HUZOOR’S TOUR OF GERMANY MAY – JUNE 2015 A Personal Account PART 1 By Abid Khan 1 Introduction On 23 May 2015, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (aba) and his Qafila (entourage) set off for an 18­day tour to Germany, where Huzoor would grace the Jalsa Salana with his presence. On this occasion the Qafila was a little larger than on the previous tours I had been a part of. Apart from Huzoor and Khala Saboohi (Huzoor’s respected wife), there were 14 members of the Qafila who travelled from London on that day. There were seven security staff, Muhammad Ahmad Sahib (Ahmad bhai), Nasir Saeed Sahib, Sakawat Bajwa Sahib, Mohsin Awam Sahib, Sardar Humayun Sahib, Khawaja Qudoos Sahib and Nazir Baloch Sahib. The office staff comprised Munir Ahmad Javed Sahib (Private Secretary), Abdul Majid Tahir Sahib (Additional Wakil­ul­Tabshir), Mubarak Ahmad Zafar Sahib (Additional Wakil­ul­Maal), Bashir Ahmed Sahib (PS Office) and me travelling on behalf of the central Press & Media Office. Nadeem Amini and Nasir Amini, two cousins from Bradford, were also part of the Qafila as the designated drivers for two of the cars. A few days prior to Huzoor’s arrival, Mahmood Ahmad Khan Sahib (security staff) had been sent in advance to Germany and he had been accompanied by a young Waqf­e­Zindighi serving in Private Secretary Sahib’s Office, Athar Baig. 2 Packing advice A couple of days before the tour, I was fortunate to have Mulaqat in Huzoor’s office. Whilst, I was seated, Huzoor was going through his office mail when he came across a document in which the weather forecast for the duration of Huzoor’s forthcoming tour of Germany had been printed. Huzoor looked up at me and said that, according to the forecast, the weather would be hot in in Germany, especially during the Jalsa days. I asked Huzoor if I should not pack a sweater then. The reason I asked this was because the suitcase I was taking was quite small and I was trying to save space. However, Huzoor responded by saying: “No matter the forecast, it is a sign of wisdom and intelligence to pack at least one sweater so you are fully prepared.” I did pack a sweater and by the second day of the tour was wearing it in Germany! Although the weather forecast for the days of Jalsa was correct, the first week of the tour was much cooler and so I was glad to be prepared! Blessings of Huzoor’s love and prayers Huzoor’s departure was on Saturday morning. Just two nights before, on Thursday evening, my 2­year­old son Mahid developed a very high fever 3 and so we took him to the hospital. I was anxious that he would recover before we left. Despite being so busy, when Huzoor was informed of his fever on Thursday night, he immediately prescribed some homeopathic medicines and prayed for Mahid’s recovery. Then, on Friday, Huzoor asked me how he was and prescribed some further medicines. Whilst, I had initially been quite worried, as soon as I knew we had Huzoor’s prayers and we had given the medicines Huzoor had prescribed, I immediately felt relieved and reassured. And with the Grace of Allah, by Friday evening Mahid seemed completely fine and recovered. Departure from Masjid Fazl Many Ahmadis had come to see Huzoor off from Masjid Fazl. As always, it was quite apparent that the locals left behind were very sad to see Huzoor leave. Huzoor and Khala Saboohi came out of their residence at 10am and after a silent prayer the Qafila departed from the Mosque. Last year, when Huzoor travelled to Germany and Ireland, I had been seated in a car driven by Nadeem Amini Sahib. However, this time, I was allocated a seat in the car directly behind Huzoor’s vehicle. I was seated next to Private Secretary, Munir Javed Sahib, whilst Sardar Humayun Sahib was in the front, alongside Khwaja Qudoos Sahib who was driving. 4 The Qafila was due to cross the Channel into France on the Eurotunnel on the 12.20pm train but due to heavy traffic at the terminal, we missed that train and departed on the subsequent one, which left at 12.50pm. Travel in the Eurotunnel The Eurotunnel is a very efficient means of crossing into France as it takes only 35minutes to reach Calais. On the tours, I have been on, the routine has been that Huzoor and Khala Saboohi have remained in their car during the journey. Most of the other Qafila members step out of their cars and spend the time chatting amongst ourselves. The same routine occurred also on that day. Nasir Amini had brought some delicious dry fruit and so it was first served to Huzoor and Khala Saboohi and then Huzoor kindly sent it back out for the Qafila members to enjoy. A memorable visit to a petrol station Upon crossing into France, Huzoor was received by Ameer Sahib Germany and other officials of the Germany Jamaat at a nearby petrol station. After meeting the members of the Jamaat, Huzoor entered the shop at the petrol station and called me towards him. Huzoor looked extremely graceful, wearing his Achkan coat over his shalwar kameez and instead of his paghri (turban), Huzoor was wearing a round Afghani topi on his head. 5 Huzoor noticed me standing on the side and so called me over. Huzoor’s humour is always very wonderful and so smiled and said that he had not seen me earlier and so thought perhaps I had decided not to come! Very affectionately, Huzoor then told me to come and look inside the petrol station with him. In the petrol station, Huzoor looked at the various products and in particular he noticed some roadmaps that were on sale. Upon seeing them, Huzoor asked whether there were still people who used such traditional roadmaps? Huzoor said it seems that now everyone uses satellite navigation. I was not sure myself, but said that perhaps there were a few people who still preferred the old methods. Huzoor also asked me how Mahid was and if he had been taking the medicines he had prescribed. At such moments, a person’s love for Khalifa­Waqt can only increase. Huzoor’s extremely important and busy tour had only just begun and yet he still enquired about my son’s health. Huzoor asked which car I was seated in and so I mentioned that I was seated next to Munir Javed Sahib. Huzoor asked if I was comfortable and then with a smile asked whether Khawaja Qudoos Sahib was a good driver. I responded “Yes” to both questions. It was a very informal, yet extremely memorable, few minutes in the petrol station. Alhamdolillah. 6 Lunch in Calais From the petrol station, we drove a short distance to the Courtepaille restaurant in Calais, where the previous year we had also stopped for lunch. Being at the restaurant brought back a lot of memories. Most of us ate the same lunch of grilled salmon with a jacket potato that we had been served the previous year. Though, most of us had salmon, a few people ordered steak, including Ameer Sahib Germany. Afterwards he told me that he sent his steak back twice because the first time it was burnt and the second time it was raw! Thankfully it proved third time lucky! Travel to Aachen and arrival at Mansoor Mosque Rather, than travelling straight to Frankfurt, the programme was arranged that Huzoor would first travel to the city of Aachen to inaugurate the Mansoor Mosque in the evening. Thus from Calais we drove directly to Aachen. Before, arriving at the Mosque, Huzoor and Khala Saboohi briefly visited the home of an Ahmadi, Sadiq Doggar Sahib who lived in Aachen. Thereafter, the Qafila proceeded directly to the Mansoor Mosque where the local members of the Jamaat welcomed Huzoor. 7 As they sang poems and raised naaray it was clear how excited and happy they were that Huzoor had graced the occasion with his presence. Inauguration Reception at Mansoor Mosque After Huzoor led the Zuhr and Asr prayers, he proceeded to a marquee erected on the complex for the formal reception. There were more than 200 non­Ahmadi guests in attendance, including a number of dignitaries. Initially, Ameer Sahib gave a welcome address and he was followed by a number of guest speakers, including the Lord Mayor, who took to the stage to congratulate the Jamaat. Whilst they spoke in German, we listened with an earpiece to the Urdu translation. Huzoor also listened to the translation and I noticed that as the guests spoke, Huzoor was making notes on a piece of paper. 8 It transpired that Huzoor was preparing the notes for his own address whilst the other speakers were on stage. In his address, delivered in Urdu, Huzoor mentioned some of the good points made by the guests and expanded upon them from an Islamic perspective. For example, the Mayor had spoken of the need for people to ‘live together’ and so during his address, Huzoor acknowledged this point and expanded upon it. Huzoor said that a person could only fulfil the objectives of religion if they “respected human values” and so it was the duty of the local Ahmadis to care for and protect their neighbours. The guest speakers had also referred to a local Ahmadi Muslim florist who worked in the city centre. He had become well known in the local 9 community for gifting flowers to locals in an effort to eradicate the reservations or fears of the local people towards Islam.