أَشْھَدُ أَنْ لَّا إِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ وَحْدَہٗ لَا شَرِیکَ لَہٗ وَأَشْھَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُہٗ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ

أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَأَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰہِ مِنَ الشَّیْطٰنِ الرَّجِیْمِ- بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِیْنَ۔ اَلرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ۔ مٰلِکِ یَوْمِ الدِّیْنِ۔ اِیَّا کَ نَعْبُدُ وَ اِیَّاکَ نَسْتَعِیْنُ۔

اِھْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِیْمَ۔ صِرَاطَ الَّذِیْنَ اَنْعَمْتَ عَلَیْھِمْ غَیْرِالْمَغْضُوْبِ عَلَیْھِمْ وَلَاالضَّآلِّیْنَ۔

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates an incident about Hazrat Mir Husam-ud-Din Sahib, who had a very close relationship with the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him). He related this at the occasion of the nikah of the son of their son, Mir Hamid Shah Sahib. He says: Mir Hamid Shah Sahib, apart from holding a special position in the Jama'at, was a companion of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him). The Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) had known his father, Hakim Husam-ud-Din Sahib, since the time when, wearied by his own father's repeated insistence, he had gone to Sialkot for employment. Mir Husam-ud-Din Sahib was a resident of Sialkot. When the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) went to Sialkot, a relationship was established with him. He states that the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) remained there in a minor clerical position at the court for several years. It was during those days that relations were formed with Hakim Husam-ud-Din Sahib, and these relations continued until the very end. These relations were not confined to him alone but extended to his family as well. (After him, Mir Hamid Shah Sahib continued to be counted among the special people in the movement of the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).) On one occasion, when Mir Hamid Shah Sahib was mentioned in the gathering of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), he said that Shah Sahib is a man of dervish temperament, and Allah the Exalted loves such people. In any case, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud states: "However, the early relations that existed with Hakim Husam-ud-Din Sahib — their special nature can be seen from this example: once, after his claim, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) went to Sialkot. Hakim Husam-ud-Din Sahib was very pleased at his arrival. He arranged accommodation for him in a house. However, when it became known that the house in which he was lodged did not have a sufficient parapet on its roof, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) decided to return from Sialkot." (Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 3, pp. 326-327) Regarding the parapet, it should also be remembered that it is mentioned in Hadith that one should not sleep on rooftops that do not have parapets. (Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Adab, Bab fi al-Nawm 'ala Sath Ghair Muhajjar, Hadith No. 5041)

And in those times, during summers, people used to sleep on rooftops because there were no arrangements for fans and the like. So when the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) saw that the roof had no parapet, he said this house is not suitable. He decided to return. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud says: "And at that time, through me, a message was sent out to the men that we would return to Qadian the next day. It was also conveyed that this house is not suitable because its roof has no parapet. Upon hearing this news, the companions — among whom were Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahib and others — seemed resigned to the decision. But as soon as Hakim Husam-ud-Din Sahib learned of it, he said, 'How can they go back!' and immediately came to the women's entrance and announced that Hakim Husam-ud-Din had come to meet Hazrat Sahib. The Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) immediately came out. Hakim Sahib said, 'I have learned that Huzoor intends to return because this house is not suitable.' (Regarding the house, he submitted that) As for the house, any house in the entire city that is preferred can be arranged. As for returning, did you come here just to go back immediately and have me humiliated before the people? He said this in such a tone and with such force that the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) fell completely silent and finally said, 'Very well, we will not go.'" (Derived from Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 3, pp. 326-327. Nikah Sermon delivered on 19 October 1933)

He narrates another incident. A person came to the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) and said that he was a great admirer of his, but that he had made a very grave mistake. (He began telling the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) that) you know that the ulema never accept anyone's word because they know that if they do, it would be a cause of humiliation for them. People would say that such-and-such person thought of this and they did not. Therefore, the way to make them accept something is to have the words come from their own mouths. (That is, the ulema do not accept things. The way to make the ulema or the maulvis accept something is to have it come from their own mouths. And the method that this person, who had come to meet the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), proposed was that) when you learned of the issue of the death of the Messiah, you should have invited select ulema, held a meeting, and presented the matter before them saying that the Christians derive great support from the belief in the life of the Messiah and, by raising objections, are causing harm to Islam. They say that your Prophet has passed away while the founder of our religion is alive in heaven. Therefore, he is superior, indeed he is God himself. What answer should be given to this? (That is, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) should have gathered the ulema and asked them: this is the situation, tell us what answer should be given. So that person said that) at that point, the ulema would have said, 'You tell us what the answer is.' You would say, 'The true opinion can actually only come from you, but my thought is that' (he was suggesting to the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) that he should say) such-and-such verse can prove the death of the Messiah. The ulema would have immediately said, 'This is correct. In the name of Allah, make the announcement. We are ready to support it.' Then in the same manner, the issue would have been presented that the Hadith mentions the second coming of the Messiah, but since the Messiah (peace be upon him) has died, what is to be understood by it. Upon this, some scholar would have said about you that you yourself are the Messiah, and all the ulema would have set their seal of approval on it. Upon hearing this suggestion, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) said: Had my claim been the result of human scheming, I would certainly have done so, but this was by the command of God. Whatever way God guided me, that is the way I acted. So (Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud says) stratagems and deceptions are employed against human schemes. The communities of God can never be afraid of them. This is not our work; it is the work of God Almighty Himself. (Derived from Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 12, pp. 196-197. Friday Sermon delivered on 15 November 1929)

And even today, in the same manner, some people say that the claim should be made differently — that he should not be accepted as a prophet but merely called a ‘mujaddid’ [reformer], and then the issues can be resolved. A person even came to me here to take an interview for a Muslim magazine. He said, 'If you do not accept the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) as a prophet, what difference would it make? Then the ulema would no longer oppose you.' So I explained to him at length. I gave him the answer of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) that should what Allah has said be accepted, or should the word of your ulema be accepted? But in any case, they do not understand.

There is a revelation of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him): "Do not frighten us with fire; fire is our slave, nay, the slave of our slaves." (Malfuzat, Vol. 4, p. 211. Edition 1985, printed in England)

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud says: I remember that in 1903, when a person named Abdul Ghafoor, who had apostatized from Islam and become an Arya and had changed his name to Dharam Pal, wrote a book called "Tark-e-Islam," Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote a response to it, which was published under the title "Nur-ud-Din." This book was read to the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) daily. When the objection of Dharam Pal came up that if fire became cool for Hazrat Abraham (peace be upon him), then why does it not become so for others, and the response of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I was read out that the word "nar" [fire] here does not refer to physical fire but rather to the fire of opposition — the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) said: What need is there for this interpretation? God has also called me Abraham. If people cannot understand how fire became cool for Hazrat Abraham (peace be upon him), then let them throw me into fire and see whether I emerge from it safely or not. Because of this directive of the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote this very response in his book "Nur-ud-Din" and wrote: "You may throw our Imam into fire. Surely, God Almighty, in accordance with His promise, will protect him from that fire just as He protected Hazrat Abraham (peace be upon him)." (Nur-ud-Din, p. 146) (Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 7, p. 614)

On one occasion, he elaborated further on this and also mentioned miracles in reference to the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him). He said that regarding the book that has already been mentioned, when "Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him) was writing this book Nur-ud-Din, he wrote in it that the mention of Hazrat Abraham (peace be upon him) being cast into fire refers to the fire of war. He thought that surviving after being thrown into fire is difficult, and therefore interpreted fire to mean the fire of war. In those days, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) used to go for walks towards Basrawan. (Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud says) I remember that I was also with him. While walking, someone mentioned that Huzoor, the senior Maulvi Sahib has made a very subtle point. (Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud says that people who are generally inclined toward rational arguments find such interpretations and subtleties very appealing. But the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) refuted this point throughout almost the entire walk and said that we have received the revelation that fire is our slave, nay, the slave of our slaves. So if Allah the Exalted treated Hazrat Abraham (peace be upon him) in such a manner, then what is so unlikely about it (that he was cast into fire)? Is the plague any less than fire? And look, is it any lesser miracle that the plague came all around yet Allah the Exalted kept our house safe from it? So if Allah the Exalted saved Hazrat Abraham (peace be upon him) from fire, what is so unlikely about it? Tell Maulvi Sahib on our behalf to remove this passage. Accordingly, as already mentioned, he removed it and wrote new sentences." (Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud says:) "Regarding miracles, only the opinion of prophets can be considered correct, because these are things they have witnessed firsthand. A person who converses with Allah the Exalted for half an hour at a time, asks questions and receives answers — even the elite cannot reach the level of his words, let alone the common people who have never even had a dream, or if they have, no more than one or two, and even if they have more, doubt remains in their hearts whether it is from God Almighty or merely a thought of the self. (Giving the example of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), he says:) But those who say that the moment we placed our head on the pillow, this voice began: 'During the day, people have abused you greatly. That is, all day long you received many insults, but do not worry, we are with you.' And from the time of placing the head on the pillow until rising, Allah the Exalted continued to comfort in this manner. The Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) has said that sometimes the entire night, this revelation continues: اِنِّیْ مَعَ الرَّسُوْلِ أَقْوُمُ — I stand with My Messenger. (Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud says:) Other people cannot understand these things. Yes, the pious and righteous servants of Allah the Exalted can understand to some extent, but not to the extent that a prophet can understand. A prophet is a prophet. God's communication with him is of such a nature that it cannot be found anywhere else." Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud says about himself: My own revelations and dreams by now must have reached the number of a thousand, but they cannot equal even one night's revelations of that person — that is, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) — to whom the revelation اِنِّیْ مَعَ الرَّسُوْلِ أَقُوْمُ continued from evening until morning." Then he said: "Then our duty is to honor our elders, but when we place them in competition with prophets, we are, as it were, needlessly bringing about their humiliation. Every person has their own temperament. I remember that during the lifetime of the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), there was a general discussion about whom he loved more. Some people would say the senior Maulvi Sahib, meaning Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him), and some would mention the junior Maulvi Sahib, meaning Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahib. We were in the party that considered Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him) to be more beloved. (Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud says:) I remember that once, it was around noon. What was the occasion? I do not remember. (He says:) Perhaps I have narrated this incident before, and it is possible that I mentioned the occasion at that time, but I do not remember it now. (He says:) I came into the house and the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) said to me — or to Hazrat Amma Jan who was perhaps there — that among the blessings of Allah the Exalted upon us, one is the existence of Hakim Sahib. He generally used to refer to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I as Hakim Sahib, sometimes as senior Maulvi Sahib, and sometimes as Maulvi Nur-ud-Din Sahib. He was writing something at the time and (regarding Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I) said that his person is also one of the blessings of Allah the Exalted, and it would be ingratitude on our part if we did not acknowledge this. Allah the Exalted has given us such a scholar who teaches the whole day, then also practices medicine, and through whom thousands of lives are saved. This was the first part that took place in the presence of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud. Then, continuing further, he says that the Promised Messiah also wrote that he walks with me just as the pulse beats in a person. So if any reference to such a person is presented in competition with the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) — he said this on an occasion when a comparison was being made that the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) said such-and-such and Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I said such-and-such. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud says that despite all these praises, if any reference of such a person is presented in competition with the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him). Then he mentioned himself: or for example, if my name is placed in competition with the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), then what does it mean other than inviting insults upon us? Despite Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I holding such a high station in the eyes of the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and despite such words being expressed about him, if a comparative reference is presented, then he said it is as if one is inviting insults. Then he said: The honor of the Khulafa lies in following the one they follow — that is, following the one whose bai'at they have taken. The honor of the Khulafa is maintained in this way. And if due to lack of knowledge some mistake is made — that is, even if the Khulafa make a mistake due to lack of knowledge — then whoever has knowledge of it should inform them that the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said such-and-such; perhaps you were unaware of it." (Then Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud says:) We have been given far greater knowledge of discernment by Allah the Exalted than others — that is, the knowledge of understanding a matter, delving into its depth, evaluating it, thoroughly examining it, the knowledge of the words of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him). He says that this knowledge has been given to the Khulafa, to us, by Allah the Exalted far more than to others — and we possess greater ability than others to understand the words of the divinely appointed ones. Then, upon reflection, we will see whether its meaning is what people take it to be, and surely after evaluation we will resolve it — that is, after examining it we will resolve it — and that resolution will be ninety-nine percent correct. But resolving it does not mean that we will be in competition with him, and that our words will be presented by name in competition with his directives. If someone presents a reference of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) and the other person responds with my name, then what does it mean other than causing humiliation?

So whether it be Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I, or myself, or any future Khalifa — when it is stated that the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said such-and-such, then to respond by saying such-and-such Khalifa said so-and-so is wrong. If it is due to lack of knowledge, it cannot serve as evidence. (If there is no knowledge, then it has no authority.) And if it is with knowledge, then it amounts to placing the Khalifa in competition with his leader. Yes, it is correct that if a Khalifa has offered an interpretation of a reference of the leader, then one may say that you interpret it in such a way, but such-and-such Khalifa interpreted it differently. In this way, the Khalifa does not stand in opposition to the prophet but rather stands in comparison to the person who is interpreting the words of the prophet. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud said: It should also be remembered that it is not necessary for the Khulafa to know everything. Did Hazrat Abu Bakr and Umar remember all the Hadith? Similarly, there are scores of things said by the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) that we do not remember, and others come and inform us, and we consider it a great favor from those who possess such information if they share it. (He said:) It is not necessary for a Khalifa to be aware of everything. Most people know that Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (at that time, companions were present who had seen Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I, so he was telling them that most people know that Khalifatul Masih I) used to read very few books. That is, of the newly published books of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), he read very few. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud said: It happened before me that someone said to the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) that why do you send the proofs to Maulvi Sahib for reading? He is not an expert in this, and he has no practice of proofreading. Some people are experts at it and some are not. (Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud says:) I reviewed the sermon, yet even then scores of errors slipped through and he gave an example: Just today, a grave error occurred in the sermon that was published. I had made the correction, but while correcting, the meaning of the first sentence that was in my mind was not actually what it was and because of this an error occurred. The intent was to say that after the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), no law-bearing prophet can come; rather, a non-law-bearing prophet can come. And I corrected the subsequent sentence, which had an error in it, to read: who would make the prophethood of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) into a later prophethood. But after publication (he says) when I read it, the first sentence was completely opposite to what I had understood, and upon reading this sentence in Al Fazl, I was greatly surprised. (So the actual intent was to write that after the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), no law-bearing prophet can come; rather, a non-law-bearing prophet can come who carries forward that same prophethood and upholds the prophethood of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). But the sentence as printed read the opposite, as if the paths of a law-bearing prophet are not closed. In any case, he explained it. Then he says:) So some people are experts at proofreading and some are not. … So someone said to the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) that Maulvi Sahib is not an expert in this; why do you show him the proof? The Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) said that Maulvi Sahib has little spare time and is occupied with seeing patients, and we want him to at least read the proof so that he remains acquainted with our thoughts. And then, despite Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I having unwavering faith in the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), sometimes due to lack of knowledge, the opposite gets stated. The Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) said that he sends the proofs for reading because he does not have time to read the books, so through reading the proofs he will become acquainted with our thoughts. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud says: Even after reading, it is not necessary that everything is remembered. For example, I could not locate the reference regarding the killing of Hazrat Yahya (peace be upon him), and I sent word to Maulvi Muhammad Ismail Sahib to find it. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud says: My memory is of such a nature that even those surahs of the Holy Quran that I recite daily — I cannot point out any specific verse from them. But the argument connected to a matter — no matter how long ago it was — stays in my memory. Those things which are not related to my work do not stay in my memory. As for references, I think I will have others find them, and therefore I cannot retain them." (Derived from Al Fazl, 10 September 1938, pp. 6-7, Vol. 26, No. 209)

So from this, one thing became clear: that if the Khulafa makes an interpretation that is contrary to a clear interpretation of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), then it should be brought to their attention. And if the Khalifa of the time considers that the interpretation offered could be derived from the quotation of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), then that will be accepted. And if not, then he will correct his position. But in any case, to think that he said this and the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) said that — why is there a contradiction? — such thinking is wrong. There is no contradiction; yes, sometimes there is a lack of knowledge.

Then, regarding the incident of a solar and lunar eclipse, he says that it is a very well-known incident of our Jama'at that an opposing maulvi, who was probably a resident of Gujarat, would always tell people not to be deceived by Mirza Sahib's claim at all. He would say that it is clearly written in the Hadith that the sign of the Mahdi is that in his era, the sun and the moon will be eclipsed in the month of Ramadan. Until this prophecy is fulfilled and the sun and moon are eclipsed in the month of Ramadan, his claim can never be considered true. As it happened, that maulvi was still alive when the prophecy of the solar and lunar eclipse was fulfilled. (When the eclipse occurred,) an Ahmadi who lived in his neighborhood related that when the sun was eclipsed, that maulvi, in a state of agitation, climbed onto the roof of his house and began pacing. He kept pacing and saying, "Hun log gumrah hon ge! Hun log gumrah hon ge!" — meaning, now people will go astray. He did not understand that since the prophecy had been fulfilled, people would attain guidance by accepting Hazrat Mirza Sahib, not go astray. He says that the Christians, too, on the one hand acknowledged that all the signs found in the earlier scriptures had been fulfilled, yet on the other hand, upon hearing the claim of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), they would also say that at that time, by coincidence, a false claimant made a claim. Just as Muslims say the signs have been fulfilled, but it is a coincidence that at this time a false claimant has made a claim. But the strange thing is that such a coincidence favors only a false one and is not granted to a true one." (Derived from Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 10, p. 56) Divine signs of support appear in favor of the false one, while nothing is happening these days in favor of the truthful ones.

While mentioning the forgiveness and forbearance of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), he says at one place that friends know in how many ways the enemies opposed him. The enemies stopped the potters from making his utensils and the water-carriers from supplying water. But then whenever they came seeking forgiveness, Hazrat Sahib would always forgive them. Once, some of his opponents were arrested, and the magistrate said that he would only proceed with the case on the condition that no recommendation comes from Mirza Sahib's side, because if he forgives them later, then there was no need for me to arrest them in the first place. But the other friends said that no, they must certainly be punished now. When the culprits realized that punishment was now certain, they came to Hazrat Sahib and sought forgiveness. Hazrat Sahib then called those handling the case and said, 'Forgive them.' They said, 'We have already given our word that we will not make any recommendation.' Hazrat Aqdas said, 'They are asking for forgiveness, so what should we do?' The magistrate said, 'See, the very thing I predicted has happened. Mirza Sahib has forgiven them after all.'" (Derived from Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 10, p. 277. Friday Sermon delivered on 19 November 1926)

These incidents should not merely be a source of enjoyment for us; rather, we should also apply them to ourselves. Considerable attention needs to be given to forgiveness and forbearance.

Then, narrating an incident about himself, he says: "I am among those people who confront the enemy with an extremely calm heart. I heard the abuses of opponents with my own ears and heard them while seated before me, yet despite that, I continued to converse with such people with civility and composure. (He says:) I also endured stones being thrown. At the time when stones were thrown at the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in Amritsar, I was a child at that time, but even then God gave me a share in it. People were hurling stones in great numbers at the carriage in which the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) was seated. I must have been about fourteen or fifteen years old at the time. One window of the carriage was open. I tried to close that window, but people were throwing stones with such force that the window slipped from my hand and the stones struck my hand. Then when stones were thrown at the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) in Sialkot, they struck me as well. Then when, not long ago, I went to Sialkot, despite the fact that the members of the Jama'at had formed a circle around me, four stones struck me." (Important Instructions to the Ahmadiyya Community Regarding the Current Situation, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 13, p. 508)

Then he says: "The Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) urged his opponents to hold such gatherings in which every person could present the merits of their own religion. He did not say that since I am divinely appointed by God, all other people should stop propagating their respective religions. … He did not do so because he knew that the rest of the people had just as much right to propagate as he did. Therefore, he said: You present your case, and I present mine, and until this method is adopted, there can never be peace, and truth cannot spread. Who in the world is there who does not consider themselves to be on the truth? But when there is a difference of opinion, it is necessary that an opportunity be given to express it." (Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 12, p. 418. Friday Sermon delivered on 30 May 1930)

If only the government of Pakistan would understand this, or if the people in the Arab world would understand it, then the avenues for propagation would become greatly widened, and they themselves would come to know who is in the truth and who is in the wrong.

Then, regarding preaching to the Queen, he said: "In former times, who would have dared to preach to a king? This was considered a great audacity and disrespect. But the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) wrote a letter to Her Majesty the Queen-Empress of India, in which he invited her to Islam and said that if she accepted it, it would be to her benefit. Upon this, instead of expressing any displeasure, gratitude was expressed regarding the letter in these terms: we have received your letter and were pleased to read it." (Al Fazl, 19 August 1916, p. 7, Vol. 4, No. 13) So those who level the accusation of being agents — they themselves can never preach Islam to these leaders even today.

A Turkish envoy once came to Qadian. Narrating the account, he says: "Many years ago, when the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), was alive, a Turkish envoy came here. To strengthen the Turkish government, he had collected a great deal of donations from Muslims, and when he heard of the Ahmadiyya Jama'at, he also came to Qadian. His name was Hussain Kami. He had a conversation with the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him). He expected that he would receive great support from here. The Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) accorded him the respect due to a guest. Then a religious discussion also took place. The Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) counseled him to adhere to honesty and integrity, that one should not oppress people (this is exactly what is needed today for Muslim leaders in Muslim countries), and said that the Ottoman Empire is in danger because of the misdeeds of such people, for those who hold important positions of service in the empire do not discharge their duties honestly and are not true well-wishers of the empire; rather, through their various treacheries, they seek to weaken the Islamic empire. And he also said that the condition of the Sultan of Rome's (who was the king of Turkey or what was then called the Caliphate) empire is not good, and I do not see through spiritual insight a good condition of its pillars, and in my view, with these conditions, the end will not be good, and in the fabric of the Turkish government there are threads that are liable to break at the right time and reveal a treacherous nature. When the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) offered these admonitions, the envoy was greatly offended because he had come with the expectation that I am an envoy and these people will kiss my hands and will not refuse anything I say. When the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said these bitter truths to him — that you receive great salaries from the government and then betray it; you should act with piety and purity to strengthen the Islamic government — he left here in great anger and began saying that these people insult the Islamic government because they have said that there are some weak threads in the Turkish government. (Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud says:) Muslims generally love their religion, but unfortunately the maulvis do not let them reflect properly on anything. It is commonly observed that the common people carry the fear of God in their hearts and love the truth, but the difficulty is that the maulvis do not let them ponder over anything and quickly incite them. On this occasion too, the maulvis raised a general outcry that the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has insulted the Turkish government, which is the custodian of the Haramain Sharifain [the two Holy Mosques]. When this clamor arose, the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wrote in response that you say that the Turkish government protects Makkah and Madinah. But I believe that the Turkish government is not in the state that it should protect Makkah and Madinah. Rather, Makkah and Madinah are themselves protecting the Turkish government. (After stating this, he then said:) Can it be said of the followers of a person who has such zeal for Makkah al-Mukarramah and Madinah al-Munawwarah that they would rejoice if the Ka'bah were reduced to rubble? We cannot even tolerate the notion that any government is truly protecting Makkah and Madinah. We believe that God is protecting Makkah and Madinah from His Throne. No human being can even look at them with an ill-intent. Yes, outwardly it is possible that if an enemy attacks these sacred places, then the human hand may also be extended for their protection. But if, God forbid, such an occasion ever arises, then the world will come to know how the Ahmadiyya Jama'at, under the responsibility that God Almighty has placed upon humans regarding their protection, makes the greatest sacrifice of all. We consider these places to be the most sacred of places. We consider these places to be the manifestation of God's glory, and we consider it a source of bliss in both worlds to sacrifice our most precious things for their protection. And we firmly believe that whoever casts even a single sideways glance toward Makkah, God will strike that person blind. And if God Almighty ever calls upon humans for this task, then among the hands that will come forward to gouge out that evil eye, our hand will, by the grace of God Almighty, be the foremost." (Derived from Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 16, pp. 547-549. Friday Sermon delivered on 30 August 1935)

By the grace of Allah the Exalted, even today, every Ahmadi harbors these same sentiments regarding the sacred places, and, InshaAllah, they will always remain so. May Allah the Exalted continue to increase our faith and conviction, and may He always keep us in the front ranks of those who make sacrifices.

After the prayers, I shall lead two funeral prayers in absentia. The first is for the respected Samir Bukhotah Sahib, who passed away on the morning of 24 February 2015 in Germany. اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّا اِلَیْہِ رَاجِعُوْنَ [Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return]. He had been suffering from cancer for a long time, yet despite this affliction, he remained continuously engaged in the service of the faith. He was 58 years of age. He was born on 11 May 1957 in Algeria and took the bai'at at the hand of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV in 1991.

The Amir Sahib of France writes that he used to say that he had seen dreams in such abundance that there was no room left for him not to accept Ahmadiyyat. From 1993 to 1994, he served as the President of the Kassel Jama'at in Germany. From 1994 to 1999, he had the opportunity to serve as the local Amir of Kassel. From 1999 to 2003, he had the opportunity to serve as the Regional Amir of the Hessen North region.

The Amir Sahib of France writes that he attended the 1998 Jalsa Salana [Annual Convention] of France. It was his first meeting with him. During the conversation, he said that Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned two madly devoted ones, and I wish to be one of those madly devoted ones. And after that, he truly strove to fulfill the duty of propagation like one madly devoted.

In 2006, he wrote to me that he was dedicating himself for the service of the faith as a Mu'allim [teacher]. He had been serving even before that. In any case, from then until his very last breath, he rendered his service in an excellent manner. The Amir Sahib of France himself writes that this humble one has witnessed Samir Bukhotah Sahib working like a madly devoted person in propagation for the past 16 years. Whether it was the streets of France or Morocco, Tunisia or Algeria or the Caribbean islands — wherever he had to go door to door on foot, he never said that there is no car or the distance is too great. He would simply set out on foot and, walking miles and miles, would distribute literature, preach, and answer questions.

He had a passionate love for Khilafat, and every letter to which a reply came from my side — he would carefully preserve it and show it great respect. He undertook many tours of Algeria and organized the Jama'ats there. The President of Algeria Jama'at related that despite severe heat, he went on foot from village to village in areas that were difficult to reach, and despite suffering from diabetes, he worked continuously. He undertook tours of Morocco with the Amir Sahib of France. On one occasion, he even spent Eid-ul-Fitr there and also spent Ramadan there. He would go door to door to the Ahmadis' homes, gather them together, and inform them about the administrative structure of the Jama'at. He served with great steadfastness. Not only did he preach, but he also trained those he preached to and organized them into Jama'ats.

During a preaching tour in Tunisia, he was once arrested by the police. He was also detained. After that, he was released because of his European passport. The Amir Sahib of France says that if I were to say that he preached like a jinn, it would not be wrong. Even in his final moments, he continued advising friends to preach and to carry out the work of the Jama'at. And to our current missionary in Kassel, he said at the time of his death — and sent me this message — that if any mistake was made by him in his work, then please forgive him. But the reality is that he fulfilled his pledge of bai'at with the utmost loyalty, and not only that, but he also strove to the utmost possible extent to fulfill the pledge he had made to serve the faith. Service of the faith was his everything, and his obedience to Khilafat was such that one cannot imagine that a new Ahmadi could be so deeply imbued with the spirit of obedience. The missionary stationed in Kassel, Safeer-ur-Rahman, writes that on the last Friday, he obtained permission from the hospital administration with great difficulty to attend the Friday prayer, came to the mosque, had photographs taken, and said that this was his last Friday. He knew this.

Even in his final days, his constant request was this — he would tell the missionary to urgently provide him two copies of the book "Zikr-e-Ilahi" authored by Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud. He wanted to deliver them to the doctors he was preaching to. And the missionary says that as soon as I delivered this book to the hospital, Samir Sahib told his wife to quickly give them to the doctors. And those doctors were also deeply impressed by Samir Bukhotah Sahib's conduct and character, and they repeatedly expressed that they had never seen a more patient person or one who placed greater trust in God Almighty.

The missionary says that once there was a meeting in which a decision had to be made about how much food should be prepared for the guests who were coming for hospitality — how many dishes should be prepared — and a lengthy debate ensued about whether this quantity should be prepared or that quantity. Samir Bukhotah Sahib was also present there as a representative. At this, he expressed great displeasure. He said: We are not little children who need to be taught the rules anew, nor is this Jama'at something new for us. We have a system, and that system is that the representatives of the Khalifa of the time are present among us — that is, the missionaries are present — and whatever they tell us, we simply have to obey. So leave aside whether this much should be prepared or that much, and act according to whatever they say and decide.

So this is the spirit — when it is born, then by the grace of Allah the Exalted, there is harmony in the Jama'ats, there is unity, and there is progress. He would always say that our task is to convey the message of our master, Hazrat Aqdas, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), at every place wherever we get the opportunity; granting guidance beyond that is in the hands of Allah the Exalted. He used to say that preaching is my oxygen. By the grace of Allah the Exalted, in the Kassel Jama'at there are a considerable number of non-Pakistani Ahmadis, and all of them entered Ahmadiyyat through his efforts and hard work. He is survived by his wife, Maryam Bukhotah Sahiba, and three sons. The eldest son, Nur-ud-Din, is married, and the other two are Abdul Hakim and Munir Ahmad. May Allah the Exalted elevate the station of the deceased and grant his progeny the ability to follow in his footsteps.

He used to keep a bag with him; whenever he traveled, he always had this bag with him. In fact, even now he had booked tickets to go to Algeria, but life did not afford him the chance. The Amir Sahib of France says that after his death, when this bag was handed over to his wife and opened, it contained two shirts, one pair of trousers, and one warm coat. Besides that, there were four Arabic books of Hazrat Aqdas, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), the letters that had come to him from me, which he had kept, and one hundred bai'at forms in the Arabic language. This was the entirety of his travel bag, which he kept with him at all times.

The President of the Algeria Jama'at, Fali Muhammad Sahib, says that he was a person of great character and an excellent representative of the Khalifa of the time. He says: My first meeting with him was in 2007. After that, the deceased established the Jama'at here according to the instructions of the Khalifa of the time. Despite his illness, he undertook tours. He never complained. He always taught patience for the sake of the exaltation of the Word of Truth. He had a great desire that there should be a mosque of their own in Algeria where they could offer prayers. Aamrash Hamid Sahib of Algeria says that he was a person of very impressive personality, and feelings of love for him arose from the very first acquaintance. When I first met the deceased, I asked whether we could have our own mosque in this area. He smiled and said that the promise of God Almighty with the true servant of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is surely true. If on the day this mosque is built here I am not present, then do not forget me and remember me in your prayers. One day, Bukhotah Sahib told him that during a tour of Africa, an elderly man held his hand and asked, 'Shall I show you a treasure?' Then he took out from his pocket the letter of acceptance of bai'at, preserved in a plastic cover, and showed it, saying, 'This is a treasure whose safeguarding is essential.' So these are the people who became Ahmadi and continue to grow in their sincerity and devotion. Abdul Karim Sahib from Germany writes that he was a devoted Ahmadi who loved the Khulafa of Ahmadiyyat with a passion bordering on madness, obedient to the authorities, filled with the zeal of propagation, sincere and selfless. Whichever books of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) had been translated or were in Arabic — he read them three times and memorized a great portion. When he was the Amir of Kassel, through his preaching, individuals of 18 different nationalities became Ahmadi. He also trained them and made them active members of the Jama'at. At the prayer center in Kassel, he would hold classes for seventy to ninety Arab Ahmadis, and Arab friends would also bring their non-Ahmadi friends along. He was an angel for the Kassel Jama'at. He also played a major role in obtaining the mosque. He had considerable command over Arabic, French, and German. Sami Qureshi Sahib says that when he took the bai'at through me and the bai'at form was sent to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV and the news of the bai'at was conveyed, he responded that he is the fulfillment of the revelation of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him): يَنْصُرُکَ رِجَالٌ نُوْحِیْ اِلَیْھِمْ مِنَ السَّمَآء — "Men will help you whom We shall inspire from heaven." And by the grace of Allah the Exalted, he proved it true.

The second funeral is of the respected Chaudhry Bashir Ahmad Sahib, who was the son of Chaudhry Muhammad Ibrahim Sahib. He was a resident of Sheikhupura. In 1977-78, he had the opportunity to take the bai'at himself. Later, his family and two brothers also took the bai'at. During his stay in Rachna Town, he had the opportunity to serve as Secretary Islah-o-Irshad and Secretary Umoor-e-Aamma. He was a well-known and prominent person in the area. On 7 September 2011, opponents of the Jama'at carried out a murderous attack on Bashir Sahib near his home in Rachna Town. As a result of the attack, he was hit by three bullets. One bullet struck his neck and went through it, while two bullets hit his abdomen, causing severe damage to the large intestine. After the incident, he was treated for a week in Lahore and was then transferred to Fazl-e-Umar Hospital. By the grace of Allah, he recovered. The complainant in the case of the murderous attack on him was his non-Ahmadi nephew, Zahid Ahmad Sahib. And since this group operates as a complete mafia, consequently, the assailants shot and killed his nephew on 5 March 2012 — he who was not a member of the Jama'at. Under these circumstances, Chaudhry Sahib decided to relocate with his family and moved to Rabwah. Some time ago, he was diagnosed with cancer. He was under treatment, but destiny prevailed and he passed away. اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّا اِلَیْہِ رَاجِعُوْنَ [Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return]. His wife says that he was of a very gentle temperament. He was attentive to prayers. She saw him serving his parents. He was very patient and simple. He was compassionate and sincere to everyone. He would suffer losses himself but would not let anyone else suffer loss. He would never abandon a person in need. He always helped everyone, whether Ahmadi or non-Ahmadi. He was regular in offering Tahajjud, always went to the mosque for prayers, and took care of orphans and widows. Whenever the opponents were mentioned, he would always say: Just pray that Allah grants them guidance. Even when the attack was made on him, those who went to visit him said that may Allah seize these oppressors, but he said: Pray that Allah the Exalted grants them guidance. By the grace of Allah, he was a Musi [part of the institution of Al-Wasiyyat], and he was buried in Bahishti Maqbarah, Rabwah. At the time of his passing, he was 63 years of age. He is survived by his wife, two sons, and one daughter. May Allah the Exalted grant them all patience and the ability to follow in the footsteps of the deceased. May He elevate the station of the deceased.