Friday Sermon delivered at Masjid Mubarak, Islamabad, Tilford, UK
After reciting Tashahhud, Ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad(aba) said that when Allah the Almighty informed the Promised Messiah(as) that his demise was near, the Promised Messiah(as) informed his Community that God manifests His might in two ways; one at the hand of prophets, and the second after the demise of the prophets when people think that the prophet has faltered and their community has failed, and they mock and jest.
His Holiness(aba) continued quoting the Promised Messiah(as) who said that the opponents of Islam rejoiced at the demise of the Holy Prophet(sa) while the Companions were in great distress and grief. However, God manifested His power by commissioning Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra) and Islam’s strength was solidified. In this way, God fulfilled His promise of, ‘and He will establish for them their faith that He chose for them and He will change their state of fear into peace.’
His Holiness(aba) continued quoting the Promised Messiah(as) who said the same happened at the time of Moses(as). When Moses(as) passed away between Egypt and Canaan, before he could help the Israelites reach their destination, there was a great deal of grief among the Israelites. The Torah describes that they cried for forty consecutive days. However, it has always been the practice of God to display two manifestations of His might in order to destroy the false joy of the opponents. If this was so, then the Promised Messiah(as) said that the same would be the case after his demise, and there would be a second manifestation after him which would last until the end of days. God vouchsafed to the Promised Messiah(as) that his Community would prevail until the Day of Judgement. Though it is the latter days and signs of the world’s end continue to manifest, however, God will not let the world be destroyed until this promise of His is completed.
His Holiness(aba) continued quoting the Promised Messiah(as) who said that he was a manifestation of God’s might, and that after him there would be others who would be the second manifestation of God’s might. This was so that the entire world could be conveyed the message of God’s unity and become themselves united. His Holiness(aba) said that it was thus that after the demise of the Promised Messiah(as) that God commissioned the First Caliph, Hazrat Hakim Maulwi Nooruddin(ra). There were some of the opinion that after the Promised Messiah(as) the Anjuman should be his successor, however, the First Caliph(ra) put a decisive end to this rebellion. Then after him, God commissioned the Second Caliph, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad(ra). There were those who thought themselves to be more scholarly than him and tried to raise a rebellion. In fact, they even sought to delay the election of the Caliph. However, God saw to it that all of their efforts were completely frustrated and the Caliphate endured stronger than ever, with his era of Caliphate spanning over 50 years. Then, upon his demise, God commissioned the Third Caliph, Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad(rh). Then, according to God’s will when the Third Caliph(rh) passed away, God commissioned Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(rh) as the Fourth Successor of the Promised Messiah(as). After the demise of the Fourth Caliph(rh), God commissioned His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad(ra) to the rank of Caliph.
His Holiness(aba) said that God fulfilled the promise which He made to the Promised Messiah(as) and continued to lead his Community to the paths of success. His Holiness(aba) said that in this era of his Caliphate, the opponents have tried to create discord and have tried to bring an end to the Community. Ahmadis have been martyred in different countries around the world or given them the lure of worldly things. However, God has continued to increase Ahmadis in their faith, certainty and relationship with the Caliphate. Whether in Asia, Europe, America or Africa, every person’s relationship with the Caliphate has been established by God. There is none other than God Who can create such love in the hearts of people. His Holiness(aba) said that wherever he goes to, in the world, he sees this love in the people. In fact, these things are not just claims, but these testimonies have been preserved by the lenses of a camera.
His Holiness(aba) said that he receives thousands of letters a month which show how God attached people to the Community and Himself establishes a bond of love between them and the Caliphate. His Holiness(aba) said that he would express some examples of such letters.
His Holiness(aba) said that in Tanzania, a woman came to the mosque asking for prayers. She said that she saw dreams in which she would see a man with a long beard and wheatish complexion. When introduced to the Community and the teachings of the Promised Messiah(as), she realised that the person she had been seeing in her dream was either the Promised Messiah(as) or the Second Caliph(ra). Upon this realisation, she accepted Ahmadiyyat along with her family.
His Holiness(aba) said that in Indonesia, a person arrived at the mosque to accept Ahmadiyyat. He explained that he lived a difficult life. During a time of difficulty, he saw that he was meeting an elder wearing a white turban. This elder told him in the dream to offer alms for forty days. He did so and on the twentieth day, his difficulty was removed. Then, after about three months he saw the same elder again who took him onto a mountain to eat some fruit. The elder told him in the dream to only relate this dream to those who are pious. Upon seeing a picture of the Caliphs, he pointed to the Fourth Caliph(rh), he said that this was the very elder wearing a white turban who he saw in his dream, and he accepted Ahmadiyyat.
His Holiness(aba) said that in Cameroon, a young man saw two elders in his dream. One of them asked what he does, to which he replied that he gave rides to people on his motorcycle and that was how he made a living. The other told him to leave his motorcycle and come here to offer prayers. A few days later, he saw someone distributing pamphlets in the market. He took the pamphlet and upon reading it, he saw the Promised Messiah(as) and realised that this was one of the elders he had seen in the dream. Then upon further research and seeing pictures of the Caliphs, he realised that the other elder was His Holiness(aba), who told him to pray. He accepted Ahmadiyyat and even became the Imam of his village, which he says is due to the blessings of Ahmadiyyat.
His Holiness(aba) said that in Kenya, there is a small town which is predominantly Christian, with 520 churches and only a single centre of the Ahmadiyya Community. One day, a man came to the Ahmadiyya prayer centre and obtained more information about the Community. He realised that this Community had views different from his, however, he was offered to come to the mosque whenever he wished. One day while visiting, MTA was on the TV and a sermon by His Holiness(aba) was playing. Upon listening to it, he said that he wished to accept Ahmadiyyat. When asked what changed his mind, he said that the previous day when he woke up and went outside, he looked up and saw a shining light. He said that upon seeing the sermon of His Holiness(aba), what he saw was fulfilled and so he accepted Ahamdiyyat along with his family. Thus, the heart of an opponent was changed.
His Holiness(aba) said that a woman from Paraguay says that her journey to Islam started during the Covid pandemic. She decided that she should start learning a new language, so she started taking online Arabic classes. Through these classes, she learned about Islam and started doing more research on her own. One day, she saw a post on FaceBook about an event called ‘Coffee, Cake and Islam’, She registered and went to the event where she met the Missionary and his wife. Initially, she had some apprehensions and thought that only Arabs could enter a mosque, however, she came to learn a great deal and learned that Islam teaches there is no compulsion in religion and that Islam is a religion of peace. She remained in contact with the Missionary’s wife and would often ask her questions and even joined the weekly classes. She also strove to learn the entire Salat (formal prayer). One day, whilst relating all that she had learned to her husband, he suggested that she become a Muslim. She studied some more, asked questions and listened to the sermons of the Caliph and as a result, after some time, she accepted Ahmadiyyat. Her husband also accepted Ahmadiyyat a few months later.
His Holiness(aba) said that in Sierra Leone, a man was invited to listen to the sermon delivered by His Holiness(aba). He came along with his family to listen to the sermon. Upon hearing it, he was so impacted that he accepted Ahmadiyyat. Now, he has become an active member of the Community, helping throughout in the mosque renovations and often keeping voluntary fasts, among other things.
His Holiness(aba) said that in Bangladesh, a young man was introduced to the Ahmadiyya Community and he would visit the mosque to listen to the sermons delivered by His Holiness(aba). This influenced him to the extent that he accepted Ahmadiyyat, however, his wife had not yet accepted Ahmadiyyat. The couple did not have any children yet, and so the man suggested to his wife that she should write a letter to the Caliph requesting prayers. It was after doing so that she became pregnant. She was moved and thought that it was due to the Caliph’s prayers that this blessing had been bestowed on them and thus, she too accepted Ahmadiyyat.
His Holiness(aba) said that in Mali, there was a man who was involved in an accident that resulted in his legs being broken. Despite many attempts and different methods, his legs would not heal. One day, he saw His Holiness, the Fifth Caliph(aba) in a dream, who continuously prayed for him and in the dream he would respond by saying Ameen. When he awoke, he said Ameen and passed his hands over his legs. It was after this that his legs slowly started healing and now, no one could ever say that his legs were broken. His Holiness(aba) said that this is how God establishes bonds between people and the Caliph(aba).
His Holiness(aba) said that even non-Ahmadis become impacted by the Caliphate. In Congo-Kinshasa, the Community has a radio station on which His Holiness’(aba) sermons are relayed. One day, a doctor came to the Community who said that he regularly listens to the sermons and requested for them to be translated into the local language so that more and more people could listen to these sermons. Hence, the blessings associated with the Caliphate are so powerful that even non-Ahmadis encourage for the message of the Caliph to be spread to as many people as possible. His Holiness(aba) said that one day they will also recognise and accept the truth of Ahmadiyyat.
(These are just a few examples of the various incidents presented by His Holiness(aba).)
His Holiness(aba) said that the promise which God made to the Promised Messiah(as) about the blessings which would accompany the Caliphate is being fulfilled in magnificent and mysterious ways which cannot be comprehended by the human mind. If these incidents, the signs sent by God, the help accompanying the Ahmadiyya Caliphate and the Promised Messiah(as) who came in servitude of the Holy Prophet(sa) in order to unite the world are not all proofs of truthfulness, then what is? It is the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community alone which, under the Caliphate, is working to promote the success and spread of Islam. The success being witnessed by this Community is clear proof of God’s help. However, those who choose to remain blind cannot, and will never see. God-willing, in accordance with God’s promise, the successorship upon the precepts of prophethood which began with the Promised Messiah(as) will continue until the end of times. There is no enemy which can hinder this from happening.
His Holiness(aba) said that we must constantly strive to rejuvenate our faith, keep ourselves attached to the Ahmadiyya Caliphate, and never shy away from offering sacrifices in order to ensure its continuity. His Holiness(aba) prayed that may Allah the Almighty enable us to do so.
Summary prepared by The Review of Religions
After reciting the tashahud, ta’awuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V(aa) stated:
When Allah Almighty informed the Promised Messiah(as) that the time was nigh for him to depart this world, he addressed his Community saying:
“(Allah Almighty) manifests two kinds of power. First, He shows the hand of His power at the hands of His prophets themselves. Second, when, with the death of a prophet, difficulties and problems arise and the enemy feels stronger and thinks that things are in disarray and is convinced that now this Community will become extinct and even members of the Community, too, are in a quandary and their backs are broken, and some of the unfortunate ones choose paths that lead to apostasy, then it is that God, for the second time, shows His mighty power and supports and takes care of the shaken Community. Thus, one who remains steadfast till the end witnesses this miracle of God.
“This is what happened at the time of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq(ra), when the demise of the Holy Prophet(sa) was considered untimely and many an ignorant Bedouin turned apostate. The Companions(ra) of the Holy Prophet(sa), too, stricken with grief, became like those who lose their senses. Then Allah raised Abu Bakr Siddiq(ra) and showed for the second time the manifestation of His Power and saved Islam, just when it was about to fall, and fulfilled the promise that was spelled out in the following verse:
وَلَیُمَکِّنَنَّ لَہُمۡ دِیۡنَہُمُ الَّذِی ارۡتَضٰی لَہُمۡ وَلَیُبَدِّلَنَّہُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ خَوۡفِہِمۡاَمۡنًا
“It means that, after the fear We shall firmly re-establish them. [Surah an-Nur, Ch.24: V.56]
“That is also what happened at the time of Moses(as), when he died on his way from Egypt to Kin‘an before taking the Israelites to the intended destination in accordance with the promise. At his [Moses’] death, the Israelites were plunged into deep mourning. It is written in the Torah that with the grief at this untimely death and sudden departure of Moses(as), the Israelites wept for forty days.”
The Promised Messiah(as) then states:
“So, dear friends! Since it is the sunnatullah [the practice of Allah], from time immemorial, that God Almighty shows two manifestations so that the two false joys of the opponents be put to an end, it is not possible now that God should relinquish His sunnah [practice] of old. So do not grieve over what I have said to you, nor should your hearts be distressed. For it is essential for you to witness the second manifestation also, and its coming is better for you because it is everlasting, the continuity of which will not end till the Day of Judgement. And that second manifestation cannot come unless I depart. But when I depart, God will send that second manifestation for you, which shall always stay with you just as promised by God in Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya. And this promise is not for my person. Rather, the promise is with reference to you, as God [addressing me] says: ‘I shall make this Community who are your followers prevail over others till the Day of Judgement’. Thus it is inevitable that you see the day of my departure, so that after that day, the day comes which is the day of everlasting promise. Our God is He Who keeps His promise, is Faithful and is the Truthful God. He shall show you all that He has promised.
“Though these days are the last days of this world and there are many a disaster waiting to happen, yet it is necessary that this world continues to exist until all those things about which God has prophesied come to pass. I came from God as a manifestation of divine providence and I am a personification of His power. And after I am gone, there will be some other persons who will be the manifestation of the second power [of God].”
He then states:
“God Almighty desires to draw all those who live in various habitations of the world, be it Europe or Asia, and who have virtuous nature, to the Unity of God and unite His servants under one faith. This indeed is the purpose of God for which I have been sent to the world. You, too, therefore should pursue this end, but with kindness, moral probity and fervent prayers.” (The Will [Al-Wasiyyat], pp. 5-8)
Thus, when the Promised Messiah(as) passed away, in accordance with His promise, Allah the Almighty gathered the Community at the hands of Hazrat Hakeem Maulana Noor-ud-Deen, Khalifatul Masih I(ra). Despite the fact that some people wished for the Community’s administration to remain in the hands of the Anjuman, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I(ra) crushed this disorder with an iron resolve.
After the demise of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I(ra), Allah the Almighty appointed Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Deen Mahmood Ahmad(ra) to the station of Khilafat [Caliphate]. Even when he became the Khalifa, some people who considered themselves to be more intellectual and wise began to spread disorder. They tried their utmost to stop the election of the Khalifa, if not for good, then at least for it to be delayed by a few months so that they could cause a rift within the Community. However, in accordance with His promise, Allah the Almighty gathered the Community of believers at the hands of a single person once again, and the opponents of Khilafat and the hypocrites failed in their attempts. By the grace of Allah the Almighty, his Khilafat spanned almost 52 years. During his era, many missions were established and the foundations of the Community’s organisation were formed.
After his demise, the era of the Third Khalifa began and Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad Khalifatul Masih III(rh) [the Third Caliph] was appointed to the station of Khilafat with the help and support of Allah the Almighty. In accordance with divine decree, when he passed away, Allah the Almighty appointed Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(rh) as the Fourth Successor to the Promised Messiah(as).
Upon his demise, Allah the Almighty appointed me to this station [of Khilafat]. And despite my weaknesses and shortcomings, Allah the Almighty, in accordance with His divine promises vouchsafed to the Promised Messiah(as), has continued to grant success to the Community. During this time, the opponents have done their utmost in their efforts to cause division, finish the Community or instil fear. Ahmadis were martyred in different countries of the world and attempts were made to lure them away with worldly temptations; however, Allah the Almighty continued to strengthen the bond Ahmadis have with Khilafat along with their faith and conviction. Whether it is Ahmadis residing in Asia, Europe, America, or Africa, the relationship each and every one of them has with Khilafat can only be due to Allah the Almighty. No individual has the strength to create the kind of relationship of love and sincerity that the members of the Community have with Khilafat and that the Khalifa of the time has with the members of the Community. I witness this in every country I travel to. This is not just merely a verbal proclamation, in fact, now the cameras also capture these sights. MTA often shows these scenes as well and even the opponents of the Community are compelled to admit that the practical testimony of Allah the Almighty’s support is with Ahmadis. Moreover, there are thousands of letters that I receive every month, which shows that those writing these letters have a great bond of sincerity and loyalty with the Community and that it is Allah the Almighty Himself Who attaches people to the institution of Khilafat and instils love and affinity in their hearts for Khilafat. At this time, I shall present a few letters as examples to illustrate how God Almighty guides people towards the truthfulness of the Promised Messiah(as) and how He instils in the hearts of the people that the institution of Khilafat, which was established after the Promised Messiah(as) carries the Divine support of God Almighty.
The mu‘allim from the Mwanza region in Tanzania wrote in his report, “One day, I went with the missionary after the Fajr prayer [prayer offered right before dawn] to meet the people. When we returned to the mosque before the Zuhr prayer [afternoon prayer], we saw a woman standing on the mosque stairs. After enquiring about her, we learned that she had come to request prayers. Perhaps she thought we also do the same as the non-Ahmadi Muslims with their customs, such as incantations and invocations etc. (These are very prevalent among [non-Ahmadi] people in Africa.) The missionary informed her of the Community’s teachings and prayed for her at the same time. The woman said, ‘I have been seeing dreams in which a man with a long beard and of a wheat-coloured complexion has explained religion to me in the same way that the missionary has just described it’. Then, she was introduced to the Community and shown pictures of the Promised Messiah(as) and his Khulafa. Thereupon she said that the face of the person she was seeing in her dream was very similar to that of the Promised Messiah(as) or the Second Khalifa. This woman then pledged allegiance along with her three children.” Even in this era, the countenance of the Second Khalifa has been shown alongside the Promised Messiah’s(as) [in a dream].
Then there is a person named Abdullah who lives in an area in the West Kalimantan province of Indonesia, who pledged allegiance along with his wife and children. He had been in contact with the Community since 2019 and was influenced by what the missionary had taught him, which is why he would regularly visit the mosque, and also because he found him to be very different from the other clerics. In any case, due to his close relationship with the missionary, the clerics and locals of the area started making accusations against him, expelled him, and prohibited him from entering their mosque. He said, “I saw in a dream that I was stuck in a whirlpool, and I was close to drowning. However, this pious man who was wearing a jubbah [long outer garment] and holding a cane came to save me.” Thereupon, our missionary showed him a picture of the Promised Messiah(as) holding a cane. Trembling, he said, “This is the same person who saved me with his cane from the whirlpool.” Similarly, his son also saw a dream – it was not only the father, but his son also saw a dream. He saw a number of people wearing a jubbah. Along with the picture of the Promised Messiah(as), the missionary showed them pictures of the Khulafa, and in shock, the son said that among the people he saw were the Third Khalifa, Fourth Khalifa and myself. He said, “These are all the very people whom I saw.” Allah the Almighty showed them all at once to indicate that the Khilafat established after the Promised Messiah(as) was a continuing system. After seeing these dreams, this family pledged allegiance. If one has a true yearning, then these are also the ways in which Allah this Almighty grants His guidance.
In the southern province of Indonesia, there is a place called Barru. The Amir [National President] writes that their missionary was leading the Fajr prayer in the mosque, during which an individual joined the congregation. That individual said that he had travelled there to meet his wife’s relatives. During the conversation, he mentioned his past, which was fraught with difficulties. He stated that during his time of hardship, he met a saintly man with a white beard and turban in a dream. In the dream, the saintly man wearing a turban told him that if he gave alms at every Fajr prayer for 40 days, his hardships would be removed. He did as he was told in the dream. He reported that after just 20 days, his hardships began to dissipate. He also acquired various jobs and other amenities. He then reported that just three months prior, the saintly man donning a white turban and beard visited his dream once more and took him to a mountain to acquire fruit. He was told that he should only disclose this dream to those who exhibit righteousness. Following this, the missionary showed him pictures of the Khulafa. In astonishment, he pointed towards the picture of the Fourth Khalifa(rh), saying that he was the person he had seen. Thus, this person accepted Ahmadiyyat.
Regarding a woman residing in Mali by the name of Saraji, the local missionary writes that she is exceedingly sincere. Whenever she hears of an event to propagate Islam in nearby villages, she asks her children to take her there on a bicycle. She says that before becoming an Ahmadi, she used to hear two voices in her dreams; one voice was my recitation of the tashahud and Surah al-Fatihah which I recite in my sermons, and the second voice was of the local missionary, Ma’az, whilst propagating Islam. She says, “I wondered restlessly about who these voices belong to?” Now, the Community has started a radio programme. She heard my sermon and recitation on the radio, as well as other programs pertaining to the propagation of Islam. Thereupon, she said, “These are the same voices that I used to hear.” This led her to accept Ahmadiyyat.
There is also a report received from Cameroon. A young man by the name of Abdur Rahman Bela narrates his story of becoming an Ahmadi. He writes, “A few years ago, I saw two saints in a dream. One of them asked me what I do for a living. I humbly submitted that I provide transportation to people on my motorcycle to make a living. Upon this, the other saint addressed me and said, ‘Leave your motorcycle and come lead prayers here.’ Thus, I led the prayer and woke up.” He further states, “A few days later, I saw a young man in the market distributing pamphlets of the Ahmadiyya Community. I came home and read the pamphlet carefully. In it, I saw the picture of a saintly man, the Promised Messiah(as), and he was the same man I had seen in my dream.” Following this, he contacted the Community and was connected with a mu‘allim. He also acquired more literature. Among the literature, he also found the picture of the second man he saw in his dream, and that picture was of me. He further writes, “The second man was the current Khalifa. I had heard his name but had little knowledge of him. Nonetheless, the person who told me to lead the prayer was the current Khalifa of the Community. It was through his blessings and the blessings of that prayer that I led that, upon the demise of our village chief last year, and due to him not having any heirs, I was honoured and chosen to be the next chief according to his will. I feel that I have attained this honour only due to the Community.”
There is also an account from Guinea-Bissau. The missionary in-charge there writes, “Residing in one of the regions here, there is a woman by the name of Aisha Maria. She has two sons who accepted Ahmadiyyat. Aisha’s older brother is severely opposed to the Community. At the same time, he cares for, provides for, and feeds her family. He called his sister and warned her that if her sons did not renounce Ahmadiyyat, he would no longer look after them and would sever his ties with them. Upon hearing this, Aisha became very worried. She summoned her sons and asked them to renounce Ahmadiyyat, upon which they said, ‘Allah the Almighty is enough for us. We could never renounce Ahmadiyyat.’ Upon hearing this response from her sons, Aisha became even more worried. She did not know her next course of action.
Two days later, she saw in a dream that she was very troubled and crying profusely. At the same time, a man dressed in white and with a white beard called to her and asked as to why she was crying. She relayed the whole account to him, upon which he consoled her by saying, ‘Do not worry. Your sons will remain to prevail over the others.’ After hearing those words, she woke up. Her heart was at ease following that dream.” First thing in the morning, she narrated the dream to the missionary. The missionary showed her a picture of me, upon which she said, “This is the same person who came to me in my dream and gave me reassurance.” Now, by the grace of Allah the Almighty, she is a very sincere Ahmadi and is at the forefront of every activity in Lajna.
There is also an account from Kenya. Our Community is also established in Bahati, a township in the Nakuru region. The majority of this area is Christian. It is a relatively small township that has approximately 550 churches, as compared to a single centre for Ahmadis. One day, a Muslim man came to our centre and joined the prayer congregation. When he concluded the prayer, he said that his name was Muhammad Abdi and that he was a local. He said, “A few days ago, I found out that there was a prayer centre here, and so I came.” He was introduced to the Community, upon which he said some things that inferred that his beliefs were opposed to the Community. One day, the mu‘allim met him on the road and said, “Even if your views differ from ours, you are still our Muslim brother, and so, you can still come to our centre to offer prayers. If you have any reservations or questions, you can ask without any hesitation, and we will provide answers.” The mu‘allim also prayed that Allah the Almighty open that man’s heart. A few days later, Muhammad Abdi came to his house. At the time, my sermon was playing on MTA. He listened to it attentively for quite some time. When the sermon concluded, he said, “I wish to take the pledge of allegiance.” The mu‘allim was shocked, considering he was opposed to the Community and suddenly had a change of heart. When he pledged allegiance, he was asked his reason for doing so, and he replied, “During the latter part of the night before, I woke up and went out to my courtyard. Suddenly, I looked towards the sky and saw a bright object that was awe-inspiring and had a deep impact on me. Now, when I came to you and saw the sermon of the Khalifa, the image from last night came together in my mind. Now, I wish to pledge allegiance along with my whole family and enter the Community.”
Observe how Allah the Almighty not only demonstrated the truth of Ahmadiyyat to an opponent, but also established a connection to Khilafat in his heart. This cannot be achieved through mere human effort.
There is a city called Maroua in Cameroon. There is a schoolteacher named Sulaiman who says that he saw a programme on MTA via cable in which the Ahmadiyya Khalifa was answering children’s questions. One child asked about the Ukraine-Russia war, to which the Imam of the Community gave a very nice and simple answer in which he also mentioned that he sent letters to the leaders of the powerful nations in the world in order to warn them, saying that if peace and justice are not established then it could result in very frightening circumstances. He says, “Upon hearing this, I thought to get in contact with someone from the Community. One day, a sermon by the Community’s Imam was playing on a local TV channel in Maroua that had been translated into the local language. The number of the Community’s President appeared on screen and so I contacted the Community. Thereafter, I read the Community’s literature, and a book by the Khalifa titled World Crisis [and the Pathway to Peace]. Thereafter, my heart was content, I took the pledge of allegiance and entered the fold of the Community.” The local missionary there says that now he has become a very active member of the Community.
A missionary from Sierra Leone writes that there is a man named Ibrahim who was not necessarily an opponent of the Community, but he was not an Ahmadi. He heard one of my sermons on MTA and began openly saying, “The clerics who give teachings against the Community are rooted in falsehood. I have heard the Imam of the Community give references from the Holy Quran; he mentions the Holy Prophet(sa) and the ahadith. Ahmadis also have the same creed. Everything is in accordance with Islam; so, how can the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community be false?” Thereafter, he accepted Ahmadiyyat and also became involved in offering financial contributions. He is a very sincere Ahmadi.
The Amir of Trinidad said that last year, a new convert named Shareeda accepted Ahmadiyyat along with her husband. She invited two of her friends and neighbours to her home to watch the proceedings of Jalsa UK on TV. They were very impressed with the entire organisation of Jalsa and especially with my speeches, which they say they enjoyed very much. They said that the Ahmadiyya Community is the true Islam and if all the sects in Islam became like them, then Islam could prevail in the world. [One of the guests] says, “I started crying upon seeing the Khalifa and felt as if I was sitting in his presence.” Her husband had passed away; however, sometime later, she pledged her home, and handed it over to the Community, and this is currently in the process.
A local from Kyrgyzstan named Sultan Ata Khanu accepted Ahmadiyyat. He says, “My wife and son had already pledged allegiance. In 2017, I started to offer the Friday prayer at the Community’s mission house. When my wife and I would drive to the Friday prayer, a journey of about twelve kilometres, we would always listen to a recording of the Khalifa. Whenever I heard a sermon of his, my convictions would become firm. Hence, that same year, on 2 May, at the end of the holy month of Ramadan, on the day of Eid, I pledged allegiance.” This is from last year. He says, “I wished to mention this earlier, but for one reason or another, this always got delayed. I have written this in brief, however, everything that is happening inside my soul cannot be expressed in words. In every prayer, I pray to Allah that He increases my knowledge about Islam, and every Friday prayer opens something new for me.”
A woman from Paraguay named Liza says, “Allah the Almighty has ordained different ways for different people to be guided. My journey to Islam Ahmadiyya began during the Coronavirus pandemic. I thought that I should learn a new language during my free time, so I started taking online Arabic classes. Through learning Arabic, I also learned quite a bit about Islam, so I started studying and learning about it. One day, when I opened my Facebook account, I saw an invitation for a programme being held at the mosque called ‘Coffee, Cake, and Islam.’ I registered myself and arrived on the day, which is when I met the missionary and his wife. I had some doubts in my mind before and thought that perhaps only Arabs could go to the mosque. But when I went there, whatever I learned about Islam was completely new to me. I learned that Islam teaches that there is no compulsion in matters of religion and that Islam is a religion only of peace and harmony.
That night, when I left the mosque, I had a copy of the Holy Quran in hand. Afterwards, I remained in constant contact with the missionary’s wife, whom I asked a lot of questions, and I started attending the weekly classes. I set a goal for myself to memorise and learn the entire salat. Two months passed by, during which I spent every moment thinking about Islam. One day, when my husband came to pick me up from the mosque, I was telling him on the way back about what I had learned that day. My husband said to me, ‘Why don’t you just become a Muslim?’ Upon hearing this I became completely silent, and my eyes filled with tears, because at that time, my only desire was to become a Muslim. But this was a very big decision for me. In any case, afterwards, I decided to become an Ahmadi Muslim. I obtained further information about the Community and did some research while also asking questions. I regularly listened to the Khalifa’s sermons, after which I was certain that I was on the right path; we have guidance, and we have one leader who cares for us, guides us, and prays for us. Although I still have much to learn, my heart is at peace with the Ahmadiyya Community.” A few months after pledging allegiance, her husband also pledged allegiance, and now they are very sincere and active members of the Community in Paraguay.
In Congo-Kinshasa, there is a small town or village near Bukavu, where there is a man by the name of Ahmad Batatu, who, along with eight members of his family, pledged allegiance. Afterwards, he started propagating the message [of Islam Ahmadiyyat], resulting in 62 people entering the fold of the Community. He says that the biggest reason for his joining the Ahmadiyya Community was the Khalifa of the time and the Khilafat. The Amir says that he is teaching him the Holy Quran online. He says, “Before entering the fold of the Community, I was a Sunni Muslim, however during those years I would ask myself why Sunni Muslims spread hatred. I would also wonder why there was so much discord amongst them and that if they were truthful, then why didn’t they have a single Imam whom they could follow? While undergoing this internal battle, I became attached to the sermons of the Khalifa on MTA. A voice within me said. ‘Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) is truthful’, but there was another voice saying, ‘Why do the rest of the Muslims regard Ahmadis to be disbelievers?’ Eventually, I came into contact with an Ahmadi from Tanzania and then with another Ahmadi in France. I eventually got in contact with the area’s missionary, named Muzammil. All of them gave me books of the Community to read; after reading them and doing research, I pledged allegiance.” Thereafter, he started propagating the message in his area, which helped the Community grow.
The Amir of Congo-Kinshasa says that Madame Mwani Teebo is from Uvira and is 82 years old. She says, “I was a Muslim, but I became Christian at the age of 82 because my son was a pastor in a church. One day, I heard the French translation on the radio of a sermon by the Khalifa, during which I called the mission house and said that I wished to pledge allegiance to the Imam of the age.” She told her son that after she passed away, she wishes for the Ahmadiyya Community to lead her funeral.
The missionary-in-charge of Cameroon says, “A member named Umar Zubair came from Maroua to attend the Jalsa Salana [Annual Convention] in 2022. He mentioned the details of his acceptance of Ahmadiyyat. Umar mentioned that he became acquainted with the Community through MTA Africa and he would listen to the Friday Sermon of the Khalifa with great interest. He said: ‘My attachment to the Community grew after each Friday Sermon and my knowledge also increased. In the first sermon of November 2021, the Khalifa mentioned incidents of people making sacrifices for Tahrik-e-Jadid. Upon seeing the amount people were sacrificing for the sake of Islam, God Almighty enlightened me to the fact that this Community has been established by God Himself (if people are sacrificing this much for the sake of Islam, then this Community has been established by God). This point completely reassured me and after pledging allegiance, I entered the fold of the Community. From that point onwards, I have been content, and happy.’”
The missionary from Waterloo, Sierra Leone, says, “Last year, Mr Alfa was invited to listen to the Friday Sermon on MTA. He came to listen to the sermon along with his family. The sermon left a good impression on him, and all his family. Then, the entire family, which comprised eight people, pledged allegiance and joined the Community. By the grace of Allah, he serves the Community with great sincerity. A mosque was being renovated there; he spent most of his time helping with the renovations and worked as one of the labourers. He would keep voluntary fasts and make arrangements for people to break the fast.”
The Amir of Bangladesh writes, “The Community Tabligh Secretary owns a printing press and a man named Bilal worked in that press. When he was introduced to the Community, he began coming to our central mosque, where he listened to the Friday Sermon. After a short while, Bilal pledged allegiance, but his wife did not. He had been married for seven years but did not have any children. He said to his wife: ‘Let us write to the Khalifa for prayers so that Allah the Almighty blesses us with a child. People always write for this, let us try as well.’ Hence, he managed to convince his wife for them to write a letter requesting prayers and subsequently sent the letter. A few months later, his wife became pregnant. His wife realised that it was due to the prayers of the Khalifa that Allah the Almighty blessed them. Therefore, she also pledged allegiance.”
The Amir of Belgium writes, “There is a man who is originally from Morocco but has been living in Belgium for a long time. He first read about the Community and then pledged allegiance. He said, ‘Since my childhood, I have spent a lot of time with Muslim scholars. However, the sermons of the Khalifa are not only the commentary of the Holy Quran, rather, they bring you closer to God Almighty. After listening to his sermons, I now enjoy offering Salat. Allah the Almighty showed me true dreams as well. Ahmadiyyat has changed my life completely.’ Whenever the gentleman speaks about this, he is overcome with emotion.”
The missionary from Kenema, Sierra Leone, says, “More than 500 non-Ahmadis were present in a gathering. A person stood up and said: ‘Only the Ahmadis follow the true teachings of Islam. We despise them because they always speak the truth. If something is white in colour, they will say it is white. In our case, even if something is black, we will declare it to be white. This is the reason why there is no unity or organisation amongst us.’ An Imam of the local area also stood up and said: ‘If you listen to the sermons of the Khalifa of the Ahmadis, you will come to learn of Islam’s true teachings. I have not accepted Ahmadiyyat, but each Friday, I listen to the sermon delivered by their Khalifa. If you all listen to it, you will learn the true teachings of Islam and you will not want the sermon to end.’”
The missionary serving in the Mashaka region says that he went to the bank and upon finishing what he had to do, he felt hungry and so he went to a hotel in order to eat. MTA was being played on the TV in the hotel and people were listening to a recorded sermon of mine. He asked the hotel management about this, and they told him that they often watched this channel and learned many good things from it, which they greatly benefited from. They also expressed that they liked to watch this channel. Hence, Allah the Almighty also provides the means to propagate the message of the Community in this manner, and the importance of Khilafat is being manifested to the people.
The missionary of Mali, Umar Muaz, writes, “There is a member from the Djenné region named Jala. He mentioned that the bones in his legs had broken due to an accident. Despite undergoing different types of treatment, including traditional sub-continent remedies, and having it checked by doctors, his bones were not healing. He and his relatives had become greatly disheartened and thought that his bones would never heal. He said that one day he saw in a dream that the Fifth Khalifa had prayed for him and in his dream he was repeating the words, ‘amin’ as he was praying. He says that upon waking up from the dream, he said ‘amin’ and passed his hands over his legs. He says that after this, Allah the Almighty bestowed His blessings upon him and although he previously felt hopeless over the recovery of his legs, his bones now began to heal gradually. Now, by the grace of Allah the Almighty, he is completely fine and no one can even tell that the bones in his legs had broken.”
Thus, Allah the Almighty provides the means to strengthen people’s relationship with Khilafat in this manner as well.
With regards to the impact upon others, the Amir of Congo-Kinshasa writes that, by the grace of Allah the Almighty, apart from the Community’s radio station, there are 23 other FM radio stations on which the tabligh [propagation] and tarbiyat [moral and spiritual training] programmes are aired on a weekly basis, as well as my Friday Sermons. The Friday Sermon is also aired live on two local TV stations in Bandundu and they are receiving good feedback on this. He met a local Christian doctor once and he said, “I listen to the sermon of your Imam and he delivers it in a very impactful manner. I request that you also translate this into the local language in order to maximise the number of people who can derive benefit from it.
Thus, Allah the Almighty is providing means in this manner as well in order to convey the message of Islam, Ahmadiyyat. Even the non-Ahmadis are drawing attention to the fact that the words of the Khalifa of the time should be conveyed to others. In this way, the land is being prepared and a time shall come when the hearts of the people shall open to accept Ahmadiyyat, the true Islam, God-willing. Thus, the continuous blessings of Khilafat which have been promised by Allah the Almighty to the Promised Messiah(as) are being fulfilled in such astonishing ways that one cannot even imagine. These accounts of Ahmadis and non-Ahmadis, as well as the signs of Allah the Almighty in favour of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya are, in fact, proof of the support of Allah the Almighty and the truthfulness of the Promised Messiah(as), who came in servitude to the Holy Prophet(sa) in order to unite the world. It is only the Ahmadiyya Community that is making efforts to help the progress of Islam and its propagation in the world under the system of Khilafat. The progress we are witnessing despite the difficult circumstances is, in fact, proof of the practical testimony of Allah the Almighty’s support for us. If not, then what else is it? However, those who are [spiritually] blind cannot see this. God-willing, Ahmadiyyat and Khilafat on the precepts of prophethood, which was prophesied by the Holy Prophet(sa), and which began with the advent of the Promised Messiah(as), shall continue till the Day of Judgement and the enemy cannot even do the slightest harm to them.
Thus, we ought to strive to further strengthen our faith, remain attached to Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya and be ready to offer every sacrifice for its establishment. May Allah the Almighty enable us to do so.
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