National Majlis-e-Amila in Nigeria have Honour of Virtual Meeting with World Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
His Holiness gives guidance on a wide array of administrative and religious matters On 20 February 2021, the National Majlis-e-Amila (Executive) of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Nigeria were granted a virtual official meeting and audience with the World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Fifth Khalifa (Caliph), His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad for the very first time. Also present were the principals of Ahmadiyya Muslim Schools in Nigeria, doctors serving in the Ahmadiyya Muslim Hospitals in Nigeria and Missionaries serving in the country. His Holiness presided the meeting from his office in Islamabad, Tilford, whilst the Amila members joined the meeting virtually from the Lajna Hall in Ojokoro in Lagos, Nigeria. During the almost 60-minute meeting, all present had the opportunity to speak to His Holiness and to receive the guidance and instructions of His Holiness on a range of issues. Speaking to the National Talim Secretary, responsible for the Education of the members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Nigeria, His Holiness said that the department should guide Ahmadi Muslim students throughout their education. Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said: “You should form a counselling and guidance committee. The purpose of the committee will be to guide and counsel the students who are secondary school-going students and guide them what further education they can pursue according to the local conditions and the local requirement.” His Holiness also advised the National Tarbiyyat Secretary, the secretary responsible for the moral training of Ahmadi Muslims, to ensure Ahmadi Muslims living in Nigeria were observant of all Islamic teachings. Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said: “Each and every Ahmadi Muslim should be very particular and punctual in offering five times daily prayers, should be very particular in reciting the Holy Quran, should be very punctual and regular and particular in reading some books of Hadith and of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him). You should prescribe some book also for the members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community that they can read – those books which have been translated into English – so they can read and know what the purpose of the advent of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) is; what did he say, what does he want from us and how an Ahmadi Muslim should behave.” Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad further stated: “If the Tarbiyyat department is active and you have done your job appropriately and in the best manner, then quite a number of other departments will run smoothly.” His Holiness also instructed that in each and every chapter of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Nigeria there should be a local missionary and so, His Holiness said, a detailed plan should be made in this regard to outline how to train missionaries to fulfil this target. Furthermore, His Holiness said that every Amila member should commit their time for a two-week Waqf-e-Arzi period whereby the Amila members dedicate their time for helping teach the Holy Quran to the members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community or to convey the message of Islam to the wider public. As the meeting concluded, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad prayed for the attendees and said: “As I have already guided some of the secretaries, they should work hard according to my instructions and identify where you are lagging behind and see how you can improve. May Allah the Almighty bless you all.”
100 Years Ago… – News highlighting the progress of Ahmadiyyat
Al Fazl, 3-7 June 1919 Hazrat Master Abdur Rahim Nayyarra The peaceful teachings of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat and the practical display of sincerity and loyalty by Ahmadis towards Britain is generating feelings of love in the hearts of several officials. This phenomenon is not confined to India but in fact, it can be observed outside of India as well. Hence, a friend states [from the UK] that a person who had been living with an Ahmadi from a long time went to a British officer in order to find work. When the officer began to interview the applicant and asked about his place of residence, he replied that he lived with an Ahmadi. Thereupon the following discussion took place: Officer: Are you an Ahmadi as well? Applicant: [Afraid that the officer might be offended by the name of an Ahmadi] No sir! Officer: It is strange that you have been living with an Ahmadi for such a long time, but you have not accepted the truth. Go and become an Ahmadi first and come back (on a certain date). We are grateful to Allah the Almighty that several officials have reverance for the honesty, sincerity and loyal sentiments of Ahmadis. A pious judge News has come in from a foreign country that opponents have filed a false case against Ahmadis. Before appearing in court, the Ahmadi lawyer handed over several books of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat to the judge in order to inform him about its beliefs. The honorable judge read these books and said: “Before reading these books, I used to believe that the Holy Prophet[sa] was (God forbid) a dishonest and deceitful person. However, after going through these books, my point of view changed, so much so that my wife and I began to constantly repent and in fact, we became quite perturbed for our wellbeing.” May Allah the Almighty enable him to become an Ahmadi Muslim. An officer’s life saved The young man who saved the life of Lieutenant […] at Hafizabad railway station was Bashir Hayat Ahmadi, son of sub-inspector, Muhammad Hayat Sahib Ahmadi. We are proud at the loyal act of this Ahmadi gentleman. The promulgation of Ahmadiyyat in Rohilkhand Hafiz Syed Mukhtar Ahmad Sahib Mukhtar Shahjahanpuri writes: “During the past three years, Ahmadiyyat has progressed and continues to advance parallel to the increase in intensity and vehement opposition in several districts. Since the initiation of opponents’ gatherings, 40 individuals have accepted Ahmadiyyat in Pilibhit Bareilly and Shahjahanpur. The increase in numbers of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat during the past three years has never been witnessed before, even in decades long periods. “It becomes evident from the current climate that as the rising opposition causes difficulty and brings about the loss of wealth and life for Ahmadis, by the grace of Allah the Almighty, it also serves as a remarkable means for the progress, promulgation and introduction of Ahmadiyyat. “The present condition is such that in the last week of April, 15 individuals of Bareilly accepted Ahmadiyyat. Today, two young men of Shahjahanpur sent their requests of Bai‘at. Their acceptance of Ahmadiyyat will be a source of blessings for the Ahmadis of Shahjahanpur, Insha-Allah. Among these gentlemen is Syed Qutbuddin Sahib, son of Maulvi Syed Muinuddin Sahib who translated the book Napoleon Azam. It is quite fascinating that in the same week, when the wording of Maulvi Muinuddin Sahib’s translated book was presented in the article discussing an earthquake as a proof for the meaning of war to also be taken from the word ‘earthquake’, Syed Qutbuddin Sahib entered the pale of Ahmadiyyat.” Syed Qutbuddin Sahib’s request of Bai‘at “Syedi [my master] and Maulai [my leader]; Assalamo Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu!During the past three months, I became well informed by reading the fine works of Jariyullah fi Hulalil Anbiya [the champion of Allah in the mantle of all the prophets], the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdias and several books of beloved Huzoor [Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra]. I carried out discussions about Ahmadiyyat and listened to certain discourses. I attended non-Ahmadi gatherings that were conducted here this year and read several books of theirs. Moreover, I compared some books to each other. Consequently, Allah the Almighty granted me strength to reach this conclusion that Hazrat Jariyullahas [the Promised Messiahas] was truthful and honest in all his claims. Thus, I respectfully request beloved Huzoor to bless me with the honour of Bai‘at and pray for me to remain resolute and steadfast. Your servant, Syed Qutbuddin.” Syed Shujaat Hussain Sahib’s request of Bai‘at “Syedi [my master] and Maulai [my leader]; Assalamo Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu! I had the opportunity to examine several books of the Promised Messiahas here. Once I finished reading Kitab-ul-Bariyyah, by the grace of Allah the Almighty, the truth became completely manifest upon me and I was fully satisfied that the Promised Messiahas was truthful in all his claims. Now, I wish that beloved Huzoor [Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra] bless me with the honour of Bai‘at and pray that I remain resolute and steadfast. Wassalam; Your humble servant, Shujaat Hussain of Shahjahanpur, Overseer at the Court of […].”
Islam – Introduction
What does Islam really teach? What are its fundamental beliefs, and what are the actions it enjoins? What is the Qur’an, and what wisdom does it contain? These pages seek to answer these questions, and give the reader a perfect starting point to learn about this great faith. We start with the Articles of Faith, which are the six core beliefs of Islam. As it is a key principle in Islam that belief must be put into action, we then move onto the Pillars of Faith, which are the five key religious acts to be performed by Muslims. Thereafter we discuss the Qur’an, and offer an overview of Islamic History. Please note that the letters (sa)/pbuh or (as) appearing after the name of the Prophet Muhammadsa and other Prophets respectively, indicates an Arabic honorific translating to ‘peace be upon him.’ (ra) indicates ‘May Allah be pleased with him/her.’ Further Learning Once you’ve exhausted the pages on this website, you may want to know where else you can learn about Islam! For that reason, we’ve compiled some further sources of education below. Books An Elementary Study of Islam By Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad This book, written by the blessed 4th Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, provides an insightful overview of the core teachings of Islam. Much of this section is excerpted from this wonderful introduction. Read it now. Holy Qur’an with Short Commentary This publication of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a perfect introduction to the text of the Qur’an itself. With an easy-to-read English translation, and commentary summarised from the 2nd Khalifa’s, the book constitutes a short but in-depth primer to Qur’anic scholarship. Read it online or by PDF. Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam By Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad This classic of Ahmadiyya literature has introduced countless souls to the world of Islam. A deep and revolutionary analysis of the Islamic teachings by the Promised Messiah himself. Enlightenment awaits! Read it now. You can find countless more books freely available on the Alislam library. Multimedia MTA International The revolutionary broadcasting channel of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, MTA (Muslim Television Ahmadiyya) now has several different channels with endless content on Islam 24/7. See it on YouTube, watch live on its website, or visit channel 787 on Sky TV. Alislam.org Alislam is the international homepage of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. It is a repository of information on Islam and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, featuring thousands of books, articles, and hours of media production. Visit Alislam now. Ask Islam This is a treasure-trove of information on every subject, excerpted from audio recordings of the late 4th Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad. Just search your query, and find an answer! Visit now. The Tahir Archive This YouTube channel collects all the video material of the 4th Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad. Here you can find full original Q&A sessions, lectures delving into the depths of Holy Qur’an teachings, and videos with translations into many of the world’s languages. A must watch for further education on Islam. Watch it online here. Articles of Faith Belief in God’s Unity The following article was written by the 4th Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, in his much-lauded book, An Elementary Study of Islam. *** This seems to be a rather simple and elementary concept. It should not be difficult for anybody to understand the oneness of God, and there the matter seems to rest. But in fact there is far more to this than meets the eye. When one examines the concept of Unity in depth, the entire world of religion seems to revolve around this pivotal point. This belief influences man’s life in all its aspects. It also implies the negation of all else but God. So belief in the oneness of God is not the end-all of belief, but all other beliefs spring from this fountain-head of eternal truth. This also delivers a message of liberation from all other yokes and releases man from all obligations except such as is born out of his submission to God. This article has been further elucidated from different angles, both in the Holy Qur’an and the traditions of the Holy Prophet(sa) of Islam. For instance, the declaration ‘La houl wala quat illa Billah’ (There is no all-encompassing power except Allah) opens up new windows for a deeper and wider understanding of Unity. It negates all fears other than the fear of God. The second part of the same brings to the focus of attention another very important aspect of Unity, i.e. that the power to achieve good is solely dependent on God and that He is Master of all sources of strength and energy. Hence while the first part relates to the negative aspects of power, the second part relates to the positive. In application to human actions, intentions and motivations etc., these two forces are all-encompassing. Man’s intentions and his subsequent actions are always guided and controlled either by fear or hope and there is no exception to this rule. Those who do good deeds do so out of fear and hope, and those who indulge in vices are motivated by the same. The fears of non-believers belong to the negative ungodly category, and they shape their lives in accordance with these worldly fears. Sometimes they are afraid of earning the displeasure of monarchs and authorities, sometimes they are afraid of society in general or of despots and bullies. Again, sometimes they act evilly out of a fear of poverty and loss etc. So, in a world full of vices, a large part of human actions can be explained with reference to these fears. The belief in Unity dispels these fears altogether and brings to one’s mind the importance of the fear of God, which means that one must not be afraid of the displeasure of the ungodly, but should always endeavour to avoid displeasing God and shape one’s life according to that fear alone. In the positive sense, the same applies to all human motivations and consequent
Introduction to Islam
What does Islam really teach? What are its fundamental beliefs, and what are the actions it enjoins? What is the Qur’an, and what wisdom does it contain? These pages seek to answer these questions, and give the reader a perfect starting point to learn about this great faith. We start with the Articles of Faith, which are the six core beliefs of Islam. As it is a key principle in Islam that belief must be put into action, we then move onto the Pillars of Faith, which are the five key religious acts to be performed by Muslims. Thereafter we discuss the Qur’an, and offer an overview of Islamic History. Please note that the letters (sa)/pbuh or (as) appearing after the name of the Prophet Muhammadsa and other Prophets respectively, indicates an Arabic honorific translating to ‘peace be upon him.’ (ra) indicates ‘May Allah be pleased with him/her.’ Further Learning Once you’ve exhausted the pages on this website, you may want to know where else you can learn about Islam! For that reason, we’ve compiled some further sources of education below. Books An Elementary Study of Islam By Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad This book, written by the blessed 4th Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, provides an insightful overview of the core teachings of Islam. Much of this section is excerpted from this wonderful introduction. Read it now. Holy Qur’an with Short Commentary This publication of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a perfect introduction to the text of the Qur’an itself. With an easy-to-read English translation, and commentary summarised from the 2nd Khalifa’s, the book constitutes a short but in-depth primer to Qur’anic scholarship. Read it online or by PDF. Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam By Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad This classic of Ahmadiyya literature has introduced countless souls to the world of Islam. A deep and revolutionary analysis of the Islamic teachings by the Promised Messiah himself. Enlightenment awaits! Read it now. You can find countless more books freely available on the Alislam library. Multimedia MTA International The revolutionary broadcasting channel of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, MTA (Muslim Television Ahmadiyya) now has several different channels with endless content on Islam 24/7. See it on YouTube, watch live on its website, or visit channel 787 on Sky TV. Alislam.org Alislam is the international homepage of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. It is a repository of information on Islam and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, featuring thousands of books, articles, and hours of media production. Visit Alislam now. Ask Islam This is a treasure-trove of information on every subject, excerpted from audio recordings of the late 4th Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad. Just search your query, and find an answer! Visit now. The Tahir Archive This YouTube channel collects all the video material of the 4th Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad. Here you can find full original Q&A sessions, lectures delving into the depths of Holy Qur’an teachings, and videos with translations into many of the world’s languages. A must watch for further education on Islam. Watch it online here.
Culture vs Religion
A live interactive English talk show series exploring various matters relating to Islam, the beacon of truth. Presentation of MTA studios Canada. recorded on 17th February 2019.
Future of Ahmadiyya in Nigeria: Beyond the first century
The root of Ahmadiyya Nigeria Muslim Jamaat was planted in 1916 when the spread of the message of the Promised Messiah, Hazrat Ghulam Ahmad was brought to the newly amalgamated Northern and Southern protectorates in Nigeria. Ahmadiyya took its root in 1889 in Qadian, now Pakistan while its flame has since spread the message of peace across all corners of the world. The 64th annual convention (Jalsa Salana) that marks our 100 years anniversary celebration calls for a deep reflection on the contributions of the Jamaat to Nigeria’s development. Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat has contributed immeasurably to the spread of Islamic teachings and moral parsimony in the most populous black nation since its debut in a century. With 493 branches across all states in the federation, the Jamaat has widespread acceptance and highest membership in Africa and ‘Top Ten’ among other nations across the world. Ahmadiyya has scored first in many areas of human endeavours in Nigeria. The Truth, the first Muslim newspaper established by the Jamaat in 1966 still publishes regularly till date. Muslim elementary and secondary institutions were pioneered for western, moral and Islamic teachings. In the area of healthcare, Ahmadiyya has contributed in no small measure with the establishment of hospitals, yet the first by any Muslim organization in Nigeria. Ahmadiyya youth has fully participated in virtually all youth programmes in Nigeria. Our members have excelled in all spheres of human endeavour. However, the theme of this convention, “Redefining Moral Revolution for Sustainable Peace and Development: Post-Hundred Years of Ahmadiyya in Nigeria” is a reflection of the current events in our ever-changing world replete with corruption, violence/terrorism and moral decadence. Without moral regeneration in our society today, there will be no meaningful development. Ahmadiyya Jamaat will continue to support efforts to redefine our moral revolution, including creating and maintaining sustainable peace and development. Ahmadiyya has taken giant leap in our quest to creating a nation devoid of vices inimical to our nation’s growth through the training of our youth on moral principles in our schools. We have sponsored radio and television programmes including periodic programmes organized for Nigerians irrespective of ethnic, political and religious affiliations to impart moral teachings. Our members are ambassadors who carry the message of peace in their daily endeavour, living up to our principle of “Love for All, Hatred for None”. Our nation’s growth is no doubt inhibited by myriad of vices that bedevil us. Redefining our moral principles must be done now to avert national calamity. The federal government’s effort to rid the country of corruption is a good step in the right direction. We however need to do more. Our school curriculum must be reviewed to include moral teachings for our pupils. The youth must be taught the creed of ‘hard work that pays’ to stem corruption while those who have pillaged our resources must be prosecuted and duly penalized having betrayed the trust reposed in them. Governments at all levels must be fair to all in accessing and distribution of nation’s resources. Equal employment opportunities and social security must be provided for our women, unemployed youth and the aged. Only in this way can we attain sustainable peace for meaningful development. Oguntayo is of the Publicity Committee, Centenary Celebration, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamat, Nigeria. Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/future-ahmadiyya-nigeria-beyond-first-century/
100 years of Ahmadiyya in Nigeria: A brief appraisal
“…….and if He(Allah) intends good for thee, there is none who can repel His grace…….”(Q. 10: 108) The history of the establishment of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at in Nigeria in 1916 (formally), for there are some evidence of its having been heard of in the country as early as between 1913 and 1914), was more of circumstantial (borne out of the condition of the Muslims at the time) rather than as a result of a yearning for true religion (Islam) by most of the pioneering converts. This explains why some of the pioneer members broke away from the Jama’at between 1920 to 1924, on various flimsy excuses, to form their own groups/societies, even without having really had any fair understanding of what Ahmadiyyat was really about; having had just a little taste of the Jama’at Administrative standard from the first expatriate Missionary to Nigeria, Malana Abdur Raheem Nayyar. It needs to be recalled that the first five years of the establishment of the Jama’at in Nigeria (1916 -1921) was a period when it was the pioneer members, who were not yet trained in the principles and values (Nizam) of the Jama’at, who were the sole determiners and decision-makers on how the Jama’at was then to be run and at what pace, with little or no input from the Jama’at headquarters, then ONLY based in Qadian, India, which was also the Seat of the Khalifa. Their main and major contact with the headquarters during this early period was through some books and pamphlets being sent to them from Markaz for their guidance, and occasional letters or Tele/Cablegrams on some minor issues. In other words, though they signed the baiat of the Jama’at, they continued to administer the Jama’at along the same line in which they were administering their erstwhile Muslim Literary Society, which later metamorphosed into the foundation of the Jama’at; as there was no well-groomed Ahmadi Missionary to train them. This situation also, perhaps, explains why there was no record/evidence of the Jama’at ever spreading beyond the Lagos Island during this period. However, the establishment of the time it took place in Nigeria (1916 to be specific), twenty-seven years after its inauguration by Allah through the hands of the Promised Messiah (a.s.) in 1889, whatever form or coloration it might assume then, was a clear fulfillment of Allah’s assurance to the Promised Messiah (a.s.) in 1886 that: “I Shall convey thy message to all the corners of the earth.” It was also a vindication of the divine ordination of Hazrat Mirza Ghu-lam Ahmad as the Promised Messiah/Imam Mahdi (a.s.). After all, Allah Himself vows that: “If he had forged (and attributed) any saying to Us, We would Surely, have seized him by the right hand, And then, surely, We would have cut his life vein; And not one of you could have Held (Our Punishment) off him.” (Q. 69: 45 – 48) The First Test of Faith The first test of faith, loyalty, and commitment came on the…
