In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
...... The HOPE Bulletin ………..
Health, Ongoing Projects, Education
November 2006 AAIIL Worldwide Edition Editor: Akbar Abdullah
A CALIFORNIA JAMA‘AT PROJECT: APPROVED BY THE CENTRAL ANJUMAN, LAHORE
Introduction
Salana Duaiyya at Central Anjuman, Lahore This message is specially intended for those brothers and sisters who have yet to make that unique journey to attend the annual Jalsa of the Centre convened at the end of December each year. Perhaps this Editor’s experience of last year will give you all the courage and determination to take that important step towards making this journey.
After Hazrat Ameer Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed Pasha Sahib’s visit to the United States early last year, and upon his personal invitation, I decided to participate in the Salana Duaiyya 2005 despite some serious personal health concerns. As time progressed my health improved to a great extent giving me a promise of a successful trip without any foreseeable complications.
A fortnight before the scheduled travel date I experienced a relapse in my health condition and, when under other circumstances I would have cancelled my travel plans, this time there was something within me saying don’t do it, so I proceeded with my packing and re-confirming my airline ticket. Three days before departure I could not walk from one building to another due to shortness of breath. Still, I was determined to go to Lahore so I did not consider this condition a setback.
On the day of departure it seemed that a miracle had happened and angels were on my side. When I was dropped off at the airport, I was able to drag my two suitcases and race through the terminal without any weakness or shortness of breath. The nineteen-hour journey by PIA from Chicago to Lahore, with a rest stop in Manchester, England was quite comfortable. During the flight, to avoid any leg swelling, I was able to take several walks and to stand up for at least thirty-minute intervals at the rear part of the plane.
On arrival at the Lahore airport, several Jama‘at members, including the General Secretary, Professor Aziz Ahmad Sahib, Dr. Abdul Waheed Sahib, Editor, Paigham-e-Sulh, and his sons, Mudassar Aziz, PA
www.aaiil.org to Hazrat Ameer, and some others whose names I do not recall, had come to receive me and assist me to clear Customs and Immigration. I was swiftly driven to Darus Salam and housed in a very comfortable guesthouse of the Central Anjuman, where I had the pleasure of staying with Brothers A.S. Abdul Santoe of Holland, Mehboob Raza of Fiji and Shaukat A. Ali of Thailand.
My first prayer in the Central Mosque was during Fajr of the next morning. Tears came in my eyes as I sensed spiritual vibes emanating from the carpet where many of our saintly buzurgs and present-day namajis performed their countless prayers. Visiting the Central Mosque for the daily and Jumu‘ah prayers not only made me spiritually elevated but also kept me physically strong. After each prayer I was able to hug Hazrat Ameer and other maqami and international brothers who would come for prayers. I termed this experience a “spiritual transference.” One of the greatest and most memorable moments of my life was when I visited the Darus Salam graveyard where some of our very saintly brothers and sisters are buried. I spent nearly two hours there, alone, praying in front of every grave located in rows. This is another place where I sensed a great deal of spiritual aura. On some graves I could not control my tears.
I took great pleasure in listening to Hazrat Ameer’s khutbas, dars-ul-Qur’an and prayers, from which flowed spiritual energy to my heart. May Allah (swt) bless him and grant him wisdom, stamina and long life to serve the Jama‘at for many years to come. (Ameen.) During the Jalsa, the speeches and nazams delivered by Hazrat Ameer, the Jama‘at’s elders, scholars, women and children were quite inspiring and helped to reinforce my faith in Ahmadiyyat.
As one of the nearly 40 overseas delegates, I was requested to deliver my lecture in prime time and also to serve as a co-president during one of the morning sessions. Furthermore, an international representative I was permitted to participate in the deliberation of the International Consultative Committee, presided by Hazrat Ameer. Last year’s meeting dealt with discussion and formulation of guidelines for conducting Jama‘at affairs within the worldwide AAIIL Jama‘ats. The experience of participating in the International Consultative Committee and attending the Annual Jalsa energized me to work harder for the Jama‘at.
After the Salana Duaiyya I was a houseguest of Brothers Javed Sadiq, Nagib Sadiq and Tahir Sadiq of Islamabad who are brothers of our dear sister, Bano Anwar of the United Kingdom. I was thrilled with their kind hospitality and was amazed to witness such a close bond amongst all the brothers. On New Year’s Day I accompanied Br. Tahir Sadiq to his village, Cher, high in the mountains, a few miles from Balakot, one of the cities in Pakistan that was totally devastated in last year’s earthquake. Unfortunately, my arterial fibrillation became active due to the height and I was forced to return to Abbotabad, where I was hospitalised and treated for two days in the hospital where Hazrat Ameer was formerly a Professor and a Director. During this time, Hazrat Ameer not only telephoned the hospital personnel to ensure that I was well-treated but, along with the Jama‘at at Lahore, conducted intense prayers for my shifa. Alhamdollillah! Allah heard his prayers and after a few days stay at Br. Tahir Sadiq’s residence and with a former colleague, Butt Sahib in Rawalpindi, I returned to Lahore for Eid-ul-Adha.
A week or so before my return to the United States my CHF condition had somewhat deteriorated. If I had stayed another day beyond my scheduled return date I would have definitely been hospitalized to treat this condition. Instead I relied on the prayers of Hazrat Ameer, the Jama‘at and, with faith in Allah, took the bold step to leave Darus Salaam in the wee hours of the morning on my return journey home. What are the odds that the passenger next to me on the plane would be a physician who advised me how to manage my CHF condition throughout the nearly twenty-hour long flight? It was then that I realized that the prayers of Hazrat Ameer and the Jama‘at were working. May Allah bless them all. (Ameen.)
2 I am relating this personal experience to give you confidence that nothing should deter you from making this journey. If there is a will, Allah will find a way for you to attend the Salana Duaiyya and for you to return safely to your home. When you make up your mind to attend, Allah, with the prayers of Hazrat Ameer and the Jama‘at, will ease your journey, Insha Allah. Moreover, this personal experience made me a staunch believer that prayers for shifa works, thus I give great importance to our “Prayer Circle.”
There are a lot of things I can write about, such as the most cordial hospitality of Hazrat Ameer (especially the daily fruit fest after Fajr), Mian Fazl-i-Ahmad Sahib, Brigadier Mohammad Saeed, Dr. Abdul Waheed, Dr. Mubarak Ahmad, Syed Nasir Ahmad, Professor Aziz Ahmad, Choudhry Riaz Ahmad, Khalid Sahib, Begum Azmat Choudhry, Brothers Amir Aziz, Ejaz Sayal, Anwar Ahmad and Zahoor Ahmad, Office Manager Qayyum Sahib, Abdul Rashid Sahib (hosting my birthday party, with a second birthday cake from Hazrat Ameer), and many others; the kindness, friendliness and the goodness of members of the Lahore Jama‘at towards me. But I do not want to depart from the spiritual focus that I experienced by attending the Salana Duaiyya 2005.
There is still time to make your travel plans to attend the Salana Duiyya 2006. Please do not let this golden opportunity pass by. After your journey, please write to us and we will publish your impressions in The HOPE Bulletin. May Allah be with you.
News from Central Anjuman
Invitation to Salaanah Duaiyya 2006 (Annual Gathering for Prayers) 23rd to 27th December 2006
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
“Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, the Beneficent, the Merciful, Master of the day of Requital. Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help. Guide us on the right path, the path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favours, not those upon whom wrath is brought down, nor those who go astray” (The Holy Qur’an: 1: 1-7).
Dear Members of the Jama‘at,
Assalaam-o-Alaikum Wa Rakhmatullahi Wa Barakaato Hoo.
This year the Salaanah Duaiyya (Annual Gathering for Prayers) of the Jama‘at will, Insha Allah, be held at Darus Salaam, Lahore, Pakistan from 23rd to 27th December, with 23rd December reserved exclusively for ladies. Meetings with overseas delegates will be held on 28th and 29th December. Hazrat Masih-i- Mauood, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Sahib started the tradition of the Annual Gathering (originally known as the Jalsa Salaanah) in 1891. He explained the purpose of this gathering and stressed the importance of its continuance in an announcement on 30th December 1891. He said:
“… All friends should try their utmost to come on this date to listen to Divine discourses and to participate in supplications. This convention will focus on disseminating truths and knowledge that are essential for the advancement of faith, conviction and wisdom. In addition, special supplications will be made for these friends and particular attention paid to them in prayers. And the utmost effort will be made in the revered presence of the Beneficent and Merciful that God, the Most High may draw them in His direction, accept them for Himself and bring about a pious change in their life.
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A short-term benefit of these gatherings will be that by coming on the appointed dates, all the new brothers who have joined the Jama‘at in the preceding year will meet and recognise their older brothers and in this way the feelings of kinship and familiarity will continue to develop. Prayer will be offered in this gathering for the salvation of any brother who has departed this temporary abode during the year. Efforts will be made before the Most Honourable; all Glory is His, to unify all the brothers spiritually and to remove their aloofness, alienation and differences. There will also be many other spiritual benefits and profits of these gatherings that shall, God willing, become manifest from time to time.
It will be prudent for friends with limited means to plan ahead for participating in this gathering. With foresight and careful control of expenditures, they should put aside small sums every day or every month to bear the expenses of the journey and when the time comes, the capital for the sojourn will be available to them and it will be as if the journey was free ….”
The Salaanah Duaiyya is, therefore, no ordinary social gathering. It is a special coming together of Ahmadis for their spiritual advancement, prayers and supplications to Allah and a rejuvenation of their dedication and efforts to carry the message of Islam to the whole world. I sincerely and cordially invite you to join us in this spiritual gathering of the Jama‘at. We shall be looking forward to having you amongst us this year and in the years to come, Insha Allah. Please start preparations for your journey right away so that you have sufficient time for obtaining visas and making travel arrangements. Inform us of your programme as soon as possible. The Central Anjuman will make all arrangements at this end to make your stay as comfortable as possible. Continue praying for the solidarity and progress of the Jama‘at.
Seeker of your prayers,
Professor (R) Aziz Ahmad, General Secretary.”
Extracts from Hazrat Ameer’s Letter Hazrat Ameer-i-Qaum, Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed Pasha Sahib’s letter informs us:
Comments on The HOPE Bulletin “I am always glad to see the issue and noticing the Bulletin taking big strides already. I thank you for the effort you make to gather the news and pass it on to the international community at such a pace.
Thanks for e-mailing me the October issue of The HOPE Bulletin. It reflects the hard work and devotion to the Jama‘at. I know it takes a tremendous effort to stay abreast with the Jama‘ats all over the world and get the news firsthand. Your phoning and e-mailing need not only time but also the financial strain which you are bearing with great spirit of sacrifice. I pray that Allah rewards you for this and helps you with all the resources needed. Aameen.
The latest bulletin is most comprehensive and full of details on our Jama‘ats and their members all around the world. I take this opportunity to thank you for your effort and the role you are playing in getting the Jama‘ats closer. I hope you will be able to play this very useful role for many years to come. Aameen.”
Circulation of Eid Message In his letter Hazrat Ameer thanks the editor of this newsletter and Br. Riaz Ahmadali, editor of A Spiritual Note, for promptly circulating his Eid-ul-Fitr message. Between these two news media we were able to 4 distribute this inspirational message to all of the English- and Dutch-speaking communities of our worldwide Jama‘ats. Alhamdollillah!
Honourable Minister Louis Farrakhan’s Illness Hazrat Ameer is quite concerned about Minister Louis Farrakhan’s recent illness which has forced the Minister to step down from the leadership of Nation of Islam and to pass on day to day executive decisions to the Board of Directors. Hazrat Ameer requests that I convey to the Minister his sympathy and concern and let him know that he and the Jama‘at are praying for his health and speedy recovery.
Training Session in Okarha, Pakistan “Tomorrow (5 November 2006) I will be leaving early morning with a number of brothers and sisters of the Jama‘at to visit Okarha for a day training session of the youngsters presenting papers, making speeches and reading poems in public. Aamir and Qari Saheb are already in Okarha and have started the admirable work of this training aspect of the Jama‘at.
This is going to be one of the series of training weekends which I had indicated we would be doing as part of my visit to the Jama‘ats in Pakistan. We have already had successful visits and training sessions and presentations in Sarai Norangh, Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Multan.”
Alhamdollillah! These training sessions throughout Pakistan hold good potential for selecting promising students and encouraging them to pursue muballig training in order for the Central Anjuman to assemble a group of missionaries for missions abroad.
World News
Astronomical Calculations in Sighting the Eid Moon This year there were more than thirteen Muslim and Western countries that accepted astronomical calculation as a method for determining Islamic lunar dates. These countries include Turkey, Sweden, Austria, Ukraine, Denmark, Norway, Czechoslovakia, Holland, Italy, France, Belgium, and some communities in the UK and the USA.
Argument against Calculation Mr. Kamran Hasan Meer in his article, “Calculated Moon Sighting is not the answer” (circulated by Br. Ameen Sahu Khan) concluded as follows after dismissing methods of computing the new moon:
“Calculated sighting, a form of which is followed in Saudi Arabia, has already been shown to yield erroneous results. This is primarily because the birth of a new moon astronomically is not its birth according to the sources of Islam.
Thus it is recommended, in keeping with the practice of the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh), that every locality (i.e. city, town, village, province or collections of such population centres that may encompass a reasonably large but not very large tract of land, or even a whole country in case the size of the country is small) should elect or select a trusted group of people of known upright character and integrity (and whose actions of daily life display that they possess fear of God), to commit to sighting the new moon each month on behalf of their population.”
Disagreement by Dr. Zahid Aziz, United Kingdom Dr. Zahid Aziz wrote the following comments Mr. Kamran Hasan Meer’s article:
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“1. I cannot understand the reason for the subject line of this e-mail "New Light on Moon Sighting", when there is nothing new at all in this article.
2. On every Eid we have been getting cases of false sightings, for example the sighting in Nigeria on Saturday 21st October before this Eid, after which they held Eid on Sunday 22nd. All Muslims involved in these issues, whatever their opinions, know that those sightings were false. How do they know? Because calculations tell them that the moon had not yet even been born. Someone should ask the author of this article this question: If there is a clear clash between the astronomical calculations and the observations of (semi-literate, uneducated) Muslim masses, who should be followed?
Remember also that Nigeria has been declared the most corrupt country in the world and many well-known e-mail scams and frauds originate from there. But if some persons from that country bear witness and testify to have seen the new moon (as Islam requires), then according to this article this should be accepted even if belied by all astronomical specialists, Muslim and non- Muslim!”
Threat of Coup in Fiji Islands Fears of another military coup in Fiji warrants travel warnings to foreign visitors. The security situation in Fiji, though currently calm, could worsen at short notice. Since independence in 1974, there have already been two military coups.
We are concerned for the safety of our Ahmadi brethren in this tiny nation. May Allah (swt) with His bountiful mercy and with His graceful blessings protect them against all calamities and hardships. (Ameen.)
Jama‘at News
AAIIL, UK’s Monthly Meeting Br. Shahid Aziz, Secretary, AAIIL, UK submitted the following report:
“The UK jama‘at had its usual monthly meeting (first Sunday of each month) yesterday. The meeting started with Asr prayers. Dr Hami and Habiba Anwar spoke on Human Soul. This was followed by questions and answers. Janaza was then said for Brother Santoe's gracious mother and Dr Abdullah Jan and another person.
The proceedings were broadcast over the internet from 3 pm to around 5:30. Dr Zahid Aziz rang from Nottingham, which is a long way from Wembley, to say that he was following the proceedings. He also gave his feedback about the sound and picture quality. We need to take some steps to improve the sound which breaks up every now and then.
I want to draw your attention to the fact that, so far as we know, no other organization does LIVE broadcasting over the internet. Others place a delay of 5 minutes between the event and the broadcast. Our delay is a few seconds. So even technically this is a world first. Our young members who made this achievement deserve our thanks. We don't intend to duplicate what other
6 Ahmadi websites do but concentrate on this one aspect and hope to help other Jama‘ats to establish similar links.”
Alhamdollillah! To be first worldwide is a great achievement. We congratulate the AAIIL, UK for this novel innovation which other global Jama‘ats may adopt to disseminate information to their members who cannot attend meetings due to distance, inclement weather, sickness, physical disability or for any other reasons. Please visit the AAIIL’s virtual mosque at http://virtualmosque.co.uk.
Restoration Work in Indonesia in Aftermath of Earthquake After the last earthquake occurred in Indonesia, Professor Faturrahman Ahmadi, President, AAIIL Indonesia and Br. Erwan Hamdani informed us that with the grace of Allah none of our Jama‘at members sustained any loss of life or suffered any severe injuries. We all said Alhamdollillah! to this news. Some days later, Br. Iwan Lelana, Secretary of AAIIL, Indonesia, reported the same and he himself had miraculously escaped the wrath of the tsunami by departing from the beach area a few hours earlier. He also informed us that the repair work on the damaged school and other Jama‘at property has started. Again we all said Alhamdollillah!
Br. Erwan Hamdani has now reported that the renovation of the buildings is still in progress and is almost completed. To meet some of the cost of repairs the local Jama‘at received assistance from the government, donations from the parents of students, and from infaq’s of Indonesian Jama‘at.
According to Br. Hamdani, Br. Shaukat A. Ali, Coordinator of Pacific Region, maintains close contact with Prof. F. Ahmadi, President of AAIIL, Indonesia. Additional information received from Professor Ahmadi: “There are some houses of our members and teachers damaged by this earthquake in Bantul, about 20 Km from Yogyakarta.”
We are thankful to Allah that our dear brethren in Indonesia persevered and resolved to rebuild the damaged school structures so our Ahmadi children there are not deprived of education any longer. May Allah bless them all. (Ameen.)
Link for The HOPE Bulletin The Webmaster of Central Anjuman’s website http://www.aaiil.org/ has set aside a permanent space for the publication of The HOPE Bulletin. Due to the size of the Bulletin, especially photograph supplements, some of our readers are unable to receive the material from us because of restrictions placed by their internet service providers. We have used Central Anjuman’s website facility in the past and our readers have expressed their thanks to us for resolving the problem in this way. We in turn sincerely thank the Webmaster for providing us with this timely access. Jazak Allah!
Progress in Eid Supplement By the grace of Allah we are now receiving reports of Eid celebrations and photographs taken on this occasion from Jama‘ats worldwide. Besides a glimpse of our global members you will be able to see the inside of mosques, Jama‘at buildings and other places where prayers and celebrations took place.
We intend to instil a feeling of brotherhood and camaraderie through the depiction of these photographs showing an assemblage of our global brethren in their places of prayer on this solemn occasion of Eid Saeed.
7 For those of you who still have to submit your reports and photographs, please hurry and send them in so that your country too can be included in this special supplement. May Allah be with you all. (Ameen.)
A poem reproduced from the November issue of The Light, UK
My Parents A Poem by Irfaan Ahmad
Of all the people that I know Respect and honour I must show To mother and to father too For the wonderful things they do
My mother works so hard for me She is as patient as can be My every need she tries to meet For isn’t jannah beneath her feet
Father who is strong and wise Does his utmost while he tries To be maintainer and protector too Like Almighty Allah told him to
So next to Allah we then obey The Prophet lest we go astray And never should we undermine Our parents who are next in line
Our parents we can never repay For their welfare we must pray And try to make them happy too They are precious that is true
And Allah’s words I always hear In old age keep them near Mercy and kindness you must show It’s what everyone should know
Jazak Allah for such a beautiful and sincere poem. Parents must share this inspirational poem with all their children. Our readers can access The Light at http://www.ahmadiyya.org/uk/index.htm.
Latest News from Holland Brother A.S. Abdul Santoe, Regional Coordinator, Europe, filed this report:
“Our Utrecht Jama‘at (Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha'at Islam Utrecht) has recently elected a new Board of Executives: Mr. Dilrozen Jahangir (President), Mr. Safkatali Jahangir (Secretary), Mr.
8 Faroel Ramdjan (Treasurer), Mr. Nasser Boedhoe (Vice-President) Mr. Aziz Haider (Asst. Secretary) and Mr. Akbar Hassenmohamed (Commissioner). Worldwide Jama‘at members are requested to pray for Allah’s blessings and barkaat for the efforts of this young team.
Mr. Hikmat Mahawat Khan has recently resigned as President of the AAIILN (The Hague). He is succeeded by Mr. Mohamed Mahawat Khan. May Allah’s blessings and barkaat be upon Brother Mohamed also for taking up this challenge.”
We welcome all the above members to their new posts and wish them all Allah’s blessings that they may successfully render their services for the welfare of our Ahmadiyya Jama‘ats in Holland.
All About Us
This is the second and final segment on the life sketch of our most revered Ameer, the late Maulana Muhammad ‘Ali Marhoom (of blessed memory) written by Choudry Masud Akthar, Secretary of AAIIL, Hayward, California, USA.
Farewell to Qadian By this time difference had arisen in the Ahmadiyya Movement. This is a sad, but inevitable aspect of the story. The Founder had been misunderstood and misrepresented by his friends and foes alike. A certain number of his followers, overpowered with passion and fanaticism, thought that the Founder was a prophet in the real sense of the term and all those who did not accept him as such were outside the pale of Islam. After the death of Maulana Nur-ud-Din in 1914, Muhammad ‘Ali left Qadian in April 1914, owing to these differences on doctrinal issues with the party in Qadian and took up his residence at Lahore, where a new Anjuman was formed under the name of The Ahmadiyyah Anjuman Isha‘at Islam, of which the Maulana Muhammad ‘Ali was chosen the President.
The belief in the finality of the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was perhaps never brought under discussion so explicitly before. The question engaged the Maulana’s attention for a considerable time. His various writings and particularly his book Al-Nabuwwah fil Islam (The Prophethood in Islam) made this point abundantly clear. There has never been anybody else in the past centuries who so elaborately discussed and defended the conception of the finality of prophethood (Khatam-e-Nubuwwat). His writings in this respect are unique.
The other point which he emphasised was that whoever declared his faith in the Kalima (There is no god except Allah and Muhammad is His messenger) is a Muslim and nobody has any right to dub him as a kafir (heretic). Declaring brother Muslims kafirs had sapped the vitality of Muslims and had divided them against one another. This was a "pleasant" pastime of the so-called mullahs [religious clerics]. When such a practice made its way through Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad’s followers, Muhammad ‘Ali and Khwaja Kamal al-Din stood up against it. To them this was quite alien to what they had been taught by the Founder.
When Muhammad ‘Ali settled in Lahore he started from scratch. There was no organisation and no funds to push forward the cause of Islam. A handful of men assembled and decided to carry on the task of the propagation of Islam assigned to them by the Founder. As Amir (spiritual leader) and President of the Anjuman, Maulana Muhammad ‘Ali had manifold duties. Besides all this he steadily pushed on with his
9 literary work. The English translation of the Qur’an with notes and comments was published in 1913, the Urdu translation and commentary of the Qur’an being published seven years later.
He was a prolific writer, being the author of a large number of books both on the doctrinal and historical sides of Islam and having contributed about seven thousand pages to English literature and about ten thousand pages to Urdu literature on Islam. Reviewing one of his books. The Religion of Islam, Marmaduke Pickthall, an English convert to Islam and a translator of the Qur'an, wrote in 1936:
"Probably no man living has done longer or more valuable service for the cause of Islamic revival than Maulana Muhammad 'Ali of Lahore. His literary works, with those of the late Kamal-ud-Din, have given fame and distinction to the Ahmadiyya Movement. In our opinion the present volume is his finest work. It is a description of Al-Islam by one well versed in the Sunnah who has on his mind the shame of the Muslim decadence of the past five centuries and in his heart the hope of the revival, of which signs can now be seen on every side. Without moving a hair's breadth from the traditional position with regard to worship and religious duties, the author shows a wide field in which changes are lawful and may be desirable because here the rules and practices are not based on an ordinance of the Qur'an or on an edict of the Prophet (peace be on him) and should be altered when they cease to meet the needs of the community. Such a book is greatly needed at the present day when in many Muslim countries we see persons eager for the reformation and revival of Islam, making mistakes through lack of just this knowledge.
"We recommend it as a stimulus to Islamic thought. To use an old fashioned word, it is an edifying book."
Like his translation of the Qur'an, this book is "indispensable" as the late 'Allama Iqbal [a poet] put it to students of Islam. This monumental work deals comprehensively with the sources, principles, laws and regulations of Islam In parts, this work has been translated into Turkish and Arabic. Living Thoughts of the Prophet Muhammad, New World Order, A Manual of Hadith and an Urdu translation of Sahih al- Bukhari with comments are some of his books which have also been greatly appreciated.
When the educated classes of Muslims were dazzled by the glory of Western civilisation, Muhammad 'Ali's writings showed them the right path. From the date when Maulana Muhammad 'Ali Jauhar (of the Khilafat Movement) was editing the Comrade till now, Muhammad 'Ali's writings have been awakening Muslims to the potential beauties of Islam. Muhammad 'Ali Jauhar was thrilled when he received a copy of the translation of the Qur'an. He wanted to shout about it from the top of every European house. To him it was an austerely faithful translation into English which could help groping humanity at this great hour of peril. Muhammad 'Ali Jinnah (Founder of Pakistan) sometimes remarked with pride that he had read the English translation of the Qur'an by his namesake. He possessed all the important works by the Maulana in his library and would often consult them whenever he wanted to address Muslims of India on any religious occasion.
The late Liaquat 'Ali Khan, the first Prime Minister of Pakistan (d. 1951) was also a great admirer of the Maulana's works. He was so interested in his writings that he donated a considerable sum to present these works to various libraries of the world on his behalf.
As a Man, Writer and Preacher After the death of the Founder, the Movement had to pass through many difficulties – internal as well as external – but Muhammad 'Ali always stood against all forces which threatened to undermine the spirit and message of the Movement.
10 Although Muhammad 'Ali had never been a legal practitioner or a judge, he kept close to the evidence of facts and was never moved to action on the basis of emotion. This attitude of his has been the guiding principle of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement, which has stayed away throughout these years from the extremism of the Qadian section. It was Muhammad 'Ali, the man, the writer and the preacher who was the moving figure behind all the activities of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement.
The secret of his success lay in his unwavering faith in God, kept active by his constant study of the Qur'an, the Hadith and the inspiring words and memory of the Founder, and last but not least his devotional prayers. As a man he had unassuming habits and did not know how to pose. As a writer, he was a very hard-working and methodical worker. As a preacher, he only knew how to say a thing and he simply said it. It is rather difficult to describe him in full as he was. Only those who have seen him and lived with him may feel and remember the live personality behind him.
He always spoke gently. His gestures were very few. While addressing his audience from the pulpit he had a gentle and easy manner. He would never go in for effect. Unnecessary oratorical expressions were alien to his nature. He said nothing superfluous. He would quote the Holy Qur'an and the Hadith accurately but on quoting poetry he was not so good, forgetting a line or altering the sequence of words, not caring, not knowing perhaps about the metre.
He used to dress in a sherwani (a long coat) and a white shalwar (a king of pyjama). Generally he used a turban, but occasionally used a fez. More or less this was his dress throughout his life. In this respect he did not change.
He used to start his sermon with a recitation of the Qur'an in a low voice. He would stand straight and hold his right hand with his left just a little below his abdomen. This posture was very common with him. As he proceeded with his sermon he steadily moved his face sideways. His movements were reserved for awhile but when he wanted to emphasise some point, he lifted his left hand with its palm towards the audience and raised his voice and became enthusiastic. He let his hand then move freely. Sometimes he would place one of his hands on his hip, in his effort to bring home some point to his audience, and point out with the first finger of the other to make them really understand it. He then pressed the palms of his hands against each other, sometimes running his fingers into one another. When he finished the sermon he uttered words of prayer loudly and asked forgiveness and pardon from God and then quietly sat down. This is how he spoke in public.
The Last Phase As the shadows of the evening of life fell on him, he became busier and more worried. In 1950 his main health trouble started. He had a severe attack of coronary thrombosis at Karachi in September. For forty days he was struggling between life and death, and then he recovered. On December 10th he reached Lahore by Pakistan Mail (Note: A railway service) in the evening. His friends gathered at the Lahore (Railway) station to receive him and took him out sitting in a chair which they placed by the wall of the platform. He looked completely exhausted, but smiled and shook hands with all those who were present. From the next day, despite the advice of doctors, he started his work. As he could not sit on a chair for long, he ordered his bed to be moved to his office. Here he would sit and go through the proofs of the new edition of the English translation of the Qur'an, reply to letters and send instructions to the Anjuman's office. When visitors came he listened to them, but said very little in reply. Talking for him was more or less forbidden as it might have affected his lungs which had become weak through his prolonged illness.
The climate of Lahore had a soothing effect on him and his health steadily improved. He could stroll a little now and he worked harder. For the annual gathering of the Anjuman in December, he dictated two long speeches which were later read out at the meeting. He emphasised the need for opening missions in 11 Hong Kong, Turkey, and Egypt. Two more months slipped by peacefully. In March 1951, he was almost working with the zeal of a young man. When requested not to exert himself so much, he would just smile and say that he could not live without work. If he stopped doing anything he would cut short his life; this work kept him going. He did not listen to what his friends and doctors said. He wanted to go through the proofs of the Qur'an that were coming from England. He had another programme in mind, so he wanted to complete his work as soon as possible. He wanted to make a tour of Europe, America and the Middle East and perform the Hajj when returning. We quote a part of his letter to S.M. Tufail, his secretary, in this regard:
"I had decided to leave this year in the month of June but two difficulties have arisen in the meantime. Firstly, the typed manuscript is still lying with Dr. Ahmad Hasan and has not been fully compared by him yet and secondly they have also started sending me the proofs (of the Qur'an – T.) which has increased my work considerably. I intended to leave after the 'Id but that is not possible now, and still if I go sufficient time is not left, so I have decided to leave for England in April next. And if God wills I would like to present the true picture of Islam to those people by visiting these places. It is just possible that God may bless me in these efforts. After staying for sometime at Woking, I intend to go to Berlin and then visit Istanbul… while returning I have definitely a mind to stay in Egypt. If God makes it possible for me I would like to perform the Hajj also which has been my ardent desire throughout. After the Hajj we shall be coming back via Damascus, Baghdad and Basra."
So everything was settled and the passage was booked for April, but when the doctors examined him in March they dissuaded him from undertaking such a long journey. In April he had another attack of the disease and once more he was in the hands of nurses and doctors, who struggled hard day and night for his recovery. The proofs of the Qur'an were still coming from England and that was his main worry. He wanted to see the Qur'an printed as early as possible. He personally looked through every detail of it. He was never content unless he himself had compared the manuscript for the last time. His writings were dear to him like one's own child. He was warned not to exert himself again but Allah gave him another chance.
The All-World Muslim Conference was held in the month of February 1951 at Karachi; delegates from several Muslim countries attended. After the Conference was over, many of them came to visit Lahore, and quite a few made a point to meet Maulvi Muhammad 'Ali at his bungalow in Muslim Town, as he was too weak to go out. The leader of the Turkish delegation, Mr. Omar Raza Doghral, who was a great literary man as well as a member of the Turkish Parliament, wrote an account of his interview in the May 1952 issue of The Islamic Review, Woking. He was greatly and very favourably impressed by what he saw and heard from Maulvi Muhammad 'Ali. The main burden of the meeting was the necessity of spreading Islam all over the world and as soon as possible. Mr. Doghral also informed Maulvi Muhammad 'Ali that many of his books were already translated into the Turkish language. The Ceylonese [Sri Lankan] Muslim delegation expressed the wish that the translation of the Holy Qur'an into Tamil might be published soon. The Thailand delegate, Mr. Ibrahim Qureshi, showed Maulvi Muhammad 'Ali's books in the Thai language. Similarly, the Chinese delegates showed the Chinese translations of his books. On 27 April 1951, the Egyptian Ambassador, Abdul Wahab Azzam (who later on became Secretary General of the Arab League) came to see Maulvi Muhammad 'Ali. Copies of literature were supplied to the Ambassador and also permission was given to him to have the book The Religion of Islam translated into Arabic. A Turkish lady journalist, Miss Kuterman, also came to Lahore specially to see Maulvi Muhammad 'Ali. She kissed his hands, saying that his English translation of the Holy Qur'an had opened her eyes anew to the beauties of Islam. Similarly, one prominent lady, Habiba Shoban Bekan of Lebanon, wrote from Beirut that the book Muhammad and Christ by Maulvi Muhammad Ali had changed her life. She got it translated into Arabic and distributed its copies.
12 In 1951, when the late Liaquat 'Ali Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan, was touring the United States of America, he received a telegraphic message from Mr. William Aherberg, Secretary, Religious Section of the United Nations in New York, asking him to convey his suggestion to Maulvi Muhammad 'Ali and the Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat-i-Islam Lahore, Pakistan, to come and open a "branch" of theirs in the United Nations Centre, for which he promised all the facilities, viz., of international press, radio, etc. They may form part of the Pakistan delegation to the UNO or may remain independent.
About the middle of August 1951, Maulvi Muhammad 'Ali received a request, channelled through the Government of Pakistan, from the great Orientalist, Professor Kraemer of Holland, that he had formed a board to edit the Encyclopaedia of Islam, and that he would be pleased if Maulvi Muhammad 'Ali could become a member of that board. It was a great and noble work and, in spite of his bad health, Maulvi Muhammad 'Ali expressed his willingness.
When his condition improved he left for Karachi. It was on the 31st May, 1951, when his friends, relatives and followers saw him off to Karachi for the last time. He looked pale and exhausted. When the train whistled and started moving he started up from his chair and with shaking legs and hands said goodbye to all who had come to see him off. The train faded away in the mist taking away the soul which was dear and near to many hearts.
Karachi again put on him a comforting hand and within three months he finished going through the proofs of the Qur'an (except those of the Index), making minor alterations here and there, at the same time sending instructions to the office at Lahore, as he still controlled the general administration of the Anjuman. This was too heavy now for his weak constitution, but he worked and worked because he could not live without it. But the mighty pen wielded for fifty years for the cause of Islam at last came to a stop at 11:30 a.m. on the 13th of October, 1951.
"O soul that art at rest! Return to thy Lord well pleased with Him, well pleasing Him" (89: 29-28).
He had booked his seat for Lahore by Pakistan Mail (Note: A railway service) on the 15th, but he arrived two days earlier. Five or six days before his demise he became very quiet and lost all interest in things around him. He wanted to come to Lahore as early as possible. He told his attendants that he must go on the 13th otherwise it would be difficult for them to take his body to Lahore, as if he knew his appointed time had come. Everybody tried his best to book a seat for him on the thirteenth, but it was not possible. His body was carried to Lahore on the same day by train.
About a thousand people gathered at the railway station to receive him. They brought his coffin out of the train at 8 p.m. with tears in their eyes. The funeral services were led by Maulana 'Aziz Bakhsh, his elder brother, in the mosque at the Ahmadiyya Buildings. At 9:40 p.m., his body was slowly lowered at Miani Sahib Graveyard in his earthly abode for eternal rest. Forty-five minutes later people showered flowers on his grave and prayed for him for the last time and slowly and sorrowfully moved out of the graveyard. It was dead quiet after a while. Only the pale moon was shedding its yellow light over the grave.”
What Our Readers Say
Captain Abdus Salam Khan, USA Masood Akhtar’s excellent article on Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ali Sahib in the October issue of The Hope brought some old memories to my mind. Please allow me to share these with your readers.
13
Moothi Aata Scheme: Our Lahore Anjuman found itself in dire financial straits in the thirties and was at a loss how to keep going. Those were hard times. On many occasions the staff of the Anjuman had to wait for their salaries for three or four months. It was then that the genius of Hazrat Maulana thought of many ambitious schemes to make the Anjuman stand on its feet. To bridge the immediate gap in cash flow he instituted the Moothi Aata Scheme. Every Ahmadi household in Ahmadiyya Buildings was supplied with a cotton bag and instructed to take out one moothi (handful) of aataa (flour) every time the lady of the house sat down to knead the dough for chappatis, as a donation to the cause. Mr. Shakoor Butt, the Subscription Collector, was given the duty to collect this flour and sell it to the grocer and deposit the money in the Anjuman treasury.
Let readers bear in mind that the Masood Akhtar family and his relatives are donating a million rupees a year to the Benevolent fund For the Needy to the Centre, and with this as a backdrop read the following incident, as it appeared in our organ, the Paigham-e-Sulh. This incident happened in the late thirties.
Confinement Contingency Fund donated: Masood Akhtar’s mother was nearing her term at the time of birth of Masood’s sister, Sabeeha, and had saved up a paltry sum of about fifty rupees to meet the expenses of the confinement. But Masood’s parents decided to donate this sum to the Anjuman in response to an appeal from Hazrat Maulana and leave the confinement to Allah. So Allah did help and the Railway Station Master’s wife volunteered to act as the midwife and the baby was delivered at home, safe and sound, gratis!
I sometimes wonder how highly would those few rupees donated by the parents be valued in Allah’s court when compared to the present donation of millions by their descendents!
Captain Abdus Salam Khan, California, USA
Syed Nasir Ahmad, United Kingdom The October issue of the HOPE is, Mashallah, comprehensive and covers all Jama‘ats and current topics. News about our venerable Farrahkhan's ill health and his stepping down is a matter of great concern and prayers. He is a dynamic leader and his Million Man March event is his hallmark for demonstrating strength of unity. May Allah grant him complete health.
Bro Riaz Ahmadali's spiritual songs are a wonderful presentation, especially the song about birthdays: “Glory to Thee, O Allah.” The first stanza of the song is the English translation of the initial prayer of the ritual prayer (Subhaanaka Allah ...). This song specially should be popularised and be played at every birthday party. The stanza is in praise of Allah followed by a birthday wish. It is beautiful and melodious. May Allah bless this dynamic young man, and his wife with the golden voice. The Islamic Institute of Suriname is doing great service both in English and Dutch.
Dr. Zahid's "Gateway to Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement" is quite inspiring and is coping up with research work and excellent material about the Movement and its history.
May Allah keep you also in health and strength to continue with the excellent job you are doing in keeping all of us informed.
Yours sincerely, 14 Nasir Ahmad, Aylesbury, UK
Jalal UD Dean, Suva, Fiji Islands Thank you very much indeed for your sterling work on the enclosure of The HOPE Bulletin. Reading it through for the sake of reading is one thing. Reading it through to digest all the important information is another thing. Reading it through, digesting and appreciating its massive editorial work is the most sensible thing. I applaud you and your assistants in putting together global information so impressively and on schedule.
Jalal UD Dean, Suva, Republic of Fiji Islands
A Poem by Captain Abdus Salam Khan, California, USA The Hope under Editor Akbar Abdullah, Is a strand of the wonderful Rope of Allah. Let's welcome it with all our heart, Wah! Wah! Akbar Sahib, Wah, Wah, Wah! Let's hold fast to this strand with a sturdy grip, With a fervent prayer and a Bismillah!
Yours Fraternally, Captain Abdus Salam Khan
We thank all our brothers who have written encouraging words to us. The advice given by Br. Jalal UD Dean is worth considering. We also concur that the best way to enjoy and digest the Bulletin is to make a hard copy and then read it at leisure.
We always enjoy Captain Abdus Salam Khan’s contributions for he always gives us material that is hidden away in our Jama‘at’s historical archives. We are also thankful to him for the thoughtful poem he composed. Alhamdollillah! All praise is due to Allah (and Allah alone).
Syed Nasir Ahmad is well-known in our Jama‘ats. We appreciate his recognition of Br Riaz Ahmadali’s masterful production of melodious songs that are also full of spiritual meaning. An abridged version of these songs is available for downloading at www.ivisep.org/islamsongs/songs.htm.
Health & Prayer News
Begum Nazir ul Islam, Pakistan Hazrat Ameer gave us the good news of a successful operation on Begum Nazir ul Islam to replace a valve on the right side of her heart and that she was steadily recovering. Please continue to pray for her complete shifa and recovery.
Br. Wahid Ali Bux, Suva, Fiji We reported that Br. Wahid Ali Bux, uncle of Brs. Mehboob Raza (Fiji) and Abid Raza (N.Z.) and elder brother of Jaffar Ali Bux (USA), was hospitalized with a serious condition. Our dear brother’s condition improved so he was allowed to return home for rest and recuperation, however his present condition is
15 somewhat deteriorated. Br. Jaffar Ali Bux has gone to Fiji to see his brother and family. Please continue to pray for Br Wahid’s shifa and speedy recovery. May Allah have mercy on him and bless him to recovery (Ameen).
Sister Akela Haroun and Begum Akthar Aziz, UK Sister Akela Haroun and Begum Akthar Aziz Sahiba are still in hospital getting intense physical therapy to regain strength and motor activity in their limbs after suffering strokes. Members are requested to continue praying for them.
While you pray for the shifa of the above referred brothers and sisters please also pray for those brothers and sisters who prefer to keep their illnesses private. Allah will give them the benefit of our prayers. Please also pray for your editor so that he can stay healthy to bring the Jama‘at news in a timely manner. Hazrat Ameer and the Jama‘at are praying for all those brothers and sisters whose names we have listed from time to time.
Obituary News
Hazrat Ameer’s Condolence Message on the Death of Begum Santoe Marhooma The death of Santoe Saheb's mother has saddened me a lot. I regret that during my two visits to Holland I could not pick the courage to ask Santoe Saheb to take me to see her. He talked so fondly of her and all the brothers and sisters took turns looking after her: what Santoe Saheb would call his 'babysitting duty' and he performed this with religious fervour and utmost devotion. We were praying for health in the mosque regularly but 'once the pen has writ it moves on.'
Her life we see has been most fruitful for she has left behind children and grandchildren who gave their utmost to be nurtured good Ahmadi soldiers. I have seen two of those in the person of August and Iwan Santoe. I hope the lesson they have received in her lap and then through out her life will always be beneficial to the advance of Islam in the West.”
Syed Nasir Ahmad’s Condolence Message on the Passing Away of Dr, Abdullah Jan Marhoom Thank you so much for devoting a special edition of Hope Bulletin to the memory of late Dr. Abdullah Jan of Sufaid Dheri, Peshwar. I saw him from my childhood coming to the Jalsa Salaana and meetings of General Council and Executive Committees so regularly. His devotion, humbleness and sincerity for the Movement and his colleagues and relatives were proverbial. He was a class by himself. His children and family members depict his true spirit. I was fortunate to see him at the London Mission House when he last visited England for his treatment. He was a man of character and faith.
May Allah grant him special mercy and forgiveness and forbearance to his family members.
Yours sincerely, Nasir Ahmad, Aylesbury, UK
Ongoing Project
16 Brother Zafar Abdullah, President of AAIIL, Hayward, California, USA travelled to Holland specially to welcome Hazrat Ameer Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed to mainland Europe. The following is his report of this most memorable tour:
“I left San Francisco on the 10th of September and arrived in Amsterdam the next morning well ahead of Hazrat Ameer Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed Pasha Sahib’s arrival from London. Later that afternoon, Brother A.S. Abdul Santoe Sahib, Coordinator of the European Region, Brother Nasrullah Sahib, President of ULAMON, and some other Jama'at members and I reached the airport well before the arrival of Hazrat Ameer from London. When Hazrat Ameer appeared we all welcomed him heartily, and I told him I had especially come across the continents to receive him in mainland Europe. It was raining heavily that afternoon, a good sign of ‘Allah’s Rahmat’ to coincide with the welcomed arrival of Hazrat Ameer.
During my brief stay in Holland I shared with Hazrat Ameer the same kind hospitality given to us by Brother Santoe Sahib and his Begum Sahiba, whose home cooking we enjoyed much. The teatime servings with pastries and choice Holland cheeses were another delicacy to remember. I was happy to stay with Hazrat Ameer so I could also enjoy the VIP treatment. However, serving cheese to Hazrat Ameer was a bonus to me as I got more than my share as he does not eat cheese because of his proneness to migraine headaches.
After lunch the next day, 12th September, Hazrat Ameer, Brother Santoe and I visited Al-Hajj Maulana Jaggoe Sahib at his senior rest home. He was very happy to meet us; he made some jokes and told us stories of his lifetime achievements. We had tea with him and left. Later that evening a meeting with ULAMON Jama‘ats was scheduled at the Rotterdam Centre. The Executives of ULAMON Jama‘ats attended this meeting. The deliberation started after a delicious dinner and Maghrib-Isha combined prayers. This meeting lasted over three hours and representatives of all the participating Jama‘ats resolved to work together and strengthen the bond with the Central Anjuman.
The following day, 13th September, no formal meeting was held. However, Hazrat Ameer was busy with phone contacts with key members of the Jama‘ats. He was also occupied preparing lectures and notes for a visit to Germany and his Friday khutba which was to be delivered at the Berlin Mosque.
In the early morning of 14th September, along with the members from Rotterdam, we boarded a charted bus that took us to The Hague where a large group joined us for our journey to the Berlin Mosque. After a number of rest stops and refreshments we arrived at our Berlin hotel around 5:00 p.m. The next morning, Friday, 15th September, Brother Tahir Neff, a German Ahmadi, took Hazrat Ameer, Br. Santoe and me to the Berlin Mosque.
After arrival at the Berlin Mosque we had dialogue with a neighbour at the rear of the Mosque whose fence wall was broken due to the growth of trees that were on our side of the property. We spent about an hour with him and agreed that the Berlin Mission will undertake to remove the trees and repair the wall. After a short break we all assembled in the Mosque at about 1:00 p.m. for Jumu‘ah prayers.
Following the Azan, Hazrat Ameer delivered a very moving khutba, well articulated and substantiated with facts and logic. The khutba, which lasted about an hour, was very ably translated by Brother Muhammad Ali. The masjid was fully occupied with the guests from
17 Holland and the many devotees, from all walks of life, who attended the service. After prayers, a good number of guests stayed at the guesthouse for tea and discussion which lasted till 5:00 p.m.
That night, the management of the Mosque had a dinner reception in honour of Hazrat Ameer and the guests from Holland who were visiting. There were local guests who also attended, and this lively function continued till 10:30 p.m. The President of ULAMON appealed for funds and every guest donated generously for the Berlin Mosque Fund.
Brother Muhammad Ali, Assistant Imam of the Berlin Mosque, made a request for a special meeting to deal with pressing Mosque matters. This meeting commenced at 11:00 p.m. and lasted for nearly three hours. Many important matters were discussed and Hazrat Ameer played a pivotal role in getting these matters resolved. Brother Santoe also briefed Hazrat Ameer on important issues of the region. In all, we spent about 17 hours at the Mosque before returning to our hotel.
September 16th was mainly set aside for a bus tour of Berlin. That evening Brothers Tahir Neff and Muhammad Ali gave us a walking tour of Berlin in the area surrounding the Mosque. We visited the site of the house that Maulana Sadr ud Din Saheb had stayed in and noticed that it was Number 5, the same number that was destined to be the one for Darus Salaam, the present Central Office of Ahmadiyya Anjuman, Lahore, Pakistan. This interestingly is also the number of Mr. Santoe’s house in Rotterdam.
On Sunday morning, 17th September 17, we left Berlin for the return trip to Holland. En route there was an extensive question and answer period with Hazrat Ameer. The bus driver asked Hazrat Ameer about polygamy in Islam, to which the latter very ably answered by explaining the circumstances and under what conditions polygamy is permitted. The driver was very pleased with the response. Other guests asked questions which Hazrat Ameer answered to their full satisfaction.
Finally we arrived in The Hague at about 5:00 p.m. This trip was most memorable for all of us, especially our journey with our untiring, caring and knowledgeable Hazrat Ameer.
On Tuesday evening, 19th September, Hazrat Ameer attended a meeting at the Utrecht Jama‘at arranged by Dr Karamat Ali. The Utrecht Jama‘at’s representatives met us with members of their Steering Committee.
The Amsterdam Jama‘at held a jalsa on Miraj-un-Nabi on Wednesday evening of September 20th and Hazrat Ameer was the keynote speaker at this event. After a sumptuous dinner prepared by the ladies of the Jama‘at and Maghrib and Isha combined prayers, the jalsa began with a du‘a. The Imam of the Mosque presented several youngsters with certificates for satisfactory completion of religious instruction.
Hazrat Ameer spoke for over an hour on the subject of Miraj. He delivered the facts in such a convincing manner that the members in the audience were all very attentive and benefited from his well-researched and well-prepared paper. This was followed by a questions and answers period. The Jama‘at members stayed around for photo sessions and socializing.
On the morning of Thursday, September 23rd I left for the Amsterdam Airport for my return to San Francisco, USA. This ended my most memorable trip with Hazrat Ameer, Mr. and Mrs. Santoe and family and Jama‘at members in Holland and Germany.”
18 According to Santoe Sahib, the next day, Friday 24 September, Hazrat Ameer led the prayer and delivered his khutba at the Stitching Jama‘at’s Mosque in The Hague. After prayer he had some discussion with Jama‘at members. Hazrat Ameer completed his tour of mainland Europe and returned to London with Brother Santoe on Saturday, 25 September.
Inshaa Allah, in a future issue we will give you a comprehensive photo supplement of Hazrat Ameer's tour of Europe which will also include some photographs of Br. Zafar Abdullah joining him on this mission.
Education News
Even in the absence reports on the educational programmes in the worldwide AAIIL Jama‘ats we will continue to publish in this column material that could enhance our knowledge. Br. Khaliel Ghafoerkhan of Suriname has submitted the following 25 one-liners, so please enjoy reading them. We especially liked number 2, which reads: Man’s way leads to a “hopeless” end – Allah’s way leads to endless “HOPE.”
TWENTY-FIVE LINES OF ADVICE
1. Give Allah what's right not what's left. 2. Man's way leads to a hopeless end -- Allah's way leads to endless hope. 3. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing. 4. He who kneels before Allah can stand before anyone. 5. In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma --but never let him be the full-stop. 6. Don't put a question mark where Allah puts a full-stop. 7. Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to the mosque for a face-lift. 8. When praying, don't give Allah instructions -- just report for duty. 9. Don't wait for six strong men to take you to the mosque. 10. We don't change Allah's message -- His message changes us. 11. The mosque is prayer-conditioned. 12. When Allah ordains, He sustains. 13. WARNING: Exposure to the Allah may prevent burning. 14. Plan ahead -- It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark. 15. Most people want to serve Allah, but only in an advisory position. 16. Suffering from truth decay? Brush up on your Qur'an. 17. Exercise daily -- walk with Allah. 18. Never give the devil a ride -- he will always want to drive. 19. Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.
19 20. Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back. 21. He who angers you controls you. 22. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop. 23. Give Satan an inch and he'll be a ruler. 24. Be ye fishers of men -- you catch them and He'll clean them. 25. Allah doesn't call the qualified; He qualifies the called.
Photo Gallery Instead of our usual photo supplement, we are pleased to give below links to beautiful photographs of Madina Munawara, submitted to us by brother Ameen Sahu Khan of Sydney, Australia. Please click on them to view. (Place your cursor on a link, press the Ctrl key on your keyboard and click on the link). NaatOnline_001
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Contact Address: Akbar Abdullah Editor, The HOPE Bulletin Mailing Address: P.O.Box A2127 211 South Clark Street Chicago, IL 60690, U.S.A. E-Mail Address: [email protected] Telephone Number: (773) 539-6892 Facsimile Number: (773) 539-9975 20