Contents April 2003, Vol.98, No.4 An Obituary of Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad – Rafiq Ahmad Hayat – Amir UK. 2 The Beginning of Khilafa in the Ahmadiyya Community – An excerpt from The Will about the Divine promise of the Second Manisfestation of His Power: Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) . 6 Two Memorable Quotations – Quotations from Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III and Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih IV regarding the Divine protection of the continuation of Khilafat: . 13 Milestones in a Life lived to the Full – A brief look at the life of the extraordinary life of Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad (Khalifatul Masih IV): . 14 Man of God – Extract from the book of the same name detailing the amazing journey from Pakistan to the UK by Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih IV in the wake of the country’s President ordering his immediate arrest: Iain Adamson. 30 Life Sketch and Services of Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad – Khalifatul Masih V: A brief introduction to the new Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Movement and his election as the new Khalifa to lead the Community: . 51 The First Address of Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih V – The English translation of a speech given in Urdu just before the inaugural pledge of allegiance and allegiance at the hands of the new Khalifa .. 61 Chief Editor and Manager Chairman of the Management Board Mansoor Ahmed Shah. Naseer Ahmad Qamar Basit Ahmad Special contributors: All correspondence should Bockarie Tommy Kallon Amatul-Hadi Ahmad be forwarded directly to: Farina Qureshi Daud Mahmood Khan The Editor Fareed Ahmad Proof-reader: Review of Religions Fazal Ahmad Shaukia Mir The London Mosque Fauzia Bajwa Mansoor Saqi Design and layout: 16 Gressenhall Road Mahmood Hanif Tanveer Khokhar London, SW18 5QL Mansoora Hyder-Muneeb United Kingdom Publisher: Navida Shahid Al Shirkatul Islamiyyah © Islamic Publications, 2002 Sarah Waseem ISSN No: 0034-6721 Saleem Ahmad Malik Distribution: Tanveer Khokhar Muhammad Hanif Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the opinions of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. 1 An Obituary of Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad By Rafiq Ahmed Hayat, National President Ahmadiyya Muslim Association UK and former Editor of the Review of Religions We re g ret to announce the Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad’s demise of our spiritual head, early education was in Qadian, Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad at India, and then at Government 9:30 am on the 19th of April, College Lahore, and Rabwah, 2003. S u rely to Allah do we Pakistan. In 1955 he came to belong and to Him do we return. England to compete his studies at The School of Oriental and Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad African Studies, University of had served as the fourth head London. of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim community from June Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad 1982. He was born on served the community in December 18th, 1928 in various capacities, including Qadian, India, the son of P resident of the Central Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Auxiliary Organization for Mahmud Ahmad, the Youth, and President of the P romised Reformer, and sec- Central Auxiliary Association ond Successor to Hadhrat for the Elders of the Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Community. He was also an Founder of the Ahmadiyya International Secretary on the Muslim community. Hadhrat Central Executive Board. He Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was the was elected as the fourth Promised Messiah and Mahdi, successor to Hadhrat Mirza as foretold by the Holy Prophet Ghulam Ahmad, on 10 June of Islam (peace be upon him). 1982. Religious persecution forced him to leave Pakistan in April 1984, from which time he 2 The Review of Religions – April 2003 An Obituary of Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad Khalifatul Masih IV The Review of Religions – April 2003 3 An Obituary of Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad lived in Southfields, London, at most of the world’s major the Fazl Mosque. This then languages, including his Friday became the centre of the Sermons telecast live from the Ahmadiyya Community’s Fazl Mosque. Since his activities from which all affairs immense and varied know- worldwide were conducted ledge enabled him to answer and supervised by him. questions on a diverse range of subjects during the frequently Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad’s televised “Question and leadership was characterised Answer Sessions,” it also by a vibrancy and dynamism e n d e a red him to his many that became the hallmark of his audiences globally. His 21 year tenure of office. He activities proliferated with the made himself accessible to rapid spread of the community members of the community throughout 174 countries of the through his extensive travels world. The community expe- worldwide. His indefatigable rienced a dynamic period of e fforts on behalf of the g rowth, increasing its mem- community inspired its bership from 10 million to members to attain new heights more than 200 million mem- resulting in a period of bers. tremendous progress in many fields. Through his own noble An internationally acclaimed example he renewed the spirit t h i n k e r, and scholar of of commitment and service comparative religions, he had a amongst all his followers. profound understanding of the Foremost among his achieve- Holy Qur’an, the Bible, and ments was the creation of an other scriptures. Under his international satellite television guidance, the Holy Qur’an was station, called Muslim translated into most of the Television Ahmadiyya, major languages. He himself International (MTA). This personally translated the Holy station broadcasts a variety of Q u r’an into the Urd u programs 24 hours a day in language. He wrote exten- 4 The Review of Religions – April 2003 An Obituary of Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad sively, and among his scholarly on Tuesday, April 22 to elect works is his magnum opus, the next Successor, Hadhrat Revelation, Rationality, Know- Mirza Masroor Ahmad, ledge and Truth, published in Khalifatul Masih V who led the 1998. funeral prayer at Islamabad, Tilford, Surrey on Wednesday A discerning student of world 23 April 2003. The service was history and a keen observer of held at 2:00pm. More than the international political 40,000 people from around the scene, he urged peace and world attended the service. tolerance among all nations _________________ and all peoples. He care d deeply about global human This stop press issue of the rights, championed the cause Review of Religions focuses on of the persecuted and dis- the institution of Khilafat and possessed, and advocated the recent change in the Head Islam as the solution to all of the world wide Ahmadiyya contemporary political, social, Jama’at. Ed. spiritual and economic prob- lems. In addition to his religious and spiritual duties, In this journal, for the he was also a homeopathic information of non-Muslim readers, ‘(sa)’ or ‘sa’ after the physician, a prolific writer, and words, ‘Holy Prophet’, or the gifted poet and a keen name ‘Muhammad’, are used. sportsman. They stand for ‘Salallahu alaihi wassalam’ meaning ‘Peace and His beloved wife, Syeda Asifa Blessings of Allah be upon Begum passed away in 1992. him’. Likewise, the letters ‘(as)’ He is survived by four or ‘as’ after the name of all daughters and several other prophets is an grandchildren. abbreviation meaning ‘Peace be upon him’ derived from The Community’s Electoral Alaihi salato wassalam’ for the respect a Muslim reader utters. College convened in London The Review of Religions – April 2003 5 The Beginning of Khilafa in the Ahmadiyya Community An extract from The Will by Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as), the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds; and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger, Muhammad, and upon all his companions and progeny. Since God Almighty has informed me, through re c u r re n t revelations, that the time of my demise is near, and since these revelations have been of such force as to shake me to the very core of my being – rendering my heart cold to this life – I have deemed it appropriate to write a few words of admonition and advice for my friends and such other persons as may derive benefit from my wo rd s . To begin with I commit to writing the revelation that informed me of my impending demise and thus motivated me to undertake this task. The revelation, which was received in the Arabic language, is as follows: 6 The Review of Religions – April 2003 The Beginning of Khilafa in the Ahmadiyya Community ‘Your departure from this world is imminent and We shall leave no trace or sign of any matter that may be a cause of ignominy or infamy for you. Very little time remains of the ordained limit set for you by God and We shall dispel all objections and will leave nothing behind that may be used to bring your name into disrepute. We possess the power to either show you something of the prophecies We made concerning your opponents or to cause you to die. You will die in such a state that I will be totally pleased with you. Your time has come but clear and distinct signs of your endorsement will remain manifest forever. What has been promised to you is near. Describe to others the blessings that your God has bestowed on you. One who adopts the fear of Allah and remains patient, Allah does not waste the reward of such devout people.’ It should be remembered that the Almighty God says here that He will not leave behind any such criticisms of my person as should prove a source of disgrace to me.