Friday Sermon – Khalifatul Masih V – Mirza Masroor Ahmad – Year 2021
Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah I bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is the Messenger of Allah
I bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is the Messenger of Allah Come to Prayer Come to Prayer Come to success Come to success Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest There is none worthy of worship except Allah Peace and blessings of Allah be upon you.
I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah. He is One and has no partner. and I bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is His Servant and Messenger. After this I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed. In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. The Gracious, the Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help. Guide us in the right path – The path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings,
Those who have not incurred displeasure, and those who have not gone astray. The accounts of Hazrat Umar (ra) are being related in recent weeks. When the time of the demise of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) drew near, he called for Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf (ra) and stated, Tell me about Umar (ra).
Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf (ra) replied, O Khalifah of the Messenger (sa) of Allah! By God, Hazrat Umar (ra) is even better than the opinion you hold about him, except for the fact that he is strict in his disposition. Upon this, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) replied,
He is strict because he sees that I am compassionate in nature. However, if he was entrusted with the leadership, he will give up many of his habits because I have observed that when I treat someone in a strict manner, he tries to convince me to be happy with them
And when he sees that I am overly lenient with someone, he tells me to be strict with them. Thereafter, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) called for Hazrat Usman (ra) and asked about Hazrat Umar (ra). Hazrat Usman (ra) stated, His hidden qualities are even better than those qualities which are apparent.
There is no one like him amongst us. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) then stated to both these companions, Whatever I have said to you should not be disclosed to anyone else. And if I dont choose Umar (ra), then I will look no further than Usman (ra).
(In other words, according to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), And they both will have the authority to govern your affairs in the most proper manner. It is my desire now to move away from governing your affairs and join those who have passed away from among you. During the days of Hazrat Abu Bakrs (ra) illness,
Hazrat Talhah bin Ubaidillah (ra) approached him and said to him that you have made Hazrat Umar (ra) the Khalifa of the people, even though you can see how he treats people in your presence. What will be the situation when he is alone,
When you will meet your Lord and when He will question you about your subjects? Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) said to sit him up. Hence, they sat him up with some support and he said, are you making me fearful of Allah? When I will meet my Lord and He will question me,
I will say I made the best among Your servants their Khalifa. Following this, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) called Hazrat Usman (ra) in isolation in order to write a will in relation to Hazrat Umar (ra). He then said write, In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
This is the will of Abu Bakr bin Abi Abu Qahafah for the Muslims. Having said this much, he became unconscious and Hazrat Usman (ra) wrote (further) on his own accord I have chosen Umar bin Khattab as your Khalifa and I have not left any shortcomings in providing good for you.
Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) then regained consciousness and said, read to me what you have written. Hazrat Usman (ra) read it to him upon which he said, Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)! He went on to say, I believe that you became anxious of not causing divisions among the people
If I had passed away in this (state of) unconsciousness. Hazrat Usman (ra) replied in the affirmative, this was indeed the case. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) said, May Allah reward you on behalf of Islam and the Muslims. In other words, the sentence Hazrat Usman (ra) wrote of his own accord
Regarding Hazrat Umar (ra) being the Khalifa, was not objected to by Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra). In Tarikh al-Tabari it is written that Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Harith relates, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) called Hazrat Usman (ra) alone and said to write, In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
This is the will of Abu Bakr bin Abu Qahafah for the Muslims. Following this The narrator says after saying this much, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) became unconscious. Following this, the same took place as has been mentioned earlier. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) regained consciousness,
Had the same conversation and asked Hazrat Usman (ra) to read it out. After hearing what was written, as has been mentioned, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) said Allahu Akbar. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) further said, May Allah reward you in the best manner on behalf of Islam and the Muslims for having written this sentence.
Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) kept the written statement intact and did not make any changes. In one narration it is mentioned that Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) called for Hazrat Usman (ra) and said, Suggest to me a person (to be chosen) as the Khalifa.
By Allah! In my eyes, you are worthy of giving me advice. Upon this, he said, Hazrat Umar (ra)! Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) then told him to write this down and he began to write. As he reached the name, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) fell unconscious.
When Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) regained consciousness, he said to write, Umar. In another narration it is mentioned that Hazrat Aishah (ra) relates, Hazrat Usman (ra) was writing the will of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra). Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) became unconscious and Hazrat Usman wrote the name of Hazrat Umar (ra).
When Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) regained consciousness, he inquired what he had written. He replied, I have written Umar. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) said, you have written what I had intended to say to you. Even if you had written your own name, you would have been entitled to it.
In another narration it is mentioned that when Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) fell ill, he sent a message to Hazrat Ali (ra), Hazrat Usman (ra) and to some individuals from among the Muhajireen (Muslims who migrated from Makkah to Madinah) and the Ansar, saying, You can see that the time has come
And there is no one in position to give you orders. If you wish, you may choose an individual from among yourselves and if you so desire, I will do so on your behalf. They replied, You may do so for us. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) told Hazrat Usman (ra) to write
That this is the will of Abu Bakr bin Abi Qahafah, which he made as his final will prior to departing from this world and as his first will entering the hereafter, where a sinner will repent, a disbeliever will believe and liar will testify to the truth.
The will is as follows, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad (sa) is His servant and Messenger, and I appoint as the Khalifa Having said this, he fell unconscious and Hazrat Usman (ra) wrote Umar bin Khattab of his own accord.
When Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) regained consciousness, he asked, have you written anything? In reply, he said, yes, I wrote Umar bin Khattab. Upon this, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) said, May Allah have mercy on you. Even if you had written your own name, you were entitled to it.
Nevertheless, write that I have chosen Umar bin Khattab as your Khalifa after me and I am content with him for your sake. Once the will had been written, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) said, it should be read out to the people.
As such, Hazrat Usman (ra) gathered the people and sent his freed slave with a letter. At that time, Hazrat Umar (ra) was with him as well. Hazrat Umar (ra) would tell the people to remain silent and listen to the words of the Khalifa of the Holy Prophet (sa),
As he has not left any shortcomings in providing good for you. Subsequently, the people sat down quietly and the will was read out to them. They listened to it and obeyed. At that time, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) turned towards the people and said,
Are you satisfied with whom I have appointed as Khalifa, as I have not chosen a relative? I have most certainly appointed Umar as your Khalifa! Hence, you should listen to him and obey him. By Allah, I have not been negligent in reflecting and pondering over this.
Upon this, the people replied, we have heard and obeyed. Following this, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) called Hazrat Umar (ra) and said to him, I have appointed you as the Khalifa of the companions of the Holy Prophet (sa) and have advised you, i.e. Hazrat Umar (ra), to be fearful of Allah.
He further said, O Umar! There are most certainly some rights due to Allah, which are fulfilled during the night and which He does not accept during the day, and there are some rights to be discharged during the day, which He does not accept during the night.
Moreover, He most certainly does not accept voluntary deeds unless and until the obligations are fulfilled. O Umar! Do you not see that the scales of those very individuals are heavier (in the balance of good), whose scales will also be heavier on the Day of Judgement as a result of following the truth?
(That is, those who follow the truth, their scales will be heavier on the Day of Judgement). He further said, In relation to this scale it is a certain matter that something heavier will be placed therein in the future.
O Umar! Do you not see that the scale of those very individuals will be lighter, whose scales will also be lighter on the Day of Judgement as a result of following falsehood? (In other words, they were not following the truth and performing virtuous deeds.
(As such, their scales will be lighter on the Day of Judgement). Moreover, it is certain that whenever falsehood is placed in the scale, it will be lighter. O Umar (ra)! Do you not see that the verses pertaining to glad-tidings were revealed alongside the verses relating to punishment,
And likewise, the verses relating to punishment were revealed alongside the verses granting glad-tidings? And this was so that the believers remain in a state of hope as well as fear, (on the one hand they aspire to perform virtuous deeds, And so they do not harbour any desire which has no connection with God and nor to fear from anything which Allah has established Himself. O Umar (ra)! Do you not see that Allah the Almighty has mentioned the inmates of the hellfire owing to their ill deeds?
Thus, when you mention them then you should say, I hope that I am not from among them. And Allah has mentioned the dwellers of paradise owing to their virtuous deeds and Allah overlooked their ills. Thus, when you mention them you should say,
Are my deeds the same as their deeds? Seek the answer from your heart. When the time of Hazrat Abu Bakrs (ra) demise drew close, he stated, Whatever wealth of the Muslims was entrusted to me should be returned to them for I do not wish to take anything from that.
And my land in such and such place is to be used to return the wealth of the Muslims which I took from the treasury (Bait-ul-Maal) to be used for my personal expenses. Hazrat Abu Bakrs (ra) land, camel, assistant and a cloak which was worth five dirhams were all given to Hazrat Umar (ra).
When Hazrat Umar (ra) saw all of this, he stated, He (i.e. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra)) has placed the one who will come after him in great difficulty. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (ra) states, Someone once stated that Hazrat Umar (ra) no longer possessed a stern disposition
As he did in the era of Jahiliyyah (era of ignorance prior to the advent of Islam). Upon this, Hazrat Umar (ra) replied, I still have that sternness in my disposition, but it is now used against the disbelievers. Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) states, People said to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra),
You have appointed Umar (ra) as your successor and this would cause a lot of unrest for he has a very sharp temper. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) replied, His temper will only be fiery whilst I am present, and once I depart (from this world), his temperament will soften.
The Promised Messiah (as) states, In regards to Hazrat Umar (ra) it is mentioned that once someone commented, prior to Islam you would become quite angry. Hazrat Umar (ra) replied, I still have the same anger but before it would be displayed inappropriately, but now it is exercised at its proper occasion.
Jami’ bin Shaddad relates from one of his close relatives that he heard Hazrat Umar bin Khattab (ra) state, O Allah! I am weak, grant me strength and I am stern in my disposition, thus soften my temperament, and I am miserly, grant me the ability to spend with an open heart.
There are varying narrations regarding the first address delivered by Hazrat Umar (ra) after becoming Khalifa. According to one narration, Humaid bin Hilal who was present at the time of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiqs (ra) demise informs us, when Hazrat Umar (ra) returned from the burial of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra),
He cleaned the soil of the grave from his hands and then stood at his place and said, Surely, Allah Almighty has tried you through me, and has tried me through you, and after my two friends, He has now left me over you. I swear by Allah, whenever your matters are brought to me,
No one other than me will tend to them. If it is a matter which is distant from me, then I will appoint able and trustworthy people; they will be appointed to oversee your matters. If people treat me well, I will treat them well and if they misbehave, then I will punish them.
Hasan (ra) says, In our view, in the first address delivered by Hazrat Umar (ra), he glorified Allah Almighty and then said, after this, I have been tried through you people and you have been tried through me. After my two friends, I have been left over you.
And so, any matter that is brought to me I will tend to it myself, and any matter that is distant from me, I will appoint able and trustworthy people. Whoever does good, I will increase them in good and whoever does evil I will punish them. May Allah forgive me and you.
Jami bin Shaddad relates on account of his father that when Hazrat Umar (ra) stood at the pulpit, the first thing he said was, O Allah, I am harsh, so make me kind. I am weak, so make me strong. I am miserly, so make me generous. Jami bin Shaddad relates on account of his father that when Hazrat Umar (ra) was chosen (as the Khalifa), he stood at the pulpit and said,
I am going to say a few things to which you should say Ameen. These were the first words that Hazrat Umar (ra) said after becoming the Khalifa. Husain Muri states that Hazrat Umar (ra) said, Arabs are like a reined camel which walks behind its leader,
And it is the leaders job to be mindful of where he is leading the camel. As far as I am concerned, by the Lord of the Kabah, I will surely guide them on the straight path. In the previous narration it was said that they should say Ameen to what he said,
But there are no further details mentioned. Or perhaps this narration about the reins is the explanation (of the earlier narration). In any case, on the third day after becoming the Khalifa, Hazrat Umar (ra) delivered a detailed address, which was that when Hazrat Umar (ra) learned that people were afraid of him,
He had an announcement made in a loud voice that, the prayer is ready (to start). Upon this, people gathered and he sat at the pulpit, in the same place where Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) used to put his feet. When everyone had gathered, he stood up and glorified Allah in a befitting manner
And then sent salutations upon the Holy Prophet (sa). Then he said, I have been informed that people are afraid of my stern temperament, and they say Umar was strict with us even when the Holy Prophet (sa) was present among us,
And continued to be strict with us when Abu Bakr (ra) ruled over us. What will happen, now that all matters are in his hands?. Whoever has said this is correct. No doubt I was with the Holy Prophet (sa) and was his slave and servant
And he was such that no one could match his kindness and kind-heartedness. Allah Almighty had bestowed these qualities upon him and had given him two titles from among His attributes; the compassionate and the merciful. I was a wielded sword; if the Holy Prophet (sa) chose,
He could put me in a sheath or if he chose, he could let me loose and I would go forth smiting. Then the Holy Prophet (sa) passed away in a state of being pleased with me and thanks be to God that I was honoured in this way. Then Abu Bakr became the leader,
And he was from among such people whose benevolence, grace and kindness cannot be denied, and I was his servant and helper. I would combine my strictness with his tenderness. I became the unsheathed sword at his disposal; if he so willed, he could place me back in the sheath,
And if he so willed he could unleash me to go forth smiting. Hence, I remained with him in this manner until God Almighty brought about his demise whilst he was pleased with me. All praise belongs to Allah that I remained so blessed in this regard.
Then O people, I became the leader of your affairs. Know well that my anger has subsided, but it shall be manifested to those who wrong and oppress the Muslims. It has subsided for you, but shall be evident against the enemies. As for the pious-natured, devout and virtuous people,
I shall be even more tender towards them than what they show to one another. If I ever find a person who acts unjustly and oppresses, I shall place his cheek on the ground and my foot on his other cheek,
Until he fully understands what the truth is (that is to say, he will be very stern). And O people, you have many rights over me which I mention. You may call me to account over them.
One right you have over me is that I hide not whatever wealth is to be spent for your sake, nor of the spoils which God Almighty has sent for you, unless it is that which I hold for the works of God Almighty.
Another right of yours over me is that the wealth be spent at its appropriate occasion. Your right over me is that I continue to grant you your allowances. A right of yours over me is also that I do not place you into ruin, and when you leave your homes to join the army,
I shall be like a father to your children until you return. I say this and seek Allah Almightys forgiveness for you. Whilst referring to the Khilafat of Hazrat Umar (ra), Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) states: The following verse would be before the Muslims, Those people that are worthy of governing, or have the ability to organise should be handed over responsibilities of trust. Then when this responsibility is handed over to certain people, then in line with the shariah, they would remain mindful of this instruction that one must govern with honesty and justice.
If one abandons justice and forsakes honesty, and if they betray what was entrusted to them, then God would hold them accountable and punish them for it. This aspect (of upholding honesty) was so entrenched in Hazrat Umars (ra) disposition that one is left astounded. Hazrat Umar, who was the second Caliph of Islam,
Sacrificed so much for the progress of Islam, that the European authors, who raise allegations against the Holy Prophet (sa) day and night, who shamelessly write in their books that the Holy Prophet (sa) – God forbid – did not uphold justice,
While mentioning Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and Hazrat Umar (ra) cannot help but admit that the example of their efforts and sacrifice cannot be found in any world leader. They especially praise Hazrat Umar (ra) and say that he was the one who spent day and night
Propagating Islamic principles and helping with the progress of the Muslims. However, what was the condition of Hazrat Umar (ra) himself? Despite carrying out countless initiatives, offering countless sacrifices and enduring hardships, he would always be mindful of this verse: And also the verse (ARABIC). Meaning when one is assigned with a trust from God and your fellow brethren and countrymen choose you to represent them, then it is your duty to discharge your responsibility with justice and to ensure you use all your faculties for the betterment of mankind.
Thus, how painful is the event near to the end of Hazrat Umars (ra) life, when a foolish and ignorant person stabbed Hazrat Umar (ra) with a dagger, deeming him to be an oppressor? When Hazrat Umar (ra) realised that he was nearing his demise, he would lay on his bed in a restless state
And repeatedly cry out in anguish by saying (ARABIC). Meaning O Lord! You handed over the governance of the people to me and placed this trust with me, I do not know whether I did justice to this or not. Now the time for my demise has drawn near
And I am about to leave this world to come towards You. O my Lord, I do not seek any recompense or desire any rewards in exchange for my deeds, rather, O my Lord, I only seek that You have mercy on me and forgive me.
If I have fallen short in fulfilling this responsibility then forgive me. Umar was a magnificent person whose level of equity and justice is seldom found on the face of the earth, except under the commandment, When he passed away, it was in a state of restlessness and unease because he considered all of his services for the nation, all of his services for the betterment of people, all of his services for the progress of Islam to be completely insignificant.
All of his services which all of the Muslims in the country considered to be good and all of his services which were considered as good by even those in the country who were non-Muslim; all those services which not only his own people and others in his country
Considered to be good but even those in foreign countries considered to be good; all those services which were considered good by not only those in his time, but even now, thirteen hundred years later; those who do not desist from attacking his master hear of the services rendered by Umar,
They say that Umar is unmatched in his achievements. Umar considered all of these services to be insignificant and anxiously said, O my Lord, I was given a trust, I do not know if I did justice to it. Hence my only request is that You forgive my shortcomings and save me from punishment. Then in a speech titled Benefactor of the World Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) states:
It was Hazrat Umar (ra) regarding whom Christian historians also write that his governance was such that is unmatched in the world. They use foul language against the Holy Prophet (sa), yet commend Hazrat Umar (ra). A person who remained in his company at all times,
Longed during his final moments to be given a place in his nearness to the Holy Prophet (sa). If any action of the Holy Prophet (sa) showed that he strove for anything other than attaining the pleasure of God, then after having attained the level he did,
Would Hazrat Umar (ra) have desired to be given a place near him? Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) is proving that it was servitude to the Holy Prophet (sa) and his moral training which enabled Hazrat Umar (ra) to be just and have this fear of God.
With regards to Hazrat Umars (ra) love for the Ahl-e-Bait (family of the Holy Prophet (sa)) Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) states: Hazrat Aishah (ra) remained alive for a long time after the Holy Prophet (sa). During the era of Hazrat Umar (ra) when Iran was conquered,
Flour mills were brought over, which ground very fine flour. When the very first mill was established in Madinah, Hazrat Umar (ra) instructed that the first batch of fine flour should be presented to Hazrat Aishah (ra) as a gift. Hence, according to his instruction,
That fine flour was sent to Hazrat Aishah (ra) and her worker used that flour to make thin bread. The women of Madinah, who had never before seen such fine flour converged and gathered at Hazrat Aishahs (ra) home so that they may see this flour and how its bread is prepared.
The entire courtyard was filled with women waiting to see the bread baked with this flour. Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) was addressing women and said, You must be thinking that it was some type of unique flour. It was not a unique type of flour,
Rather that flour was of lesser quality which you eat on a daily basis; in fact it was of even lesser quality than the flour which today is used by the poorest women. However that flour was of a higher quality than that which was usually available in Madinah.
In any case, bread was prepared with that flour, which the women were astonished to see. In their astonishment, they began touching the bread and would immediately exclaim, this bread is wonderful. Is there any flour in the world better than this?
The bread had been baked, but this is where the love of Hazrat Aishahs (ra) and her feelings for the Holy Prophet (sa) become manifest. Hazrat Aishah (ra) took a small piece of the bread and placed it in her mouth. All of the women who were standing there were looking at her
To see how Hazrat Aishahs (ra) expressions would change as she would savor eating the soft bread and were expecting her to express her happiness and would especially enjoy it. However, as soon as Hazrat Aishah (ra) placed that piece of bread in her mouth,
It remained in her mouth as if her throat had become closed and her eyes began filling with tears. The women said, the flour is so good, and the bread is unbelievably soft. Why are you unable to swallow it and have started to cry? Is there something wrong with the bread?
Hazrat Aishah (ra) said there is nothing wrong with the bread. I know that this bread is very soft and we have never seen something like this, but I am not crying because there is something wrong with the bread. Rather, I remember the days
When the Holy Prophet (sa) was passing through the final stage of his life; he had become weak and could not eat hard food. Yet even in those days, we used to grind wheat with stones and would make bread from it and present it to him.
Then she said, The person because of whom we are reaping these benefits left before he could enjoy these things, and we who are honoured only because of him are benefitting from these bounties. When she said this, she took the piece bread out of her mouth and said, Take this bread away from me.
Recalling the time of the Holy Prophet (sa) my throat is closing up and I cannot eat this bread. Hazrat Ibn Abbas narrates that during the era of Hazrat Umar (ra), the Companions (ra) of the Holy Prophet (sa) conquered Midian which was where Chosroes ruled from.
He (Hazrat Umar (ra)) instructed that a leather mat should be placed on the floor of the mosque and instructed that the spoils should be emptied on to the leather mat. Then the companions (ra) of the Holy Prophet (sa) gathered
And the first one to take their share of the spoils was Hasan bin Ali (ra). He said, O leader of the believers, grant me my share of the wealth which Allah Almighty has bestowed upon the Muslims. Hazrat Umar (ra) instructed with great happiness and honour that he should be given one thousand dirhams.
Then, Hasan left and Husain bin Ali came forward and said, O leader of the believers, grant me my share of the wealth which Allah Almighty has bestowed upon the Muslims. Hazrat Umar (ra) instructed with great happiness and honour that he should be given one thousand dirhams.
Then Hazrat Umars (ra) son Abdullah bin Umar came forward and said, O leader of the believers, grant me my share of the wealth which Allah Almighty has bestowed upon the Muslims. Hazrat Umar (ra) instructed with great happiness and honour that he should be given five hundred dirhams.
Upon this, Abdullah bin Umar said, O leader of the believers, I am a strong man who used to stand in front of the Holy Prophet (sa), wielding my sword. At that time, Hasan and Husain were children who used to wander the streets of Madinah.
You have given them one thousand dirhams each and have given me only five hundred. Hazrat Umar (ra) replied This is true. Find me a father like their father, a mother like their mother, a maternal grandfather like their maternal grandfather, a maternal grandmother like their maternal grandmother,
A paternal uncle like their paternal uncle, a maternal uncle like their maternal uncle, and a maternal aunt like their maternal aunt. Surely, you will not be able to do so. Abu Jafar (ra) narrates that Hazrat Umar (ra) decided to assign stipends to people and his view was better than that of all others.
People told him that he should begin with himself, but he did not agree. Instead, he began with the closest relatives of the Holy Prophet (sa); thus he began by determining a stipend for Hazrat Abbas (ra) and then Hazrat Ali (ra). Hazrat Umar bin Khattab (ra) respected
Hazrat Imam Hasan (ra) and Hazrat Imam Husain (ra) and would tend to and provide for them just as he provided for their father. Once, some clothes arrived from Yemen and he distributed them among the sons of the Companions (ra),
But did not give any to them two (i.e. Hazrat Imam Hasan (ra) and Hazrat Imam Husain (ra)). He said that there was nothing (among those clothes) which he deemed worthy enough for them. He then sent a message to the governor of Yemen who then had clothes made which were suitable for them.
I will continue narrating accounts in the future, God-willing. At present, I will mention some members who have passed away, and later lead their funeral prayers (in absentia). The first is of Suhaila Mahboob Sahiba, wife of the late Faiz Ahmad Sahib Darwesh of Gujrat who was Nazir Bait al-Mal.
Suhaila Sahiba passed away at the age of 90, Verily to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return. By the grace of Allah Almighty she was a Musia. She belonged to an educated family from Bihar. Her father was not an Ahmadi,
However her mother did her own research after her father did baiat and then she too jointed the Community. She then endured great hardship for three to four years since her husband had not accepted (Ahmadiyyat), however she remained steadfast upon Ahmadiyyat. Although her husband never accepted Ahmadiyyat, he eventually stopped his opposition
And their daughters were even married into Ahmadi households. Similarly, Suhaila Sahiba was also married into an Ahmadi household as well. In 1958, the deceaseds mother travelled to Qadian for the first time along with her daughter Suhailah Mahboob. Suhaila Mahboob said that she developed a great love for Qadian
And she prayed a great deal that somehow she may be able to settle there. She decided to devote her life. At the time, the Nazir Khidmat Darweshan was was Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib (ra). In response to her letter for life-devotion he said, I have been informed that you are devoting your life.
This step you have taken is praiseworthy. Being a life-devotee, your foremost responsibility is to learn about the faith and model your actions according to (the teachings of) Islam and Ahmadiyyat so that you can establish an excellent example. Hence, she dedicated her life. In 1964, she got married to Chaudhry Abdullah Sahib Darwesh
With whom she had a daughter, however they separated after some time. Then her second marriage took place with Chaudhry Faiz Ahmad Sahib Darwesh of Gujrat, with whom she had a son, however he passed away in his childhood. Up until her retirement, the deceased served for almost 30 years
As the headmistress of the Nusrat Girls High School in Qadian. Next is Raja Khurshid Ahmad Munir Sahib, a missionary who had been serving in Australia which is where he passed away, Verily to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return. He was a Musi.
He served as a missionary for quite some time in various regions of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. He was a fearless missionary of the Community. Whilst serving in Azad Kashmir, he had to face a great deal of opposition. During the disturbances of 1974 he endured opposition with great bravery.
Once in a meeting, the Third Caliph (rh) said regarding him, we have a very brave missionary there. Hence he gave him the title of brave missionary. Raja Khurshid Ahmad Munir Sahib had a house in Rawalpindi which he had donated as a gift to the Community, and the Fourth Caliph (rh) accepted this gift.
After the partition of India and Pakistan, Raja Sahib moved to Ahmad Nagar, and then upon its establishment, he studied in Jamia Ahmadiyya. In order to make ends meet, he opened a store in a small room. Then, in 1948 he was part of the Furqan Battalion.
In 1949 he passed the Maulvi Fazil exam and passed the first Shahid exams of Jamia, after which he served as a missionary at various places in Pakistan and Kashmir. In 1974 his house was attacked but he faced this with great bravery.
He was injured as a result of the mob pelting stones but everyone in the home remained safe. He always advised to be steadfast and would say that divine communities are made to face such trials and tests. Even under these conditions, he would bravely visit Jamaats. He would visit peoples homes,
And sometimes during his visits to homes of members of the Community he would be apprehended and beaten, yet he never complained. He is survived by four sons and four daughters. These days he was in Australia which is where he passed away.
Next is Zameer Ahmad Nadeem Sahib, who passed away at the age of 56, Verily to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return. He had been suffering from cancer. It was through his paternal great grandfather Raheem Bakhsh Sahib (ra) was a companion of the Promised Messiah (as)
That Ahmadiyyat was introduced into his family in 1897. When his great paternal grandfather heard that the Imam Mahdi had arrived, he went from his village Shikarpur Machiyan which was in the District of Gurdaspur to attend Jalsa Qadian which was where he accepted Ahmadiyyat. He had informed one of his relatives,
Mehr Deen Sahib (about the Imam Mahdi) and so he also went and accepted Ahmadiyyat. Then, as a result of his preaching, almost the entire village became Ahmadi. After completing Jamia, Zameer Sahib served in the field for some time under Islah-o-Irshad and then he was appointed to Daftar Mansuba Bandi Committee
After which he served under Nazarat Islah-o-Irshad Markaziyyah. From 2005 until his demise he served as Muawin Nazir Wasiyyat Shubah Istiqbaliyyah Allah Almighty bestowed upon him a son and a daughter. His son is also a missionary. He knew how to build connections; he was also good basketball player which helped in building connections.
He would then use these connections for the benefit of the Community. He was regular in offering tahajjud (pre-dawn voluntary prayers) and he had high degree of trust in Allah Almighty. It was his habit that whenever faced with some difficulty, he would immediately offer voluntary prayers and write a letter to the Khalifa.
By the grace of Allah Almighty, his prayers and voluntary prayers would be granted acceptance. The following funeral is of Isa Muakitilima Sahib of Tanzania, who passed away a few days ago. To Allah we belong and to Him shall we return. He was born in a Christian household.
At the age of 19 he began showing an interest in religious dialogue due to the influences around him. Then, he had the honour of accepting Islam. A few years later he became acquainted with the teachings of the Ahmadiyya Community,
And after carry out his research, he entered the fold of the Community in 1992. He underwent a pious change after taking the oath of allegiance. This was clearly felt by his family and having witnessed this transformation, his wife also pledged her allegiance.
After taking this oath of allegiance, he made great efforts to increase his religious knowledge, and he would not let any opportunity slip from his hands to preach the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat, even whilst he was at work. He was always at the forefront of giving alms.
On many occasions he would say that giving in the way of Allah attracts blessings in ones business and wealth. He had a business. He was very a friendly, well-mannered and humble person. He showed great respect to life-devotees, office-bearers and workers of the Community.
He was a Musi (attester), and is survived by two wives and ten children. The missionary in-charge in Tanzania writes, He was appointed the regional president of Darus Salam. Humility and simplicity were always evident in him, which would find place in the hearts of the people.
He was a pious man who quietly rendered his services. He was then appointed the Naib Ameer of Tanzania and served in this capacity so wonderfully. He possessed great counsel and always kept in mind the respect and honour of the system of the Community.
He always admonished Ahmadis to live with one another in harmony and to remain firmly attached to Khilafat. He also gave consideration to the needs of the workers of the Community. He always strived to cooperate where possible, and in fact,
He would take his car and drive the workers to the office in the morning whilst on his way to work, so that they would not lose time in travelling by bus. He kept a room in his home as a prayer centre, where prayers would be offered.
When he was encouraged to give the share of property of Musian (attesters), he immediately picked out his two most valuable properties which he gave towards the share of property. The next funeral is of Sheikh Mubashar Ahmad Sahib, supervisor of the constructions department in Qadian.
He was the son of Sheikh Asrar Sahib of Kirang Batesha, India. He also passed away in the last few days due to the coronavirus at the age of 33. To Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.
He was Ahmadi by birth and is of a family which has been Ahmadi for a long time. He was extremely well-mannered servant of the Community who was regular in prayer, and always ready to render his services to his faith. He had a bond with the mosque since childhood.
For the last eight years he continued rendering his services to the construction department of Qadian, in a wonderful manner. He was very earnest in his work and would pay great attention to detail. He is survived by his wife, parents, two brothers and a sister.
The following funeral is of Saif Ali Shahid Sahib who passed away in Sydney. To Allah we belong and to Him shall we return. By the grace of Allah he was a Musi. On his maternal side he was the great grandson of Chaudhary Muhammad Ali Sahib, a companion of the Promised Messiah (as),
And the grandson of Chaudhary Gamay Khan Sahib. His brother is Haider Ali Zafar Sahib, a missionary in Germany and also the Naib Ameer nowadays. He says, in 1961 he completed his Metric and began working in Hyderabad. He then continued to cover the education costs and other expenses of my brother and I,
And he served our parents in a very selfless manner. He was extremely sociable, soft spoken and humble. He had great love and affection for children and the youth. He possessed a bond of utmost love and obedience for the Community and Khilafat.
He always taught his children to also have love and obedience for Khilafat. He showed great respect to office-bearers and never tolerated even hearing an ill word against them. He was very regular in offering his prayers. He would offer his tahajjud (pre-dawn voluntary prayers) and would perform the prayers in an excellent manner.
Whilst he was in Pakistan he had the honour of serving as the Finance Secretary and Secretary Waqf-e-Jadid. Then, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV (rh) appointed him as the Sadr Jamaat of Mirpur Khas, and he remained there as the Sadr until it became an Imarat. After the martyrdom of Dr Abdul Mannan Siddiqi Sahib,
He had the honour of serving as the local Ameer and Ameer of the district. He remained as the Ameer of the Mirpur Khas district right up until he departed for Australia. He also served in various roles within the auxiliary organisations. Likewise, he served as a member of the Qaza Board in Australia,
As the Naib Sadr Awwal Ansarullah, and also, he was serving as the Rishta Nata Secretary of the Community there since 2016. Two of his sons passed away during his lifetime, but he bore the losses with great forbearance. He is survived by his wife and four sons.
The next funeral is of Masud Ahmad Hayat Sahib, son of Rasheed Ahmad Hayat Sahib. He passed away at the age of 80. To Allah we belong and to Him shall we return. Ahmadiyyat was introduced to his family though his paternal grandfather, Hazrat Babu Umar Hayat Sahib, son of Chaudhary Pir Bakhsh Sahib.
In 1898, Hazrat Umar Hayat (ra) took the oath of allegiance at the age of 14 and entered the fold of Ahmadiyyat. Initially he worked in the army then moved to Kenya. Masud Hayat Sahib travelled to the UK in 1967 and remained there permanently after moving from Kenya.
He was very pious natured, regular in fasting and offering prayers, and he was a well-mannered, friendly, hospitable and kind person. He had the honour of performing the Hajj (pilgrimage) on two occasions. He had the honour of driving and working in security during the tours of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV (rh) to various countries.
When the Baitul Ahad Mosque in Walthamstow was purchased in 1983, the largest donation was from himself and his wife, the late Tahira Hayat Sahiba. Allah Almighty had showered His special grace upon him in his wealth, and he would regularly give a large portion of that in the way of Allah.
When the Redbridge East London Jamaat was divided, that Jamaat did not have its own mosque. When he became aware of this he devoted a part of his house for the Community, and this remained the Jamaat centre for three years, where various activities of the Community were held.
He has two sons and his second wife. His first wife passed away. May Allah Almighty have mercy on all the deceased and enable their progeny to remain attached to Ahmadiyyat. May their prayers for their future progeny, and that of their forefathers be accepted. After the prayer I shall lead their funeral prayers.
All praise is due to Allah We laud Him, we beseech help from Him and ask His protection; we confide in Him, we trust Him alone and we seek protection against the evils and mischief of our souls and from the bad results of our deeds.
Whomsoever He guides on the right path, none can misguide him; and whosoever He declares misled, none can guide him onto the right path. And we bear witness that none deserves to be worshipped except Allah. We bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is His servant and Messenger.
O servants of Allah! May Allah be merciful to you. Verily, Allah commands you to act with justice, to confer benefits upon each other and to do good to others as one does to one’s kindred and forbids evil which pertain to your own selves
And evils which affect others and prohibits revolts against a lawful authority. He warns you against being unmindful. You remember Allah; He too will remember you; call Him and He will make a response to your call. And verily divine remembrance is the highest virtue.