too should remember that conditions do not always remain the same. God willing, conditions will change there too, and prosperity will also be established, but the residents of Rabwah will have to pay attention to prayers. Those living in Pakistan will have to pay attention to prayers. Allah says: وَلَا تَہِنُوۡا وَلَا تَحۡزَنُوۡا وَاَنۡتُمُ الۡاَعۡلَوۡنَ اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ مُّؤۡمِنِیۡنَ"Slacken not, nor grieve; and you shall certainly have the upper hand, if you are believers." (Aal-e-Imran: 140). This condition is attached—if you are believers. Thus, through an increase in faith and emphasis on prayers, one attracts Allah's favors and conditions change.

Hazrat Musleh Maud further states in this regard that those people who were gathered there (who were moved from place to place) came with this intention and resolution that Islam has been rendered extremely weak in the world, and that one light without which there can be no illumination in the world—people are exerting their full force to extinguish it (meaning the light of Islam and the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him). They, the children of darkness and shadow, wish to obliterate it. He says, in this world of one billion and twenty-five to thirty crore people (the population of that era), two hundred to two hundred fifty adult men, most of whose dress was that of the poor, very few of whom could be called middle class, even considering India's conditions, had gathered. With this intention and resolve—that they would not let the flag of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, be brought down, which the enemy is trying to lower. Rather, they will hold that flag and keep it upright, and will sacrifice themselves, but will not let it be lowered. Against this ocean of one billion twenty-five crore people, two hundred to two hundred fifty weak men had come to present their sacrifice. On their faces was written the same thing that was written on the faces of the Companions of Badr. Just as the Companions of Badr said to the Holy Prophet: "O Messenger of Allah! We are certainly weak, and the enemy is powerful, but they cannot reach you until they trample over our corpses." Their faces showed that they were not humans but living martyrs who had gathered to make a final struggle for the honor of Muhammad and the establishment of his religion. Onlookers laughed at them. Onlookers mocked them and were amazed—what work will these people do?

He says I think there was one mat or two mats. In any case, they had only as much space as this stage has. I cannot say why, but I know that much—that the mat was moved to three places (as has been mentioned). Mentioning an incident of Prophet Yusuf, he says people say that when Yusuf was sold in the market of Egypt, an old woman also arrived with two balls of cotton, thinking perhaps she could purchase Yusuf with these balls. Worldly people hear this incident and laugh. Spiritual people hear it and weep, because immediately this feeling arises in their hearts that where something has value, a person does not care about the world's laughter. But I say Yusuf was a human being, and at that time, Yusuf's capabilities had not yet been manifested. (He was young.) After all, his brothers had sold him for a very small price. (If this story is even accepted as true.) In such circumstances, if the old woman had the thought that perhaps through two balls of cotton, I could purchase Yusuf, this is not far-fetched. Especially when we keep in mind that the country from which this caravan came did not grow cotton, and they used to take cotton from Egypt, then it does not seem at all far-fetched that cotton's price was very high at that time, and that old woman actually thought cotton could purchase Yusuf. But the price with which those people had gathered was certainly just as small (meaning that at that time, these two hundred to two hundred fifty men sitting around the Promised Messiah—the price with which these people had gathered was certainly just as small) and this is an even more prominent and clearer example than the incident of Yusuf's purchase of that love—what is the real thing? This love. That love which veils human reason, (that old woman thought her "my price" was sufficient, but here another price is being offered, which is the price of love that veils reason, and then this love) makes a person render such sacrifices as cannot even be imagined.

Those two hundred or two hundred fifty men who gathered—the blood that flowed from their hearts cried out before Allah's throne. Certainly, many of their parents may have been alive; certainly, they themselves may have been parents or grandfathers at that time, but when the world laughed at them, when the world abandoned them, when their own and strangers separated them and said, "Go away, O mad ones! Get away from us" (when they accepted Ahmadiyyat, despite being elders, fathers, grandfathers, children, people expelled them from their homes—get away from us), then despite being elders, they became orphans. Because we call an orphan only one who is without a guardian and has no support. So, when the world separated them, they became orphans, and according to Allah's promise that the orphan's cry shakes the throne, when they gathered in Qadian, and all the orphans together cried out in lamentation, then as a result of that cry, which was produced, you see today in this field. (Derived from "The Magnificent Progress of the Ahmadiyya Community is the Result of Weeping and Wailing at the Threshold of the Lord of Honor," (Anwar-ul-Uloom, Volume 14, pages 322-323)

Thus, at that time, Hazrat Musleh Maud, may Allah be pleased with him, said to the few thousand people sitting before him that you are seeing the result of the cries of those two hundred to two hundred fifty people. Meaning in this field were the cries of those two hundred to two hundred fifty people, the result of which you see, that you are sitting in this same field in Qadian.

Today, as I mentioned, Qadian's convention ground has become even more vast. I say to the men and women, as many people as are participating in the convention, that in a vast field where all facilities are also available, where instead of one language (at that time, Hazrat Musleh Maud was delivering a speech in one language), now voices are being conveyed in several languages. At this time, they are also sitting there listening to the sermon. The translation of the sermon is also reaching them in seven or eight languages. Where at this time people of different nationalities are sitting, where people who have come from Pakistan deprived of their rights are also sitting—all these people should create within themselves that faith and sincerity, create a connection with Allah, create a passion that was in those two hundred people whose example Hazrat Musleh Maud has given. Similarly, as I said, a convention is being held in Australia. America's West Coast convention is being held. Everywhere, if you have gathered with this intention that we must convey the true message of the Holy Prophet to the world and grow in our connection with Allah, then just as those two hundred to two hundred fifty people became 250 seeds or kernels from which fruit-bearing trees grew, and we are seeing the sights of Qadian's expansion and field and the progeny of those elders, and the Community in America and its expansion, and the Community in Australia and its expansion. In Australia, too, by Allah's grace, praise be to Allah, new places are being purchased. If you want to enhance their beauty, then enhance it by increasing your state of faith; merely gathering for the convention is not enough. If those two hundred to two hundred fifty seeds or kernels showed their effects, then today it is our responsibility to advance this work; we should grow in our faith, and then, as is Allah's promise, victory will be ours, God willing. At that time, there was talk of one billion and some crores; today, the world's population is more than seven billion. It is said to be seven billion thirty crores. And our number, compared to the world's population and in terms of our resources, is still very small. But we have to do the same work that our forefathers did. Therefore, every Ahmadi should keep this in view. Our objective is very great; we must achieve it, and all those people who have participated in the convention in Qadian should also remember to pray a great deal during these days.

Hazrat Musleh Maud, while stating that the Promised Messiah has thousands of such signs and innumerable testimonies that display their beauty, mentions one revelation and says that your revelation is: "They will come to you from every deep valley" and "They will bring to you from every deep valley." Meaning, people will come to you from far and wide, and gifts will be brought to you from far and wide, and such arrangements will be made by which guests will be hosted, and people will come in such numbers that the paths by which they come will be worn away. He says that this is a magnificent sign. Those who saw the condition at the time when Allah gave news of this magnificent sign are still present. (When this revelation occurred, what was the condition—those who saw it are still present.) He says my age was small, but that sight is still remembered where the school now is—there used to be a ravine, and heaps of filth were lying there (meaning heaps of dirt and rubble), and people did not go to the school's site during the day, saying this is a haunted place. First of all, no one would go there, and if anyone did go, no one would go alone, but rather two or three would go together because they thought going there would cause possession by jinn. Whether jinn possessed or not, in any case, it was a desolate place, and it is obvious that about desolate places, people have such thoughts that going there causes possession by jinn. Then this (he says) was beyond my experience, but many people relate that Qadian's condition was such that even two or three rupees worth of flour was not available from here. After all, it was a village with agricultural-style living. People used to grind wheat themselves for their own needs. He says we too remember that when we needed something, the Promised Messiah would send someone to Lahore or Amritsar to have that thing brought. Then, people's condition was such that no one would come this way. On weddings and such, some guests might come to this village, but generally, no one would come or go. I remember those days, too, when I was very small; Hazrat Sahib (meaning the Promised Messiah) would take me along, too. I remember it was the rainy season. There was water standing in a small pit. I could not jump over it, so I was lifted and carried across. Sometimes, Sheikh Hamid Ali Sahib and sometimes Hazrat Sahib himself would lift me. At that time, there were neither guests nor these buildings. There was no progress, but in one sense, this was also an era of progress. (In that era, there was no such progress, but that too was an era of progress) because by that time, Hafiz Hamid Ali Sahib had arrived. Even before this, when no one in Qadian knew the Promised Messiah at all, Allah gave this promise: People will come to you from far and wide, and gifts will be brought from far and wide. Estimating the condition of that time, this promise of Allah can be stated in these words: “O that person whom even the people of his neighborhood do not know, whom people of other cities outside his city do not know, whose obscurity made people think that only Mirza Ghulam Qadir Sahib is his father's son (meaning there is only one son)—Allah says I I will honor a person like you (meaning Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani, peace be upon him). I will make you famous in the world. Honor will come walking to you.” (Khutbat-e-Mahmood, Volume 10, pages 246-247)

This is a matter to ponder. Hazrat Musleh Maud says: I have heard with my own ears from the Promised Messiah—he used to say that if one considers carefully, even disbelievers are a mercy. If there had been no Abu Jahl, how much of the Quran would have been revealed? If everyone had been like Hazrat Abu Bakr, only "There is no god but Allah" would have been revealed. (Khutbat-e-Mahmood, Volume 10, page 299)

This shows that those who become Allah's see goodness in everything.

So, when opposition to the Promised Messiah occurred, at that time he could see that now honor would increase even more and would continue to increase, and today we too see these sights in Qadian—that people from twenty to twenty-five countries of the world have reached there, and by Allah's grace, new buildings are also being constructed. Then, mentioning a revelation regarding the hospitality of the Annual Convention, Hazrat Musleh Maud, while mentioning that last convention, says that in the time of the Promised Messiah, there were a total of seven hundred people. Now, in every single block, several thousand are seated. (At the time of the convention, he said several thousand people were seated in one block, but at that time, there were only seven hundred people in total.) At that time, it was the last year of your life, and a total of seven hundred people came to the convention, and the arrangements became so poor (only seven hundred people were guests, and there was chaos in the arrangements) that some people could not get food until three o'clock at night. And you received the revelation: "یٰٓاَیُّھَا النَّبِیُّ اَطْعِمُوا الْجَائِعَ وَالْمُعْتَرَّ." Meaning, O Prophet, feed the hungry and the troubled. Indeed, in the morning, it was learned that guests stood in front of the community kitchen until three o'clock at night, and they were not given food. Then you ordered anew: Put on the cooking pots and feed them. So, look, this was the condition with seven hundred people, but the state of these seven hundred people was such that when you went out for a walk, seven hundred people were with you. There was a great crowd. The poor people coming had never seen such a spectacle. Outside, even two hundred people would not be seen going around a spiritual saint. They might go to fairs, certainly, but not to spiritual sights. (He says) Therefore, it was a strange thing for them. These people were being jostled. When Hazrat Sahib took one step, he would stumble, and his shoe would come off his foot. (There was a throng of people.) Then some Ahmadi would stop and say, "Sir, please put on your shoe," and would place the shoe on your foot. Then, when you walked, again someone's shoulder would hit, and the shoe would fall off. Then he would say, "Sir, please stop, let me put on your shoe"—this is how it was. At that time, while going for a walk, this was the condition. People were with him. One farming friend (who was a sincere Ahmadi) said to another farming friend who was an Ahmadi, in Punjabi: "O, did you shake hands with the Promised Messiah?" Meaning, did you have a handshake with the Promised Messiah? He said: "Here, what time is there for shaking hands? No one lets anyone get close." Meaning, there are so many people that no one even lets you come near; there is no opportunity for shaking hands—here no one even lets you come close. Upon this, that devoted farmer, seeing him, said: When will you get this opportunity again? Even if your body is torn to pieces, pass through between the people and come shake hands. So, where was that time we saw with our own eyes, and where is this time that we are seeing with our own eyes, where there are thousands of people? (Derived from Al-Fazl, March 17, 1957, pages 3-4, Volume 46/11, Number 66)

Thus, at one time, even the arrangement of food for seven hundred people became difficult. The Promised Messiah himself stood up and made the arrangements. Shaking hands was considered difficult, and today, by Allah's grace, in support of the Promised Messiah, this is the sight of Allah's endorsements—that thousands of people from different nations are gathered in Qadian, and their food is also being cooked, and hospitality according to their temperament is also being done, and similarly in the conventions of the rest of the world.

Then, at the time of this convention, the Promised Messiah also stated that a great expansion had occurred. The Community has grown very much. It seems now our work has finished. Hazrat Musleh Maud says: "I remember how many people gathered at the Annual Convention in Qadian in the last year of the Promised Messiah's life. As has been mentioned, the Promised Messiah at that time repeatedly said that Allah had sent us into the world for a particular work—that has been done, and now such a large community has been created, and people have brought faith in such numbers that we think our purpose in coming to this world has been fulfilled. Now, where was that day when such a crowd at the Annual Convention was considered a magnificent crowd, and where is this time (Hazrat Musleh Maud says) when in the city of Lahore alone, nearly that many people gather for one Friday prayer. Indeed, now thousands of people gather in mosques. As I have mentioned once before, thousands of people are sitting here in London at this time. This is a magnificent sign of Allah's help and His support, and the communities with which His help exists grow in this way and also begin to prick in the eyes of enemies like thorns. Enemies also increase in enmity, increase in envy, but Allah's decree does not remain unfulfilled, and despite the enemies' envious gazes, Allah continues to grow His community and continues to give it progress in the world. There is no doubt that this thing in itself is a cause of great joy for us." (Derived from Khutbat-e-Mahmood, Volume 25, page 2)

But at the same time, it also draws our attention to our responsibilities. It draws our attention to those purposes for which we took the pledge of allegiance to the Promised Messiah.

And then see that not only in the Indian subcontinent and Pakistan, today the Community is growing and progressing in more than two hundred countries of the world. Despite the envy of the envious, it continues to grow in the same way. These enmities were first in India or Pakistan. We had also heard of Indonesian enmity.

Now, two days ago, in Kyrgyzstan, too, one of our local Kyrgyz Ahmadis was martyred. اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّا اِلَیْہِ رَاجِعُوْنَ Insha'Allah, I will also lead his funeral prayer today. Similarly, just a short while ago, Friday prayer was being held in Bangladesh, and in one city there, a blast also occurred in our mosque during Friday prayer. Apparently, it seems to be a suicide blast. Some Ahmadis were injured. In any case, a complete report will come. May Allah also protect those injured, and may the injuries not be fatal, and may He soon grant health to all of them. In any case, this envy and opposition, seeing the progress of Ahmadiyyat, continues to increase and spread in the world, and it will increase. But Allah's decree has decided that He will prevail, God willing. The Community is progressing and will continue to progress, God willing.

The Promised Messiah has an ambiguous revelation. We cannot make any particular meaning of it, nor do we know when and how it will be fulfilled, and that revelation is: "Raise the anchor." Hazrat Musleh Maud says that if by anchor the ship's anchor is meant (meaning when an anchor is cast in water to keep a ship stationary), then its meaning would be: Go out and spread Allah's message everywhere. And if by anchor the literal community kitchen is meant, then its meaning would be: The number of visitors has increased so much that now the community kitchen arrangement cannot be managed. Therefore, raise the anchor and tell people to arrange their own accommodation and food. Of these two meanings, we cannot determine any meaning, nor can we determine when such an event will occur. In any case, as long as hosting guests is within human capacity, until then we have this very instruction—"Enlarge your space"—that you should continue enlarging your buildings and make room for guests. (Derived from Khutbat-e-Mahmood, Volume 35, pages 397-398)

Thus, for this purpose, at least in Qadian and wherever else, if communities can do this, temporary and permanent arrangements for accommodation should continue to be made. By Allah's grace, under the Promised Messiah's revelation "Enlarge your space," in Qadian too, great expansion is occurring in our accommodation, and new guesthouses and spaces have been built, and guests are provided with whatever facilities are possible, but in any case, it is not the comfort of home. Therefore, guests too should keep in mind that within whatever facilities have been provided, they should be grateful to Allah and fulfill the real purpose of coming to the convention, and not just look toward hospitality or accommodation facilities.

Mentioning another revelation and wish of the Promised Messiah, Hazrat Musleh Maud says: "The Promised Messiah expressed the wish that all those friends of the Community for whom it is possible to come to the convention should gather and participate in listening to or conveying Allah's remembrance that is done here during these days." He says that in our country, the means of travel are not yet as easy as they are in Europe, and outside of India, in several countries, there is even more deficiency in these means, such as Afghanistan, Iran, or the islands outside India. Then, our community does not yet include such wealthy people (he is mentioning that era—even now there are not very many wealthy people, but in any case, people of good means continue to join) who could reach Qadian from distant countries during the days of the Annual Convention, even though the arrival and departure of airplanes has made travel much easier. But if such people join our Community (Hazrat Musleh Maud is mentioning his era), then for people of those distant countries too, where all kinds of travel means can be easily available, reaching here is not difficult, and at most, the question of money remains for them, but such people are still very few in our community or truly none at all.

When we look today, by Allah's grace, we see that people from many countries of the world reach Qadian. He says the major portion of our community at this time is in India (and now Pakistan and India combined), and of this, too, mostly several men can reach Qadian on the occasion of the Annual Convention. You state that in the world, many people become lax upon the beginning of progress (this is the real thing to ponder) and think that now the Community has become very large. I want to inform such people that every person for whom it is possible to reach Qadian on the occasion of the Annual Convention, if he shows negligence in coming here, it’s necessary effect will fall on his neighbors and his children. I have seen that friends who come to Qadian even once during the year on the occasion of the Annual Convention and bring their families along—Ahmadiyyat remains established in their children, and although these children do not yet have familiarity with Ahmadiyyat's teachings, they certainly keep saying to their parents: "Father, take us to visit Qadian." In this way, in childhood itself, Ahmadiyyat begins to settle in their hearts, and eventually, growing up, they become capable of presenting a splendid example of their Ahmadiyyat. Then, considering children's mentality too, the Annual Convention gathering has a great impact on them. A child is always affected by extraordinary things and crowds, and coming to the Annual Convention, he not only sees a religious demonstration but also, considering his nature's love of novelty, finds satisfaction, and this gathering becomes an interesting and memorable sight for him. (Now, those who can go to Qadian, who can afford it, should certainly go. But they should also definitely participate in their national conventions.) He said that, in short, fathers who come to the convention also create in their children's hearts the urge to come here, and sometime or another, the child's insistence becomes the motivation to bring the child to the Annual Convention, after which the second step is taken, which I mentioned. Therefore, abandoning coming to Qadian during these days for some excuse or pretext that could be broken or that could be remedied is not only disobedience of a command but also cruelty to one's children. (The Promised Messiah's command to come to the convention—they are not only disobeying it, but will be committing cruelty to their children. Ahmadis of India should specially make an effort and come to Qadian. You stated:) The truth is that, as I mentioned, wealthy people have not yet entered our community, and the means of travel for quickly going from one place to another requires so much expense that for Ahmadis of foreign countries, reaching Qadian during these days is difficult. But if at some time, by Allah's grace, great wealthy people join our community or there is some reduction in travel expenses and every kind of facility becomes available to people, then from every corner of the world, people will come on this occasion.

Sixty years ago, it seemed very difficult that people from foreign countries could not come to Qadian, but today, when we see in this regard, how much is Allah's grace!

In any case, you say: "If at some time there are wealthy people of our Community in America and they can spend money for coming and going, then besides Hajj, it will also be necessary for them to come to Qadian once or twice in their lifetime on the occasion of the Annual Convention." (The allegation is made that, God forbid, Ahmadis do not go for Hajj; instead, they go to Qadian.) So "besides Hajj"—go for Hajj, those who can, try to go to Qadian too, because scholarly blessings are available in Qadian, and people benefit from the center's blessings." (Although the Khilafat is not there now, it still has a spiritual status that when one goes there, one feels upon going.)

You state: "I certainly believe that a day is coming when people from distant countries will come here. Indeed, the Promised Messiah had a vision in which you saw that you were swimming in the air, and you say that Jesus walked on water, and I am swimming on air, and God's grace upon me is greater than upon them. (This is the dream you saw.) Under this vision, I understand that the time is coming when, just as carriages used to wear away the roads to Qadian's convention, and then motors would go back and forth making holes in the roads, and now trains pull passengers and bring them to Qadian, similarly, at some time during the convention days, news will also be received at short intervals that such-and-such airplanes have just arrived from such-and-such country. These things are strange in the eyes of the world, but not strange in Allah's sight."

By Allah's grace, now we are seeing these sights abundantly. As I said, people from twenty to twenty-five countries of the world have gone to Qadian for the convention at this time by airplane, and some are local people from such countries as could never have been imagined would reach there. And it is not far-fetched that at some time, chartered flights may operate and people may participate in Qadian's convention. You state: "Allah decides that after Mecca and Medina, He wants to make Qadian a center for His religion. Mecca and Medina are the two places with which the person of the Holy Prophet is connected. He is the founder of Islam and the master and teacher of the Promised Messiah. In this regard, those two places have superiority over Qadian, but after Mecca and Medina, the place which Allah has made the center of the world's guidance is that which belongs to the shadow of the Holy Prophet, meaning the Promised Messiah, and which at this time is the sole center of religious propagation. I regret to say that nowadays Mecca and Medina, which at some times were, besides being blessed places, also centers of propagation, today the inhabitants there have forgotten this duty. But this situation will not remain forever (God willing). I am certain that when Allah establishes Ahmadiyyat in those regions (meaning Arab countries), then these sacred places (Mecca and Medina too) will be returned to their original glory and majesty." (Derived from Khutbat-e-Mahmood, Volume 18, pages 615-618; Friday Sermon delivered December 10, 1937)

There is a piece of advice that is very noteworthy for those participating in the convention. People are sitting and listening in Qadian and listening in other places too. You (Musleh Maud) are stating: After this gratitude to Allah, I advise all those friends who are gathered here that with everything that is a cause of happiness, there is also hardship, and where flowers are found, thorns are also there. Similarly, with progress comes envy and malice, and with prosperity comes decline. In short, everything that is good and of high rank, in the path of obtaining it, some opposing forces also exist (as I have mentioned before). And the real matter is that no person is deserving of success until he endures calamities and hardships. This is why the communities of prophets, too, have to bear some hardships. Sometimes such trials come upon them that weak and unripe-faithed people become apostates, and sometimes small hardships come, but some weak-faithed people stumble even from these.

He states: I remember (I have mentioned this matter once before, too) that once a guest came from Peshawar to Qadian. In that era, the Promised Messiah would sit in the mosque after Maghrib prayer, and guests would meet with him. As I mentioned, followers have special love and sincerity for prophets, and seeing the prophet, they see nothing else and care for no other matter. As is a narration of our Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahib that once, during the convention days, when Hazrat Sahib came out, many people gathered around you. A crowd collected. In that crowd, one person shook hands with Hazrat Sahib and, coming out from there, asked his companion: "Have you shaken hands or not?" (which has been mentioned before). Where can space be found in such a crowd? He said: Shake hands, however possible, even if every bone of your body should be separated. These opportunities are not found every day. So, he went and shook hands. In short, seeing the prophet, a special kind of passion surges in a person's heart, and that passion is so extensive that it boils up even upon seeing the prophet's servants.

He says that when the Promised Messiah would sit in the mosque after prayer, people would rush to sit near you, although at that time there were only a few people; nevertheless, everyone wanted to sit closest. Since a person's fate included a trial, it did not occur to him in whose gathering he had come. This friend had come from Peshawar. He started performing Sunnah prayers and made them so lengthy that at first people waited for him for some time, but when those waiting saw that other people were advancing on them and obtaining places near, they too quickly moved forward and went and sat near Hazrat Sahib, but by their quick passing, someone's elbow struck him who was praying Sunnah. Upon this, he became very angry and said: "So this is a prophet and Promised Messiah—that people of his gathering kick those praying!" At that one thing, becoming an apostate, he left from there. So, the thing that is the cause of the progress of faith and could become for him a cause of stumbling, and his example became like that community about which Allah says that when light comes, their light goes away. (Derived from Khutbat-e-Mahmood, Volume 11, pages 544-545; Friday Sermon delivered December 26, 1919)

Hazrat Musleh Maud states: I advise those coming to Qadian, I advise those coming to the convention, that due to the great crowd and the scarcity of workers, if you experience some hardships, do not become disturbed, do not stumble. This advice should always be remembered. Whether the convention is here or being held elsewhere. In any case, those providing hospitality make their full effort that hospitality be done in every way, but still shortcomings remain, so as I said, today too those coming to Qadian or going to conventions anywhere should remember that if some hardships occur administratively, bear them happily and do not make it a cause of stumbling for your faith. May Allah make these days of Qadian's convention and of other conventions pass with His favors and blessings and conclude them, and may every convention gather Allah's favors and blessings, and may all participants become heirs of the Promised Messiah's prayers and themselves also pray much during these days.

As I mentioned, in Kyrgyzstan, which was formerly a part of Russia, one of our Ahmadis has been martyred, whose name is Yunus Abdul Jaliloff. On December 22 at 8:50, in the village of Kashgar Kishtak, located in western Kyrgyzstan, two people fired shots, as a result of which one person was martyred. اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّا اِلَیْہِ رَاجِعُوْنَ Yunus Sahib was standing outside his house with a neighbor when two people came in a car and started firing bullets at Yunus Sahib. They fired twelve bullets, of which seven bullets went straight through Yunus Sahib's body. Two bullets remained in the body. The attackers did not fire upon Yunus Sahib's neighbor, who was standing with him. They only targeted Yunus Sahib and fled. In any case, he was taken to the hospital, but he died there. اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّا اِلَیْہِ رَاجِعُوْنَ His father and brother are non-Ahmadi. His relatives had a mullah they knew would conduct the funeral prayer. Ahmadis could not reach at that time. This (mullah) also said that this death has occurred in an extremely cruel manner. We are all servants of Allah, and to kill any servant in this way is against Islam's teachings. Later, when Ahmadis arrived, an absent funeral prayer was offered there at his home itself. Because there was some opposition or other, there was also this danger that, because of his being Ahmadi, mullahs would create an uproar and not allow burial in the cemetery. But by Allah's grace, burial also occurred peacefully.

Now, the Crime Investigation Department there—police officers came and took some members of the Community to their office. There, they were given complete information. They were told about the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Hearing this, those people were very surprised. They said: "We had heard something else entirely about you people." They promised: "Whatever we can do, God willing, we will do to bring this truth to light," and then the police made an effort, and after some time, they also caught two murderers, and they too had this same thought—that this too has connections with the Syrian people. They said that a man who went from here to Syria—he came from there and said that there are four Ahmadi persons there whom you must kill. Earlier, an attack had occurred on an Ahmadi. He was struck with knives and beaten with rods. His bones were also broken. He was also injured. They left him nearly dead, but Allah showed grace. This was two or three months or six months ago. Allah granted him health, and now he is well, but here they succeeded in martyring him. May Allah elevate the deceased's ranks. In any case, the police are also trying to catch more. May Allah make all of them reach the consequences of their actions.

The reaction of local Ahmadis—they have written and sent that upon Yunus Sahib being murdered in such a cruel manner, the members of Kashgar Kishtak Community are grieved, but they have said: We are not afraid of anything. Even after this martyrdom, we will continue spreading the message of Allah and His Prophet, the Holy Prophet Muhammad, and in accordance with his prophecy, the Promised Messiah, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, peace be upon him. By Allah's grace, these are people of very strong faith.

Yunusjan Abdujalilov Sahib was born in 1978. In 2008, he took the pledge, and he is counted among the early Ahmadis. There was great opposition from his relatives, but he remained steadfast on the pledge of allegiance. They say that after the pledge, an extraordinary spiritual transformation came in him. He was always in search of religious knowledge. In this regard, he was always in contact with missionaries, and whenever he learned something new about religion, he would be very happy. He was regular in the five daily prayers in congregation. At the time of martyrdom, he was serving as General Secretary of his Community. He was a very active member of the Community. He has left behind his wife, three daughters, and one son in mourning. The eldest daughter is 9 years old. The second daughter is six years old. The third is three years old, and the youngest son is three months old. Our missionary, who has lived there, writes that Yunus Sahib was the only Ahmadi in his family. Then later, his wife also took the pledge. He was a very dear and devoted Ahmadi. He had a loving relationship with the Promised Messiah and the Khilafat. He was always smiling. Very cheerful and sociable. He had an immense passion for learning religion and doing tabligh. His prayers had humility and devotion. He often thought about the progress of the Kyrgyzstan Community and also prayed much for it. He greatly respected Community representatives and missionaries, and everyone had his extreme love and affection. When some missionaries faced legal complications and had to leave, he was very saddened that the missionaries had to leave the country. First, there was Russia; now Kyrgyzstan—so in Russian soil, in the path of Islam and Ahmadiyyat, these are the first martyrs to present their blood. May Allah continue elevating their ranks, and may every drop of their blood become the cause of joining countless good-natured and blessed souls into the Community. May Allah elevate their ranks. May He also be the Protector and Helper of their children, and may He continue increasing their faith and conviction. As I said, after the prayer, I will lead their absent funeral prayer, Insha’Allah.