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

Accounts from the life of the Holy Prophet^(sa) were being discussed with reference to the Battle of the Confederates. In the previous sermon, I mentioned the miracle of the food being bestowed with blessings. A similar incident of dates being bestowed with blessings can also be found. It is recorded that there were a few dates, which were eaten by everyone who dug the ditch. The details of this have been recorded in a narration regarding the Battle of the Confederates. The daughter of Hazrat Bashir bin Sa’d^(ra) relates: “My mother, ‘Amrah bint Rawahah, placed a few dates in my clothes and said, ‘my daughter, give these to your father and uncle and tell them that this is their breakfast.’” She says: “I set off with those dates and whilst looking for my father and uncle, I passed by the Holy Prophet^(sa). Upon this, the Holy Prophet^(sa) said, ‘O girl! What do you have with you?’ I replied, ‘O Messenger^(sa) of Allah! These are dates which my mother sent for my father, Bashir bin Sa’d, and my uncle, ‘Abdullah bin Rawahah.’ The Holy Prophet^(sa) said, ‘Give them to me.’ I placed the dates in both hands of the Holy Prophet^(sa). The Holy Prophet^(sa) placed those dates on a piece of cloth, covered them with another piece and instructed an individual to go and call people to eat. As such, everyone who was digging the ditch came together and they started eating those dates. The dates kept increasing so much so that once everyone had eaten, the dates were falling from the edge of the cloth.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 623-624)

There are other similar incidents relating to food being blessed. ‘Udaibullah bin Abu Burdah relates that Umm-e-‘Amir Ash’aliyyah sent a bowl to the Holy Prophet^(sa) which contained Hais; a dish made from dates, butter and cheese. The Holy Prophet^(sa) was in his tent at the time along with Hazrat Umm-e-Salama^(sa). She ate from it according to her need following which the Holy Prophet^(sa) took the bowl outside. The caller of the Holy Prophet^(sa) called [the people] to eat and the people digging the ditch ate from it to their fill and the food remained as it was; as if nothing had decreased. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 4, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 370)

The Promised Messiah^(as) writes about the status of a salik [one who seeks God] and who attains such nearness to God that is similar to fire hiding the colour of iron under its flame and apparently not being able to see anything but the fire, which is known as the stage of liqa’ [meeting God]. The Promised Messiah^(as) details the status of a Salik at this stage of liqa’ and those who attain the stage of liqa’ and states:

“When a person arrives at this exalted stage of meeting with God, he sometimes performs acts which appear to be beyond human power and have the colour of Divine Power. For instance, during the Battle of Badr, our Master, the Chief of the Prophets and the Seal of the Prophets, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) threw a handful of gravel at the opposing force not accompanied by any prayer, but with his own spiritual power, which affected the opposing force in such an extraordinary manner that everyone's eyes were struck by the gravel and they were rendered sightless and began to run around in confusion and helplessness […] There are many other miracles which the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) worked purely with his power and which were not accompanied by any prayer. On many occasions, he multiplied water so much by dipping his fingers into a cup of water that the whole army and their camels and horses drank of it and yet the original quantity of the water was not diminished. On many occasions, by putting his hand upon three or four loaves of bread, he satisfied the hunger of thousands. On some occasions, he blessed a small quantity of milk with his lips and a company of people drank from it and were filled. On some occasions, by adding his saliva into a well of brackish (bitter and salty) water, he rendered it sweet. On some occasions, he healed severely wounded people of their injuries by placing his hands upon them. On some occasions, he replaced the eyeballs of people which had fallen out as a consequence of some injury received in battle and healed them with the blessings of his hand. In this way, he did many other things by his personal power, behind which worked Divine Power.” (A’ina-e-Kamalat-e-Islam, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 5, pp. 65-66)

The state of the hypocrites and the believers whilst the ditch was being dug has also been mentioned. Ibn Ishaq has written the details of this in the following manner:

Many of the hypocrites were lethargic and reluctant to assist the Holy Prophet^(sa) and the Muslims in their tasks. They would work scarcely before sneaking away to their homes without taking permission from the Holy Prophet^(sa). The Muslims, on the other hand, would seek permission to be excused from the Holy Prophet^(sa) when the need arose. This was the state of the Muslims. The hypocrites would leave without asking, and the Muslims would seek permission and be granted it by the Holy Prophet^(sa). As soon as they had tended to their needs, they would return at once. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 4, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 370)

There are more details about the Holy Prophet’s^(sa) battle preparations. According to various narrations, It is recorded that three days prior to the arrival of Abu Sufyan’s army, the ditch was prepared. Based on the plans, the children and youngsters who were working in the ditch were sent back to the fortresses where the women were sent for their safety. Anyone who was 15 years old was granted the choice to either remain there or to return to the fortresses. Among those youth granted permission to participate in the battle were Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar^(ra), Hazrat Zaid bin Thabit^(ra), Hazrat Abu Sa’id Khudri^(ra) and Hazrat Bara’ bin Azib^(ra). (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 4, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 371; Bashmil, Ghazwah Ahzab, Nafees Academy, Karachi, p. 175; Wikipedia, Battle of the Ditch)

According to Ibn Hisham, the Holy Prophet^(sa) appointed Ibn Umme Maktum as his deputy in Medina before setting up camp by Mount Sala’. Sala’ is a mountain situated to the north of Medina, which is said to be approximately 500 metres from Masjid Nabawi today. This mountain was to their rear with the ditch in front, and the army of the Holy Prophet^(sa) was also there. A leather tent was put up for the Holy Prophet^(sa). The flag of the Muhajirun was conferred to Hazrat Zaid bin Harithah^(ra), and the Ansar flag was conferred to Hazrat Sa’d bin Ubadah^(ra). (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 4, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 371; Wikipedia, Mount Sala’)

In relation to the total number of Muslims (in the army), historians have presented very differing narrations. According to some, the number was not more than 900, whilst others say it was 700, 2,000, or 3,000. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 4, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 371; Bashmil, Ghazwah Ahzab, Nafees Academy, Karachi, p. 178; Al-Sahih Min Siratun Nabi^(sa) al-Azeem, Vol. 10, p. 297; Sirat Encyclopedia, Darussalam, p. 300)

These are the varying claims about the number of Muslims in different narrations. Historians have therefore faced a difficult task in recording the true number. When they mentioned a number, they had to give precedence to one narration over others, deeming them incorrect. However, out of his perfect wisdom, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^(ra), instead of declaring any of them incorrect, reconciled all these narrations so that they do not contradict with one another. How has he done this? He states:

“There are stark differences among the historians in relation to the numbers of the Muslim army on this occasion. Some have written that it was an army of 3,000. Some have said it was 1,200 or 1,300. Others have claimed it was 700. These are such huge differences that it seems almost impossible to interpret them and historians have failed to solve this. However, I have managed to find the solution: all three versions of these narrations are correct. It has already been stated that after the hypocrites had returned during the Battle of Uhud, the Muslim army consisted of only 700. The Battle of the Confederates took place only two years later. During this time, no large tribe came to reside in Medina having accepted Islam. Therefore, it does not seem possible that 700 all of a sudden became 3,000. It does not seem correct that these 700 individuals at once turned into 3,000 when no one else from the outside had joined.

“On the other hand, it is also not plausible that after two years of the Battle of Uhud, despite the progress of Islam, the number of Muslims fit for battle remained the same as at the time of Uhud (There must have been some increase in numbers). Therefore, after considering both critical reviews, it seems that the tradition regarding the number of Muslims capable of fighting during the Battle of the Confederates was about 1200 is accurate. Now, the question arises as to why some mentioned 3,000 while others mentioned 700? The answer is that both of these narrations were stated based on different circumstances and perspectives.

“The Battle of the Confederates had three stages. One stage was when the enemy had not yet reached Medina, and the trench was being dug. Even children could help with moving the dirt during this phase, and some women could also assist in this task. Thus, while the effort to dig the trench continued, the number of Muslims was 3,000 until that point, but this also included children, and witnessing the passion of the female Companions, we can say that some women might also have been included in this count, who may not have dug the trench but contributed other associated tasks. This is not just my opinion, but history also supports this view. Thus, it is written that when the time came to dig the trench, the young men were also gathered, and all men whether old or young, worked to dig the trench or assist regarding it. Then, when the enemy arrived and the fighting started, the Holy Prophet^(sa) commanded all the boys under the age of 15 to leave, and those who were already 15 were given the option to either stay or leave.

“This tradition shows that the number of Muslims was greater during the digging of the trench, and decreased when the battle began, because those who were not yet old enough were ordered to leave. Therefore, the narrations mentioning 3,000 refer to the number when the trench was being dug, which includes young children, and as I inferred in light of the other battles, there were some women as well. (This is because it is found that in the narrations of other battles, women would also take part.) However, the number 1,200 refers to the time when the battle had commenced, and only adult men remained.

“Now, the question remains: is the narration mentioning 700 soldiers also correct? (We have accepted the reduction from 3000 to 1200; now we need to see if the narration mentioning 700 is valid.) The answer to this is, that this narration is given by the historian Ibn Ishaq, who is a very reliable historian, and great scholars like Ibn Hazm have strongly testified regarding his [authenticity]. Therefore, it cannot be doubted and must be accurate. This narration is confirmed by further examination of history, where it is found that during the battle, when the Banu Quraizah joined the army of the disbelievers, and conspired to launch a surprise attack upon Medina, and when their secret intentions were revealed, the Holy Prophet^(sa) deemed it necessary to protect this side of Medina where the Banu Quraizah resided; the side which had previously been left unguarded under the assumption that the Banu Quraizah were allies, and that they would not allow the enemy to approach from that side. Thus, history tells us that when it became known that Banu Quraizah were traitors, (that they had separated [from the Muslims] and were seeking to deceive them) and since the women who had been placed near the fortresses of the Banu Quraizah due to trusting the tribe, had now become unprotected, therefore the Holy Prophet^(sa) found it imperative to protect them, preparing and positioning two Muslim armies to guard the areas where the women were staying. He gave Muslimah bin Aslam^(ra) 200 companions and positioned him in one place, and he gave Zaid bin Harithah^(ra) 300 companions and positioned him at another place, with the order that they should loudly proclaim the Takbir [a slogan proclaiming the greatness of Allah] at intervals so that it would be known that the women were safe.

“This tradition solves our difficulty as to why Ibn Ishaq mentioned 700 soldiers in the Battle of the Confederates, because when, out of the 1200 soldiers, 500 were sent to guard the women, then the army of 1200 was reduced to 700. In this manner, the significant discrepancies in the historical records regarding the number of soldiers during the Battle of the Confederates are resolved.” (Dibacha Tafsirul Quran, Anwar-ul-Ulum, pp. 269-271)

The details of the arrival of the disbelievers at Medina and the subsequent events have also been narrated. Led by Abu Sufyan, the army of the Quraish of Mecca and other tribes reached Medina and set up camp around the city. Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib^(ra) has stated these details in the following manner:

“After the continuous labour of more or less twenty days, or in light of one narration, after six days of work day and night, the ditch was completed. The Companions were absolutely exhausted as a result of this extraordinary effort and labour. However, as soon as this work was completed, the Jews and idolaters of Arabia dawned upon the horizon of Medina, intoxicated by their number and strength, with their army and baggage. Before anything else, Abu Sufyan advanced towards the mount of Uhud. Upon finding this place deserted and abandoned, he marched towards that part of Medina, which was best suited for an attack upon the city, but had now been surrounded by a ditch. When the army of the disbelievers reached this place, upon confronting the hindrance of a ditch on their route, everyone was left astonished and confounded. They were compelled, therefore, to setup camp on the plain beyond the ditch. On the opposing front, upon receiving news of the imminent arrival of the disbelieving army, the Holy Prophet^(sa) set out from the city with 3,000 Muslims and when he neared the ditch, he positioned himself between the city and the ditch in such a manner that the mount of Sala‘ was to his rear.

“The ditch, however, was not very wide and definitely, there were certain areas from where strong and experienced riders could have managed to leap over into the city. Furthermore, there were also fronts of Medina which were not guarded by the ditch, and the only barrier that existed there was of homes, orchards and large rocks, which were unevenly spaced. Naturally, it was necessary to secure these areas, in order to prevent the enemy from destroying these homes or entering into the city in smaller groups and waging an attack by some other strategy. Hence, the Holy Prophet^(sa) divided the Companions into various detachments and positioned them to stand guard on different posts in appropriate locations at the ditch and on the other fronts of Medina. The Holy Prophet^(sa) stressed that be it day or night, this security should not fall weak or inattentive. At the opposing end, when the disbelievers noticed that due to the barrier of the ditch, it was now impossible to fight a battle in an open field or wage an all-out attack on the city, they surrounded Medina in the form of a siege and began to search for opportunities to exploit the weaker sections of the ditch.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophets^(sa), Vol. 2, pp. 463-464)

Nonetheless, when the enemy failed to cross the ditch, they began to make other schemes. Details of this are mentioned in the accounts of history as follows: the idolaters had managed to surround Medina from all four sides, but despite their best efforts, they were unable to cross the ditch from anywhere, nor could they openly attack the Muslim. Having been rendered powerless and feeling completely helpless, Abu Sufyan and Huyayy bin Akhtab – the leader of the Banu Nadir tribe – hatched a new conspiracy to persuade the Jewish tribe inside of Medina, i.e. the Banu Quraizah, to abandon their covenant with the Muslims. Then joining forces with them, they ought to attack the Muslims from within Medina. In order to implement this dangerous scheme, Huyayy bin Akhtab went to meet Ka’b bin Asad Quraizi, leader of the Banu Quraizah. When Ka’b heard of his arrival, he closed the door of the fortress. Huyayy asked permission to enter but Ka’b refused to open the door. Huyayy called out to him saying, “Woe be unto you, O Ka’b! Open the door!” Ka’b replied, “Huyayy, you are a wicked man. I have already made a covenant with Muhammad^[sa] and I will not break it. I have always found Muhammad [sa] to be truthful and a man of his word.” On the one hand, he issued this statement but later on, he changed his stance. Huyayy then said, “Open the door, I want to discuss some things with you.” Ka’b replied, “By God, I will not open the door.” However, after a brief altercation, Ka’b opened the door. Huyayy said, “Woe be unto you, Ka’b! I have brought to you great honour and a formidable and mighty army, that rages like the crashing of waves. I have brought to you the chieftains and leaders of the Quraish.” He then explained in detail about all the tribes that had joined their army from all around Medina in order to lay siege to the Muslims. He also said, “We have made a solemn pledge that we will not leave this place until we finish off Muhammad^[sa] and his companions. And we would have been successful in this had we not been impeded by this ditch.”

However, even after listening to all this, Ka’b, the chief of the Banu Quraizah, did not agree to break his treaty. He said, “By God! You have brought to me nothing but humiliation and a dark cloud which carries no water. It can only display thunder and lightning but carries nothing itself. O Huyayy! May you be ruined, leave me be, because I have always found Muhammad to be truthful and one who fulfils his covenants. (He continuously stated that the Holy Prophet^(sa) was truthful and true to his word.) He does not compel us for anything nor does he interfere in our religious affairs.

“He is an excellent neighbour of ours, so return, lest we risk facing the same fate that you all faced before. But Huyayy continued to console and distract Ka’b until he started mentioning the hurt and difficulties that his tribe – the Banu Qainuqah – had endured, saying that all this pain was being inflicted by Muslims upon them. He carried on until he nearly succeeded in softening Ka’b’s heart for them. Eventually Ka’b fell into his ploy. His natural propensity to break promises took over. He said to Huyayy, “If I accept what you’re saying, but the Quraish and Ghatfan end up turning back and are unable to kill Muhammad^[sa], then what will become of us?”

Huyayy replied, “Don’t fret – in that case, I’ll sneak into your fortress with you. And whatever happens to you will also befall me. After this exchange, Ka’b bin Asad broke his truce with the Holy Prophet^(sa). On this occasion, Ka’b’s comrade, Amr bin Sauda, tried to advise Ka’b to desist, warning him against taking such evil steps. He reminded him about the strong pact that was made with the Holy Prophet^(sa), saying that if you don’t want to help the Holy Prophet^(sa) then leave him and his enemies be, but don’t break your pact and support the opposing side. But Ka’b did not pay heed. Seeing this situation, some good-natured Jews from the Banu Quraizah tribe went to the Holy Prophet^(sa) and even accepted Islam. When Hazrat Umar bin Khattab^(ra) received word that the Banu Quraizah had broken the covenant, he informed the Holy Prophet^(sa), who sent Hazrat Sa’d bin Mu’adh^(ra) and Hazrat Sa’d bin Ubadah^(ra). Both these men were leaders of their tribes, and along with them, the Holy Prophet^(sa) also sent Abdullah bin Rawahah^(ra) and Khawat bin Jubair^(ra). According to one narration, he also sent Usaid bin Huzair^(ra), telling them to go and find out whether the news received about these people was true or not. If this news turned out to be true, then they should not publicize it before everyone; rather, they should inform the Holy Prophet^(sa) by way of indication, and he would know that they have affirmed the news to be true. But if it is false, then they should announce it is untrue openly before all. Hence, this delegation proceeded to meet the Banu Quraizah. When they spoke to Ka’b and his companions there, their entire demeanour had changed. When the delegation reminded Ka’b that had had made a pact with the Holy Prophet^(sa), he retorted in a very disrespectful manner, “What Prophet? We don’t have any pact with him. I have torn this pact to pieces like one rips a shoelace to pieces.” According to the narrations, both parties exchanged heated words. In any case, the delegation returned and indicated to the Holy Prophet^(sa) the state of affairs. Even in such nerve-wracking and intense moments, the Holy Prophet^(sa) remained silent for a few moments. It did not have any impact on him. Any ordinary man would have lost his nerve. The Holy Prophet^(sa) said:

أَبْشِرُوْا يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ بِنَصْرِ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰى وَعَوْنِهِ

“Rejoice at the glad tidings of God’s mighty help and succour, O ye body of believers!”

Then he said, “I have firm faith that a time will come when I shall be performing the tawaf [circumambulating] around the Ka’bah, and its keys shall be in my hands, and the Chosroes and Caesar shall both be destroyed, and their treasures shall be spent in the way of Allah.” (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 4, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 373-374)

With regard to the treachery of the Banu Quraizah, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib^(ra) has written as follows:

“Another tactic that Abu Sufyan employed was that he instructed Huyayy bin Akhtab, the Jewish chief of Banu Nadir, to go to the fortresses of Banu Quraizah in the veils of the darkness of night and attempt to bring over the Banu Quraizah with the aid of their chief, Ka‘b bin Asad. Therefore, Huyayy bin Akhtab found an opportunity and arrived at the home of Ka‘b. Initially, Ka‘b refused and said, ‘We have settled a covenant and agreement with Muhammad^[sa], and he has always loyally fulfilled his covenants and agreements, therefore, I cannot act treacherously towards him.’ However, Huyayy painted a picture of lush green gardens to him and gave him such confidence in the imminent destruction of Islam; and presented their own resolve with such force and emphasis that they would not return from Medina until they had obliterated Islam, that ultimately, he agreed. In this manner, the strength of the Banu Quraizah also added to the weight on a scale which was already heavily weighed to one side. (In other words, the numbers of the disbelievers were already quite strong from before and now it was further strengthened owing to the Jews breaking their covenant). When the Holy Prophet^(sa) received news of this dangerous treachery of the Banu Quraizah, initially, the Holy Prophet^(sa) dispatched Zubair bin Al-‘Awwam^(ra) to obtain intelligence in secret two or three times.

“Then, after this, the Holy Prophet^(sa) formally sent Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh^(ra) and Sa‘d bin ‘Ubadah^(ra), who were chieftains of the Aus and Khazraj tribes along with a few other influential companions in the form of a delegation towards the Banu Quraizah; and strictly instructed that if there was troubling news, it should not be publicly disclosed when they returned, rather, secrecy should be maintained so that people were not made apprehensive. When these people reached the dwellings of Banu Quraizah and approached Ka‘b bin Asad, this evil man confronted them in a very arrogant manner. When the two Sa‘ds spoke of the treaty, Ka‘b and the people of his tribe turned wicked and said, ‘Be gone! There is no treaty between Muhammad [sa] and us.’ Upon hearing these words, this delegation of Companions set off. Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh^(ra) and Sa‘d bin ‘Ubadah^(ra) then presented themselves before the Holy Prophet^(sa) and informed him of the state of affairs in an appropriate manner.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophets^(sa), Vol. 2, pp. 464-465)

Upon hearing comments from non-Muslims, some of our youth also ask why the Banu Quraizah were treated in such a strict manner. The reason for this is that they were punished for breaking their treaty. They were not subjected to any cruelty from the Holy Prophet^(sa). In any case, there are further details about this which Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^(ra) has mentioned in great depth. I will, insha-Allah, mention them in the future.

The Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya ijtema will commence today. The khuddam should endeavour to derive maximum benefit from this. The forecast predicts it will be raining; may Allah the Almighty bestow his blessings and enable their event to go smoothly.

During these days, khuddam should strive to improve their spirituality and academic standards. During these days, the khuddam should focus on reciting the Durood and other prayers, which I drew attention to recently, in fact, they should continue to recite these. May Allah the Almighty protect everyone from every kind of attack from Satan.

Today, I will also lead the funeral prayers in absentia of the following members and will mention some of their details as well.

The first is respected Habib-ur-Rahman Zirvi Sahib from Rabwah, who passed away recently at the age of 73.

اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّا اِلَیْہِ رٰجِعُوْنَ

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

By the grace of Allah the Almighty, he was a musi and a life-devotee. His father’s name was Sufi Khuda Bakhsh Zirvi Sahib. His family entered the fold of Ahmadiyyat through his father, Sufi Khuda Bakhsh Zirvi Sahib, who had the honour of taking the pledge of allegiance at the hands of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^(ra) in 1928.

After completing his early education, Habib-ur-Rahman Zirvi Sahib obtained his MSc in Library Science from Punjab University. In 1981, he dedicated his life to the service of Islam and his waqf was accepted. He was appointed as Assistant Librarian in 1981, and for three to four years, he also had the opportunity to serve as the [Librarian] In-Charge of the Khilafat Library. He was later appointed to Nizarat Ishaat, then to the Tahir Foundation, and at the time of his passing, he was serving as the Na’ib Nazir of Diwan Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya. He was also given the opportunity to serve as a Mohtamim within Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya, and in Ansarullah, he was honoured to serve as the Central Qaid.

He worked with great dedication and compiled a book titled Tazkar-e-Mahdi, in which he meticulously gathered the accounts of the lives of the Promised Messiah^(as) as narrated by Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^(ra) from various books. This book has been published. Besides this, he was working on several manuscripts, some of which were at different stages of completion. Allah the Almighty blessed him with one son and two daughters. He had a deep bond with Khilafat. He had a very quiet disposition and focused on his work. Whatever responsibility was entrusted to him, he fulfilled it to the best of his ability. He always honoured his pledge of devotion and worked with great passion. He was a very sociable and pleasant person. May Allah the Almighty grant him forgiveness and mercy, and enable his children to remain steadfast on the path of righteousness.

The second mention is of Dr Syed Riaz-ul-Hasan Sahib, who also passed away recently. By the grace of Allah, he was a musi. He was the son of Brigadier Dr. Zia-ul-Hasan Sahib. He dedicated his life to the service of Islam and continued to serve as a doctor. From a young age, he had been serving the Jamaat. Under the Nusrat Jahan Scheme, he was blessed with the opportunity to serve for more than 20 years in Uganda, Kenya, The Gambia, and Pakistan. After serving for many years in Kenya, he sought permission for further specialisation and training as a general surgeon in Pakistan, where he obtained various medical diplomas and certificates. He was also given the opportunity to teach anatomy to doctors at a medical university. He was a competent and skilled doctor.

He used to provide financial support to local students in The Gambia, sponsoring their education and helping them find jobs. He was always ready to assist the poor and those in need. One of his outstanding qualities was his deep commitment to prayer and Tahajjud, a habit he had maintained from his youth.

Those who knew him described him as a very friendly, compassionate, and loving person towards his patients. He was hard-working, passionate, and relied entirely on Allah. He was a man of prayers, kindness, and humility, with an extraordinary zeal for service. He possessed exceptional morals and a great respect for life-devotees. May Allah the Almighty grant him forgiveness and mercy.

The third mention is of respected Professor Abdul Jaleel Sadiq Sahib from Rabwah, who passed away recently at the age of 80.

اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّا اِلَیْہِ رٰجِعُوْنَ

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

By the grace of Allah the Almighty, he was also a musi. He was the son of Qureshi Abdul Ghani Sahib from Rabwah. His family entered the fold of Ahmadiyyat through his grandfather, Hazrat Mian Qutbuddin Sahib of Goliki, District Gujrat, and his maternal grandfather, Hazrat Maulvi Muhammad Usman Sahib, the Amir of Community in Dera Ghazi Khan. Jaleel Sadiq Sahib completed his MA in Political Science, and in 1964, he was appointed as a professor at Talimul Islam College.

Then in 1966, he obtained his Masters in English and then he was formally appointed to the English department at Talimul Islam College. He served as a professor for consecutive 39 years. I was also one of his students in college; he had a very quiet disposition and he taught in a very loving manner. He would maintain good connections with his students and would respect his students. After his retirement, he devoted his life in 2003 and he was appointed to Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya as the in-charge of Tartib and Records department, where he was a Naib Nazir. He had the opportunity of serving as a Muhtamim under Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya in various roles. He was also the Sadr Majlis-e-Sehat for Pakistan. He also served as a Qazi under the Central Qaza Pakistan since 1983. He also had the opportunity to serve as the local president of his area. He is survived by two daughters and a son. Those who have written about him say – and rightfully so – that he was very pure-natured and meek in disposition. He often preferred to remain quiet but whenever he did speak, it would always be thought out, measured and according to the situation. His character was pure and forbearing. He would not unnecessarily involve himself in others’ matters, and where required he would give sound advice. He would always appreciate any virtuous work and if someone caused him any discomfort he would never complain. He was patient, grateful and content. He would silently and secretly render financial aid on a continuous basis to those in need. He had a very deep bond with Khilafat and would write letters regularly. He also had very good relationships with his family. He would serve and honour the due rights of his wife and his parents. In fact, his brother writes that he also took great care of his siblings and would consider it his duty to serve them.

The next mention is of respected Master Munir Ahmad Sahib of Jhang. He also passed away recently, at the age of 82.

اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّا اِلَیْہِ رٰجِعُوْنَ

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

By the grace of Allah the Almighty he was also a musi. His father, Mian Gulam Muhammad Sahib pledged allegiance in 1930 to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II^(ra); Master Sahib was a born Ahmadi. He had the opportunity to serve in Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya and Ansarullah for 40 years; he served as District Qaid and District Nazim for Jhang and then later for Chiniot when that became a district. He was a very sincere and loyal servant of the Jamaat and was a source of benefit for others. He worked as a primary school teacher in Jhang and he has thousands of students who have a great deal of honour and respect for him. He would prove very useful for people. He would often go to government offices on behalf of others, especially Ahmadis, to tend to their matters. Not only would he help them in their matters, but then he would also bring them to his home and show them hospitality. His circle of connections was quite vast, and he would use these connections in service of the Jama’at and its members rather than taking personal benefit. He was always active in helping to serve those who were imprisoned, be they Ahmadis or non-Ahmadis. He had personal friendships with those who worked in the jails which he would use to ensure the welfare of imprisoned Ahmadis.  He had very extensive connections when it came to providing facilities to those in jail. When we were in jail, myself and those who were with me, he rendered great service to us. During that time, due to his connections with the jailer, he was able to provide various facilities for us which were not available to the average prisoner. By the grace of Allah the Almighty, it was not that he would only serve certain individuals, rather he was always ready to serve anyone, irrespective of whether they were a poor Ahmadi or wealthy. He would also generally work for the welfare of prisoners. He also had a great deal of love for Qadian. He would visit Qadian almost every year and would take part in doing duties. When representatives from the headquarters would visit his district, he would assist them in every way. In 1988, a case was filed against him for distributing pamphlets; however, it was later dismissed. May Allah the Almighty grant him forgiveness and mercy and elevate his station. He did not have any children.