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. In the previous sermon, I mentioned the dispute between Hazrat ‘Ubaidullah bin ‘Umar and Hazrat Usman (ra) in relation to the martyrdom of Hazrat ‘Umar (ra). From that narration, and Allah knows best as to how authentic it is,
It is mentioned therein that they also fought with each other. I will now mention the aspects that have come to light after further research on this matter. At one place, it has been mentioned that Hazrat Usman (ra) had not yet been elected as the Khalifa (successor)
When Hazrat ‘Ubaidullah bin ‘Umar (ra) started his dispute with him. It has previously been mentioned that ‘Ubaidullah intended to kill every prisoner in Madinah. The early Muhajirin (Muslims who migrated from Makkah to Madinah) came together and confronted him, stopped him and threatened him.
Upon this, Ubaidullah said: “By God! I will most certainly kill them all” i.e. all the prisoners and slaves. He did not even regard the (sentiments of) the Muhajirin, so much so that ‘Amr bin Al-‘Aas (ra) continuously argued with him, until he handed his sword over to Amr bin Al-Aas.
Following this, Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas approached him in order to reason with him, but he fought him as well. As has previously been mentioned, a fight broke out between Ubaidullah and Hazrat Usman (ra) and people tried to settle the dispute. It is stated that when this incident took place,
People had not yet pledged allegiance to Hazrat Usman (ra); that is, he had not yet been elected as the Khalifa, as explained earlier. Similarly, we also find indications of Hazrat ‘Ubaidullah (ra) being imprisoned following this. After the people pledged allegiance to Hazrat Usman (ra) and he was elected as the Khalifa,
Hazrat ‘Ubaidullah (ra) was brought before Hazrat Usman (ra). Hazrat Usman addressed a gathering of Muhajirin and Ansar (Muslims native to Madinah) and asked them: “Give me your opinion with regards to this individual “who has caused such disarray within Islam.” Hazrat ‘Ali bin Abi Talib (ra) said:
“It goes against justice not to hold him accountable, “and in my opinion, he should be executed.” i.e. referring to ‘Ubaidullah bin ‘Umar. However, some Muhajirin considered this view to be intolerable, harsh and extreme and they said that ‘Umar (ra) was assassinated yesterday. Should his son then be executed today?
This objection saddened the people that were present and Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) also remained silent. Nevertheless, Hazrat Usman (ra) desired for someone in the gathering to find a solution to this delicate matter and give a suggestion. Hazrat ‘Amr bin ‘Aas (ra) was among those present in this gathering, he said:
“Allah has excused you from this matter. “This occurred when you were not yet the leader of the Muslims “and as this incident did not take place during your Khilafat, “the responsibility of this does not fall upon you.” However, Hazrat Usman (ra) was not satisfied with this opinion
And considered it best for some blood money to be paid. Accordingly, he said: “I am the guardian of those that were killed and as such, “I will set an amount of blood money and then pay it from my personal wealth.” This is one opinion regarding this entire incident.
According to Tarikh al-Tabari, Hazrat Usman (ra) handed Hazrat ‘Ubaidullah (ra) over to the son of Hormuzan so that he may avenge his father by killing him. However, the son forgave him. Whilst addressing the question of whether a Muslim can be punished in retribution for killing a disbeliever,
Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) has also made reference to the aforementioned incident. I have previously narrated this in one of the sermons, however I shall mention it once again to shed further light on the matter. Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) states, “In Al-Tabari, Qumazban bin Hormuzan relates the incident of his father’s death as follows:
“‘Hormuzan was a Persian leader and was a Magian by faith. “He was suspected to be involved in the killing of Hazrat Umar (ra). “Subsequently, without carrying out any investigation “and owing to his intense emotions, Ubaidullah bin Umar killed Hormuzan. “(Hormuzan’s son narrates) The people of Persia had developed acquaintances with each other
“because, as is the case, when one travels to another land, “their ethnicity becomes even more distinct. “One day, Feroz, who perpetrated the killing of Hazrat Umar (ra) met my father “and he had a dagger with him at the time which had been sharpened from both sides.
“(The son of Hormuzan is narrating this) My father took hold of the dagger and asked him, ““What do you do with this dagger in this land? “This is a land where there is peace, therefore there is no need for such a weapon.”
“Upon this, he stated that he used it for guiding and pulling the camels along. “Whilst they were both talking to each other, someone happened to see them. “Later, when Hazrat Umar (ra) was martyred, the individual (who had seen them together) claimed “that he had personally witnessed Hormuzan handing over the dagger to Feroz.
“Upon this, Ubaidullah, who was the youngest son of Hazrat Umar (ra), killed my father. “When Hazrat Usman (ra) became the Khalifah, he called me and handed over Ubaidullah to me. “Hazrat Usman (ra) stated, ‘O my son! He is the one who killed your father.
‘Thus, you have a greater right over him than me, so take him and kill him.’ “And so, I took him and headed out of the city. “On the way, whoever would see me would come along with me.
“None of them challenged my decision, instead all they would do was to request me to let him go. “I addressed all the Muslims there and stated, ‘Do I have the right to kill him?’ “Everyone replied in the affirmative that to kill him was indeed my right
“and then they began to reproach Ubaidullah for the wrong he had committed. “Then, I asked, ‘Do you have the right to free him from me?’ “They all responded saying, ‘No! Certainly not.’ “And again, they began to reproach Ubaidullah for he had killed my father without any evidence.
“Upon this, I left him for the sake of God and those people. “Out of their happiness, the Muslims raised me up on their shoulders, “and by God, I reached my home on top of people’s heads and shoulders “as they did not even let my feet touch the ground.
“This narration shows that it was the practice of the Companions (ra) “that they would also give the death penalty to a Muslim who had killed a non-Muslim. “It is also proven that no matter the method used, such a person would be killed (in retribution).
“Similarly, it is also proven that a murderer could only be detained “and given the death penalty by the state. “This is because it is evident from this narration “that Ubaidullah bin Umar was apprehended by Hazrat Usman (ra) “and it was he who turned him over to Hormuzan’s son.
“It was not an heir of Hormuzan’s who launched a case against him or apprehended him.” Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) further states, “Here, it is necessary to clarify the issue “whether a murderer should be handed over to the heirs of the one who has been murdered
“in order to be punished, as was done by Hazrat Usman (ra), “or should the state see to the punishment itself? “It should be remembered that this is a subsidiary matter “and Islam has left it to be determined according to the needs of the time.
“The country can adopt whatever it deems most effective based on its society and conditions. “There is no doubt that these two methods are only beneficial under specific circumstances.” After explaining this in further detail, I shall now narrate a few more accounts from the life of Hazrat Umar (ra).
Hazrat Umar’s (ra) humility and modesty at the time of his demise was such that his son narrates that he instructed him, “Adopt moderation when shrouding my body for burial “because if Allah has decreed prosperity for me “then He shall grant a better garment in its place and if that is not the case,
“then He shall seize this from me, and that too, very swiftly. “Moreover, adopt moderation with regards to my burial. “If Allah wishes to grant me prosperity, “then He shall expand it as far as the eye can see “and if this is not the case,
“then He shall constrict it to the extent that it will crush my ribs. “Also, do not allow any woman to accompany my funeral. “Do not praise me for a quality which I did not possess for Allah has complete knowledge about me. “When you carry me (for the burial) do not walk swiftly
“for if Allah has decreed prosperity for me “then you will be carrying me towards that which is best for me “and if that is not the case, “then you will be able to quickly remove the evil which you are carrying –
“(in fact it is) when you carry me (for the burial) walk swiftly “for if Allah has decreed prosperity for me “then you will be carrying me towards that which is best for me “and if that is not the case, “then you will be able to quickly remove the evil which you are carrying.
“Aside from this, it is also mentioned that Hazrat Umar (ra) instructed for them “to not wash his body with musk. “Hazrat Usman bin Affan (ra) relates that he went to Hazrat Umar (ra) “and at the time he was resting his head on the thigh of his son, Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar.
“Hazrat Umar (ra) told Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar to place his head onto the ground. “Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar stated, “My thigh and the ground are almost at the same level.” “(in other words, there was hardly any distance between the two). “Hazrat Umar (ra) repeated this two or three times and then stated,
“Please place my head on the ground.” “Hazrat Umar (ra) then placed his legs together “and the narrator states that he heard Hazrat Umar (ra) say, “Me and my mother will be ruined if Allah the Almighty does not grant us His forgiveness.” “And thereafter Hazrat Umar (ra) passed away.
“Hazrat Simak Hanafi relates that he heard Ibn Abbas say “that he once said to Hazrat Umar (ra), “Allah established new cities through you, many conquests took place through you “and such and such achievements were attained through you.” “Upon this, Hazrat Umar (ra) stated, “I desire to attain salvation whereby
“I neither attain any reward for this and nor carry the burden (of any wrong).”” In other words, he took no pride in these great achievements nor the conquests that took place, instead the fear and awe of Allah the Almighty reigned supreme over him and he was only concerned about the hereafter.
Zaid bin Aslam relates from his father that when Hazrat Umar’s (ra) demise was near, he stated, “You entertain doubts regarding my leadership. “By God, I desire to seek salvation in a manner that: “That is, neither should I receive any punishment nor any reward.” In relation to this, Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) states, “Hazrat Umar (ra) was someone who spent his entire life “worrying and caring for the religion of Islam. “At every instance, he offered the most sublime sacrifices.
“With regards to his sacrifices, they were not of the same level as Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), “however in regards to his intentions and motives, they were equal. “At the time of Abu Bakr’s (ra) demise, “tears began to flow from the eyes of Hazrat Umar (ra) and he stated,
“‘May God Almighty bestow His blessings upon Abu Bakr (ra) ‘for I tried on my occasions to excel him but I always failed. ‘On one occasion, the Holy Prophet (sa) instructed people to present their wealth ‘and I brought half of my wealth thinking that today I shall excel Abu Bakr (ra).
‘However, Abu Bakr (ra) was already there before me ‘and since he was related to the Holy Prophet (sa) ‘and the Holy Prophet (sa) knew that he would not have left anything at home, ‘he enquired, “Abu Bakr, what did you leave at home?”
‘Upon this, he replied, “I have left the name of Allah and His Messenger (sa).”’ ‘After saying this, Hazrat Umar (ra) cried and stated, “‘Even on that occasion, I could not excel him.’” Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) further stated, “Such was the level of Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) sacrifices.
“He would offer sacrifices before this as well but when a particular occasion arose, “he presented his entire wealth. “On the one hand, we have such people, and on the other hand there are those “who do not even get the opportunity to present 1/10 of their wealth as a sacrifice
“and claim that should they do so they would be ruined.” Hazrat Umar (ra) was close to his demise, his eyes would well up and he would say, “O Allah! I am not worthy of any reward, but all I ask for is to be saved from punishment.”
Then, there are details in relation to Hazrat Umar’s (ra) funeral and burial. Hazrat Umar’s (ra) son, Hazrat Abdullah (ra) performed the ghusal (washing) of Hazrat Umar (ra). It is related from Ibn Umar that Hazrat Umar’s (ra) funeral prayer was lead in Masjid Nabawi and the prayer was lead by Hazrat Suhaib.
The funeral prayer took place in the area between the pulpit and the grave of the Holy Prophet (sa). Hazrat Jabir (ra) narrates that the people who lowered Hazrat Umar (ra) into the grave were: Usman bin Affan (ra), Saeed bin Zaid, Suhaib bin Sinan and Abdullah bin Umar.
In addition to them, the names of Hazrat Ali (ra), Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf, Hazrat Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas, Hazrat Talha (ra) and Hazrat Zubair bin Al-Awam are also mentioned. The Promised Messiah (as) states: “To be buried amongst the company of the righteous is also a blessing.
“Regarding Hazrat Umar (ra) it is written that when his demise was imminent, “he sent a message to Hazrat Aishah (ra) “requesting permission to be buried in the space next to the Holy Prophet (sa). “Hazrat Aishah (ra) sacrificed for his sake and granted him that space. “Hazrat Umar (ra) then stated: (ARABIC)
“meaning ‘I no longer have any other worry, “for now I will be buried alongside the Holy Prophet (sa).’” In another place the Promised Messiah (as) states, “One who develops a bond with God Almighty with utmost devotion “is never made to face ruin, even if the entire world were to oppose him.
“Those who seek to establish a bond with Allah never experience hardship or loss “and Allah does not abandon His truthful servants. “Allah is the Greatest! How great was the sincerity and devotion of these two men “(i.e. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and Hazrat Umar (ra)).
“Both were buried in such a blessed grave that if Moses (as) and Jesus (as) were alive today, “they would express their earnest desire to be buried there. “However, such a rank is never bestowed owing to one’s heartfelt longing or desire, “rather this is an eternal mercy bestowed from the Lord of Honour.
“And this mercy is only granted to those “who are granted His Divine favours from the very beginning.” On one occasion, Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) states “When Hazrat Umar (ra) was close to his demise, “he expressed his heartfelt desire to be buried in the company of the Holy Prophet (sa).
“And so, Hazrat Umar (ra) sent a message to Hazrat Aishah (ra) “asking whether she would permit him to be buried beside the Holy Prophet (sa). “It was Hazrat Umar (ra) regarding whom Christian historians also write “that his governance was such that it is unmatched in the world.
“They use foul language against the Holy Prophet (sa), “(i.e. Christian historians) yet commend Hazrat Umar (ra). “A person who remained in his company at all times (i.e. in the company of the Holy Prophet (sa)), “longed during his final moments to be given a place near the feet of 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 rank he did, “would Hazrat Umar (ra) have desired to be given a place near the feet of the Holy Prophet (sa)?
“Such was the status of the Holy Prophet (sa) “as a result of which Hazrat Umar (ra) expressed his desire “to be buried near the feet of the Holy Prophet (sa).” There are various narrations with regards to Hazrat Umar’s age at the time of his demise.
Also there are differences of opinion regarding his date of birth. According to the various narrations found in Al-Tabari, Usd al-Ghabah, Al-Bidayah wa Al-Nihayah, Al-Riyad Al-Nadirah and Tarikh Al-Khulafa, Hazrat Umar’s (ra) age is mentioned as: 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63 and 65. However, according to narrations in Sahih Muslim and Tirmidhi,
Hazrat Umar (ra) was 63 years old (at the time of his demise). Hazrat Anas bin Malik (ra) narrates that at the time of his demise, the Holy Prophet (sa) was 63 years old; and at the time of Abu Bakr’s demise, he was also 63 years old
And when Hazrat Umar (ra) passed away, he was also 63 years old. There are narrations which detail the sentiments of the companions at the time of Hazrat Umar’s demise. Hazrat Ibn Abbas (ra) narrates: “When the body of Hazrat Umar (ra) was placed down for the funeral prayers, “people gathered around.
“Before the body was taken, the people prayed for him, “after which the funeral prayers were offered. “I was also present among the people. “A person grabbed hold of my shoulder which startled me. “I turned to see that it was Hazrat Ali bin Abi Talib (ra).
“He prayed for Allah to bestow mercy on Hazrat Umar (ra) and then said: “‘O Umar! You have not left behind you ‘anyone whose deeds I would rather have and go before Allah the Almighty. ‘By God! I am certain that Allah will place you besides your companions
‘(i.e. that Hazrat Umar (ra) will be with the Holy Prophet (sa) and Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra)) ‘On many occasions I heard the Holy Prophet (sa) say: (ARABIC). “I, Abu Bakr and Umar went; I, Abu Bakr and Umar entered; I, Abu Bakr and Umar went out;”’”
In other words, the Holy Prophet (sa) would say this whist narrating various incidents. Ja’far bin Muhammad narrates on the authority of his father that when the body of Hazrat Umar (ra) was washed and wrapped in the burial clothes, he was placed on a bedstead. Hazrat Ali (ra) stood beside him and praised him.
Hazrat Ali (ra) said: “By Allah! There is not a single person on this earth “whose deeds I would rather have and stand before Allah, “than the deeds of the one wrapped in this shroud.” Abu Makhlad narrates that Hazrat Ali bin Abi Talib stated: “The Holy Prophet (sa) had not yet passed away
“when we realised that after the Holy Prophet (sa), “the best among us was Abu Bakr; “and Abu Bakr had not yet passed away “when we realised that Umar (ra) was the best among us after Abu Bakr.” Zaid bin Wahab narrates: “We came to see Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ud. “Whilst mentioning Hazrat Umar (ra),
“he cried so much that the stones on the floor became wet due to his tears. “Then regarding Hazrat Umar (ra) he said: ‘Umar was a strong fortress for Islam. ‘People would enter into it and not leave. ‘(i.e. that he was a solid citadel in which people would enter but not leave.)
‘When he passed away, cracks appeared in this fortress and people began leaving Islam.’” Abu Wail narrates that Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ud said: “If the knowledge of Umar was placed on one side of a scale “and the knowledge of everyone else was placed on the opposite side,
“the knowledge of Hazrat Umar (ra) would be heavier.” Abu Wail said: “I mentioned this to Ibrahim, to which he said: ‘By God! This is the truth. Abdullah bin Mas’ud has said something even greater than this.’ “I asked what he had said, to which he stated:
‘When Hazrat Umar (ra) passed away, he (Abdullah bin Mas’ud) said that ‘it was as if nine tenths of knowledge had passed away with him.’” Hazrat Anas (ra) narrates that when Hazrat Umar (ra) was martyred, Hazrat Abu Talha said: “Among the Arabs or the Bedouins,
“there is not a single household that is free from the devastating effect of Umars martyrdom” i.e. Hazrat Umar (ra) would help everyone and undoubtedly they would feel the effects of this loss. After the funeral of Hazrat Umar (ra), Hazrat Abdullah bin Salam stood by his bedstead and said:
“O Umar! Indeed, you were a great brother in Islam! “You stood firmly for the truth and were fierce against falsehood. “When it was appropriate to give approval, “you would do so and you would express anger when the time was right.
“Your vision was pure; you were noble; you would not praise excessively, nor would you backbite.” In one narration, when Hazrat Umar (ra) passed away, Hazrat Saeed bin Zaid (ra) began to cry. A person asked: “O Abul ‘Awar! Why do you cry?” He replied: “I cry for Islam.
“Indeed, the passing of Hazrat Umar (ra) has caused a crack within Islam, “which will not be filled until the Day of Judgement.” Hazrat Ibn Umar (ra) states: “During the lifetime of the Holy Prophet (sa) “we would say that after him, the best among them was Abu Bakr,
“then Hazrat Umar and then Hazrat Usman.” Hazrat Hudaifah (ra) would say that during the time of Hazrat Umar (ra), the case of Islam was like a person who was heading towards the path of success and prosperity. When he was martyred, it was as if that success reversed and went into constant regression.
With regards to Hazrat Umar’s (ra) wives and children it is mentioned that he had a total of ten wives, from whom he had nine sons and four daughters; one of whom was Hazrat Hafsa (ra), who had the honour of being a wife of the Holy Prophet (sa).
The first wife of Hazrat Umar (ra) was Hazrat Zainab bin Maz’un – she was the sister of Hazrat Usman bin Maz’un – and with her he had Abdullah, Abdur Rahman, Akbar and Hazrat Hafsa. (Another wife is) Hazrat Umm Kulthum bint Ali bin Talib, from whom he had: Zaid, Akbar and Ruqayyah.
Mulaika bint Jarwal, who was also known as Umm Kulthum, from whom he had: Zaid, Asghar and Ubaidullah. (Another wife was) Kuraibah bint Abu Umayyah Makhzumi. Since Mulaikah and Kuraibah did not accept Islam, Hazrat Umar (ra) divorced both of them in 6 AH. (Another wife was) Hazrat Jamilah bint Thabit,
Her name was Asiyah, but the Holy Prophet (sa) gave her the name Jamilah. She was the sister of Hazrat Asim bin Thabit, who took part in the Battle of Badr. With her he had a son named Asim. From Lauhiyah he had a son named Abdur Rahman Ausat.
Regarding the former it is said that she was “Umm Walad”, which means when one marries a concubine and has a child from her, she becomes free. There was another Umm Walad, through whom he had a son called Abdur Rahman Asghar. From Hazrat Umm Hakim bint Harith he had Fatimah;
From Fuqaihah he had Zainab and from Hazrat Atiqah bint Zaid he had a son named Iyad. Edward Gibbon, a famous orientalist, writes in praise of Hazrat Umar: “The abstinence and humility of Umar were not inferior to the virtues of Abu Bakr: “his food consisted of barley bread or dates; his drink was water;
“he preached in a gown that was torn or tattered in twelve places; “and a Persian satrap, who paid his homage as to the conqueror, “found him asleep among the beggars on the steps of the mosque of Muslims. “Economy is the source of liberality, “and the increases of the revenue enabled Umar (ra)
“to establish a just and perpetual reward for the past and present services of the faithful. “Careless of his own emolument, he assigned to Abbas, the uncle of the Prophet, “the first and most ample allowance of twenty-five thousand dirhams of pieces of silver.
“Five thousand were allotted to each of the aged warriors, the relics of the field of Badr, “and the last and the meanest of the companions of Mohammad “was distinguished by the annual reward of three thousand pieces.” Michael H. Hart has written a book on the 100 most influential persons in history
And ranked the Holy Prophet (sa) as number one and placed Hazrat Umar (ra) at number 52. He writes: “Umar ibn al-Khattab was the second, and probably the greatest, of the Moslem caliphs. “He was a younger contemporary of Muhammad, and like the Prophet, was born in Mecca.
“The year of his birth is unknown, but was perhaps about 586. “Umar (ra) was originally one of the most bitter opponents of Muhammad and his new religion. “Rather suddenly, however, Umar (ra) became converted to Islam, “and thereafter was one of its strongest supporters.
“The parallel with the conversion of St. Paul to Christianity is striking. “Umar (ra) became one of the closest advisors of the prophet Muhammad, “and remained so throughout Muhammad’s life. “In 632 CE, Muhammad died without having named a successor. “Umar (ra) promptly supported the candidacy of Abu Bakr,
“a close associate and father-in-law of the Prophet. “This avoided a power struggle” He is writing from his own perspective. He is not prepared to believe that the people gathered and elected a Khalifa. Nonetheless, from a worldly perspective, he writes: “he pledged allegiance to the father-in-law of the Prophet.
“This avoided a power struggle and enabled Abu Bakr “to be generally recognized as the first caliph – i.e., as the ‘successor’ of Muhammad. “Abu Bakr was a successful leader, but he died after serving as caliph for only two years. “He had, however, specifically named Umar (ra) –
“who was also a father-in-law of the Prophet to succeed him, “so once again a power struggle was avoided.” Again, he wishes to give his own worldly perspective on the matter. He is, however, praising Hazrat Umar. (He continues) “Umar (ra) became caliph in 634, and retained power until 644,
“when he was assassinated in Madinah by a Persian slave. “On his deathbed, Umar (ra) named a committee of six persons to choose his successor, “thereby again averting an armed struggle for power. “The committee chose Othman, the third caliph, who ruled from 644 to 656.”
He further writes: “It was during the ten years of Umar’s caliphate “that the most important conquests of the Arabs occurred. “Not long after Umar’s accession, Arab armies invaded Syria and Palestine, “which at that time were part of the Byzantine Empire.
“At the Battle of the Yarmuk (636), the Arabs won a crushing victory over the Byzantine forces. “Damascus fell the same year, and Jerusalem surrendered two years later. “By 641, the Arabs had conquered all of Palestine and Syria, “and were advancing into present-day Turkey.
“In 639, Arab armies invaded Egypt, which had also been under Byzantine rule. “Within three years, the Arab conquest of Egypt was complete. “Arab attacks upon Iraq, at that time part of the Sassanid Empire of the Persians, “had commenced even before Umar (ra) took office.
“The key Arab victory, at the battle of Qadisiya (637) occurred during Umar’s reign. “By 641 CE all of Iraq was under Arab control. “Nor was that all: Arab armies invaded Persia itself, “and at the battle of Nehavend (642) “they decisively defeated the forces of the last Sassanid emperor.
“By the time Umar (ra) died, in 644, most of western Iran had been overrun. “Nor had the Arab armies run out of momentum when Umar (ra) died. “In the East, they fairly soon completed the conquest of Persia, “while in the West they continued their push across North Africa.” He (Michael Hart) further writes:
“Just as important as the extent of Umar’s conquests is their permanence. “Iran, though its population became converted to Islam, “eventually regained its independence from Arab rule. “But Syria, Iraq, and Egypt never did. “Those countries became thoroughly Arabized and remain so to this day.”
He then writes: “Umar (ra), of course, had to devise policies “for the rule of the great empire that his armies had conquered. “He decided that the Arabs were to be a privileged military caste in the regions they had conquered, “and that they should live in garrison cities, apart from the natives.
“The subject peoples were to pay tribute to their Moslem – largely Arab – conquerors, “but were otherwise to be left in peace. “In particular, they were not to be forcibly converted to Islam. “From the above, it is clear that the Arab conquest “was more a nationalist war of conquest than a holy war,
“although the religious aspect was certainly not lacking. “Umar’s achievements are impressive indeed. “After Muhammad himself, he was the principal figure in the spread of Islam. “Without his rapid conquests, “it is doubtful that Islam would be nearly as widespread today as it actually is.
“Furthermore, most of the territory conquered during his reign has remained Arab ever since. “Obviously, of course, Muhammad, who was the prime mover, “should receive the bulk of the credit for those developments. “But it would be a grave mistake to ignore Umar’s contribution. “The conquests he made
“were not an automatic consequence of the inspiration provided by Muhammad. “Some expansion was probably bound to occur, “but not to the enormous extent that it did under Umar’s brilliant leadership.” He then adds: “It may occasion some surprise that Umar – “a figure virtually unknown in the West –
“has been ranked higher than such famous men as Charlemagne and Julius Caesar. “However, the conquests made by the Arabs under Umar, “taking into account both their size and their duration, “are substantially more important than those of either Caesar or Charlemagne.” Then Professor Philip K. Hitti writes in his book, “History of the Arabs”:
“Simple and frugal in manner the energetic and talented successor to the Prophet, “Umar (634-644) who was of towering height, strong physique and bald headed, “continued at least for some time after becoming the Caliph to support himself by trade
“and lived throughout his life in a style as unostentatious as that of a Bedouin Sheikh. “In fact, Umar (ra), whose name according to Muslim tradition “is the greatest in early Islam after that of Mohammad, “has been idolized by Muslim writers for his piety, justice and patriarchal simplicity
“and treated as the personification of all the virtues a Caliph ought to possess.” He further writes: “His irreproachable character “became an exemplar for all conscientious successors to follow. “He owned, we are told, one shirt and one mantle only, “both conspicuous for their patchwork, slept on a bed of palm leaves,
“and had no concern other than the maintenance of the purity of the faith, “the upholding of justice and the ascendancy and security of Islam and the Arabians.” These accounts are ongoing and God-Willing, shall continue in the future sermons. At present, I will mention the funerals of some deceased members.
The first is of respected Sahibzadi Asifa Masood Begum Sahiba, wife of Mirza Mubashar Ahmad Sahib, who was the son of Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib (ra). She recently passed away at the age of 92. She was the granddaughter of the Promised Messiah (as) and the youngest daughter of Hazrat Nawab Mubaraka Begum Sahiba and Hazrat Nawab Muhammad Ali Khan Sahib. She was the daughter-in-law of Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib (ra). By the grace of Allah the Almighty, she was a Musia.
She is survived by a son and four daughters. Her son Tariq Akbar says, “My mother always remained loyal “to the Community, Khilafat, and the Khalifa of the time. “She always strove to serve the Community and to fulfil her pledge of Wasiyyat. “She paid the Hisa Jaidad in her lifetime.
“Every year, she would offer alms on behalf of the deceased. “She was generous in helping the poor, and did so in secret. “She often told me that the workers are like my brothers and sisters “and that I should take care of them. “She would always keep good relations with her relatives
“and tried to ensure that no harm ever befell them. “She was regular in offering prayers “and fulfilled the rights owed to Allah and the rights owed to His creation.” Her daughter-in-law, Naeema Sahiba says, “When our house was built in USA, “she advised that before buying any furniture,
“we should offer voluntary prayers in every room and corner of the house.” She continues, “After my mother passed away, she said to me: “‘Never consider yourself to be without a mother, because I am like your mother.’ “Indeed, her loving, devoted and beautiful personality was such
“that she showed more love to me than even her own daughters. “She would always advise to never cut ties with Khilafat.” She was related to me in various ways; she was my paternal grandmother’s half-sister, and as such we referred to her as “dadi” (grandmother). She was also my maternal and paternal aunt,
However her daughter-in-law says that despite these relationships, she would always say that she was obedient to Khilafat. This was not a mere claim, rather she truly did justice to her bond with Khilafat. She gave a great deal in alms, and she would offer contributions for Tahrik-e-Jadid
On behalf of elders, teachers and even the workers in Qadian. Whenever a worker would depart, she would send them off with a handsome amount and would ask for their forgiveness if any sort of mistake had been made on her part. Her daughter Shahida says:
“Our mother introduced us to Allah the Almighty from a young age “and said that even if we needed something as small as a shoe lace, “we should ask God Almighty for it. “She advised us to focus on prayers “and stressed upon the importance of upholding the honour of Khilafat.
“When it came time for the election of the Khalifa, “she said that no matter who became the Khalifa, we must obey him wholeheartedly. “She also told us to pray that we become a fruitful branch of the Promised Messiah (as),
“rather than becoming a dry withered branch and becoming a means for others to falter.” Then, her daughter Nusrat Jahan says: “From our childhood, she always kept our training in mind. “If she was reciting the Holy Qur’an, “she would stop at a verse and explain its meaning to us
“or would give us some advice in light of it, “and she always fondly remembered our elders. “She remembered many of their unique incidents which were full of guidance “and she often recounted to us.” Sadr Sahiba Lajna for the District of Lahore, Fauzia Shamim Sahiba, daughter of Nawab Amatul Hafeez Begum Sahiba says:
“She was an extraordinary woman. “Whenever an appeal was made to her for financial contributions, “she would be content and give alms generously. “She would make pledges for giving alms either verbally “or by writing it down on a small piece of paper “and would offer large amounts for financial contributions.
“While doing so, she would ask for it not to be mentioned to anyone. “She lived a simple life and adopted simplicity in her personal matters. “In fact, some people even thought she was miserly, “but although she lived a simple life herself, “she was extremely generous when it came to giving alms.
“Once I made an appeal (for contributions) in our area for the building of a mosque. “Upon this, she sent a large sum, which was approximately 10,000,000 Rs.” Her granddaughter Razia says: “From our childhood, she always told us about virtues and guided us.
“She advised us to pray from an early age in order to have a prosperous future, “and also advised us to pray that we find a virtuous husband. “When we would be a little shy to do since we were young,
“she would say that there is nothing to be shy about before Allah the Almighty “and that we should be open in beseeching from Him. “She read religious literature regularly, and often during journeys, “she would recite prayers or couplets containing prayers.” May Allah the Almighty bestow His forgiveness and mercy upon her,
And enable her children and the future generation to follow in her footsteps. The next mention is of respected Klara Aapa Sahiba, wife of Rolan Seisenbayev Sahib, who was the former Amir of the Jama’at in Kazakhstan. She passed away recently, Ataur Rabb Cheema Sahib, the missionary in Kazakhstan writes, “She accepted Ahmadiyyat in 1994/95. “She came from a renowned family of Kazakhstan. “Her husband, respected Rolan Seisenbayev Sahib was the first Amir of the Community in Kazakhstan. “He also used to be an advisor to the country’s President “and was also a famous Kazakh writer.
“Klara Sahiba herself was also a good translator and writer. “Both Klara Sahiba and her husband played a pivotal role “in the establishment of the Community in Kazakhstan. “Respected Klara Sahiba translated the Holy Qur’an into Kazakh; “although it could not be published,
“it showed how much she loved the Community and wished to see it thrive in Kazakhstan, “and she strove her utmost in order to achieve this. “Even in their opposition to the Community, “local clerics would always mention that this family were Ahmadis, “and that they were responsible for establishing Ahmadiyyat in Kazakhstan.”
Klara Sahiba’s daughter, Marhaba Seisenbayeva writes, “She was a very good translator. “She was multi-talented and had a strong personality and good character. “In 1995, she was one of the founders of the Kazakhstan cultural centre called House of Abai. “While in London, she wrote a book titled “Kazakhstan,”
“and it was at this time that she was introduced to the Community, “and she was able to pledge allegiance at the hands of the Fourth Caliph (rh).” She continues, “She was a mother not only to her children, “but to all those who came to her for help or advice as well.”
Nurym Taibek Sahib writes: “She was a motherly figure for the young Ahmadis, “as well as for all Jama’at members in Kazakhstan.” He further says “In the 10 years that I knew Klara Sahiba, “In the initial three years I observed that she was exceedingly passionate and zealous.
“At times, she would stand like a mountain in defence of the Jama’at “and was very occupied in serving the Jama’at. “Later on however, she was ill for a while “and at the same time she spent time in in preparation of various books, etc.
“But it was always her constant desire to serve the Jama’at as much as possible “and to remain sincere to Khilafat and the Jama’at.” He further says: “Rolan Sahib and Klara were recognized “as symbols of love for the Kazakh nation “and the success and excellent progress for the nation.
“Klara Sahiba was a huge contributor to the successes of Rolan Sahib, “and he is indebted to her. “She was not only a very active Sadr Lajna, “but was the mentor of the first Amir Jama’at of Kazakhstan.” He further says:” I recall how from 1996 – 1999 or even after,
“she would superbly organize a weekly class for Lajna in the mission house “and ensure their attendance, “in which Lajna would ask the missionary questions and receive their answers.” He then says: “There was no better translator of Jama’at literature than Klara Sahiba. “Klara Sahiba was the best Ahmadi amongst the Ahmadi elders
“and was a source of spiritual empowerment for the Ahmadi youth. “She embodied Jama’at values, or in other words, she embodied the true spirit of Islam. “Even during times of hardship, “she never lost her strength and led herself and everyone else to success.” May Allah bestow His mercy and forgiveness on her.
May He enable her efforts for Ahmadiyyat to spread in Kazakhstan to succeed and may He accept her prayers. Next, I will make mention of Wing Commander Abdul Rashid Sahib, who passed away last month. By the grace of Allah, he was a Musi. His son, Farooq says: “His father’s name was Babu Sheikh Abdul Aziz, “who served as Secretary Majlis Karpardaz, “and his paternal uncle’s name is Farzand Ali Khan, “who was appointed as the first Amir of Lahore
“in the history of the Jama’at by Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra). “His father took Bai’at at the hands of Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) in his youth.” He further says about his father: “Rashid sahib was the only child to his parents. “His father married initially, and then accepted Ahmadiyyat,
“due to which his wife left him and took their two daughters along with her. “He then married a second time, from which Rashid sahib was born. “He was very obedient to his parents and always served them diligently. “Up until the partition, he studied in Qadian.
“When the partition took place, he arrived in Lahore with the convoys of other families, “and then went to Rabwah with his parents and other early settlers. “Around 1954, he gained commission in the air force and was posted at various air bases. “Wherever he lived, he openly stated that he was an Ahmadi.
“He was sent to Libya by the Pakistani government for a deportation mission, “despite the fact that his file clearly stated that he was a Qadiani and was not permitted to go. “Nonetheless, his (senior) officer still sent him “and said the there is no other officer of his calibre.”
He continues: “My father once told me that he had to meet the Pakistani ambassador in Libya. “When he entered the ambassador’s office, he saw that there were some books and pamphlets “printed in the Arabic language in opposition of the Jama’at. “He very courageously asked the ambassador about that literature
“and why it was present there. “The ambassador replied, saying that it was nothing to worry about “and it was all meaningless literature. “The government of Zia ul Haqq had printed it “and sent it to be distributed in these countries as well as other Arab embassies.”
He then says that in 1982, after one of his reports, when Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV (rh) was in Spain, Huzoor (rh) wrote a letter with his own hand appointing him as the Ameer of Libya, and thus he became the very first Ameer there.
Aside from offering prayers, as that is a duty of a believer, he was very regular in reciting the Holy Qur’an and giving alms. Even prior to his demise, he made sure to pay off his “Hisah Aamad”. He would donate towards Waqf-e-Jadid and Tahrik-e-Jadid from himself and on behalf of elder members too.
His son says that he would relate an incident of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II (ra) to him, and wrote to him stating that on one occasion in the early days of Rabwah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II (ra) called him during the summer months. He says: “When my father entered the room,
“His Holiness (ra) was laying down on the palm mat and when he got up, “the palm mat had left marks on his body.” He says that from these talks we developed a strong bond of love and obedience towards Khilafat in our hearts, which had a deep impact on us.
He retired as a Squadron Leader from the Air Force in 1984 and went to live in Rabwah. He served in the departments of Sadr Umoomi and Qaza Office for some time. He took care of the poor and looked after everyone’s needs.
His son says that the final advice he gave before departing was to take care of the poor. May Allah Almighty bestow His forgiveness and mercy and enable his children to continue his good deeds. The next funeral is of Zubaidah Begum Sahiba, wife of Karim Ahmad Na’eem Sahib of America.
She also passed away last month, (Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return). She was the younger daughter-in-law of Dr Hashmatullah Khan Sahib. She was an ardent devotee of Khilafat and a very pious and sincere woman. By the grace of Allah she was a Musia.
She is survived by three sons and two daughters. One of her sons is Mun’im Na’im Sahib, Chairman of Humanity First USA. She was also the mother-in-law of Dr Abdul Mannan Siddiqi Shahid Sahib. Her daughter Amatul Shafi, wife of Dr Abdul Mannan Siddiqi Sahib writes, “She had a habit of showing love to everyone,
“she would pray for them, give them advice and would always take care of the poor. “She had a special trait of being very loving to all relatives, “whether they were closely related or not. “She was regular in offering the Tahajjud prayers ever since she was young.
“She spent her life whilst placing her trust in Allah Almighty. “From our childhood we observed that she would spend Fridays praying fervently. “She always had the concern of giving her alms on time.” May Allah Almighty bestow His forgiveness and mercy upon her and enable her children to continue her good deeds.
The next funeral is of Hafeez Ahmad Guman Sahib, who passed away recently. He had a special interest in reading the translation and commentary of the Holy Qur’an and he read all the books of the Promised Messiah (as). He had the honour of rendering his services to his faith in Rabwah. He was very punctual, hospitable, kind to children, extremely modest, and very hard-working.
He was always occupied in the remembrance of Allah. A distinct quality of his was his service to Allah’s creation, and he would endure suffering in order to grant others comfort. He was a Musi by the Grace of Allah Almighty. He is survived by his wife, three sons and three daughters.
One of his sons-in-law, Kashif Hameed Bajwa is serving here as a missionary in the PS Office. Hafeez Sahib’s daughter Amatul Quddus says, “Humility and modesty were his hallmarks. “He wore modest clothing, his home was modest, his food was simple, “and he would always shun arrogance. “He was always concerned about assisting the poor.
“In spite of his limited means, he would spend less on himself and more on the poor.” May Allah Almighty bestow His forgiveness and mercy upon him and enable his children to continue his good deeds. 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.