Continued Progress of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Around the World
After reciting Tashahhud, Ta`awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah His Holiness(aba) said that as he had mentioned in his sermon on Friday, he would continue presenting the report of the bounties of God upon the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community throughout the year.
His Holiness(aba) said that though the report has been summarised, it will still be difficult to present the entire report.
Offices of the Community
His Holiness(aba) began by presenting the reports of various offices of the Jama`at. He began with Wakalat Ta`mil-o-Tanfidh for matters pertaining to India, Nepal and Bhutan, which is responsible for implementing and conveying the instructions of His Holiness(aba) for these places.
His Holiness(aba) mentioned that under the Arabic Desk, 145 pamphlets and various publications were printed in the past year. Various translations of the books of the Promised Messiah(as) have been done. All books translated in Arabic, the Sermons of His Holiness(aba) are also posted on the Community’s central website.
His Holiness(aba) mentioned that under the French Desk, various programmes and Sermons of His Holiness(aba) on MTA along with various other literature of the Jama`at are published into French. The French website was launched in 2009 and till now, has been visited 1.65 million times.
His Holiness(aba) mentioned that under the Turkish Desk, around 18-19 translations have been reviewed and sent for publication. Many programs in Turkish have also been prepared for MTA.
His Holiness(aba) mentioned that under the Russian Desk, the various sermons and addresses of His Holiness(aba) are translated. Aside from Pakistani missionaries who have learned Russian, there are also local Ahmadi Russians who help in the undertaking of translation. 57,000 people listened to the Russian translation of the Sermon on YouTube. The Russian translation of the Holy Qur’an is being reviewed, along with ten volumes of the Promised Messiah’s(as) Malfuzaat. 1.5 million visited the Russian page of the Jama`at on Instagram. There is also a website in the Kyrgyz language, which is visited by people in Kyrgyzstan and around the world.
His Holiness(aba) then mentioned the Bangla Desk, under which 40 hours of programming was prepared for MTA. The Bangla translation of the Holy Qur’an is being reviewed.
His Holiness(aba) mentioned the the Chinese Desk which has translated books such as Life of Muhammad(sa) and Ten Proofs for the Existence of God. Over 200 programmes were translated over the year.
His Holiness(aba) mentioned the Swahili Desk, which has also been established in the UK, which translates all programmes on MTA and is working on various translations.
His Holiness(aba) mentioned the Spanish Desk which is established in Spain. Every month, an average of 22,000 people visit the Spanish social media pages of the Jama`at.
Waqf-e-Nau Scheme
His Holiness(aba) mentioned that the Office of Waqfe Nau has become very organized. The number of Waqfe Nau around the world increased by 3997 this year, making the total number of Waqfe Nau around the world is 72,932.
Al Islam Website
His Holiness(aba) said that 300 books in English and 1000 books in Urdu have been made available on the website. This team, which mostly comprises of volunteers, is doing excellent work.
The Review of Religions
The Promised Messiah(as) initiated the magazine in January 1902. It has also been established in Spanish and German. The Review of Religions has done excellent work in conveying the message of the Promised Messiah(as). A total of 5 million people benefited from the content of the Review of Religions. His Holiness(aba) mentioned that during the lockdown, people benefited from online content. 120 articles were published during this time, and the Review of Religions videos on YouTube received 1.7 million views.
Al Fazl International
His Holiness(aba) mentioned that this is published twice a week.
Al Hakam
Is published for the English audience every week. They report that during the lockdown, their readership increased greatly.
Mention of the Community in Newspapers Around the World
His Holiness(aba) said that through mention of the Jama`at in various reports from newspapers around the world, the message of Ahmadiyyat reached half a billion people; 520 million people were reached through various publications in newspapers
Press and Media Office
His Holiness(aba) mentioned that they were able to work on various projects throughout the year. The message of the Jama`at reached 3.1 million people all over the world. Various journalists were also invited to visit mosques .
Makhzan-e-Tasaweer
His Holiness(aba) mentioned that more people should visit this exhibition as it is a great source of History for the Jama`at.
Ahmadiyya Archives and Research Centre
Various blessed objects of the Promised Messiah(as) and the Khulafa are preserved by this department. They are doing excellent work in preserving history.
MTA Africa
His Holiness(aba) mentioned that it was established in 2016 and by the grace of Allah it has expanded a great deal and is reaching many places in Africa. There is an excellent studio in Ghana called the Wahab Adam Studios which also conducted a competition for the recitation of the Holy Qur’an this year.
MTA Al-Arabiyyah
The message of Ahmadiyyat reaches 10 million people through MTA Al-Arabiyyah.
The Amir of Tanzania wrote to His Holiness(aba) that two mu`allimeen [religious teachers] were visiting a town when they passed by a shop and saw that MTA was playing. They went in and asked if the owner of the shop was Ahmadi. He replied that he was not, but he found the words of His Holiness(aba) to be very spiritual and profound so he regularly watched MTA.
Ahmadi Radio Stations
By the grace of Allah, there are 27 radio stations of the Jama`at around the world, including the addition of two new studios in the past year.
His Holiness(aba) mentioned that the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat has been spread through local channels as well.
International Association of Ahmadiyya Architects & Engineers
His Holiness(aba) said that they are working on various projects such as water for life, projects on solar panels. They are doing excellent work around the world. More than 2800 water wells have been established in various places around the world. With the addition of 9 new model villages, the total number of model villages has reached 19 in the past year.
Through the work of this organisation, people in Guinea-Conakry for example have attested to the fact that it is truly the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community which is the Divine Community in the world.
Humanity First
They are doing work throughout the year, which included 345 medical camps around the world by which 230,000 people were tended to. His Holiness(aba) said that Humanity First organizes free eye-operations. With the additions of operations conducted in the past year, the total number of free-eye operations has exceeded 15,000.
MTA International
There are 16 different offices comprising of over 400 volunteers, of which only 79 are paid workers. MTA was expanded to eight channels earlier this year which broadcast 24 hours a day. This year, the total number of languages in which MTA translates its programmes has reached ten.
The Missionary In-Charge of Central Africa wrote to His Holiness(aba) that a local missionary was sent to a town where he began preaching. When he went there andintroduced the Jama`at, a person informed him that he had already been watching MTA and the sermons of His Holiness(aba) for quite some time already, and that now having received more information, he was ready to accept Ahamdiyyat and join the Jama`at.
His Holiness(aba) mentioned that a lady in France was searching for answers to some questions she had for some time but was never satisfied with the answers she received. She was directed by an Ahmadi to the various videos of MTA online. By watching these programmes and reading various literature, she received the answers she was looking for and has now decided to join the Jama`at.
His Holiness(aba) mentioned various statistics of communication being re-established with new-Ahmadis. Various classes were held for the new-Ahmadis all around the world.
New Converts from Around the World
By the grace of Allah, 112,000 people from 98 different countries entered the fold of Ahmadiyyat. Islam Ahmadiyyat has now spread to 220 different nations. His Holiness(aba) mentioned that due to the pandemic, missionaries were not able to go out to preach and establish contacts. Thus His Holiness(aba) said that he had thought that the number of new converts would only be a few thousand, but by the grace of Allah the number is much greater than that. His Holiness(aba) presented the number of conversions from the various countries around the world.
Acceptance of Ahmadiyyat Through Dreams
His Holiness(aba) mentioned an incident from Kyrgyzstan, where a person was introduced to the Jama`at. He said that the same night, he saw a dream in which the Holy Prophet(sa) was praying on the surface of the ocean. Upon seeing this dream, he recognized the truth and joined the fold of Ahmadiyyat.
His Holiness(aba) mentioned the incident of a Moroccan person in France. He was walking in the market looking for something. He came across a person selling a book about the Imam Mahdi which he bought. He read it but was not ready to accept it. He went to visit Morocco and mentioned this book to his friends, who told him that they had already accepted Ahmadiyyat. Upon returning to France his attention turned to prayer after the demise of his father. One night, he saw in a dream that His Holiness(aba) was sitting on the sofa and saying something, but he was not able to say anything. Then he heard a knock on the door; when he opened the door it was his deceased father, who told him that he must follow the person who is sitting on the sofa. He told his father that he did not know who this was. His father said that his community is spread all over the world so you must follow him. This way, through his dream, he was guided to enter the fold of Ahmadiyyat.
A local missionary from Burkina Faso wrote to His Holiness(aba) that there was a village wearing there was great opposition against the community. A person from that village saw a dream where a group of Ahmadis was standing on one side and other Muslims on the other. Then he heard a voice say that there should be a debate between the two groups to see who is true. But then he saw the group of non-Ahmadi Muslims say that they have no arguments. Thus he was inclined towards the Jama`at, and as a result of this dream, he entered the fold of Ahmadiyyat.
Spread of Ahmadiyyat Through Opposition
A local missionary from Tanzania wrote to His Holiness(aba) that there was a local cleric who used to speak out and incite people against the community. As a result, one lady decided to do more research about the Jama`at, as a result of which she accepted Ahmadiyyat. That same cleric was later humiliated after being found guilty of committing an immoral act. His Holiness(aba) said that there are many more examples like this.
Accepting Ahmadiyyat through the Example of Other Ahmadis
His Holiness(aba) mentioned an incident from Kyrgyzstan from where a lady wrote that her husband had accepted Ahmadiyyat. She saw him going to the Friday Prayer and became worried that he might begin telling her to observe the veil. However she was conflicted, because she saw a very positive change in him, and saw that he was extremely caring. Over time, she also realized that a change had come about in her as well; she was praying and even started reading the Holy Qur’an. However during this time, they had been trying to move to the USA but were finding no success in obtaining a visa. At the same time, she writes that she and her husband had started quarrelling a great deal. Her husband said to her one day, that those who receive the message of Ahmadiyyat and still refuse it, are afflicted with great trials. Thus, the next day she accepted Ahmadiyyat, and within a short span of time, they obtained the required documents to move to the USA. As a result this lady writes that she began offering the five daily prayers and even began offering the pre dawn optional prayers. She ascribes all these blessings to accepting the message of Ahmadiyyat.
The missionary from Guinea-Conakry wrote to His Holiness(aba) that due to restrictions the Jalsa Salana cannot be held there. Thus, Ahmadis travel to attend the Jalsa Salana of Sierra Leone. There was a young mu`allim who had been saving for a year in order to attend the Jalsa Salana in Sierra Leone. But when the days of travelling to Jalsa came near, he gave the amount he had saved to a local non-Ahmadi Imam so that he may attend the Jasa. When asked why he had done this, he replied that he was already a firm Ahmadi, thus the amount would be better spent in giving that Imam an opportunity to see the practical example of the teachings of the Promised Messiah(as). His Holiness(aba) mentioned that this is a true revolution, that someone who would not even have met the Caliph of the time has the zeal and passion to convey the true message of the Promised Messiah(as).
His Holiness(aba) then presented a quote from the writings of the Promised Messiah(as), in which he writes that those who are false and liars are never helped by God Almighty. But this community sees extraordinary examples of the help of God Almighty which has enabled it to thrive and prosper. His Holiness(aba) commented that this same help is still being witnessed even 130 years later. The Promised Messiah(as) said that God Almighty will show the entire world the truthfulness of this Community. There are countless signs and proofs which continue to fortify the faith of members of the Jama`at. The Promised Messiah(as) said that the root of all success and progress is faith. The Promised Messiah(as) warned the opponents of the Jama`at.
His Holiness(aba) prayed that may we continue to witness the progress of the Community and may he save us from the evil of the opponents. May we become followers of the Imam of this age in the true sense so that we may spread that truth, that is Islam Ahmadiyyat, to the entire world.
Summary prepared by The Review of Religions