After reciting the Tashahud, Ta‘awwuz, and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^(aba) stated:

At present, I wish to talk about some members who recently passed away.

All of them adopted different professions and pursuits and had different educational qualifications. However, one thing common between them was that they honoured their Bai‘at [pledge of allegiance] of giving precedence to their faith over worldly pursuits according to their respective capacities. They did justice to the pledge of Bai‘at they made with the Promised Messiah^(as) and had a very loyal and sincere bond with Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya. They also fulfilled the rights owed to God’s creation. In reality, they personified the beautiful teachings of Islam, for which the ardent devotee of the Holy Prophet^(sa) was sent by Allah the Almighty in this age.

I mentioned that this was a quality found common among them, but in fact they possessed many shared qualities. After listening to the accounts from their lives, one becomes certain that in this era indeed it is only by attaching ourselves to the Promised Messiah^(as) that we are able to adopt the true means of establishing a relationship with God. Through this, one attains complete certainty that God Almighty is a Living God and one attains the highest standards of acting in accordance to His divine pleasure.

One of the deceased members whom I shall mention is Zulfikar Ahmad Damanik Sahib, who was serving as a regional missionary in Indonesia. He passed away on 21 April at the age of 42.

اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّا اِلَیْہِ رَاجِعُوْنَ

[‘Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]

He was born in North Sumatra on 24 May 1978. His father’s name is Shahrol Damanik. His paternal grandfather’s name is Shahnoor Damanik. Ahmadiyyat was established in his family through his paternal grandfather, who performed Bai‘at in 1944 through Maulana Zaini Dahlan Sahib.

The late missionary, Zulfikar Sahib studied at Jamia Ahmadiyya Indonesia from 1997 to 2002. In those days, there used to be a short course of a few years. He then had the opportunity to serve as a missionary of the Jamaat in various places for 18 years. He leaves behind his wife, respected Maryam Siddiqah Sahiba and four children – Jazib, Aisha Khaula, Khairah Fatimah and Khaitharah Naseerah. His son is 15 years old, while the youngest daughter is aged eight months. All of them are part of the Waqf-e-Nau Scheme.

Mi‘raj Din Sahib, one of our missionaries there [in Indonesia], states,

“Zulfikar Sahib was a very successful and hardworking missionary. Wherever he would be assigned to, he would do tarbiyat [moral training], establish contacts and perform the various tasks of tabligh [preaching] most diligently. He would speak in a soft tone to everyone and maintain a friendly relationship with all. Whenever he met someone, he would greet them with a smile. He would never make any demands, instead he would advise people to pray.”

This is the essence of the life of a Waqf-e-Zindagi [life-devotee] and they should try to adopt this practise. Whenever they need something, they should ask God Almighty and never make demands. This is an extremely important quality, which every life-devotee should try to inculcate.

By the grace of Allah the Almighty, the deceased was among those missionaries who had the honour of achieving a large number of Bai‘ats. Hence, he was also able to attend the Jalsa Salana [annual convention] here in 2018 as part of the Jamaat delegation.

The deceased always carried out his work in the practical field with excellent planning, as a result of which he attained success wherever he went. Asif Muin Sahib who is a missionary, whilst mentioning his qualities, writes:

“He possessed many good qualities. He was an extremely righteous person. He was sincere and obedient. He had been ill for some time, but even during the days of his ailment, he gave precedence to serving the Jamaat. The deceased was serving as the regional missionary in the province of Riao.”

Asif Sahib further says:

“I went to visit him.” As a matter of fact, Asif Sahib had the opportunity to work under him and he would entrust duties to him with an excellent sense of leadership. “He had established strong ties with various organisations of the government and the province, due to which he had the opportunity to deliver lectures in various universities on numerous occasions. Aside from this, he had established contact with a great number of the ‘lost generation’ in the province and introduced them to the Jamaat.

“He continued these efforts across the entire province. He was able to re-establish a local Jamaat, Senggigi after approximately 20 years. In order to establish contact with the ‘lost generation’, as it is known there, they had to travel to small islands by boat. The journey between one island and the other was approximately 1.5-2 hours. Despite being ill, he made the effort and used to say, ‘For as long as I have the strength to serve within me, I will continue to serve until my last breath.’

“As a result of these journeys, four families entered the fold of Ahmadiyyat by the grace of Allah the Almighty. The deceased was undergoing dialysis in hospital. Even in this condition, he attended a local meeting. When a Khadim [youth] asked him why he put himself in so much trouble, he replied, ‘As long as I have life within me, I will try to attend all programmes of the Jamaat. Even if I am ill, it is my desire to always remain engaged in service of the faith.’”

This is the passion and dedication that ought to be adopted by every life-devotee. It should not be the case that over the slightest of difficulties, one begins to express their concerns and worries.

Muzaffar Ahmad Sahib, who is a missionary there, writes:

“I had the opportunity to study alongside him in Jamia. The last time I met him was in Qadian.” He went to Qadian with him. In fact, they may have gone this year. “Before travelling to Qadian, when the deceased was very ill, he would pray, ‘O Allah! Grant me an opportunity to visit Qadian in my lifetime.’ He used to say, ‘Allah the Almighty has enabled me to perform Umrah at the House of Allah; I have had the opportunity to meet the Khalifa of the time and now, my only desire is to visit Qadian.’”

Hence, owing to the grace of God Almighty, he was able to fulfil this desire of his by being granted him the opportunity to visit Qadian. The Jalsa [annual gathering] was not held on this occasion. However, they had already reached there before the prohibition. As such, they had the opportunity to worship there freely.

Muzaffar Sahib writes:

“Due to the severe weather and extreme cold in Qadian, the deceased became very ill, as a result of which he had to return to Indonesia soon after. However, even in this weakened condition, his virtuous intention was fulfilled. Hence, the deceased was blessed with the opportunity to offer prayers and supplications in Bait-ud-Dua and in Masjid Mubarak.”

He further says:

“I even took him to Bahishti Maqbarah [the heavenly graveyard] on a wheelchair and he also offered supplications there. The deceased was an extremely diligent missionary. Despite being severely ill, he never gave up and whatever tasks relating to the Jamaat were entrusted to him, he would render them in an excellent manner.”

Similarly, Sajid Sahib, who is a missionary, writes:

“Even though he was our senior, he never hesitated to accept the views of his juniors in matters related to preaching. He had a modest and humble nature. The deceased was very strong-willed. He fell ill last year, but as soon as he recovered, he undertook a long journey in order to attend the Ijtema [gathering] of Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya [auxiliary organisation for men between the ages of 15 and 40 years old].”

Basuki Sahib writes:

“In the last three years, I had the opportunity to serve [in the office of] missionary-in-charge. When I was assigned to serve in the office of the mission house and I met with field missionaries in relation to their preaching programmes, I observed that the deceased worked with great diligence in shaping the programme for preaching activities. In order to make the preaching programmes successful, he managed the arrangements of the da‘iyan [those assigned with the duty of carrying out tabligh] and the local muballigheen [missionaries] meticulously and with great expertise. He always used to say to me that I should regularly update the number of Bai‘ats so that the da‘iyan working in the region may be encouraged.”

This indeed is correct and the number of Bai‘ats should be monitored. The da‘iyan should also be informed about these and regularly consulted. In this manner, the da‘iyan remain active and the new converts can be integrated into the system [of the Jama’at] as well.

Sarmad Sahib, who is a missionary, says:

“He possessed a particular passion for preaching activities. When we were planning and forming a campaign to find new ways for preaching in the northern region of Sumatra, from Bantu Pane to Sosa, which is on the border of the state, he prepared various programmes and initiatives with great diligence and optimism.

“By the grace of Allah, this initiative continued for quite some time. Later on, due to a shortage of funds, there were some difficulties. However, this initiative of his was fruitful as the majority of new converts belonged to this area. He always used to say that one should never despair, as our responsibility is to preach and sow the seed. It is possible that its harvest and fruit [as it were] lie in someone else’s share.”

Nevertheless, he was very determined and fulfilled his waqf with sincerity.

May Allah the Almighty elevate his rank. He did justice to his pledge of allegiance and fulfilled his devotion in an excellent manner. May Allah the Almighty elevate him in rank. May Allah keep his wife and children under His protection and take care of them.

The second deceased member I shall speak about is Dr Pir Muhammad Naqiyyudin Sahib of Islamabad, Pakistan, who passed away on 18 April.

اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّا اِلَیْہِ رَاجِعُوْنَ

[Verily to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return].

A week or so prior to his demise, he developed symptoms of coronavirus, which is widespread at the moment, and subsequently was taken to hospital. Initially, his health became stable, but on 18 April it deteriorated and he was transferred to the ICU, however, the same evening, he passed away and returned to his Creator. He leaves behind his wife, a son and four daughters, all of whom are married and settled in their own homes.

“Both sides of Pir Muhammad Naqiyyudin Sahib’s family [i.e. mother and father’s side] were descendants of the Promised Messiah’s^(as) Companions. His family traces back to Hazrat Sufi Ahmad Jan Sahib^(ra). His paternal grandfather, Hazrat Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq Sahib^(ra), and his maternal grandfather, Master Nazeer Hussain Sahib^(ra), had the honour of being among the esteemed Companions of the Promised Messiah^(as).

Hazrat Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq Sahib^(ra) also had the honour of being in the same class as Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^(ra) in Madrasa Ahmadiyya in Qadian. He moved from Ludhiana to Qadian in his childhood and for approximately six months, Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq Sahib and the others had the blessing of staying at the home of the Promised Messiah^(as). Dr Sahib’s mother was the granddaughter of Hakeem Muhammad Hussain Sahib^(ra), Marham-e-Isa.

Dr Pir Muhammad Naqiyyudin Sahib was approximately one year old at the time of the partition of India in 1947, i.e. he was born in 1946 and therefore was 74 years of age [at the time of his demise]. He migrated with the family [of the Promised Messiah^(as)] from Qadian, firstly to Lahore and then settling in Mailsi, in the Vehari district. In 1970, he completed his MBBS from the Nisthar Medical College. In 1975-76, he moved to Islamabad and started working there in a government polyclinic hospital. After many years of service there, he left his job and went to Iran where he worked for 2-3 years, then returned to Pakistan. He opened a clinic in Islamabad which he had been running for the past 25-30 years. By the grace of Allah, it was very successful and he rendered great service to the poor.

Dr Abdul Bari Sahib, Amir of the Islamabad Jamaat writes:

“Dr Pir Muhammad Naqiyyudin Sahib had been serving as the qazi [overseeing jurisprudential matters] of the Islamabad Jamaat for the past 12 years or so. His decisions were always in line with the teachings of the Holy Quran and Sunnah [practice of the Holy Prophet^(sa)], which would prove to be a great comfort to both parties. He was extremely polite, kind, loving and caring. He took care of the poor and was very popular. He would greet everyone with a smile.

“By profession he was a doctor and so, he spent day and night in serving mankind. His clinic was always open to the less well-off members of the Jamaat and he would often treat them free of charge. His treatment was not limited to members of the Jamaat, in fact his heart and his clinic were always open to others as well and he would support them greatly. His circle of friends was vast, among whom were many non-Ahmadis. God Almighty had also gifted him with eloquence and so he would not let slip any occasion to preach the message to non-Ahmadis. By the grace of Allah the Almighty, he would even convey the message in the current circumstances.”

Dr Abdul Bari Sahib says that the late Dr Pir Muhammad Naqiyyudin Sahib told him:

“When he passed his MBBS exams in 1970, he went to Rabwah to his paternal grandfather, Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq Sahib^(ra) to give him the good news that he was the first person in the family to become a doctor. His grandfather was very pleased and among the advice he gave him, he also advised that he should not only prescribe medicine for his patients, but should also pray for them, because the Promised Messiah^(as) would always state that doctors who do not pray for their patients and only rely on the treatment they administer, are in fact committing shirk [associating partners with God]. Dr Naqiyyudin Sahib would say, ‘50 years have passed since working in the medical profession and in these 50 years, I have been acting upon the advice of my grandfather by not only providing low-cost treatment for my patients and empathising with them, but without fail, I offer two voluntary prayers each day and pray for them.’”

This is a practice which each and every doctor should adopt. They should not just rely on their expertise and in the medication, rather they should sympathise with the patients they treat and also pray for them and if they do so by offering voluntary prayers, then indeed this is commendable.

His wife, Uzma Naqiyy Sahiba says:

“My husband was an extremely sincere and devout Ahmadi. He had utmost passion for preaching and during his lifetime he brought a number of people into the fold of Ahmadiyyat, and also convinced many more of the truthfulness of Ahmadiyyat.”

There are many who, out of fear or for whatever reason, cannot [openly] accept Ahmadiyyat, but at the very least, he was able to convince them of the truthfulness of Ahmadiyyat, silence them and maintain good relations with them thereafter.

His wife has also mentioned this trait of his whereby, as a result of the love he had for his patients, he would offer two voluntary prayers for them. She says:

“He would continue going to his clinic even during this pandemic, lest his patients became worried. He only took leave when he developed a fever.”

Then, describing his attributes, including looking after and caring of his patients and praying for them, she writes:

“He was also an extremely obedient son, an exemplary husband, an extremely loving and affectionate father and was someone who took great care of his siblings. He had a deep connection with the Living God. He would always pray to God Almighty and in return, God Almighty would answer his prayers.”

She writes:

“After a few years of marriage, one of our daughters was unable to have children and so, he would pray a lot for this. One day, we spent the night at her home and in the morning, when he came out of the washroom” after performing his ablutions at the time of the Tahajud prayers or perhaps at the Fajr prayer, “he bowed down slightly. After enquiring, he told us that he saw that there was a child laying there next to the bed. In another account, it is also mentioned that he saw in a vision that there was a child on the bed. He said that he thought the child was about to fall, which was why he knelt down to catch him.”

A short time after this incident, God Almighty showered His grace and his daughter was granted a son, despite the fact that the doctors were not hopeful. May Allah the Almighty make this child pious and a servant of faith.

His son-in-law and maternal nephew, Arshad Ijaz Sahib says:

“The deceased was related to me as my eldest maternal uncle. Since reaching adolescence, I had observed and heard much from him. He was very devoted to prayers, sympathetic towards the poor, selfless, sophisticated and one who even in difficult times acted upon the commands of Allah and His Messenger^(sa). Without hesitation, we would think of consulting with him first whenever we needed advice on any matter pertaining to the Jamaat, our domestic life or in worldly matters.”

With regard to his uncle Dr Naqiyyudin Sahib, he states:

“My uncle saw another vision, which perhaps others may not be aware of and which relates to MTA. It was perhaps in 2010 when the touch screen phones of today were not common back then, at least in Pakistan. I was sitting next to my uncle listening to him talk, when he said, ‘A short while ago, I saw in a vision that an announcement was being made like an azan [call to prayer] which causes people to take something out of their pocket and place it near their ears. I learnt in the vision that it was the time for the sermon of the Khailfatul Maish of the time and all the people were listening to it live.’” He then says, “Today we witness this being fulfilled on a weekly basis.”

He then writes:

“He would consider being from the family of Sufi Ahmad Jan Sahib as not only a personal honour, but would also remind his family that to simply be related to a saint or elder of the community was no achievement, rather what really mattered was developing a relationship with Allah the Almighty. He was always very enthusiastic to try to invite people towards religion, in fact this was something he was incredibly passionate about.”

Many people have written on similar lines that he was extremely passionate to propagate religion.

He further writes:

“He would preach in an excellent fashion, using arguments from the Holy Quran. At the time of Jalsa Salana [annual convention] he would specially invite non-Ahmadi guests and informally host and prepare food for them. He would have them listen to the Jalsa Salana and thus, this opened up avenues of tabligh.

“When the coronavirus pandemic struck, my uncle did not close his clinic. I phoned him many times to try and reason with him to discontinue going there, but he would reply that if doctors stayed at home, then what would come of all the patients? He would argue his case further in a way that rendered me speechless. Even when he was very ill, he continued to attend his clinic. He would say that he was attending his clinic as he considered it his duty; making monetary gain was not his aim.”

His daughter, Ayesha Nooruddeen writes:

“He was a very loving and caring father, who was very devoted to his prayers. He always advised us to focus on prayers and establish a connection with Allah the Almighty. Whenever we asked him to pray for any matter his reply would be, ‘I will pray but you also should pray.’ Then after praying, he would receive guidance from Allah the Almighty and tell us that he had seen a dream or that Allah the Almighty had informed him in such and such manner. Owing to his profession, he treated thousands of patients and treated many more free of charge. His fees were nominal as most of his patients were poor.’

She writes further:

“My father was an embodiment of the Holy Quran. For any matter, he would look to the Holy Quran for guidance; he would first recite the relevant verse by memory, then give its translation and then provide an explanation. His love for Khilafat was so great that as soon as the one-hour sermons began airing on MTA, he immediately arranged for a satellite dish so that people could come to our home to watch it. He would invite many non-Ahmadis over to watch the concluding session of the Jalsa Salana. He would have them watch the entire proceedings of the international Bai‘at ceremony and with it, made arrangements for good food, saying that these were the guests of the Promised Messiah^(as).”

His daughter, Warda says:

“He instilled in us from childhood the habit of offering prayers, reading the Holy Quran, observing fasts, giving Chanda on time and contributing Sadaqah and alms or charity. When arranging suitors for marriage of his children, he only considered faith and spirituality and nothing else. He had no regard for worldly things. He taught us from an early age that every desire could not be immediately fulfilled and thus, we should recourse to showing patience and praying.”

His son-in-law, Abdul Quddous Sahib says:

“My relationship with my father-in-law was like that of a father. I was always eager to meet him as he would teach me something new, explain an interpretation of a verse or give a new perspective on an issue of debate.”

He further writes:

“During the early days of my marriage I was not informal amongst my in-laws and was hesitant. However, he showed such affection that it alleviated my hesitation. He had no interest in worldly issues like politics, fashion and other popular worldly topics, rather his topics of interest were worship, the Holy Quran, religious education and morals. He was unwavering against harmful innovations like an unmovable rock. He would strictly prohibit inappropriate customs taking place at weddings and other functions. If the girls sung any song which contained even a hint of shirk [associating partners with God] he would bring it to an abrupt halt.”

His daughter, Qurat-ul-Ain Hadiya says:

“He advised me to never hold anything in my heart against anyone else. He said that I should consider my in-laws as my own and never hurt anyone else with my actions or words.”

He also told his daughter that “to be good towards someone who is good is nothing special. What really matters is being good towards someone who is unpleasant towards you.”

Indeed, this is the teaching of Islam, which the Promised Messiah^(as) explained to us in this age. These are the high moral standards that can incline others towards you.

Then, she says:

“He used to say that disorder is a bigger sin than killing. Thus, to prevent disorder, you should show humility by accepting being in the wrong, even if you are in the right.”

This is the lofty guidance given by the Promised Messiah^(as). When parents advise children of this guidance, it can help establish a beautiful society.

His son, Pir Mohiuddin Sahib says:

“I saw in a dream that Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV^(rh) was delivering a dars [religious sermon] in the lounge of our home. I was sitting there and he was addressing me, saying, ‘This is not a house; this is a gate through which you will gain blessings, and thus never let go of it. He then said to me: ‘your father is a Wali Ullah (friend of Allah).’ And then he said: ‘Be certain, your father is a Friend of Allah’.

He writes,

“He held deep agony for those who were impoverished. He provided resources for many families on a monthly basis, including provisions and food, education for their children, medicines and also took responsibility for their treatment. He offered service to over 50% of the patients he saw daily free of charge.”

His son-in-law, Abdus Samad Sahib says:

“He had great love for the Holy Quran. When giving reference to it, he would always recite the verse and then its translation. When in discussions with non-Ahmadis who asked him to show a sign or miracle of the Promised Messiah^(as), he would reply that he himself was a miracle.

“He was a complete Ahmadi. He was the personification of the expectations the Promised Messiah^(as) had for his Jamaat. He possessed in him such characteristic that when people met him, they would become intrinsically inclined towards righteousness.”The distinctive quality of a righteous person is that those who spend time in his company are influenced towards righteousness. “Moroever, he did not simply say that he was a sign, rather as non-Ahmadis often ridiculed this response” that he was a miracle, “he would reply that he was not saying this in jest, rather this was a reality. He would convince others with his arguments that he and many other Ahmadis were properly implementing the true teachings and thus were living signs and miracles of truthfulness of the Promised Messiah^(as).”

In short, these are the standards that every Ahmadi should strive to adopt. Instead of searching for signs from a bygone era, become signs in your own person.

Naib Amir Islamabad, Abdur Rauf Sahib says:

“Many people lamented what they would now do as they knew no other doctor except him. Numerous Ahmadis from impoverished backgrounds never faced problems getting treatment. Without having to consider and with no hesitation would they attend Dr Naqi’s clinic and receive treatment. Many non-Ahmadis mentioned that he was like an elder of their household. They never took any steps without first seeking his advice.” Not only Ahmadis but even non-Ahmadis would consult with him. “Dr Sahib would resolve many family disputes and issues of non-Ahmadis. This was because his clinic had been established for around 40 years. A father would attend the clinic and then later his children would continue to attend in this way. Dr Sahib related many accounts of people to me. Some non-Ahmadis told their children before passing away to ensure they visited Dr Naqi for advice when facing any dispute or quarrel.”

Then he writes:

“Last year, on the last Friday of 2019, Dr Sahib came to my office after the prayers and closed the door behind him. He said:

“‘I wish to inform you of something, which only my wife is aware of. Four days ago, I saw in a dream that I was in a battlefield which was scattered with corpses. I was standing amongst the martyrs but was not yet counted as one of them. I heard the voice of the Promised Messiah^(as), who said, “Whoever has been inflicted with five wounds will be a martyr.” I turned around and saw the Promised Messiah^(as) standing on an elevated place like the commander of an army. I started counting my injuries and three were very deep and I had one very light scratch on my leg. I profusely offered istighfar [begged forgiveness] for my sins from Allah the Almighty and then I woke up and thought to myself what the dream signified. The thought was emphatically instilled into my heart to update the record for my Chanda [monetary contribution]. However, I had been slack in this regard, but the next day, when I woke up for the morning prayer, the thought was made to very forcefully resonate in my heart that I had not yet given the outstanding amount of Chanda. In the morning, I assessed my contributions and realised that I did indeed have some outstanding Chanda.’ He then said, ‘On that day, I gave one million (rupees) by cheque to the finance secretary and I am praying to Allah for forgiveness since that day.’”

His nephew, Aziz-ur-Rahman Sahib, who is the son of [late] Mujeeb-ur-Rahman Sahib Advocate, writes:

“On many occasions, we heard him narrate accounts from his life and also of his childhood years. Despite having to endure extremely difficult circumstances, he became a doctor by the grace of God and through the prayers of his parents. He would tell us that there were also times when he would have no money even to purchase any paper on which he could do his work. Therefore, he would collect used envelopes and open them up and use them to write his notes. Similarly, when he was studying at a school in his village, they did not have a mathematics teacher and so, he would travel to the neighbouring village and learn from its school’s mathematics teacher. He would then return to his village and teach his fellow students of his class.

“He once narrated an incident in relation to how he adopted the habit of regularly offering prayers. Once, during his childhood years, he and his sister were playing and fell asleep without having offered their Isha prayer.” This is a very interesting account in regard to how the habit of regularly offering the prayers was instilled in him. “He stated that when their mother enquired if they had offered their prayer as they had fallen asleep, he replied, whilst in a state of sleep as he was still only a child that he had prayed. However, he states that in the middle of the night, their mother woke them up and was crying and said, ‘You have lied to me about having offered your prayer.’ God Almighty had informed her through a vision that they had not offered their prayers. He used to say that ever since that day, they never neglected their prayers.”

Thus, this is the standard which every Ahmadi mother should acquire. Such was the deep concern she had for her children’s upbringing and their observance of Salat that she would pray with such heartfelt emotion. As a result, Allah the Almighty also showed her a vision to inform her that her children in fact had not prayed that night and therefore, she should wake them up. Hence, she woke up her children and was crying and they said that this had such an impact upon them that they never missed their prayers after that.

“He would often present the reference of the Holy Quran to support anything he would say. He would also say that until one had not established a living connection with God Almighty, they had failed to do justice to their Bai‘at with the Promised Messaih^(as) because the very objective of the Promised Messiah’s^(as) advent was to establish a living relationship with God Almighty.”

Similarly, another nephew, Dr Ataur Rahman Sahib writes:

“He would always carefully ponder over the Holy Quran and possessed very deep knowledge of it and had memorised many lengthy verses of the Holy Quran. Despite the current circumstances in Pakistan, he would invite those who opposed the Jamaat to his home to listen to the proceedings of the Jalsa Salana and the addresses. Many people were influenced by his tabligh [preaching] efforts and by the grace of Allah, many people had the opportunity to perform the Bai‘at through him.”

May Allah the Almighty elevate the station of the deceased.

The next mention is of respected Ghulam Mustafa Sahib, who initially resided in London and had now moved to Tilford. He was serving as a volunteer in the private secretary’s office here in the UK. He passed away on 25 April at the age of 69.

اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّا اِلَیْہِ رَاجِعُوْنَ

[“Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”]

He did the Bai’at in 1983 during the era of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV^(rh) and came to London in 1986. He resided at the mosque when he initially came and immediately submitted a request to become a waqf [life-devotee].

Since his education was quite basic, therefore perhaps this was the reason why his waqf was not approved, however he continued to serve like a Waqif-e-Zindagi [life-devotee]. He first served in the kitchen and then in the office. Allah the Almighty had greatly blessed him in his business. He initially endured very straitened circumstances, but then God Almighty blessed him immensely and he was able to acquire some properties and then further develop them. From his wealth, he spent on the poor and needy and in the service of the Jamaat. However, I was mentioning that in terms of his passion to serve like a waqf, it was his always his habit that if he ever had to travel to another country for the purpose of his business or wanted to take an extended leave, he would always seek official permission from me, stating his reason and why he wanted to go and it is very likely that this was his practise during the era of Khilafatul Masih IV^(rh) as well.

He served like a Waqif-e-Zindagi and he would often say that although he was not a waqf, however he considered himself as a waqf. Thus, he served this pledge he had made with Allah to be a waqf with great loyalty, irrespective of whether or not he was officially assigned as a waqf.

During the time when he was residing in the mosque, someone once sent him to work in a hotel as a waiter. However, he did not like the job and resigned the next day and said that he had decided that since he was receiving money anyway without having to work, therefore he would rather wash the dishes in the Langar [kitchen] of the Promised Messiah^(as). And so, he began to work along with Wali Shah Sahib in the kitchen of the Fazl Mosque.

Later, he also offered his services in doing duties for Hifazat-e-Khas [security] and in 1993, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV^(rh) appointed him to serve in the private secretary’s office. As I mentioned, since then, he had been fulfilling this duty of his in an excellent manner. The deceased was a musi [part of the Al-Wasiyyat scheme] and is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.

His wife, Mahmooda Mustafa Sahiba writes:

“Mustafa Sahib and I spent almost 34 years together and I can testify that in all these years, his every action was for the sake of Allah the Almighty. He possessed many qualities and was a very sincere husband, father and friend. He would always fulfil the rights of his relations. He was a very wise individual and always came to the aid of others, served with a selfless spirit and was very courageous and brave. He was wholly devoted to the institution of Khilafat and was ready and willing to offer his life for it.

“He would say that when he did the Bai‘at in Pakistan, he promised himself that he would always remain close to Khilafat. At the time, he did not have any means for this, but through the grace of Allah the Almighty, he fulfilled this promise of his and Allah the Almighty granted him the means for its fulfilment. He had a great passion for offering financial sacrifice. I recall that when my son was born, I told him that I had decided to donate half of my jewellery to the Jamaat, but he immediately responded, ‘Why half? You should have given all of it.’”

His wife further narrates:

“In the very early days [of our marriage], a scheme was launched to generate funds for building mosques in Africa.  At the time, we did not even own a house and whatever savings he had, he would donate it towards the construction of the mosques. He would spend extremely little money on his own self but would not think twice when it came to spending for the sake of others. He always gave precedence to his faith and like a true believer, served his faith well and also earned worldly wealth as well. He always kept me involved and informed in all his works and would place great trust and confidence in me.”

She further relates:

“Mustafa Sahib was the only Ahmadi in his family. When he did Bai‘at, he promised himself at the time that he would not take anything from his father’s inheritance. He prayed, ‘O Allah! Verily, Your Messiah is true and I have taken his Bai‘at by believing him to be true, thus You grant me provisions from Yourself and never allow me to be dependent upon others.’

“Allah the Almighty accepted this desire of his and thus proved that his decision to take the Bai‘at was indeed the right one. Thereafter, Allah the Almighty provided him with help through various means. He later also built a large mosque in his village and would say that after all, they would one day accept Ahmadiyyat. Apart from this, he would help his siblings and relatives through various means.”

His wife has also stated that he had very strong faith in the acceptance of his prayers and has written numerous accounts in relation to this.

His daughter, Sabeeha Mustafa writes:

“To love Allah and the institution of Khilafat established by Him was the sole objective of my father’s life. He had great trust in Allah the Almighty and he would always relate to us accounts of how such and such prayer was fulfilled on such and such occasion. It was always his desire to acquire the tabarruk [sacred items] of Khalifatul Maish and if ever he did receive any, he would save a little portion of it for himself and would then distribute the rest to others so that they could also receive its blessings. Even at home, he would collect the tabarruk so that he could share it with the guests of the Jalsa Salana.”

She further relates:

“Many of my father’s friends have phoned us and told us that it seems like they have become an orphan once again. He would greatly help the poor and needy.”

She further writes:

“When we were in London and had moved from Tooting to Gressenhall Road, it was my father’s desire to purchase a larger house so that he could entertain the guests of the Promised Messiah^(as) in the best manner possible. He would always say that if they were ever going to get a house, then it would have to be near Khilafat and not away from it.”

She further writes:

“My father would help others with great sincerity. If ever anyone was experiencing any sorrow or difficulty, he would try his utmost to help and assist them.

“Prior to when he fell ill, his final advice to me was that I should always remain firmly attached to the Jamaat, offer the prayers and regularly recite the Holy Quran and Allah the Almighty would always be with us.”

His elder daughter, Madeeha Mustafa – the earlier account was of the younger daughter – writes:

“Although my father had come from a village and had very basic education, however his ideas, foresightedness and the principles of his life had enabled him to excel even further than many well-educated and intellectual people. In this present day and age, there are very few who truly give an equal status to men and women. He never considered his daughters as a burden, in fact he would say that whoever was granted a daughter had succeeded and his days of work had finished and his days of comfort and rest had begun.”

She further writes:

“He fulfilled the obligation of granting equal opportunities for education to one’s daughters and sons in a most excellent manner. He left no stone unturned in this regard, but despite the love for his children, he never neglected fulfilling the rights of God Almighty and His creation. Whether it be Eid, his daughter’s wedding or anything for that matter, he never missed his prayer. He had great trust in God and he always had belief that his works would never go unfulfilled, but his only concern was to not incur the displeasure of God Almighty owing to any shortcoming in his worship.”

His son, Surfaraz Mahmood states:

“Even whilst living in Tooting, he would regularly go to the Fazl Mosque to offer his prayers. If ever there was a prayer that could not be offered in the mosque, he would ensure that we offered it in congregation at home.” He further writes, “He would say to me that whatever I wished to achieve in life, it was only God Almighty Who could enable me to achieve it. When it was time for prayers, he would leave everything aside and offer the prayers.”

His son then further states:

“Until the age of 15, my father would regularly take me with him to Fajr [dawn] prayers.” He then states, “The blessings we are receiving today are a result of his prayers. When he would return home after the Fajr prayers, he would always check to see whether or not I had gone to the mosque for prayers. If ever I had missed a prayer, he would say that by being unfaithful to God, one only causes harm to themselves as Allah does not need our prayers, in fact one prays for their own sake.”

He further writes:

“Owing to his condition, when we called the ambulance, he was breathing heavily, yet even then, instead of praying whilst sitting or lying down, he performed his prayers as normal. As he was descending from the stairs on his way to the hospital, he kept reiterating that we should always offer prayers on time and in congregation. With respect to hospitality of the guests of the Promised Messiah^(as), during the days of Jalsa Salana, as it was a large house, there would be approximately 40 guests staying at our house. When we moved near the mosque, although the house was smaller, we would still have 25 guests staying with us.”

To accommodate 25 guests in that house was a difficult task, yet he would do so happily. I also asked him on a number of occasions [about his hospitality], but he would say that he had made arrangements for himself and left the house for the guests.

“He would say that one ought to progress in both their faith and also worldly endeavours, but would always remind us that this was not an easy matter. He would advise his children that whenever a worldly issue arose, we should give precedence to our faith over it.” He further writes, “He would always say to me that all that we owned belonged to Allah’s Jamaat and it was our job to safeguard it and increase it in a manner whereby it may be of use to the Jamaat.

“He would advise that we should never delay paying our Chanda. He would pay his Chanda on the first day of each month. He would advise us by saying that we should never think that the Jamaat is in need of our Chanda, rather it is something that we require to attain the blessings of Allah the Almighty.”

He further says:

“During the last days of his illness, when he was placed on a ventilator, just before he went into a coma, his last words to me were, ‘Surfaraz, I know the first day of the month has passed. Go to my cupboard and you will find my folder with all of the information regarding my Chanda. Pay my Chanda and always remember my advice to pay all your Chanda on the first of each month without fail.’”

His father-in-law, Karamatullah Sahib states:

“Mustafa cared for all of the relatives of his wife with sincerity. He showed me the same respect and honour like his own father. Mustafa spent his entire life in the worship of Allah the Almighty and remaining in the company of Khilafat.”

His son-in-law, Bilal says:

“He would acquire photocopies of various prayers from the Holy Quran and sayings of the Promised Messiah^(as) and would give them to me, his children, friends and relatives and would advise them to read them and learn the prayers of the Quran.” He further says, “I saw that he would obtain the copy of any dars [lecture] delivered in the Fazl Mosque and when he returned home, he would read it again and would give it to everyone to read. He would then take a picture of it on his mobile phone and send to his non-Ahmadi brothers and sisters and their children. He would then call them to ask whether they had read it or not and in this manner,  he would perform tabligh.

“He was very hospitable. On almost a daily basis, he would bring a guest home, but during the days of Jalsa Salana [annual convention] guests would constantly come and go 24 hours a day. He would say to each guest that there was no need to ask beforehand as they ought to treat his home like their own and come whenever they please.

“He would take special care for the guests of the Promised Messiah^(as) and would say that his doors were always open for them. If a guest would stay with him one year and the following year he would stay elsewhere, Mustafa Sahib would become worried lest that guest did not return owing to a shortcoming on the part of his hospitality. If he found an opportunity, he would insist on bringing that guest home. He would manage all his worldly matters and businesses in a manner that they would not clash with prayer times. He would leave all his dealings and go to the mosque for prayers.”

His brother-in-law, Sohail Ahmad Chaudhry Sahib writes:

“He had a deep love and passion for three things: firstly, worship, secondly, Khilafat and thirdly, the hospitality of guests. During the days of Jalsa Salana, the house of Mustafa Sahib was akin to a guesthouse filled with the guests of the Promised Messiah^(as).”

Aslam Khalid Sahib, who works in the PS office, writes:

“In the office I worked with him on a daily basis. He possessed many qualities. He was courageous, he would try to excel others in performing good deeds, he would look after the poor, was hospitable and was exemplary in offering Chanda [monetary contributions]. He would always look for an opportunity to perform a good deed and his desire for work was such that he would strive to excel others in work. He would say that this was like his income and that this was real work and it would please him to carry it out. “

Fahim Bhatti Sahib, who works as a volunteer in the Private Secretary’s office, writes:

“I believe he began working in the private secretary’s office in 1992. In those days, there was a shortage of staff and he would work very diligently. He was a very loyal and devoted worker. He possessed many qualities, among which the most prominent and delightful trait was his deep love and obedience to Khilafat. He would seek guidance on even the smallest of matters. God Almighty granted him affluence and whenever this was mentioned, he would say that he attained everything due to his services in this office and from the blessings of working in the proximity of the Khalifa.”

Dr Tariq Bajwa Sahib writes:

“We had been friends from 1980/81 and from the time he accepted Ahmadiyyat until his demise, I had the opportunity to observe him closely. He possessed countless qualities; he had great trust in God Almighty and a deep love for Khilafat. He began to live in Sindh [a province of Pakistan] with one of his distant relatives as cases had been filed against him over some plots of land in Punjab. Avoiding the police, he came to settle in Sindh. Nonetheless, he was then introduced to Ahmadiyyat and for approximately three years, he learnt about Ahmadiyyat.

“Even during this time, he would call the azan [call to prayer] in the Ahmadi mosque and right from the outset, this was his passion. He later saw a dream as a result of which he performed the Bai‘at [pledge of allegiance]. In the dream, he saw Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III^(rh) who was smiling and said, ‘I require two volunteers’ and then pointing to Saleem Sahib and himself” i.e. Mustafa Sahib “Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III^(rh) then said for both of them to step forward. Subsequently, he performed the Bai‘at.

“Prior to his Bai‘at, he would attend functions and gatherings of the Jamaat. After performing the Bai‘at, he excelled greatly in his sincerity. After listening to sermons and question & answer sessions, he was filled with such confidence that he would say that he alone was enough to deal with the non-Ahmadi clerics.

“He had the opportunity to perform Umrah [voluntary pilgrimage] several times and in 2010, he also had the good fortune of performing Hajj. He had great love for Qadian and would frequently travel there. He had a desire to have a house in the headquarters and thus, he built a house and thereafter presented it to the Jamaat.”

Dr Ibrahim Nasir Bhatti Sahib, who was treating him, states:

“I did not know Ghulam Mustafa Sahib for very long. I had the opportunity to treat him in my capacity as a consultant during his last illness.” By chance, he was the doctor in the hospital Mustafa Sahib was in and he was also one of his patients.

He further writes:

“In this short period of time, I observed certain aspects about him that were remarkable.” He states, “Despite his severe condition owing to the coronavirus, he was completely content with the will of Allah the Almighty. I remember that when I saw him, I informed him that owing to the severity of his condition, it is possible that he may not recover from this illness. Upon hearing this, Mustafa Sahib fell silent for a short while and then said that he was content with the will of God. No sign of worry or anxiety was visible in his expression and in fact, he was completely content.”

Dr Sahib then says:

“The second aspect which had an impact on me was his love for Khilafat. Owing to the severity of his illness, we had to deliver CPAP, which is a machine that supplies oxygen and is very strenuous on the body, so much so that at times, the patient becomes restless and suffers great discomfort. When he would feel discomfort owing to the machine, his family members would tell him that the Khalifa” – i.e. they would deliver my message to him – “has said to follow all advice of the doctors. When he would receive this message, he would become relaxed instantly and endure the effects of the machine calmly. I could see that his resolve would be reinvigorated and his body would become strengthened.”

He also writes that he would take homeopathic medicines not only for the sake of treatment but also because I had recommended it. Dr Sahib states that Mustafa Sahib’s love and sincerity towards Khilafat was unique and it had left a great impression upon him.

May Allah the Almighty elevate the status of all of these deceased members. [In return to] the loyalty that they have shown to God Almighty and His faith and the manner in which they have strived to fulfil their pledge of allegiance, may Allah the Almighty in turn bestow His love upon them in a greater manner.

As the Promised Messiah^(as) has stated, such people are counted among the martyrs. May Allah the Almighty safeguard their children and grant them the opportunity to carry on their good deeds; may they establish a relationship with Allah the Almighty and always demonstrate loyalty towards the Jamaat and Khilafat. May the prayers of the parents continue to receive acceptance in their favour.

(Original Urdu published in Al Fazl International on 22 May 2020, pp. 5-10. Translated by The Review of Religions.)