Flowers for the Women Wearing Veils - Volume I

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! ! ! Al - Azhār u Li Dh awātil - Kh a mār Orhnī W ā liyoń Kei Liye Phūl Flowers for the Women Wearing Veils Volume 1 A Collection o f Addresses t o W omen Delivered by Ha z rat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra Compiled by Ha z rat Sayyeda Umm - e - Mateen Maryam Siddiqa National Sadr , Lajna Ima’illah (Served as National Sadr Pakistan from August 1958 – November 1997)

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! ! ! Flowers for the Women Wearing Veils Volume 1 Publisher: Lajna Ima’illah, USA 15000 Good Hope Rd Silver Spring, MD 20905 - 4120 Phone: +1 - 301 - 879 - 0110 Fax: +1 - 301 - 879 - 0115 Translation: Sadiqa Mian & Nila Ahmad, ( Lajna USA Translation T eam ) Cover Design , L ayout & Arabic Script : Naila Kanwal Butt, ( Lajna USA Isha’at Department ) ISBN: 978 - 1 - 7339432 - 4 - 6 All rights reserved.No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.All inquiries and requests for information should be sent to ishaat@lajnausa.net.

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! ! ! Acknowledgements We are deeply grateful to Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih V ab for granting Lajna USA permission to execute the translation of these auspicious sermons given by Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra.We were indeed blessed with Huzoor’s perceptive insight and invaluable guidance throughout this project.May Allah also bless all those who devoted their skill and time to render this most important book into English.Our heartfelt thanks go to all those who contributed to this project.The translation work for this volume of addresses to women by Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra was initiated in 2007 under Dr.Shanaz Butt, who served as Sadr Lajna USA 2000 - 2010.Sadiqa Mian took on the project initially serving as Translations in - charge assisted by Sadia Munir and Nadia Ahmad.There were many volunteers at this stage too numerous to list, who helped with translations.The reviewers of the initial project included Aasilah Faheem, Dr.Amtul Ahmad, Dr.Aziza Rahman, Mubarika Shah, Sadka Ahmad, Shazia Sohail , Tazeen Ahmad and Bushra Salam - Bajwa.The initial project was sent to Markaz for review in 2011 under Saliha Malik, who served as Sadr Lajna USA 2010 – 2018.Upon receiving extensive advice from Walakat - e - Tasnif in 2013, she appointed Nila Ahmad to rework the translation for a cohesive and integrated standard.Saliha Malik then served as Editor - in - charge from 2019 for the final copy and it was prepared for printing by Naila Kanwal Butt, member of Lajna USA Isha’at Department.May Allah bless this work , and may it be a source of spiritual enlightenment and knowledge to all who read and reflect upon this vast treasure of invaluable advice given to women by Khalifat - ul - Masih II, Hazrat Bashir - ud - Din Mahmud Ahmad ra , Amīn.The Lajna Ima’illah (Assembly of the Maidservants of God) is an international Muslim women’s organization, established by Hazrat Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra , the second successor to the Promised Messiah as , as a vital branch of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.The Lajna Ima’illah’s objectives are to serve the spiritual and intellectual development of Ahmadi Muslim women, to enable them to raise their children in the practice of Islam and to serve humanity through beneficial programs.

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! ! ! ! ا ﻟ ﺮ ﱠ ِﺟ ' ِﻢ ا ﻟ ﺸ ﱠ 'ۡ َﻄ ٰــ ـ ﻦ 1 ِﻣ َﻦ 3ِ ﺎ 5 6ِ أ ﻋ ﻮ ُذ ا ﻟ ﺮ ﱠ ِﺣ =ۡ ِﻢ ا ﻟ ﺮ ﱠ ۡﺣ ٰﻤ ﻦ 1 ا 5 ?ِ @ِ ۡﺴ ِﻢ َحن َﻤ ُﺪ ٥ َو ُﻧ َﺼ ّﻠ ِﻲ َﻋ ﻠ َﻰ ر ُﺳ ﻮ ِﻟ ﻪ ا ﻟ َﻜ ِﺮ مي ا مل ﻮ ُﻋ ﻮ د ا مل ﺴ ﻴ ﺢ ٥ ﻋ ﺒ ﺪ َو ﻋ ﻠ َﻰ ﺳ ﺎ ﺗ ﮫ E ر ﺣ ﻢ ا و ر ﻓ ﻀ ﻞ E ُﺧ ﺪ ا M ﻮ ا ﻟ ﻨ ﺎ O P I seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the rejected.In the name of Allah , Most Gracious, Ever Merciful We praise and invoke blessings on His Noble Messenger And His servant, the Promised Messiah With Allah ’s Blessings and Mercy He is the Helper

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! ! ! For the utmost progress of the religion of Muhammad sa You have devoted your youth and old age May Allah bestow countless rewards up on you Your favors are countless upon us Ha z r at M irza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra

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! ! 1 T ABLE OF C ONTENTS Volume 1 Subject of Address Page Glossary 4 Abbreviations 6 Foreword 7 Foreword for this Edition 9 1.Mothers S hould I nculcate G ood M orals in their C hildren 1 0 2.Adopt Piety, so that Your Children Grow to be Pious 1 1 3.A ddress to the Ladies : Lahore , July 8, 1915 1 3 4.Address to the Ladies : Shimla , October 6, 1917 2 7 5.Listen to the Sermon, with the Intention of Acting upon it : Sialkot, April 12, 1920 4 8 6.Address to the Ladies at Jalsa Salana : December 1 921 66 7.The I nitial A ppeal for the C reation of Lajna Ima’illah :1922 74 8.Address t o the Ladies at Jalsa Salana : Qadian, December 1922 78 9.Three - P art L ectur e , First S peech: February 5, 1923 87 10.Second S peech : February 11, 1923 106 11.Third S peech: March 5, 1923 1 29 12.Address to La jna in Friday Sermon : February 2, 1923 1 38 13.Appeal for the C onstruction of the Ahmadiyya M osque in Berlin : March 2, 1923 1 43 14.The E ducation and T raining of Ahmadi C hildren : June 29, 1923 1 50 15.Address to the Ladies at Jalsa Salana : December 28, 1924 1 61 16.Importance and N eed for the E ducation and M oral T raining of Ahmadi W omen: March 17 , 1925 1 65 17.Can a Y oung W oman P resent her P arents with her M ehr ? July 24, 1925 1 72 18.Important G uidelines for P arents R egarding their C hildren’s M oral T raining:1925 1 82 19.An Admonition to Ahmadi W omen:1925 203 20.Some I mportant P oints on the E ducation and T raining of Ahmadi W omen : May 1926 216 21.Address to S tudents of the Women’s Educational Institute 222

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! ! 2 22.Address to the Ladies at Jalsa Salana : D ecember 27, 1926 227 23.Address to Lajna: March 22, 1927 229 24.C ultivate Awareness and Realization among W omen 231 25.Letter to Women Regarding their P u rda h 232 26.A C l arification of Islamic P u rdah 237 27.A Further Conversation on P u rdah 241 28.The Women of the Ahmadiyya Jama'at Should Take Note 243 29.An Address to Lajna 246 30.Address to the Ladies at the O ccasion of Jalsa Salana : 1928 2 50 31.Respect the L aw and do not be A fraid of D ifference s of O pinion 2 55 32.Address to the Ladies at the Occasion of Jalsa Salana : December 28, 1929 2 60 33.Women’s R ight to Representation at Majlis - e - Mushawarat 2 77 34.Marriage C ustoms and their Reformation 2 81 35.Address to the Ladies at Jalsa Salana : December 1930 2 85 36.Duty of Ahmadi W ome n at this Time 2 98 37.Address at the Inauguration of the F.A.C lass 303 38.Instill Courage and B ravery in W omen 306 39.An Appeal to Ahmadi W omen for the R epair of the London M osque 312 40.The Educational P rogress of Ahmadi W omen : September 13, 1931 3 15 41.A Summary of the A ddress to the Ladies at Jalsa Salana : December 1931 3 20 42.Address to the Ladies at Jals a Salana : 1932 324 43.Obtain T rue K nowledge: 1933 334 44.Address to the Ladies at Jalsa Salana : 1934 340 45.Hazrat Khalifat - ul - Masih II’s ra Instructions Regarding the Moral Train ing of C hildren: December 27, 1935 350 46.Address to the Ladies at Jalsa Salana : 1936 3 55 47.A C hild’s Upbringing is De pendent U pon the M other’s Moral State 3 75 48.We S hould Pay Great Attention to Reformation: April 1, 1938 3 77 49.Lajna S hould be E s tablished E verywhere and All Adult Ahmadi Women Should be Made Members : October 28, 1938 3 78

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! ! 3 50.Recognize your R esponsibilities R egarding the Tr aining of your C hildren and Apply All the Principles of T a hrik - e - Jadid within your Daily Lives: December 27, 1938 3 80 51.Address to Lajna on the Auspicious Occasion of the Khilafat Jubilee: December 27, 1939 3 94 52.Women are Not a Separate E ntity from M en : December 27, 1940 408 53.Address to the Ladies at the Occasion of Jalsa Salana : December 27, 1941 419 54.Reform your Practical Life and Establish Lajna Ima’illah Everywhere: December 26, 1942 430 55.Address to the Ladies at the Occasion of Jalsa Salana : 1943 439 56.Address to the Ladies at the Occasion of Jalsa Salana: 20 Hijrah 1923 452 57.Methods for the Religious Education and Moral Training of Wo men 457 58.A Revelation of Gl ad T idings : April 26, 1944 464 59.T ranslation s of the Holy Qur’ān into F oreign L anguages and Lajna Ima’illa h 465 60.Every Ahmadi Woman is the True Daughter of Eve: December 25, 1944 466 61.Ahmadi W omen and the T raining of C hildren : January 25, 1946 490 62.Praise of the Work of Qadian’s Ahmadi W omen and an Expression of Approval : Febr ua ry 15, 1942 4 98 63.Responsibility for Tabligh and Ahmadi W omen : October 1, 1946 500 64.Awaken your E motions and be Mindful of your Faith: December 27, 1946 524 65.Four I mportant Exhortations: December 28, 1946 526 66.Safeguarding the R ights of W omen : Jan ua ry 31, 1947 530 67.Payment of C handa from J ewelry and Inheritance: April 11, 1947 533 68.A New E ra of Misbah M agazine 535 69.T a hrik Scheme of Chanda for Berlin M osque : July 20, 1923 536 70.Friday S ermon : July 27, 1923 537

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! ! 4 Glossary Ādamī A person from Adam / human beings Adh ā n Call to Prayer Al H amdu L illah All praise belongs to Allah Al - Fazl A publication of the Ahmadiyya Community Anjuman Governing body / office in charge of administrative affairs of the Community Bai‘at Pledge of allegiance at the hands of a P rophet or his successor Burqa O uter garment / covering according to Islamic Purdah Chanda Donation(s) / financial sacrifice Dars Religious Lecture (s) Doli A curtain ed carriage carried by men to transport women Fardh Obligatory prayer Hadith Saying of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa Hazrat His Holiness / Her Holiness Huzoor Your Honor / Holiness, His Honor / Holiness Ijtema Gathering / refers to gatherings of the women’s auxiliary Imam A person who leads the prayers / leader Insaan Human (lit.two loves) In S ha’Allah God willing Islam Peace , purity, submission and obedience to the will of God It i kaf Seclusion for prayers in the last ten days of Ramadhan Jalsa Salana Annual Convention of the Ahmadiyya Community Jama ‘ at Community / Ahmadiyya Mu sl im Community Jihad Striving to attain nearness to Allah/ struggle against evil inclinations / fighting in self - defense against an enemy Kalima Shahada Declaration of Islamic Faith Khalifa Caliph, successor, vicegerent Khalifat - ul - Masih Successor to the Promised Messiah Khātamun - Nabiyyin Seal of the Prophets

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! ! 5 Khilafat System of Caliphate: the successor to the Prophet Majlis - e - Mushawarat An assembly of Jama ‘ at representatives for mutual consultation Marasi Street singer /village entertainer Markaz Headquarters Maulvi Religious cleric / may be an earned degree holder Maulvi Fazl A degree in Islamic education Mehr M oney a husband gives to his wife upon marriage Mian A term of endearment Mi‘raj The apex of spiritual ity/ the event mentioned in Surah An - Najm Nawafil / Nafl Voluntary Prayers Na’ udhu Billah We seek refuge with Allah / God forbid Nikah Muslim Marriage contract / sermon Pathans Et h nic Afghans Purdah Islamic concept of modest covering Rabb Lord / Nurturer / Sustainer Sahabiat Female companions of the Holy Prophet sa Salaam Greeting of peace Salāt Formal prayer Shariah The Islamic Law Shirk Associating partners with God Siddiq Truthful Sunnah Blessed p ractices / actions of the Holy Prophet sa Tabligh Propagation of the faith Taqwa Love and fear of God / righteousness Tarbiyat Moral training Tayyiba Pure Ummah Spiritual community / followers Waqf Lifelong devotion to religious services f or the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Waqif(een) Lifelong devotee(s) of the Ahmadiyya Community Wudu Ablution

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! ! 6 Abbreviations The following abbreviations have been used in superscript.Readers are urged to recite the full salutations: sa sallal lā hu ‘alaihi wa sallam , meaning ‘may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him’ is written after the name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.as ‘ alaihis - sala a m , meaning ‘may peace be upon him’ is written after the names of Prophets other than the Holy Prophet Muhammad as.ra r ad i y a llahu ’ anhu/’anha/’anhum , meaning ‘may Allah be pleased with him/her/them’ is written after the names of the Companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa or of the Promised Messiah as.rh rahimullah ta’ala meaning ‘may Allah shower His Mercy upon him’ is written after the names of deceased pious Muslims who are not Companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa or of the Promised Messiah as.ab ayyadahullahu ta’ala bi - nasrihil - ‘aziz meaning ‘ may Allah be his H elper ’ and is used at the mention of the current Khalifa ab.

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! ! 7 F OREWORD By Hazrat Sayyeda Umme - Mateen Maryam Siddiqa rh ( May the Most High grant her a long life ) National Sadr , Lajna Ima’illah Throughout his Khilafat, Ha z rat Musleh Mau‘ud ra addressed women in various gatherings for the objective of their moral training.These speeches comprise a vast treasure of knowledge, through which he enlightened the Lajna up on various aspects of spiritual knowledge, emphasized their moral training and drew their attention towards their national responsibilities.A t times , he highlig h ted the key points o f moral training of their children and at other times he developed their own natural abilities.Such speeches , therefore, will always serve as a guiding light for women.In f ulfilling his desire, I compiled a collection of Hazrat Musleh Mau ‘ ud ’s ra speeches for publication in 1946.In one of his addresses, he explained : “ Moral training is necessary to accomplish this purpose.M ere lectures will not accomplish this task.To this end, i t is imperat ive to create a manual for the nation and to write a book , outlining how women should raise their children.This must be done , so that women can read from it and implement it with in their lives.Otherwise , it would be im possible for one to keep files of the Daily A l - F azl [a publication of the Ahmadiyya Community] or the Review on hand , mark the pertinent points where training issues are mentioned , and regularly ref er to them in order to implement th ose objectives.However, if such material is collected in one volume and is either included in our women’s c oursework [of study] or is read on its own whilst applying it in their lives, it could prove to be most beneficial.” (December 1, 1928) The previo us edition consisted of addresses up un til 1944.Now that this blessed personality who came to be the means of “…procuring the release of those held in bondage” is no longer among us, it was necessary to reprint the collection of all his speeches , in order that women act upon his advice and the Lajna benefit from it wh en putting together their programs.An effort has

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! ! 8 been made to publish within this collection, each and every speech Ha z rat Musleh Mau‘ud ra gave concerning women.It is possible that a speech may have been overlooked in the compilation of this book.If any b rother or sister is aware of a ny speech or directive of Ha z rat Musleh Mau‘ud ra , which has been previously printed in some newspaper , but has been left out of this collection, then certainly inform me.It will be included in a future edition.My fellow sisters should now purchase this book, study it and foll ow the advice of Ha z rat Musleh Mau‘ ud ra.They should continue to pray for this benefactor of women who spent his nights and days in search of the ways and means for their progress and welfare.May Allah enable you in this endeavor , Am ī n.In the preparation of this book, respected Abdul Bari Qayyum has greatly assisted me in photo copying speeches from the Al - F azl archives and locating and duplicating a number of speeches from various newspapers.I am grateful to him.May Allah grant him a good reward.Respected Sheikh Khurshid Ahmad, Assistant Editor of Al - F azl, and his dear wife , Mrs.Amtul Latif, Secretary Publications of the National Lajna Ima’illah , were entrusted with the entire workload of printing.They were absorbed night and day in the task of successfully printing this book.May God Almighty grant them a good reward.Regarding the distribution of this book, Lajna should make every effort that at least one copy of this book reaches every Ahmadi household.This book is a vast treasure of precious advice from Haz rat Musleh - e - Mau‘ud ra , t he reading of which is essential for Ahmadi women , in order that they may mold their lives within its halo of light, thus living in accordance to the Holy Qur’ān and fulfill ing their responsibilities in the best manner , A m ī n Allah umma Am ī n.Humbly, Maryam Siddiqa National Sadr , Lajna Ima’illah ( Served as National Sadr Pakistan f rom August 1958 - November 1997)

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! ! 9 Foreword for this Edition W hen Hazrat Musleh Mau ‘u d ra delivered his addresses and speeches in the early years, there was no concept of ‘Lajna Ima’illah’ and so the educational and spiritual standard of women was lacking.Hazrat Musleh Mau ‘u d ra countered this by empowering women through establishing Lajna Ima’illah as an organi z ation in 1922 , and nurturing its progress.Hence at many places Hazrat Musleh Mau ‘u d ra , particularly in the early years, alludes to this reality and addresses the women to ignite a sense of honor amongst them so as to awaken the desire to become more empowered and less reliant on men for their religious understanding.Furthermore, Hazrat Musleh Mau‘ud ra recognized the importance of re - establishing women’s status in the community according to the true teachings of Islam during these years.He helped them to realize that God has given them their rights and they must come forward to partic i pate in the service of religion alongside the men , and the Jama'at could not progress without their equal involvement.In this way, the women learned to advance themselves by utiliz ing their hidden capacities as they took up the responsibilities that were required of them.May these addresses continue to uplift women of every age and help them to recognize their potential educationally and spiritually.May they always be ready to serve the Jama'at in striving to please Allah and in doing so come near to Him, Am ī n.Saliha Malik Editor - in - charge

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! ! 10 !ِ ۡﺴ ِﻢ ا ( )ِ ا ﻟ ﺮ ﱠ ۡﺣ ٰﻤ ﻦ 1 ا ﻟ ﺮ ﱠ ِﺣ 2ۡ ِﻢ َﻧ ﺤ َﻤ ُﺪ ٥ َو ُﻧ ِﺼ ; <ُ َﻋ ;َ ر ُﺳ ُﻮ ِﻟ ﻪ ا ﻟ B C D 1 E ﻢ In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Ever Merciful.We praise and invoke blessings on His Noble Messenger.Mothers Should Inculcate Good Morals in their Children Delivered by Ha z rat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih I I ra There are such people who provoke their children by raising their hands whilst s houting , “Should I strike you? ” I have observed that after one or two instances, the child begins to make th ose very same facial expression s and rais es his hand in the same manner , crying out “Shall I strike you?” Certain foolish people show their children affection by using offensive language.T he child then retaliates by using vulgar language in the same way.There are also those women who constantly speak to their children with an angry expression or frown up on their face and , in turn, their children develop the habit of conversing with an angry countenance.Contrary to this, women who are cheerful and who are in the habit of treating their children kindly, raise child ren who are likewise cheerful.Mothers should treat their children in such a manner so that if their children imitated them, it w ould not cause children humiliat ion or embarrass ment for the rest of their lives.Rather [they should raise them in such a manner that] they improve their moral behavior forever.( Al - F azl , September 3, 1913)

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! ! 11 Adopt Piety , so that Y our Children Grow to be Pious Address to the Ladies Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra ! Only that child will be without religion or averse to religion, whose parents ridicule religion in his presence ( , [ Illa Masha’ Allah ] except what God has wi ll ed ).If a mother does not offer Salāt and does not confer significance to the prescribed time of Salāt , it is certain that the son will do the same when he grows up.I have often observed that even if the child cannot comprehend [what he says] , he will offer the r ak’at of Sal ā t in the same manner as his parents at the time of prayer, if they are regular in offering Salāt.This is a truly blessed habit , which will inevitably help him when he is grown.It is t hese initial seeds which yield the kind of pleasant fruit that cannot be acquired later in life, no matter how much money is spent.When something is acquired, a mother should say to the child that this has been sent to us by Allah, W ho provides for us, fulfills our needs and heeds our supplications.We should be grateful to Him.At mealtime s , a mother should cas ually point out to her child the effort and the series of events which take place for th e food to be finally presented before the child , requiring no effort on the child’s part.[The mother should point out and say to the child], ‘ This is all due to the favor of that Holy Lord , W ho firstly cre ated all of this , and secondly provided the means for it to be prepared for you.Now, i t is that same Holy Lord W ho makes it beneficial for you.’ Likewise, when putting the ir child to bed, if mothers wish , they can draw the child’s attention to the stars, the moon , and the sky.D uring the da y, they can highlight other phenomenon of nature , which will encourage h im to focus his attention towards God Almighty.I particularly wish for Ahmadi mothers to direct their attention towards this matte r and that they should constantly strive to inspire a feeling of devotion to Allah in their small, young children.Instead of

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! ! 12 sharing absurd, nonsensical, and immoral tales with them , relate beneficial stories with a moral , which will help them to be more religious.Do not say anything in their presence which could be the basis for instilling immoral behaviors in t hem.If a child unwittingly speaks or behaves in an un - Islam ic manner, he or she should immediately be stopped.S t r ive to always inculcate a love for Allah with in th eir heart s.Do not let your children wander loose ; do not let them be so free that they begin to violate Shariah [ the Islamic law ].Keep their activities in check and always supervise them.D o not become unmindful after entrusting your young children to maidservants, since many i lls develop solely due to this early negligence.A mother is often pleased when she sends her child out , thinking , ‘N ow I will have some time for myself.’ L ittle does she know the sort of company her child keeps and the negative impressi ons he has formed from witnessing various scenes which will pro ve extremely damaging in the future.Thus, beware that a little bit of care now serves as protection against countless dangers ahead.Be pious and Godly yourselves so that when your children are grown, they are also pious and Godly.( Al - Fazl , September 10, 1913)

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! ! 13 Address to the Ladies Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra July 8, 1915 , in Lahore The Division of Human Beings God Almighty has created man in two forms: male and female.All human beings are divided into these two categories.Hence, the various Shariah s that have been sent by God Almighty address e d not only men , but also women.However, when ignorance and waywardness spread throughout the world, many people wish to release themselves from the obligations of Shariah.J ust as a wild bull and a headstrong horse are eager to escape their harness by slipping their necks from it , so too do people as ignorance increases, attempt to free themselves from the commands of Shariah by hiding behind any possible excuse.In time s such as this, when Islam faces difficulty , Muslims have forgotten the Holy Qur’ān and God Almighty ’s commandments.Wherever men have generally begun to liberate themselves from the Shariah , nearly all women, with very few exceptions, have followed suit.The underlying reason for this i s that such women never fully comprehend ed the philosophy of the Shariah , and having stumbled, they strayed onto a d ifferent path.Yet, the Word of God was revealed for women , just as it was for men.The Rights of Men and Women If an ignorant person, due to lack of knowledge , makes a statement to the effect that, “ m en possess absolut e rights” or that “women hold all rights,” th is is indicat ive of that indiv i dual’s narrow - mindedness and shortsightedness.This is because in the sight of God Almighty, m e n and wom e n are both equal.He has created both and i f a man breaks His rules and a woman remains obedient, then that woman is far superior to the man in the sight of God Almighty.Similarly, i f a woman disobeys the commands of God Almighty in some way, and the man remains obedient, then that man is far superior

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! ! 14 to th e w oman in the sight of God Almighty.As God Almighty is the Creator of both , He is not exclusively connected with eithe r.I n His sight, the two are equal.Thus , the message He has sent is not only for men , but also for women.However, due to Muslim people’s lack of education and their ignorance of the Shariah , vulgarity and lack of spirituality have spread to such an extent, that they [Muslims] have grown distant from Islam.Ignorance and lack of faith are especially prevalent among women.Many women who come to us for b ai ‘ at [ pled ge of allegiance and initiation] cannot even recite the Kalima Shahada [declaration of Islamic faith] which states: ا C ْﺷ َﻬ ُﺪ ا C ْن ﻵ ﱠ ِا ﻟ K َﻪ ِا ﻻ ﱠ Mُ َو ْﺣ َﺪ ٗە َﻻ P Qَ 1 Eْ َﻚ ﻟ C ٗہ َو ا C ْﺷ َﻬ ُﺪ ا C ن ﱠ ُﻣ َﺤ ﻤ ﱠ ًﺪ ا َﻋ Vْ ُﺪ ٗە َو َر ُﺳ ﻮ ﻟ W ٗہ I bear witness that there is no God but Allah , the One , without any partner.A nd I bear witness that Muha mmad sa is His Servant and Hi s Messenger.How succinct is this tenet and what blessings has God Almighty sent down to encapsulate the whole of the Shariah in this phrase.Women memorize many useless poems and are familiar with many tales and stories.However, it has been observed, that when they are asked to recite the declaration of faith , they are unable to do so.Thus , ignorance has spiked among women.However , remember well that the commandments sent down by God Almighty apply equally to both men and women.Just as it is essential for men to act upon them, it is equally crucial for women to do so.Service of W omen to Islam After reflecting up on the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , we see that religio us knowledge has been conveyed to us by men in the same way that it has by women.When we read in the Hadith [saying of the Holy Prophet sa ] , that Ha z rat Abu Bakr ra , Haz rat ‘Umar ra , Haz rat ‘Uthman ra , Haz rat ‘Ali ra , Hazrat Abu Hurairah ra and others, have related an account of the Holy Prophet sa , then by the same token, we also read that Haz rat A’isha h ra , Haz rat Hafsa ra , Haz rat Umme Salma ra also narrated what the Holy Prophet sa explaine d.

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! ! 15 Therefore, the system of narrations of the Holy Prophet sa not only comes from men, but also from women.If half of the faith has reached us from men , then the other half has come to us from women.F rom among those who are renowned scholars today , if they are students to the male companions ra of the Holy Prophet sa , then so too are they students of the female companions ra.The portion of the knowledge of Shariah related to men has been learned from men, while the portion related to women, has been learned from women.If both men and women had not been involved in this matter, the religion would have remained incomplete.One realizes by studying the early years of Islam , that just as men played their part in spread ing the religion, so too did women participate in this effort.Similarly, just as men learned Islam, so did women.Furthermore, there have been many famous and knowledgeable women in the history of Islam.For example, o ne woman, by the name of Rabia Basri ra , would speak only in Qur’ān ic verse and would answer questions by reciting from the Holy Qur’ān.She received revelations, visions , and dreams from God Almighty.Likewise , t here have been many other women , who have attained nearness to God Almighty and have conversed with God.Nowadays , if you ask a woman about such happenings , she will reply , “I am ignorant.What would I know of such things?” Thus , they equate ignorance with womanhood , even though that is not the case.The Holy Prophet sa said, ‘ If anyone wishes to learn my religion, then learn half [ of it] from A’isha h ra.’ The women of that former age were not a different breed; they were exactly like the women of today.Today, women can be just like them and can carry out the same task as they did, h owever, [their] shortcoming is that they fail to act.If they are prepared to act , then God Almighty will help them by open ing the ir path for them.In the Holy Qur’ān , God Almighty has repeatedly stated, “Whoever attains to righteousness, Allah Almighty Himself opens up a way [for that person].” When women act according to this verse , how could a path to wards progress not be revealed to them? How could they not be useful and a source of blessings for themselves and for the world?

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! ! 16 Advice to Ahmadi W omen The women of our Jama'at [Ahmadi yya Muslim Community ] should remove this attitude from their minds that , ‘ What can we achieve ? W hy should we even bother? ’ Women can converse with God Almighty in the same way men can.Women can guide the world in the same way men do.Women can also rid the world o f ill s in the same way as men.There is no difference between women and men in religious matters.Women, li ke men , can also serve the ir faith.Thus, b ear this well in mind, that God Almighty has bestowed both men and women with similar capabilities.If men can attain perfection and reach God Almighty, then so too can women.If men can preach, so too can women.If men can lead and guide humanity , women can also.Yes, if there is a difference, then it is only that men can perform tabligh [ propagation ] within their own circle and women within theirs.Otherwise , there is no difference.God Almighty has not unlocked the spiritual domain for men, to the exclusion [of women].Address to Ahmadi W omen of Lahore Lahore is a hub; s everal magazines and newspapers for women are published from here.Many gatherings take place here.Women from our Jama'at should remain vigilant and do their utmost to perform tabligh.How fortunate is th at person , whose efforts inspire hope that God will be pleased with them , compared to those who striv e only for material gains? When God Almighty is pleased, the world will inevitably be attained.I have observed that the women here fret day and night over their pursuit of material advancement.They hold gatherings, write speeches, and publish newspapers and magazines for th is purpose.However , since they are unaware of Islam ic Shariah , they write essays which undermine the religion and invite critic ism.On the contrary, if the women of our Jama ‘ at, to whom God Almighty has given an excellent opportunity to learn the religion, study it themselves and teach it to others, they can rapidly become a source of progress for Islam and for their Jama'at.When Christian women go out to perform tabligh , they go to such places where even men cannot go.When one of them is killed, the other is ready to take her place.When the second

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! ! 17 is killed, the third and the fourth go forward in her place.In this way, they convert thousands and hundreds of thousands of people to Christianity.If Christian women can succeed in their purpose, then how is it possible for Ahmadi women to fail to succeed when they stand to serve God Almighty ? E ven if they initially have to endure much suffering and difficul ty they w ill [ eventually succeed] ! However, it is most important that you yourself obtain religious knowledge.This is because what can a woman teach others if she herself is ignorant ? Do not think that it is too late to learn.In Qadian, there are scores of women, who have studied the translation of the Holy Qur’ān.T here are even some who have learn ed the translation of the Holy Qur’ān after having a child.So , if some one makes the effort, they can certainly learn.Whoever is familiar with Urdu should read the translation of the Holy Qur’ān and in the same way they should read the translation of Hadith also.As for those who do not know Urdu, just as men come together and one [of them] gives a dars [ religious lecture] , there is no reason why women cannot come together whilst an educated member from amongst them read s out loud to them.I f this is not feasible, then why should M aul v i Ghulam Rasool Sahib Rajeki ra not give a dars to women in the same way he gives a dars to men? He can teach the Holy Qur’ān.I f not daily, then he can do so at least once a week or once a month.You will be able to convince him to give dars.In this way, women who are not educated can also benefit from this.Religion has been made E asy Religion is not at all difficult.Allah Almighty states: َو َﻟ َﻘ ۡﺪ 'َ َّﺴ ۡﺮ َﻧ ﺎ ا ۡﻟ ُﻘ ۡﺮ ٰا َن ِﻟ 2ِّ ۡﻛ ِﺮ َﻓ َﻬ ۡﻞ ِﻣ ۡﻦ ُّﻣ َّﺪ ِﻛ ٍﺮ “ And indeed, We have made the Qur’ān easy to remember.But i s there anyone who would take heed? ” ( Holy Qur’ ā n , Ch.54: V.18) ! Wh i ch means, ‘ We have made the Holy Qur’ān easy for those who would abide by its teachings.’ C onsequently , is there anyone who

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! ! 18 will obtain guidance from the Holy Qur’ān ? God Almighty states that it is man’s own fault if he does not learn religi o n ; for nothing contained with in religion is difficult.There are some women, who are well - versed in the subjects of Mathemati cs, Geography, English etc., however they are completely unacquainted with religio us knowledge , even though the study of religion is relatively easy in comparison to these subjects.Furthermore, the lessons contained within the Qur’ān are in accordance with human nature , because th e One who sent down the Holy Qur’ān kn ew too well what man wa s capable of and what wa s beyond his capacity.There is nothing in th is religion which goes against reason, nor does it contain anything which cannot be practiced by men, wome n, the elderly, children, and youth.I ndeed , men and women of every nation are able to act upon it.Thus, plans should be made for women to come together o nce a week or if this is not possible, then once a month.Maul v i Ghulam Rasool (Rajeki) ra can teach the translation of the Holy Qur’ān as well as the elementary points of the Hadith , which you can then memorize at home.This is a simple way for you to learn religio us knowledge.Bear well in mind that the more one serves one’s religion, the more one is respected.Note how the world holds Hazrat A’isha h ra and Hazrat Hafsa ra in great esteem.This is partly because they were the wives of the Holy Prophet sa , but also because they expounded upon those aspects of the religion which men were unable to.For as long as the world remains in existence and mankind endures, Muslims will offer up the prayer, ‘May Allah be pleased with her’ at the mention of their names.T hus, their names will live on forever.Those who read the Hadith will pray for them, ‘ O God! Elevate their status because I have acqui red this religion through them.’ Therefore, it is a most blessed task to teach religion.In fact, af ter one’s death, it imparts a sadaqa jaria [ charity with everlasting reward] unlike any other.When t hose who teach religio us knowledge pass away, they are remembered by people who supplicate and say , ‘ O God! We have been fortunate to receive this blessing through him.So, grant him a great reward for it.’ Most certainly, God Almighty rewards and blesses t h e m.The Holy Prophet sa has stated, “ Anyone who teaches another person good works , also receives the blessing of that [deed].” For example, if one man teaches another how to perform Salāt , when t he latter offers his Salāt , not only will he receive blessings for doing so, but so will the person

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! ! 19 who taught him.I have observed that women carry out tabligh extremely well among women.Of course, we as men do so among men, however we cannot approach women [ to carry out tabligh ].Therefore , it is the duty of Ahmadi women to propagate to other women and to teach and advise them about the religio n.They should hold gatherings where they invit e women and deliver speeches there, as well as write articles for women in magazin es and newspapers.As I am in Lahore at this time , my intention is to address you.There are many women in Qadian , who teach t he translation of the Holy Qur’ān and the Hadit h, as they are knowledgeable in th ose subjects as well as in Arabic.Originally from here [Lahore] , they have settled there [in Qadian].T hey are not native s [ of Qadian].In a similar way , all women should make the effort to familiarize themselves with the Holy Qur’ān and the Hadith , in particular the women o f Lahore should strive harder.This is because around you there are other women who indeed pursue worldly [pursuits ] , and care not at all for religion.God Almighty has made the realm of religion available to you.Other women are struggling to a ttain their self - acclaimed rights, to eliminate the practice of p u rdah [ Islamic concept of modest covering] , to obtain an English education , and likewise are engaged in other similar pursuit s.T hey have become absorbed in worldly matters.God Almighty has given you the opportunity to learn the religion yourselves and to teach it to others , and to make your progeny religious.The beliefs which a religious - m inded mother can teach her child cannot be taught by the father, no matter how religious he may be, for oftentimes he is out of the house.Hi s influence is therefore not as great as that of the mother , regarding the moral training of the ir children.Th erefore , one solution for this is that you arrange time to study the Holy Qur’ān and Hadith with Maul v i Ghulam Rasool ra , either once a week or once a month , and revis e th at lesson for the next time.Secondly, make it your practice to counsel and preach to the women around you.Teach the women in your neighborhood about Salāt and fasting.When you begin to educate them, they will reply, “ We are ignorant.W e cannot understand this.” However, you should

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! ! 20 tell them that God Almighty has not only revealed His religion for educated people.R ather, He has revealed it for all people.The ignorant and uneducated are all His creation.God Almighty has blessed us so greatly and presented us with this miracle of Islam.T hat person upon whom this religion was bestowed and who has no greater equal in his nearness to Allah, was illiterate and could not write even one word.Then how can it be said that Islam is not for the illiterate? Many of the blessed companions of the Holy Prophet sa could not read or write , but the rel igion made enormous progress based upon their religious understanding and they wholly obeyed t he commands of Allah and His Holy Prophet sa and taught others.Many women make the excuse that they are not educated, but remember , that when they are presented before God Almighty , they will not be asked whether they were educated or not.Instead, t hey will be asked , ‘D id your mind comprehend the teachings of Islam or not ? W hich teaching [of Islam] is incomprehensible ? Is offering Salāt beyond your understanding ? ’ No matter how weak a person’s memory may be, she can memorize the Salāt beca us e it is a concise form of worship.Or does the difficulty lie in understanding the concepts of fasting, Zakat , Hajj , the Unity of Allah Almighty or recognizing the Holy Prophet sa as a prophet , or accepting that the Promised Messiah as is the Promised Messiah and a prophet of God? None of these teachings are beyond understanding ! These are all such beliefs which every single human being can easily comprehend and learn.Therefore , no woman should think , ‘ I am not educated.’ I f she is not educated, she should still learn the religion and impart it to others.It is the duty of both the educated and the uneducated to study religion and practice it.Th is is precisely why God Almighty has granted intellect to human beings so that one may understand, reflect , and impart knowledge to others.The Issue of the Death of Jesus as For instance, there are some issues which are of particular importance in relation to our Jama‘a t.T he foremost amongst them is the dispute of the death of Haz rat Jesus as.When you speak with any woman, simply instruct her to l isten to the translation of these verses,

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! ! 21 even if she must listen to it from an opposing m aul v i [religious cleric].The verses are as follow s : ا :َِّ ۡﻳ َﻦ ِﻣ َﻦ ُﻣ َﻄ ِّﻬ ُﺮ َك َو ِا >ََّ َر ا ِﻓ ُﻌ َﻚ َو ُﻣ َﺘ َﻮ ِّﻓ ۡﻴ َﻚ ِا Eِّۡ ٰﻳ ِﻌ Fۡ ٰٓﺴ ﻲ ا ُّٰﷲ َﻗ ﺎ َل ِا ۡذ ِا >ٰ َﻛ َﻔ ُﺮ ۤۡو ا ا :َِّ ۡﻳ َﻦ َﻓ ۡﻮ َق ا َّﺗ َﺒ ُﻌ ۡﻮ َك ا :َِّ ۡﻳ َﻦ َﺟ ﺎ ِﻋ ُﻞ َو َﻛ َﻔ ُﺮ ۡو ا ج ا ۡﻟ ِﻘ ٰﻴ َﻤ ِﺔ َﻳ ۡﻮ ِم “ Remember the time when Allah said, ‘ O Jesus, I will cause thee to die a natural death and will raise thee to Myself, and will clear thee (of the charges) of those who disbelieve, and will exalt those who follow thee above those who disbelieve, until the Day of Resurrection ; ’ ” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.3: V.56) Here, God Almighty first stated regarding Ha z rat Jesus as , ‘I will cause thee to die,’ and thereafter stated , ‘and will raise thee to Myself.’ If ‘ raise thee to Myself, ’ means to be raised up to the Heavens while alive, then such an interpretation fals ifies the verse and in fact accuse s God Almighty ( n a’ozo billah ) [God forbid ] of being ignorant of Arabic.Because if He were to raise Haz rat Jesus as up to the Heavens alive, then why would He have first stated in the verse , ‘I will cause thee to die,’ and then afterwards stat e , ‘and will raise thee?’ Was God Almighty so ignorant of the Arabic language that He could not place the words correct ly and render ed a sentence incorrect by the arrangement of the phrase ? In fact , t he way God Almighty has stated it is proper and correct.When He first states , ‘ I will cause you to die , ’ and thereafter , ‘ raise you , ’ then that is the correct meaning.In other words, Haz rat Jesus as would first die and then his spirit would be raised ; not that he would be raised up even before death.The idea that whatever God Almighty placed first [in the sentence] should have occurred first in the sequence of events and that which follows would have taken place later, is one which can be comprehended by a woman of any intelligence.If this is not so, then

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! ! 22 God Almighty ( n a’ozo billah ) is subject to the accusation that He is not sensible enough to order events in the proper sequence.Yet , the m aul v i s correct God’s knowledge of Arabic by stating that in actual ity, َر ا ِﻓ ُﻌ َﻚ “ raise thee ” comes first and ُﻣ َﺘ َﻮ ِّﻓ ۡﻴ َﻚ “ cause you to die ” follows afterwards.This is a great accusation against God Almighty and is deserv ing of severe punishment.Indeed, t his is a straightforward matter.When it has been proven that Haz rat Jesus as has passed away , then it is also clear that the Messiah to come would be from the same u mmah [spiritual community , followers ].He is Haz rat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as , who has claimed to be the Messiah and Mahdi.Unmistakable Evidence of the Truthfulness of the Promised Messiah as Now, it remains to be see n whether the claim of the Promised Messiah as is true or not.There is an easy way to discern this as well.Take the example of a boy who says to you that he is your son.However , if he i s not really your son, then it is quite unlikely that you would have a suit of clothes made and tailored for him and have all his needs catered for , simply because he has become your son.You would, in fact, have him immediately removed from your home.Some people who do this are punished.Likewise, the government will arrest and punish anyone who impersonates a district manager, a toll collector , or a policeman ; this is a n understandable fact.In the same way, we observe that a person claim s that God Almighty has s ent him to reform the world.[He states] , ‘ I am a reformer, I am the Messiah, I am the Mahdi.’ This person goes on to live for another thirty years after his claim ; he receives a following of four hundred thousand ; he achieves victory in every realm while his

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! ! 23 enemies and opponents are disgraced , and with each passing day he continues to progress and gain more respect.So t ell me , what education do you require to accept his authenticity ? E ach and every person can easily comprehend [the fact] that if he were an imposter , God Almighty would have certainly punished him.Otherwise, then it must be said ( n a’ozo billah ) that God Almighty has grown old and His powers have waned, and as such , He cannot punish anyone.T o hold such a belief is tantamount to apostasy.T his is such a plain ly clear and simple point that even the most ignorant wom e n can understand.Th e point is t hat even though the entire world turned against him - friends and foes, saints and their followers, the English and Arab schol ars - all who raised their voices against him, the Promised Messiah as stood alone and triumphed over everyone , shepherding tho usands of people to stand by him.I f the Promised Messiah as i s an imposter , the existence of God cannot be established either , for He did not do anything [to stop a so - called imposter].Or , we will have to accept that God Almighty no longer has the power to punish anyone.Previously, He punished Namrood 1 , Shad d ad 2 , Pharaoh 3 and many others.H e mete d out punishment s even thirteen hundred years ago , but now, no matter what anyone does, He cannot punish them.This is a great accusation against the Being of Allah Almighty.Thus , the truth of the matter is that Promised Messiah as is true in his claim.ِﺑ ﺎ ۡﻟ َﻴ ِﻤ ِۡني ِﻣ ۡﻨ ُﻪ ََﻻ َﺧ ۡﺬ َﻧ ﺎ ا َۡﻻ َﻗ ﺎ ِو ۡﻳ ِﻞ َﺑ ۡﻌ َﺾ َﻋ َﻠ ۡﻴ َﻨ ﺎ َﺗ َﻘ َّﻮ َل َﻟ ۡﻮ َو ٰﺣ ِﺠ ِﺰ ۡﻳ َﻦ َﻋ ۡﻨ ُﻪ َا َﺣ ٍﺪ ِّﻣ ۡﻦ ِﻣ ۡﻨ ُﻜ ۡﻢ َﻓ َﻤ ﺎ ا ۡﻟ َﻮ ِﺗ َۡني ِﻣ ۡﻨ ُﻪ َﻟ َﻘ َﻄ ۡﻌ َﻨ ﺎ ُﺛ َّﻢ ! ! ! Namrood , the king of Babylon at the time of Prophet Abraham as 2 Shaddad , the king of Iram of the Pillars at the time of Prophet Hud as 3 Pharaoh , the king of Egypt at the time of Prophet Moses as - all claimed to be god during their reigns and representing the epitome of arrogance, caused their people to worship them.Their civilizations were all immersed in idolatry.All these kings committed acts of extreme cruelty and died unnatural deaths.[Editor]

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! ! 24 “ And if he had forged and attributed any sayings to U s.We would, surely, have seized him by the right hand.And then, surely, We would have severed his life - artery.And not one of you could have held Our punishment off from him.” (Holy Qur’ān Ch.69: V.45 - 48) The verse states, ‘ If he had made a false claim, We would have seized him and destroyed him; We would have severed his life - vein.’ This is a proof of the truthfulness of the Holy Prophet sa , put forth by God.If this is a proof of the truthfulness of the Holy Prophet sa , why can it not prove the truthfulness of the Promised Messiah as ? You do not need much knowledge to comprehend this.I t is easy and obvious.Revelations Similarly, there are those who say that God Almighty once communicated with those close to Him , but He no longer speaks.The response to this statement is also very simple.Has the God who spoke until now become mute ( n a’ozo billah ) ? O r has He now , for some reason , lost the ability to speak? If this is not the case, then He should continue to listen as He did and He should continue to see as He did in the past.If He once spoke , but no longer does so then on e could also assume that God Almighty could once see , but no longer has sight ; that He once could hear, but no longer can listen, to the extent that God Almighty was initially a living God, but now is no longer a live.Are these ideas believable? Absolutely not! So, i t can be established that as God Almighty spoke and communicated to His people in former days, He continues to do so.The Way to Success The Holy Qur’ān conveys [to us] very simple and straightforward ideas.L earn religion yourself, act up on it, and teach it to others.God Almighty has promised: ِﺑ ﺎ ۡﻟ َﻤ ۡﻌ ُﺮ ۡو ِف َﻳ ۡﺎ ُﻣ ُﺮ ۡو َن َو ا ۡﻟ َﺨ ِۡري ِا >َ َّﻳ ۡﺪ ُﻋ ۡﻮ َن ُا َّﻣ ٌﺔ ِّﻣ ۡﻨ ُﻜ ۡﻢ َو ۡﻟ َﺘ ُﻜ ۡﻦ ا ۡﻟ ُﻤ ۡﻔ ِﻠ ُﺤ ۡﻮ َن ُﻫ ُﻢ ُا و ﻟ l mِ َﻚ َو n ا ۡﻟ ُﻤ ۡﻨ َﻜ ِﺮ َﻋ ِﻦ َﻳ ۡﻨ َﻬ ۡﻮ َن َو

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! ! 25 “ And let there always be among you a body of men who should invite to goodness and enjoin equity and forbid evil.And it is they who shall prosper.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.3: V.105) Which means, ‘ O people! Let there always be among you a Jama ‘ at , who should invite people to goodness and enjoin virtue and forbid that which is prohibited.It is they who shall prosper i.e., such a community will accomplish all its objectives.’ Now t ell me, who would not w ish to succeed? God Almighty has proclaimed that if you preach and propagate the faith, then I will make you successful.People waste their whole li ves in search of wealth, but in the end , their efforts are to no avail.Some sacrifice their lives for their friends and relatives, but often times they too cannot help.God Almighty tells us that the world is riddled with hardship.C alamities will befall our fathers, brothers, sons, and husbands.C onsequently , you will bear much suffering , b ut whoever gives herself wholly to God Almighty, God Almighty will give Himself wholly to her.Whosoever becomes Allah’s, firstly Allah averts any misfortune which may come her way, but if it is inevitable, He will compensate her with something better.Such women, therefore, make religious as well as temporal gains.J ust as no one can harm a person who befriends a king , so too no one can harm one who has established a relationship with God Almighty.Even if s he can find no food to eat, still all the kings in the world can do her no ha rm.There is a story told of a saintl y person.Once a king declared that when he return s from his travels , he would kill this particular saint.When the king began his return journey , the saint’s followers advised him that the king was well - nigh.The saint replied, “ Hanooz Delhi Doorast ” (Delhi is still far).T he saint continued to give this reply t o the point that t he king had entered the city.E n route , a wall fell upon the king, killing him, and so the saint was saved by God Almighty.Thus, no person can harm one who has give n himself wholly to God Almighty.A nother story is of a merchant who entrusted a judge with a portion of his money for safe keeping.S ome time passed and the merchant asked for the money back , but the judge refused and

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! ! 26 replied , “I did not take anything from you for safe keeping.” The merchant went to the king and informed him of what had happened.The king re ali z ed that if he summoned the judge, the judge w ould be able to refuse to return t he money , because th e merchant ha d no proof that he had entrusted the judge with his money.Therefore, the money w ould not be collected.The king said to the merchant to wait for him at a certain location when the king leaves for his daily walk and the king would speak there with the m erchant.The next day, the merchant did just th at and the king conversed with him in front of his companions, including the judge.Following this conversation, w hen the king had left , the judge called the merchant over and said, “ Sir, y ou mentioned some money.W hat kind of money was it? Relate to me the details , so I can remember.” The merchant recounted the same details as before.The judge took out some money and gave it to him, saying , “Why did you not tell me of this earlier? I would have given it then.” The merchant had related those exact same details to him earlier, but because the judge had since realized that the mercha nt was the king’s friend, he now returned the money.Therefore , if no one can harm whoever is friends with a worldly king, then who on E arth has the power to harm a person who is connected with Allah ? Th erefore , strive to g ive yourself wholly to God Almighty.God Almighty has stated, ‘W hoever learns religi ous knowledge and teaches it to others, I will become h is.’ You must remember that this is the key to save yourselves from worldly troubles and to achieve success.May God Almighty give each one of us the ability to do so , Am ī n.( Al - Fazl , 23 July 1915)

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! ! 27 Address to the Ladies Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra October 6, 1917 , in Shimla, India Important Advice for Women In this age, t he first and the foremost exhort ation women must pay heed to is that in matters of religion they are just as bound by and required to comply with the laws of Shariah , as men are.These days, we face a great problem.W omen have it ingrained with in their minds that they are i n capable of participating in religious concerns.There are many women who believe it is their husband ’ s responsibility to participate in religious matters.Consequently, at this time , the faith of women is no longer unshakable.Ninety five percent of women, or perhaps even more, have accepted religion not because of its truthfulness, but because of their husbands.Today, if the man is Shia , then the woman is Shia as well.I f the man is Sunni, the woman is Sunni as well.Tomorrow , if the man converts from being a Shia to Sunni , the woman will also convert to be c ome a Sunni.Her religion is constantly subject to change, depend e nt upon her husband’s choice of religion.Due to this ignorance and lack of understanding, women are bereft of faith.Ponder over the fact that a person never fear s a n image of a lion , because they know it cannot cause any harm.Similarly, fire will only cook food if it is real fire.I f it is a picture , it cannot do anything.Thus, because women’ s faith is an imitation , just as simulated fire can be of no use , in the same way , their feigned religion can do them no good.Religion Should b e Accepted Sincerely Indeed, just as real fire can cook food, sincere faith can be beneficial.It is useless to have faith, merely because your husband desires it.In our country , this is known as a Rakabi [saucer] or

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! ! 28 Bangani [eggplant] religion.Once , a certain king highly praised eggplant in his court.One of his courtiers , who was given to flattery , also began to praise it , saying that the eggplant look ed like a mystic wearing a robe.I t s green stem wa s comparable to a green turban , which wraps around the head.I ts green leaves appeared to be a saint rapt in worship.However, a few days later , when the king suffered some discomfort because of it [the eggplant] , he mentioned in his court that eggplant was a terrible thing.Upon hearing this, the same courtier said, “Sir, is eggp lant even worthy of being called a vegetable ? It would be folly to count it is as one of the vegetables.It is indeed an unpleas ant and harmful thing.” Someone asked him why he was disparaging it now, when a few days earlier, he had prais ed it.He replied, “I am the king ’s servant , not the eggplant ’s.W hen the king praised it , so did I.N ow that h e scorns it, I also scorn it.” The religion of women is a Bangani faith, which is why we find so many women accepting their husband ’ s religion in this fashion , Illa Ma S h a’ Allah [ Except what Allah has wi ll ed ].Women’s Need for Faith The Holy Qur’ān teaches that faith can only be beneficial through sincerity and understanding of the truth.Some say that women have been created merely for the pleasure and comfort of men, but this is not what Islam says.On the contrary, it explains that women are as bound by Shariah as men are and it is just as necessary for men to comply with the rules of Shariah as it is for women to comply with them.Women are not like sheep and cattle, meant for the convenience of mankind with no independent purpose behind their creation.Thus, the Holy Qur’ān is for women , just as it is f or men.A pious woman who follows its edicts, is promised Heaven and whoso goes against it , will receive the punishment of H ell.Therefore, the first requirement is to convince women that religion is just as essential for them as for men, in order that they un derstand the essence of Islam.When one needs something, t he y learn the method for attaining it; and when t he y understand its truth , t he y then m ake an effort to achieve it.Thus , women have the same right as men to acquire religion , because it is just as harmful for them to break the rules of religion , as it is for men.Hence , why should women not learn religion in the same manner as men?

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! ! 29 I f one understands the benefit religion can offer , then such a person will believe in God and will abide by His commands.However, if a person is unaware of this [benefit], th en why should t he y trust God? I t would b e better to not believe.A s long as a person remains ignorant of the advantages or disadvantages of accepting or rejecting the prophets, then why would t he y believe in them ? Thus, it is necessary to be aware of the value and truth of these matters, and women should acquire religious education in the same manner as men.Righteous Women Mentioned i n the Holy Qur’ān We find mention of two pious women in the Holy Qur’ān , one of them being the wife of Pharaoh.I t was not to be Pharaoh’s lot, but his wife chose righteousness , and she understood the n eed for religion and accepted Ha z rat M oses as.God Almighty has mentioned her in the Holy Qur’ān as an example.What greater honor can there be , than to have the honor of be ing mentioned in a Book that will last for all eternity ? The reason for this is that she had recognize d that women had the same responsibilities concerning religion as men did.The second example is that of Ha z rat Mary.She was the mother of Ha z rat Jesus as.In a time when waywardness was at its height, she exhibited such restraint that her son attained prophethood.The world not only owes a great debt to Ha z rat Jesus as , but also owes a great debt to Ha z rat Mary.For it was her training which produced the man who conferred great favors up on mankind.The Holy Qur’ān states that she was a very pious and chaste woman.Her child learned righteousness from her.Thus , it should be noted that where the Holy Qur’ān mentions Hazrat Jesus as , it also mentions Hazrat Mary.Women ’s Service to Islam Next, we see that when darkness had reached its height during the time of our Holy Prophet sa , women served their religion tremendously, for they understood that they could serve their religion, just as men did.Some of you may not be aware that the first person to believe in the Holy Prophet sa was a woman.The Holy Prophet sa would worship in the cave of Hira, and it was there that the Angel Gabriel descended upon him an d recited the Word of God.As the Holy

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! ! 30 Prophet sa had never encountered such a phenomenon , he was unable to c omprehend it and worried that he was being deceived by his mind or that he mig ht be mistaken.Frightened, he told Ha z rat Khadija h ra that he had fallen ill.He may have described his state [of mind] as a n illness , but Haz rat Khadija h ra was very intelligent.Notwiths tanding that revelations did not occur at the time, she realized that this was indeed a revelation from Allah.In this day and age , everyone understands that it is Allah Almighty who sends down revelations , yet people still deny the veracity of the claimant and describe him as insane.Even though Ha z rat Khadija h ra belo nged to a nation which did not believe in God or possess a r evealed book, and nor was it even convinced of the existence of revelation , she reassured him that he had indeed received a revelation and was in no way suffering from any ailment.She declared : " ﻼ و ! % ﻻ ' ﺨ ) * ک % ا - ﺪ ا Absolutely not! By God! God will never disgrace you! Ha z rat Khadija h ra said, “Y ou have no ailment.T his is most definit iv ely the word of God.You treat people kindly, you strengthen the ties of kinship , and assist them in times of trouble.Therefore, God Almighty will never disgrace you.” This one woman s et such an example of faith, that even among men, no equal can be found.Additionally, when we look at her conduct , you will find that her faith is no ordinary faith because when enemies began to attack the Holy Prophet sa , she contributed all her wealth to him to be spent in the path of religion.One could presume that as the wife of the Holy Prophet sa , the sole intent behind her actions was to pr eserve her husband’s honor.However, this was not the case, nor was she the only woman in Islam ’ s history.There were many others who showed unparalleled examples of sincerity and devotion.The Sincerity of One Woman For example, o n the occasion of the Battle of Uhud , the disbelievers brought an army of three thousand to face the Holy Prophet sa and his one thousand devotees.During combat, a mistake was made by one of the factions of Muslims, due to which the Muslim army lost ground and the Holy Prophet sa was suddenly isolated.The disbelievers hurled so many stones at him that he fell to the ground

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! ! 31 wounded and lay buried under a heap of dead bodies.When this news reached M e dina , which was four miles from Uhud , men and women anxiously turned out in the street s to determine the true state of affairs.Meanwhile, when the Holy Prophet sa was pulled out from under the dead bodies, he was found to be alive.Upon hearing this the Muslims rallied together , and the disbelievers retreated.When the Muslims returned to M e dina , the townspeople met them and one M e d inite woman, who was neither a relative of the Holy Prophet sa nor was she connected to the people of Mecca , stepped forward.Her devotion to the Holy Prophet sa was due purely to her sincere faith.She inquired from one of the companions who was walking ahead of the others, “How is the Holy Prophet sa ?” As he sa was alive and was approaching from behind the m, the companion considered this question to be irrelevant and instead of answering it, he replied, “Your father has been killed.” The woman replied, “I did not ask about my father.I am inquiring about the Messenger of Allah sa.” Ye t he did not respond and went on to say , “Y our husband has also been killed.” Upon hear ing this she said, “I am inquiring after the Messenger of Allah sa.H ow is he sa ?” Again, he did not answer and stated, “Your brother has been killed.” S he once more asked , “W hy do you not answer my question? I am asking how the Messenger of Alla h sa is.” The companion then replied , “He is well and approaches us.” Upon learning this , she said, “ Al - H amd u L illah ! [ All praise belongs to Allah ].If the Messenger of Allah sa is alive , then I care not for any one else.” Reflect upon this.I magine the l ove and attachment this woman had for the Messenger of Alla h, due purely to her faith.Consider her sincerity.Consider the condition of a person who loses her young child in this day and age.Yet here , her father is killed, her husband is martyred, her brother is murdered, and she has no son.These are the closest relatives for which pain and grief are felt.I f suffered, it would shatter not only the hearts of women, but of men , into tiny fragments.However, this woman harbored such a strong and resolute heart that even when she wa s given the news of the demise of her father, her br other and her husband, she said Al - H amd u L illah upon learning of the wellbeing of the Holy Prophet sa and cared not for any other grief.There are many other incident s like this.This was one which I related

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! ! 32 from the time of the Holy Prophet sa.I will now relate an incident which took place after his demise.Another Example There was a woman by the name of Hind , who was initially so hostile to the Holy Prophet sa that when his sa uncle, Haz rat Ha mza ra was martyred, she tore out his liver and ground it between her teeth in order to cause the Holy Prophet sa pain.However, after she accepted him sa , she served the faith very well and participated in several battles.For instance, in the time of Haz rat ‘ Umar ra , the Muslims were battling a large Christian army where they were outnumbered fourteen to one.T he Muslims were retreating.At that time , Hind said to her female companions, “ These are men, yet they are running away from the enemy.Let us wo men teach them a lesson.” After saying this , they [the women] removed the poles from the ir tents and created a barricade.They then sent the [retreating] Muslims back by whipping their horses with sticks.At that time , Hind said to her husband, “Have you no shame? When you were a disbeliever, y ou fought boldly against Islam and now you retreat ?” Thus , women have shown many such acts of bravery.Women Giving Advice in Important Matters It was the practice of the Holy Prophet sa , as is proven by Ah adith [ sayings of the Holy Prophet sa ] that he would consult his wives on hugely important issues.For i nstance, when he went for Hajj and the disbelievers stopped him from entering M e cca , t he Holy Prophet sa asked the Muslims to discard their I hraam [ prescribed attire for performing Hajj and Umrah ].When t hey did not comply , t he Holy Prophet sa went to his wives and told them of what had passed.They advi sed him to return quietly and discard his own I hr a am 4 after ! " ! Pilgrims remove their Ihraam and put on ordinary clothes after slaughtering their animal which marks the end of the pilgrimage.As the Muslims were not permitted to perform the pilgrimage on that occasion in accordance with the Treaty of Hudaibiyah which the Holy Prophet sa had just signed, he used this activity to bring a close to their wish to do so.See also page 7 9.[Editor] !

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! ! 33 slaughtering his animal for sacrifice.Upon s eeing this, everyone would follow the Holy Prophet sa.T he Holy Prophet sa did exactly this and the remaining Muslims removed their I hraam.Thus, women have always provided great services and given advice in important affairs.Therefore , it is an erroneous assumption on the part of today’s women that they are incapable because there is much that they can do.I t is just as important for them to teach religion to others as it is for men [to teach religion].What Women h ave Accomplishe d The wives of the Holy Prophet sa would scold men for making errors in religious quandaries and Haz rat A’isha h ra would give dars [ lectures ] on the Holy Qur’ān , which men also attended.Likewise, there have been times wh en women would teach men from behind a curtain.Ye t nowadays , the problem is that women themselves are uneducated and they think to themselves , ‘What can we do? We cannot do anything.’ Th is way of thinking is utterly wrong.T he women of earlier times did not think like this , even when they were un educated.The Example of a Woman of Today Even today, it is observed that women who feel love and affection for their religion are most sincere.For instance, I remember during the time of the Promised Messiah as , a woman came to him, weeping and saying, “M y son has converted to Christianity.Please pray that he recite s the K alima Shahada one more time.If he di es afterwards, so be it.” The boy had been educated by Christians.D espite having a fever, he ran away.His mother went after him and brought him back.The Promised Messiah as reasoned with him and after a few days, he recognized [the truth] and accepted Islam.He passed away two or three days after accepting Islam and his mother did not grieve.Thus, even now there are such women, though they are rare, that their faith means more to them than anything else.Generally , it is seen that if the husband converts to Christianity , the wife also becomes Christian.That which is her husband’s faith , becomes her faith.

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! ! 34 However, there are also those women , who would prefer to give up their lives rather than forsake Islam.Yet , who are these women? They are those who understand their faith and who cultivate a complete and profound awareness of it.It is Necessary f or Women to b e Knowledgeable in their Faith Thus, it is imperative that women should be acquainted wi th their faith.T hey should love their faith and be devoted to it.When they reach this state , they will act upon it of their own volition, and will become a model for other women , as well as a source of propagation of Islam.Indeed , they should also understand that just as men can teach religion to men, in the same manner, women can teach religion to women.I have presented examples to prove that women can serve their religion which only reaffirms that women have been doing exactly this in the past.Thus, when it has been established that some women have served in this way, we know that others can also do so.To say that women of earlier tim es were pious and virtuous , while questioning your own ability to emulate those actions , indicates a lack of resolve and courage.There are m any women who ask , “If we try, c an we become like A’is ha h ra ? ” They should reflect on how A’isha h ra became A’isha h ra.She worked hard, showed courage and thus , became A’isha h ra.Today, this kind of hard work and courage is necessary to become like her ra.Losing courage before even attempting something can be likened to giving the example to a child of someone who has attained a m aster’s degree and then motivating the child to also study hard so that they too can one day attain a m aster’s.However, upon b e ing given the example , t he y repl y , ‘ How can I be capable of attain ing a m aster’s like that person ! So, I am not going to even try and study.’ T hat person whose example was narrated to the child, he had made an effort , and so he attained a m aster’s degree.Then, wh at is stopping th e child from put ting in the effort and attain ing a degree ? How did t he Companions ra Attain High Status? Note how the Companions of the Holy Prophet sa became his companions and how they attained such eminence.This was only

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! ! 35 [accomplished] by striving.Otherwise , these were the same people who were thirsty for the blood of the Holy Prophet sa and would curse him.Initially, Ha z rat ‘Umar ra , who became the second K halifa [successor, vicegerent] after the Holy Prophet sa , felt such severe enmity towards the Holy Prophet sa , that he left his home with the intention of assassinating him.He m et a man on the way, who asked him where he was going.He replied, “I am on my way to kill Muhammad sa.” The man replied , “ First, k ill your sister and brother - in - law , who have become Muslim, t hen kill Muhammad sa.” He was enraged to hear this a nd headed for his sister’s home.Upon arriving, he saw that the door was closed , and a man was reciting the Holy Qur’ān , while his sister and brother - in - law listened within.At the time , the injunction for p u rda h had not yet been revealed.Haz rat ‘Umar ra banged on the door and demanded it be opened.At the sound of his voice, those who were inside became fearful that he would kill them, and so refused to open the door.Haz rat ‘Umar ra threatened to break down the door if they did not open it.At this, t he Muslim, who had been re citing the Holy Qur’ān , and the brother - in - law hid inside.Only hi s sister came forward to open the door.Haz rat ‘Umar ra asked her what they had been doing and whose voice had been reciting the verses.Out of fear, she attempted to stall him.He said, “Let me hear what you were reading.” His sister replied, “Y ou will be disrespectful of it, so we will not share it with you.If you kill us , so be it.” He replied, “ No, I promise I will not disrespect it.” At this, she recited the Holy Qur’ān to him.Upo n hearing this , he burst into tears and went running to the Holy Prophet sa , the sword still gripped in his hands.The Holy Prophet sa saw him and asked , “ ‘ Umar, how long will this continue ?” Haz rat ‘Umar ra began to weep and said, “I left today with the i ntention of killing you but have become prey [to the truth] myself.” So t his was the original condition from where Hazrat ‘ Umar ra began.Furthermore, these were the same companions who would drink alcohol, fight amongst themselves , and suffer many vices.However, when they accepted the Holy Prophet sa and strove with determination and courage for the sake of their religion, not only did they attain a high status themselves , but they also became the means for guiding others to an exalted level.They were not born ‘ Companions ’ but were like everyone else.Except, that they took action and showed coura ge, and thus became Companions.Today, if

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! ! 36 we do the same, we can become the like of those Com panions.When Satan sees a person resolve to strive towards the path of religion, he sets a trap for that person , permeating his mind with doubts as to his capa city.It is like a spider’s web.W hen the fly forcibly breaks out of one, it [the spider] weaves another one around it.In this same manner, Satan too circles about people and when he sees that his shackles are breaking, he builds more of them.One of these shackles is t hat when a man or a woman wishes to do a good deed, Satan creates doubt [in their minds] that ‘ Could I ever become such an indi vidual? It can never be , so I shall not even try.’ Even though so and so put in the effort and achieved this stat us.Therefore, if a person perseveres, why can t he y not become like others a lso ? Being the Wife of a Prophet is n ot the Only Reason for Distinction One should not believe that Ha z rat A’isha h ra and women like her served their faith, just because they were the wives of the Holy Prophet sa and there wa s nothing else for them to do.If they served the ir religion because they were the wives of a prophet, then was not Haz rat Noah ’s as wife the wife of a prophet also ? Or was Lot ’s as wif e not the spouse of a prophet? Yet, what did they do? They did not even accept the ir [husband’s] prophet hood and were thus ruined.If it were enough to be the wife of a prophet , then why were they not righteous ? W hy did they not cultivate a relationship with God and demonstrate their serv ice to the ir religion? T he reality is that they were ruined and destroyed because they did not follow the commandments of God Almighty, whereas the wives of our Holy Prophet sa attained an elevated status due to their actions.Allah Almighty states : n ُﺳ ُﺒ َﻠ َﻨ ﺎ َﻟ َﻨ ۡﻬ ِﺪ َﻳ َّﻨ pُۡ ِﻓ ۡﻴ َﻨ ﺎ َﺟ ﺎ َﻫ ُﺪ ۡو ا ا :َِّ ۡﻳ َﻦ َو “ And as for those who strive to meet Us – We will surely guide them in Our ways.” (Holy Qur’ān , C h.29: V.70) Which means, ‘ We open the doors for those who strive to reach Us.’ Thus , those men and women who struggled in the time of the Holy Prophet sa – those who lost their homes for the sake of their religion ; who dedicated their lives and property in the cause of Alla h ,

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! ! 37 and sacrificed their own ideas, their dear ones, their families, their native land, and everything they most cherished - it was t hese who attained the grandest spiritual status as well as the great est worldly rewards.Today, if men and women do the same, if they educate themselves in religion and act upon it , if they explain it to others and persuade them to practice it and care not to give prece dence to anything over religion, then they can become akin to them [the Companions].Now , I will mention some basic precepts which must be kept in mind.Belief in the Unity of God The primary article of faith in Islam is that God does exist , and He is One.The Holy Prophet sa had to endure tremendous hardships to spread this belief.Since idols were the major source of income and livelihood for Meccans, it was very difficult for them to forsake these idols.When the Holy Prophet sa attempted to remonstrate them against the idols, they conve ned a meeting and appointed someone to approach t he Holy Prophet sa and request him to desist.This man came to the Holy Prophet sa and said, “If you wish for wealth, we will gather an abundance of wealth a nd lay it in a heap before you.I f you wish for power, we are all prep ared to accept you as our ruler.I f you wish for your counsel to be accepted, then from this day , we will not act upon anything without your advice.I f you are suffering from some ailment , we are ready to obtain treatment for you.However, desist from speaking against the idols.” The Holy Prophet sa replied, “If you put the sun in my right hand and the moon i n my left even then I will not stop proclaiming that there is O ne God and He has no partner.” Clearly, this [the Oneness of God] is such an important article of faith that salvation is not possible without it.Therefore, God Almigh ty says that He will forgive other sins , but H e will never forgive shirk [a ssociating partners with Alla h ].These days shirk is quite rampant and although Muslims do not worship idols, they have taken up the worship of graves in stead.It is also shirk when women

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! ! 38 say , ‘I follow the religion of my husband and my relatives.’ Similarly, it is also shirk to give offerings to a particular ‘p i r’ [spiritual leader] if a wish of thiers is fulfilled.There are many other kinds of shirk which women are entangled in nowadays, despite the fact that this is dangerous.Thus , the most essential article of faith for women is that they deem God Almighty to be One and they refrain from associat ing anyone as His equal in attributes, actions, or names.! Belief in Angels The second article of faith is b elief in angels; that they are a creation of God Almighty.They create righteous inclination s in the hearts of human beings.B elieving in them means that when a righteous inspiration arises , one should act upon it straight away so that space can be made for more righteous thoughts.Belief t hat the Holy Qur’ān i s the Book of God and Belief in all the Prophets The third article of faith is the belief that the Holy Qur’ān is the Book of God and other books were revealed as well.The fourth is the belief that all prophets are true.Resurrection after Death The fifth is that [everyone] will be raised after death and will be called to account for their deeds.No man or woman can call themselves Muslim if they do not believe in these articles of faith.Thus, it is very impo rtant to believe in them.These then, are the articles of faith.Now , I shall speak about the responsibilities which have been declared obligatory by Islam.Offering Salāt The foremost of these is Salāt , the offering o f which is absolutely necessary.T here is considerable negligence regarding this, particularly in women, who appear very neglectful of it and tend to offer up various excuses.

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! ! 39 For example , they say, “ H ow can I keep my clothes clean to offer Salāt when I have a baby ?” Is it so difficult to keep your clothes clean that it cannot be done? Of course not ! If one is careful , then clothes can be kept clean, but if one cannot be careful , the n is it not possible to have an outfit made specifically for offering Salāt ? And if someone is so poor that she cannot make another outfit, even then she is not exempt from Salāt.S he should merely offer it in soiled clothes.Frankly, i t is human instinct for one to remain clean and pure.T herefore, if a garment becomes dirty , one should clean it.However , let us assume that there is a situation in which it cannot be cleaned, even then Salāt cannot be neglected.There are very few women who offer Salāt and those who do offer it, do so in a strange manner.Almost as soon as they begin, they go into r uk ū‘ , and then without standing up again, t hey sit down.They go through the procedures of Salāt so quickly, that it is incomprehensible [to me] what they might be reciting.Such women should remember that they do not stand for amusement’s sake, but for offering Salāt.Salāt is offered to demonstrate ultimate sincerity and humility in the presence of God Almighty and it is offered in order to supplicat e to Him for the fulfillment of one’s needs.Is this h ow we behave when we implore someone for something? Not at all.Rather , such a person is shown great respect and regard and i s flattered and beseeched.W hy is it then that whilst they stand in front of God Almighty ostensibly to ask for something, they lack respect in their movement ; fear is not generated in th eir hearts, and they are void of any modesty and humility.They act instead as if God Almighty needs them, despite the fact that God is not dependent on anyone.We are all dependent upon Him.Therefore , we should be particularly respectful to Him.We should cultivate a fear of Him in our hearts and appeal to Him with extreme humility and meekness.There are many men who also do not offer Salāt in the co r rect manner, however when it comes to women, most of them are such that they consider Salāt to be a burden and they wish to cast it from around their neck s as soon as possible , even though Salāt is to their own advantage and not for Allah ’s benefit.Thus , Salāt should be offered in

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! ! 40 an exceptional ly excellent manner.Giving Zakat In addition to this , the second commandment is Zakat.This means that if someone has fifty - two tolas [ measure of weight ] of silv er or has saved forty rupees for a full year, then he should pay one rupee Zakat on them.This is necessary for the needy, the orphans, and the poor.Where on the one hand t he obligations to God Almighty are fulfilled through the means of offering Salāt , the rights of mankind on the other hand are fulfilled through the offering of Zakat.God Almighty can grant His servants everything directly Himself, but He prefers to give through His servants so that the giver may also be deserving of reward and recompense.Fasting The third commandment is that of fasting.In our country , some men and women do not offer Salāt , but observe the fast.This is also an essential commandment, and it provides tremendous benefits.Performing Hajj The fourth commandment is that of Hajj.If one has the funds to travel, there is no danger en route, and arrangements can be made for the supervision and safety of one’s spouse and children, then perform ing the Hajj once a lifetime is obligatory.Service of Religion These are the major commandments which are binding on every believing man and woman.Apart from these, there are many ot her ways to serve the religion.I have [already] mentioned that Muslim women have provided significant services to the faith during and after the time of the Holy Prophet sa , to the point that t hey even sacrificed their lives for Islam.Just as in those days, Islam faced hardships and difficulties, it now faces such [difficulties also ].Therefore, these are the days when we need wom e n who are willing to serve the faith.

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! ! 41 You must be aware that just as the Holy Prophet sa was appointed to reform the world during his time, the Promised Messiah as has been appointed likewise for the present time.Now , Islam has reached such a state, where those who call themselves Muslims are responsible for inviting its condemnation.Haz rat Jesus as has Passed Away Thus, they assume out of ignorance that Haz rat Jesus as is sitting in the heavens and will descend to Earth at any point in time.This belief has invited much criticism against Islam.Firstly, it falsifies the Holy Qur’ān because it states that Haz rat Jesus as has died.Secondly, many Muslims have b ecome Christian because of this.This is because priests present the argument that, “Jesus is alive in the heavens and you [Muslims] also believe that.Ye t , your prophet has passed away and is buried in the earth.So now tell us yourself w hose status is higher? You already believe that your prophet’s status is highe r than that of all the prophets and when Haz rat Jesus ’ as status is even higher than that, it would imply that he is God.” They could not respond to this, so they left Islam and beca me Christian, al though it is completely erroneous to believe that Haz rat Jesus as sits alive in the heavens.H e has actually been dead for a long time.The Meaning of the Coming of Haz rat Jesus as Muslims have misunderstood t he prophecy foretold by the Holy Prophet sa that Hazrat Jesus as will come again.From th e prophecy they surmi sed the coming of the previous Haz rat Jesus as himself [in the flesh] , whereas the Holy Prophet sa indicated t he coming of a person with attributes like Haz rat Jesus as.Since the Holy Prophet sa had also stated that in the latter days, Muslims would become [like] Jews.C onsequently , just as Haz rat Jesus as came for the reformation of Jews, the person who was to come for the reformation of the Muslims was to be named Jesus.Otherwise , how could the first Haz rat Jesus as return , for he ha d passed away ! The Holy Qur’ān says: n ا ﻟ ُّﺮ ُﺳ ُﻞ َﻗ ۡﺒ qِِ ِﻣ ۡﻦ َﺧ َﻠ ۡﺖ َﻗ ۡﺪ s َر ُﺳ ۡﻮ ٌل ِا َّﻻ ُﻣ َﺤ َّﻤ ٌﺪ َﻣ ﺎ

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! ! 42 “ Muhammad is but a messenger.Verily, all Messengers have passed away before him.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.3: V.145) Muhammad sa is a messenger of Allah and all the messenge rs before him have died.Now, either we c ould say that Haz rat Jesus as was not a messenger, but was god, and therefore he did not die.However, it i s kufr [disbelief] to consider him god.I f he was a messenger, which he trul y was, then he has passed away because the Holy Qur’ān clearly stat es that all messengers before the Holy Prophet sa have died.The Holy Qur’ān declares that Hazrat Jesus as is dead and whoever has passed away cannot come back to the world, as it is against Allah’s practice.Why should God Almighty resurrect a dead man and bring him back to this worl d? God Almighty is All - Powerful.For the reformation of mankind, t here is no need for Him to send a man who passed away ages ago when He can appoint a new individual.In this world, w e do not see a r ich and wealthy person put aside the leftovers of one of his meal s to be consumed in a meal he will have later.Indeed, the poor certainly do so.However, to say that God Almighty has set aside the same Hazrat Jesus as who was born several hundred years ago to fulfill a need that was to arise in the future is tantamount to declaring God to be a poor and destitute God.It is equivalent to denying that He is All - Powerful.This is because God Almighty has the ability to create no t only one Jesus as , but many.He can send them whenever the need arises.Whenever previous prophets have passed away, He has s ent more prophets to follow.He did not resurrect the same prophets from before and send them again.W hat then could be the reason for sending Haz rat Jesus as again? This is an absurd belief, which has spread among Muslims.However, the meaning behind the prophecy of the coming of Ha z rat Jesus as wa s that a man with the attributes of Jesus as would appear and that individual is in fact Ha z rat Mirza Sahib as who has come and has been appointed as Hazrat Jesus as to reform the ‘Jews’.

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! ! 43 For the Holy Prophet sa declared that Muslims would be come akin to the Jews.The Mischief of t his Era The Holy Prophet sa has said that all the prophets since Ha z rat Noah as have warned of the evil which will prevail at the time of the Promised Messiah as.Therefore, reflect upon the tremendous level of effort that will be required to fend off such a grave trouble.These days , the men of our community are striving to the best of their ability.Women Should Pray Yet, it is necessary that wome n also a ssist and support them in this work and pray from the depths of their heart that Islam may prosper.May God Almighty unlock people’s hearts so that they may accept the truth.M ay sin and evil disappear from the E arth.M ay God’s name spread in the world.M ay people benefit from the light which has descended from God.Pay C handa [ Financial Sacrifice ] Apart from this, women should make financial contributions to the best of their abilities.When the Holy Prophet sa accepted chanda from men, he also accepted it from women.He did not take this chanda for himself.T he beloved of God would never solicit anything for themselves.God Almighty Himse lf provides for them.Therefore, the Holy Prophet sa never asked for anything and neither did the prophet s who came before him demand anything for themselves.Neither did the Promised Messiah as , who God Almighty sent in these present times , desire anything for himself.N or did those who were appointed after the Holy Prophet sa ask for anything.In fact, t hey all made appeals for t he sake of the religion itself.! It is for this purpose that I am also urging those women who m God Almighty has blessed with good fortune, to contribute from their wealth for His sake.Recently, when I urged women to pay chanda , I was told that men do not give money to women, but they buy for them whatever they need.Consequently, how can they [the women] give

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! ! 44 chanda ? Yet, this is against the Shariah.It was the practice of the Holy Prophet sa and his blessed c ompanions ra to give a portion of their wealth to women.The same should be done now.No matter how small the income, women should be given their portion from it.From this, w omen should then contribute in the way of God, and they should never doubt as to what can be done with such a small amount.Even if you are able to give just one penny, it should be given.God Almighty looks at sincerity, not at wealth.If someone has just one piece of bread and they give a quarter of it in the way of God, then in the sight of God Almig hty , that person deserves just as much rewa rd as a person who gives twenty - five rupees out of a hundred.Therefore, do not focus on the scarcity of your wealth.Instead, be mindful of your intention s and sincerity as th ose are the aspects which Allah looks at and rewards accordingly.Preaching A mong Women Women should participate in tabligh.Men cannot preach to women.T herefore, this must be done by women.They should convey the teachings of Islam to women who are non - Ahmadi s and are Hindu s , Christian s , and others.T hey should memorize such arguments which will be of benefit to them while engaging in tabligh.Even if a woman is uneducated, she should learn the basic points from her husband, fath er, or brother.I have seen some uneducated Ahmadis develop such an understanding of their religion that educated non - Ahmadis cannot challenge them.One Ahmadi farmer, who is completely illiterate and by all accounts, appears to be a simple - minded person , he says , “My relatives took me to a Shia Maulv i so that he s hould counsel me.He asked me, ‘What is the Holy Prophet ’s sa relationship to Muslims ? ’ I said, ‘[He is their] father.’ H e then asked , ‘ What is the relationship of the Holy Prophet ’s s a daughter to Muslims ? ’ I said , ‘[She is their] s ister.’ H e then asked, ‘How is the marriage between Mirza Sahib and a Sayyeda [ female descendent of the Holy Prophet sa ] valid ? ’ I responded , ‘ Haz rat ‘ Ali ra married the Holy Prophet ’s sa most exceptional daughter.W hat do you consider that to be? Haz rat Mirza Sahib as was married many generat ions later ! ’ The m aul v i replied, ‘ Haz rat ‘Ali ra was a saintly man and beloved of God.’ I replied , ‘ We

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! ! 45 consider Haz rat Mirza Sahib as to be more exalted in status than him.’ T o which he had no response [except for], ‘Go from here.Y ou have lost your mind.’ ” There are countless other exampl es which show us that if someone firm ly grasps the truth, no one can stan d up to them.Truth is a sword and who m so ever holds it, can sever the head of their adversary.Ev en if a child wields it, the child will cer tainly leave the [the enemy] wounded.Similarly, even though an educated person will be significantly more effective against an adversary, an illiterate person who understands th ei r religion , will inevitably triumph.Therefor e, those women who are illiterate should learn some basic arguments and take advantage of every opportunity to preach to women.Opportunities for Preaching These days, women can take advantage of tremendous opportunities to preach [while traveling] in trains.On my way here, my friends informed me that a Christian woman had been speaking with a Muslim woma n , who was unable to give the Christian woman a [satisfactory] response.I sent someone from my family to the cabin , briefly outlining that the Christian woman would initially criticize her for being Muslim, at which she should respond in such and such manner.And if she [ the Christian ] does not, she herself should raise such and such an objection.However, I unwi ttingly forgot to tell her the foremost objection Christians present and our response in turn.When she arrived there, she [the Christian woman] raised that very objection.A t some point durin g one of the dars I had given to women, I had elucidated upon this response, which she [the Muslim woman] presented before the Christian woman.The Christian woman claimed, “ I t is written in your Holy Qur’ān that women do not have a soul.Therefore, they will not be rewarded for their deeds.” She replied, “ It is clearly written in the Holy Qur’ān that no believing m a n or wom a n ’s deeds will go to waste; rather they will be rewarded.Where did you get th e n otion that a woman has no soul? ” The Christian woman replied, “ This statement exists in the Holy Qur’ān.You apparently know nothing of it.” She [ the Muslim ] said, “ I present ed a verse from the Holy Qur’ān to you , and you say that I am ignorant ? If there is

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! ! 46 such a verse in the Holy Qur’ān , please produce it.” She answered, “ If you come to Lu ck now, I can satisfy you.” T o this she [ the Muslim ] re plied , “ If you come to Qadian , I c an attempt to explain it to you.” Her response was, “ Y ou are young , and I have grown old therefore I cannot argue with you.” Upon this the Muslim woman replied, “I n that case , you should certainly have prepared a response, as you have spent most of yo ur life in religious discourse.” Yet, she stayed quiet and could give no answer.Thus, one can find ample opportunity to preach to women in a trai n and it is highly unlikely for a person to find so many women from various places gathered together anywhere else.If one of them finds guidance, she can spread its effect far and wide.You could also find opportunities in other’s homes or at women’s gatherings, which is why you should memorize the basic precepts.Acquisition of Taqwa Moreover, it is extremely necessary to acquire taqwa [ love and fear of God , righteousness] bec au se Islam does not allow us to simply engage in talk but instructs us to inculcate the fear and love of God Almighty within our hearts.This is vital , for until this is done, no deed can truly be considered a deed.Salāt cannot be deemed true Salāt , fast ing cannot be deemed to be truly fast ing , Zakat cannot be deemed Zakat , and Hajj cannot be deemed Hajj.Why is it so ? It is because Salāt was not int ended to be a method of exercise.F asting wa s not intended to starve anyone, Zakat wa s not intended to cause monetary loss , and Hajj was not intended to force one to endure the hardships of travel.Rather, their purpose wa s to develop taqwa and righteousness.Their purpose is to save a person from evils such as jealousy, rancor, hostility, disorder, sin, and so forth , so that the person may develop taqwa within themselves which is the root of all virtue.The Promised Messiah as wrote: Taqwa is the root of all virtue.If thi s root holds firm, everything will persevere.Thus, this extremely crucial point sh ould be given due consideration, for no action of ours should result in God Almighty ’s displeasure or cause harm to any human being.Nowadays , i t is more

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! ! 47 common among women to believe it is perfectly fine to gain benefit for oneself, at the expense of causing harm to another.Yet, taqwa prevent s one from acting this way.W ome n taunt and ridicule each other, find faults in each other, and eventually begin fighting.All this is contrary to the concept of taqwa.Women have many other similar faults , but it wo ul d take far too long if I began speaking of them, and also today my throat is hurting.I ha ve told you the basic principle, which is that any act which leads to Allah ’s displeasure or causes pain or grief to any of His creatures , should be avoided.If this characteristic is developed, taqwa is certainly attained.In conclusion, these are just a few points, which I have given as a form of guidance for you.If you remember these points and act according ly, you will reap its benefits.( Al - Fazl , October 27, 1917 )

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! ! 48 Listen to the Sermon, with the I ntention of A cting upon it Address to the Ladies Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra April 12, 1920 , in Sialkot This speech was delivered in Punjabi by Ha z rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra.The editor of Al - Fazl then translated it in to Urdu.In the past few days, I have received many letters from ladies requesting that I should address them.This enthusiasm is appreciated.H owever , mere enthusiasm does not suffice unless it is follo wed by actions.For example, a man is dying of hunger, and he is advised to eat.But if no food is given to him, how can h e fill his stomach? Similarly, those ladi es who listen to religious discourse but do not act upon i t gain no benefit f ro m it.In fact, they have more to fear than those ladies who have never had the opportunity to hear any religious discourse.This is because t hose who have not heard [such discussions] may be excused, but those who have listened to them and have failed to implement anything from them are all the more guilty and are sinners.Generally, women consider sermons to be a form of entertainment.Just as children watch something entertaining and then forget about it soon after, so do women [pay no heed to sermons].There is a [significant] proportion of men that listen s to sermons and act s upon them, but generally speaking, ladies do not derive any benefit.For this reason, they do not excel in their mo rals, religion, civilization, or in their social condition and they fail to benefit in any other way.

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! ! 49 There is no doubt that in comparison to men, women have fewer opportunities to listen to sermons , yet they do have some opportunities at least.So, if they remember and act upon all that is said to them, only then would their compl ai nt that they are not addressed as often as men, be correct and justified.If a student memorizes his first lesson and presents it, he earns the right to request that more lessons be taught to him.However, if he does not memorize the first lesson, then teaching him more is of no use.Similarly, if they remember and act upon those points presented to them it is their right to demand for m ore [addresses], otherwise they have no right.Thus , instead of demanding for lectures to be given to you as they are given to the men, you should prove that you can implement what has previously been said to you.Otherwise, if you do not act upon the advice you have been given and continue to demand that you are addressed , the exhortations given to you will be forcibly given, which will be of no benefit to you.This is because the one who can not remember the first instruction , how can t he y remember any other instruction? How can a person who cannot digest one piece of bread , be expected to digest two ? Therefore , if you do not implement what has been explained to you already, how can one expect that you will take advantage o f what is being said to you now? Thus , I would first like to emphasize to y ou that listen ing to a sermon as a form of entertainment and to dismiss all that was said therein once you are home, is equivalent to a sin.It does not benefit anyone.The purpose of giving an exhortation is that it may be remembered and acted upon.A Good S ermon is not t hat in which the A udien ce is P raised Oftentimes, it has been noted that women evaluate a sermon based on what is being said about them.At Jalsa [Annual Convention of the Ahmadiyya Community] , women will often rate one maulvi’ s lecture as very good and another’s not so good.Upon inquiry, i t was found that the sermon in which the ladies were praised was considered superior and the one which discussed their weaknesses and their reformation was not appreciated.Hafiz Roshan Ali is an acclaimed speaker, but his sermon was regarded as unsatisfactory.Upon inquiry , it transpired that his sermon conta ined exhortations for women.It can be learn ed from this , that women appreciate only th at sermon in which they are complimented and praised.If they are admonished, they

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! ! 50 dislike it.I f they are declared worthy , it will not make them so, un less they develop goodness with in themselves.Similarly , they cannot be wicked just because they are called so.If they are declared good and are truly pious , then this is a matter of great satisfaction.However, if a ny mention is made of a weakness that is found within them, they should reform themselves and learn from it.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa stated that when a person dies and the women [gather round] wail ing and saying , “O brother, you were so brave that even a lion would not stand up to you.” Upon this t he angels strike the deceased person with a rod and ask, “ Were you truly as they say ?” The deceased will deny it.The angels will ask , “ Why then, do they say this about you ?” Similarly , when women cry out false praise , the deceased will be questioned , and they will be forced to admit that t hey did not embody such traits.Thus, false praise do es not benefi t anyone , and false condemnation do es not harm anyone.Therefore, when something is stated, it should be carefully consider ed as to whether that which is being explained is something that needs to be implemented by the person being addressed.If something positive is mentioned, we should act upon it.I f there is something negative with in us , we should rid ourselves of it.This is the purpose of these lectures.Following this instruction, I would like to briefly mention a few other points, as we are short on time and I am about to catch the ten o’clock train.Purpose of Islam Firstly , I would like to define the purpose of Islam.The meaning of Islam is complete submission and the meaning of Iman [faith] is to believe in something.When asked about their faith, all those men and women who call themselves Muslim , reply , “By the grace of Allah , we are Muslims and believers.” Yet , they are unaware of the true meaning behind Islam and the meaning behind a person having faith.They believe that since their f orefathers called themselves Muslim s , they are also Muslim s.

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! ! 51 The Proof of being Muslim i s in Complying with Alla h ’s Commandment s N o man or woman can be a believer or Muslim unless they submit to the commandments of God and the o ne who does not obey a nd submit to God’s commandments has no right to be labelled a ‘ wise person ’ , rather such a person is nonsensical and foolish.Note that w hen a king writes that he is the king, people accept his claim.However, if some one who is not a king claims to be one , he w ould be labelled as ‘ mad.’ What is the reason for this ? Only that a real king has armies and the whole workings of a monarchy [to support him], whereas a destitute person, who is shoved about in the streets has n one of the markers of kingship and is thus called a madman [if he claims to be king].We can deduc e from this that w hen an intelligent person says something he has proof to justify his claims.However, when a lunatic says something, he offers no proof for his claims.Therefore, any individual who says she is a believing Muslim , but does not believe in or obey the commandments of Alla h , is there an y difference between her and a mad man ? There is no difference.Such a man or woman makes cla ims far worse than th e lunatic who claims to be a king without proof, thus rendering such a person to be far beyond a madman.Thus, my second advice to you is to implement God’s commandments ; remain faithful to them and if you obey His W ill then you will have the right to call yourself a Muslim and a believer.O therwise, this claim of yours will be no better that the claim of the one who is senseless and foolhardy.A Servant of Allah i s One W ho Follows His Commandments I would now like to present before you the essence of Islam.It is composed of two aspects.Firstly, Allah says with reference to human beings : !!

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! ! 52 ِﻟ َﻴ ۡﻌ ُﺒ ُﺪ ۡو ِن ِا َّﻻ ا ِۡﻻ tۡ َﺲ َو ا ۡﻟ ِﺠ َّﻦ َﺧ َﻠ ۡﻘ ُﺖ َﻣ ﺎ َو “ And I have not created the Jinn and the men , but that they may worship Me.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.51: V.57 ) In other words, God Almighty created human beings so th e y may become His true servants.Now, m ost people sa y that they are servants of God, bu t very few of them show signs of servitude.Had human beings become Allah ’s servant s just because He had created them , why would Allah state , “I created the human being to become a servant.” Th is tells us that becoming a true servant suggests another meaning.For example, how does a slave behave before his master? He stands before him, folds his arms in respect , and is ready to obey his command s.Similarly , if one is to become God’s servant , then it means that one is obedient to Him.A person should always be ready to obey God’s command and should continue to cultivate a close relationship with Him.All Relations with Anyone other t han G od are of n o Value The greatest of all relationships is the one between God and man.Parents have a great connection [with their children] , but it pales in comparison to the connection with God.A mother’s connection with her child is that she carries him for nine months.When the child is born, she takes care of him.Y et th e relationship with Allah is far greater than that of motherhood.This is because his mother did not create him, but Allah certainly did.She did not create th ose bounties with which she nourishes her child , but Allah certainly did.It is said that a mother nurses her child and therefore has a grea t right over him.However , I ask you , h ow does a mother nurse her child? I s that ability not created by Allah ? Thus, if a mother gives h er child milk , th at milk has been created by Allah.A mother then feeds her child , but all she is required to do is to cook and serve the food to her child.When a child owes so much to their mother, imagine how much is owed to Allah , who has created the food? When the child is grown , t he y take care of their parents by feeding and caring for them, b ut Allah requires no such things.Later, the relationship with one’s parents ends when the human soul departs, but the relationship with God continues even after death.A parents’ relationship with their child is that of a traveler’s

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! ! 53 relationship with a tree, under which the traveler rests for a brief time.Yet, the relationship with God is such that it nev er ends.The relationship between man and Go d is great and magnificent.A las! People care for their worldly relationships , but do not trouble themselves over their relationship with God.Generally , women lie to plea se their husbands, and do not think of how it will undermine their relationship with Allah.Similarly, t hey become so involved in worldly affairs that when the ir child is born , they become so enamored with it that they become negligent in offering Salāt , and many stop offering Salāt altogether and t hey do not care for fasting.However, they should recognize that it is Allah Who is protecting and nourishing them while they care for and nouri sh the ir child.Do not Give Preference t o Cultural Trad itions o ver Shariah T here are s ome ladies who force their husbands to carry out certain customs and rituals, stating that if they do not do so , the family’s reputation will suffer.T hey do not wish to abandon the traditions of the ir forefathers.T hey assert that if they do not partake in such rituals, the neighbors will criticize them, but they do not care if God Almighty criticizes them.They care more for what their neighbors believe, but do not worry if God Almighty declares them nonbelievers and transgressors.They say that they cannot abandon rituals involving reciprocity, even though the reciprocity with the Eternal God alone will continue, while e verything else will be left behind and man will move on to the next world.God Almighty has revealed that the Day of Judgment will be so harsh and fearsome that all relations will break away from each other, all seized with their individual worries.Thus , women should worry about that day.Most importantly form a strong relationship with God , which wi ll benefit you in the hereafter because the worldly attachments and worldly affairs carry no weight of truth.A Beautiful Example of our Leader, the Seal of the Prophets When the Holy Prophet sa declared that there wa s one God and He has no partner, at that time, h is relatives worshipped idols and

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! ! 54 assoc iated them with God.Most women may know that the guardians of shrines depend on people’s donations in the form of votives for their own livelihood.Before Ahmadiyyat, some of you probably did visi t these shrines and i t is probable that those of you who are still weak in faith and are unaware of the teachings of Ahmadiyyat still do so.You must have noticed that their main income is from visitor’s votives.Thus, M ecc ans were guardians of idols and they kept their idols in the Ka ‘ aba.People would visit from far off lands to present their offerings, which the guardians would then distribute amongst themselves.Moreover , people would come to worship idols and the M ecc ans would benefit by trading with them.Out of fear of starvation , they did not give up their idols.All the Holy Prophet’s sa relatives were immersed in this.T heir livelih ood depended up on these idols.However, w hen the Holy Prophet sa rose to declar e that God alone is worthy of worship and all other deities are false, he was not concerned for any one of his relatives.In turn, h is relatives did not like his claim one bit , and they began to harass him.One day , the Holy Prophet sa climbed a mountain and summoned the townspeople.When they came , he addressed them, saying, “You know that I do not lie.” The people agreed.He said, “If I tell you that behind this mountain awaits a large army, ready to destroy M ecc a , would you believe me ? ” They replied , “Yes , we will believe you.” The Holy Prophet sa replied , “Then I say to you that Allah ’s wrath will befall you.Save yourselves and do no t make yourself deserving of Divine punishment by associating any partner with Him.” When they heard this, they called out profanities and left, calling him insane.The Holy Prophet sa did not fret over these abuses but continued to discourage them from s hirk.Consequently , t he people gathered together and met with his uncle.They asked his uncle to counsel his nephew to desist from speaking against their idols.The Holy Prophet ’s sa uncle responded by asking them, how he [Holy Prophet sa ] could give up that which he preached with such firm conviction ? Following this , several of the elders assembled together

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! ! 55 and decided that some amongst them would approach the Holy Prophet sa and tell him that they would accept what ever he said, so long as he desisted from speaking against their idols.Consequently , people went to the Holy Prophet sa and said, “We are the representatives of the M ecc ans , and we know you to be a good man and we know that you will not let our community be destroyed.We bring a message for you , which we wish for you to accept so that no rift develops with in our community, and it can be saved from destruction.” The Holy Prophet sa asked to be given the message.They replied , “We have decided that if you need money, we will collect it for you.I f you wish to marry with in an honorable family, we will find a matc h for you from the most noble and wealthy household.I f you wish for people to follow your dictates, we will put it in writing that we will do as you say.If you wish to be a king , we will accept you as our king , but please do not say that there is only One God and no other deity exists.” How did the Holy Prophet sa reply ? He said , “ If you put the sun in my right and the moon i n my left hand , I will not accept your offer.” Let go of y our Traditions Yet, w omen worry about the reaction of their neighbor s if they do not abide by traditions.Nowadays, t here are fewer cultural traditions.Y et, we should question those Hindu traditions , which have been adopted by Muslims and should question their benefit.An intelligent person only does that which is beneficial.Yet, what benefits are contained within t h ose wedding traditions we embrace? None at all.They are only followed because they are traditions of our forefathers.However, people who have faith and follow their religion, they do not care what their forefathers did.What standing do our f orefathers have before the Holy Prophet sa , who took us from infidelity and blessed us with true faith ? Who could command more respect than him sa ? It is tragic to see that people persevere with the absurd traditions of their forefathers , instead of following the Holy Prophet sa.As these behaviors are mainly prevalent among ladies, their situation is highly regrettable.

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! ! 56 A Noble Example of a Sahab i a ra I w ould like to now give you an example of the condition of those women who had true faith in the Holy Prophet sa.After the Holy Prophet sa migrated to M e dina having greatly suffer ed at the hands of M ecc ans , the Meccans continued to come after him and soon declared war.A battle took place a pproximately four miles from M e dina.Alt hough the Muslims were outnumbered by the disbelievers, they still triumphed.The Prophet Muhammad sa had ordered a section o f the Muslims to stand at a particular spot and to stay there under all circumstances.After the victory, s ome of them argued that there was no reason to continue to stand there.Their leader said that because they had been ordered to stay there under all circumstances , they should not leave their post.Others reasoned that they were only assigne d to stay there during the battle and now that the enemy had fled, there was no sense in staying.Upon saying this, they left.When the fleeing enemy saw this [weakness in the Muslim defense ] , they once again attacked.The attack was so brutal that it c reated chaos amongst the Muslims , who had relaxed their guard once the enemy had fled.At this time, th e Holy Prophet sa was injured, and his two front teeth were sacrificed.A rumor spread that the Holy Prophet sa had been martyred.Upon hearing this, the Muslims suffered a great deal and even the fearless Ha z rat ‘ Umar ra sat with his head hung in sorrow.One of the companions of the Holy Prophet sa passed by and asked him what had happened.He answered by giving the news of the Holy Prophet’s sa martyrdom.The c ompanion replied , “I f that is so , why are we sit ting here ? Where the Holy Prophet sa has gone, let us also go ! ” After saying this, h e advanced towards the enemy and attack ed with such vigor that when they found his dead body, it was covered with more than seventy wounds.T he Holy Prophet sa was safe and sound.W hy would he not be! Allah had promised him that no one would be able to kill him.Finally, h e sa stood up and began his return journey towards M e dina.Alt h ough the c ompanions who accompanied the Holy Prophet sa were aware of his wellbeing , the earlier rumor of his martyrdom had reached M e dina.Women and children ran out in a f renzy.One of the

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! ! 57 companions returned ahead of the [Muslim] army.A woman anxiously asked him regarding the condition of the Holy Prophet sa.As his mind was at rest, knowing of the Holy Prophet ’s sa wellbeing , he considered the question irrelevant and instead answered, “Your father has passed away.” She once again inquired, “ I have asked you for news of the Holy Prophet sa ,” to which he replied by saying, “Your brother has been murde red.” She again asked , “I ask you , h ow is the Holy Prophet sa ?” He answered, “Your husband has also passed away.” The woman finally replied , “Why do you not answer my question? I only inquire about the Holy Prophet sa.” He replied, “The Holy Prophet sa i s alive.” Upon learning this, she said, “Thank God , the Almighty.I f the Holy Prophet sa i s alive , then we care for nothing else.” If y ou are Faithful, Keep t he Holy Prophet sa Foremost in Mind Keeping this in min d, assess your own condition.If a child d ies right at birth, women begin to wail , even though they understand that eventually they will pass away just as their child has passed away.The only difference is that he has passed on before she has.Yet , they continue to wail, cry, lament, and in general, cause a commotion.This is the conditio n of today’s Muslim woman.Compare that with the Muslim woman whose father, br other, and husband were murdered , but she only says, “I do not grieve , for the Messenger of Allah sa i s alive.” This is the degree of faith , which is the hall mark of a true Muslim.Thus, i f you are honest and claim to be a true Muslim, you will not care for anything other than the dictates of God Almighty and you will show this by implementing them.Do not fear what others will say , rather fear only what God will say.Keep Away f rom Worshipping Graves There are many practices that women practice which are s hirk.T hey make offerings at graves, they light candles , and make vows.This is all s hirk.To set up partners with Allah is s hirk , a grave sin which rouses the wrath of God.For example, if someone calls a street sweeper his father in the presence of his biological father, how angry and displeased will his true father be.Similarly, to regard a lowly creature - whose status is worse than the lowest vermin compared to Allah - as your ‘Provider’ would deserve the wrath of

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! ! 58 God Almighty.T o seek the fulfillment of your wishes from a buried corpse, whose bones have rotted and whose body has been consumed by insects is nothing but madness ! Our God is a L iving God , W ho provides for us and we should pray only to Him to fulfill our needs.What do we know of the character and piety of a person who is buried in that earth [at whose graves vows are made] ? If he was righteous, he will curse those who pray at his grave and if he is not righteous, he will be sitting in H ell and will not be able to help any one.Renounce Superstitious Practices In this same way, s ome women follow superstitious practices.They will tie a piece of string [upon the finger of] a sick person so that he heal s.However, what is the benefit to this piece of string when even a child can break it? Women also entertain various innovations and repulsive notions, which are of no benefit and only prove their ignorance and foolishness.Remember clearly that these superstitious arts and charms, amulet s and incantations are all deception and fraud and a means for making money.These are all absurd and false practices, which should be stopped immediately.God is displeased with those who engage in such practice s.Do you not see the steady decline of Muslims? Look within your homes and among st your relatives and reflect up on the condition of Muslims.You will find that Muslims are in debt to Hind us.What is the reason behind this ? It is because the curse of God is up on them.They deserted God, so God has forsaken them.Desist from engaging in further non sense and absurd practices with in your homes by removing them altogether.The only path permitted to a Muslim and a believer is to worship On e God and prostrate before Him.When God Almighty did not permit us to prostate before the Prophet Muhammad sa , could we bow down before another ? T he Reformer of this age is Haz rat Masih - e - Mau‘ud as [the Promised Messiah as ] , but w e are not permitted to prostate before him , nor are we permitted to make vows or offerings at his grave.Thus, remove these practices from your households and if you have already done so , counsel others to do the

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! ! 59 same.Read the Translation of t he Holy Qur’ān a nd I mplement i t Remember, the Holy Qur’ān is the book of God in His own words.Respect and revere it.There is no religion without the Holy Qur’ān and there is no faith without religion and there is no salvation without faith.A person ca nnot receive salvation if he does not follow the Holy Qur’ān’s teachings.Ge nerally, women are not educated, but it is not necessary to be educated.If you receive a letter from a relative, you will find someone to read it for you.Similarly , the Holy Qur’ān is a lette r from God to His servants.Ask your relatives to read the Holy Qur’ān to you and have your h usband rea d it to you little by little so that you may memorize it.A lecture does not contain the exact Qur’ān ic verses.For example , even though what I speak is taken from the Qur’ān , the words are my own.The grandeur which is present in the words of God can never be expressed in the words of man.I do not say that what is contained with in this speech goes a gainst the words of God , but they are still [simply] the words of a man.You should hear the message of God in His own words.Read Arabic and learn its meaning.No matter how old you get , never shy away from learning.A Qa‘idah [ primer ] has been published in Qadian , which will prove very helpful in learning the Holy Qur’ān.With its help , learn to read the Holy Qur’ān , for there is an enormous difference in reading the Holy Qur’ān yourself and listening to someone else’s recitation.When listening, you only use your ears , while in reading , you will use your eyes as well, thus receiving a greater reward.Strive to read the word of God yourself.Until you can read it yourself, let your husband or children read it to you, or learn it from your neighbors.If someone is hungry or without clothes , he will ask someone to satisfy those need s without being embarrassed.When there is no shame in asking for these things , then why feel embarrass ment in [asking for help] to listen to or read the words of God.

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! ! 60 After God, do n ot Grant A nyone a Higher S tatus than t he Holy Prophet sa I advise you once again to believe in all the prophets of Allah.The greatest of all the prophets is the Holy Prophet sa.Do not rank any prophet higher than him.O ut of ignorance , the Muslims in our country have conferred Ha z rat Jesus as a greater status.They claim that Ha z rat Jesus as is still alive , while the Holy Prophet sa has passed away.They go on to state that Ha z rat Jesus as could revive the dead, but the Holy Prophet sa did not revive anyone.Further more , they believe Ha z rat Jesus as is alive, waiting in Heaven whereas the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa is buried in the ground.Their claims concerning Haz rat Jesus as are wrong , for the greatest of all the messengers is Muhammad sa.If there was a prophet in the Heavens who could revive the dead , it would have been the Holy Prophet sa.B ut some Muslims in their ignorance a scribe such attributes to Hazrat Jesus as , and by doing so, they accord him a higher status than the Holy Prophet sa.You must not make the same mistake.H old the Holy Prophet sa above all other prophets.He has conferred a great deal of beneficence upon you, so believe in him and do not deem another superior to him in any regard.Invoke Durud on him sa.Durud is a prayer which means, ‘ O Allah ! The Holy Prophet sa has shown us such benevolence that we cannot repay him.[Please] r eward him Yourself.’ Belief in Life a fter Death Another aspect I wish to inform you about is that you must believe in the life after death.Those who do not believe in this incline towards committing greater and greater sins.For example, crying and wailing over a person’s death suggests that those who wail for their deceased do not believe they will meet them again after death.Therefore, it is very important to believe in life after death for God Almighty has enjoined it essential that we do believe in it.The Prophet of t his Age Remember that God Almighty has sent the Promised Messiah as for the reformati on of the world in this age.However, he was not an independent prophet , but was subservient to the Holy Prophet sa.For

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! ! 61 us , he is a p rophet but his relation to the Holy Prophet sa is that of a slave to his Master.It is essential to believe in him.We have received great beneficence from him.In this age t he world has gone astray and become oblivious to religion as it had in the time of the Holy Prophet sa.The Promised Messiah as brought back religion and led us to the straight path to wards God.These were all ins tructions related to doctrine.I will now discuss the matter of deeds.Observe Salāt The first is Salāt.It is essential to adher e to it.Usually , women have a habit of making excuses.W hen they are young , they use their youth as an excuse and claim they will offer Salāt when they grow a little older.When they are older , they use their children as an excuse.When they are old , they claim they can hardly walk, let alone offer Salāt.Thus , their whole life is spent in making such excuses , with the majority showing indolence in offering Salāt.I f they do pray , they are not regular or if they are regular, they are unaware of what they say in their Salāt.They rush through their r uk ū‘ and s ajdah [positions within Salāt ] and quickly finish their Salāt.The Promised Messiah as likened this form of Salāt to a chicken w hich pecks at its food.Reflect upon this.Salāt is not a form of exercise but is the worship of God Almighty.Thus, w e should comprehend this and observe it wholeheartedly.No Salāt should be missed , except during those days when such allowances are made.This is because observing Salāt is so crucial , that if you purposefully miss it even for a single day in the year , that would make you a non - believer.Thus, un less all Muslim men and women offer their Salāt five times a day , they will no longer be considered Muslims.What should be done regarding th ose prayers that have been missed in the past? In tha t case, Allah has given the option of t auba [ repentance].If in the past, you have deliberately foregone Salāt , ask for His Forgiveness.P ledge to yourself that you will no longer negl ect your Salāt.Whether it rain s or storms , whether your clothes are clean

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! ! 62 or soiled , whether you are engaged in an important task with no time to s pare, Salāt should not be missed under any circumstance s.Firstly, it is important to wear clean clothing when observing Salāt , but if clean clothes are not readily accessible or the removing of soiled clothes carries a risk of falling ill, it is permissible to pray , even if the clothes are drenched with a child’s urine! This is not to say that one should encourage a child to urinate and then observe Salāt in this manner, but if circumstances are such that clean clothes are unavailable, then soiled clothing is allowed , a lthough it is proper for one to wash their clothes.For how much does a child even urinate? If a child drinks only milk and does not eat solid food, the Shariah accords that rinsing o ff the child’s urine with water renders the clothes clean.Therefore, whatever may pass , Salāt must be observed because Salāt is never exempt under any circumstance.It is the pillar of our faith.Just as a roof cannot stay raised without a pillar, similarly faith cannot stand firm without Salāt.Continue to P ay Zakat After Salāt , the second commandment is that of Zakat.Zakat is 1/40 th of any assets which remain unchanged for over a year, in order to give to the poor and needy.If the government is Muslim , then the Zakat is to be handed over to it , otherwise it should be paid to whichever organization exist s.As the Ahmadiyya Community, we have an organized system.T herefore , ladies should give their Zakat to the office holders.Regarding such jewelry which is regularly worn, Zakat does not need to be paid , but if it is paid , that is very noble indeed.Zakat should be paid on the jewelry which is not worn regularly or is worn on occasion at weddings.It is permissible to pay Zakat on jewelry which is often used, but if not paid, it is not a sin.It s wear and tear is considered Zakat.In our country , women have the habit of purchasing new jewelry , which makes it incumbent upon them to pay Zakat.Paying Zakat is an important commandmen t, which women overlook.After the death of the Holy Prophet sa , some people refused to pay Zakat.Ha z rat Abu Bakr ra replied th at if they did not pay their Zakat, he would go to war with them, even if it was only over [the amount of]

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! ! 63 a rope with which camels are bound.According to consensus , one who does not pay Zakat is not a Muslim.Assess yoursel ves carefully , because du e to your failure to offer the Salāt, m any from am ong you cannot be called ‘ Muslim s.’ For th e rest of you , let it not be that due to your declining to pay Zakat, you are also no longer called Muslims.Keep Your Fasts The third commandment is that of fasting.Fasting is prescribed for you in the month of Ramadan except for thos e days, when women are prohibited by God to do so.You should fast the rest of the days.There is no need to further emphasize this , for although people refrain from offering Salāt , they do fast regularly.N ot for God , but for show.They wake up at night and make special preparation s for fasting.Hajj Khana Ka ‘ ba h The fourth commandment is pilgrimage to M ecc a if God Almighty grants you the opportunity to do so.It requires m any conditions.For example, one should be able to afford the cost ; the conditions should be peaceful, and a woman mus t be accompanied by her husband, son , nephew , or an other close relative.Sad a qa [Alms] a nd Charity The above commandments are obligatory for both a man and a w oman.In addition , there is also sadaqa and charity.Albeit sad a qa and charity are not mandatory , it is still a person’s duty to partake in it.We s hould give it to our relatives, our neighbors, the poor , or the needy.The tradition of giving sadaqa has declined a mong Ahmadis , the r eason being that they consider giving chanda as giving sadaqa despite the fact that there is quite a difference between giving chanda for Jama‘ at i purposes and sadaqa.S ad a qa and charity belongs to those poor and needy , who reside near you.Religion plays no role in this.S o regardless of their faith , if a person is impoverished, they should be helped.For example, if you meet a poor woman, you should not discriminate against her because she is Hindu.Rather, you should most

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! ! 64 certainly assist her.The above are Divine Commandmen ts.Ther e are other injunctions as well which relate to social behavior s.Learn Good Manners For example , [the injunction to ] treat each other pleasantl y.Do not backbite, slander, deceive others in financial dealings, a nd do not hold grudge s or rancor in your heart against anyone.Women often engage in gossip and back biting.If they hear gos sip, they do not rest until they convey it to another person.They will immediately pass on what they hear to another person, rather than stopping th e person who initially spoke ill of her brother or sister.Yet , this does not happen.Backbiting is a very bad habit.According to the Holy Qur’ān , there will be such people who will be placed in Hell solely because of this weakness.Once the Holy Prophet sa was en route and he came upon two graves.He stopped there and said, “God has informed me concerning the dead in these gra ves.They were put in Hell due to minor sins which could have been avoided.The sin of one was that he did not protect himself from the splatter of urine and the other ’s was that he would backbite.” Backbiting is a grave sin and must be avoided at all costs.If someone speaks ill of another, you must stop them immediately and tell them to speak to the person concerned.If you do hear something, do not convey it to the person concerned so as to avoid conflict.In t he same way , we should not backbite.Do we not have e nough weaknesses of our own that we find it necessary to discuss someone else’s weaknesses? Instead of finding faults with others, find faults within yourself and make amends.Finding faults [of others] is of no benefit to you and only brings you closer to sin.Worry a bout your own S elf - R eformation If you wish to find faults , then find them with in yourself so that you may rid yourselves of them.Assess yoursel ves to see whether you are an irritable person , who readily instigate s fights with others.

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! ! 65 A naly z e the weakness es in your behavior and once you have found them out, strive to remove those weakness es.Look around at your own gathering s and see how w omen fight and argue as if humans and animals a re gathered together in the same room.Refor m your habits and your morals.Wherever you go, be on your best behav ior and practice good etiquette.Meet each other with affection and love ; speak to each other with warmth and compassion.If someone speaks to you harshly, exercise patience and restraint and treat each other nicely.Conclusion This is the Islam ic teaching which I have briefly put before you.Implement it so that you may become Muslims.One who does not act upon this, will have n o right to call himself a Muslim.The Injustice o f Ignorant Mothers In some cases , it has been noticed that when the father reprimands his child for not saying his Salāt or for other unruly behavior , the oblivious mother stare s at the father angrily and as soon as he leaves, she hugs the child and comforts him.She utters such words which make s him think tha t his father is a tyrant who is harsh in matters such as Salāt.Slowly and gradu ally, the child loses respect for his mother on one hand and becomes disobedient to his father on the other.This leads to a point whe re the child does not fulfill his parents ’ rights and ends up as a disbeliever.In the beginning, it appears to be a minor matter , but the result of this behavior is his moral and spiritual destruction.By nature , children are inclined to be truthful.If t he y cause any damage , t he y will answer in the affirmative if t he y are questioned regarding whether t he y really caused the damage.It is the mother who teaches him to say , “No, I d id not do such and such.” In this way, they make them aware that they can take advantage of speaking in a way that contradicts what actually happened.(Nikah [Muslim marriage] sermon delivered November 20, 1920)

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! ! 66 Address to the Ladies at Jalsa Salana Delivered by H a z ra t Mirz a Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad , Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra Masjid Al - Aqsa, 1921 Vast Prospects for the Progress o f Mankind Allah Almighty has vested man kind with immense potential for success.When man makes progress, he elevates himself to such a degree that God Almighty ’s attributes are manifested within him , and God fulfills nearly all his desires.If he desir es that people worship God, people will begin to worship God in his own lifetime.If he desires that a righteous community be established, then such a community is formed withi n his lifetime.Upon witnessing such progress, the question arises, “Is there someth ing exceptional about this man which enables him to reach this level? Can we attain this level as well?” Referring to this, Ha z rat Muhammad sa has said: “I am but a man just like you.T here is nothing exceptional about me.When you see how God has blessed me, you too, should strive to reach the same level.” For example, when you see someone wearing beautiful jewelry or clothes etc., you are restless until you attain it for yourself.When it is realized that you can attain the blessings which were bestowed upon the Holy Prophet sa , and you do not acquire these blessings, then it is undou btedly for one of two reasons.E ither [you think] that Ha z rat Muhammad sa possessed no [special] quality , or you hold Muhammad sa Messenger of Allah i n high regard , but you do not consider yourself capable of attaining those blessings.This would then render Haz rat Muhammad ’s sa statement false , God forbid , where he declares t hat “I am a man just like you.” For God Almighty says: ِّﻣ ۡﺜ ُﻠ ُﻜ ۡﻢ wَ َﺸ ٌﺮ َا َﻧ ﺎ ِا َّﻧ َﻤ ۤﺎ ُﻗ ۡﻞ “ Say, I am but a man like you.” (Holy Qur’ān : Ch.41: V.7)

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! ! 67 Muhammad sa , the Prophet of Allah was as though a representative of God who came to this world and brought a sampl ing of treasure s from God A l m ighty.That is to say, he came to reveal the qualities and attributes of Allah , so that people would be inspired to strive in knowing God Almighty.Men and women have not been created without a purpose , rather God Almighty has created them for a reason.The reason is for God Almighty to reveal His Sovereignty.God is the Provider.He does not require provision for Himself; hence it was necessary to create mankind so that He might provide for them.In the same way, God is Merciful.Thus, in order to manifest His mercy, it was necessary to have oppressed [peoples].Everyone is a R eflection o f God In short, God Almighty created people to manifest His attributes.Every single one of us is a mirror, through which Allah desires to see His reflection.Allah wished to create a mirror and He fashioned man’s heart as that mirror, imprinting His own image up on it.For example, Allah is Rabb [ the Sustainer ].Do you also act as a sustainer? Allah is the Master ; He either punish es or forgive s.D o you also forgive ? If we do not act likewise, then His true image is not imprinted within us.God has cre ated all of you, so that He might manifest His attributes through y ou.If you do not display all these attributes, you are not fulfilling the purpose of your creation.[If that is the case then] y our similitude is that of a defective mirror whic h does not reflect the face clearly, and so the owner discards it.God Almighty will remove such a person in exactly the same way.However, as opposed to this, the more a person becomes pious, the more God Almighty blesses him.However, when a person becomes evil, God eventually destroys him, and God values an animal more than that person.There is a story from the time of Haz rat Noah as of a sparrow who laid baby birds in a nest high up in a tree.When the flood level s rose , God said , “I shall save the sparrow’s babies, who are better than those wicked [pe ople ] , whom I will destroy for having incurred My wrath.”

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! ! 68 What is the Purpose o f Creation? The purpose of human creation is to carry out God’s command ment s and manifest His attributes.Do not harbor weakness within yourself.Do not lie , for th e act of lying is a mark of weakness.God has enjoined that one should take care of the poor.This means to become an exemplar of God , for He also cares for His creation.When you embody this behavior, people will look to you and s ee G od within you.Long ago, kings would use mirrors to show their reflection to their subjects, however , the s e were purely acts of ignorance.God , however, reflects His Being through people.For example, Ha z rat Muhammad sa was a reflection of God, and he manifested the image of God.T herefore, I advise you to accept God’s teachings and act upon His command ments.My second instruction is that God has accorded us a responsibility by sending us a prophet.W hile he did not bring a new Shariah , he did come to unveil the face of God to the world.The prophet’s objective was to propagate the teachings of Islam to the world.Our pledge of allegiance to this prophet means that we vow to undertake his responsibilities.His job was to save people from cruelties and darkness.You will only be able to do the same if you inculcate good qualities within yourselves.I shall give you a few instructions regarding this.Save Yourselves f r om Shirk The duty of those who know God is to shun the association of partners with Him.I would like to explain the concept of S hirk , so that you may avoid it and save yourself from the wrath of God.E ven some educated men lack proper understanding of what constitutes Shirk.God Almighty says , “I forgive all sins, but I will under no circumstance, forgive the sin of associat ing partners with Me.” Therefore, it is necessary to abstain from S hirk.The behaviors associated with S hirk, which should be avoided are [as follows]: Firstly, do not adopt forms of homage and worship for anyone other than God.The se postures of homage include bowing down

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! ! 69 before someone, standing or bowing before someone with folded hands, prostrating or kneeling before someone.These are considered gestures of homage among all nations.If we perform the se same gestures of homage be for e others, how will we pay homage to God? As God is the most supreme , the respect towards Him should be the greatest.Thus, e ach of these postures of respect should be reserved exclusively for God.If we bow down or stand before someone with clasped hands , it is S hirk and an enormousl y sinful act.T he aforementioned behaviors express the utmost reverence and if performed be for e anyone other than God, it is S hirk and is forbidden.Therefore , all such acts are forbidden.The second type of S hirk is to attribute Divine powers to people.Examples of this sort of S hirk include believing that a certain person can heal the sick, lighting oil lamps at graves ites , or loving someone to a degree which should be reserved only for God.Observe Salāt Observe Salāt , for one who is not regular in offering Salāt cannot attain faith.Ha z rat Muhammad sa said, “God states , ‘ When a servant of mine seeks to approach Me w hile steadfastly observing Salāt , m y servant arrives so near to me , that I begin to love him.When I love him, I become his ears by which he hears, and his eyes with which he sees, and his hands with which he grasps, and his feet with which he walks.However he uses them, i t is as if it is done by Me , not by him.’ ” Thus, Salāt is such an excellent d eed, which helps attain nearness to God.Whoever wishes to see God o n the Day of Judgment should never abandon Salāt and should offer it in congregation.Those women who are unable to offer [ Salāt ] in congregation, should supplicate with such concentration and fervor that it should be as though they are stand ing before God and He is observing them.Their full attention should be towards God.A Holy Person’s Story Once, a very pious elder began to read Salāt behind a certain Imam [ a person who lead s the prayers / leader ].As the prayer began, i t occurred to the Imam that he c ould buy a bull with the two hundred

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! ! 70 rupees he had, travel to Delhi, and sell his bull for four hundred rupees.From there, he could buy something else and go on to Ag h ra, where his four hundred rupees would fetch eight hundred rupees.He c ould then buy something in Ag h ra whi ch would sell for more in Peshawar and sell it there [in Pes hawar] to make sixteen hundred rupees.This situation [the Imam’s deliberations] were revealed to the pious elder through a vision.He discontinued his Salāt behind the Imam and began to offer it separately.After completing his Salāt , the Imam reprimanded him in a harsh manner, stating , “I t is a gr eat transgression and forbidden [to break away in the middle of Salāt ] ! ” The saint responded, “I am weak , and my legs are not very strong.I first tr aveled with you to Delhi.I thought, very well, if Imam Sahib is going , then I will go too.From there you travelled to Ag hra and I still accompanied you.However, when you prepared to leave Aghra for Peshawar, I broke my Salāt so that I could offer it myself.” Upo n hearing this, the Imam was much embarrassed.Therefore, one should be careful about three things while offering Salāt : 1.To offer Salāt solely for God 2.Observe Salāt wholeheartedly 3.Along with offering the Fardh [obligatory ] Rak ‘ at , offer Sunnah [ Blessed practice /actions of the Holy Prophet] which bring s one closer to Allah.Sunnah Rak ‘ at must be offered.True recognition of God is achieved through n awafil [voluntary prayers].These n awafil are a blessing and are f or our benefit alone.An example of this divine gift is that of one visiting another with a gift for his children.H e [the host] accepts it and t he guest is extremely grateful that the host has accepted the gift.The host then returns the favor by presenting him [ t he guest] with a gift.The purification and the benefit that Salāt provides is for none other than our own selves.In fact, God bestows us with even more rewards [as a result of our Salāt].The most important amongst the n awafil prayers is Tahajjud [voluntary prayer observed before dawn].Tahajjud is essential to overcome one’s ego.Women should offer this prayer j ust as men do.Ha z rat Muhammad sa has said, “When the man wakes at night , he should also awaken his wife [for the Tahajjud Prayer].The one who is awake should sprinkle drops of water on the

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! ! 71 other to wake them.Such a home is most blessed.” Remember, rewards are obtained only by enduring hardship.God Almighty has promise d us Heaven , but it will not be obtained without any effort.As far as prayer is concerned , one should offer n awafil as well as Fardh.Of all the voluntary prayers , Tahajjud is the best.If you wake up in the middle of the night for the sake of your child , merely because you believe that when he is grown he will make you proud , can you not then wake up for the sake of God? If you awake for God, your name will last eternally and if you remain awake for one hour at night, He will bless you with everlasting life.One of the many etiquettes of Salāt is t o offer Salāt slowly.Salāt is a means through which we see God and sh ould therefore be offered in a n unhurried manner with the thought that as long as we remain engaged in observing Salāt our time in His presence is prolonged.The Promised Messiah as has said: “Nowadays, the prostrations of men and women are like tha t of a hen pecking at its food.” Thus , one of the many ways to attain Allah ’s blessings is to take as much time in Salāt as one can.Remember, Salāt is not a game of hide and seek you play with God, but rath er a visit you pay to meet Him.Now I w ill elaborate on a few m ore commands of Shariah.Apart from offering Salāt , God Almighty has ordained that if a person possesses forty rupees, he should spend one rupee from it in the way of Allah.This is Zakat and is a means of purification.Zakat is obligatory for men and women.Ha z rat Muhammad sa greatly emphasized this.During the time of Ha z rat Abu Bakr ra , some people refused to pay Zakat.They declared that they would not pay Zakat, which led to such an uproar , that except for [those in] M e dina and one other small town, many apostatized.At that time , Ha z rat ‘Umar ra , who was a very brave man , counse led Ha z rat Abu Bakr ra to use a gentle approach towards them.T hey would eventually concede.Ha z rat Abu Bakr ra responded, “You are afraid that they are many and we are few.So be it, I shall go a lone and fight them for the sake of Zakat.If they neglect to pay even one raddi [smallest coin], I shall still fight against them, for this is Allah ’s comm andment.” Take note.These people followed all the

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! ! 72 practices which Muslims follow , but they refused one command, and they were treated as disbelievers.This [incident] highlights the significance of Zakat.Of course, a ny jewelry regularly worn is exempt from Zakat.Allah has provided many means through which people can build a relationship with Him, yet doubts continue to surface in people’s minds.Prayer is a means of saving oneself f rom such doubts.The example of prayer is like that of a treasure trove which one discovers, that has the ability to fulfill all your desires at any time.There is an old folk tale which relates the story of a giant, who gave a boy a ce r tain token , which fulfilled all his wishe s.Ye t , this is just a fable.Certainly, there does exist such a treasure which will fulfill all your wishes if you choose to dip your hand inside.That treasure is God Almighty and the door to o btaining it is P rayer.It is possible to acquire everything through prayer.Prayer is a mighty tool which even wind and water cannot halt.W e have witnessed these phenomen a with our own eyes.The Acceptan ce o f Prayer Once a person wrote to me that he had been trying to get married for the last six years, but to no avail.He asked me to pray for him.I prayed for him and was told that the prayer was accepted.I wrote to him [of this] and he replied that the moment he received my le tter, a wealthy man from the area arrived at his home and proposed the marriage of his daughter.This shows that God listens to prayers in such a manner , that those people who know not of such things , are dumbfounded.If we need provisions, God is the Provider.If we hope that our faults remain hidden , then God’s name is Satta a r [ the O ne who C overs ].If we need honor, one of God’s names is Al - Mu ’i zz [ the Bestower of Honor ].Ther e is nothing in this world which can not be found in God ’s attributes.Since all worthy attributes belong to God, we should pray to Him by invoking the attribute which corresponds to our need.Now , I shall present some methods for acceptance of prayer.1.A person whose income is earned unlawful ly will not have his prayers accepted.Therefore, one should always maintain an honest occupation.

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! ! 73 2.A person should pray with concentration and the conviction that God is Gracious and Merciful.Prayer s will certainly be accepted if offered with concentration.3.God Almighty says, “In voke the attribute of mine which corresponds with your need.” For example, if one feels that one’s upbringing is wanting in some way, then one should pray, “O Rabb [Lord] , purify me.” When one asks for provision s, one should say, “O Provider, provide for me.” When you invoke His appropriate names, God will accept your prayers in abundance.4.If the supplicant treats others with kindness, God never rejects his prayers, because it invokes God’s sense of honor.That is because He says, “Wh en this person does not reject other peoples’ requests , why would I, as the King, reject this person’s prayers ? ” ( Al - Fazl , March 6 , 1922) ! ! !

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! ! 74 The Initial Appeal for the Creation of L ajna Ima’illah Delivered by H a z ra t Mirz a Bashir ud - din Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra 1922 As - S alam u ‘ Alaikum wa R ahmatullahe wa B arakatohu.[ May Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon you ] To fulfill the purpose of our creation, women need to make as much effort as men.In my view , women still lack an awareness of what Islam desires of them.H ow should they spend their lives to attain Allah ’s pleasure and inherit His blessings in the hereafter , as well as in this world? Upon careful consideration , [it appears ] that most women do not comprehend the point of whether there is anything worth doing other than their daily chores.Only our women can counter the female enemies of Islam who attempt to spread suspicion regarding Islam and indoctrinate our children.If we are to create a spirit of sacrifice in children, that too can only be done through our mothers.In addition to their own spiritual and intellectual progress, the future advancement of the Jama'at is largely dependent up on the efforts of women.T he older that children become the less impress ionable they are compared to when they were young.Similarly, t he reformation of women can only be done by women.Keeping these matters in mind, I invite all those sisters , who support my ideology and accept the need for the following po ints , to come together and work to fulfill this purpose.If yo u agree with the following directives , please let me know, so that this work can be started as soon as possible.1.It is necessary for women to come together, increase their knowledge , and then impart that knowledge to others.

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! ! 75 2.It is necessary to establish an Anjuman [ office in charge of administrative affairs of the Community ] , so that this work is regularly implemented.3.It is necessary to create a set of rules to govern this Anjuman , which will be binding up on every member.4.It is necessary that the rules and regulations are in accordance with Islam as presented by Jama'at Ahmadiyya and that they should help in [maintaining] its stability and progress.5.It is necessary that during conferences lectures are delivered which discuss various matters relating to Islam , particularly those concerning contemporary issues.The lectures must be written by the members of the Anjuman themselves in order for them to gain expertise in this way.6.It is necessary that to increase knowledge, lectures should be presented by those who are well - versed in Islam ic teachings on topics members of the Anjuman consider important.7.It is necessary, that in order to establish the spirit of unity within the Jama'at, all activities should be in accordance with and should contribute towards the advancement of the scheme set by the Khalifa of the time.8.It is necessary , that in order to e nhance the unity of the Jama'at you fulfill your duty as a Muslim and continue to strive in the manner out l ined by the Holy Qur’ ā n , the Holy Prophet sa and the Promised Messiah as.Be prepared to offer every kind of sacrifice for this task.9.It is necessary to remain focused on your moral and spiritual reformation.Do not limit your attention to food, drink , and clothing.To achieve this, fully help one another and reflect upon and adopt the se ways.10.I t is necessary to understand the extent of your responsibility in the upbringing of your children.I nstead of raising them as neglectful , disheartened , and apathetic towards r eligion, raise them to be active, insight ful , and able to withstand difficulties.Teach them whatever religious knowledge you have acquired and inculcate within them the spirit of love and obedience of Allah, the Holy Prophet sa , the Promised Messiah as and his Khulafa [ su ccessors].Instill in them the desire to forsak e their lives for Islam and to live in accordance with its principles.Think of ways in which to implement this ideal and then put

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! ! 76 them into practice.11.I t is necessary to overlook each other’s faults when coming together to work.Attempt to bring a refor m ation in others by treating them with patience and forbearance, rather than anger and indignation which will cause dissention.12.When a new project is launched, people will laugh at it or ridicule it , thus it is necessary to ignore their reactions.Our sisters should acquire th e courage and resolve needed t o tolerate the taunts or ridicule t o which they will be subjected either individually or at meetings , so as to set an example for other sisters and to draw their attention to wards this work.13.It is necessary , that to render this idea effective and to ensure that it continues forever, like - minded women should be recruited.This can only proceed if every woman who is a part of the organization considers it her duty to persuade other sisters to wards her point of view.14.It is necessary , that to save this project from failure , only those sisters should be made members of the Anjuman who agree wholly with these ideas.At any time, if anyone should disagree with this , God forbid, she should withdraw herself willingly or be removed from this Anjuman.15.It is necessary , that since the word Jama'at , does not pertain only to a select group of people, but is inclusive of young and old, poor and rich, it is fundamental that this Anjuman be free of the distinction of rich and poor.In fact , an effort should be made to create love and equality between the rich and the poor.The notion of harboring contempt in one’s heart and regarding oneself superior should be erad icated.For despite differences in status , the reality is that all men are brothers , and all women are sisters.16.It is ne cessary to devise practical methods for the service of Islam and the assistance of needy brothers and sisters.These ideas should be implemented accordingly.17.It is necessary to pray and request for prayers, since all aid, blessings , and success come s from God Almighty.May our Purpose be R evealed May the true purpose of our creat ion be revealed to us.May

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! ! 77 we recognize the best way to achieve that purpose and may we be blessed with the ability to employ these means in the best manner, to ensure a blissful ending.May Allah guide our progeny through His Gra ce , and may He continue this work according to His Will till the end of time [ Am ī n ].If you concur with the se ideas and are prepared to implement the corresponding rules and regulations , which are now , and in the future , p resented to and approved by the Anjuman , please sign this sheet of paper.Later , a signature will be taken from every sister individually, as an affirmation and a pledge to abide by these rules and regulations.

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! ! 78 Address to the Ladies at Jalsa Salana Qadian Delivered by Hazrat Mirz a Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad , Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra December 1922 Respect for Women i n Islam The religions which existed before Islam paid more attention to the re formation of men, with some of the m of the opinion that women had no souls and they merely existed as a reward for men’s comfort and thus would not be held accountable.This point of view can be found in m any religions , with even the Jewish and Christian scriptures indicating that God created men for Himself and women for the sake of men.A s the final religious teaching , Islam is the first to recognize that men and women are equal beings.As women were created for men, so were men created for women.If a woman takes care of a man, he al so works to take care of her.Therefore, the old r eligious thinking was incorrect and was not revealed in the Holy Books, but was written by men at the time, according to their preferences.The Holy Prophet sa was the first to teach equality, completely revolutionizing the status of women.The Status of Women in Arabia Before the Advent of t he Holy Prophet sa In those times , Arabs held the view that women had no intelligen ce and no right to interfere in their affairs.If a woman did try to give her opini on o n their affairs, the [men] were greatly offended.Once, Ha z rat ‘ Umar ra was considering a difficulty.His wife said, “It’s quite easy.D o it this way.” He said, “Who are you to meddle in my affairs?” She answered, “The wives of the Holy Prophet sa give him advice.W hat is the harm if I do so?” Immediately , Ha z rat ‘Umar ra rushed to his daughter , who was married to the Holy Prophet sa , and asked her if she advised the Holy Prophet sa in his affairs.She said, “Yes.” Ha z rat ‘Umar ra scolded her and said, “That is

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! ! 79 very bad.Do not do so again.” When Hazrat ‘Umar’s ra paternal aunt hea rd of this, she admonished him, “Who are you to interfere in the affairs of the Holy Prophet’s sa household?” At a time when women were treated no better than cattle, the Holy Prophet sa himself sought their opinion and advice.A Problem Solved b y a Woman’s Advice Once the Holy Prophet sa had a dream in which he saw himself performing the Umra h [secondary pilgrimage].It occurred to him that he should perform Umra h that same year.In view of harassment by the M ecc ans , the M e dinites often could not travel to M ecc a.After they heard of his dream, thousands gathered to accompany the Holy Prophet sa.When the Holy Prophet sa arrived at M ecc a with a multitude of thousands, the M ecc ans said, “Under no circumstances, will we let you in.” They felt that if they allowed Muhammad sa , the Messenger of Allah , to enter M ecc a with thousands of his followers, people would believe the Meccans to be scared and they would thus lose face.After much deliberation, it was decided that leaders from both sides would negotiate a settlement.In the end, it was determined that the M e dinites [Muslims] would turn back [without performing Umra h ] to return the following year.The companions of the Holy Prophet sa were greatly saddened when the Holy Prophet sa agreed to the disbelievers ’ terms.The Holy Prophet sa then directed them to perform the sacrifice of the animal whic h they had brought with them.N o one m oved.After repeating his instruction three times, still the co mpanions remained seated.Upon witnessing this, the Holy Prophet sa became greatly concerned, lest this act of [disobedience] bring tribulation upon the companions.Finally , he stood up and went home, where he asked one of his wives, “What should be don e? Today is the first time I have instructed them , and the y have not obeyed.” She replied, “Say no more to them.G o straightaway and slaughter the animal you have brought for sacrifice.” Consequently, he left and drew his knife upon his camel’s neck.Upon seeing this, everyone immediately rose as if they wished no other should be the first to obey.I n truth, they had been so heartbroken that they did not rise until they saw the Holy Prophet sa perform his own

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! ! 80 sacrifice.Thus, a woman’s advice solved this problem.Women do not Realize their o wn Importance It is a regrettable fact that in this day and age , women do not realize their own importance.They believe they have been created f or the service of men.Whichever rel igion the man follows, they will follow in the same direction.They do not understand that men and women each have their own relationship with God Alm ighty.The way things stand, their faith is wh at their husband directs it to be.Thus, it is necessary that a woman should think carefully about her religion because when she stands before God, she will be unable to defend her choice to be Ahmadi simply because her husband wa s Ahmadi, or that she is Christian because her husband wa s Christian.She will be asked which religion she followed becaus e she believed it to be true.Women’s Relationship w ith God Today, I will be discuss ing this very topic.Regarding faith, women should remember that they have their own independent relationship with God.Thus, w omen can establish their own bond with God , provided their faith is of their own choosing and not of their husband’s.In the past, women have been the recipient s of Divine revelatio ns, including [ Ha z rat ] Rabia Basri ra , [ Ha z rat ] Mary , and the mother of H az rat M oses as.God spoke to them.T he woma n who believes in he r religion with a complete understanding wil l not be lead away from her faith even if the man becomes misguided.This is because t he mark of distinction of the one who truly underst ands h er religion, is that even when faced with trials and tribulations, s he does not go astray.This is because when a person truly accepts her faith, s he does not stray, even if the entire world seeks to turn h er away.There is n o Lasting Success w ithout Faith Always remember that there is no consistent progress without having fait h.Why is it that men have advanced in their faith to such a degree that even they are cut apart with a saw they do not giv e up their faith? However, because women’s faith is for their husband ’ s sake and not for the sake of Allah , they are un able to make sacrifices.

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! ! 81 Therefore, it should be understood that no prayer, no fast, no pilgrimage, and in fact, no worship will be accepted until the woman chooses her own faith, instead of relying upon her husband ’ s faith.I f you believe that Allah has created you only for the sake of men, you cannot progress at all.Progress o f Religion t hrough the Progress o f Women Bear in mind that no religion can advance unless its women progre ss.It is important that for Islam to progress , you should improve yourselves.Women are like two of the four walls of a room.If two of the walls collapse, can its ceiling remain standing? C ertainly not! Thus, women are substantial ly important in several ways.Everything has been Created i n Pairs The fore most of those is to do with her own existence; without women , the [human] race cannot survive.If it could continue without her, God would have created only men.Secondly, because God Almighty is One and He holds this attribute in the highest regard, therefore He has not created anything which is one or which can subsist independently of anything else.Therefore, He has created everything in pairs.Even a human being consists of two parts, the body and the soul.Modern research shows that even trees have male and female parts.It was already written in t he Holy Qur’ān that all things in the world come in pairs, so that nothing could claim to be one.Thus , everything is dependent on something else, except for the rare event of Adam ’s as creation , in fact, even his creation was not from a single substance, but from many different elements.The Reason for the Creation of Men a nd Women Another reason for the creation of m e n and wom e n is to establish unity.God has said in the Holy Qur’ān , ‘I have not created mankind and Jinn , but that they should worship me.’ Since God has created men and women for the same purpose, women should also seek nearness to God.They both [man and woman] can be likened to

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! ! 82 two bulls harnessed to a wagon, where by both must obey their Master.This is regarding the importance of a woman in terms of her very existence.A Wife ’ s Influence on h er Husband Another aspect of women’s importance is in the fact that women exert enormous influence over their husbands.It is often said that women are dependent [upon men], but it is true that some men fall into trouble bec ause of women.Women control [men] by way of submissiveness.Ha z rat Adam as was expelled from Paradise because of a woman.The Bible says that [ Ha z rat ] Adam as would not obey Satan , so h e [Satan] then went to Eve and she managed to convince [ Ha z rat ] Adam as.This shows that even though a woman rule s through the power of love and affection , however, it is the case that she exerts her rulership.We have often seen very devout men being deceived by women.W e have also seen women accept Ahmadiyyat first and then persuade the ir husbands to join.If women are committed, then their men will be more active in serving their religion.Occasionally, women use the power of love in dangerous ways.For example, w omen are often the cause behind the taking of bribes.W hen they pester their husbands to acquire one item or the other for them , the husbands are forced to make money in an illegal manner.This is the influence of wome n.Many of the world’s ills are the result of men being un able to fulfill women ’ s needs.Are we not then under the control of women? D ue to them, men either lose th eir faith or they find religion.This effect is discernible , yet women can also exert a more covert influence.For example, when it is time to give c handa they begin to remind their husbands of this or that need , so that they will be deterred from giving chanda.The result of this is i mperceptible.Just as women exert a negative influence, they can also exert a positive one.Once, a companion [of the Holy Prophet sa ] was expecting a guest.The man said, “What should we do [in serv ing him] ?” His wife said, “Why do you worr y ? We have food for just one person, which we will serve him.” The woman put their children to bed [hungry] and put the food before the guest.It was customary in Arabia that a guest

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! ! 83 would not eat unless the hos ts joined him.On some pretext, the woman extinguished the lamp and then t hey both sat down with the guest and made noises as if they were also eating.But these days, the majority of women would rather send their guest to hell, than let their children go hungry.One Woman’s Faith After the Holy Prophet ’s sa death and during the last days of Ha z rat Abu Bakr’s ra Khilafat , the Muslims face d the Christians in a great battle.The number of Christians was far greater than the number of Muslims and the battle raged fiercely for several days.Finally, the Christians decided to make one swift attack to defeat the Muslim army.Accordingly, they launched an aggressive attack on the last day and the Muslims lost their footing.At last, Hind , who in her time as a disbeliever had removed and chewed upon the liver of Ha z rat Hamza ra , now showed great and true courage as a Muslim.When she saw the men [Muslims] retreat in battle, she rallied the women together, crying out , “Let us put them [the men] to shame.W e will go out and fight!” She handed the women sticks and cudgels and they left their tents.Wher ever they saw men returning from battle, they taunted them, “ Now you go home and do the cooking.We will go to fight!” At this , the men were so overcome with shame , that one companion stated that being wounded from a sword was more bearabl e than hearing those words.T he men turned back right away and attacked the enemy with such ferocity that they attained victory.This was the result of one woman’s courage and resolve.Even in this day and age , women can encourage their husbands to go forth in the field of tabligh.Women’s Influence o n Children A quality whi c h women possess , but men do not, is their ability to gain their children’s obedience , and this is the superiority of women.Proper training of childr en is very important, because evil progeny humiliates and disgrace s a person , whereas pious children bring honor.Do not think it is enough that you are Ahmadi.Rather i t is imperative that you make your children Ahmadi as well.I have often observed that when Muslim men marry Christian

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! ! 84 women, as soon as the men die, the women convert the ir children to Christianity.For example, t he state of Rampur w as [once] composed of Sunnis.A Shia woman found her way among them and consequently , the state was taken over by Shias.Since childhood is a time of learning, that which a child questions and that which his mother teaches , will be indelibly marked.This ca n ne ver be erased, no matter how one tries.In the Hindu religion, children are taught to prostate before stone idols from an early age.They continue this practice when they are grown, even if they have earn ed their b achelor ’ s or m aster ’ s degrees.The reason for th is is that whatever is learn ed in childhood , overrides the intellect.When we examine the proofs presented by the Holy Qur’ān , it seems astonishing that the entire world has not become Muslim.The reason that t he entire world has not become Muslim , is because that which they learn ed from their mothers from an early age , cannot be eradicated.Thus , if a mother has no religion, it will have a very harmful effect on the child.Fathers do not have the time to sit down with thei r children and teach them religion and moral standards.Women incorrectly guide their children in two different areas, one of which is religion and the other Islam.1) Firstly, they label Ahmadis a s the bad people , who have invented a new religion.T hey declare they will only follow what their forefathers followed.2) Secondly, they teach their children to bow , instead of saying As - S alam u ‘ A laikum [peace be with you].These habits become set in children.3) Thirdly, women turn their children away from serving their religion.Women instill such a false impression of religion in their children that they refuse to go near it.4) Fourthly, under the guise of love, they raise their children to be idle in their actions.For example, they do not wake them up for Salāt or let them perform wudu [ablution] for fear of catching a cold.Thus , the children become lazy in the matter of religion despite the fact that hard work increases strength and courage.Some women do not train their children when young and so even when the ir children wish to accomplish something, they

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! ! 85 are unable to do so.Faith alone can do nothing, until it is practiced.Love alone is futile.When the child is grow n , he will not pray for his mother, but will berate her, saying , “I f I had been made to practice this when I was a child, I would not find it so difficult to offer ‘ Isha and Tahajjud prayers today and to carry out my other religious duties.” 5) Fifthly, the man goes out [to work] and the woman does not properly care fo r the children.The children wander around with other children in the streets.The m an leaves his children, his most pr ecious possession, with his wife and she wrongly discharge s his trust.These are five negative impressions which a woma n can leave on her children.She does not realize that their well - being is her responsibility.If a man ga ve his wife two hundred rupees, would she toss it t o a child on the street? Certainly not ! W hy then does she hand over to street urchins, that [her child] which is more valuable than diamonds, rubies , pearls, and in fact is more valuable tha n kings ? 6) The sixth bad habit mothers have is that they conceal their children’s mistakes.H as anyone ever seen a mothe r hide her child’s illness? No, b ecause she knows that if the illness is not treated, the child w ill die.Yet, she hides the child’s spiritual m aladies.If those minor ailments which develop in childhood are not treated right away, they cannot be cured once the child is grown unless great sacrifice is involved.Yet women cover up [their children’s shortcomings].At times a child may tell a lie and the father wishes to reprimand him, but the mother will defend him and in explaining it away, will tell a lie h erself.Th e result is that the child grows more and more corrupt.7) Seventhly, women do not take care of the ir children’s health , to the point that when they are adults , they are unable to undertake a task of any significance.These are seven issues , the solution of which lies with in a woman’s grasp.It is not necessary to be educated to fix them.Every woman knows the basics of Islam.If women begin to teach their children the main principles of religion from a very early age , then by

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! ! 86 the age of nine or ten, their children will develop such a sense of honor , that no matter what else they learn, they will never go astray.Women can also inculcate good morals , as opposed to the negative ones which I have related, thus preventing the child from developing any faults ; that is true love.Y ou should remember these points, that is true love.All these directives highlight your importance.Women’s Responsibilities Until you progress, the faith cannot prosper.Our success and our sacrifice will last for at the very most twenty to twenty - five years, but if you fully understand your responsibilities , this progress will continue until the Day of Judgment.You ar e the teacher of our future generations.Our influence is temporary, but yours is permanent.Having understood this, you will realize that the greater burden falls up on you.You [women] are the ones who can securely anchor Islam.You have the capacity to cut off the head of Satan and establish the ongoing progress of religion so firmly , that all the nations may gasp in wonder.In the end, it is my prayer that God Almighty may keep our Jam a ‘a t’s men and women steadfast in their duties ; t hat we discharge our obligations to the best of our ability, to become like a solid boulder , which no enemy can shatter , Am ī n.( Al - Fazl , January 22, 1923, p p.5 - 7)

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! ! 87 Three - Part Lecture First S peech D elivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad , Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra Ladies’ Jalsa Hall Febru a ry 5, 1923 Knowledge L eads to Intellectual Development At one point during the last Jalsa , I mentioned that experts should give lectures in their respective fields to advance our general knowledge.It makes no difference w hether this learning be religious or secular because intellectual development comprises of all types of knowledge.Sometimes, a person may gain standing in the religious realm , but is then disgraced because of his lack of worldly knowledge.A Narrative The Promised Messiah as narrated an account of a well - known elder.One of the K ing’s courtiers was an admirer of this pious man.The courtier would plead with the K ing to pay a visit to this man, but the K ing ignore d him.One day, upon the courtier’s insistence, the K ing finally decided to visit this so - called pious man to ascertain just how wondrous and virtuous he truly was.Accordingly, when the K ing visited him, the elder thought about impress ing the King.To this end, he thought it would be appropriate to give the K ing some advice and thus display his knowledge , thereby increasing the King’s devotion towards the elder.With that in mind he began his address, “ Rulers must treat their subjects fairly and should not oppress them.Among the Muslim rulers, a king named Sikander lived a thousand years before the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.” Upon hearing this, the K ing’s expression changed , and he realized that the man was an utter ignoramus and so the King walked out.Not only was the man destroyed by his own egotism, but h e was disgraced by h is ignorance of fundamental knowledge.

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! ! 88 It is not necessary that every saintly person should know who Sikander was, but this man told a lie merely to boost his ego and display his knowledge of history, thus result ing in his abasement.Therefore, everyone at the very least, should be well informed in general knowledge , which is why I suggested that lectures be presented on various academic fields from time to time.Accordingly, members will gain knowledge whether it be religious or secular.I had also mentioned that men are often unaware of w hich topics are important to women.F or this reason, I proposed that a lecture covering a range of topics be presented before women so that they may decide for themselves the is sues they wish to delve into.For instance, someone will l o ng to visit Delhi, fo r she has never heard of cities like L ondon or Paris, nor is she aware o f their beauty or expanse.This is despite the fact that London , Paris , and Berlin are very large cities and Delhi cannot even compare with them , this woman will only wish to visit Delhi because she is unaware of what else exists.Simila rly, women can only be informed once a list of the sciences is put before them.Thus, my lecture will co ver the various sciences.The Vast Implications of Knowledge In my view, knowledge does not encompass only that which is true; rather diverse types of knowledge exist.Some scientific fields are fundamentally accurate and complete, whereas others are not, yet they are still counted as sciences.Others are being researched and developed but come under the category of ‘ knowledge.’ Some knowledge is purely academic and is not practiced , while other [fields] are purely practical and hands on.Thus, I will cover in this address only a list of science s, so that you can assess which ones are necessary.I will cover the sciences which are complete and those which are not , those which are academic and those which are practical.Religious Knowledge Before studying religious studies , it is important to understand

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! ! 89 what exactly religion is, and the issues over which various religions have differed.Upo n close study, one observes that there are three key issues which have caused disagreements.I will not cover these differences in detail , but will in fact, present the various aspects of these religions.Most religions differ on the following three principles.F irst ly , how man was created; s econd ly , for what purpose was he created ; a nd third ly , where will he go after h e dies.These three issues led to differences and the birth of new religions.We will now elaborate upon the problems , which arise from these three issues.Commonality Among Religions In the context of emerging scientific fields another question arises.One should focus on the extent of commonality among religions.That is to say, which iss ues do they agree on , and from which ideologies did they emerge? This quest ion arise s because now people have distance d themselves from religion , considering it to be false.To this end, they have summed up the similarities and differences between various religions and have decided to refuse outside forces.In fact, they value morality and have done away with the need for Divine revelation.They explain the similarities based on shared truths and thus they deny the need for revelation.On the other hand, they assert that the differences between religions reflect the specific circumstances through which various nations have passed, thus excluding God completely from having revealed these religions.This is the modern research on theology and is called ‘ Comparative Theology.’ Such are the principles applied to religions.Following are the principles explained in some detail regarding the knowledge pertainin g to religions: 1.Islam : Islam is o ne religion among many , and you should do your own research.2.Christianity: After research ing [the subject of] religions, one will pose the question : w hat is Christianity ? This requires considering its sects, of which there are four:

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! ! 90 a.Roman Catholics: Catholics believe that Peter was a disciple and successor of Ha z rat Jesus as.History indicates that Peter lived in Rome.Catholics say that when in Rome, Peter was ordained as the successor of Ha z rat Jesus as , thu s making him the c aliph of Ha z rat Jesus as.According to them , the Pope, who is the head of the Catholic clergy, is the successor and caliph of Peter.They hold that the clergy must obey the Pope, for if they do not , they do not obey Ha z rat Jesus as.Thus , they assert that the caliphate of Haz rat Jesus as will be continuous.Now , I will not argue whether these beliefs are correct, rather I simply w ish to summarize the study of Roman Catholicism.Roman Catholics also attribute some divine qualities to Ha z rat Mar y.When a righteous person passes away , they believe that one can pray at his or her grave.With the advancement of science, they have been able to preserve the bodies of saintly elders , and they either visit those sites or the places where the saints themselves pra yed.In terms of bureaucracy , they follow the Pope.In terms of religion, they believe that their prayers will be accepted if they pray at the graves of Ha z rat Mary, Ha z rat Jesus as , and the saints.They have a tradition called the Last Supper.They say that before Ha z rat Jesus as was arrested, he had a drink of wine or g rape juice and a piece of bread, which he also served to his disciples.Ha z rat Jesus as interpreted th ese [items] to be his flesh and blo od.Roman Catholics mimic this [analogy] and believe that bread is his flesh and wine is his blo od.Roman Catholics govern a large area and follow the Christianity of the olden days.b.Greek Church (Greek Orthodox): This church separated in the fifth century A.D.Idol worship was common among the Greek s.They do not agree with the Roman Catholic’s belief that the Pope is the successor to Ha z rat Jesus as , so they broke away from the Pope.The head of the clergy is called the Patriarch and h e lives in Constantinople.They view him i n the same way they view the Pope.He is not regarded a successor of Ha z rat Jesus as.c.Protestants: Protestant means to oppose and express hatre d or a willingness for separation.They dissented with the

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! ! 91 Pope and broke away from the Roman Catholics.It is their belief that each person is autonomous , and the Pope is in significant.They have a church , which is subordinate to the king.That is the state of things in England.In other European countries , the ch urch is considered supreme, allowing common people to h ave their say.They believe that it is not permissible to bow down before a cross , statue of a saint , or Ha z rat Mary.They do believe in translating the Gospel into other languages, unlike the Roman Catholics, who believe that the Gospel should be read in its original language.d.Unitarian: They believe in O ne God.They do not believe that Ha z rat Jesus as is God or the son of God.Instead, they believe he was the last and the greatest prophet.I have now explained the four main sects in Christianity.There are many other smaller sects , but these are the main four.3.Judaism : They are the followers of Ha z rat Moses as , and they believe in the Torah.They do not believe in Ha z rat Jesus as.They believe in the prophecy of the coming of the Messiah but refute Hazrat Jesus’ as claim as the Messiah.B efore the Messiah can come , they believe Elijah will appear from heaven.They do believe in all the Prophets up unti l the P rophet Malachi, and they also deem Ha z rat Suleman as and Hazrat David as to be great prophet s.Their religion is based on the Torah.In Judaism , there are two main sects.One is Sadducees and the other Pharisees.a.The Sadducees : A political and liberal sect.They believe that everyone can study the Bible , which is why they interpret the Bible according to the world’s current events.D ue to their political involvement and support from kings this sect has survived.In turn, kings have nee ded them to run their government.K ings allowed t hem freedom and assisted them in order that they i nterpret [religion] according to the [King’s] wish es.In reality, this was a political sect , which to some extent, can be likened to the Ahl - e - Hadith [A Muslim sect ].

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! ! 92 b.The Pharisees : A sect akin to the Hanafi Muslims.They say it is necessary to f ollow the sayings of the saints and are against conquering other countries.Moreover, t hey are in favor of keep ing their own country within its boundaries.Because the Sadducees sect was a political sect, it was wiped away along with the destruction of Judaism.4.Hinduism : In reality, Hinduism is not a real religion.The people who were living in India before the Muslims arrived , were called Hindus.Their main sects are as follows: a.Sanatan Dharam is the oldest and larges t sect.The long - standing sect believe s in the Vedas [their holy book] and consider s it to be the word of God.They believe that no other book or religious code will be revealed after Vedas , b ut avatars, such as Krish na and Ramchandar , will continue to reveal the knowledge contained within it.This religion is mostly based on idol worshipping.T hree of their major gods are Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiv a.There are several other minor deities , but the foremost have been mentioned.These are further divided in to religious sects.Some consider Brahma to be the greates t , others Vishnu , and others Shiv a.Brahma is the god of creation, Shiv a is the god of wealth and comfort , and Vishnu is the god of death.Among these sects, t here is another important sect which believes in Krish na.They believe in the Vedas , but that it alone is insufficient.Therefore, they read only the Geeta, which contains the explanations set out by Krish na.They regard the Geeta to be perfect and superior to the Vedas , which is why th ey are a separate sect.b.There is another sect, which is called Vaidanti or Vedanat.This sect believes that our reality is God.They say the world is God’s contemplation.They also bel ieve that everything is eternal.O therwise where did it all come from? Therefore, this is not real, but a figment of God’s imagination.c.Then there is another sect by the name of Vaam Marg.Practically speaking, they believe that spiritual advancement is dependent upon enjoyment.They are spread all over [the world] in large numbers.

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! ! 93 d.Then there are the Arians.They do not believe in avatars, nor do they believe that God create d the soul and matter.They assert that these two thing s have always been and will always remain eternal , t hat God joined them together for his own benefit, as a potter creates pottery from clay.Regarding salvation , they believe you reap what you so w in the form of your deeds, and in transmigration.That human beings will continue to return to this world to be punished for their actions.Therefore, they will never achieve eternal salvation.5.Buddhism : Some believe this religion has the most followers.It began in India , but now mos t of its followers live outside with many residing in China and Japan.The founder of this faith, Buddha, was the son of a king who abandoned everything to worship God.They believe that salvation lies in abandoning all desires and f reedom from wants leads to surrendering one’s self.That is the hallmark of this religion.They wish to eliminate all forms of desire ; therefore , they do not fast, nor do they engage in other forms of worship, believing that to be covetous.For them, this abandonment of desires leads to the dissolution of the Self, which will result in salvation.6.Jainism : There are twenty - five million followers of this faith residing in India.They believe there is no God, rather tha t a few pious souls rule the world.T he rest of the s pirits continue to progress and may at one point achieve salvation.They believ e that the human spirit has attached itself to the [human] form and when it separates from it, the spirit will attain salvation.Their belief is analogous to a thorn attached to one’s clothes which can be separated.Until the form sheds from the spirit, th e spirit will continue to return.Th ese reappear ances are called transmigration and is a common belief of theirs.7.Zoroastrianism: This faith originated in Iran about five thousand years ago.Some believe it predate s Hinduism.Zoroaster introduced t his faith and many of the beliefs resemble those of Islam.Their religious acts include those like wudu , tayammum [ablution without water], and Salāt.They also believe in Heaven and Hell.The greatest difference between Zoroastrianism and other religions , is that they

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! ! 94 consider the sun and fire as the greatest manifestation of god and therefore worship them.They also worship water , air, and other elements.The practical aspects of this religion are also very different from other religions.For example, Hindus cremate the dead, while Muslims, Christians , and Jews all bury their dead.Zoroastrians , or Parsi as they are also named, neither bury nor burn their dead , but feed them to vultures.For this purpose, they have a special place called the Dokhma o r ‘ the tower of sile nce.’ Those people who look after the dead there are not allowed to leave [the temple].8.Sikhism: The founder of this religion was Guru Baba Nan a k Sahib.His w ork and writings show that he held the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and Hindu saints in high regard.Sikhism does not have any code of law.The religious book they follow is Garanth Sahib.They separated from Muslims , due to different viewpoints and animosity.This religion promotes morals such as bravery, truthfulness , etc.Sikhism has two major sects, Akali and Awasi.The Awasi believe in old Hindu saints, while the Akali believe Sikhism to be a new religion with no connection s to Hindus.Amid the many other smaller sects of this rel igion, this sect happens to be most prevalent these days.9.The Japanese Religion : The Japanese religion is called Shinto ism.This has neither a religious creed , nor any law.They focus on morality and are convinced in the power of spirits.They worship the spirits of the deceased.10.The Religion of Philosophy: This is a religion of conjecture and includes Atheists.In Europe, they are called agnostics , which means , “I do not know.” This religion is based on doubt or whim.In addition to the aforementioned religions, th ere are some new religions , [which are described below].11.Ba a bi [Bahai] R eligion : They believe that a new law - bearing prophet arrived after Prophet Muhammad s a.The founder of this faith was named Muhammad Ali Ba a b and h is followers are called Ba a bi.He was succeeded by Bahaullah.Later, the name of the religion Bahai was attributed to Bahaullah and n ow, the

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! ! 95 followers are called Ba hai.The followers of this religion believe that from among the progeny of Ha z rat Imam Hussain ra , one Imam disappeared, but still lives.This missing Imam chooses a person to be his deputy.This person serves as the representative of the Imam and a thorough way , or b aab , betwee n the Imam and the believers.Baab means door.They consider the b aab to be innocent and free of mistakes or sin , because he reflects the Imam Mahdi and they believe that the Mahdi has knowledge of the unseen.Muhammad Ali Baab was killed and b efore his death, he made out a will , appointing Subha - e - Azal as his successor.In fact, this was a title , which Muhammad Ali’s successor , Mirza Yahya , claimed.Mirza Yahya was Bahaullah’s brother.This sect opposed the Iranian government and Baab was executed on the order of the king.When the faithful and brave followers of Subha - e - Azal began to be executed , he became nervous and fled to Baghdad.Fearing for his life, he became a recluse.At this time, his brother Mirza Hussein Ali , took advantage of the situation and claimed the title of Bahaullah , to expand his movement.Subha - e - Azal stayed put, while Bahaullah’s sect kept increasing.This sect incorporat es European teachings in its religious beliefs.They are like Khawaja Sahib, who routinely inculcates the notions of educated people in to Islam.Bahai’s act in this very manner, where they adapt the ideas of educated people [into their faith] and add moral teachings.12.The Religion of Brahma : T he second modern faith is Brahma.This is a religion of logic, as they assert that their faith is based on logic.They do pray , but do not believe in the acceptance of prayers.In their opinion, prayer only increases love of God.13.The Religion of Theosophy : The third modern religion is the religion of theosophy and it is a w oman , who has propagated this message.Their current leader is also a woman , named Annie Besant.Their belief is that hum an spirits do come back , and they believe in truth, but that it is neither associated with any special belief nor with any special person.In their estimation, a person can see God not by following a certain religion, but through deliberation and rational thinking.

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! ! 96 14.Unitarianism : T he fourth modern religion is Unitarian ism.This is the religion of be nefit.They believe all religions are false.Whatever is most advantageous is right.This religion is a branch of Atheism.15.The R eligion of Dev Samaj : T he f ifth modern religion is Dev S amaj.This is also an Atheist religion.The founder of this fait h rejects the worship of Allah but requires that he be worship ped.He asserts that as spirits rise in status, so does their influence.Thi s religion is an offshoot of Jainism.16.Spiritualism: The sixth modern religion is Spir itualism.The followers of this faith profess that spirits return to this world, bringing news from the hereafter , even though the reality is that the [living] are curious to learn what happens after death.In addition to these, t here are thousands of other ancient and recent religions, but there is no trace left of them.After briefly discussing the se religions, I now turn to Islam.Even though I began my discourse with Islam , I saved it for the end, as it is such a great and majestic faith.Islam ic Studies 1.Knowledge about Religious Tenets (Ilmul Aqai’d): a.Belief in Allah : The first principle of Islam i c studies is the knowledge of tenets , of which the most important is the existence of God.This is no ordinary tenet.R ather, it is victim of much debate.For e xample, is God visible or not? Can one meet Him or not? What would be the signs of finding Him? How does He establish a relat ionship with humans? How does He express His love and anger? What is our relationship with God? Thus, the subject of God brings up many other qu estions.Last year at Jalsa Salana , I gave a speech on this topic which lasted nine hours.Often times , people do not understand the being of Allah.Then there is the tenet of His attributes , to which there are many aspects.H ow do God’s attributes relate with one another ? The se [questions] all come under this topic.

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! ! 97 b.Belief in Angels : This second topic also comprises of many parts.Do angels exist or not? If angels exist , what are they? Is there a connection with humans? If there is a connection, what is it? Up to what point can humans control this relationship and how can they develop it? Can angels confer any benefit or not ? My speech o n this topic has been published and the length is approximately seven to eight hours.c.Belief in Revelation: The third topic is that of revelation and involves various aspects.How does God send his message ? Meaning, is it revealed in words or in the form of dreams? If revealed in dreams , how are they interpreted and how can we recognize whether it is from God? This is a very vast subject.d.Belief in Prophet hood and the Messenger : This has several dimensions.Are the prophets who came to reform mankind, gods or men? What is their pu rpose? At which point, is their work complete, so they can leave ? What are t he signs of their authenticity? What is the effect of their li ves? Th is subject matter is vast.e.Belief in Prayer: This subject is also extensive.What is prayer? Are prayer s accepted or not? If accepted, how so? A s a whole or only partly? What are the signs of acceptance? How will we know if it has been accepted? In which words and conditions are prayers accepted ? Thus, there are many aspects and questions regarding prayer.f.Belief in Predestination: Sixth among the aspects of belief is predes tination.This is a delicate but vast subject, covering various aspects.For instance, did God create man so that regardless of his choices , they are determined by God? O r , does man have free will? If man has no choice, then why is he punished? I have also given a speech on this at Jalsa Salana.g.Belief in Life after D eath : This subject is also comprehensive, comprising of several aspects.Will a man be rai sed after death? If he is raised, will he embody the same form or just the spirit? If he is raised, then how ? If it is only the spirit, how will it be raised? If it be the body, how will it be raised? Have those who have previously

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! ! 98 passed on , been raised from the dead or not? Will those who die in the future, join them? h.Belief in Salvation : Another belief concerns salvation.I have given a speech on this topic this year.In this speech, I explained the various aspects of salvation.What is salvation? Will it be achieved after death or during this life? Will the reward after death be temporary or last forever ? The same goes for punishment.D oes it last forever or is it for a limited time ? C onsequently, this covers various aspects and has been discussed in my speech.2.Knowledge of the Holy Qur’ān : The second principle of Islam ic studies is the study of the Holy Qur’ān , this being the revelation from God.The Holy Qur’ān itself is a collection of many sciences, divided into sev eral categories : a.First ly, the reading and understanding of the text.b.Second ly, is the study of the commentary.H ow did earlier people interpret it? There are scores of commentaries published in several volumes; one commentary comprises two hundred volumes.In short, there are hundreds of volumes with different commentaries.Many are published and many more have yet to be published.c.The third study is that of the tenets of the Holy Qur’ān ’s Commentary.What points should be kept in mind , while interpreting and construing the Holy Qur’ān ? This is an independent subject.d.Then there is the study of the pronunciation of the Holy Qur’ān , which incorporates how the Prophet Muhammad sa recited the text, at times repeating one word seven separate ways , and in some cases , even ten different ways.This has been revealed to us through the study of recitation.Those well - versed in this science are aware that dialects vary according to tribes.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa allowed various Arab tribes to recite the Holy Qur’ān in their tribe’s dialect for their convenience.e.The fifth is the science of intonation.This field of study guides us on where to stop and where to prolong our

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! ! 99 recitation when reading the Holy Qur’ān.This contains the rules of punctuation and the prolongation of sound.f.The sixth is the study of the compilation of the Holy Qur’ān.It involves the discussion of whether or not the Holy Qur’ān was compiled during the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.If it was transcribed in his time, was it done so in its entirety? Europ eans have raised questions regarding the compilation of the Holy Qur’ān , and we can answer their criticism s when armed with this knowledge.g.The seventh category concerns the chronology of the revelation and the arrangement of the verses of the Holy Qur’ān.The verses of the Holy Qur’ān are interspersed, but this field te lls us when each verse was revealed.This is a permanent science.h.The eighth sub - field concerns the lexicon of the Holy Qur’ān.The Holy Qur’ān itself reveals the interpret ation of its text.This is also an independent science.These are the eight fields of study regarding the Holy Qur’ān.3.Science of Hadith : The third science within Islam ic studies is that of Hadith , which itself contains many sub - branches.a.Firstly, it is t he Hadith itself.The H adith are the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad sa.One part is called narration.For example, ‘ Abu Huraira h ra heard the Prophet Muhammad sa say such and such or Ha z rat Abu Bakr ra saying , “I have hea r d the Prophet Muhammad sa relate this.” A ny other companion’s narration would all be categorized as Hadith.b.The second part is the principle s of Hadith , which explains how the Hadith was written.It explains the principles and types of Hadith , and the reliability of Hadith in terms of accuracy or reliability.The Hadith are ranked accordingly, to ad judge the ir significance.c.Another branch of this science is the Assmaurrajal , meaning the b iographical analysis of narrators.This deals with the value assigned to the narrator/ transmitter in terms of his reliability, memory, and whether he ever met [the Holy Prophet sa ].Therefore, the background of these

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! ! 100 narrators is always much debated, thus affecting the authenticity of the Hadith.d.The fourth category concerns the history of Hadith.This tells us of how the intention of recording Hadith came about and the time period in which the compilation of Hadith began.Compilers [of Hadith ] discuss Hadith and the developments thereof.e.The fifth sub - field is the knowledge of the c ommentary of Hadith.Similar to the Holy Qur’ān’s commentary, a commentary also encompasses the Hadith.f.The sixth part is the study of fabricated Hadith.Though this is covered in the Assmaurr i jal , some people consider it to be separate study and compile f abricated Hadith.4.Fiqh [ Islamic Jurisprudence ]: Another science within Islamic studies is that of F iqh , which can be categorized into many sub - sciences.a.One is F iqh itself which deals with the manners and etiquette of performing w udu, Salāt , Zakat , Hajj , f asting, Nikah , in addition to matters concerning financi al dealings and inheritance.These have been separately outlined in various Hadith but are compiled under the heading of F iqh.There are severa l subsections within this category.b.One is Usul al - Fiqh which deals with m ethodologies of j urisprudence.In other words , how was its foundation laid.Th is will further elicit dissenting views.Some suggest that it be based on the Qur’ān.Others would like to consider logic or intellect , and when grammatical c onsiderations are taken into account differences will be sure to arise.In short, Usul al - Fiqh will thrash out the various methods of evolv ing jurisprudence.There are four major schools of thought on Fiqh : the Hanafi, the Shafi’i , the Maliki , and the Hanbali.i.The Hanafi School primarily emphasizes ijtehad i.e.independent interpretation of the Holy Qur’ān and accept s only that which can be proven by intellect.They do not give much weight to Hadith.They forget that the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s sa

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! ! 101 understanding was most superior.This is their current state, although previously, people did follow the Holy Qur’ān as well the Hadith.Imam Abu Han i fa was one of the Aulia Allah [ friends of Allah , referring to Muslim saints].ii.The Shafi’i is more inclined to wards intellect.iii.The Maliki School also emphasizes intellect , but compared to the Shafi’i School, give s more weight to the Hadith.Imam Malik’s Kitab al - Mawatta is an authentic book.iv.Compared to the others, Imam J an b al emphasizes Hadith the most.v.The f ifth sect is that of Ahl - e - Hadith.They only follow the Hadith and do not rely on intellect.They deem e ven a weak Hadith to be superior.Whereas, the reality is that it should be supported by the Holy Qur’ān , meaning that it should not contradict the Holy Qur’ ān, nor should it be rejected by intellect.c.The third science related to Fiqh is that of fatwa i.e., edicts.Advantage is taken of the se edicts which various scholars issue regarding important matters.5.Israr - e - Shariah [ Secrets of Shariah ] : This explains why we pray or fast.In short, Israr - e - Shariah exp lains the underlying grounds for Shariah.It also includes the extent to which Israr - e - Shariah can be understood or explained.6.Usul - e - Shariah [ Principles of Shariah ] : It deals with the foundations of Shariah ; meaning was this knowledge re vealed by God or was it revealed by the Messenger’s insight into those principles ? T o what extent should they be revealed and to what extent is an explanation permitted ? In other words , in explaining the principles of Shariah , how much authority is vested in the Messe nger and how much is left to others? 7.Dissension among Religious F aiths: This deals with the types of disagreements between various Islam ic sects.What are the doctrinal differences among those sects? For instance, the Sunni sect include s Hanafis , Maliki s, Hanbalis, and the Shafi’is.S econdly there are Shias.The greatest disagreement between the Sunnis and Shias is over Khilafat , which leads to further argument s over whether Khilafat even exists.If there is

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! ! 102 Khilafat , to what extent should one believe in the [institution] and w ill it be by election or by birthright? The second disagreement regarding the Holy Qur’ān is whether it was recorded as revealed or whether the thoughts and text were inspired? In this framework the question arises as to the matter of Divine attributes.Can God speak or does he communicate in a different manner ? The third disagreement concerns whether the Messenger has any right before Divine command ? These principles which lead to disagreement between the believers and non - believers of Khulafa are worth considering.a.Kharijites: They believe there wa s no Khilafat after the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and instead, there should have been a Parliament.In their opinion , sin inevitably leads to hell and t here will be no intercession.The basis for their belief s is that it was an error , God forbid, to appoint a Khalifa after the [demise of the] Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Kharijites emerged during the time of Hazrat ‘ Ali ra Karam Allah Wajhahu [ May God exalt his face ].b.Motazili Sect: ‘ Umar Bin Ameer founded this sect.He felt that human bei ngs should use the intelligence granted them by God.They deny predestination and verbal revelation.c.Shia: They believe that an Imam is chosen from among the Ummah.That right belonged to the progeny of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.After the Holy Prophet sa , Ha z rat ‘ Ali ra and his children were due this right.This sect is particularly against the Khulafa , and God forbid, dubs them as thugs.d.Naturee Sect: They wish to adapt Islam to European teachings.It is a grave error to modify God’s word to fit in with man’s knowledge.They apparently feel that there should be no distinction between God’s word and God’s work.However, when the two are assessed , they adapt to man’s word, rather than God’s word.This sect resembles the Motazili sect.e.Ahl - e - Qur’ān ( people of the Holy Qur’ān ): They say the Messenger’s role is that of a postman and is of no significant importance.Thus, they reject the Hadith and

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! ! 103 look for their answers within the Holy Qur’ān.For t his reason, some will determine the number of r aka’at in Salāt to be two and some consider it three.These are the key features of th e aforementioned sects.I will not go in to further detail concerning the validity of their arguments.f.Ahmadiyyat - the true Islam : You must understand the following facts regarding Ahmadiyyat.Firstly , what was the Promised Messiah ’s as claim? Did he or did he not claim prophet hood ? Also, could there be a prophet after the Messenger of Allah sa ? Secondly, t he question arises as to whether [his] claim is that of the Promised Messiah as.Within the context of his claim , one then asks whether or not Jesus as , son of Mary , d ie d ? If he did die, will the Messiah come from among his u mmah ? If he did not die, will the same Jesus as , son of Mary , reappear? If he does reappear, h ow will it affect Hazrat Muhammad’s sa prophet hood ? T hirdly , wha t is the purpose of Ahmadiyyat? Was there a need for this movement and d id the coming of Ahmadiyyat fulfi ll this need? The next issue worth pondering over is whether the Promised Messiah as was a Prophet or a Messenger.D id he nurture those very characteristics present in the prophets or messengers of God or did he meet the criteria of authenticity established for the prophets? What are thos e criteria? Then there is the science of prophecy and the truth regarding prophecy.What is a prophecy? What type of prophecies did the other prophets present and what type did the Promised Messiah as present? W e must then consider what type of relationship the Promised Messiah’s as Jama'at had with previous sects.A recent point of contention is whether Khilafat will be established after Promised Messiah as or will a Parliament be established , as proposed by the Kharjites ? I s the system in place for the future progress of Ahmadiyyat and what would be the individual responsibilities in this regard? g.Sufism: Sufism is the eighth sect.Various people have defined Sufism in different ways.Some interpret it as the

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! ! 104 purification of the heart and others view it in other ways.The general opinion is that it concerns th e purification of the heart : h ow to develop an attachment and grow near to Alla h.M any great a ulia [saints] ha ve passed away.Secondly, there is the history of Sufism.When did it start, and who started it? What was their purpose and w hat did they do? What changes took place in Sufism in the past ? Thirdly, there is the matter of the various sects of Sufism.This delves into whether there are difference s among these sects and i f so, what are their dissimilarities ? Within this sect, different movements have formed, such as Qadri, Chishti, Suharwardi, and Naqshbandi.There is no fundamental difference , but they do differ in some respects.These differences revolve primarily around spiritual exercises.It appears they have absorbed the practices of their particular regions as well as using those remedies in medical healing which they witnessed in their own culture, just as doctors use their own methods.For example, some may prescribe Quinine for fever and others may use purgatives.In addition to their larger sects , there are several smaller ones.In Sufism, there is a sect called Mulaeheda which has abolished Shariah.They assert that they have reached the ir destination or something along those line s.The y argue that if a person travel ing in a boat has reached the riverbank, should he disembark or stay in the boa t? They deceive people by claiming such absurdities.h.Malamati S ect: They too are corrupted.In reality, they are not immoral, but they believe hypocrisy or pretense lead s to destruction.To counter this, they indulge in such activ it ies , which will disparage their name.For example, they will go and sleep in a brothel house and offer Tahajjud prayers there.However, this way is fraught with danger.B y adopting such behavior s, people are ruined.I n believing that they are safeguarding their ego, they often end up entangled in various vices.The reality is that the outcome is often tragic.8.Knowledge of Judgment : This deals with judgments over matters of dispute.For example, this covers the recording of witness’ statement s , its cross examination, evaluating the

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! ! 105 witness’s testimony , and assessing the judge’s knowledge, familiarity [of the case], taqwa , and piety, etc.The second part to this institution is the history of justice.How was thi s institution developed and who were the notable Muslim judges from history ? 9.Knowledge of the Rules of Inheritance: Though the rules of inheritance are included in Fiqh , it is also an independent science, as it affects politics and the nation.10.Knowledge of Prayers and Remembrance of Allah : This outlines the timings and what to recite when engaged in prayers , as well as the remembrance of Alla h.11.Ilm Us S air: This study covers the way of life of the companions of Prophets and other pious elders.12.Moral Philosophy: This explains how to rid oneself of damaging habits and behavior s while adopting a good cha racter and good manners.This [science] also reveals the c auses behind moral diseases in human beings and why these are considered diseases.13.Kalam [word or speech ] : This study explains how to prove Islam’s superiority over other religions and how to establish the principles of Islam through argument.Within the k alam branch is the scie nce of debate, which explain s the failure of doctrines supported by those religions that oppose Islam.For example , highlighting the errors of the Christian belief in the Trinity and the notion that God inhabits a human form.O r , that Hindu b eliefs are erroneous.This study of debate h as two parts.One part is refu ti ng the opposite party with arguments.The second deals with the principles of k alam which defines the criterion of truth and the ways in which to confront the opposition.The science of k alam is comprised of the above principles.14.Islam ic Politics : What is the system of government? What is the relationship between citizens and government? What are the rights of the government over citize ns and vice versa? This is a vast subject.H ow should the government govern and what is its relationship with other governments.

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! ! 106 The s e are the fourteen main sciences, and if one combines the smaller branches, the number becomes sizeable.I will explain secular knowledge next week, In S ha ’ Allah [God willing].The Second Speech ! Delivered b y H a z ra t Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad , Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra La dies’ Jalsa Hall ! Feb ruary 11, 1923 Last week , I delivered a speech on the various religious sciences and briefly outlined them.Within each heading, I related the issues discussed therein and the truth regarding them.I did not go in to the details o f each science, but merely wishe d to provide enough de tail to differentiate between each catego ry.I will do the same today.Providing more details wo uld take us beyond the scope of this speech.Today, I will des cribe the several types and sub - classification s of the secular sciences.W ithin each category, I will also relate the subdivisions a nd which issues are a point of contention.I had said this before and I repeat it again today , that not all sciences are meant to be valid.Certain aspects may be nonsense, but they still fall under the category of a science.Earlier, w hen I discussed religions , (I will say religions, however the only true r eligio n is Islam ), I mentioned Hinduism and other religions, although my intention was not to suggest that they also lead man to God.There is only one religion which leads to God and that religion is Islam.Nonetheless, to understand the beauty and excellence of Islam , one should have a brief understanding of other religions.Secular Sciences Likewise, when I describe the secular sciences, it will not imply that each one is truly a science, but rather , so me regard it as such.Just as comparing Hindu beliefs to Islam is meant to show the

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! ! 107 weakness and errors of the Hindu faith, it is necessary to be aware of ignorant practices to corroborate the absurdity of such sciences, and accordingly keep our distance from them.Now, I will enumerate the various secular sciences.1.Linguistics [Philogy] : The first of all secular sciences , which is also the foundation or basis of all sciences is the k nowledge of l anguage.Without knowing a language, man is un able to communicate his t houghts to others.This study does not include the methods of communication.It is divided into three further subtypes.a.Spoken language: The f irst is the language communicated through spoken word.This is created by the motions of the mouth and perceived by listening through one’s ears, just as I am speaking to you now and you are listening.This is called t aqreeri or spoken language.b.Written Language : The second type is to present in writing one’s meaning and opinion.We convey the meanings of our spoken words through the signs and symbols which represent them.As you already know , we can present our verbal communication through writing.c.Communication through S ignals : One form of c ommunication is through signals where there is no speech or writing involved but is like the telegraph.The sender of a telegraph gene rates a number of symbols which are deciphered by the recipient.For example, one tap may represent one letter, while two taps may represent another.T hrough these symbols , one can interpret message s sent across hundreds of miles.In ancient times, people sent messages written as shapes or animals.For example, a dog may mean one thing, a lion another.This language , or hieroglyphs as it is called, was used in Egypt and people could decipher its meanings.d.Sign language: Sig n language is used by those who are mute.They can communicate their thoughts through signs.In wars , they would use small flags or mirrors.A mute person can indicate his hunger or thirst [ through sign languag e] or can indicate his wish to sleep by touching his head and closing his eyes.We can see these symbols.Sign language

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! ! 108 can accomplish great feats.The telegraph is based solely on symbols.How can a message travel from Lahore to Batala ? Ye t , the telegraph can spread news not only to Batala, but to Lon don and the rest of the world.As I indicated earlier, armies make use of this [language] through mirrors or flags.Soldiers use light to signal to their comrades the strength of their enemy or the need for food and ammunition.Thus , great feats can be accomplished with sign language.If communication was li mited to speech or writing, much of our work would come to a standstill.Thus , the study of l ingu istics is foremost and t he [following] three forms of knowledg e [related to communication] fall into distinct categories.In classif ying these science s, linguistics comes first , and the following three studies fall within its scope comprising of a vast sphere of kn owledge.There are other disciplines of l inguistics, and al though related to the languages, they are catalogued in a separate classification, hence I will denote them separate ly.2.Eloquence : This is related to language and is more than just the expression of thought.For example , a child may mispronounce the word, ‘ bread ’ , or a non - native speaker or Englishman may ask for food in an incorrect manner, but still convey the message.L inguistics merely studies whether the thoughts have been expressed, but the study of eloquence goes beyond this to discuss three aspects of speech.There exist so many types of conversation.[T he first is] veracity of speech , in other words, is the dialogue true or false? Next is attributing the speech to an individual , and [finally], the organization of speech , which covers how one can say something in a more impactful manner.For example, a person may be call ed brave, but calling him ‘ lion heart ’ creates a greater impact , as the lion is extremely brave.Thus, e loquence includes the use of similes and metaphors in discussion.Another example is describing someone as ‘fuming wit h rage’ which is m ore effective than merely describing someone as ‘angry.’ In this way, the addition of a different word changes the effect.The study of eloquence includes a di scussion on beautifying speech.By studying this science, one’s written and spoken communication can be improved.When a person is praised for giving a great speech or writing well, this praise is

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! ! 109 born e from drawing upon this science.Thus, e loquence includes all the aforementioned points.3.Lexicon: The th ird science is Lexicon, or the meaning of words , and is quite an extensive study.We all convers e , so for example, if someone tells us that he is suffering, not everyone is able to understand the measure of his suf fering, but lexicon explain s its appropriate usage.W hen us ed appropriately in its context , the listener will be able to immediately understand.Lexicon encompas ses the meanings of all words and th ough related to linguistics, is now an independent science in itself.4.Written Communication: The fourth science is written communication or letter wr iting.It teaches how best to expr ess one’s thoughts in writing.There is a difference between writin g a letter and writing a book.The a uthor of a book addresses his book to everyone.W hereas a letter is addressed to one person and the recipient acknowledges that the letter is addressed only to him , as if they were speaking face to face.Similar to other studies , this is an independent and extensive science , which ha s progresse d a great deal in modern times.Many illustrious colleges have b een established to teach writing and written communicat ion.There are several types of w ritten communication.How traders should write letters in comparison to how officers and their subordinates should write.Schools a nd colleges have been created with the purpose of teaching effective letter writing and observing etiquette, keeping in mind the forms of address and the discernment of ranks [one addresses in a letter].5.Journalism: The fifth science is Journalism, which is its English name.In Arabic, it is called s ahafat.This is another considerably vast science.It is n onexistent in our country, but there are many great institutions teaching journalism in Europe and America.This study can be further categorized.For example, writing the headline of the newspaper, the selection and organization of the news, choosing a headline to impact readers , while also conveying the main g ist of the essay, and narrating an incident to serve one’s purpose.For example, if Zaid and Bakr have a fight, Zaid’s friend wil l describe the incident to portray him to be the victim , while Bakr’s friends will display him as the victim.In short , it is a great science encompassing several areas , one of

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! ! 110 which largely deal s with publishing a useful and effective paper , reflecting pub lic opinion while also molding it.There is also another classification of journalism, covering religious newspapers, business/financial , those associated with a particular organization, and others with political aims.6.Satire and Humor: The s ixth area of knowledge within language is that of satire and h umor.It discusses ways to push satire to perfection, while assuring th e language and writing remain superior.Humor should make everyone burst into laughter.Within this field, p eople who reach prominence use satire in such a way that it has an immediate impact.Similarly , telling jokes is also a talent.One person relates a joke and the listeners are unable to control their laughter.Hence, this is also an independent study and s peakers make particular use of this device.7.Story writing: The seventh category is that of story writing.I t has two branches , one of which is writing short stories and other is writing novels.These are further differentiated into short stories and novels divided into different genres.The purpose of st orytelling is to leave a distinct impression up on the reader.There are sever al types of stories and novels , including romance, mystery , those which end tragically , and those which e nd happ ily.The requirement for writing short stories is not necessarily applicable when writing a novel.Some people write novels , while others write stories and tales.8.Oration: The e ighth type of study is oration, which is also an independent science.This is the art of giving speeches or lectures.This study teaches the orator to speak, to capture the a ttention of the audience and impart such influence and power that even those with opposing views are convinced.It also teaches how to arrange the subject matter and how to imbue power and inspiration with in a speech.9.Essay writing: The ninth category is what the English refer to as essay writing, and in our language, is referred to as Jawab Mazmoon.Along with journalism , this is another field which covers various sentiments and emotions.For example, when one writes about love, one will describe the feelings and experiences related to love.I t will discuss the factors which augment its effects and its consequences.If one is writing about hatred, one

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! ! 111 would describe it in such a way so as to reveal the whole scope of this emotion.10.Conjugation and Syntax: The tenth form of knowledge relates to language.Sarf or conjugation means the inflection of words in their individual capacity and the knowledge of tenses.For example, ‘eat’ is one word, from which the words, ‘ate’, ‘eats’, and ‘eaten’ are derived.The s cience of conjugat ion tells us how these words are derived and the impact of this change up on th e meaning and form of the word.It also indicates the singular, plural, masculine , and feminine forms of the words.Syntax explains the meaning of words when put together.It lays down the rules of arrangements and composition of sentences , such as which word comes first , and which word is placed last.How does such arrangement affect the meaning of the sentence? For instance, the difference between, ‘I ate bread’ and ‘bread I ate’.Syntax will tell us which of these sentences is correct.Each language will have a separate set of rules for the arrangement of words.One can speak his mother tongue , or native language , correctly but cannot speak a foreign language properly without understanding their syntax , therefore it is essential to be aware of syntax.In our country , even a n illiterate female f armworker will never say ‘bread I ate.’ Rather she will say it as, ‘I ate bread’.However, one born abroad , such as an Englishman or an Arab or an Iranian , will surely say it incorrectly , unless he understands syntax.In the Arabic language , syntax indicates the meaning and effect of punctuation marks which replace s and function s as words.11.Education : The eleventh scie nce related to language is e ducation.Education is the science of teaching others.It is not the same as giving a lecture, which is intended to convince others.Th e purpose of education is to impart one’s own knowledge.Education has many aspects and can be di vided into various categories.This has become an independent science.12.Poetry: The twelfth category is that of poetry and it studies the motivation behind creating poetry , the beauty therein, and the various types of poetry.13.Prosody : The thirteenth study is prosody.This is the study of a poem’s meter and rhythm.This also explains whether the poem is a ghazal [ Middle Eastern or Indian lyrical poem] or a r ubayee

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! ! 112 [ quatrain], etc.With t his knowledge , one can tell whether a poem has the correct rhythm.O nce rhythm is understood, one can learn to write poetry.14.Advertising: The fourteenth field of study encompassed within language is advertising.There are several types and branches of this study within this field.In Europe and America, ther e are academic institutions which teach the purpose, execution , and methods of marketing.Here [in our country] , people advertise and expect purchase orders the same day, but in E urope and America, a large amount of money is spent on advertising.So much so, that at times, more money is spent on marketing than in reinvestment in the business itself.This fo rm of knowledge discusses the labelling of and placement of images in an adverti sement.Thus , marketing is a special field and experts charge huge fees for generating advertisements.15.Music: The fifteenth category is music.This teaches the art of singing, by raising or lowering the sound of one’s voice and harmoniz ing it with musical instruments.By imbuing happiness, sorrow and grief, courage , and resolve in one’s song.Music can arouse emotions.A good singer can persuade a miser to give up all his money or induce one to cowardice or inspire bravery.This is a special and delicate form of art , which can arouse emotions solely by raising or lowering the pitch of one’s voice.Due to some shortcomings , Islam does not allow it.16.Drama: The sixt eenth science is that of Drama.D rama is enacting [the scripts written for actors].The actor will perform the role as indicated in the script, whether it be a king , a minister , or a doctor.W hen enacted , the play l eaves an imp ression.Th ere are several aspects to this.Watching a play is more interesting compared to reading a book, in which some parts may seem dull.The dramaturg is cognizant of the fact that the dramas enacted on stage should be captivating and inspired; and that there should be no cause for an insipid or weak [performance].I have not given lengthy descriptions of these sciences, as they require a long er amount of time.I have only brief ly introduc ed each science as it came to mind.

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! ! 113 Knowledge Related t o Diet 17.Diet and Nutrition: The seventeenth science is d iet.This science reveals what an edible diet is and what diets are wholesome and what are unhealthy.This also covers the most suitable diet for a hot or cold climate ; and recommends the best diet to combat illness while keeping in mind relevant factors an d the diet’s effects on various organs.For example, what is the recommended diet for a patient with the infirmity of the mind, the heart , or stomach.This study covers these aspects in great detail, while also encompassing the drinks and various syrups or extracts used when one is healthy or when one is ill.For certain ailments , spring water is useful, as are oils , such as fish oil.This is a very detailed scienc e and applies various remedies from different countries regarding food and drink during medical illness or wellness.18.Sewing and designing clothes: In reality, t his art deals with how to arrange lace or clothes to make them look attractive.Europe has made great advance s in this field and have opened schools and colleges, whose graduates and experts in this field receive go od salaries.This field also covers the study of complimentary colors and color matching, as well as which applique looks best with which color, where the hem should fall, and the design of the suit.This field therefore covers a broad range of [design elements].19.Cutting: This is related to the previous field of study which has made much progress.Th ere are separate teaching centers which teach the art of cuttin g fabric so as to finish the su it beautifully and cut it in a way so that the least amount of fabric is wasted.20.Cooking: The twent ieth category is cooking, which is not limited to kneading dough, but goes beyond and includes many p ractical aspects.An expert should be well versed in diet/nutrition.For example, a cook should be aware of the extent to which a certain food should be cooked so that it stays healthy, is easy to digest , and ma intains its nutritive value.He needs to balance the nutritious aspect s of diet with the taste and flavor , keeping in mind what each ingredient brings to the dish.This field encourages experiments in mixing flavors , such as sour and sweet , to create a new flavor c ombination and then judges

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! ! 114 whether the result is appetizing to the eater.It is necessary to learn each aspect, in particular the characteristics and effects of the diet.T his field of study is particularly important for women.21.Raising Children: The twenty - first category is raising children.This study is particularly important and applies specifically to women as compar ed to men.T he mother is more intimately involved in the education and training of the children.The initial education and training takes place in the l ap of the mother.This study discusses the extent to which one sh ould be lenient or firm with children, how to protect them from weaknesses and damaging habits , how to inculcate good habits, and how to inspire forbearance and strength.Thus, it covers all the fundamentals of physical and moral training, as well as the development of children.In Europe and America , this scien ce is taught as an independent subject.22.Medicine : The twenty - second field of study is medicine , which is an extensive subject, solely because everyone falls ill and need s treatme nt.There are countless ailments , and as people beco me involved in medical research this science continues to expand.The re are two aspects of medicine, o ne related to diagnosing illnesses and the other with treating them.Gradually, each of these divisions also began to expand.The field of medicine can be divided into several sub - fields.a.One is Greek Medicine ( Tib Yo ü nani ).Greece is part of Europe, and the heart of their medicinal practice is researching how various remedies affect [the human body] and then treat ing diseases with the appropriate remedy.F or example, there is a remedy which cleanses the body of phlegm.When that condition arises, it is prescribed.For example, banafsha [an herb ] will be prescribed at that time.b.Another type of medical healing is Ayurvedic.Greek medicine and Ayurvedic medicine differ , for Ayurvedic i s an Ind ian form of medicine, re l ying heavily on Kushtas [preparation of heavy metals].They beli eve it is beneficial to extract the essence from the elements.There are many aspects over which the two types of medicine differ, but here I have outlined the general differences.

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! ! 115 c.Hydropa thy is another type of m edicine, whereby all ailments are cured with water, s ometimes by making the patient drink water an d at other times, by bathing him.The n, the re are many ways to bathe a person, sometimes in t he form of sprinkling water upo n them, a t times soaking a towel in hot or cold water to clean the body and occasionally, giving a full bath.Thus , they treat all ailments with water.d.Another practice involves curing ailments through rays of sunlight.When t he sunlight combines with distinct colors , new sensations and feelings are born.The practitioners of this medicine use red, green, or other colored glass bottles filled with water, and use them as proper medicine.This practice utilizes a variety of methods.Sometimes , they make the patient sit in sunlight to treat his illness.e.One type of medical healing is one in which electricity is applied to treat disease.Different instruments have been develo ped for different ailments.For example, if one has a sore throat, then a specific instrument will be applied to deliver electricity to eliminate the pain.I f it is joint pain , that too will be treated with electricity.This science has developed considerably.f.Homeopathy ( Ilaj bilmisl ) is another branch of m edicine.Homeopaths believe that since birth man has been be set by various illnesses, but he has been taught a remedy which is beneficia l and will cure those diseases.I f a minute dosage of the root of an illness is given, it may c ure the same illness.For example, opi um causes constipation while minute amo unts of the same drug can relieve constipation.They have chemically analyzed the effects of everything.For example , Quinine is the extract from a plant.This plant is also found in Bengal , but people do not know about it.g.Babokali is another form of medicine which argues that the human body is made up of twelve salts.They have chemically analyzed the blood and believe that the treatment should correlate with the disease , and to this end there is a vaccine and a serum.For example, if one

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! ! 116 is bitten by a rabid dog , the vaccine is prepared from the toxin.The s erum is the substance [immunoglobulin] produced in the body during an illness to counter it.I t is then extracted, preserved , and used for patients with that disease.h.One type of medical practice is auto transfusion , a re medy which involves healing with one’s own blood.When the patient arrives, they treat him with his blood.i.H y pnotherapy is another type of medicine, where the patient is treated with hypnotic suggestion and not with drugs.The hypnotist emanates something from within which affects the patient.This practice at times swells in numbers and at times has few followers.23.Mathematics: Mathematics is of two types; one is by numbers [Arithmetic] and the other by letters which is also called Algebra.Letters are calculated in the latter.Some things which cannot be calculated through arithmetic can be calculated through Algebra.Geometry is another branch of mathematics which determines the relationships between points, circles, lines, as well as the values of angle s.Great problems can be solved by studying lines and this is of immense importance in the field of architecture.Another category within this field is Trigonometry which is the knowledge of triangles.This encompasses the relationships between [sides and angles] of triangles.Then, there is Logarithm s which makes lengthy numerical operations easier to perform by assigning a lower arbitrary number to which a base must b e raised to yield a given number.To describe this field of knowledge would require a lengthy amount of time and since even a summary would not suffice, I have only given the names of the subjects.24.History: History is the d escription of previous human events and can be divided into five categories: political, the h istory of science , religious, n ational , and m ilitary history.Political history deals with the political past of a nation by looking at the historical events and the causes of political changes.For example, if a nation invaded another country in such and such a year and was defeated.[ H istory] will also analyze the state of their internal administrations.What was the relation ship betwe en the sovereign and the public? The h istory of sciences deals with

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! ! 117 the progress of science through time and the evolution of newer forms of knowledge.National history discusses the origin of a n ation, its tribes, how it is geographically divided , how far it spread its borders, and the changes wrought over time.M ilitary history deals with the military changes within a nation.This branch of history differs from political history.Political history deals with matters of administration, whereas military history is concerned with aspects of bravery or lack thereof , strong or weak military strategies, advancements in military needs and equipment.History is also associated with other subjects , the latter of which are its own bra n ches , su ch as the philosophy of history.This deals with the rules go verning the recording of history , the advantages thereof , the prin ciples when recording his torical accounts, the factors a historian considers , and the discussion of progress , advancement, and circumstances within the field of history.The third category within this field is the source of history , which draws information from t he industries, traditions, religion, beliefs , and customs of a nation.This enables a historian to discover their history through a variety of means.25.Geography: This field analyzes the world’s current natural features , the location of rivers and mountains , etc.Ther e are five types of geography.The f i rst is that which deals with townships.The second is p olitical geography, which deals with the political significance of a mountain, river , or city and their effect on the neighboring cities.This also discusses whether one country is occupying another and whether the political circumstances are favorable or unfavorable.Another branch is e conomic geography which discusses the country’s domestic produce and imports and exports.For example, India produces wheat and cotton which is exported to Europe, America, and other countries.Another branch is e nvironmental geography which studies what rain is , why dew is formed , and how hail or snow is created.Another branch is Cartography which includes mapmaking.26.Architecture : Architecture can be divided into three studies.The first study deals with the construction of the buildi ng, which can be further divided into several categories.It ex plains how foundations are laid , which construction material should be used in relation to the elevation of the land, how to ensure the building

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! ! 118 stands against natural disasters, earthquake s , lightening, etc.This field is considerably vast with special engineering colleges established for this purpose.The s econd study deals with the history of architecture.H ow did it evolve? The third type compares the architecture of various nations.F or example , if Indian and Arab architecture are compared , what are their individual styles, how do they differ and which is better, how has architecture progress ed in other countries and how do they stand up against each other , and what has each nation learn ed from o ther nation s.The history of architecture is quite extensive and very interesting.27.Sculpture: This is the art of chiseling rock to create statues of humans, animals , and other objects.This has two fields; o ne is s culpture itself and other is the history of sculpture.T he latter deals with how various nations advanced within this field and how they contend ed with each other to make further progress.28.Painting: This h as three aspects: the a rt of painting, the history of painting , and the philosophy of art.The a rt of painting discusses what is needed to paint , such as which materials are needed and what should be considered when creating an inspiring and beautiful painting.This field of study is quite extensive and very special.A painter can express human feelings and emotions , painting in such a way that pain, pleasure and sorrow are depicted.When a gifted painter captures the ephemeral nature of the world , the image is imprinted in one’s mind.Poets capture feelings and emotions in words , but painters express this through paintings.The h istory of paintings deals with the advancements made in this form of art.H ow painting was introduced in various nations and the innovations which followed.This field of study has made such progress in this age that one is left in awe.The p hilosophy of painting deals with the truth and purpose behind that painting.29.Photography: This is in fact, one form of painting, which can also be divided into the taking of photos and the history of photography.The taking of photos instructs one on the equipment needed to take a photograph, the principles of photography , and the basic component s of a picture.Whereas the

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! ! 119 history of photography explains how the field of photography began and evolved over time.30.Industry: The field of industry itself, encompasses a wide scope of areas , which I cannot cover in detail, but I will name a few , such as carpentry, m etallurgy , brass work, etc.In addition to covering other types of industries, [this field of study] also includes the history of industry.Entertainment 31.Recreation : The Urdu word for this topic is lahw - o - la’ab , which has a harsh connotation and is not w ell received.Yet, as I stated before, some consider this sort of foolishness to be a field of study.The British call this subject ‘a musement ’ , or something which creates a feeling of delight.This can be divided into two categories.One is indoor recreation, which can be enjoyed within th e home and the other is outdoor recreation, which is enjoyed outside the home.The latter discusses the impact sports have on various parts of the human body, how to increase muscle strength, and its effect on the heart, brain , and lungs.Besides these two, t here is a third branc h of this science which is not highly regarded in our culture but is considered an art form in British culture and that is dancing.Through dancing, certain parts of the human body ar e trained to perform specific movements.Ventriloquism is another form of entertainment , where a person project s his voice so that it appears to come from below when it really comes from above, from in front , behind , left, or right.Some people are frightened by this illusion because projecting voices from in front or behind, from far or near, triggers certain feelings.Another variation of altering one’s voice is mimicking the sounds of animals.H unters take great advantage of this.The animals believe the sound is coming from among them and so gather around it.The f ifth form of recreation is i llusion.Illusionists use various techniques to make things appear real.For example, they may create the illusion of a snake or lion or other similar scenes.The s ixth is tricks by the h and.They trick people.Here they move the ir hand s so quickly that it is illusory , and this play usually involves cards.The seventh

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! ! 120 form is p uzzles, which can be both verbal or tangible.For example, a tangible puzzle might be unlocking metallic rings from a stick.Anthropology a nd Sociology 32.Anthropology: This study deals with the man ’s condition in ancient times.For example, did they go naked, or did they wear clothing and if so, what type of clothing ? This science researches similar matters within ancient times.One subtype of this science is l inguistic a nthropology, which discusses whether ancient humans expressed their thoughts through sign language or through words.Related to this is the study of coins, which involves the discovery of what previously occurred by analyzing excavated coins.A third subject is a rchitecture which studies ancient buildings and within this subject another discipline studies ancient archaeological monuments.33.Sociology: The thirty - third field, sociology, is an important discipline and discusses variou s aspects.a.What rights does the G overnment or the king owe the people ? b.The people’s d uties and obligations , meaning which rules should they obey and wh at rights does the G overnment owe them ? c.The people’s rights towards one another, meaning between man and man, brother and brother.d.The r ights of parents.I n other words, w hat rights do parents have over their children? This argues whether a parent has the right to physically punish his child and if so , to what extent.It also discuss es the way in which parents should treat t heir children and the behavior children should adopt.e.Men’s rights o ver women.W hat rights do men have over women ? f.Ways to improve the next generation.This question also addresses how to raise strong children with high morals.g.An employer and employee’s rights towards each other.To what extent is an employee bound [to the employer] and what portion of an employer’s wealth can an

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! ! 121 employee be apportioned.This is widely debated a s t he subject of investor s and employee ’ s relationships and rights is extensive.Great problems and riots have resulted from being unable to protect or not understand these rights.These days, the political party primarily comprised of workers, or t he Labor party , has gained popularity.34.Politics: There are many branches of politics.The main ones are: a.The government’s rights and authority over employees and employee’s rights.b.The government ’s limitations, or its impact on a country ’s freedom and the role of its monarchy.c.The t ypes of government , which can be divided into several kinds.i.Absolute monarchy: Where the king has unlimited powers.ii.Limited monarchy: The government does not have absolute power.The sovereign cannot act without the approval of his subjects.iii.Governor ’s Rule: Govern ing by the current leader.iv.Autoc racy: i n which one person rules.I t also goes by the name of Shahi G overnment.v.Democracy: Where t he people choose the government.Included in this discussion are the p ros and cons of a government chosen by the common man.vi.Techno cracy: H ere the governing is left to academics and intellectuals.vii.Plutocracy: Some people believe that since the rich suffer the most during a revolution , they deserve the right to rule.Then there is the additional discourse over whether this is even advantageous or not.viii.Republic: Here , the control of government is decentralized , such as is followed by the government of Russia.Each state has its own government.The role of the sovereign is to oversee that the individual states do not fight each other and if an outside enemy attacks, the country can defend

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! ! 122 itself.It would be as if Qadian had its own government, Delhi its own, and Lahore its own, so that each township wo uld rule independently.ix.Government of Sheiks [Sheikhdom]: W ise , experienced men rule the government.T he Arabs have implemented this system of governing, and they elect people over the age of forty.x.Islam ic Government: This system differ s from the aforementioned types of government, because it contains elements of each, e.g., l imited monarchy , a bsolute monarchy , g overnorship , autocracy, p lutocracy, s heikhdom etc.This is the best form of governme nt as it has gathered aspects from all the other forms of governments.Some discussion points follow : a.The r elationship between government and religion and the extent to which each should defer to the other.b.The r ole of women in government.c.How are c olonies established, and what is their relationship with other countries ? d.The relationships between kings.e.International relations i.e., relations hips between countries and the resolution of conflicts between countries.Disputes are resolved by selec ting representatives and judgments are passed according to i nternational law.f.Whether vicegerents are considered rulers themselves.In actuality, t hey are not true rulers , but viceroys.For example, Iraq has a k ing , b ut the real rule lies with the League of Nations, who has passed it onto the British.g.The allocation of borders between countries and the rules dictating such boundaries.This consider s the people who live in the area and the disadvantages of allocating a portion of the land to another nation.h.Another point of discussion is the running of government affairs.There are several aspects to this:

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! ! 123 i.One typ e of governance is central ized.Some argue whether authority should be distributed among others.For example, Punjab, Burma, UP, etc.[individual states] , were given authority and governors, commissioners , and deputy commissio ners were appointed.Others are in favor of a centralized governm ent.Hence, there are two viewpoints regarding administrative government, one which favors centralized control and an other which favors decentralized control.ii.Another aspect discusses the police ’s authority.iii.T he D epartment of I ntelligence , also known as CID, which carries out investigations.iv.The F orestry d epartment, which is concerned with the protection of forests and determines the extent of deforestation and conversion into agricultural land.v.The D epartment of E ducation categorizes education, whether it should be free or at cost, how it should be organiz ed , should it be voluntary or mandatory.This can be further divided into women’s education, men’s education, and the learning of various disciplines.vi.The Medical Association is comprised of m edical doctors and v eterinar ians.There is also a department for preventative medicine which deals with sources and means for medical education.vii.Treasury Department.viii.The a dministration , f or example, the d eputy commissioner and district officials , etc.ix.Judicial system which handles the appointments of judges and lawyer s.x.The Department of Treasury deals with issues related to farmers.xi.Postal service xii.Department of Irrigation xiii.The Department of Railways

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! ! 124 xiv.The Anti - Narcotics Department , which oversees alcohol and other narcotics, so that they are not illegally made or sold.xv.Department of Architecture xvi.Department of Currency and M int.This department handles the minting of coin s.It determines how much currency should be generated and the required proportions of coins and currency notes , as well as the handling of counterfeit currency.xvii.The Registry d epartment registers necessary documents related to business transact ions and other important transactions, to avoid potential conflicts.xviii.The Commerce d epartment determines ways to increas e trade and expand the number of exports to other countries.xix.The Armed Forces is an extensive field, which determines the need for various types of ammunition, the number and caliber of soldiers , etc.xx.Department of Foreign Relations analyzes interactions with foreign countries.xxi.The Department of Health is responsible for ensuring a health y public; maintaining cleanliness in urban and rural area s and keeping the e nvironment clean so that future generations are healthy.xxii.The Legislative department develops laws to organize and manage the affairs of the countries, while also keeping track of good and bad legislation.xxiii.The Oceanic d epartment administers affairs related to the ocean and oversees that the rules related to the oceans are adhered to.xxiv.Meteorology d epartment predicts and measures rain and snow fall.Even though this department is not well developed at this time, it is very useful.xxv.The Aviation d epartment deals with t he atmospheric sciences related to airplanes and the required procedures.

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! ! 125 xxvi.The Revenue d epartment determines the tax on income.xxvii.The Department of Customs has a considerable scope and determines the tax on imported items.xxviii.The Department of Statistics gathers statistics such as those related to agriculture e.g.the percentage of cultivated land, railways statistics, such as number of passengers and profits accumulated.This department is of great value.xxix.The Port Authority deals with issues pertaining to oceans and ports, such as how wide ports should be built, so that ships dock easily.xxx.The Historical Preservation Society search es for and maintain s old buildings.xxxi.Ministries xxxii.Public Relations is responsible for making the public aware of the actions taken by the government and preventing propaganda from being spread to foreign countries.xxxiii.The Department of History is responsible for recording the government’s historical accounts.xxxiv.Tr ade and Industry is responsible for protecting the country’s industries and implementing schemes for its progress.xxxv.The Agriculture Department plans and develops schemes for agricultural development, provides equipment and seeds , and educates and encourages agricultural research.xxxvi.The Department of Land Survey i s responsible for measuring plots of land and arranging revenue and monitoring regulations related to it.xxxvii.Municipality is the appointment and overseeing of local councils.Thus, a government can only run efficiently when it i s divided into such departments.Lack of attention to this led to the decline of Asian g overnments.We have not yet established this many departments here [in our country].Thus , a government can only run when these departments are

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! ! 126 formed.Each of these departments can be expounded upon in great detail.Principles of Education and Knowledge o f Mathematics 35.Principles of Education: This deals with the following: a.Principles of education, t hat is , how to teach.b.Which s ubjects should be taught in schools, the curriculum , and allotment of time for each subject.For example, how much time should be devoted to history or geography per week.c.Administration of schools.d.Method of teaching.e.History of education.f.Organization of education al schooling, for example, how to establish pr imary and secondary education, as well as schools and colleges.g.Training teachers and increasing their number s.h.The degree of physical education [within the school system].i.Moral and religious education.Should religious education be taught separately or alongside [secular education]? If yes , what arrangements should be made for students of different faiths? j.Cons truction of schools.Another extensive subject is the construction of schools, the building of which requires a certain skill, because it influences the student’s mind and health in specific ways.36.Accounting : The keeping of accounts.37.Audit ing : This teaches one how to check account ledgers.38.Cartography: Drawing up maps.39.Engineering: This has many branches, an example of which is, calculating the weight a [struc t ural] arch can bear.40.Customs and Traditions: Th is is an independent field of study which can be further divided into the philosophy of customs and traditions, the history of traditions , etc.

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! ! 127 Knowledge Related t o Clothing and the Economy 41.Fashion : This discusses the history of fashion , various nation ’ s ethnic dress , the necessary tools entailed, adapting fashion according to medical and seasonal requirements , and many other matters.42.Criminology: This field can be fur ther separated into the root causes behind crime , the m ethods used to reform criminals, the purpose and extent to which one should be punished, and the forms and effectiveness of punishments.43.Economics: This is the stud y of the economic status of a country : how to manage assets and the c onsequences of extravagance or miserliness.The currency exchange rate is also included in this discussion, tho ugh nowadays, this is a cause for some disquiet among people.Then th ere is another branch within this which involves the minting of coins.Additional l y, this fi eld studies the system of loans and how to expand domestic and international trade.In context of trade , there are several issues : different methods of trade, free trade, taxing additional or equal tariffs on products of trade.Another aspect of trade relates to its control and organization.H ow employers and employees should work together to everyone ’s best advantage.The question then arises as to whether strikes are permissible and if so, who oversees the provision of food during the strike ? a.Other issues include the r ights and responsibilities of owners of factories regarding their closure e.g.can a factory owner fire all his e mployees and close the factory? Regarding laborer’s rights, are they permitted to d emand their rights, and to what extent? How are the poor to be pr ovided for? Other topics covered are the landowner’s rights, the need for unified factory workers , the building of safe factories to ensure the ir wor ker’s health and safety , the establishment of the company itself , the influence its money will wield, tax and it s limitations, the influence of insurance , profit sharing and the division thereof , and the increase and decrease of costs.The above are all aspects of economics.

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! ! 128 Logic, Philosophy a nd Astronomy 44.Logic: This involves putting two facts together to result in t he correct answer.It is taught like this.F or example , they say all men are animals.Zaid is a man, which means Zaid is an animal.In this way, they deduce the correct answer from a var ie ty of sources.There are two types of logic: one is to conclude by reasoning from specific examples and the other is to draw a general conclusion by draw ing from specific cases.45.Philosophy: This aims to understand the truth of all things.It discusses matter, time, how the universe functions , the creation of matter, God, [etc.].The e ssence of philosophy can be summarized by three questions: what, why and how.In turn, p hilosophy teaches the answers to these questions and specifically, those regarding the issues of matter and time.46.Psychology: This field discusses t hose factors which shape a man and how they are born , as well as t he difference between human and animal minds.This type of discussion is covered here.47.Morality: This study deals with good and bad morals.48.Laws of Nature: What is the cause behind sudden cold or sudden heat? Why do such changes occur ? 49.Storytelling 50.Study of Languages: How does language evolve ? Regarding this, the following are considered: a.T he c omparison of languages: e.g., comparing Arabic/ Sanskrit , Arabic / English, Persian /Arabic , etc.Comparing words which are similar , and which are not.b.Analyzing each language to uncover the most complete one.c.The evolution of each language.51.Astronomy: T he study of stars, the planet ’ s rotation , the reasoning behind their orbit, and their impact on ea rth, the speed and orbits of pl anets, the effect the planet ’ s rotation has on the planets themselves, and the various types of planets.This also discusses the creation of the planets and the moon, as well as l ight and its properties.(Jalsa Salana, Lajna Ima’illah, February 11, 1923)

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! ! 129 The Third Speech Delivered by Haz rat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad , Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra La dies ’ Jalsa Hall March 5, 1923 I have previously outlined fifty [ one ] subjects and will now describe the remaining few.Science a nd Geology 52.P hysics: This is one subject within a larger field of study , which in our country is call ed Science.I t can be further divided into subjects, one of which is Physics.This subject discusses the generation of sound, the description of light, heat and cold, liquids etc.It also describes electricity, magnetism, atoms, properties and states of matter, and individual properties of solid, liquid, and gas.Any and all machines invented are due to this knowledge.This field discusses liquids, gas, sound, light, magnetism, atoms, and the composition of matter.I nventions are conceived based upon these studies.For example, railroad engines were created based upon the knowledge of heat energy, how this energy is created, and how it is stopped.It was the knowledge [of physics] which taught that light is created from electricity and how electricity is conducted from one place to another.Additionally, studying this subject unearthed the fact that electricity could travel w ithout cables.No action is wasted.Then there is the study of molecules , which led to the invention of the injection.Thus, machines run based upon the concepts of gas, liquid, and magnetism , all of which are studied within this field and the foundation of so many inventions.O ne aspect of physics is practical application, meaning how to best utilize theoretical knowledge , while another aspect is mechan ical, i.e., what is the effect of machines.53.Chemistry: This is the same knowledge which in the past, was called Alchemy.It studies the combination of two elements to

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! ! 130 produce a third.In other words, this field researches h ow combining different components create s a new substance and accordingly, how its qualities change.Medicine is based up on this science.For example, when Quinine combines with other things, what is its effect? The foundation of medicine and the achiev ements of science depend up on chemistry.Chemistry involves theory and application.One aspect of this subject involves the physical movements of the body, while another aspect relates to human life, or the elements of blood.Additionally, there are two more branches which study botanicals and minerals.54.Geology: This is also called the study of earth strata and has many branches.One branch of this science is proving quite beneficial to the world, i.e., the study of earthquakes.Earthquakes cause great devastation in the world.The 1905 earthquake in Punjab was responsible for the loss of nearly twenty thousand people.This field can predict the occurrence of earthquakes, so we can avoid destruction.Within the study of earthquakes, the movement of the earth is also analyzed, which does not refer to ordinary movement s, but rather those movements which are akin to the shuddering of the human body.By studying this data, we can discover the Earth’s extr aordinary movements.In Shimla [city in northern India], there i s an instrument which can determine where an d at what distance an earthquake occurred.Japan has made great progress in this field.This instrument is called a ‘ t elegraph ’ , [ Seismograph ] and an Ahmadi , by the name of Muhammad Yusuf , is also a mem b er of the team, which oversees its use.I have seen this instrument and a s soon as you enter the room , the needle begins to move, detecting the minutest of movement s.The second area of this knowledge is related to the E arth ’s strata.By analyzing the different strata, it determines when they were formed.For example, Europe was formed much later , while Asia was formed [early enough] that it could support human life.This field encompasses the study of mines.When were metals , such as iron , formed and were they al l created from the same matter? Coal and diamond s are the same substance, with the only difference being t hat of age.This difference has made the price of one so expensive, that a few ounces are worth hundreds and

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! ! 131 thousands of rupees , while the other can be bought at ten , twenty or fifty rupees for several tons , yet the substance is the very same.This field additionally encompasses Ilmul wazn i.e., the knowledge of measurements , as well as the examination of the effects of a ir, light, moisture, and cold , and the study of rain and wind.Geology also analyzes diverse types of rocks, from ordinary rocks to diamo nds, evaluates their qualities, and estimates their value.Origins o f Life a nd Biology 55.Primatology : This discusses how life was first created.The discussion begins with the creation of the first life form and leads to the origin of p lant life.Did mangos or guavas exist from the very beginning or did other earlier fruits evolve into mangos and guavas? Botanical e xperts say that previously, there existed only slight greenery , which continued to develop and eventually nurtured branches.From the succ ession of branches, grew hundreds of thousands of varieties of plants.This is akin to Adam’s progeny, which once was the same, but some traveled here and others trave led there, some grew fair and others grew dark.In this same way, it is argued that at the time of origin, there was just a seed.This field of study also discusses animals which can be divide d into two broad categories: v ertebrate, s ignifying ‘with backbone,’ and i nvertebrate , which means ‘without backbone.’ Lastly, the stages of evolution and how they developed are discussed.56.Biology: This i s the study of living beings and physical life is discussed under this science.For example, the movement of the hand proves that there is life within, while the soul is a separate entity.The body contains life , and this life is comprised of di stinct stages.This field of study is a delicate and extensive one , which will be discussed under evolution.How does one animal evolve i nto another? Evolutionary scientists argue that man gradually evolved from an insect.Some evolved into apes and other s grew to be other animals and finally, they evolved into man.This is a new science, and they argue that from the insect, originated the ape ; from the ape, originated another animal; and from this, finally man was born.This science is known as

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! ! 132 evolution.Though it is debatable , evolutionary experts have at least taken advantage of this theory by deriving larger things from smaller things.For exa mple, they have bred larger pumpkin s and different flavored foods as well.Previously, t he grape had only one flavor, but with advancements, they have changed it.Botany has derived tremend ous benefit from this science.This field also encompasses genetics.For example, wha t qualities and habits does a son inherit from his father? How does one family continue to pass its unique trait s onto its progeny? 57.The S tudy of Nations : What is the relationship between different nations and to what extent are they different and distinct? In one way , all people are the same, because they have all descended from Adam, but due to migra tion to different areas of the world and numerous ways of life , differences have developed.European mentalities are specifically their own, whereas t he ca pa cities of Asians are different fr om those living in Africa.Then there is a clear difference between those who live in the plains and those who live in the mountains.This is caused by climate and civilization, which can even alter the texture of one’s skin and the shape of one’s bones.Scientific e xperts can look at one bone and tell wh at country the person is from.Therefore, th is is an extensive field, and it continues to progress day by day.The Study of Plants a nd Animals 58.Botany: This field has also progressed greatly , and it discusses the character istics of plants.A re they living or non - living? Do they hear and see? Are they or are they not aware of their surroundings ? Do they have the power of control ? Are they influenced by happiness and sorrow? Finally, how do we find the answers to these questions ? On e great expert in this field is an Indian Bengali, Dr.Bose.He went to Europe and proved through his experiments that plants are sensitiv e and living.L ike humans, they feel various emotions.They listen, they move, they feel anger, and they communicate.They also feel embarrassed and experience hunger and thirst.

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! ! 133 This field of study also covers the discussion of diverse types of plants.What types of plants exist in different climates and w hich countries do not support specific plants ? What are their diseases and what are the ir causes and remedies? Additionally, this discipline delves into analytical research, where each plant is studied individually to see if it is related to another.Sometimes , one plant does not resemble another, but they are related.For example, sugar cane and reed are said to belong to the same genus, but over time, the reed evolved into sugar cane.59.Zoology: This study researches animals and their behavior.What is the function of the minutest of organisms? What is the condition of vertebrates? Furthermore, based up on geographical distribution, which animals are found in certain countries , and which are not and why? In short , this is a n extensive study.60.Mining Engineering : This has several aspects, including the exploration of mines and the provi sion of light and circulation of air inside.In p revious times , people could not advance , for they were unaware of what treasures the ground held.M ining engineering has progressed considerably.Mines are below ground and provid ing air and light requires special knowledge , so t hat miners can work comfortably and avoid accident al death by fire or suffocation.61.The Study of Elements: T he details of metals and elements are discussed here.The Study o f Surgery, Medications, a nd Diseases 62.Dissection : This deals with knowledge and details of the human and animal body.Dissection is the only means to locat e and descri be b lood vessels and specific bones.This method of study assists tremendously in treatment and has made considerable progress , with new skills emerging to advance this field.63.Pharmacology: What are the effects of medicines? What is the result of using low or high dosage and how do they work in pa rticular illnesses? This is a rapidly expanding independent discipline.

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! ! 134 64.Orthopedics : This field of study is concerned with the mending of bones, cutting skin, and transplanting animal bones into humans.65.Nursing: This discipline explain s how to care for a patient.Patients are usually irritable , and nursing teaches when to be firm and when to show compassion based upon a patient’s behavior.At times there may be anger within, but it is necessary to show kindness and compassion , and at other times it is imperative to show sternness and severity.Once, a doctor expressed anger at a patient in my presence and I questioned his behavior.He advised that it was necessary.For these reasons, this is a separate discipline and has become a profession in itself.Nurses work separately, for they assist patients with their mobility, sit them up, feed them, and in general, care for them in the best way.66.Gynecology : Previously , this was not considered a separate field, but now it has been specialized and deals in particular , with w omen’s diseases and cures.Some medicines have a certain effect on women ; therefore, this has become an independent and new discipline in treating women’s specific diseases.67.Pediatrics: This is the knowledg e of treating children’s specific diseases.68.Pathology: This is the knowledge of diseases , meaning what is disease, why do people fall ill , what are their symptoms and cures ? The Study o f Agriculture, Hypnotism, a nd Physiognomy 69.Agriculture: This field studies the most suitable timing for plantation, the preparation of the soil, and the type of care and nou rishment required after plantation.It also covers which plants grow in which countries and how to grow them elsewhere.This is an expansive field, for which special colleges and institutions have been established.70.Mesmerism/Hypnotism: This discipline has various branches , with the first one being the treatment of diseases.The second is to uncover that which is hidden, for example, to see something which may lay behind closed doors or within a closed cabinet.The third branch related to this discipline i s communication.While sitting here, one can communicate one’s desire to another

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! ! 135 place far away.This is still in its initial stages.The fourth branch is to send the spirit far away.This does not refer to the soul, but to a receptive part of the human brain, which is called the sensitive heart.It can leave the body and be seen by others.Th e fifth branch is the reformation of moral values , through which one can be rid of harmful habits such as stealing, etc.71.Spiritualism: This is the calling of spirits.Renowned scientists are being drawn to this discipline, giving preference to it over other disciplines, when in reality, this is superstition.Christians are told Christian things an d Hindus are told Hindu things.All concentratio n is focused upon one person, and he states that the spirit is within him.At times, the spirit appears separately and indica tes its presence by overturning a chair or performing some other act.T he spirit does not truly arrive, but this is indeed a real discipline.72.Physiognomy: It is the assessment of a person’s face to reveal his character or personality, his habits, and qualities.Sentiments such as deceit, faithlessness, love, faithfulness, etc.can be determined.One branch of this science is the reading of one’s face , i.e., the analysis of a person’s f acial features to determine his behavior.A person’s character can be surmised by looking at the distance between the ears and eyes, the form of the lips and nose, a nd the length and width of other facial features.The second branch of this science is the study of the brain [or neuropsychology ].The better one’s morals are, the better the state of the brain.M urd er and bloodshed stem from distinct parts of the brain.God Almighty has di vided the brain into many parts, which designate different emotions and behavior.Falsehood, truth, deceit, love all lie in separate areas.B y measuring the size of one’s head, this field can determine where the gr eatest quantity of matter lies.F or example, is the area of materialism or contentment greater , or is the area which contains intolerance or patience greater.The most remarkable aspect of all of this, is that if a part of the brain is operated on and the proportion of its matter is altered, it could improve one’s habits.This particular study is making headway.73.Power of Suggestion: This discipline differs from mesmerism.I nstead of exercising effort or treatment, it is merely suggested that one is not sick.Suggestive t hought s influence the body and

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! ! 136 i f a patient with a fever , is told that he does not have a temperature , he will begin to feel better.Howe ver, this is a skilled practice.M ere talk is not effective.Astr ology , Numerology, Palm reading, Magical Arts 74.Astrology: This is not related to the discipline of astronomy , which I mentioned earlier.T his is superstition.There is some level of truth to it , such as the impact the sun may have , but it i s not advanced enough to where things can be determined.T his knowledge is real , since God Almighty has imbued the stars with some influence, however the way in which people make use of it, is wrong.People wish to turn it into a means of gaining knowledge of the unknown and predict the unseen.This is wrong, for only God Almighty possesses knowledge of the unseen.75.Numerology : Thi s is the knowledge of numbers.People attempt to pre dict future events through the study of numbers.76.Palm Reading : Foretelling by looking at the lines [on one’s hand].77.Divination: This is not the Islam ic Istikharah [ seeking the guidance of God through prayers] , but it is the proc ess whereby people sit and roll a s t ring of prayer beads [similar to a rosary] through their fingers and then draw conclusions by looking at the beads.Some women look to Napoleon’s Book of Omens.These are fraudulent practices , c ontaining no truth whatsoever.They are like astrologers, who claim it is neither a girl nor a boy.78.Talisman: This is also referred to as magic, whereas it is actually a branch of the ‘power of suggestion ’.They recite somethin g over an object or write something in Hindi on a piece of paper and use it as a charm.79.Sorcery : Through this study, people or evil spirits are harnessed.E ven Europeans are entangled within this field.80.Alchemy: This science has created chaos in the world.This is the obsession to make gold and many people have been ruined by it.Even some Ahmadis were caught up in it but are now no longer involved.On e cleric travelled from Delhi and said to me that, “ Maulvi Sahib ( Haz rat Hakim Maulana Nur - ud - Di n, Khalifa t - ul - Masih I ra ) used to make gold and he must have certainly s hared

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! ! 137 that information with you.Reveal it to me.” I tried to reason with him , but I soon realized he could not be convinced.81.Parthenogenesis: This science deals with questions , such as what substances conjugate to produce offspring.Can a child be produced without the union of the male and female? If so, how? This science proved t hat a child could be born without the union of the two.82.Animal Husbandry: It explains the best way to raise poultry and livestock.What should they be fed, so that they may grow fat, o r give more milk, or breed well.Different techniques are argued for within this discipline, while keeping in mind various commercial principles.83.Library Science: This knowledge explains ho w books should be categorized and i t is an independent science.Some books are related to several disci plines; therefore, it defines which book is categorized under which discipline, and how to easily find a book.This is a list of various branches of knowledge.( Jalsa Salana, Lajna Ima’illah, March 5, 1923 ) ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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! ! 138 Address to the Lajna in a Fr i day Sermon Delivered by Ha z ra t Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra February 2, 1923 ! Equality in Matters o f Religion After recitation of Tashahhud, Ta‘awwuz , and Surah Al - Fatihah , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra stated: Just as Europeans, Americans, Africans, and Asians are all equal in worldly matters , and just as it is enjoined to treat people of every color, lang u age, race, and national origin equally by the same token, men and women are considered equal in religious matters.In other words, j ust as religious injunctions are ordained for men, they are also ordained for women.Surah Al - Fatihah is the root of the Holy Qur ’ an and is the summ ation of the Qur’an.Where Allah Almighty has taught the prayer within it, it has been done with great wisdom.W here the subject matter of progress and advancement has been discussed within it, it has been done in such a manner that both men and women have been encompassed.The rule s of Arabic language dictate that when the nation is addressed, the masculine gender is used , but women are included within the term.However, in the Surah Al - Fatihah , the words are such that they equally address and include both men and women , for example, it states : n tَ ۡﺴ َﺘ ِﻌ ُۡني ِا َّﻳ ﺎ َك َو َﻧ ۡﻌ ُﺒ ُﺪ ِا َّﻳ ﺎ َك “ Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.1 : V.5) These phrases of Surah Al - Fatihah are such that both men and women can utter them, and they depict the equality of both genders.Another great acumen is that both men and women are included according to accepted usage.In other words, the lone male

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! ! 139 will speak the same words as the lone female and just as some commandments are specifically directed to men, so are some commandments specifically directed to women.This does not signify that only the male gender is addressed , but rather that if some commandments are directed towards men , then others are only directed towards women.Then there are those commandments , which apply equally to both men and women, e.g., the Friday sermon and the two Eid sermons are made obligatory for both men and women.Typically, m en and women sit separately , or women sit on the other side of a curtain or in a separate tent.Women attend dars , wearing a burqa [ outer garment , covering according to Islamic Purdah ].Likewise, they can listen to the Friday sermon while seated in a marquee or behind a curtain.Si nce the man delivers the sermon , men are seated in the front, and women sit separately behind a curtain even though the speaker addresses them both equally.If women sit separately or behind a curtain, it does not mean that the s peaker is not addressing them.Just as men are addressed in the sermon, so are women.Therefore, my sermon is addressed not only to men , but also to women.What I am now about to relate i s very appropriate according to the time and location.After much thought and deliberation, I have decided that the mosque, which is to be built in Germany , should be built with funds collected from women.There is no doubt that women might not personally own any property, but there is also no doubt that the foundation of their wealth is their jewelry.Undoubtedly, men are involved in bringing home the main source of income, although they do not always have savings due to their financial responsibilities, whereas women do have something in the form of jewelry.Therefore , during the time of famine, men borrow from women to get by.Men should not think, ‘H ow will women acquire the money , for after all , they receive it from us.’ Women can donate their jewelry to give chanda.S ome women may own more , and others may have less.However, in God’s sight it is not the amount but the sincerity of the heart which truly matters.

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! ! 140 The Berlin Mosque ’s Scheme for F unds It is my desire that the German mosque be built with funds collected from women because Europe ans believe we regard women to be animals.When Europeans discover that at this moment Muslim women have donated funds to build a mosque for their newly converted Muslim brothers, in a city which is quickly growing to be the hub of the world, they will be quite astonished and embarrassed at their preconceived notions of Muslim women.When they pass by the mosque , a kind of death will pass over them.Th e mosque itself will be a silent manifestation , persistently chall enging those priests who lie that Muslim women hav e no status in Islam.They believe that women are regarded and treated as animals in our country , and they perceive Muslim women to be animals.When this mosque is built wit h funds raised by women, they will realize that these women recognize that there exist people in this world , who would worship a man.On the other hand , it is quite common among them that a husband and wife would begin to quarrel with each other only a month after being married and t he husband then goes off in search of another partner and the wife begins her search for another spouse.It is considered strange if a couple is still happily married a mo nt h after the wedding.They are un aware of the sort of genuine relationship which exists between a husband and a wife here.This is a case of the enemy wielding th e pen.They hold fast to the pen, and they write what they wish about Islam and Muslims.Maulvi Mubarak Ali wrote me a letter stating that an architect gave an estimate of two hundred thousand rupees to b uild the mosque, assuming that the nation planning to build a mosque with in their country must be very wealthy.But Maulv i Sahib told him that we do not have so much money, at which he revised his estimate to fifty thousand rupees.Five thousand rupees for the land and forty - five thousand rupees for the building , his viewpoint being that a large city of affluent people requires an impressive ly large building to draw people’s attention.An ordinary building will not impress pe ople.It would be similar to a house which is mostly built of concrete yet has a section that remains built of mudbricks , thus the house appear s

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! ! 141 distastefu l.Anyhow, he estimates that fifty thousand rupees can build not only a mosque , but also the missionary’s residence.I wish to present this matter to all the ladies of our Jama'at.This is an age of competition.In England, women compete with men when taking the bar and medical exams , simply to express equality, regardless of whether they will practice it later or not.Well, they are wasting their lives, but we should compete for a n oble cause.Therefore, I declare that women should build a mosque in Europe.Previously, l adies donated ten thousand rupees for the London Mosque and according to Islam ic law, women’s contribution s should be half that of men since their inheritance is half that of men.Accordingly, now women should raise fifty thousand rupees for the Ahmadiyya Mosque in Berlin within three months.According to the Promised Messiah’s as prophecy , t he Russian Czar’s staff was taken away from him and handed over to the Promised Messiah as.The door to Russia is through Berlin and only t hrough this door can Russia be defeated.Nowadays , there is no possibility of enter ing Russia, let alone being able to preach there.The only way to spread the message is through Germany.By going t hrough Germany, we can easily preach in Russia.Fulfilling this important prophecy at the hands of women will greatly impact the later generations of th at country.T hey will learn that women are as sincere in religion as men.Th ere, Europeans will learn how much passion Muslim women have for spreading their relig ion.In the front of the mosque , it will be clearly written that Ahmadi women present this gift to our newly converted Muslim brothers.Thereafter, other s will see , and Paighamis [members of Lahori Jama'at ] will learn that while they collect from strangers and their hands spread wide before them, Ahmadi women can raise equal amounts of funds on their own.Thus , women from all over should be urged to raise funds for this cause.All the newspapers published from Qadian should announce this scheme a nd should publish my sermon.In every location, a nyone who read s the paper should encourag e their ladies to contribute to the mosque within t hree months and men should

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! ! 142 convey this message to their women.Those men whose wives have not come today for Friday prayers , should a lso inform their wives and encourage them to contribute towards this scheme.I ha ve entrusted this project to the organization, whose name I have chosen to be ‘ Lajna Ima’illah ’ [Association of the Maidservants of Allah].Here, [in India] there is another organization by the name of ‘Servants of India.’ We are not the servants of any specific nation.We are only servants and slaves of Allah.“ Lajna Ima’illah ,” mean s t he Organiza tion o f Allah ’s Maids ervants It is for this reason that I have given this name to the organization, and I have entrusted them with this responsibility.I f women had solely initiated this project [of raising funds for the Berlin Mosque] themselves, it might not have been so effective.T herefore , I initiated it on their behalf.Women should not think that it is only the responsibility of the few to collect these funds.Rather , let every woman rise and collect this chanda from her sisters within three months.The l and has been purchased for the London M osque , but because its construction requires a hundred thousand rupees , it has not been completed yet.Such will not be the case with the Berlin M osqu e.Rather, as soon as we collect funds here, we will begin construction there.This is because we believe that this project will be completed.Therefore, as soon as th e money begins to come in, its construction will begin.With this sermon, I invite all Ahmadi ladies to collect fifty thousand rupees within a th ree - month period.Keep in mind that not one penny will be collected from men.If any man donates towards this project , it will be t ransferred to some other scheme.This mosque will be constructed from women’s contributions alone, so that it stands as a monument to women’s sacrifice.I pray that may God Almighty enable the women to accomplish this goal , Am ī n.( Al - Fazl , February 8, 1923 , p p.5 - 6)

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! ! 143 Appeal for C onstruction of the Ahmadiyya Mosque Berlin Address to La jna in the Friday Sermon Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad , Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra March 2, 1923 After recitation of Tashahhud, Ta‘awwuz , and Surah Al - Fatihah , Haz rat Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra stated: One of the sayings of the Promised Messiah as draw s attention to a universal law of nature and I like it very much.It states: “A tree is recognized by the fruit it bears.” A tree ’s value , its quality, benefits , its general usefulness , and it being a source of blessing for people, can all be assessed by the fruit it bears.By f ruit , we do not mean what is simply edible , but th e objectives and goals, the advantages and purposes for which a tree is planted.If you receive benefits from the leaves , then the leaves a re its fruit.A tree which is planted for its firewood, the wo od is its fruit.A tree which is pl anted for its fruit, that itself is the fruit.Thus, if a tree produces fruit according to the purpose for which it was planted and people derive benefit from it, then the fruit it bears is of the highest quali ty.For example, a tree planted for its leaves due to their usefulness in making medicine, or for its branch es due to their value and worth in trade and ma nufacturing, or for its shade , which is so pleasant that people receive comfort fro m it; when that tree serves its purpose then it is considered a good tree for its fruit is good.If it does not achieve the purpose for which it is planted then it will not be useful , and even if the whole world says it is good , it cannot become good.If, however , it fulfills its objective , then even if the whole world calls it bad , it will not become bad.This is a truth , which can be applied in thousands of circumstances.The truth and veracity of a n organization can also b e judged

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! ! 144 by the same criterion of whether or not its fruit is worthy and useful.Does the organization fulfill its objectives according to that which a spiritual movement instructs? If an organization can demonstrate through its influence, effectiveness, and beneficence that it fulfills the purpose towards which a spiritual movement strives, then it is superior an d true.However, if a movement cannot prove its worthiness by its fruit, then it does not deserve to be considered truthful.People harbor doubts regarding our movement because it declares thei r beliefs and views to be false and rejects them.In general, it is these people who stand against our movement and attempt to find faults.However, it is easy and effortless for the wise and just person to judge whether the fruits of this movement are similar to those of previous spiritual movements.If he witnesses that the fruits are similar , then he is obliged t o accept this movement as being spiritual as well.However, if he is still critical , then it is due to his own inner faults and defects and not because the movement is untruthful.For instance, i f sugarcane is of superior quality and someone finds it bitter , then it will be the fault of the person tasting it, not of the sugarcane itself.Similarly, if a person receives a bitter taste in his mouth upon tasting a sweet fruit , it is not because the fruit is bad , rather it is because the person is ill.Thus, if it can be proven by arguments and observations that a certain food is delicious, any complaints there after of the food tasting bland , unpleasant , or too salty, does not signify that the food is bad, but that th ere is something wrong with those who are tasting it.In such cases, there is no need to alter the food , instead it is necessary to treat the critic’s infirmity.The testimony of their nose, tongue, and mind is not enough to justify altering the food, but it will point to the fact that their illness should be addressed.At this tim e , our movement and the recently announced scheme stands true according to this r ule.Three to four weeks ago , I announced the appeal for the Berlin Mosque.Our Jama ‘ at is compose d of the weak and the poor.Thus, by looking at its expenses, who could say that we would collect the large sums which

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! ! 145 are often required? In India, a n appeal for donation s was made by the Turkish Khilafat.There are Muslims in India who can individually contribute millions of rupees , but despite this , their total collection could not exceed over ten or twelve - hundred thousand.The outcome of this was that if their donations went towards the Khilafat , there was little money left for their local endeavors.Thus , the Central Khilafat Committee w as forced to divert funds from the Angora Fund for local expenditure.Now , compared to other institutions, our community has the least amount of funds and members.In Punjab alone , the number of Ahmadis is less than the janitors which reside here.As far as funds are concerned , there are small nations, such as the Bhabar s [ Bhabar are a caste of people in South Asia] , in which some individuals alone have more money than our whole community combined.However, despite this, just witness how extraordinary God Almighty’s mission is for our community.I t is said that there are nearly seventy or eighty million Muslims in India , and the [donation for the Turkish Khilafat ] was a matter of their survival.This was not the case with our donations.The appeal for the London M osque, albeit an essential and blessed one, did not mean that we would be destroyed if the London M osque was not built.Similarly, the appeal for the Berlin M osque is beneficial, but it does not signify that if this mosque is not built , our community will disintegrate.However , according to them the ir appeal was such that, if they were unsuccessful , they would have be en annihilated.Despite this , they we re unable to collect even a hundred thousand rupees.In comparison, our community, which is not even one hundredth their size , is able to donate a hundred thousand rupees for the London M osque with in a few days.I believe that if this was a matter of life and death, then this tiny community could even collect twenty million rupees.W e would be unable to collect more, not because we do not wish to do so, but because there would be nothing else to give.Our only limit to c ollecting a sum of money in matter s of life and death, no matter how big, would be the fact that there would remain nothing else to give, not because we did not wish to give more.For all that would remain, would be our lives and even that we would not hesitate to sacrifice.Anyone who has any sense or intelligence should ponder how

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! ! 146 suddenly those people who had been dead for so long have cultivated such spirit, passion, and enthusiasm ? This is no small feat.It is a blessing from God Almighty that He has created such a condition.This cannot be the work of any human being.Indeed, there have been other personalities who have conquered th e minds and intellect of people.H owever, this conquest was temporary and short lived.Mr.Gandhi achieved great heights , but only temporarily.Similarly, people held Mr.Muhammad Ali and Mr.Shaukat Ali in great esteem, but it lasted for only a brief time.A few years ago , there was great clamor regarding Mr.Gandhi.However, within two years, he now hold s only one - tenth of the influence he had previously.The se temporary passions are akin to flowers which bloom from within the rubble of rock and dirt and perish within a few days.However, in the case of flowers planted in a garden and cared for by the gardener, if one flower die s , he plants another in its place.Thus , the passion stirred by people is only temporary , while that which is from God Almighty is permanent.If it ever begins to wane, He rejuvenates it.Regarding the appeal made for the Berlin Mosque , it has been witnessed that the ladies have set a magni ficent example of sincerity which cannot be found elsewhere.As of now , the pledges amount to twenty - five thous and rupees and it would not be surprising if the amount collected exceeds the set target , s ince many chapters still remain.The saying, ‘ A tree is recognized by the fruit it bears ’ is apparent in this appeal as well.What I wish to present before you is that God Almighty has created certain conditions confirm ing His acceptance of this proposal.Whereas in other cases we see people give up their faith if asked to contribute money, we are experiencing something completely unprecedented.My one condition was that this mosque be built by Ahmadi ladies and then presented to their new Muslim brothers.Now , rather than seeing those women retreat after hearing of the appeal who were previously considered weak, we instead witness something rather astonishing.Eleven women have accepted Ahmadiyyat so that they can also contribute to this scheme.This is the update as of now and who knows how m any more may join.I believe that these women may already have been Ahmadi, for n o person changes his religion just to donate to a cause.They were

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! ! 147 already Ahmadi , but they did not have the courage to claim it.Now , they saw that if they still did not show courage , they would be depriv ed of blessings.I n this way, this appeal saved eleven women from destruction.T his is only a taste of the first fruit of a scheme , which has saved eleven women from death.There is a famous anecdote which can be applied here.There was once a K ing who passed by an eighty or ninety - year - old man planting a tre e.The tree was of the kind which bears fruit after a very long time.The King questioned the old man on the benefit of this tree , as it would bear fruit after so long.The old man replied, “My forefathers planted trees and I ate their fruit.Now I will plant trees and my descendants will reap the benefit.” The King replied, “ z e h ,” meaning ‘well said.’ It was his directive that whoever caused him to say “ zeh ” would receive four thousand rupees.When the King said, “ zeh , ” a bag of four thousand rupees was given to the old man.He took the money in his hand and said, “Your Highness, you had asked when I would eat the fruit of this tree.Other people’s trees bear fruit after a long time , but upon planting mine, it has already borne fruit.” The King again exclaimed, “ zeh , ” and his treasurer handed another four thousand rupees to the old man.The old man took the second bag, saying , “Your Highness, other people’s trees bear fruit only once every year , but already my tree has borne fruit twice.” T he King once again replied, “ zeh ” and the old ma n was given a third bag.Finally , the King said that if they didn’t move on, the old man would rob them of all their money! The example of ‘ zeh ’ applies t o the Berlin Mosque as well.Other people’s mosques are built so that their faithful may have a place to say thei r prayers.However, even our appeal to build a mosque co n verts people.It is the fruit of th is tree , which is the manifes t ation of the tree’s own qualities , f or the q uality of a tree is recognized by its fruit.This tree’s fruit demonstrates that it bears great potential.Consider how superior that tree will be in its own t ime.Imagine w hat exceptional fruit it will bear when even upon just being planted; the tree’s roots are immediately doused with the water of faith from eleven individuals? Now , I address this Jama‘ at and their women and the other

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! ! 148 Jama'at s and their women, for there are still many chapters which have not sent in their donations.The blessings and joy you receive by straightaway p erforming a task cannot be attained later.The status of the pioneers is much higher than those who came afterward , f or we all know the name of one companion, that of [ Haz rat ] Abu Bakr ra , but do we know the name of that companion who accepted Islam afterwards? What could be the reason for this? Only that Haz rat Abu Bakr ra accepted Islam as soon as its call sounded in his ear, whereas the other accepted it later.Thus, procrastination can cause a decrea se in the blessings we receive.I call on the ladies here, as well as elsewhere, who have not donat ed or made a pledge, that a dollar given at the appropriate time is far more beneficial than thousands of rupees given upon delay.Th us, th ose women who have made their pledges , should make their payments as soon as possible and our brothers sho uld cont inue to remind them.A lthough men cannot partake in this project , they can receive blessings by encouraging their women.Some men write to me worried , t hat their women are not Ahmadis and what should they do? I tell them that this is th e result of their laziness, for they did not encourage th em to convert to Ahmadiyyat.Where you have shown s uch indolence , the time has now come for you to feel the pain and realize the extent of your error s.It is also a sign of their faith that many people are writing to me , asking me to pray that their wives show no weakness in donat ing.There is an anecdote concerning a maulvi , who once called upon women to donate.His wife was also sitting in the gathering, and she donated an earring.When he came home and discovered his wife had donated her earring , he asked her why she had done so.The call for donati on was for others, not for his household.However, the state of our Jama'at ’s members is such that they request me to pray that the ir women show no hesitation in contributing.Then there are some , who request that they may be granted permission to donate on behalf of their deceased wives.This phenomenon is unparalleled and has only been previously witnessed among the companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and i t is clear that if we were required to sacrifice our

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! ! 149 lives for God Almighty , our C ommunity would not hesitate to do so.Our friends should do their b est to encourage their women to immediately receive blessings from this scheme.If the construction of the mosque were to start right now , it could be completed with this sum, otherwise it is entirely possible that if there is a delay, it w ill not be built with even a million rupees.Thus , men must hasten the process.May God A lmighty grant us the ability to understand and f ulfill our responsibilities and keep us on the right path.(March 2, 1923 )

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! ! 150 The Education and Training of Ahmadi Children Excerpts from the Address D elivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad , Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra June 29, 1923 , after Maghrib prayer Dar - ul - Fazl , Qadian Question o f Children’s Moral Training This is such a crucial question that the progress of a nation depends up on it.Nations have been ruined for this very reason.W hen the people of former generations passed away , the next generations could not become their successors.If only someone like Abu Bakr was born to succeed Haz rat Abu Bakr ra , someone like ‘ Umar ra was born to succeed Haz rat ‘Umar ra , someone like ‘ U th man, was born to succeed Haz rat ‘ U th man ra , someone like Ali was born to succeed Haz rat ‘ Ali ra , and similarly, successors of Haz rat Talha ra , Haz rat Zubair ra , and other companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa were born.I f such a legacy had continue d thereafter, how could such clerics exist in Islam who today declare Haz rat Masih Mau ‘u d as a blasphemer and have attempted to place barriers in his divine mission? H ave Muslims always behaved like this? Certainly not.T he only reason such people exist today is that the current generations failed to succeed in the steps of their forefathers.Thus, the reason for the moral degradation of the nation is because the children did not follow in the footsteps of their forefathers.The Future Generation ’ s P rogress i n Secular Sciences It is a strange sight to behold that in every field of knowledge , the coming g eneration has advanced beyond its predecessors.For example, the mathematic ians of today are more advanced than those f ro m the former days.This is also the case with h istory , for h istorical events are more completely compiled now than they were before.This applies not only to current events , but also to those events which took place in the past, for they are better recorded

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! ! 151 now than they were recorded at the actual time of occurrence.For example, people today have a better u nderstanding of the events which took place in the seventh and the eighth century , compared to the people who lived during that age.The same can be said for geography.Those countries, whose names were previously unknown , ar e now known to the entire world , f or e xample, America.Due to Mufti ( Muhammad Sadiq’s ra ) residing in America, our children are well aware of the country by read ing and listening to his accounts.Decline of Succeeding Generations i n Religion Strangely, while the succeeding generations progress in worldly affairs, they decline in religious matters.Children advance beyond their parents and grandparents in mathematics, history , and geography.Similarly, the blacksmiths, carpenters and goldsmiths who have passed away are now replaced by workers with better skills.Yet , why do we not find th is example regarding religious matters ? Even though religion exceeds every other profession in importance and need.T here should have be en more advancement in religion.There is only one reason behind this.When a historian achieves benefit from history, he attempts to leave behind a successor so that the knowledge does not perish with him.Similarly , a mathematician and a geographer leave behind successors to continue with their works.However, in matters of religion , there is very little desire to leave behind successors who are more knowledgeable.Alt hough, those who have truly understood their faith and do not follow a religion as a ritual, do feel this desire.Only Wishing is n ot Enough The problem is that nothing can be accomplished merely by desire unless there is help available to achieve it.For example, desire alone is not enough for the mathematician who wishes to leave his legacy to another mathematician.His desire cannot be fulfilled unless there are parents who are willing to place their children under his training and education.The s ame applies to other areas, except for when it comes to religion.

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! ! 152 Religious Training S hould Start f rom Childhood Another great problem in our society is that parents wish to teach their children worldly things from a very early age, but when it comes to religious training, they claim , ‘ T he child will learn once he is older.T here is no need for it now.’ E ven if it is against the doctor’s orders, p arents will send them off to school at a time when children are not even conscious of their surroundings.They say that the child only wander s around [at home], so it would be better to have him sit at school.What they really desire is for the child to learn something during the very year in which he c ould have gained some awareness.Ye t on the other hand , even when the child approach es maturity , they believe him to be too young to learn Salāt and they say that he will learn it when he is older.If they are asked to wake their child up for Salāt , they will make the excuse by saying that his sleep will suffer.If , however the next morning , an inspector is expected to test him , they will keep him awake all night.Frankly, they worry greatly in appearing before the inspector, but no t at all in waking up to appear before God’s divine presence.Teac h your children about religion from an early age f or t hose who do not teach their children at an early age, such children will still not learn once they are grown.Just as t hose who learn something at a later age , cannot make great progress, religion cannot be learned well later in life.The t rouble is that what people regard as the age of maturity in worldly matters , is not the same in religious matters.Even eighteen - year - olds are consid ered too young to be disciplined in following religious practices; whereas a young child of a few years , who throws a pen or rips a book apart, is reprimanded and sc olded for these acts.It is said that if he is not disciplined, he will learn the bad habit of ruining things.However, nothing is said when the youth subvert the religion of God.P eople attempt to teach religion to the child at an age when they assume he knows everything and is old enough to teach others.As a result, he learn s nothing.Un less parents realize that the time to learn religion is in childhood, and un less they understand that they can only influence their children in their childhood, the children will not grow up to be religious.

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! ! 153 Women’s Role i n Children’s Moral Training Un less women adopt the same viewpoint as men , children will not grow up to be religious , for m en are not always with their children.Mothe rs spend more time with them , and it has been observed that even religious mothers are lax in teaching their children about religion.If their child is sleeping at prayer time, they let him sleep.Unless is it ingrained in the mothers t hat religious training can only occur during childhood, success cannot be achieved.T herefore , my first piece of advice is to the parents, but really to the fathers, since the women are not present here , which is to inculcate moral training and teach children religion from childhood , so that they grow up to be truly pious.Every Action R equires Perseverance Following this , I would like to speak to the children.As I said before, no nation can progress unless its future generation is inclined towards progress.By nature , I am very keen on children’s moral upbringing.No job can be done properly without attention to a proper course of action.In our country , the problem is that we do not focus on a proper course of action that may lead to success.In my opinion, the foremost issue which confronts us and is devastatingly widespread, i s the lack of perseverance.Someone asked the Holy Prophet sa , what is the most righteous deed ? He replied, “Serving one’s parents.” The person asked the same question again, and the reply was the same.Similarly, another person asked the same question and the Holy Prophet sa replied according to that man’s nature , and for as long as he continued to ask , the Holy Prophet sa repeated his answer.T h is does not mean that this is the most righteous deed, but because their greatest weakness was in breach of this, attention was brought to this [quality].Our nation also has its own weakness.If someone asks me the secret to success , I will say, ‘perseverance.’ If he asks again, I will give the same answer; and if he asks again, still the answer will remain the same.If a second person, or third person, or however many others thereafter ask me the same question any number of times , I will say that t o be successful in any field , perseverance is the

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! ! 154 key.Lack of pe rseverance creates problems.A person sets out to do a job and then leaves it u nfinished.The little that is accomplished will also as a result be wasted.Therefore, until perseverance is inculcated in children and in those who train them, all their efforts will remain fruitless.Lack o f Perseverance L eaves an Impact Today we host a convention.I f in one year, no work has been done on this project , then the effect will be far more detrimental upon our children.The consequences of initiating a project are short - li ved.On the other hand , leaving something unfinished has a very dangerous effect, which people themselves may not even recognize.When a task is abandoned after it is started , childr en are left believing that adults are teaching us that there isn’t anything which should be continuously worked at.This will result in their inability to succeed.Whereas, if they are left with the impression that every job requires steadfastness , they will adopt the trait of perseverance and they will never fail.Lack of p erseverance is a great weakness.I ha ve b een previously invited several times to address this children’s organization, however I have been unable to attend until today.I also initiated an organization for adults, which I personally attended se veral times to encourage its progress.However, since I have not attended for some time, the conferences were stopped.The secretary in charge probably talked himself blue, attempting to preach the message of steadfastness.He most likely lost his mind in brainstorming countless ways to finish the job.However, the y could not finish the task they started and so it was abandoned.They may be eager to offer up suggestions to important governments, yet they canno t even accomplish a small task such as this.It is understandable that a single person cannot do this job, but if they adopt perseverance, it may inspire some if not all, to be steadfast.Europeans truly understan d this concept.They have some shops and newspapers which have been running for almost three hundred years.The y have been in operation since the original conception of that newspaper or business.Similarly, there are schools which are still running from the time they were founded.The reason for this is that

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! ! 155 the pioneers were steadfast and motivated more and more people and the work continued.After advising the parents , I would now like to advise workers and children to be steadfast.Master Sahib has told me that some parents and their children did not cooperate with him in this matter, which is why this project was stopped half way through and has now been launched again.I say that if they had been steadfast it would have had an impact and the project would have been sustained.Why did they re - start the project? Because they had recovered from the first time’s failure and its impact upon them.They realized that the project had not been completed before because no assistance was forthcoming , yet they still re - started the project.This is called lack of perseverance.They forgot what had occurred earlier and once again, began their work.However, they should remember that without perseverance, success can not be achieved.The Parent ’ s Cooperation i n their Children’s Moral Training Then there is also the matter pertaining to the responsibility of parents.Initially they say, let us cooperate with and assist th e person who looks after their child ’s learning ? But in due course , the y become like the person, who was s at under the [burning heat of the] sun and yet upon being advised to move into the shade h e ask s what the person advising him would give him in return for moving into the shaded area.Similarly, p arents believe that someone who pursues [ teach ing ] their children , mus t have something to gain.A nother story related to th is is of a customer who was told that all tailors are thieves, and they tend to pinch some fabric for themselves.One day , he took some fabric to a tailor to have a cap made.He asked the tailor, “W ill you be able to make a cap from this fabric?” The tailor said , “ C ertainly.” T he customer, remembering what had been said about tailors being cheats, thought to himself that perhaps the tailor only said he was able to do it so that he might keep some fabric for himself also.With this thought in mind, he asked if he w ould be able to make two caps from the fabric.The tailor again said , “Certainly.” This proved his suspicion that the tailor was a cheat.He thought to himself, if I had n ot ask ed for two, he certainly

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! ! 156 would have kept one for himself.Continuing in this same chain of thought , he asked if four caps could be made.The t ailor again replied , “ Y es” which mad e him certain that the tailor wa s a cheat.H e then asked about six, to which t he tailor again replied, “Yes.” This time , the customer was sure that he would not be able to make more than six , b ut out of curiosity , he asked if seven could be made ? The tailor once again gave the s ame answer, “Yes.” He did not expect for any more to be made, but still h e asked , “Can you make eight?” T he tailor answered, “ Eight can be made.” After this , he left to come back the following day.When he came back , he noticed eight very small caps laid out before him.Upon seeing the m , he asked the tailor, “W hat is this? ” The t ailor answered, “ Measure your fabric.You asked me to make eight caps from this fabric , so I made them.” In this s ame way , parents believe tha t a teacher , who watch es over their children must gain something from it.Therefore, they stop assisting him.The incident narrated by Master Sahib shows that initially, both sides showed inconsistency, including Master Sahib a nd the parents.This work will not progress, un less both sides make the intention to consistently work together.Both parties s hould promise to persevere, come rain or storm, and stay on course.I have read several instances where in Europe, people who attend [sports] clubs , have been regularly going there for over twenty years.If Europeans can show such consistency in matters as trivial as sports and entertainment, why can we not show the same persistence in matters of our development and progress ? I will now discuss some key aspects of moral training.Children Should Speak in a Strong Voice Firstly, I am sorry to see that all the children who delivered their speeches here , spoke very softly.I have an aversion to weak voice s and find i t quite upsetting.In my opinion , it is every child’s bir thright that his parents encourage his voice to be loud, so he can make himself heard b y the maximum number of people.The child who speaks very softly will be like a small bird , who can not be heard amid the world’s deafening platform.Notice that there has never been a Prophet , who did not possess a clear , strong voice.It is very

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! ! 157 important that a person’s voice be vibrant , but here, the children’s voices were soft and quivering.I believe this to be true to the point that when arranging a matrimon ial match, one should choose a person with a clear voice.Teachers should also read books and take advantage of various methods to encourage their student s to speak clearly.My younger son , Munawar Ahmad , used to speak very softly.We sent him to Qari Ghulaam Yasin to learn the Holy Qur’ān.One day , when we asked him to read the Holy Qur’ān to us, he began to read so loudly that it took us by surprise.When I i nquired as to the reason , I was told that Qari Sahib was hard of hearing , thus he [Munawar Ahmad] developed the habit of speaking loud ly , so that he was able to hear him.I have taught my wives at home , and to encourage them to read loud er I sit fu rther and further away from them.Similarly , when I was a teacher at t he Ahmadiyya School , I would make the student s who spoke softly, sit far from me and I would also push my chair back , which would force them to speak loud ly.S peak ing loud ly will improve your voice ’s clarity and you should all certainly practice this.Foster Bravery and Courage with i n Children The second aspect of moral training to keep in mind is bravery and courage, which is an extraordinary moral quality and surpasses all other attributes.We should strive to raise brave and courageous children.Master Sahib related to me that when we forbid children from swimming in the pond , the ir fathers p rotest, claiming that their children know how to swim , and they will not drown.Howev er, this may be the cause of drowning for those who do not know how to swim.In my opinion , if the children are about to drown out of their own carelessness, then we must save them.If, however, after taking all possible precautions, the child still drowns while learning to swim, then what can we do? The British host swimming contests, as well as boat races and s ometimes these boats break down and sink , causing people to lose their lives.However, it does not mean that the sport is now abandoned.They return again to take part in these competitions.

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! ! 158 Parents Make t heir Children Cowards Un less parents realize that it is far better for their child to face death while acting bravely and courageously, a s opposed to them living an idle life, these children will never de velop real bravery and courage.Unfortunately , a large problem remains that the parents themselves make their children lazy and cowardly.If it is nearing dark ness, they tell their childre n not to go outside.If the task is too difficult, they discourage them from even attempting it.They want their child to be like a delicate flower [Touch - me - not , i.e., Mimosa Pudica plant ].In this way, the child is rendered useless.In fact, p arents should purposely send their children into the dark to instill bravery and courage it in them in every way.Raising Children to b e Swimmers Children who do not know how to swim should not approach water unaccompanied.Instead, those who know how to swim should accompany them and teach them swimming.This is a crucial skill.Therefore, it is necessary to teach them and urge them to follow in the footsteps of their elders.It is said about Haz rat Is h ma e l Shaheed ra , that he once heard of a Sikh , who was so great a swimmer that no Muslim could beat him.Upon hearing this, Haz rat Is h ma e l ra learn ed to swim and eventually surpassed the Sikh.Likewise, a true Muslim should aspire to be the best in everything, provided it is righteous.It is not to say that a Muslim should surpass a robber or thie f r ather it is meant in terms of improving oneself in physical exercises , such as wrestling, riding, swimming, etc.Therefore, inculcate bravery and strength in Ahmadi children.The English are watchful of this, to the point that if someone breaks a bone w hile playing football or other sports , they do not stop play ing.Rather, they will take the injured player off the field and will continue play ing because stopping the game will impact the rest of the players negatively and instill fear in their hearts.It is due to this training that th is small European nation rules t he world.On the other hand, if someone suffers a minor injury while playing with in our society , we seek to stop the game.Swimming is a very good skill , but the water in this pond is so unsanitary that it is d etrimental to their health.This should be kept in mind an d swimming should be taught where the

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! ! 159 water is clean.I remember when I was young, I would look at others swimming , and I would feel bad because I could not swim.The Promised Messiah as handed me over to experienced swimmers , so that I could learn.Therefore, it is necessary to teach children how to swim.Raise Children a s Sportsmen My wish is that if God blesses us with the means , horses should be bred and our children should be trained to ride them, enabling them to be good horsemen.However, until we can afford to do so, we should teach them other sports and make them sportsmen.A good sportsman has good character, compared to those children who in their childhood adopt grownup routines and when they are older prove to be simply lazy.There was a man , who practiced l aw and has lost contact with the Jama'at.When he was a student, he would spend a substantial portion of time saying Salāt and crying profusely throughout.Maulvi Abdul Karim ra ( i t was revealed to the Promised Messiah as that Maulvi Abdul Karim ra w ould be a leader of the Muslims) relates, “ I wish to throw him out of the mosque.Why does he cry? What sins has he committed?” Likewise, when Mian Abdus Salam, the son of our Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih I ra , began to pray, he would start to cry.Maulv i Sahib would stop them , saying , “ This shows emotional weakness.” It is acceptable for an old man to cry , upon realizing that the majority of his life has gone to waste, during which he has made a number of mistakes.It is also acceptable for a child to cry wh en praying for a bright er and better future.However, if he cr i es, asking fo r God’s forgiveness , then he is merely imitating others.What sins has he committed that required him to beg for God’s forgiveness ? Indeed , if a person cries in his desire to become a servant of God , then that is wholly acceptable.Teaching Good Conduct i n Sports It is very important for children to play and be active and you must teach them good conduct while playing sport s.For example, if someone utters foul language , you should not do the same.Check up on the children’s behavior and who ever exchanged obscenities should vow to refrain from doing so again.Si milarly, advise them to help the

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! ! 160 poor and the needy and r elate incidents where someone had the opportunity to help someone and did not.For example, if a small child is standing whe re a cow is pass ing by and a n older child who is standing nearby does not move the smaller child away from the cow, that older child should be questioned and reprimanded for his actions.Another example is of a burqa - clad woman , who is about to be attacked by an animal and a boy, who is standing nearby, does nothing to help but only laughs.He needs to be disciplined and reprimanded and made t o promise that he will never act in this way again.Children learn when given practical examples.They are akin to parrots who say, “ Sir Mithoo , [a generic name given to parrots in Indian culture, much like Polly] I would like to eat choori [sweet or bits of bread] ’ but they do not know what ‘Sir Mithoo ’ is or what ‘ choori ’ is.Teaching G ood Conduct t hrough Practical Examples If in general, children are told to help the needy they will agree to do so.H owever, they will not know what to do , unless g iven practical examples.W hen the wiser children relate how they help the needy, others will learn how they too can help.To train a boy scout, a toy house c ontain ing all the furnishings is set on fire.Thereafter, they are taught to put out the fire and save the items in the house.T hus, t he children should be instructed of t hese matters in regular lessons, and w e can only do that with in groups.It cannot be done individually.Similarly, teaching them to save someone from drowning should be taught in a group setting, where they should be made to practice.If other people take interest, it will be more helpful.Unfortunately , in our society , it is con sidered odd if an older man wishe s to j oin in a game of young people, even though it is related that our Holy Prophet sa used to join in [ with children ].The parents should also participate in some of their children’s activities and teach them to h elp the poor and the needy.It is not necessary for our pockets to be filled with money to help someone.For example, if you see a woman in trouble, who may be blind and she cannot pick up her child , a young boy can help by lifting her child for her.If someone f alls , assist them up.There are many more examples like th is.Since now it is getting very late, I shall speak more on this topic at another time.( Al - Fazl , July 10, 1923)

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! ! 161 Address to the Ladies at Jalsa Salana Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad , Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra December 28, 1924 After recitation of Tashahhud , Ta‘awwuz and Surah Al - Fatihah , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra stated: First ly, I thank God for having sent the Promised Messiah as for our guidance and grantin g us the opportunity to accept him : ا ۡﻟ َﻌ ِﻈ ۡﻴ ِﻢ ا ۡﻟ َﻔ ۡﻀ ِﻞ ُذ و ا ُّٰﷲ َو n 'َّ َﺸ ﺂ ُء َﻣ ۡﻦ ُﻳ ۡﺆ ِﺗ ۡﻴ ِﻪ ا ِّٰﷲ َﻓ ۡﻀ ُﻞ ٰذ ِﻟ َﻚ [ “ That is Allah’s grace ; He bestows it on whom He pleases; and Allah is the Lord of immense grace.” ] (Holy Qur’ān, Ch.6 2 : V.5) God gives this bounty to whom He pleases, and God is the Greatest of the Bestower s.I then thank God that He has instilled in our Jama‘ at member s’ hearts a fervor and yearning to spread th e message to others.With the current condition of Muslims and the difficulties they face , it is entirely due to the great miracle of the Promised Messiah as that women desire their children to be devoted to religion.Those women who previously wasted their time quarreling or backbiting , accepted the Promised Messiah as and now spend their time in the service of their faith.I cannot stop from declaring that although the men of our community have much to accomplish on the path to religious progress , there also remains much more that women in our community must achieve.Rather , I would say that in comparison to men, the need for religious progress among women is much greater.One’s s piritual and material status is very differ ent from their ability to perform.There are some who are enthusiastic, but they do

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! ! 162 not have the tools.Or the tools are available , but they lack the knowledge in using them.For example, a man is sick and hopes to get well.Which sick person would not wish to recover from his illness ? Yet, [what can be done if] such a person lives in a jungle where there is no healer or doctor available.O r if by chance , one is available, but the patient has no money to pay him.Or if he does have the means to pay but there is no available medication.Thus, merely having the desire or passion to recover from an illness will not cure him.Similarly, at t imes the desire is there, but the man does not possess the means.O r he may have the desire and the means, but he does not know how to utilize it , thus both his longing and means are of no avail.For this, it is necessary to have longing in one’s heart, passion , and the means and knowledge to utilize those resources.This is the condition of our women.I see that their hearts yearn to attain religious knowledge and Islam , but they do not possess the means for attaining this goal.No matter how much desire and zeal one possesses in serving God , it will not be enough , until th e means and methods to do so are made available.The women’s role in our community is such that until they are fully educated and morally trained , I believe that the community will face a great hindrance in making progress and advancing spiritually.It would be analogous to a man who owns a diamond and without recognizing its true purpose, throws it away as if it were a marble.I remember one time when I was in Bombay [Mumbai] and a man was being prosecuted for purchasing stolen diamonds.The fact was that a sachet of diamonds had fallen out of a jew eler’s pocket as he was walking , and a boy found the sachet of about fifteen or sixteen diamonds.He thought they were glass trinkets , al though they were worth millions.One man spotted the diamonds and bought them at four a penny.The boy neither realized what he had, nor what its true purpose was.Thus, no matter how preciou s a thing we hold in our hands, if we neither recognize it as such, nor understand how to use it, then it has no value.It saddens me to say that although our women are zealous, they long to meet God, and are eager to work in

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! ! 163 His service , but as of yet, we have been un able to show them the means through which to do so.European Women From what I have seen in Europe, if you compare European women to our women in term s of education, it would be like comparing a ma n to an animal.Every woman there is educated.There is not a single woman who is not educated and who does not unders tand the value of education, or how the nation shou ld take advantage of it.I have seen women compete equally with men in practical fields there.They make speeches in the same way men do and are involve d in various socie ties, participating fully in its matters as men would.They are involved in national and government - related issues on a par with men.They become members of parliament and like men, they rationally take part in parliamentary matters.There is not a field in Europe where there are men , but no women.There the women challenge men on why they should n’t work, and they succeed in their demands.In terms of their humanity , men and women are equal.To both, God has given two eyes, two ears, a tongue, and a nose; likewise , both have been given hearts an d hands.In regard to knowledge , if a man can attain it, so can a woman.No doubt , there are things which women c annot take part in, such as war.N evertheless , one finds many historical examples of women, who showed their ability and merit in war also.At one time , the wife of Abū Sufyān did what men could not do.The C hristian army numbered one million, and the Muslim army was only sixty thousand.The Christian attack was so fierce that the Muslims began to flee.The Muslim army was fighting far from Arabia and was in great danger.When the retreating Muslim soldiers reached their women ’ s camp, Hind , who as a disbeliever , had ordered the removal of Hazrat Hamza’s ra nose and ears , now pulled the stakes from her te nt and ordered the women to stop their fathers, brothers, and relatives [from retreating] and tell them to turn back around and fight.Abū Sufyān was retreating as well , but Hind struck the horse with a stick to turn it around and shouted , “I f you run back this way, I will kill you myself.” The result was that the Muslim soldiers , who

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! ! 164 had been retreating with heavy hearts, turned back around and defeated an army of one million.That victory was solely due to the bravery of women.I was sayin g , European women are always challenging men as to why they are not allowed to work.At a conference I recently attended , the secretary was a woman and she worked very hard.After studying their environment, I have concluded that our country’s men are more intelligent than European men and our women are more intelligent than their women.I have also noticed that those iss ues , which women in general find easy to understand, their educated men find difficult to grasp.In regard to our minds, they are sharp, and so are our women’s minds [also sharp].Thus, after expressing regret that there remains much to be done to improve women’s edu cation and training , I request the women of our Jama ‘ at to discard the notion that they are weak.T hey should pursue religious and worldly knowledge.They should remember that zeal alone is not sufficient , unless knowledge and skill are also present.I know that many of you have an ardent desire to serve in the cause of your faith, but this desire will only be useful when it is combine d with knowledge and training.If knowledge and training are not present , then no thing can be attained.So , if you wish to serve, then gain knowledge and strive to learn.In the process of acquiring knowledge, you will become familiar with the work process.( Al - Fazl , February 5, 1925)

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! ! 165 Importance and Need for the Education and Training of Ahmadi Women Address to La jna Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra March 17, 1925 This speech was delivered at the inauguration of the S chool for Ahmadi Women in Darul - Masih.[Preface] The date March 17, 1925 , will be a day which is remembered when Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra inaugurated a sc hool for the education of ladies in that holy and blessed h o m e of the Promised Messiah as , where many of God Almighty’s great prophecies were sent down.Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra on various occasions had expr essed his great concern for the education of our Jama'at’s ladies.Due to this concern and attention , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra consequently inaugurated this schoo l to organize the education of women.Blessed are the women who have had the honor to be admitted to this school, and who will In S ha ’ Allah serve as a foundation for the e ducation of women from among our Jama'at.May God bless their efforts , and may He grant them steadfastness in their purpose so that they may fulfill the grand objectives and aspirations Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra had for their progress in education, which will one day be realized , In S ha ’ Allah.The special effort which Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra has put into the inauguration of this school at Jama'at headquarters , and his drawing the whole Jama'at’s attention to the education of women is a striking example which we cannot ignore for even one moment.

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! ! 166 Thus, the responsible functionaries in all Ahmadi Jama‘ ats should turn their attention towards this as soon as possible.In addition, they should study the following speech to appreciate the importance and need for the education of women.Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra delivered this speech on March 17 after Zuhr prayers, at the inauguration of the training school for Ahmadi women at Markaz - e - Silsila [ Jama'at Headquarters].Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra stated, “ The matt er of education is such a vital and essential principle , that since the beginning of human history , people have draw n attention towards it.A fter humans were born or created t he first act which God Almighty performed is as follows : ُﻛ َّﻠ َﻬ ﺎ ا َۡﻻ ۡﺳ َﻤ ﺂ َء ٰا َد َم َﻋ َّﻠ َﻢ َو “ And He taught Adam all the names.” (Holy Qur’ān Ch.2: V.32) Which means, Haz rat Adam as was taught the truth of all things.In fact, the real purpose of a name is to identify something; and to identify something means to understand its truth.The only way to differentiate one thing from another is to enumerate its qualities and features.Take the example of a mango and a cantaloupe.W e can identify them simply by c omparing the ir appearance and taste.If they did not have different qualities and features , they could not be differentiated.It is for this reason that in the Arabic language, the divinely revealed names which were initially given to things , testify to their truth.Therefore , ا َۡﻻ ۡﺳ َﻤ ﺂ َء ٰا َد َم َﻋ َّﻠ َﻢ [ He taught Adam the names ] (Holy Qur’ān Ch.2: V.32) could also signify that the reality of all entities was revealed to Haz rat Adam as.This does not mean that the entirety of philosophy, science, and the knowledge of each and every discipline was taught to him in completion.Rather, he was given whatever knowledge was needed to function at the time.It is evident by this , that the root of all sc iences is established through revelation.K nowledge was the first thing which

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! ! 167 was established after human creation.Just as in the beginning, God Almighty created all things Himself , and then handed over the responsibility for its advancement to humans; similarly , He Himself laid the foundation for knowledge and handed over the responsibili ty for its progress to humans.Allah Himself created the first man , but then delegat ed any further development to man.Allah created fire, but its evolution was brought about by humans.The same can be said of knowledge.Allah gave that first knowledge to humans, who then continued to develop and expand it.F rom the beginning of time, mankind has been advancing in its quest for knowledge.However, along side these individuals are also those , who from the beginning of time, have had no respect for the pursuit of knowledge.These individuals have been given the name, ‘ Iblis ’ , meaning one who is trapped in hopelessness.In reality , it is hope which enhances and promotes all fields of sciences.The more hope there is, the greater knowledge will progress.The word ‘ hope ’ has two connotations.First ly , t hat t he avenues for progress are open for humans and s econdly, that w e can accomplish this progress.Thus, when we speak of hope , we are declaring that the road to advancement is open for us and that we have much to accompl ish.This word also implies that we can attain whatever yet remains to be achieved.The meaning of hopelessness is that there is plenty in this world , but we cannot ac quire it.Therefore, the pursuit of knowledge and its progress are associated with hope.If someone has hope , he will learn.I f not, then he will not learn.[The word] ‘ Iblis ’ means that he did not learn.He assumed that he had already lear ned everyth ing which could be [learn ed ] and that which he did not know , could not be learn ed by any one.In other words, he severed himself from hope.Allah says of this : ا ۡﻟ ٰﻜ ِﻔ ِﺮ ۡﻳ َﻦ ِﻣ َﻦ َﻛ ﺎ َن َو ق ا ۡﺳ َﺘ ۡﻜ ََرب َو َا €ٰ “ He refused and was too proud ; and he was of the disbelievers.” (Holy Qur’ān Ch.2 : V.35)

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! ! 168 Iblis said, “ I do not wish to hinder myself in attempting to learn.” The word, ‘ Ist i kbar ’ also means to regard something as too great [a task].He felt this was all too much.I t was im possible to learn these things, for it was all pretense.Therefore, I do not find it necessary to become Adam’s disciple.Rejecting this pursuit of knowledge left him deprived and consequently disgraced and Adam ’s as progeny, wh ich did acquire knowledge , prevail ed.W e see that the following system is continuing to this day : ا َۡﻻ ۡﺳ َﻤ ﺂ َء ٰا َد َم َﻋ َّﻠ َﻢ [ He taught Adam the names ] (Holy Qur’ān Ch.2: V.32) One nation str ives to gain knowledge and make new discoveries , whereas another nation claims it impossible to discover any new science.As a result, the nations which advance in knowledge prevail, while the others fall into disgrace.While the Europeans were inventing the cannon and the rifle, the Asians were denying the possibility of an instrument which could be created to kill the enemy from afar.The outcome was that the Europeans progressed.Thus , believing that something is unattainable turns a man into Iblis and in turn, the world deals with them as Iblis was dealt with when he clashed with Adam as.Just as Iblis was turned out, so are these individuals turned out, meaning that these nations are either wiped out or they are disgraced or destroyed.Now, because the Europeans are taking up Adam ’s as work , n ew discoveries are being made, and they are advan cing in all fields of knowledge, and they are progressing.Th ose who are not focused on acquiring knowledge and are not discovering new sciences, are being wiped out.One must only look at the cond ition of the natives of America and the Aborigines in Australia, which previously numbered in the millions.N ow , only a few thousand remain.The intellectual state of Indians is similar to this.They have not been expelled from India, but they are being ruled by people who invested in the pursuit of knowledge.What drove these nations to this

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! ! 169 state? They considered the attainment of knowledge beyond their reach.Iblis adopts different approaches in different times.In this age , he has adopted the approach that it is impossible to invent anything.When the first train was introduced in India , the Indians could not accept that fire and water contained such power , and so believed it to be a god.When the train would stop , they would place flowers on the engine, saying that this is a deity.Their own hopelessness caused them to believe that man could never invent anything such as this.Thus , man’s greatness and advancement lie in his likeness to Adam as , i.e., in the pursuit of knowledge.However, if he gives in to hopelessness, he becomes like Iblis.Thus , you should realize then how necessary it is that man should seek knowledge.In other words , it can be said that Islam means knowledge and lack of faith signifies ignorance.It is for this reason that the Holy Prophet sa would oftentimes use the word ignorance when indicating disbelief.Thus , he says: َﺟ ﺎ Mِ ِﻠ ' ﱠ ًﺔ ِﻣ ْﻴ َﺘ ًﺔ َﻣ ﺎ َت َﻓ َﻘ ْﺪ َز َﻣ ﺎ ِﻧ ِﻪ ِا َﻣ ﺎ َم ]َ ْﻌ ﺮ 1 ْف ﻟ ` ْﻢ َﻣ ْﻦ [He who dies without [recognizing] the Imam dies the death of ignorance.] [ Which means], w hoever does not recognize the Imam of his time will die the death of ignoran ce.Therefore, i t is the responsibility of ev ery Muslim to acquire knowledge and then disperse it.The word ‘ Muslim ’ a ddresses men as well as women.However, because i t is Allah’s rule that prophets be sent to nation s , which ha ve fallen into deterioration to illustrate how He lifts the fallen, He accordingly sent the Promised Messiah as to India.This is because in terms of civilization, politics, and science , it was weak.A community would rise from within India, which would go on to teach the entire world.However, nations cannot be transformed in a day.Since the Promised Messiah ’s as initial followers were from among the ignorant, it i s expected that for the time being, some members of our community may appear ignorant.As a result, it is a weaknes s in our community that the men, as well as women, are not adequately educated and i t is v ital for us to overcome this shortcoming.However, there is an appoin ted time for all matters.First, it was necessary for men to remove this weakness and now it is necessary for women to do so.Albeit not enough attention has been paid to men to bring about a

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! ! 170 satisfactory outcome , there is hope that they have been guided to the right path , which will lead to their progress.Now , attention should be directed towards women.We have established t his school f or that very purpose , the inauguration of which occurs today.Due to it bein g in its initial stage , t here wi ll be less attention paid to it, but that is the case for the beginning of all endeavors.I recall our high school, which is now a magnificent building , the equal of which the inspector has said cannot be found in India, let alone in the Punjab.On the first day of its inception, t he boys were forced to sit on a small rug next to Mirza Nizam - ud - D in’s well.Later , the boys were taught in the guesthouse for a few days and afterwards, we built a building of mud and bricks.Compared to that, the start of this women’s school is far better.They sit on benches with attached desks , while the boys used to s i t on rug s.They sit in their own building, while the boys sat in someone else’s.Although it is only this school’s beginning , it is much grander than the high school ’s opening.Today , this opening seems insignificant.However, if the women work with enthusiasm, then as evidenced by His attribute, ‘ t he Merciful ’ , and as it is proven from Allah ’s practice that He does not waste any person’s efforts , t his school will prosper in the same way as our high school has.A time will come when it attains such a status that it will be without equal , not only in India , but in the entire world.Since Qadian is Umm - ul - Qura [mother of towns], j ust as the people here will be model s in religious matters , similarly this school will be a model in education the world over.Hence, we should not be discouraged by its humble beginnings.I n time i t will develop , and progress beyond anything we can fathom because it will be one of the many bounties from God and n o one can estimate when Allah’s bounty will arrive, not even by one minute.Thus, I inaugurate this school with the hope and appeal that these women will work with courage and perseverance.It will also be their job to draw the men’s attention towards this a nd if they try , they will indeed be successful.The Promised Messiah as used to say that a mother’s milk only flow s when her baby crie s.It is true that men have authority and resources , and oftentimes women tau nt and say , “ If men won’t do

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! ! 171 anything , what can we do ? ” B ut they should remember that men cannot act any more compassionately towards women than a mother can act towards her child or Allah acts towards His servants.For a mother feeds her baby only when it cries, and Allah bestows countless rewards when called upon, thus how can it be expected that men will be more compassionate and will help women of their own accord ? Only women’s attention and effort will attract the men’s attention towards this, until the time comes when women no longer need the help of men.Mutual cooperation will continue, but in due proportion.If men do all the work and women do nothing , then it would be a disgrace for women.Similarly, if all the work were done by women and none by men , it would be a disgrace for men.Thus, it should never come to this , however it is also imperative that women are able to carry their own burden.At this time, those who deal with the administration of the Jama'at are also present, s o I wish to direct their attention towards the essential issue that Iblis - ism cannot be eliminated unless special attention is paid to education.It will only be eradicated when we focus our full and complete attention towards the education of women.I recently found out with much dismay, that one hundred and sixty girls are enrolled in the girl’s primary school but how can it be possible for them all to sit in the house where their school is located? It is [so cramped that it is] as though they are trapped within a black hole.I w ould like the department heads to direct the ir attention towards women’s education and show more concern.I also advise the women that they should persevere in their work so that the ill effect s of hope lessness and disappointment disappear , and Allah ’s Mercy and Grace can appear on the horizon.In the end , I pray that Allah shower s blessings up on us , which will be of benefit to our spiritual and worldly lives as well as in the hereafter.May there be no harmful consequences.Rather, may the consequences be a mea ns to achieve Allah ’s pleasure.( Al - Fazl , March 21, 1925, Volume 12: Number 104)

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! ! 172 Can a Young Woman Present her Parents with her Mehr? An Address to La jna Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad , Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra July 24, 1925 On July 24, 1925 , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra delivered an important sermon regarding mehr [dower money a husband gives to his wife ].Since women are generally unaware of matters regarding mehr , this sermon is reproduce d here for general information.After Tashahhud, Ta‘awwuz , and recitation of Surah Al - Fatihah, Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra stated: It i s Important to Give Women t heir Mehr P ri or to Obtaining an Exemption f or i t.Just now , a friend handed me a note , which a sked if it is permissible for a sensible adult woman to claim her m e hr at the time of the Nikah so that she can gift i t to her parents , who may be in need.In our country, it is quite common for parents to take advantage of their daughters, to the extent that nearly fifty percent of people in Punjab are guilty of this.Therefore, I believ e I should discuss my opinion within this sermon regarding this issue and all that the Holy Qur’ān and Hadith offer regarding this.A Daughter Supporting her Parents Any perso n can clearly and easily understand the undeniable and undisputed notion of giving sadaqa , or charity , t o your worst enemy who may have no ties of kinship, ties of blood, or any ties of mercy with you.T hus , there is no reason why a woman cannot show kindness to her own parents , by giving this money to t hem in times of dire need.T he question here is not whether she can assist her

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! ! 173 parents , because a person of any faith would agree that men [and women] have the responsibility to take care of their parents , and that t he y care for them within their capa city.It is not as if the parents raise d their sons and not their daughters.Al so, it is not as if the sons were born, and the daughters fell from the heavens.I n fact, both are nurtured in the same way and born in the same way, and the parents go through the same trials a nd difficulties for both.Therefore, just as men have an obligation to care for their parents, the same follows for women , who should assist thei r parents.Therefore, the question does not arise here of whether it is permissible for daughters to help their parents.The Various Aspects of t h is Question Before anything can be resolved , one must look at all the v arious aspects to an y question.We cannot simply categorically issue directives regarding prayer, fast, Zakat , and Hajj.Shariah includes exceptions to the rule , and we must be respectful of that.Thus, if the question here, i s whether a woman can help her parents, th en the answer would be that she should certainly help them, and she should never shy from being as kind and consider ate towards them as possible.However, there are certain othe r aspects to this question which must be kept in mi nd.For example, the first factor we should consider is that although one can sacrifice one’s wealth, physical efforts , time , and comfort for a short while, but it is not possible to continue this sacrifice indefinitely.A person can tolerate any hardship for some time, but he cannot continuously bear it for eternity.Haz rat Abu Bakr ’s ra Sincerity Haz rat Abu Bakr ’s ra spirit of sacrifice can be judged by an incident which took place when the Holy Prophet sa initiated a scheme to raise funds.Ha z rat ‘ Umar ra relates, “I thought to myself that today presents an opportunity where I can surpass Haz rat Abu Bakr ra.” With this thought in mind , he laid half of his wealth before the Holy Prophet sa.When the Holy Prophet sa asked Haz rat ‘ Umar ra how much he had brought, he replied, “I have brought half of my wealth and left the other half for my family.” The Holy Prophet sa then asked

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! ! 174 Haz rat Abu Bakr ra , who replied, “I have brought everything and left the name of Allah and His Prophet sa in my home.” Upon hearing this , Haz rat ‘Umar ra thought, “Even today, I could not compete with him.” After all his planning, he was embarrassed that still he could not excel, whereas Hazrat Abu Bakr ra excelled without intending to do so.To Sacrifice Every D ay i s Impossible This was a one - time sacrifice which was done whole - heartedly, however i f this continued ceaselessly , meaning that e very day, they present ed the entirety of their wealth before the Holy Prophet sa , it would have been impossible and intolerable for even a person such as Haz rat Abu Bakr ra.H e would have been un able to fulf ill even the mandatory rights for his own self, his family, his neighbors, and his kinfolk.Therefore , although it cannot be done continually, one can sacrifice periodically.Shariah would not permit one to perform [such a sacrifice] continually.This is because his own life, as well as those of his wife and children depend on that wealth from which he provide s food, shelter, cl othing, and other necessities.Thus, if he continued to offer the whole of his wealth t o the Holy Prophet sa on a daily basis, it would not only have been un feasible , but would have given rise to unbearable difficulties.In the same way, a person can bear to sacrifice not only his wealth , but even his life for a friend when, f or instance, he sees his friend drowning.H e would jump into the water to save him , even if he is unable to swim.H e would willingly put his own life in danger , withou t considering the fact that he is no swimmer.Yet he would be unwilling to die a slow lingering death or offer himself up to suffer continuously.Therefore , one may be willing to bear temporary pain , but no one will accept unending suffering.A person might sacrifice his life for a friend within an hour ’ s notice , but it would be impossible to think that he could live the rest of his life in such a way as to place himself in the jaws of death.For example, if a person demands his beloved ’s life, that person would willingly give it up; however, if he takes a knife and begins to peel off the skin or begins to chop off his flesh bit by bit, he will not be prepared [to suffer in such a way ].In the same way, a person may willingly jum p off a

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! ! 175 roof for his friend or loved one or burn in a fire ; but to die by having needles jabbed into one’s skin may be beyond his tolerance.He could never prepare himself for this because sacrifice can only be born e for short periods of time.To live a life of endless angu i sh w ould be extremely difficult , and in some situations downright impossible.! What i s M e hr? Now let us examine what m e hr actually is.It is a provision for a woman’s future e xpenses s ome of which she may refrain from disclosing to her husband and others.Or it can be used for needs which may arise in future which at the time of marriage, may be unknown to her.Then , there are some needs, which women will disclose to their husbands, but due to certain circumstances, t he husbands cannot fulfill them, therefore the women should have some money of their own.For example, if a woman has her own money , she can help her relatives, parents, or dear ones in need, b ut it is against her dignity to ask her hu sband to help her needy parents or give something to her relatives.For her, it is a matter of pride, and she is naturally disinclined to decla re her parents needy before her husband.Therefore, there are many circumstances when a woman requires money of her own.It was f or this reason that Shariah established the concept of mehr.I f necessary, a woman can spend it upon those thi ngs which cannot be expressed to her husband, or to help her relatives in need, concerning who m she may not wish to mention to her husband.Thus , meh r is the wealth which is meant to assist a woman for the rest of her life.Influencing Intentions The second aspect which should be considered is intentions.If it becomes common for p arents to take their daughter’s mehr , there is a great danger that the parent’s intentions regarding marriage may no longer remain so pure and selfless.Parents are a woman’s last resort.

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! ! 176 W henever she is in pain or trouble , she immediately calls her parents and confides in them, for she believes that her parents will listen to her , even if no one else will.Therefore , it is important that in matters concerning the girl , her parents ’ own personal consideration s should not interfere with their sympathy, so that in times of trouble they become a refuge for their daughters.Disadvantage s o f Giving the Mehr to Parents at the Time o f Marriage Thus, it is important that the parent ’ s intentions are pure and sincere at the time of marriage.However, if it becomes permissible for them to take the mehr , either partially or in full, then irrespective of moral dictates and Islam ic law or cultural ramifications , the most dangerous consequence would be that the parents would shift their focus from securing the most suitable match for their daughter to finding a match which would result in the most financial gain for them selves.If we suppose that p arents are allowed to accept mehr , t hey will endeavor to marry their daughter in to a family where they can expect to gain the most money, rather than consider ing whether the girl even agrees to the match.Greed would cause them to attempt to marry her to an inappropriate match , rather than an appropriate one.For example, the y might marry her to a rich man who c ould not keep her happy in any circumstance ; where she would find grief rather than solace, pain instead of comfort, and where she would suffer for the rest of her life.A daughter could be persuaded to jump into a well once for her parents but bearing a lifetime of tribulation w ould be intolerable for her.A girl who is the target of her parents’ selfish desires and is married to an unsuitable match will forever be in distress.Due to this incompatibility , her requirements of love, emotions , feelings, needs, and comfort will not be met, and she will consider her life worse than death.Therefore , no girl is willing to tolerate such misery forever , even if she is ready to die for her parents at any given time.

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! ! 177 Consequences o f Marriages B orne from Selfish Motives A girl is naturally desirous of finding ease and comfo rt in her husband’s home and she wishes to spend her da ys in happiness and contentment.However, when these girls are wedded into unsuitable families for certain reason s , they become bitter and angry.This clearly indicates that they are not satisfied with their marriage and instead of receiving comfort, they feel only grief.Since I have receive d such complaints , I am well informed on this issue.When women are counseled or advised to endure, they reply , “What are we to do? This miserable existence has sparked flames of anguish and rage within us.Our parents were blind when they pushe d us into a position which brings nothing but distress and difficulty for us.” A Girl ’ s Love for he r Parents This does not mean that girls no longer love their parents, or they no longer wish to be de voted and gracious towards them.Rather t hey complain because they find themselves in a never - ending suffering that they find unbearable.Otherwise , if th ose very same parents, of whom she complained, were drowning in a river , she would not hesitate to jump into the water to rescue them, regardless of whether she can save them.Due to her intense love for her parents , it would not even occur to her that she was risk ing her own life by undertaking this act.Bidding f or Girls Hence, if it becomes permissible for parents to take mehr , thousands of girls will be married to unsuitable matches, where they would lead a life of miser y, even though their parents will receive some money.Even now , many such examples can be found where marriages are irresponsibly arranged and girls are more or less sold off, rather than wed.Many people covet money, and they w ill marry the ir daughter off to wherever they can gain the most advantage, without any further consideration.I have seen with my own eyes such parents who auction off their daughters and declare that whoever brings the m the most money , can take their daughter.Such parents only value money and wed their daughters to whomever they

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! ! 178 can gain the most income from , regardless of whether the two are compatible or suitable for each other.Some parents are so ruthless that they do no t even consider the age difference.For instance , it is common among Hindu s to marry a five - or six - year - old child to an elderly man of eighty years.This is not marriage, but a slave trade.Shariah law does not permit slave trade , for each person has the right to freedom and no one can take this right away.Human Freedom Cannot b e Sold It is entirely possible that some people may believe that children are the parent’s property , so they have t he right to benefit from them, but that too is not allowed.M y belief is that one cannot even sell one’s own self.I do not believe that it is permitted to sell onesel f , let alone have so meone else sell you, even if they are your own parents.Parents have no right to sell the freedom and liberty of their children, but alas there exist such parents , who feel no anxiety over this.A female farmer used to visit our house from a nearby village.She would happily boast how they had married o ne daughter off for this much money and another for that much money , thus ridding them of their debts.They married them off so far away, tha t they have yet to visit them.If parents are allowed to procure the mehr u nder such circumstances , it w ould be a grave injustice and would go against God ’s will, forcing girls to suffer pain and misfortune.The Result o f Well - Intentioned Marriages There is no doubt that sometimes, parents agree to a match after much contemplation , yet that marriage still fails to be a source of comfort for her.However , it i s clearly evident that the ir intentions were not impure, and in such circumstances, she does not blame them.She believes her parents married her off after careful consideration.Beyond that, it was her destiny that her partner was not a good match.She then strives to live her life with patience and gratitude.

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! ! 179 The Mehr is for the Woman’s Living Expenses Since mehr is meant to provide for a woman’s life long expenses and for any future necessities , presenting it to her at the time of marriage in order that she may present it to her parents, or spend it upon some trivial expense, is not appropriate.This is because at that stage [generally] she is not aware of the value of money, nor does she understand the needs of married life.A t this stage, she believes that when she arrives at her husband’s hom e, she will take what she wants.H owever , she is unaware that this assumption is incorrect.Instead, she should have some money of her own to spend independently, so that she may help her parents, brothers, or other relatives.Moreover, her mehr c an also be spent up on her own children.She c an use i t while her husband is alive , but upon his death, she can utilize it to make ends meet and support her children.However , if at the start [of marriage] , she is unaware of the potential circumstances and her parents take this money right away, she will be left destitute and in difficulty when the sit uation arises.Therefore, it is not permissible for parents to take the mehr from the outset, but yes, once a woman has recognized her own needs and requirements after marriage , she can certainly give her mehr to them if she considers them needy.In this way, a woman can also give her mehr to her husband , but he should not secure a promise for it , without first giving it to her.If it is the case [that her husband secures a promise for the m ehr to be returned to him by his wife] then a woman will think to herself, ‘I haven’t been given anything , at any rate.I only have a verbal commitment, thus not waiving the obligation is of no use to me.I might as well free him of this responsibility.’ Otherwise, if she had received her meh r and was aware of i ts value, it would not be so easy for her to free him from his responsibility.Haz rat ‘Umar ra and other schol ars and judicious elders settled t hat a woman could give her husband her mehr after a period of at least one year.Meaning, she should keep the mehr for one year after receiving it , and then if she wishes , she can offer it to her husband.

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! ! 180 M ehr Should Absolutely be Accorded Hak ee m Fazl Deen ra , who was among the first and foremost to joi n our community, had two wives.One day , the Promised Messiah as said that mehr is a Shariah mandate and must be given to women.Hak ee m Sahib responded that his wives had exempted him from the payment of their mehr.The Promised Messiah as asked, “Did you place the mehr in their hands and then ask for an exemption?” He replied , “No , Huz oo r, I just mentioned it and they waived it.” The Promised Messiah as replied that he should first place it in their purse and then ask for a waiver.( Though , even this is of a lesser standard [in terms of righteousness ] ).In truth, the woman should keep her mehr for at least one year, and only then is it acceptable for her to waive the pay ment if she wishes.The mehr for his two wives was five hundred rupees each.Hak ee m Sahib ra took a loan of one thousand rupees and paid them both their mehr.He then said, “Remember, you exempted me from paying the mehr.So now please return it.” The wives replied, “How were we to know that you would actually pay our mehr ? A t the time, we said we woul d free you from the obligation, but n ow we will not return it.” Hak ee m Sahib ra went to the Promised Messiah as and told hi m the whole story about h ow he had taken out a loan to pay his wives their mehr , believing he would receive his money back, but now both had refused him.The Promised Messiah as was very amused to hear this and replied that t his is the correct way.F irst , give your wife her mehr and if after some passage of time, she wishes to excuse you , she can.O therwise , i t would be tantamount to receiving credit for nothing.A woman supposes that she has neither received her meh r and nor will she be given it in the future , so she thinks, ‘Let it be.If he wants me to free him [of the responsibility of giving the m ehr ] , then it is fine as it is a favor I can give him without actually incurring any cost to myself.’ When a woman receives her mehr and then decides to return it, that is acceptable.Otherwise, even if her mehr is a million rupees but she has not received it , she will forgive it , f or it is not coming out of her own pocket.I t is mere talk, so what is the harm ? Thus , it is essential to give mehr before asking for it to be waived.Again , if this mehr is given to her while she remains un aware of her needs, or when her parents w ish to take it from her, then it is un lawful and is

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! ! 181 equivalent to slavery, w hich can never be allowed.Deceit is not Permitted Even if it is not a case of slavery , it is still unwarranted to commit any action which would cause a woman harm.Such dealings are deceitful and are not permi tted.If a child sells his family house , would this contract be binding ? Certainly not! For he is un able to fully comprehend the consequences of such a deal, thus his actions would not be taken seriously.Similarly, it is not right if a woman’s meh r is taken from her when she is naïve and unaware of future financial needs.When c an a Woman Give h er M ehr ? Certainly , if a woman has been given her mehr and keeps the amount for four to five years or at least a year , and she then wishes to give it to her husband or parents , I would say that is acceptable and much appreciated.If a woman’s mehr is a thousand [rupees] , and her husband gives her an addit ional hundred thousand, and after ascertaining her needs and cir cumstances, she gives a hundred - and - one - thousand rupees to her parents , I would say she acted very nobly.Yet again , if her parents take the money from the onset of her marriage, th is would be tantamount to slavery , which is a sin.However, if a woman helps her parents after her marriage and after assessing her own needs , by giving them not only her mehr , but an additional amount , she will find acceptance with God Almighty and the Holy Prophet sa and will set an example as a devoted daughter.Thus, this is the Islam ic doctrine and whosoever acts contrary to this, will violate culture, civilization, and political principles.( Misbah , June 1941)

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! ! 182 Important Guidelines for Parents Regarding their Children’s Moral Training Delivere d by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad , Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra In 1925 , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II , Mirza Bashir - ud - Din Mahmud Ahmad ra delivered a sermon regarding the moral training of children , in which he rendered very important and valuable advice.As c hildhood training is largely the mother’s respo nsibility, this guidance is presented below for Ahmadi women.After the recitation of Tashahhud , Ta‘awwuz , and Surah Al - Fatihah , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra stated : Intentions on their own are in sufficient when attempting to reform your deeds and morals.You must strive and work hard towards it.Without hard work and effort, mere intention s can be of no benefit.Just as it is essential that h ard work and intention s go hand in hand without hard work , intention s are useless.I t is also a fact that hard work and effort are linked to specific environments and situations.T he most suitable juncture to reform behavior and morals is childhood.The ease with which a child can learn a skill during childhood and the ease with which he can bear the required hardship and struggle canno t be accomplished when a person is older.A child ’s perception is such that he feels minimal effects of hard work and struggle.At th at age , a child is like an empty bowl, which can be filled with anything.H e is eager to learn ever ything ; therefore, he can easily learn new skill s by exercising that skill.I can still rec all the p eriod of my childhood; the surroundings and conditions are fresh in my mind.I would go out in the extreme and scorching heat, and I did not feel its intensity.In fact, I clearly remember feeling dreadfully wronged when my respected mother, or other guardians, stopped me from playing outside in the extreme heat.I would go out in that heat and feel nothing.I am certain that

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! ! 183 when other ch ildren we re st opped from going out in the heat, they must have felt the same way as I did in my childhood, simply because children do no t mind these things.Therefore, a child does not fee l the pain of hard work that an adult does.Due to His inevitable wisdom, God Almighty has desensitized children which is why they are not as reluctant in working hard when practicing anything.If a child works hard when he is young , it leaves an enormous impact upon him when he is grown.However, if he never makes the effort as a child, he will experience great difficulty when he is grown.! I happen to know three people, who cannot properly sit in the Tashahhud position during Salāt , because they were not made to practice it correctly in their childhood.N obody ever corrected them , or it went unnoticed by those who were meant to guide them , and now that they are grown, they cannot sit correctly.Out of these three, two are very sincere Ahmadis , while one does not belong to our Jama'at.Now, if they hope to try and sit properly in the Tashahhud pos ition, they cannot do so.Consequently , due to a child’s nature at this stage , childhood is a special time.I f a child is made to practice something, he can accomplish things more easily.! However, if in childhood , they pick up harmful habits such as tel ling lies, stealing, etc., then no matter how they are lectured or counseled , reasoned with or censured , they will remain entangled in such habits, despite knowing them to be wrong.I have seen people lie and then [remorsefully] weep afterwards over their m istake.Th ey will steal and then show remorse over it, realizing their m istake s and admitting to them , as well as making amends, but still they cannot stay away from the habit of stealing.The habits of childhood stay with them forever, unless God wills, with few exceptions.Therefore, we should inculcate excellent moral values in c hildren during their childhood.T his will safeguard the moral values of future generations.It is this lack of moral training in childhood that some sincere and pious people inadvertently blurt out foul language.There are certain writers who are very sincere , but despite being cautious, their pen will let slip harsh language and when they are advised of this, they will firmly

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! ! 184 and solemnly reply that they did not use harsh words at all.This is the result of childhood habit s, and al though they may be aware of the immorality of these habits, they cannot help themselves.Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih I ra related , “Once I was informed that a person had the habit of cursing.One day , I advised him in private that I had heard he was in the habit of using bad language.I said that he should refrain from this, because it damages one’s own morals, and hurts others.Upo n hearing this , he spontaneously uttered an extremely foul expletive and asked, ‘Who says I utter obscenities ?’ At that point , I understood that this person wa s helpless , and he unintentionally used foul language for it was not his intention to swear , but he did so inadvertently.He was wholly unaware that he had just uttered an expletive.” Thus, when someone acquires a bad habit , he does not believe it to be immoral and e ven if he understands it to be immoral, he does no t recognize himself to be partaking in the act.Even when these people are counseled, they refuse to acknowledge that they have acted in such a way.I have experienced this on many occasions because I deal with people every day.I have seen many people who find faults in others, all the while saying, “We are not in the h abit of picking out flaws , but this is a fact.” In all probability , if they discuss other people’s faults a thousand times a day , each time they will insist that they are not in the habit of finding faults.Although, half of their conversation consists of picking out flaws in others, and yet they remain unaware of their habit.If they had been reprimanded during childhood, they would have not fallen into such a stat e.Thus, childhood is the best time to learn outstanding moral values.The best way for people to advance their moral values and good conduct is to reform themselves, but in p articular , reform their children and watch over their moral character.A child can easily and quickly learn good morals during childhood.I f he is not watched closely and his morals are corrupted, the result is d angerous because other children’s morals may also be corrupted.Adults can see a vice as immoral , which is why they strive to avoid it, but as children tend to copy others , they will mimic other people’s actions.If a boy is in the habit of lying, using foul language , or stealing , those in his acquaintance will attempt to imitate him.Consequently , they will

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! ! 185 also begin to lie, steal, and use foul language.Thus, the period of childhood is not only a vast arena for learning excellent morals but is also a great space in which to ruin the morals of others.In my opinion , even great leaders are not as succe ssful in convincing others through their lectures and speeches , as a child is in influencing other children with his conversation.I exclude spiritual leaders from this category , as they are supported by hosts of angels who spread their influence.A young boy who is in the habit of lying can easily persuade one to two hundred boys to fall into the habit of lying.A young boy who is in the habit of stealing can easily mold one to two hundred boys to take up the habit of stealin g.Thus, those whose morals are corrupted in childhood, not only r uin themselves, but also cause the destruction of others.Childhood habits are so potent that they become difficult to correct in adulthood, to the extent that eminent philosophers and intellectuals are rendered helpless.I n my opinion, the most im portant action in safeguarding superior morals is that we exercise great c oncern and supervise ou r next generations.This is no trivial matter, but an ex tremely important one.To achieve this, the first step is to adopt moderation and the middle path.Neither should one be so strict, that t he y cannot meet other children , nor should one be so lenient as to give t h e m free reign.If a child is not permitted to play with other children , their morals will not develop, becaus e if this is done a child becomes ready to accept a bad habit as soon as he is exposed to it.This is because bad influence s are only defeated by willpower , which cannot develop unless the child encounters both good and bad children.A child who is confined within his home and is not allowed to meet others , will remain a boy even when he is fifty years old.H e will be like th e glass vessel which breaks at the slightest tap.When faced with evil, h e w ill be unable to fight it.However, by continuing to meet people , he will develop a sense of judgment as to what is good and what is bad, and he will attain the strength to withstand evil.I have observed that children who are watched too closely , grow to be weak and even when they perform a good deed , it is due to a habit and not because of inner strength that oppose s evil.Consequently, they engage in immoralities as soon as they ar e exposed to them.

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! ! 186 Similarly, those who have complete freedom and are left un supervised are like sheep thrown before the wolves.If they are saved from bad morals or are reformed in some way , their parents will have played no part in th at.However, if they are destroyed and their moral values are corrupted , then their parents are responsible because they neglected their duty and did not watch over their children.Thus, one should adopt the middle path when reforming one’s children’s morals.There should neither be such severity that they cannot meet others, nor should there be so much leniency that they are free to do whatever they want, without any supervision.Usually , children do not learn good behavior from their parents , but from other children.However, it is the parent’s duty to keep an eye on what their children are learning.This should not be very difficult because whatever a child learns he will soon repeat it before others, and in this way , their shortcomi ngs are exposed.If parents wish to raise them well, they can easily do so, but many do not curb the ir children’s objectionable behavior out of love and affection.I f they do reprimand them once or twice, they do not remain consistent.There are also many who show hostility or needlessly defend their child ren if their children’s shortc omings are pointed out to them.So metimes , this dispute over the child leads to hostility between the adults.Therefore , the fore most point parents should keep in mind is to refrain from blindly loving their children.If someone complains to you about your child, you should deliberate on ways to reform them.If a child tells lies, steals, o r misbehaves in any other way, t he y should be discipline d, but not so harshly that t he y secretly continue to misbehave.Some parents respond so harshly that the child hide s his shortcomings from them and everyone else.Th e y fall into the habit of misbehaving behind their back , and it becomes impossible to reform such a child.Therefore , [parents] should remain vigilant that their child does not misbehave in secret , so they remain aware of their habits, and in this way , t he y can be easily reformed.How such vice s are borne and how they can be eliminated is a detailed topic , which I will leave alone at the moment.A t this time , I do wish t o s ay in regard s to reforming morals and deeds, children should neither be so

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! ! 187 restricted that they are unable to mix with other children, nor should they be left complet ely free to do whatever they wish , without supervision.Secondly, children should not receive excessive love.After this explanation , let me advise you that where it is necessary to worry over your children’s reformation and their supervision, it is also essential to keep an eye on other children’s hab its and morals.U n less yo u watch for the other children’s behavior, you cannot be at peace with regards to your own children.Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih I ra recommended a simple suggestion, which is to have children memorize certain useful phrases , in which they are told that we will and will not do such and such.T his has a profound effect on children.The second remedy, which can be traced back to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , is to inculcate the habit of praying before going to sleep , since it is not proper to sleep without rememb ering Allah.Without fail, t he Holy Prophet sa would recite Ayatul - Kursi and the three Quls and exhale the air over his body.Sunnah are those actions he sa regularly performed , and just as the Sunna h s in Salāt are obligatory, this Sunnah is obligatory as well.I f it is a sin to neglect the former action , then it should be a sin to neglect the latter action.If the Sunna h s in Salāt are discussed , it is said that the Holy Prophet sa specifically mentioned them, thus making them obligatory.I would add that he also specifically mentioned reciting these prayers before sleep , and it is confirmed that he taught these prayers [to be recited before sleeping] to some of the men.Nevertheless, he neither delivered a formal lecture or instructions regarding the Sunna h s in Salāt , nor did he take any such action regarding the recitation of prayers before sleep ing.Just as he gave instructions regarding the Sunn ah prayers , likewise this Sunnah is supported by the fact that he taught a number of people this prayer and urged them to observe it.

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! ! 188 Thus , for a believer , praying before one goes to sleep is one of the most important practices in Islam.If children are made to memorize these prayers, one at a time, and are made to recite them before sleep, it will be ext remely beneficial.Have you seen how Christians do no t allow their children to sleep before having them say their religious pr ayer? The result being that when that person is grown , even if he becomes an atheist , his heart retains the fear and awe of the Christian commandments.Yet this is not the case among Muslims.I have explaine d that no matter how hard the parents try to keep their children safe from the influences of corrupt morals, their effort to improve their children’s morals will not be useful or effective un less their children are surrounded by good friends and company.Perhaps, good upbringing will instill positive thoughts in children to a certain degree, but if a child with good upbringing keeps company with bad friends, the result is that the bad friendship will weaken the influence of moral training , resulting in almost null i fying the effect of good moral training [of the parents].Keeping b ad com pany in childhood cultivates such bad habits in a child , that it becomes impossible to neutralize them later in life.Within the heart of such a person, two opposing forces are established.On one hand, his parent’s good upbringing pulls him towards virtue; on the other hand , bad company causes him to gravitate towards vice and he will forever remain engaged in this struggle and will never attain freedom from the influence of Nafs - i - Lawwama [the natural state].If parental training instills the fear of God in him, keeping bad company challenges it by undermining his resolve and determination.Thus, complete moral training can only be achieved when good upbringing is complemented with good company.However, as I have s aid earlier, the consequence s of for bidding children to meet anyone or keeping them impri soned at home is also damaging because this type of discipline not only leaves their training incomplete , but also stunts their physical growth.If a child is not given the chance to play with children of his own age , just so he is protected from bad influence s , he will always

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! ! 189 be in poor health and his body will not grow properly.In addition , such children will always remain immatu r e , even in their forties and fifties, because they can only safe guard themselves against evil as long as they do not encounter it.Therefore, o nce they are faced with immorality , they canno t resist it and end up accepting it readily.Thus , we cannot keep our children safe from the effects of evil by restricting their i nteraction with other children and by keeping them in isolation.R ather, we wind up making them even more susceptible to e vil influences.In the present environment , we should look for the best ways to instill good moral s in our children.The first point parents should regard as foremost in training their children is never to let their child regard any evil as inconsequential , so that he does not consider it insignificant.Many parents feel a heartfelt desire to ensure that their children are never affected by evil influences, but they present such an example before th em that evil appears trivial.A s a result , they become inclined to wards it.For example, most parents do not want their child to lie, but they themselves will lie in front of their child.S ometimes , they will deny having done something, so that the child does not find out (because it may be bene ficial for the child to be ignorant of it ).Or, if they do not deny it outright, they will evade and dodge the issue to divert the child’s attention from it.However, Allah has created a child’s mind to be extremely cleve r, for the child is rapidly evolving and increasing his knowledge, therefore he i nquires into and questions everything, and immediately comprehends the truth.Parents believe that they are doing the child a favor by hiding the matter from him, and if they do not do so it will harm t he child.However, the lesson the child learns from this tactic is that a person should act a certain way a nd then deny it or hide it by beating around the bush because he is fully aware that his own parents acted in such a manner b ut are now attempting to hide the truth from him.You shoul d never underestimate a child’s ability to perceive something or [think] that you can rid their minds of information [they have learn ed ].Just as children can quickly get to the bottom of things, they can comprehend the conversations taking place before

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! ! 190 them.I read a book about a renowned showman , who conducted shows and was the architect of great performances.Based upon his experiences, he wrote in his book that children were the most dangerous to his line of work.H e was never nervous performing before eminent professors, scientists, or intellec tuals, but he would always feel nervous when performing before children because oftentimes , they would catch him at his tricks and cause his performance to fail.He further elaborated that the cause for this is that a child has a n open mind and has not yet formed an opinion.At this age , h e i s still learning and trying to perfect his knowledge, therefore he scrutinizes every little detail to uncover the secrets.When adults watch the show, they assume they already understand the finer aspects, so it is not worth their attention.Instead, they direct their attention to the primary happenings and the show proves to be an immense success.Since a child has not yet formed any opinion s, he views every action through a naïve lens , and they often ruin the show.H e then declares in his book that the greatest, most clever and experienced showmen are those whose secrets children cannot discover.Thus, children have very sharp minds, and it is very hard to hide something from them.When parents hide something from their children, whatever the reason or circumstance may be , they very happily believe they have saved their child from harm.Yet, while saving the child from one kind of harm, they are causing him another kind.Regardless of how the parents see their circumstances because the child does not see them through their vantage point , he learns from his parent’s actions that one can lie to hide something.This is because when the parents deny their actions before the child, or attempt to stall the truth, the child is actually fully cognizant of what they are doing.Sinc e a child is sensitive and intelligent , as well as being an excellent student , he learns the lesson that when necessary, he can change his tune to hide something, for he saw his parents act in this very same manner.Thus, the first mistake parents make when raising their children is in not being fully mindful of setting a good example.T he result is that they themselves are the cause of teaching their children dece it fulness despite sincerely wishing to protect them from harm

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! ! 191 and weaknesses.For example, sometimes parents bring certain food in to the house when the child is ill.If he eats the food, the child is likely to become further unwell.When the child demands that particular food, they will say , ‘W e never brought it home ,’ even though the child is fully aware of the truth.Regardless of the fact that the parents believe they are not lying and that ‘ it is for the child’s own good ’ , there is no doubt that they are lying and indirectly teaching the child to lie.Sometimes they will not deny that the food is in their home, but they will say they have already eaten it, when the child is fully aware that this is false.O r they will claim that someone took it or that the food was spoiled.However, the child k nows that no one took the food and neither did i t spoil.T h e food was brought into the house and the parents secretly finished it, which the child observed from behind a curtain.He learns to lie through the practice of his parents and the vice no longer holds any weight [in the child’s mind].H e begins to lie because even though his parents forbade him from lying, they themselves told lies when necessary, therefore the child thinks that it cannot be such a bad practice.Likewise , stealing is another vice.Compared to lying, it is my opinion that parents more consistently instill the practice of stealing within their children, as if they are sp ecifically tuto r ing them.For exampl e, at times parents do not wish to give their child something , but do so upon the child’s insistence, and then surreptitiously hid e it from the m.Perhaps, morally speaking, this act cann ot be called theft because they quietly repossessed that which was theirs in the first place, and which had never been intended for the child.How ever, this creates a notion in the child ’s mind that this is something that can be resorted to and so he will also begin to hide things.The result of such parental behavior is that a child can pick up the habit of stealing far more easily from his parents than picking up the habit of lying.Therefore, the first necessary rule parents should follow when training their children is to refrain from adopt ing such manners and presenting their own weaknesses in such a way that [inadvertently] draw s the child’s attention towards vice.I have noticed that the second limitation in the upbrin ging of

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! ! 192 children is due to the parents being rich or poor.In both cases , two weaknesses are c ultivated in children , which I will elaborate upon later.The poor develop certain faults due to poverty and the children of the wealthy develop certain flaws due to comfort and affluence.I have observed that some affluent parents give their children so much money that their habits and morals are ruined , and they go astray.If a child has more money than is needed to fulfill his immediate needs , he attracts bad company and immoral behavior.Immoral children with no money of their own to support their immoral behavior , begin to look for wealthy boys to befriend, so as to use their money to indulge their own weaknesses , while destroying the other boy’s morals in the process.I do not suggest that c hildren should not be handed money at all, for it is also nece ssary to give children an allowance according to their needs , for them to learn how to spend it.However, they should not be giv en so much that it remains unspent because s uch a situation will attract mischievous and dissolute boys who will ruin their morals and lure them astray.Since they do not gain anything by befriending poor boys , th ose who are wayward entrap those who are well off.They search for wealthy children to support their bad habits.I was extremely surprised to hear a respected friend of mine give his child a monthly allowance of fifty rupees , simply as pocket money.H e actually said, “I hav e reduced his monthly allowance from before.I give him this much money so that he remains happy while living in Qadian.” He is a very pious man and although his son is still a child, it is my understa nding that he is also sincere.However, this approach is likely to corrupt the child’s morals.A child should be given only so much pocket money every day that would take care of his daily needs.The parents should then evaluate whether or not their child is spending his money based up on his needs.First , they should ask t he child why he needs the money.F or example , does he wish to buy cantaloupes, mangoes, or something else? Next, they should determine whether or not he actually spent his money on that item.If supervised in thi s way they will be saved from falling into waywardness , and dissolute and ill - mannered boys

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! ! 193 will not be drawn to them.Another defect which corrupts children’s morals is caused by poverty.Sometimes such parents are themselves greedy, and when they bring something home , they eat it themselves and do not share it with the child.Consequently, the chil d develops the habit of sneaking food within the home and then gradually begins to steal food from outside the home.In this way , the child’s character becomes corrupt, and he goes astray.Therefore, when parents bring food into the home, the y should first give it to their children and then eat it themselves.The second failing created by poverty is that while som e parents may not be like those who partake of something and refuse to share it with their own children, but when a child wants something and they cannot afford to fulfill the ir wish, they beg it from others.They say that our child also wants things and , in this way , they can satisfy his wish.Yet , by adopting this approach instead of curb ing the child’s desires, they aggravate it.I f you explain to the child that you are poor and cannot afford it, t he y will be satisfied upon hearing this.No on e is more content than a child.However, if we have nothing and we go to others to fu lfill their desires, the result will be the child’s inability to develop patience and contentment and their greed w ill only escalate.Thus, the poor should not try to arouse their children’s desires , but should inst e ad attempt to curb them , so that they cultivate patience and contentment.Next, parents should not allow the ir child to linger in such areas where the rich are enjoying good food.Not only should children be discouraged from wandering around s uch places, but adults are directed to do the same.This is because i f you do not have something which others have , it is a sin to even gaze upon it as this will cultivate an evil desire.Some parents who may be poor do not forbid their children to wander in the areas where the rich eat and drink.Th is creates a desire which if unfulfilled leads them to try and acquire it by whatever means possible.Therefore , it is the parents’ duty to stop their children from gathering in such areas and to forbid them from

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! ! 194 lingering there.In these circumstances , even gazing upon another person is a weakness as it creates temptation and greed , leading a child towards immorality.Hence, if for the sake of their children’s upbringing parents watch over these issues , they can strengthen their children’s morals quite effectively.Now, I wish to say that in my opinion, the most principal factor in correcting children’s m orals and conduct is developing the habit of performing Salāt in congregation.In my experience , I have never seen anything more effective in creating righteousness , than congregational prayer.Congregational prayer is the best way to influence righteousness.If I cannot fully elucidate upon the following verse , t hen I consider that to be a fault of my speech: n ا ۡﻟ ُﻤ ۡﻨ َﻜ ِﺮ َو ا ۡﻟ َﻔ ۡﺤ َﺸ ﺂ ِء َﻋ ِﻦ َﺗ ۡﻨ ٰﻬ ﻲ ا ﻟ َّﺼ ٰﻠ ﻮ َۃ ِا َّن “ Surely, Prayer restrains one from indecency and manifest evil.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.29: V.46) O therwise, in my opinion even if a person gradually surpasses Satan in transgression, still that individual has a chance to reform himself if he is regular in offering congregational prayer.T he thought never crossed my mind, slight as it may be, to forego the hope of reforming a person who is regular in congregational prayer but is entangled in his own weaknesses.I have such strong faith in the power of Salāt influencing virtue that I swear on Allah , that no matter how sinful a person is, if he regularly performs congregational prayer he can be reformed , and he will not be wasted.I can s ay with complete assurance that if he finds pleasure and joy in regularly performing congregational prayer, then the period for reformation will continue unti l his very last moment.In my view , there is no greater enemy of their children than such parents who do not inculcate the habit of congreg ational prayer with in them.I reme mber my own experience.Hazrat Sahib [th e Promised Messiah as ] was once so ill, that he could not go to the m osque for Friday prayers.At the time I was not an adult , so the directives

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! ! 195 applicable to adults did not apply to me.H owever, I was on my way to the mosque to offer Friday prayers when I met a person on the way.In general, it is hard to remember a face at that age, but this incident had such an effect on me that I can still recall that person’s face.His name is Mohammad B ukhsh and he now lives in Qadian.I asked h im, “Are you already returning ? Has the prayer been offered?” He replied , “There are too many people and there was no more room at the mosque , so I have co me back.” Upon h earing this, I turned back and offered prayers at home.On observing this, the Promised Messiah as asked me why I did not go to the mosque to offer prayers.Since childhood, b y the grace of Allah , I have always given the Promised Messiah as due respect for his station as a Prophet.I detected a tone of severity in his question and the flush of anger upon his face.His way of questioning me left a lasting effect.I replied that I did go, but there wasn’t enough room, so I had returned.The Promised Messiah as re mained quiet after hearing this, b ut after Friday prayers, when Maul vi Abdul Karim ra came over to inquire after his health , the first question the Promised Messiah as asked him was whether more people had been present that day at the mosque.At that moment I became extremely anxious, for I had not gone to the mosque.I did not know if t he man was mistaken, or I had misunderstood him regarding whether there had been enough space at the mosque.I worried that if either of us were mistaken, the blame would lie on me.Maul vi Abdul Karim ra confirmed, “Yes H u z oo r as , there were actually quite a lot of people at the mosque today.” Even to this day I do not know the truth.Allah either provided the means for my exemption through Mau lvi Sahib ’ s affirmati on or truly a great number of people ca me to the mosque that day.Whatever the case , this incident left a deep impact upon my heart, and it reveals the depth of the Promised Messiah ’s as concern for congregational prayer.If an adult does not offer c ongregational prayer, then he is a hypocrite.However , those parents are the murderers and slayers of their own children who do not inculcate the habit of congregational prayer with in their children.If parents instill the habit of congregational prayer in their children , the time will never co me when it will be said of them that reformation is impossible , and a

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! ! 196 cure cannot be found.Another factor w hich thwarts a child’s training is excessive love, where by they are overprotected and provided for rather than taught to work hard.If children can go out and play in the extreme heat, baring their heads and feet , or if they can wander around in the cold, then why is it considered a hardship for them to offer congregational prayers? If in fulfilling their o wn needs, they do not care whether it is hot or cold, nor do they feel distress, then how can offer ing congregational prayers cause them discomfort? In short , children should be made to develop the habit s of endurance and resilience.These days, there are several recently formed comforts available to destroy a child’s spirit of hard work and resilience and oftentimes schools prom o te such delicate practices.For example, the practice of keeping u nusually long hair in the fore part of the head.The reason behind adopting such unnecessary daintiness is that th ey wish to look pretty and to be loved by other s.These qualities are solely feminine , and I have noticed that such boys walk and speak like girls.Therefore, children should not be allowed to be overly particular in food and clothing.In my opinion, excessi ve consumption of meat is the reason behind the lack of fortitude in children.T heir bones are still weak , and t heir sexual organs and urges are aroused too early.Therefore , vegetables and fru its are more beneficial.I am not suggesting that meat should be forbidden to them but that excess ive amounts are harmful.Although some children who hav e a weak chest or who are instructed by their doctors, should eat meat.However, in normal circumstances, vegetables are more beneficial for children.Moral improvement is brought about in two ways the world over.Firstly, through faith.S oon after one commits sin , one immediately becom es alert and aware, as if t he y w ere sleeping and t he y are suddenly awake.The other means to improvement is force of habit, which is also divided into two types.One form of habit is good in its nature and the other i s bad.

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! ! 197 The habit which is good in its essence leads to other good habits ; and the habit which is bad in its nature creates other bad habits.Thus, a person instinctiv ely endorses and respects those good virtuous habits which lead to further good virtuous habits.W hen he associates himself with a good habit, his sense of honor stops him [upon realizing his bad habits] and reprimands him and he is obliged to straighten his direction.If a person advertises on his sh op sign that shoes are sold here, but inside he only has rice he will be reprimanded by the angry customer who came in to buy shoes but is only met with rice.The shopkeeper will have no choice but to remain quiet , for there is such an enormous difference between rice and shoes , leaving n o room for excuses or explanati o ns.However, if he had advertised rice on his sign, there would have been room for discussion regarding its quality.Therefore, some matters are so simple, obvious, and clear that they leave no room for argument.For example , if the Shariah did not dictate congregational prayer to be obligatory , then those who do not say Salāt could excuse themselves by saying they would offer it at home.However, given the way congregational prayer has been rendered obligatory, if he does not go to the mosque for congregational prayers, he cannot excuse himself by claiming to offer his prayer s at home.Therefore, by maintaining their gaze upon such clear and prominent commandments, the followers of these dictates establish a collective sense of honor , which results in safeguarding a person from straying morally for fear of being reviled by society.One of these issues is the keeping of one’s beard.I am always amazed at why people shave th eir beards.I also keep a beard and see no reason to shave it off.I have never witnessed a person walking with his head bowed down and who upon inquiry he repl ies that the weight of his beard draws his head down.Nor have I ever come across any man feeling restless and agitated who repl ies upon inquiry that he is feeling very hot, and he is now going to shave off his beard.Similarly, I have never seen anyone shave off his beard out of necessity.They shave it off to imitate others , simp ly because people ridicule them or because no one else keeps a beard.If there is no reason to shave off a beard , then why is it don e? Keeping a beard

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! ! 198 is an Islamic tradition.When an outsider observes a person shaving off his beard who is known to be a Muslim , he will obviously assume that this person has no respect or reverence for Islam ic traditions in his heart , and by shaving off his beard he disrespects Islam.A beard is not burdensome , nor does i t make one feel too hot.G iven that keeping a beard is an Islam ic tradition and the Holy Prophet sa desired it , it is a commandment, the obedience of which is evident to all.A longer forelock can be hidden in a cap or turban , but one cannot hide his chin, thus it is not too much to ask to keep a beard in obedience to the Holy Prophet sa and in deference to Islam ic traditions.A person asked me if kee ping a beard is a fundamental Islamic doctrine.Take notice of how those who would question this [doctrine] seek out different paths.He intended for me to say no, so that he could argue if it is not an Islam ic doctrine , then it is the same whether one obeys it or not.However, I replied that although wearing a beard is not an Islamic rule, obeying the Holy Prophet sa is , and since he has commanded us to do so, it is obligatory.This question is similar to that of someone asking if carrying wood is a fundam ental doctrine of Islam.W hen the answer is negative , he concludes that when his father ask ed him to carry wood and he refus ed to do so and his father struck him it was an act of cruelty.Perhaps carrying wood is not an Islamic principle , but when one hear s that his father asked him to carry the wood and he refused, no one will consider him a victim.I n fact, everyone will reprimand him because Islam commands us to obey and respect our parents.Or for example, someone might ask if sitting in the front row at a gathering is a principle of Islam ? Everyone will reply that it is no t and will in fact say that sitting in th e back is a sign of humility.However, if they discovered that a prophet or khalifa had asked him to sit in the front and he refused , no one would consider this humility, for he refused to sit in the front despite his master’s command.Similarly, if a soldie r asks a doctor if staying up all night is good for one ’s health, the doctor will not reply, “Yes, it is recommended,” but will instead advise him to rest during the night.However, it would be wrong for the soldier to assume from the

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! ! 199 doctor’s statement that while he is on guard duty, he should not stay awake all night.Or that he has been unfairly court marshaled for sleeping at night.In this case, even the doctor would say that he should have stayed awake , because the army offic er had ordered him to stay awake and keep guard.A similar incident occurred in America.A man, who was his parent s’ only son, was appointed as a guard at an extremely dangero us juncture.The soldier who was supposed to relieve him, never arrive d and it became very late.Since he was exhausted from standing guard, he leaned aga inst something and fell asleep.The officer found him in this condition , arrested and prosecuted him.The judges acquiesced that this soldier fell asleep out of exhaustion , and the person who was supposed to relieve him was at fault, but if the enemy had attacked in this situation and found him negligent, thousands of lives would have been lost.Therefore, even though he was his parent ’ s only son , he was shot dead.Now, if the entire incident is not related, he is said to be a victim of injustice.H as sleeping ever been considered an offense? Particularly, when a person is extremely fatigued.It would be considered a mistake.One should always consider the nature of the question.Some questions are of a moral nature , the specific character of which should be looked at because circumstances and situations vary.Some questions are more concrete, and the potency of the question is considered rather than its nat ure.A person can hide any number of moral issues and their co nditions are subject to change, h owever , certai n concrete and obvious commands cannot be concealed.For example, the hair on one’s head can be seen by all.Actually, one may be able to conceal his head under a cap, but no one can hide a clean - shaven chin.I am sorry to say that some seniors also shave their beards, and by seniors , I mean older men.If someone stops them , they ask whether wearing a b eard is an Islam ic principle.Although at home, if they ask ed their wives to cook rice for them or to wear a certain type of dress and the wives d id not comply but instead questioned them as to whether it was a principle of Islam , the husbands would not like their answer.Therefore, when the same point is applied to them, how can they ask if this is a principle of Islam? Consequently , I for one wish my students to fully obey these

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! ! 200 clear commands and Islam ic customs , so that every single person can see and opine that they [the students] honor or follow the customs of Islam.The second factor which is essential for the reformation of morals and is principally forbidden by Islam , is to avoid b ecoming addicted to anything which is harmful.You see, the Shariah forbids the consumption of alcohol because it is the type of habit , which is hard to give up, and a person becomes entangled in various sins because of it.Such a habit causes a pe rson to lose his freedom and become enslaved by others.Smoking a hookah [water - pipe for smoking tobacco] or cigar ettes are both such habits from which significant depravities are borne.Once an Ahmadi came here and pledged that he would never smoke again because he had faced great humiliation that day.At that time, hookah w as not readily available here (alt hough now I have noticed that the scent of hookah travels from the markets and through the streets to our house) and he was addicte d to it.While searching for it, he ended up in Mirza Imam - ud - Din ’s neighborhood, who is our relative.He was the Promised Messiah ’s as paternal cousin, but a sta unch opponent of the community.When the Ahmadi gentleman joined him to smoke hookah , Mirza Imam - ud - Din began to curse the Promised Messiah as , mock, and ridicule him.For the sake of the hookah , h e sat quietly and listened to everything.He relates that at that moment , he resolved never to smoke hookah again , for it had corrupted him so greatly.He had some degree of faith, so he was saved.But there have been many m en who have come here to reform themselves but have gone astray when for the sake of smoking hookah, they wound up sitting in such company.Addiction to hookah and tobacco makes one coward ly, weak , and subservient to others.Pathans [ethnic Afghans] look down on Kashmiris [people from Kashmir], although their situation is not the same in India as it is in Kashmir.People who come here for manual labor are usually viewed as inferior.I once saw a Pathan , who had lost his pack et of powdered chewing tobacco and had grown very agitated , plead with a passing Kashmiri , “ O my Kashmiri brother, would you happen to have some powdered chewing tobacco?” Therefore, addiction makes one subservient and weakens the willpower.Allah has naturally

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! ! 201 made me free from becoming addicted to anything.When I was a child , I was treated wit h opium for six months due to an illness, but even then , I was not addicted to it.My respected mother says even on the day s it [the dose] was missed , I did not suffer.I drink tea , but am not addicted to it, although I do avoid it at times to forestall any weakness.Thus, wherever people are found to smoke tobacco, those who smoke cigarettes or use hookah , will join them due to their cravings.Their hunger for hookah lures them in, regardless of whether th e people are pious or evil.One anecdote relates the story of a Hindu who was addicted to smoking hookah.Once he was trav eling and felt a craving for it.H e came across a janitor’s hookah and began to smoke i t, even though ordinarily a Hindu does not even allow a low - caste janitor to approach him , much less smoke his hookah.When he saw the janitor approaching , he worried that the janitor might now boast of this [incident] , so he called out to him and asked him not to mention it to anyone.After smoking the hookah , he then quietly left.Therefore, one should avoid all sorts of bad habits so that t he y remain free of enslavement.I n addition to being the root of all immoralities and making one cowardly and enslaved to others, smoking hookah causes many diseases.H ookah is harmful to the nerves, causes asthma, seizures , and many other diseases.Therefore, my second advice is to refrain from smoking tobacco , for in addition to causing a number of moral weaknesses, it is detrimental to one’s health.H ookah should not be found at the Ahmadiyya Chowk [crossroads] or in our markets.Our office bearers should keep a strict watch over this matter.I am disappointed that hookah is smoked at our shops and in our markets.There is an anecdote from the time of the Promised Messiah as , in which he was once informed of a person who sat in the guesthouse and constantly smoke d hookah.The Promised Messiah as e xpelled him immediately.There can be no comparison between when the Promised Messiah as evict ed a hookah smoker from the guesthouse and nowadays , when hookah is smoked freely in our markets and at the crossroads.I f the office - bearers had lapsed, then it was the duty

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! ! 202 of the other members of the community to boycott the shops where hookah was smoked , or cig arettes were being sold.In the first place , the office - bearers should have realized the need t o eradicate this weakness.If they did not do this, it was the duty of the others to remind them.We cannot compel t he general population to refrain from smoking hookah , but we can compel our students, as it has adverse health effects.So far , many people have given up smoking hookah upon my advice.People from all walks of life have done so , including the young and the old, the rich and the poor.It is my hope that those remaining will also give it up.One of the signs mentioned regarding Dajjal [ Anti - Christ ] is that smoke will precede him , as well as follow him.A cigarette smoker emits smoke from his mouth, which then moves behind him.As Europeans move from place to place, they smoke, which is another trait of Dajjal.However, the Promised Messiah as came to eradicate the traits of Dajjal , therefore you should also give them up.The two issues which I have mentioned are not only evil habits, but they are also signs of Dajjal.Therefore, you should rid yourself of these signs of Dajjal , reform yourselves , and attempt to reform others so that you may become a model for the world.May God Almighty enable you to safeguard yourselves against the root of all immoralities , Am ī n.

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! ! 203 An Admonition to Ahmadi Women Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad , Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra 1925 Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra addressed the Ladies at the 1925 Jalsa Salana, which could not be noted down in full.Ho wever, the main message of the a ddress is noted below.After the recitation of Surah Al - Dahr , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra said, “ This Surah , or rather this r uk ū‘ , which I have recited , reveals how God Almighty expla ins the beginning, the middle, and the end of human life.Therefore , this r uk ū‘ is perfect in terms of its theme.Consider your o wn Birth Allah Almighty says: ُﻛ ۡﻮ ًر ا َّﻣ ۡﺬ َﺷ ۡﻴ ًﺌ ﺎ َﻳ ُﻜ ۡﻦ َﻟ ۡﻢ ا †َّ ۡﻫ ِﺮ ِّﻣ َﻦ ِﺣ ٌۡني ا ِۡﻻ tۡ َﺴ ﺎ ِن َﻋ ‡َ َا ˆٰ َﻫ ۡﻞ “ The re has certainly come upon man a period of time when he was not a thing spoken of.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.76: V.2) In this world , man commits sin due to arrogance because arrogance confounds one’s mind , making him blind despite having eyes, and making him deaf despite having ears.He does not understand that for every human being , whether he is rich or poor, a beggar or a K ing, there existed a time when no one spoke of him.Every person should carefully consider their own life.A person who is now forty years old ; w ho knew of them forty - one years ago? A person who is now fifty years old ; w ho knew of them fifty - one years ago ? Thus, no matter how great a person is, t he y

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! ! 204 should consider where their life s tarted from.The world ran smoothly before their birth, and nothing was amiss in the world before they w ere born.The world has suffe red no loss as a consequence of the death of the greatest tyrant or conquering monarch and the world continues to run as it did before.A time came when e ven the greatest kings who ruled the world fell into obscurity ! Humans should continue to ponder over their birth as it will prevent them from developing arrogance and save them from many sins.The Birth of a Child Allah Almighty says: َّﻧ ۡﺒ َﺘ ِﻠ ۡﻴ ِﻪ ق َا ۡﻣ َﺸ ﺎ ٍج ُّﻧ ۡﻄ َﻔ ٍﺔ ِﻣ ۡﻦ ا ِۡﻻ tۡ َﺴ ﺎ َن َﺧ َﻠ ۡﻘ َﻨ ﺎ ِا َّﻧ ﺎ َﺑ ِﺼ ًۡري ا َﺳ ِﻤ ۡﻴ ۢﻌ ﺎ َﻓ َﺠ َﻌ ۡﻠ ٰﻨ ُﻪ “ We have created man from a mingled sperm - drop that We might try him ; so We made him hearing, seeing.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.76: V.3) E ach and every person goes through a phase when t he y are unable to communicate with the people around him.Then, from the best qualities of various substances , W e made them a being who could hear and see.What is a human being? Simply a product of various grains, vegetables, and meat which their parents consume d.A fter all, a child is born from their mother and father.No child has ever fallen from the sky.Simply , if a person does not eat, then she will not survive, let alone give birth to anyone.The Birth of t he Soul The soul is created from within the child itself.Most people believe that the child is born from the mother and father and the soul descends from the heavens which was waiting with Allah.H owever , this concept is incorrect.The truth is that the soul is also created from the parents , and it is an absurd and nonsensical notion that while the child is born from the mother and father , the soul descends from the sky.

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! ! 205 It is the belief of the Aryas that the soul has existed forever, which w ould mean that God is not the Creator of the soul.In Surah Al - Dahr, God describes a child’s development in his mother’s womb as a time whe n he was unknown.F ro m the essence of a few elements, God molded the child into a s eeing and hearing person.Those elements were the extraction from the very foo d which his parents consume d.The birth of a child and his soul is similar to the preparation of vinegar from dates and barley, and then wine from vinegar.This is how the soul is created from the child.The essence of rose is a product of rose petals and is prepared in a unique way.Thus, just as essence is extracted from the petals of a flower and as wine is prepared from vinegar, similarly the soul is created from within the child’s body.There is not much information available in our country, but in Europe , th ey extract perfume from medicines.T hey mix one or two medicines together and a fragrance is created! Thus, just as essence is created from flowers and wine is created from barley, the soul is creat ed from the body.The child ’s body is cre ated first and the n the soul comes into being from within.For Allah Almighty states : ُّﻧ ۡﻄ َﻔ ٍﺔ ِﻣ ۡﻦ ا ِۡﻻ tۡ َﺴ ﺎ َن َﺧ َﻠ ۡﻘ َﻨ ﺎ ِا َّﻧ ﺎ (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.76: V.3) Which means, “ We have created the human being from an amalgamation of various foods consumed by the parents, such as meat s , vegetables, water, diverse types of fruits, and all kinds of lentils.” Man h as been Given the Ability t o Choose Allah says: َﻛ ُﻔ ۡﻮ ًر ا ِا َّﻣ ﺎ َّو َﺷ ﺎ ِﻛ ًﺮ ا ِا َّﻣ ﺎ ا ﻟ َّﺴ ِﺒ ۡﻴ َﻞ َﻫ َﺪ ۡﻳ ٰﻨ ُﻪ ِا َّﻧ ﺎ “ We have shown him the W ay, whether he be grateful or ungrateful.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.76: V.4)

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! ! 206 We created the mixture, an extraction from all things and we blessed it, and it became a walking, talking human bei ng.So now you see how you were created.F rom the standpoint of creation , there is no difference between you and the cow, sheep, and goat.If there is a ny differentiation , it is due to His Grace because He bestowed d ivine revelation.He sent down His word [the Holy Qur’ān ] upon him [ man] and gave [man] the choice to either be grateful or ungrateful.Allah created m an from lowly particles and then empowered him to either strive in His way to receive His blessings , or to reject His prophet.Allah does not interfere with the power of choice He has bestowed upon mankind.However, Allah did reveal His word to mankind , and outlined that mankind would progress if they followed it.Why h as Man Been Given the Power t o Choose ? One may ask , why has Allah bestowed m an with this capacity and why did He g i ve him this freedom ? What was His purpose behind this ? Let it be clear that if God had not given mankind the ability to choose, man would never have made any progress.Let me explain.Fire has a special characteristic which is that it bur ns.Fire will burn anything which falls into it , even if t he thing itself creates fire.You see, if a lantern which is lit falls in a house and the whole house burns down, no one will blame the lantern.Likewise, no one will blame the fire, since we understand that fire is meant to burn.However, we will condemn that person who lays even a finger on another person without cause , for t he y ha ve the choice not to hurt the other person.Similarly , a house protects us from the cold , but no one has e ver expressed gratitude to a house.In contrast, if o ne gives another person a shirt , that person appreciates the favor , for t he y know that the person had the power to choose to give t h e m the shirt or abstain from doing so.Why is it , that if a child is burnt by a fire , no one blames the fire, but if anyone lays even a finger on the child, t he y are condemned for it? The reason for this is that fire has no choice, but a person can choose whether to hurt someone.In the same way, it is water’s characteristic that it will cause someone to drown.M any people drown in the ocean, but no one blames the ocean because they know that this is the law of nature, and the ocean has no choice.

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! ! 207 Thus , all rewards are tied with this ability to choose.M an kind has been given the capacity to choose, so that people may be rewarded.O nly t he one wh o is entitled to reward is held liable for punishment.Sometimes , a child falls and he punch es the ground , or some mothers will say, “L et us smack the ground.Why did it t r ip you over?" However, this is no more than a gesture to soothe the child.God says that man has been given the power of choice so that if he wishes , he can attain the best reward , or he will be deserving of H is punishment.Many Muslim men and women declare that ‘ We are as God Almighty made us, therefore there is no need for us to struggle.’ If this were true, then what right does God have to punish or reward any one of us? God created fire t o burn and water to drown, and even an illiterate person would say it is an act of stupidity for someone to strike the fire for burning and the water for drowning.However, ther e are many women among you, who say that if it is their fate to go to hell , then they shall go to hell and if it is their fate to go to heaven , then they shall go to heaven.T herefore , why make any effort at all? W ater and fire acted according to their nature, so a woman who smacks them would be labelled insane.I f God were to compel a person to do somethi n g, and then punish him for that action , would God not be labelled insane (God forbid) ? After all , the person was only f ulfillin g his destiny.In this way, all robbers , thieves and gamblers are deserving of reward , for they only acted according to the destiny to which they were born.But God refutes this and declares that if He had exercised compulsion , there wo uld have been no disbelievers.I s there anyone among you who would repeatedly beat someone [ so that they would ] curse you or strike your child? If none of you would act in this way, then why should the tongue and ears God has provided you with be used to abuse Him and His Messengers? When no one in this world would compel others to harm him, th en why would God compel people to perform evil deeds? If God wer e to compel His people to do anything , He would compel them to act virtuously.Thus, this is an erroneous notion and God rejects it.

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! ! 208 Misconception s Regarding Destiny T he habit of attributing a child’s illness to fate is more often found in women.F or every misfortune , they blame destiny.I say, if every action happens according to destiny and a human has no say, then why does a woman cook bread? If it is destined to be, the bread will cook itself.Why does she cover herself with a quilt at night? If it is meant to happen , then all things wi ll be accomplished on their own.Yet, no one behaves in this manner.Once , when I was traveling from Lahore to Qadian, Pir Jam a‘at Ali Shah boarded the train at Lahore.The Promised Messiah as had once visited Sialkot, where Pir Jama'at Ali had declared a fatwa [edict], stating that whoever attended the Promised Messiah ’s as lectures or met him , would become a dis believer.H is wife would automatically be divorced from him, since it is a rule that if a man becomes a disbeliever , his wife is divorced from him.Once, an Ahmadi attended Pir Jama'at Ali’s sermon and said to him, “You have seen my face.I am an Ahmadi; therefore, you are now a disbeliever, and your wife is now divorced from you.” At this , the people in the room began to strike the Ahmadi.Anyhow, Pir Jama'at Ali asked me where I was going and I answered, “ Batala.” He asked again, “ Specifically Batala, or somewhere else? ” I replie d that I was going to a village near Batala.He asked the name of the village and I answered , “Qadian.” He asked, “ Why are you going there? ” I replied , “ I live there.” He then asked me, “ A re you related to Mirza Sahib? ” I answered , “ I am his son.” In those days , Pir Sahib was involved with an Ahmadi over some dispute, and he wanted me to tell t he Ahmadi to drop the case.However, he did not suggest this straight away , and instead sent for some dried fruit , which he offered me.I said, “I am suffering from a cold.” He stated, “ Only that occurs which Allah has destined.” I replied, “ If this is so , then you have made a grievous mistake by undergoing the suffering caused by this journey because if it was in your destiny , you would have reached your destination all on your own.” Upon hearing this, h e became silent.Hence, destiny has been completely misunderstood.Allah says, “We do not ma ke anyone a believer or infidel.A person becomes a grateful servant or disbeliever of his own accord.Since We have given

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! ! 209 him t he ability to choose, he will therefore be called to account.” Thus, when a master tells a servant to carry out a task using his own judgment, he will call the servant to account.Punishment f or Disbelievers God Almighty says in the [following verse] : َﺳ ِﻌ ًۡري ا َّو َا ۡﻏ ٰﻠ ًﻼ َو َﺳ ٰﻠ ِﺴ َ۠ﻼ ِﻟ ۡﻠ ٰﻜ ِﻔ ِﺮ ۡﻳ َﻦ َا ۡﻋ َﺘ ۡﺪ َﻧ ﺎ ِا َّﻧ ۤﺎ “ Verily, We have prepared for the disbelievers chains and iron - collars and blazing Fire.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.76: V.5) Abstain f rom Customs a nd Bad Habits What are these chains? They are the customs which are associated with one’s nation.For example, even if they have no money, people will take out a loan in order to carry out the customs and rituals at their son’s we dding.This is the chain which shackles a disbeliever and never leave s him.In contrast , the momin [believer] spends nothing on his N ikah.If he can afford it, he will distribute dried dates, and if he cannot, there is no obligation to do so.Then, those habits which are of a personal nature are like chains [around one’s neck].Islam prohibits any addiction, whether it be to alcohol, tobacco, tea, or anything else.A person commits sins due to his addictions.In the time of the Promised Messiah as , some of his relatives who opposed him, wo uld gather together to smoke hookah.Those who were new addicts, would join them and they would all abuse the Promised Messiah as.Once, an Ahmadi joined this gathering and they presented him with some hookah and began to curse the Promised Messiah as.The Ahmadi felt greatly distressed at joining such a gathering.When they saw that he was quiet, they asked him why he did not say anything.The Ahmadi replied, “What can I say? I am scolding myself.If I was not in the habit of smoking, I would not have had to listen to this abuse.” Thereafter , he vowed to never smoke again.Thus , addiction can force one into sin.

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! ! 210 The Disbeliever ’ s Envy Then, Sa’eer is the fire which rages inside them and allows them no comfort.You see, when a believer describes the U nity of God before an idol worshi pper, the latter feels anguish.Likewise , when a Jew says to a Christian, “It was your god , whom we crowned with thorns and caused to su ffer in so many ways,” the Christian burns inside.Consequently, the disbelievers also burn inside.Once a Jew said to Haz rat ‘U mar ra , “I am envious of your religion and I am green with envy , for there is nothing which this Shariah has neglected to address.If only these teachings were part of our religion!” Thus, this is that which burns inside them.In comparison, Allah recounts the state of a believer in this verse: َﻛ ﺎ ُﻓ ۡﻮ ًر ا ِﻣ َﺰ ا ُﺟ َﻬ ﺎ َﻛ ﺎ َن َﻛ ۡﺎ ٍس ِﻣ ۡﻦ 'َ ۡﺸ َﺮ ُﺑ ۡﻮ َن ا َۡﻻ ۡﺑ َﺮ ا َر ِا َّن “ But the virtuous drink of a cup, tempered with camphor.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.76: V.6) In other words, compared to disbelievers , the Noble God gives the believers a drink from a camphoric cup.Camphor has a cooling effect.Therefore, while a disbeliever ’s heart rages , a believer ’s disposition is calm; while a disbeliever burns, the believer is content that no other religion exists like his.Before him, lie t he teachings regarding the U nity of God and the Word of God.When a Muslim reads in the Holy Qur’ān that Angels descend upon those who believe and they will receive revelations, t he y are overjoyed on how near t he y are to Allah.Only by following Islam , can one establish a relationship with Allah.In contrast, when a believer of the Vedas reads his book , how frustrated he must feel, believing that whereas God communicated with the original rishis of Vedas, He does not talk to him.[He wonders,] is he like a s tepson to God? Thus, a believer is joyful while the nonbeliever feels envy.To b e of the Faithful, it is Necessary t o Make Sacrifices Yet, the believer receives that cup of camphor after great striving.Allah says:

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! ! 211 َﺗ ۡﻔ ِﺠ ًۡري ا ُﻳ َﻔ ِّﺠ ُﺮ ۡو َﻧ َﻬ ﺎ ا ِّٰﷲ ِﻋ َﺒ ﺎ ُد ِﺑ َﻬ ﺎ 'َّ ۡﺸ َﺮ ُب َﻋ ۡﻴ ًﻨ ﺎ “ A spring where from the servants of Allah drink – they make it gush forth – a forceful gushing forth.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.76: V.7) When people accepted Islam during the time of the Holy Prophet sa , they were killed.Haz rat Bilal ra wa s forced to lie on hot sand and was beaten, while nonbelievers would command him to say, “ Laat is God,” o r s uch and such idol is God.However, Haz rat Bilal ra would only respond by saying , “There is none worthy of worship except Allah.” Despite suffering so greatly, he never lost his faith.Thus, maintaining one’s faith is no s mall matter.The barriers to Paradise are difficult to remove and th ose who plough the canals of faith , commit great sacrifice s.Here , the analogy of the canal is used, because digging one is done so with great difficulty.If a person was to dig a canal by himself , he could never do so.Now , if the men or women of our Jama'at believe that they will obtain faith without sacrifice, know that this is impossible.Faith requires much sacrifice.There are two types of sacrifice : one is imposed by God and the other humans impose upon themselves.The first type of sacrifice , i.e., that which is imposed by God is , for example, when som eone ’s child or spouse dies.A person has no hand in this; h owever, a person does have control in the other form of sacrifice.For instance, it is a sacrifice that a person makes when they become a believer, despite intense opposition from their brother, wife, or son.Such a person does not allow them to steer h im away from the path of faith.That is ploughing the canal of faith.Likewise is the case of a woman who accept s the truth, or a boy or girl who has recognize d the truth and remains steadfast, without fearing the opposition.That is the canal which they have ploughed.Among those who professed their faith as children , was Bhai Abdurrahman Qad i ani ra , who was formerly a Hindu.His father came

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! ! 212 and took him away, locking him in a room f or six months.One day, Bhai Abdur r ahman ra found an opportunity and fled here [to Qadian].Hence, to succeed [in digging] that canal of faith, one needs to make a huge sacrifice.In a world where clothing, shoe s , money, or for that matter any other thing, is not free, how can we expect a blessing such as faith to cost us nothing ? The word ‘canal’ itself suggests that this is a difficult endeavor.God states that a believer is one who makes sacrifices.It is through these sacrifices that he progress es.Qualities o f Believers Then Allah says: ُﻣ ۡﺴ َﺘ ِﻄ ًۡري ا َﺷ ُّﺮ ٗھ َﻛ ﺎ َن َﻳ ۡﻮ ًﻣ ﺎ َﻳ َﺨ ﺎ ُﻓ ۡﻮ َن َو ِﺑ ﺎ ﻟ َّﻨ ۡﺬ ِر ُﻳ ۡﻮ ُﻓ ۡﻮ َن “ They fulfill their vow, and fear a day the evil of which is widespread.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.76: V.8) This verse means, t hey fulfill their covenant with Allah and fear the Day of Judgment; a day which will come in this world , as w ell as in the Hereafter.First, you must make sacrifice s and then you become a reflection of God in this world.َا ِﺳ ًۡري ا َّو َﻳ ِﺘ ۡﻴ ًﻤ ﺎ َّو ِﻣ ۡﺴ ِﻜ ۡﻴ ًﻨ ﺎ ُﺣ ِّﺒ ٖﻪ َﻋ ‡ٰ ا ﻟ َّﻄ َﻌ ﺎ َم ُﻳ ۡﻄ ِﻌ ُﻤ ۡﻮ َن َو “ And they feed, for love of Him, the poor, the orphan, and the prisoner.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.76: V.9) Just as God provides, they too provide people with food t o the extent that whilst they may be needy themselves , they will give to t he poor, th e destitute, and the prisoners from their own food.ِا َّﻧ َﻤ ﺎ ُﻧ ۡﻄ ِﻌ ُﻤ ُﻜ ۡﻢ ِﻟ َﻮ ۡﺟ ِﻪ ا ِّٰﷲ َﻻ ُﻧ ِﺮ ۡﻳ ُﺪ ِﻣ ۡﻨ ُﻜ ۡﻢ َﺟ َﺰ آ ًء َّو َﻻ ُﺷ ُﻜ ۡﻮ ًر ا “ Saying, We feed you for Allah ’ s pleasure only.We desire no reward nor thanks from you.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.76: V.10)

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! ! 213 They d o not consider giving them food as having done them a favor and they do not make claims that , ‘We favored you at such a time or offered you some charity.’ Rather, they consider it a favor upon themselves that they were provided an opportunity to act righteously.The y enjoy treating others well.Therefore , believers consider it a favor that they were given the o pportunity to be grateful.َﻋ ‡ٰ ُﺣ ِّﺒ ٖﻪ The words, ‘ala hubbihi ’ [for love of Him] mean that whatever a believer does , he does it for the sake of Allah , not for the sake of popularity.He carries out good deeds to please Allah and h is only purpose is that his Lord be pleased with him.What will the Believers Reap ? Additionally, there is anoth er purpose behind the believer’s benevolence , which is: َﻗ ۡﻤ َﻄ ِﺮ ۡﻳ ًﺮ ا َﻋ ُﺒ ۡﻮ ًﺳ ﺎ َﻳ ۡﻮ ًﻣ ﺎ َّر ِّﺑ َﻨ ﺎ ِﻣ ۡﻦ َﻧ َﺨ ﺎ ُف ِا َّﻧ ﺎ “ Verily, we fear from our Lord a frowning and distressful day.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.76: V.11) May Allah come to our assistance on that day which will be a very fearsome day.May Allah save us from those dangers and have Mercy on us.Regarding such people, Allah says: ُﺳ ُﺮ ۡو ًر ا َّو َﻧ ۡﻀ َﺮ ًۃ َﻟ ّٰﻘ pُۡ َو ا ۡﻟ َﻴ ۡﻮ ِم ٰذ ِﻟ َﻚ َﺷ َّﺮ ا ُّٰﷲ َﻓ َﻮ ٰﻗ pُُ “ So Allah will save them from the evil of that day, and will grant them joy and happiness.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.76: V.12) Allah will treat these believers in such a manner , that they will remain safe on the Day of Judgment, and He will grant them a good reward.Allah goes on to say : َﺣ ِﺮ ۡﻳ ًﺮ ا َّو َﺟ َّﻨ ًﺔ َﺻ َُرب ۡو ا ِﺑ َﻤ ﺎ ُﻫ ۡﻢ ٮ َﺟ ٰﺰ َو “And He will reward them, for their steadfastness, with a Garden

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! ! 214 and a raiment of silk.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.76: V.13) They will receive this reward due to their faith.َﺷ ۡﻤ ًﺴ ﺎ ِﻓ ۡﻴ َﻬ ﺎ َﻳ َﺮ ۡو َن َﻻ s ا َۡﻻ َر آ •ِ ِﻚ َﻋ ‡َ ِﻓ ۡﻴ َﻬ ﺎ ُّﻣ َّﺘ ِﻜ ِٕـ َۡني َز ۡﻣ َﻬ ِﺮ ۡﻳ ًﺮ ا َﻻ َّو “ Reclining therein upon couches, they will find therein neither excessive heat nor excessive cold.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.76: V.14) They will all be kings.It will neither be hot nor cold there; it will be a new world.The description, ‘of neither excessive heat ’ connotes that passions will not be aroused , and ‘nor excessive cold’ implies that passions will not diminish, but they will be of an unvarying nature.The Wonders o f t he Holy Qur’ān Observe how full of wisdom the Holy Qur’ān is.The Holy Qur’ān tells us that the punishment in hell comprises the torment of both the cold and heat.The people from cold climates have been warned of the agony of the cold and those from hot climates have been warned of the agony of the heat.In s ome countries , there is s o much snow that their inhabitants make their houses out of ice.If they need to drink water, they rub ice together to make water and f ir e is considered a blessing there.T he Bible only m entions the punishment of fire.O nc e a priest went to an ice - ridden country and while proselytizing said, “ If you do no t accept , God will throw you in to the fire.” T h e people replied , “O , will we be put in fire ? ” For them, fire was a blessing.Thus, when the priests realized that these people were not afraid of fire , they held a meeting in which they decided to replace ‘fire’ with “ice” in the Bible.However, the Holy Qur’ān does not require any human intervention , for it already warns of the torment of ice and thus, requires no changes.God states: َﺗ ۡﺬ ِﻟ ۡﻴ ًﻼ ُﻗ ُﻄ ۡﻮ ُﻓ َﻬ ﺎ ُذ ِّﻟ َﻠ ۡﺖ َو ِﻇ ٰﻠ ُﻠ َﻬ ﺎ َﻋ َﻠ ۡﻴ pِۡ َد ا ِﻧ َﻴ ًﺔ َو “ And its shades will be close over them, and its clustered fruits will

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! ! 215 be brought within their easy reach.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.76: V.15) Small Children i n Paradise Haz rat Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra , after commenting on the other verses of this ruk ū‘ , elaborated upon this verse: ُﻟ ۡﺆ ُﻟ ًﺆ ا َﺣ ِﺴ ۡﺒ َﺘ pُۡ َر َا ۡﻳ َﺘ pُۡ ِا َذ ا s ُّﻣ َﺨ šَُّ ۡو َن ِو †َۡ ا ٌن َﻋ َﻠ ۡﻴ pِۡ َﻳ ُﻄ ۡﻮ ُف َو َّﻣ ۡﻨ ُﺜ ۡﻮ ًر ا “ And there will wait upon them youths who will not age.When thou seest them, thou thinkest them to be pearls scattered about.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.76: V.20) This verse refers to women, who will be pleased to know that the children who walk amongst them , are those same children whom they had lost.They wil l be as exquisite pearls, whose condition will never alte r.In this world, children fall ill or suffer some physical deformity; some children are intelligent, whil e others are mentally slow.However, in Paradise, all children will be the same, scattered about like pearls.” How Ahmadi Ladies Should Behave As the time had come for Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ’s r a speech in the men’s Jalsa , he gave a brief commentary on the remaining verses, and concluded with, “U nless you act upon the teachings of Ahmadiyyat, you will not be worthy of being acknowledged as an Ahmadi.I want you to become perfect Ahmadis , so that if the time comes when we [the men] must leave you in the name of Allah ’s religion, you will be able to fully train our children.At this time, t he world is immersed in ignorance.Understand the Holy Qur’ān and act according to Allah ’s commandments.” ( Misbah , October 1945)

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! ! 216 Some Important Points on the Education and Training of Ahmadi Women Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad , Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra May 1926 Lajna Ima’illah arranged a reception for Haz rat Maul vi Muhammad Din, muballigh [missionary] to America.Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra d elivered the following speech on this occasion.Before this event, I had mentioned that a guest’s wife should be invited along with him, and the women who invite him s hould sit on the other side of the partition in keeping with Islam ic customs.I n our Punjabi receptions , it is customary for the host to sit with his hands folded w hile the guests eat.However, the Islam ic way is for the host to eat [with the guests].European Culture i s Attacking Islam In the past several days, not after, but before my journey to Europe, I perceived that it is not the religion of the West which is attacking Islam but its culture.I wrote of this in an article at the time of m y going to Europe.Their culture has evolved so much , that some negative things appear good, and some good things appear bad.Although our religion communicates the best teachings, it is a matter of them simply being left within the books, with Muslims failing to act upon their religion.S ince Muslims do not implement it and [these teachings] are shut away in a book, we cannot claim to have inculcated them within us, nor are people prepared to believe us.W e will be like the Aryans , who declare that the Vedas mentioned every new invention long befor e [it was created].If we claim to Europeans that our religion includes all good teachings, they will laugh at us unless we practice them.I have already explained we should reject those European cultur al customs, which are not in accordance with the Holy Qur ’ ān and Hadith.However, those which concur with the

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! ! 217 Holy Qur’ān and Hadith should be adopted, unfortunately no attent ion was paid to this.Regarding this matter, women a s opposed to men, a re proving to be the obstacle.Women do not have enough courage to successfully oppose old customs and traditions.Albeit at this time , we have not fully decided to what extent women should work alongside men, however this much is obvious that Islam recognizes the need for an alliance between men and women to a certain degree.Islam has prohibited the mixing of men and women to a certain extent, but according to a Hadith , if a man is riding and a woman is walking , then he should allow the woman to ride behind him.If a man can escort a woman to her home in such a manner, then how is it that men and women cannot work together in religious and national affairs? The time will come, and it will certainly come, when men and women will work together.We do not know if it will occur in our lifetime or in the future, but it will undoubtedly occur.In fact, there is a risk that if the rights which Islam has bestowed on women are not given to them, the boundaries Islam has set may be exceeded.Mothers a nd the Training o f Children In his speech, Master Muhammad Din made the point that paradise lies under the feet of the mother.Aside from p aradise of the hereafter even the p aradise in this world lies beneath the feet of mothers.Nothing influences children more than their moral and educational upbringing and th e mother is responsible for it.W omen share a major responsibility for the enormity of problems we are facing regarding education and moral training.Women claim that they are held back and are not given an y work.I am not blaming anyone, but the continuous oppression of women and their lowly state does not prevent me from stating that they themselves make no effort to lift their hands to assist us.We are not saying that it is forbidden for women to be employed or to work outside , but there is no doubt that the greater part of women’s work lies withi n the home.In Europe, where there is great freedom a nd available education , ninety percent of women

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! ! 218 work at home, for it is impossible for large numbers of women to participate in bus iness like men.That is unless it is decided that women will not marry or have children.Thus, when European women advance so far in education, and continue to work a t home , it illustrates that the primary objective of women’s education is the training of children and running the house.This does not mean that sewing clothes and dressing children is their only duty.Rather , educat ing their children is also their responsibility.W omen are also responsible for the ir children’s religious education.So too are they responsible for their household duties which include keeping financial accounts, taking care of their he alth, being knowledgeable of their nutrition, enforcing punctuality, and understanding the health effects of sleep ing , staying awake, light and darkness, and so on.A woman must supervise these matters at a time when the child is of an age where the impression upon the child will never fade , even if a lifetime of effort is exerted to do so.However, so far, our women are completely unaware of such matters.The Need f or Educated Women The first requirement is to produce educated women, and this can only be done when we have female teachers.Men can only teach girls to a certain level, but not for long.N aturally when a girl becomes a young woman, it is necessary to develop a level of modesty in accordance with culture and tradition.This is not considered necessary in Europe , but we cannot ignore modesty.Now on the one hand a girl must develop modesty but if at the same time she is taught by a male teacher her emotions and feelings will be suppressed , because she will be unable to ex press her ambition s and feelings according to her age in front of the male teacher in the same way as she w ould be able to do so in front of a female teacher.W e need such teachers for these girls who will work seriously and diligently when needed but will also be able to laugh, participate in play and games, and c ultivate in them a cheerful disposition.Men cannot nurture these attributes in them.M en will either cultivate such characteristics that we do not wish to cultivate

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! ! 219 in girls , and w hich are not allowed in Islam , or they will become spiritless and the passion for life will be extinguished.Therefore, it is necessary to arrange female teachers for our girls.Those women, for whom education has been separately arranged are in fact teachers , not simply students.Most of them ar e married and a few are unmarried; the majority of them are also already educated.Only a few are less knowledgeable.We expect those from am ong them who stay at home, to gi ve their time to teach the se girls at school , so that they advance in their educa tion.Strangely, it appears that in this world the foundation for everything is extensive, but when it comes to knowledge, the foundation is small , and continues to grow as one progresses.A student becomes more k nowledgeable than his teacher be cause the student inherits knowledge and experience from the teacher.Hence, we can say , that although these women are not fully accomplished teachers, those who learn from them will advance beyond them.T he next generation to learn from the m, will advance even further.This is what occurred in Europe, and this can also occur here.We could educate them by keeping male teachers in schools , but we cannot achieve the kind of success we hope for, unless we have men to train female teachers.They w ill i n turn teach the girls and [also] play and laugh with them.Successful t raining can only be accomplished when the teacher and student can play together , and t his is not possible with men.Indeed , if these teachers are trained well, they can become the girls’ tutor s as well as their friend s.Girls will be abl e to talk openly with them and absorb the shades of their character so that they develop a rich personality of their own.We hope that with the Grace of God Almighty, these teachers ready themselves to complete the educ ational process of our Jama'at.C ompared to others , we have more responsibilities given to us.Other people either prefer illiteracy in that they do not wish to educate their women, or they try to imitate the Europeans.We do not like illiteracy because the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa has said, “ W isdom is the lost property of believers, and sho uld be acquired wherever found.” On the other hand , we cannot follow Europe.T herefore, we must find a new way.I say ‘ new ’ because at this time, it is not

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! ! 220 implemented.However, it is present in Islam already.Now we have begun the effort and even though it may start out on a small scale , everything which begin s small at the beginning produces its final effect in due course.Many people had hoped to clo s e down this Madrassa Ahmadiyya [Ahmadiyya School] , which has acc omplished so much.N ow , those very same peopl e ruefully proclaim: ُﻣ ۡﺴ ِﻠ ِﻤ َۡني َﻛ ﺎ ُﻧ ۡﻮ ا َﻟ ۡﻮ َﻛ َﻔ ُﺮ ۡو ا ا :َِّ ۡﻳ َﻦ َﻳ َﻮ ُّد ُر َﺑ َﻤ ﺎ [ “ Often will the disbelievers wish they were Muslims ” ] (Holy Qur’ān Ch.15: V.3) [ Which means, ] ‘ Alas! W ould that w e had done the same.’ Lahories are voicing their plans to make arrangements for m au lvi s.Hence , we are in the initial stages of arranging a system of education for women and we realize it is inadequate.However, if we do not begin the work, it will be left as it is.If the effort towards the education of women progresses as it is currently progressing , then God willing, there will be enough teachers ready with in two or three years to enable us to even establish a girls’ middle school.Those girls with a middle school education will be educated to prepare them as t eachers for the entrance level and then from among those girls, some can continue onto higher education.We also n eed teachers who can teach nursing and medicine.For this reason, Chaudhary Ghulam Muhammad has sent his daughter to medical school and laid a good foundation.May Allah grant her the ability to finish and then we will have a trained female doctor here.This is the beginning.I f this work continues and women have courage, then we can achieve so much and God will also help them.Women Should Work w ith Courage Before she presented her address, the Lajna secretary, who is also my wife, endeavore d to have me check her speech and improve upon it.Howev er, I said I would not change a single word.I sa id to her, “You think that if your address contains mistakes, pe ople will call you ignorant.However, men can also make mistakes and they do

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! ! 221 make mistakes.Therefore, why are you afraid?” She was displeased , but I still did not edit her speech.My thinking was that helping women in this way makes them cowardly.The only way w omen will successfully work, is if they work with strength and courage.It was the greatest lesson that Ha z rat Khalifat - ul - Masih I , Hak ee m Maulana Nur - ud - Din ra taught me when studying with him.Whenever I would ask him a question , he would say, “ Mian [a term of endearment] , carry on reading.When you go home , reflect upon this question for yourself.” Hence, h e would not let me ask any questions.Hafiz Roshan Ali had a habit of asking questions and while he would answer them, he would not answer m y questions.Sometimes , when I would ask a question, he would look at Hafiz Sahib displeasingly, saying, “You have developed in him a habit of asking q uestions as well.” Women accuse us of not educating them and use this excuse for why they are behind in learning.I ask them , “ W ho educated us ? ” God did not collect all the knowledge [in the world] and reveal it to men , who in turn kept all of it for themselves and refused to share it with women.Men worked hard to learn , and they succeeded ; you must make the effort to learn as well.The fact of the matter is that a lthough men did have advantages , women have even more advantage s because men are willing to teach them.However, it is necessary for women to strive with courage.They should write articles and speeches.The worst that will happen is that a few people will laugh at their mistakes when reading their articles or listening to their speeches.However, the majority will appreciate their efforts and res pect them.This is the best advice I can give to Lajna members.Besides this, I also w ish to instruct the Lajna to increase their membership.The Lajna has not yet done anything about it.It is not necessary that only educated women become members.R ather, anyone who speaks and listen s in a dignified manner, even if she cannot read a word, should become a member.T he best work is d one through cooperation, thus other wome n should be included in Lajna.Today, if the Lajna membership numbered fifty or sixty, they would all have been affected favorably in so many ways.

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! ! 222 Now that the call for Maghrib prayer has been made and I have a sore throat, I will end my speech with this prayer.May Allah grant success to this part of our Jama'at and bestow His blessings up on them.( Al - Fazl , May 15, 1926) Address to the Students of the Women’s Educational Institute D elivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra This speech was given at a reception given by students of the ‘Madrassah Khwateen’ [ Women’s Education Institute ] , in h onor of Mohatarram Sayyed Zain - ul - Abideen Wali u llah Shah ra and his wife.This Institution is a Tree o f Knowledge Planted by Me Anyone who sows a plant with his own hand , develops a natural fondness and love for it; especially those plants he believes will carry on his good name.Those who plant trees with their own hands come to hold them so dear , that they weep if the trees are cut down by natural disaster or by an enemy.These trees cannot speak, nor can they extol the v irtues of the one who planted them a lthough those who benefit from the tree , do say, ‘ God bless the person who planted it.’ However, those trees of knowledge which speak, and carry on one’s good name are twice as dear compared to other trees.Hence, I have a special love for ‘ Madrassah Khwateen ’ and my heart yearns for it to achieve its purpose , t hat such female teachers are trained who will educate the best generations in such an exemplary manner that the graduates of this institute excel all other students.D ue to this love and relationship , I feel I have the right to direct and advise this institution for its benefit.I am particularly pleased with the fact that our students

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! ! 223 love and cherish t heir responsibilities and they understand that through education , they will progress academic ally and spiritual ly , making them more us eful to our community.Yet the sense of responsibility alone is no substitute for the actual accomplishment because no matter how great a person’s desire or longing is, success cannot be achieved u n til the right means are used and implemented upon.You see, if a person makes an effort and struggles in order to draw water from a well during a winter night, this effort of his will not cook the bread! Why? Because the laws which God has necessitated for making bread have not been obeyed.Therefore, I believe our mission will only be ful filled when we follow the rules established for this task.One’s Voice Should Resound with Power and Dignity I feel that to advance the learning of the girls and women at this institution, the most critical point to keep in mind is to speak in a clear voice.It should be void of softness or hesitation and should be full of courage, determination , and authority.In my opinion , our women cannot succeed in achieving their work, until their voices resound with that authority and dignity which can be heard in the voice s of those who are strongly determined to finish their work.It is the delivery of the speech which leaves the greatest impression.If the tone of the voice is filled with self - doubt and hesitation, and uncertainty over whether the audience will accept one’s notions , then the voice will leave no impact.We had a M aulv i Sahib amongst us, who despite being very knowledgeable spoke in a manner which suggested self - doubt.He would feel intimidated if someone challenged his arguments.Once he said to a man that the Holy Qur’ān contained thirty verses proving Hazrat Jesus ’ as death.He was asked to present any one of them.When he did, the person raised an objection to it and Maulv i Sahib replied , “ Fine, f orget that one.Here is another , ” and recited a second verse.The other person raised an objection to the second verse, so he recited a third one , and this continued until he had recited all of them.A commanding voice has a profou nd effect on its listener; thus , it is crucial for women to develop the habit of speaking with dignity and

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! ! 224 command in their voices.H owever , d espite my desire and my efforts in this direction, I have been unsuccessful.I now assign this task to Shah Sahib and hope that he will give this matter its due attention, even if he has not done so before.It has been brought to my notice that there are some students who have nev er answered questions in class and neither have the teachers demand ed an answer from them.Mere education has no meaning.The Holy Qur’ān has compared it to a donkey.Until there is confidence, ambition and resolution , e ducation is of no use.In order to be successful, one needs a voice which is clear , full of dignity, courageous, and commanding.I hope that the teachers at this institute will focus upon this and inculcate a habit of speaking courageously, promptly, and correctly with in their students.Since I stress on overcoming weaknesses and it is perceived as being strict, some women m ay be pleased at Shah Sahib’s new appointment, believing they will be relieved of my severity.H owever, what they misinterpret as severity was actually in their best interest s.As a child, I read a story of King Henry, who as a child wa s very mischievous.He was sent to be raised in a village.One day , he was brought before a m agistrate and he misbehaved, taking advantage of the fact that he was the heir to the throne.The m agistrate punished him for his poor behavior.When the King died and Henry became the king of the land, he called for the m agistrate.The m agistrate was afraid , unsure of how he would be treated.However, the King called him and said, “ T hat incident left such an impact on me that I would like to appoint you to be the highest - ranking ju dge in my kingdom.Had I not learned to obey the law then, I would not be a k ing today.” In short , some guidance is painful, however the outcome is good.Women should not feel discouraged over these points but should progress academically , while facing these hardships.Advice to t he Teachers Teachers should make sure that there is harmony amongst the entire student body.I expect that Shah Sahib will pay attention to this.Some girls are clever and intelligent and progress quickly, however when teaching a class it is necessary to ensure that the slow learners progress a s well.The only way this can be done is to ask them more

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! ! 225 questions and pay more attention to them.In my opinion , it is necessary to ask each person a question, and that each student be obligated to answer.I was surprised to discover that my daughter had never answered a question in her class.When I realized this , I immediately called her and firmly instructed her to give an answer when asked.I advise Shah Sahib to oblige those women who are not in the habit of speaking, t o do so and to pay more attention to those who are weak in their studies.I have noticed this qu ality in women that if attended to, they can overcome their weaknesses rat her quickly.Another consideration is to en sur e that women feel a need to use their knowledge.The only study we cannot overlook is grammar , and it is included in the upcoming syllabus.Students o ften try to avoid speaking a foreign language.However, when studying Arabic it is my hope that when Shah Sahib insists t hey answer in Arabic, the students will begin to reply in Arabic.Now , their education has reached a point where they should be taught conversatio nal skills.I was unable to give enough time to their education this year and I hope that Shah Sahib will fill this void.I also expect the students to make an effort.It is with regret that I have learn ed that the students are paying more attention to English.Although their English teacher, Haz rat Maul vi Sher Ali ra continues to insist that they pay more attention to Arabic, I have observe d otherwise.Shah Sahib will have to en sure that the other party does not draw additional attention.It is my desire to lengthen the school day and that each teacher’s course last for one - and - a - quarter to one - and - a - half hour s , focusing on their conversational skills.Once they begin to speak conversationally and put together basic sentences, their attentio n will automatically increase.Arabic is learned either through grammar or through practice.Since the grammar is difficult , one easily becomes disheartened , whereas English is easier to learn and is therefore given more attent ion.The Arabic instructor must en sure that the students do no t give up.I have asked women to translate short phrases in Arabic such as , ‘W here is the notebook? Where is th e book? Who picked up the book?’ I f in the future, they are encouraged to practice short phrases relating to h ousehold conversations or about eating etc., they will

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! ! 226 increase in their fortitude to continue learning.There are other ways too that a good teacher can u tilize to teach a language.The most important thing is to pay particular attention to Arabic.Although the other subjects are also important, our religious concerns are l inked with the Arabic language, hence it is the most important.Yet, m any students lose heart quickly and because it is difficult to learn in the ea rly stages, they feel they cannot succeed.However , this stage of learning passes quickly and if surpassed it becomes easier, provided tha t there are Ara bic speaking people around them.I f not , then there are other scholars who know the Arabic language.Women students should not be afraid of the initial difficulties but should rather strive to reach a lev el of expertise where they can be considered an expert in the language and are easily able to read academic books.With this instruction, I conclude my speech.I hope that Shah Sahib will en sure that those women who are weak in studies are not left behind , and that women do not fall behind in subjects only because the teachers do not pay enough attention.One shou ld not take advantage of another ’s politeness.R emember , we have a grand objective , for which both men and women will work together.Women possess a sincere desire to work, but they are easily dishearten ed.Therefore, I advise you to continue your efforts with steadfastness.Since the Adh ā n [call to prayer] for Maghrib has been already called , I will end my speech and pray for the host, because it is a Sunnah to pray for whoever has hosted a g athering.Given that this reception is hosted by the Women’s Education Institute , I pray that God Almighty bless es these women with the opportunity to seek knowledge and then provide them with an opportunity to serve their religion.( Al - Fazl , July 2, 1926, p p.5 - 6)

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! ! 227 Address to the Ladies at Jalsa Salana Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad , Khalifat - ul - Masih I I ra December 27, 1926 , at 3 :00 pm Haz rat Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra recited Surah Yunus, r uk ū‘ six and said: F ive years have passed since I launched the scheme (to collect donations) for the London M osque, which included the donations for the Berlin M osque.Now , I intend to appea l to the women to either assign their donations for the London M osque or leave their money with us as a loan , so that we may use it to complete other projects for our community.We will work with whichever option they cho o se.Importance of t he Inaugura tion o f a Mosque The inauguration of this m osque has taken on such significance, that it w ill prove impossible to wipe it s imprint from the history of the world.It appears that God Almighty has ordained that this m osque shall stand tall for all time, and He has made possible the means for its construction and its fame , increasing its prominence to the extent that I am left amazed.First ly, God Almighty halted the progress of the [project] until my arrival in England.Subsequently , as soon as I arrived, the movement attracted astonishing recognition.It was unusual for the people of England to witness the arrival of the successor of a prophet.Consequently, every newspaper continually wrote about our stay a n d publish ed several photographs.Since I had gone there to lay the foundation of this m osque with my own hands, dignitaries such as Secretaries and Lords cam e to attend this very first occasion of the laying of the foundation.People were eagerly a waiting the completion of this m osque.Once it was near completion , many more opportunities arose to escalate its profile.For example, the suggestion to invite the son of Ibne Saud attracted quite a bit of publicity.Ibne Saud also agreed to t his proposal and promised to send his son, Ameer Faisal, who is the Governor of M ecc a.Since

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! ! 228 Ameer Faisal came e specially for the inauguration, it led to further publicity.Once Ameer Faisal arrived in England, it is narrated that the Indian m ullahs sent telegrams.S imilarly, a clamor was raised in Egypt against us.T elegrams were sent and his plans [to attend the opening ceremo ny of the m osque] were halted.His change in plans created an uproar in the whole of Great Britain, as they wished to know the reason behind th is change.Whatever coul d be the matter that Ameer Faisal travels from M ecc a to England to undertake a certain duty, but he is prevented from doing so ! There must be a special reason.The English like to investigate mysteries and a s a result, people became more curious.They wished to see the m osque, the inauguration of which brought Ameer Faisal from M ecc a , but which he was prevented from attending.In fact, this all took place according to the plans of God Almighty to p rovide our c ommunity with publicity without being obliged to anyone.Furthermore, this m osque is so blessed that as soon as the inauguration was held , its blessings were revealed before us.Four English men accepted Islam on the day of the inauguration and two weeks had barely passed when another highly educated, young English man accepted Islam.He published a most exquisite article on Islam.His father began to persecut e him, which is indicative of the realization that Islam was truly spreading.In the beginning, they viewed our project as a diversion , but now they realize that Islam is advancing.One local newsp aper wrote that thousands of well - educated people are sensing th e need to abandon Christianity , and the priests have also raised an uproar against us.Just today , we received a telegram that an Austrian minister has accepted Islam and has declared himself to be an Ahmadi Muslim.This week, six more English men have declared themselves to be Ahmadi.In short, since the inauguration, thirteen very prominent people have joined the fold of the Ahmadiyya Movement.T hat is to say , we have gained thirteen disciples.The Promised Messiah as has said that however the first Messiah was treated, we will encounter the opposite treatment.Therefore, I can say that there will be no Judas Iscariot amo ng these thirteen disciples.( Al - Fazl , January 14, 1927, p p.3 - 4)

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! ! 229 Address to Lajna Delivered by Haz rat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra March 22, 1927 The following speech was delivered on March 22, 1927 , by Ha z rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra at an event held by Lajna Ima’illah in honor of Sufi Ghulam Muhammad and his wife, R espected Ayesha Begum , on their return from Mauritius after twelve years.Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra said: First , I would like to express my pleasure on the address given by the Lajna , which in many aspects, was far superior to previous addresses.Firstly, becau se it dealt with those subjects which are appropriate for an occasion such as this one.Secondly, it dealt with the issues in a simple, straightforward manner without any hesitancy, artifice, and without an unnecessarily prolonged discussion.If there was a ny weakness , it was in its delivery.It appears that women have not yet developed the confidence to speak in public without some apprehension.We still require more help and time.While the devotees of Islam who go abroad and leave their households behind, inspire devotion in our hearts , I believe we should also cultivate a most important notion within ourselves, which is to develop the kind of courage these devotees demonstrate.It is only when we be lieve in this ideal, that we will be able to express our gratitude.It is wrong of us to appreciate that which is distant but ignore that which is close at hand.We hide our indolence behind the excuse of lack of opportunity.Otherwise, w e can find many opportunities similar to those availed by the missionaries who travelled abroad and upon whose return we express such devotion and happiness.I draw the attention of my dear sisters and Lajna members to the f act that propagation does not require a trip to Mauritius, Europe , or America.These opportunities are available not

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! ! 230 only in our own towns , but in our own homes.Regrettably, we have squandered these opportunities for quite some time.Today, I particularly urge the Lajna memb ers to begin preaching to our working - class women.If our women can forget Europe, America and Sumatra for the time being , and focus on winning over their domestic servants and other working - class women by exhibiting good morals, preaching , and showing kindness, then in eight to ten years , thousands of people will have gained guidance.We should realize that it is just as important to bring these people to Islam as it is to bring those in Europe and America.By reaso n of humanity all are accorded that right , and all are wor thy of respect.Thus, begin this endeavor in your homes and within a month or two, show me what you have accomplish ed.This fruit will be no less sweet than those fruits which one dreams about.May God Almighty grant the members of Lajna Ima’illah the ability to avail opportunities close to home which He has provided and make them the recipients of His infinite bounties.( Misbah , April 1, 1927)

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! ! 231 Cultivate A wakening and Realization Among Women Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - din Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra Women who become educated are unable to relate [appropriately] to other wom en because their education is of little use.Success cannot be achieved until all educated women consider other women as their mothers and sisters and t ry to improve their condition.It is imperative for our c ommunity to cultivate an awaken ing and realization amongst women and inform them that their lives are not merely to serve their husbands , but that they should establish the glory of God Almighty hand in hand with their husbands.I regret to say that despite repeatedly drawing attention to this matter , very little regard has been shown.S o far , the condition of the women is very poor.Nonetheless, a clear difference exists between the condition of our women and others , and I do admit that the pace at which our women are progressing is very encouraging.A number of men and women have repeatedly informed me that a certain woman does not write her own essays , but has a man write them for her.However, t oday I received a letter from that same woman and her style of writing is the same as her essays.Her letter has the same passion and the same means of expression.By the grace of God , our Jama ‘ at has such provisions available th at our women are inclined towards advancement.The result of this very progress is that they now consider themselves a pillar of the religion.If this development continues , the women of our community will rapidly advance, b ut it is necessary that men should help them.It is the duty of every father to help his daughter advance.It is the duty of every husband to make arrangements for the progress of his wife.Similarly , every brother should help his sister.[We should encourage this] to the point that every son elevates his mother.Progress will be rapidly achieved if all the members of the Jama'at begin to support the ir women in this way.( Misbah , Qadian, February 1, 1928)

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! ! 232 Letter to Women Regarding their P u rdah Written by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - din Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra Dear … As - S alamu ‘ Alaikum wa R ahmatullahe wa B arakatuhu.In response to your letter dated January 23, 1928, I would like to state that currently , p u rdah is practiced in varying forms among Muslims.In some communities and in some areas , p u rdah is of such a nature that even a doli ! [a curtained carriage carried by men on shoulders to transport wome n] is veiled by curtains.Amongst other communities or areas, p u rdah is even more severe.In their eyes , a woman who enters her home [as a bride] in a doli should only leave upon her funeral.These practices of p u rdah are sheer atrocities, and they have a highly detrimental effect up on women’s health, morals, knowledge, and faith.This type of p u rdah is not found in the Holy Qur’ān or in the Hadith.It can be clearly deduced from the Holy Qur’ān , that women are permitted to go outside their homes.Were they not allowed to go outsi de, there would hardly be the need for the command of G hadd - e - Basar [to keep one’s eyes downcast].History tells us that during the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , his own wives and daughters would go outside to go out on to the battle fields, to work on farms , to answer calls of nature, to seek knowledge or to teach.This was evidenced thousands of times and even the slightest account of history proves this to be true.T housands of incidences prove that women did leave their homes.Even human nature cannot accept that a man, who is naturally strong should require the outside air to maintain his good health, but a woman, who is naturally weaker should be deprived of it.It is even evident from Hadith that the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa would race against his wife, Haz rat A’isha h ra in the presence of o ther s.Haz rat A’isha h ra won one race and the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa led the

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! ! 233 other.Thus, if by customary p u rda h a severe form of p u rdah is indicated , then this p u rdah is extremely brutal and is a blemish on Islam and Muslims.T he sooner it is removed , the better it will be for Islam and Muslims.Our generations have fallen weak due to this p u rdah.Our women have been deprived of both faith and worldly goods.We are derided by other nations and are presenting our religion to be an object of ridicule in the eyes of o thers.I n our country , o ne kind of p u rdah is the burqa , which women wear when they go out.T hey go from one house to the other , but they are not permitted to go any further.Although this p u rdah is not as objectionable as the other types of p u rdah mentioned above, it does not help to sufficiently improve women’s intellec tual growth or physical health for national progress.Secondly, our old burqa either destroys the woman’s health or in the name of p u rda h , it actually becomes a cause for discarding p u rdah altogether.This burqa is like a walking dome from top to bottom, where even the wo man’s hands are enclosed inside.If she picks up a child, her entire front is exposed from head to toe, presenting such a n unbecoming picture , that one instinctively feels abhorrence towards this type of p u rda h.Far better than this , i s the practice of wearing the chaadar [a long shawl] which existed before the invention of the burqa.A woman could go about her work and cover herself up as well.As I have mentioned above, this burqa is detrimental to health and does not serve the purpose of p u rdah.In my opinion, the new burqa , known as the Turkish burqa , is by far the most preferable among burqa s , excepting one alteration , that it is not wrapped around the body.It should be a straight coat , which falls from the shoulders to the feet, and it should not be the type of coat which display s individual parts of the body.If this kind of clothing was permissib le , then one’s clothes would have been sufficient , and the Holy Qur’ān would not have given the command to wear loose garments over them.There is the additional benefit to t his burqa , that since the hands are free, a woma n can do all sorts of work.A similar example would be a doctor’s loose coat which he w ears during surgery.

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! ! 234 The Holy Qur’ān has mentioned one rule regarding p u rda h and that rule is that p u rda h is necessary for women : ِﻣ ۡﻨ َﻬ ﺎ َﻇ َﻬ َﺮ َﻣ ﺎ ِا َّﻻ “ …except that which is apparent thereof...” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.24: V.32 ) There are only two characteristics which are apparent thereof , height and one’s body.However logically speaking, it is obvious that depending on a woman’s work or the needs of her time, that which is apparent thereof is not included in p u rdah.Therefore, in accordance with this rule, a doctor checks the puls e of a woman, since illness compels that it be made apparent.If there is skin disease on her face, the docto r will need to examine the face.I f there is an internal disease, he will examine the tongue.Haz rat A’isha h ra relates that during one battle, we used to fetch water and our shanks were ex posed.At that time , the baring of shanks did not go against the Holy Qur’ān and was actually in accordance with this Qur’ān ic teaching.As they were an essential part of battle, it was necessary for women to work and as a result of running, their shanks were inevitably exposed.At that time, it was custom ary to wrap a mantle around the lower body , instead of wearing pajamas.In accordance with the same rule, if a household’s activities are such that women are required to work outside in farms or fields, then it is absolutely necessary that their eyes and surrounding areas be e xposed.Therefore, according to : َﻇ َﻬ ﺮ َﻣ ﺎ ِا َّﻻ [“… except that which is apparent …”] (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.24: V.32 ) it is completely acceptable for them to leave the area from the forehead to the mouth uncovered , and according to the injunction of p u rdah , they cannot perform their duties without doing so.T herefore, it is permissible for women to expose th ose areas of the face deemed necessary to carry out the duties of their daily life or when necessitated by a hardship, provided that the hardship is genuine.Indeed, exposing that area [of the face] would be in line with the directive of p u rdah.However, if a woman’s work does not compel her to go out and work in the open fields, covering her face is included in p u rdah , as is clearly stated in the Hadith.

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! ! 235 A person came to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and said, “I woul d like to marry a certain woman.I do not know what she looks like and her father refuses to show me her face.” The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa replied, “For the purpose of marriage, it is permissible to see the face.” When that man went back to the girl’s father and related the Holy Prophet Muhammad ’s sa response, the father still considered it as an insult and refused to show him his daughter’s face.The girl, who was listening inside the house, came out with her face uncovered , and said, “When the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa has allowed him to look at my face, how can we refuse?” If it had been permissible for all women to leave their faces uncovered, then this question would have never been raised.Si milarly, it is narrated that on e evening , the Holy Prophet sa was walking o n a side street with his wife Haz rat Safiya h ra.He saw two men app roaching from the opposite side.For some reason , he felt that the men harbor ed a suspicion within their hearts that he may be wit h another woman.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa uncovere d the face of his wife and said, “Look , this is Safiyah ra.” Had the injunction instructed that the face remain uncovered, the possibility of such a risk would have been unlikely.Similarly , it is narrated that when Haz rat A’isha h r a led the forces in the Battle of Siffin, and her litter [a curtained seat upon a saddle of an animal] was thrown off when its ropes were cut, one evil natured Kharijite [a group of Muslims who disagreed with Ha z rat Ali as Khalifa and withdr e w from following him ] li fted the curtains and said, “O! T his is a woman with a red and white complexion.” If it were customary for the wives of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa to leave their fa ces uncovered, then when she had been leading the forces from her li tter, he would have already sighted her , and it would not have come as a surprise to him.Similarly, many such instances can be found to support the injunction t hat certain classes of women should cover the ir face as much as possible.One verse of the Holy Qur’ān also bears testimony to this fact: ُﺟ ُﻴ ۡﻮ ِﺑ ِﻬ َّﻦ َﻋ ‡ٰ ِﺑ ُﺨ ُﻤ ِﺮ ِﻫ َّﻦ ۡﻟ َﻴ ۡﻀ ِﺮ ۡﺑ َﻦ َو “ And they draw their head coverings over their bosoms.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.24: V.32) Kh i m ā r does not refer to an or dinary shawl or dupatta [long head

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! ! 236 scarf] , but rather is the name of a scarf which women wear on their heads while working.Thus , it do es no t mean that part of a dupatta should be stretched over your chest , for a khim ā r does not have a side.I t is short.T his means that you should lower the scarf from the head , so that i t covers the chest.This suggests that a person approaching from the front should not be able to see your face.T o an extent , t he question of p u rdah is also related to the mixing of men and women.Regarding this, it can be ascertained from the Holy Qur’ān and Hadith that keeping the rules of p u rdah in mind, a woma n can wor k alongside men in all kinds of matters.She can learn from men, listen to their lectures, give lectures, she can sit separate ly from men during gatherings, sermons , and lectures.When needed , she can exp ress her opinion and present argument s.Additionally, it is neces sary to consult women in matters which pertain to them.In times of need , a woman can sit with a man.A s the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said , “If a person is riding an animal and sees a woman, he should let the woman sit behind him.” According to the customs in our country, if a person act ed in such a way , the e ntire nation might boycott him.H owever, the laws of Shariah were conferred to us thirteen hundred years ago and no one can change them.In accordance with th is statement of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , I give this decree, that if a ladie s ’ carriage [in India, the men and women sit in separate compartments] is in danger, the men should let the women sit with the m in the gents’ carriage.O r a woman should go alone and sit in the gents’ carriage if she feels her dignity is better safeguarded in the presence of noble men rather th a n in sitting alone in a carriage by herself.A t this time , I have dictated as many examples as possible which readily come to mind.Should you need to inquire further more, please do so.Mirza Mahmud Ahmad, Qadian ( Misbah , 1 April 1928)

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! ! 237 A Clarification of Islamic P u rdah Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra ( By an Al - Fazl reporter) Dalhauzi, June 29, 1928 – After Friday prayer, Sheikh Abdul Ghafoor, a medical student asked: What are the limits of Islam ic p u rdah ? Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra responded: Maximum p u rdah is covering the face except for the eyes and covering the clothes which lie close to the body.Other than that , under the allowance of : َﻇ َﻬ َﺮ َﻣ ﺎ ِا َّﻻ “… except that which is apparent …” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.24: V.32 ) whatever part remains exposed due to force of circumstance , is permissible.For example , a female farmer is unable to till the soil and perform other farming work with a veil covering her face.Hence , it is permissible for her to expose her hands and face in order to work.However, those ladies who do not do such work, but rather go out for a stroll , should cover their faces.Nowadays, the way p u rdah is discussed is not appropriate.An attempt is being made to derive a different meaning from the Qur’ān ic verse , which includes the injunction on p u rdah , even though the meaning they wish to draw fro m this verse cannot be derived.Yet we should look upon the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and his companions ra to see how they interpreted it and how they acted upon it.When we delve deeper , we find that covering the face was included in p u rdah.It has been clearly written that when the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa suggested that his grandson marry, he sent a

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! ! 238 woman to see the girl’s complexion.If at that time , the face was not covered, then why send a woman to see the complexion? Similarly, Haz rat ‘Umar ra said to a woman, “Umme Hani, I have recognized you.” This suggests that he recognized her from her walk and not by her face.Saying , ‘ I h ave recognized you by your face’ to a familiar acquaintance is no great feat.Likewise, once when the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was observing ‘ It i kaf [seclusion for prayers in the last ten days of Ramadhan] , one of his wives came to visit.Evening time approached and when he was escorting her home, he came across two men.They were most likely hypocrites, and in order to prevent any ill t houghts on their part, he removed the veil from his wife’s face and said, “This is my wife, who is with me.” Had it been custom ary to leave the face exposed, there w ould be no need for the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa to uncover his wife’s face as he did.Similarly, a man said to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , “I w ould like to marry a certain girl, but I do not know what she looks like.” The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa responded , “Se eing her is permissible.You may see her.” That man went to the girl’s father and told him this.Her father said that he wa s not ready to show his daughter.The daughter, who was also listening to the conversation, said that if the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa had allowed it, then why stop him.If the girl was out and about w ith her face exposed, why ask the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa in the first place, and then ask the girl’s father ? There are many incidents of th is kind that indicate that women did not walk around with their faces exposed.Indeed, they did go out to work, talk to men, and partake in wars.The truth of the matter is that unnecessary coercion regarding p u rdah has resulted in the attempt to extinguish it completely.I myself , have seen women brought in a doli surrounded with curtains as she boarded the train.This was unnecessar il y harsh, but it is also dangerous to pervert the actual issue.I n this way, damage is done to Islam.If our opponents state that Islam commands us to observe p u rdah , but we do n ot, that is another matter.It will be assumed that

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! ! 239 just as people do not follow many other religious injunctions, so too is the case here.Once it is understood that Islam ic p u rdah is in no way detrimental, but rather is beneficial, people will begin to observe it.However, to say that the injunction of p u rdah does not even exist in Islam , is to attack Islam.It cannot be expected of those, in whose minds this concept has been imprinted [that the concept of purdah does not exist within Islam], that they will ever be able to justly adhere to true p u rdah.I call the current p u rdah a political p u rdah because circumstances are such.In British law , the price for chastity is monetarily set, which is why it is important to be cautious, otherwise women would be able to walk freely under a Muslim government.I n Arab countries , I have seen women shopping in the marketplace.The men there say t hat the women do not like the shopping the men do for them.The women say that men are not familiar with the clothes women prefer to wear , nor are they aware of the other things women buy, therefore they go out and shop for themselves.Sheikh Abdul Ghafoor : I asked Maulvi Muhammad Ali about p u rdah.He answered , “ My heart truly wishes that women could walk without covering their face s , but I do not have the strength to carry this out yet.I wish that Allah enable s me to enforce Islam ic p u rdah , or in other words, keep the face exposed.” Maulvi Sahib corroborated this by saying that if the face was not meant to be exposed , then the Holy Qur’ān would not have commanded men and women to lower their gaze.Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra : The eyes and a little bit of the area around it can be e xposed, which is why it is commanded to lower their gaze.Sheikh Abdul Ghafoor : Can women go to the marketplace to get groceries? Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra : I f there is no danger , they can.The current burqa is very uncomfortable , and I do no t like it.The

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! ! 240 Egyptian style of burqa is comfortable.It is said that p u rdah is the reason that women are unable to progress, and their health is poor , but this is not true.What does a woman who does not observe p u rdah achieve, which a woman who practices p u rdah does not achieve ? When women used to observe p u rdah in accordance with Islam ic commandments, their health was good , they participated in wars, and defe ated enemies.Y et now unveiled women are not accomplishing anything of the sort.The reality is that health is maintained due to h ope and ambition.If someone does not have ambition, even if you place her on the peak of a mountain, she will only sink lower and lower.[However], i f one has hope and motivation , then even if you enfold her with in a quilt, she will only grow stronger and stronger.Kalilah [ a book of animal fables] narrates the story of a mouse.There was once a man who was complaining to his friend about a mous e who was get ting into his things.The friend suggested that the man place [his things] higher up.To which, the man making the complaint, replied that the mouse still got into his things, because the mouse would just jump even higher.The friend responded, “There must be some reason.I recommend that you dig out the mouse’s hole.” When he dug out the hole, he found money, and he took it.Later , when the mouse came out, he was half dead and could not even walk properly.The example given is of a mouse , but humans behave v ery similar ly.They are able to f eel resolute and zealous over any ideal.Compared to the veiled women living in Arab countries what can these bare - faced women achieve? The fact is that women in Arabia are free i n their country , therefore they are powerful and strong , even with the commandment of p u rdah.What is needed is to improve up on the current p u rdah.As long as this [oppressive] p u rdah exists, the opponents of p u rdah w ill have the upper hand.This reformation can only be achieved when women are educated and they themselves practice p u rdah in accordance with the Islam ic code.W hile observing p u rdah , t hey should work , the y should keep healthy, and they should inform other women that while maintaining p u rdah , a ll kinds of progress is possible.The words of s uch women can influence other women.It is not as effective when men advise them of this because women reply , “You stay outside the home.H ow would you know the hardships of p u rdah ?”

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! ! 241 In my opinion , it is also cruel to force girls to wear a burqa from a very young age.This h as a harmful effect on their health , and they are unable to attain a good height.The girl should be made to observe p u rdah when she approaches puberty.( Al - Fazl , July 6, 1928) A Further Con vers ation on P u rdah Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra Close to the time of Maghrib prayers, Mr.Mu sharraf Hussain MA, Delhi Inspector of Post Offices, came to have an audience with Haz rat Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra.They spoke of the ruin of the royal families of Delhi and the destruction of old learned families.Thereafter, Inspector Sahib sought Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ’s ra viewpoint on the issue of p u rdah.In response , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra referred to a talk he gave to a medical student a few days earlier, which had been published in Al - Fazl.A copy of the Al - Fazl was given to Inspector Sahib and Ha z rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra further elaborated upon this conversation : “ When regarding matters which relate to deeds , people should look to the actions of those who were originally addressed, rather than arguing over statements.In regard to p u rdah , we should look at the practice of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and his c ompanions ra.It shows that p u rdah included the face.There are incidents related in the H adith which support this.These accounts are not specifically related in support of p u rdah , lest one may infer that the personal opinion or inclination of the narrator has a role to play.Rather, these accounts have been mentioned when recording other incidents.Hence , they are decisive with regards to p u rdah , for these events were not recorded with the issue of p u rdah in mind , but they were simply narrating daily routines.Therefore, covering one’s face is supported through H adith and Islam ic h istory.” Inspector Sahib : “What is your view on :

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! ! 242 َﻇ َﻬ َﺮ َﻣ ﺎ ِا َّﻻ “… except that which is apparent … ? ” Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra : “It means that wh ich is apparent, that which cannot be hidden out of necessity, because circumstance renders it necessary, such as one’s height.O r in terms of an illness , one must expose a part of the body fo r treatment , or in regard to one’s job , baring a part the body if required.The Holy Qur’ān ’s directive is to cover the beauty and t he most beautiful part is one’s face.For those who claim that covering one’s face has not been commanded, I ask th em , what is beauty then t hat has been ordained to be covered? We prefer that the face be veiled to the extent that it does not affect one’s health.F or instance, that the veil be made of thin material, or that a veil of Arabic style be made.In Arab areas the veil is made so that the eyes and part of the nose remains exposed.” ( Dalhauzi , July 9 ; Al - Fazl , July 17, 1928; Number: 5, Volume: 16)

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! ! 243 The Women of the Ahmadiyya Jama ‘ at Should Take Note Written by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra I announced before that as it had become impossible to build a m osque in Berlin due to lack of funds, a m osque has been built in London using the donations from women.I asked the women if they would like to claim this [London] M osque on their behalf, or if they would prefer that men pay its cost and another mosque in another country be bu ilt on their behalf.Since the women did not respond, I have gathered that the women of our Jama'at are satisfied that they be attributed to the London M osque , which n ow carries worldwide fame.In my opinion, keeping in mind London’s importance as the center of Christianity , it is appropriate that a mosqu e is built by women.T his is because it becomes a practical answer to allegations made by Christianity whereby they claim that Islam violates women’s rights.H owever , I will once again pose this question in the coming S hura [ The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s advisory council] meeting.Until t hen the sisters should continue to ponder over whether they would like the London M osque to be attributed to them , or whether , when the time comes for another mosque to be built in America or another European country , they would like that mosque to be built on their behalf.At this time , I would like to draw women’s attention to another matter.Due to the building of this m osque , tabligh efforts have picked up quite a bit and by the Grace of God Almighty , this work is now beyond the capacity of two pe ople.Earlier , Sheikh Yaqub Ali Irfani brought this to my attention from England.He wrote that the drawback is that many important projects are discontinued after their initiation , therefore , the expected advantages do not materialize.Later , some other friends also brought this matter to my attention.Now, Khan Sahib Maulv i Farzand Ali also wrote a letter stating that the work appears quite substantial, and it will be necessary to increase the staff.To build a m o sque and then not appoint a proper team of

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! ! 244 workers is indeed a wa ste of the money which was spent earlier.Therefore, I have suggested that another missionary be sent there.This time, I would like to try something new, which is to appoint a m issionary from amongst the new converts of England, rather than s ending one from India.In my opinion , it has many advantages.First ly , there will be someone from among the English who is familiar with the religion of Islam.Secondly, as he understands the thinking of his co - nationals , he will be able to facilitate propagation.Earlier, I intended to bring over an English man and train him, but now I feel that he should work there for some time and then be called here , if appropriate.In t his way , we can assess from his experience whether he is even capable of undertaking this work.This will save us from the pain of training him and then letting him go.Si nce we do not have room in our budget and since women should also participate an appropriate amount in tabligh efforts , I have decide d that this extra expense be borne by our women.The estimate for this expenditure is four thousand rupees annually.Moreover, Khan Sahib ’s letter indicates that due to insufficie nt funds in the last four ye ars, the UK mission is in debt.At present , t his debt is about five thousand rupees.M any invoices have not been paid and for this reason , the work has been adversely affected.Fundamentally, this is a serious flaw.W hen the expenditure exceeded the approved budget , a request [for additional funds] was not immediately registered.Since the mistake is already made and the expenditure i s genuine for the needs of the m ovement, we must accept it.However, since there is no room in our budget, I would like our women to take on the responsibility of this extra expenditure.This year , they should submit a total of nine thousand rupees for miscellaneous expenses.In the coming years, God willing, they will only have to assume the expenses of the additional missionary and as of now , that is e stimated to be four thousand rupees.I put forward this scheme before the Ahmadi women in Qadian, and by the Grace of Allah Almighty , the women of Qadian as usual have showed their utmost devotion and have pledged another one thousand rupees, from which six hundred rupees have been collect ed as cash or jewelry.Now with this essay, I expand t his

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! ! 245 campaign, and I hope that Ahmadi women in other places will not la g behind their Ahmadi sisters of Qadian, remembering that believing men and believing wom en can never feel comfortable in trailing behind when it comes to virtuous and righteous deeds.By the Grace of Allah Almighty, o ur Jama’at’s women can accomplish much, as is evidenced by the work of Ahmadi women in Sialkot, who are successfully run ning a girl’s school.Likewise, they are holding a convention on the June 17 th in Lahore and Amritsar, despite opposition , which shows their increased courage.Wherever they may be, Ahmadi ladies should hold meetings as soon as possible to raise this money and send it in immediately in order that the work may commence.Where there is no Lajna or where it is not customary for women to gather, the secretaries on the men’s side should facili tate women’s gatherings , and in this way , they may also share in the blessings.I would also like to say that women should make the donation themselves , either as cash, or in the form of jewelry and in no way should they ask men for this chanda.They should not feel embarrassed if they can only donate a small amount of money.God looks at the heart and not at the amount.If they serve with devotion, Allah Almighty will enable them to collect more than wha t is asked, becoming a model for future generations and heirs to eternal blessings.I would also like to relate that at the time of the Berlin Mosque’s proposal , some non - Ahmadi women also wished to participate in donat ing money towards it.It was not allowed, s ince at that time , the condition was that only Ahmadis were to give this chanda.Some women even accepted Ahmadiyyat for that purpose.Since that work must continue permanently, the cond ition was imposed that only Ahmadi women could contribute to this chanda.However, n ow that this chanda is fo r general preaching projects, this condition is not needed.If a non - Ahmadi sister happily wishes to participate in this chanda , her donation will be accepted with pleasure.As the project must begin urgently, I would therefore once again , enjoin you to act promptly.Humbly , Mirza Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifa t - ul - Masih , October 17, 1928

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! ! 246 An Address to Lajna Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra On December 1 st , Lajna Ima’illah Qadian arranged a tea party in the honor of the respected Maulv i Abdur Rahim Dard MA, Missionary in England , and presented an address in his honor.After the address , Maulv i Sahib delivered a speech, a fter which Ha z rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra gave the following discourse.Haz rat Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra stated : First , I would like to draw Dard Sahib’s attention to a responsibility I believe he has.Al though his time to speak has passed, he can however acknowledge in his heart the error of excluding women from the term ‘ Adamiyyat ’ [the Urdu word for humanity derived from the name Adam] in his speech.Women hold the same status in humanity as Dard Sahib doe s or we do.If huma n beings are called ‘ Adami ’ [human] because the y are the progeny of Adam, then Dard Sahib does not have a right to consider himself a n Adami [Urdu word usually connoting men] whilst exclud ing women from ‘ mankind ’.However, I also believe that women h ave contributed to this [mistake of considering themselves excluded from the t er m ‘ Adami ’] as well because they will say, ‘Observe p u rdah , for Adamis have arrived ,’ or other statements of this nature.As they exclude them selves from ‘ Adamiyyat ’ , therefore Dard Sahib has also erred in doing so.The matters discussed by Dard Sahib at this time could prove to be very beneficial , but there is one thing which is ignored by lecturers who make such exhortations, and that is that they always look towards the upper class of England and n ot towards the lower class or those who are impoverished.There is no doubt that the educated class of Europe is bette r off than the educated class here, b ut I have seen other groups of boys and girls whose hair is disheveled , and their faces are grimy and soiled.I have seen su ch children in Italy as well as in

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! ! 247 England.In reality, education and financial status play a large part in one’s cleanliness and training.In our country, to love a child is to turn him into a good - for - nothing, whereas in those countries , it entails in making them useful.This is a malady in our country where parents try to ensure tha t their child bear s no hardship , even though the hardship a child faces during training , is actually a source of comfort for him.This is because if today we do not inculcate the habit of hard work within a child and do not teach him good morals, then he will inevitably grow up to suffer greatly and we ourselves will be responsible for that suffering.Thus, from the very beginning, we should strive to raise our children in a moral manner and inculcate the highest qualities in them.W e should undoubtedly acknowledge that the people of those countries have some advantages due to their country’s circumstances.However, we must also rectify that weakness which is our own fault or is due to our own negligence.For example , there is an alarming weakness in our country’s children, which is that each one of them wishes to eat something separately.In t his way , the item is consumed in excess and secondly , children de velop the habit of extravagance.M oreover , their digestive system becomes upset.Yet, eating separately is quite common within our country.A person will invite a guest over , serve the m the food and then disappear , perceiv ing it to be an insult if he were to eat with the guest.Likewise , in side the home, the wife will spread out the tablecloth and s erve her husband with his dinner, and then run off to do other errands.T hey do not even sit together to eat.If you sit and eat together the food will not be wasted and order will be maintained as well.To rectify this , mere lectures are of no help.M oral training is require d.For this , a modus operandi [rules of practice] should be made for the nation.A book should be prepared which covers how women should train children so that women may read and act upon it.It would be im practical to expect a person to store those copies of Al - Fazl or Review of Religions [ publication s of the Ahmadiyya M uslim C ommunity] for reference where they have marked those articles

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! ! 248 which cover moral training for children , and then to constantly refer back to them, to read them and act upon t he advice contained within them.However, i f these topics we re collected in one volume and such a book wa s made p art of the women’s syllabus or women read it for themselves and then implement it, it could prove to be very valuable.However , until such a book is compiled, women should try to act upon these matters themselves.At present , we have asked women to pay attention towards education, after which God willing , attention will be paid to tarbiyat [ moral training ] as well.After a person is educated , they can understand how precious children are and how important their training is.My intention is to expand the present girl s’ school to a h igh s chool.C handa is being collected f or this purpose and it is expected that within three to four months , we wil l be able to purchase land for the girl s’ high school.S ome aid will be received from the government and more funds will be collected through chanda.God willing, we will be able to lay the foundation in 1929.Those Lajna members who are being educated, will assist in teaching at the school, even if at present they may be un able to assist in training.In my opinion , the matter to which we should direct more of our attention is education, and in particular religious education.Only this education will instill some sense and understanding in our children.I am so discontented by the present ways of our youngsters that I w ish every element of Europe could be changed.O ne’s head bows in shame and regret t o see the people in our country so obsessively copy European customs.Today , Dard Sahib stated that those habits which Europe has abandoned due to discontentment, those habits are being gladly and enthusiastically adopted by the people of our country.Yet, I have been saying for the past ten years that the issues which Europeans have raised their voices against , those very issues are considered a source of progress by the people of our country.There is an uproar there against interest and here efforts are being made to introduce it.Similarly , people there are pushing to control alcohol , whereas here a great interest is being shown towards

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! ! 249 [consuming] it.Thus , in imitating Europe , people have become blind.In order to safeguard ourselves and others as well, we should make others realize that our culture is neither defective nor feeble.The flaw is that it has not been properly practiced.Consider the [following] notion.A color only appears beautiful up to a certain degree.For example , the color blue or black is only used to a certain extent when painting a picture, so that the view of the sky is shown.However, if the bottle of blue or black paint is poured over it, then it would not create beauty ; rather it would create ugliness.Similarly, clouds are painted white in a picture, but if someone brushes the whole paper with white paint , th en it would be ignorance.Thus , we have created defects by misusing our culture which in itself is not defective.Take the example of p u rdah for women.If anyone adopted freedom s to the extent that the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa himself gave to women, there would be an uproar against him.The Prophet Muhammad sa s tated that if a man is riding and a woman is walking, he should ask her to ride behind him.Now adays, if someone acted in such a manner , there w ould be a great outcry despite the fact that the Holy Prophet sa declared this as an act of charity and a man ’s responsibility.In short, incorrect practice s have created defects and t hey should be reformed.Women should be given however much freedom Islam has granted to them.F or example, they should go out, take part in work, attend meetings , but they should do so in the manner which Islam has instructed , and which has been practiced.Here progress has taken place to the extent that while observing p u rdah women now deliver lectures.Muslim women who do not observe p u rdah and have not yet developed the courage to do so.Thus, women should be given freedom to the degree that Islam has bestowed on them , and that is the best and most advantageous freedom for them.They should not step beyond that.I like the new style of burqa , for women can walk more freely in it.However, some have started to use it improperly, making it into a coat which reveals the figure.H ence , it becomes unlawful.Why has the Shariah prescribed wearing the Jilbab [an outer garment] ? Why not a shirt on its own ? The reason is so that the figure of the body is not displayed.Loose clothing should be worn.D ue to its improper use ,

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! ! 250 the b urqa cannot be blamed.However, the weakness which has developed must be remedied.Thus , it is necessary to reform the se shortcomings.Nothing should be imitat ed blindly.Islam is neither of the East nor of the West, so Muslim s should neither copy Asia n or the West.Therefore, do not blindly follow anyone ; Asia i s not continuing the type of p u rdah which is customary there, nor is Europe in discontinuing p u rdah , bec ause it is not observed there.Instead , we shoul d avoid both extremes and tread upon the right path.(Al - Fazl, December 11, 1928: Number: 47, Volume:16) Address to the Ladies a t the Occasion of Jalsa Salana Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra December 1928 After the recitation of Tashah h ud and Surah Al - Fatihah , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra stated: I consider it an immense Grace of God that He has enabled me to speak today.If due to illness my voice does not reach anyone, she should not leave.H er reward is based on intention.If she sits with the intention to listen, then the voice will reach her.Regardless , if the intention is there, then at least she will attain her reward.The se gatherings are held for the sake of the religion of God.Thousands, or actually m illions of people travel to M ecc a every year and return after performing Hajj.Some return after making the circuit around the Ka ‘ ba h , whereas others return after perform ing ‘ Umra h , for they do not have the opportunity to perform Hajj.Nonetheless, God Almighty has declared Hajj a grand occasion.N o speech is given there, no lecture, no discourse.Only one sermon is given , which may be heard by a few hundred individuals.God has endowed g reat honor to Hajj.Several people return, having engaged merely in idle talk yet

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! ! 251 everyone regards them with honor, respect and call s them ‘ Haj j i Sahib ’ [a person who has performed Hajj] o nly because t he y undertook the journey in the way of God and suffered hardships for the sake of God.Thus, undertaking a journey in the way of God is a blessing in itself.Every individual who with pure intentions , travels to the place where God has manifested His glory , and does so with pure intentions, arrives back inheriting His special blessings.God Almighty sees the sacrifices : ؕ ◌ ِﻣ ۡﻨ ُﻜ ۡﻢ ا ﻟ َّﺘ ۡﻘ ٰﻮ ی َّﻳ َﻨ ﺎ 3ُُ ٰﻟ ِﻜ ۡﻦ َو ِد َﻣ ﺂ ُؤ َﻫ ﺎ َﻻ َو ُﻟ ُﺤ ۡﻮ ُﻣ َﻬ ﺎ ا َّٰﷲ َّﻳ َﻨ ﺎ َل َﻟ ۡﻦ “ Their flesh reaches not Allah , nor does their blood , but it is your righteousness that reaches Him.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.22 : V.38) Which means, t he meat or the blood of the sacrifice does not reach Him, for He desires purpose and intention.Thus, every action an individual undertakes which is righteous or carries righteous intentions in which he fears God and is inclined towards God, such an action can never be wasted.If a person spends the whole night in prayer , how does that benefit his neighbor? How would the neighbor know that this person spends his whole night in prayer? W e have observed that from among some Hindus , there are individuals who stay awake all night; and some even abandon food and survive only on leafy vegetables , yet despite their actions, people label them k afir [ n on - believer].Remember , faith is that which brings one closer to God.If you sit here with noble intention s and faith, even the trip to Qadian will be blessed.Once, t he Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was seated in a gathering where the space was tight.Three men arrived.One searched for a place and found a spot situated near the Holy Prophet sa.The second one looked for a space and sat in the middle of the aisle.The third one saw the crowd, did not look for a place , and left.God Almighty informed regarding this, ‘T he first man who searched for a spot and sat down will be greatly reward ed due to his action.The one who sat in the middle will also have a reward.However , I will not reward the man who left withou t looking for a space.’ Thus, purpose and intention are what allow a person to succeed in e very deed and objective.

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! ! 252 At this time , I would like to draw the ladies’ attention towards a matter, the news of which Haz rat Adam as gave and all other Prophets continued to give.They have related that in the latter days there w ill be great distress.If a person is a Muslim in the morning, he will be a disbeliever by evening; if he g o es to bed a Muslim , he will wake up a disbeliever.Hence today , Islam is in an extremely dreadful and fragile state.Each and every religion is focused on crushing Islam.Yet , I see that people care for their pet dog or cat , but today they do not even care that much for Islam.The Promised Messiah as states : ﺑ = ک c ُﺷ ﺪ د ﯾ ﻦ ا ﺣ ﻤ ﺪ ﺣ ﯿ چ ﺧ i j ﺶ و l ﺎ ر ﻧ m ﺴ ﺖ o ﺮ ک c د ر q ﺎ ر ﺧ ﻮ د 3 ﺎ د ﯾ ﻦ ا ﺣ ﻤ ﺪ q ﺎ ر ﻧ m ﺴ ﺖ Faith of Ahmad [ Islam ] has become helpless, with no relative or friend; Everyone is busy with his own affairs and has nothing to do with the Faith of Ahmad The Promised Messiah as related that once a pious man saw a vision of a leper in the town of Bhopal.The leper’s entire body was affected by disease.When asked who he was, the man replied that he was God.The pious man was astounded.God is the e nsemble of the most perfect ly beautiful attributes.W hat kind of god is this? The leper explained that he was the god of the people of Bhopal, for this is how they perceived him.And y et, t he condition of G od in the world today is like that of the god of Bhopal.Whether it be Iran, Turkey, or Afghanistan, the entire world has stigmatized Islam , as if it were an injection from a medical clinic.Where at one time, t he name of Islam c ommand ed respect, no w joining Islam is considered a disgrace.T his is due solely to the Muslims deserting Islam.In cities the vagrants a re Muslims, beggars are Muslims, prisoners are mostly Muslim women and men, prostitutes are mostly Muslim, thugs and scoundrels in the cities are often Muslim.F rom among workers, the incompetent and dishonest are Muslim.Therefore, God Almighty has heaped such disgrace upon Muslims, that they are hum iliated in every situation.This is solely due to the fact that Muslims have started asking , ‘I f Islam is true , then why are we so

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! ! 253 humiliated ? ’ Other nations pose the question , ‘I f Muslims are truthful , why are they so humiliated ? ’ Ultimately , the whole responsibility lies up on the Muslims.Muslims deserted Islam and therefore they have been humiliated.Amongst the affluent Muslims, there are those who believe the purpose of their lives is simply to sit idly at home , eat and manage their servan ts even though Islam forbids indolence.Asking others to do work is akin to begging.Once, a c ompanion ra was traveling by horse when his whip fell to the ground.A man behind him wished to pick it up, but the c ompanion s aid , “ I s wear by God , do not pick up the whip.” The c ompanion ra got off his horse and picked up the whip himself , so he could avoid begging.The teachings of the Holy Prophet sa are not intended to create defects or idleness, but Muslim women are often idle.This is in the sense that they do not perform any useful and productive work.They believe that their sole work is housework , cooking food, making the bed, washing their children’s clothes, and cleaning up their children’s waste.Yet even a cat provid es for herself and her children.What then distinguishes man from an animal? You must spare some time for the benefit of o thers.Do your household chores, but also do something for the welfare of others.Ask yourself, what have you done in your life to benefit the world ? If no thing , then do it now.The only job affluent ladies do is to exercise authority over their servants and still they continue to complain about the amount of work they do.In England, women work quite a bit.T hey are clerks in offices, they work as nurses and doctors, etc.Last year, I offered women the opportunity to learn to do tabligh here and t hat we w ould make arrangement s for them.At dars , m en were [similarly] encouraged to come , and fiv e hundred men attended, however among the women , we received only one letter expressing any interest.Last year, wom en were urged to establish Lajna all over [India] and to teach handicraft.Yet , except for a few women, nobody paid attention.By learning handicraft skills, you should assist the poor.

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! ! 254 Manual work is not a disgrace, but rather it is the highest honor.King Aurangzeb would do calligraphy of the Holy Qur’ān.The Holy Prophet sa helped the women in the ir household chores.W ork is not a weakness n or is it a disgrace.The women here believe that the purpose of their birth is to eat and drink.God has given [us] hands, feet, tongue, eyes, and a nose.One real izes the importance of an organ when it is lost.If an eye is lost or the nose is cut, only then is their value realized.[In our culture] , having one’s nose cut off is considered a great disgrace.The nose is held in great esteem although it is a small organ.The nose has many functions.One breathes through the nose and e ven the hair inside the nose is not us eless.Simply take the example of our ears.I f they were severed, how unattractive a person would look.Thus, one should ponder over why God has given us eyes, a nose, ears etc., and thou sands of blessings.Is it o nly so that one w ould eat in thi s world and then die? What benefits can one derive from these blessings? Thus, today I advis e you to make your life useful, so much so , that the people in your town are convinced t hat their survi val is dependent upon your life, or the people in the village s believe that thei r existence is only through you, or that the neighbors feel that they rely solely up on your life.There is a famous Arabic proverb: َﻣ ْﻮ ُت ا ﻟ r ﻌ ﺎ ` ِﻟ ِﻢ َﻣ ْﻮ ُت ا ﻟ r َﻌ ﺎ ﻟ ` ِﻢ [ The d eath of a scholar is the death of the world.] Thus, make your life constructive according to your individual understanding.By observing the success of other nations, make your life useful.If up unti l now, you have not changed your condition, then transform it now.Sympa thize with the creation of God, consider the probl ems faced by others as your own, sha re in grief.People do not look to wards how many prayers an individual offer s.What good are your prayers when your existe nce is of no benefit to them? Therefore, make your lif e and your existence worthwhile.( Misbah , January 15, 1929)

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! ! 255 Respect the Law and D o not be Afraid of Differences in Opinion Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra At a welcoming reception hosted by Lajna Ima ’illah Qadian, Hazrat Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra gave the following address.The Law Should Always b e Followed First of all, on behalf of my family, my companions , and myself, I would like to thank the members of the Lajna Ima’illah for this reception up on our arrival.After this, I now believe it is necessary to draw the Lajna’s attention towards an issue concerning the expansion of their work , which is that the life of an organization is in fact the life of its rules.The purpose of t aking a task from one individual and delegating it to several people is that the people become accustomed to valuing a united effort.This produces a spirit whereby the continuity of the task is not affected , even if at some point the organization loses one of its leaders.To fulfill this objective, it is vital and essential that the rules are al ways followed, and in order to follow the rules , it is essential that the rules should be available in precise language.Where ver Lajna members strive to expand their work, they should not go beyond their own rules.In the address that was presented just now, there was a mention of a school , but the Lajna reports which I have receiv ed have not alluded to this in the same manner.It is possible that the Lajna may have passed a resolution regarding this, but I did not receive that resolution.There is a great difference in what was mentioned and what was relayed.Thus, Lajna members should remember that they should n ever start a project before setting up the rules and regulations accordingly , no matter how great or useful the project may be.I would even say that if Jihad [striving in the way of Allah] depended on the decisions by Lajna , even that should not begin before a plan is devised.

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! ! 256 Do not be Afraid o f Disagreement The second issue I wish to draw the Lajna’s attention to is that when a Jama'at begins to work under a system, difference s in opinion will occur among the members , for they were previously unaccustomed to functioning under this system.One should not be disconcerted by such disagreements.These differences uncover shortcomings in the system, which are usually created when work is in its initial stage.Shortcomings in law s are only discovered when challenged by lawyers and in this way , the law progresses to wards improvement.Thus, if disagreement occurs in Lajna ’s work , do not become anxious because the differences draw attention towards deficiencies and reveal the flaws of others.As a result, the rules become more and more comprehensive and subsequently the work improves as the law progresses towards perfection.Therefore, do not fret over a difference of opinion, rather, it should be valued.Take note.T he Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said: َر ْﺣ َﻤ ٌﺔ ا t ﻣ ﱠ u vِ w ا ْﺧ ِﺘ َﻼ ُف Difference am ong my followers is a blessing.Th e form of disagreement being mentioned here is the one that takes place within an organization and an association which serves under Khilafat.Of course, any disagreement which is confrontational and ou t of line leads to destruction.When each group declares to leave aside their differences whenever they run contrary to the rules or the system and if they pledge to work according to the system in place then such disagreement does not cause harm rather , it is beneficial.The Lajna members should remember that there is a vast scope of work before them.There are such tasks which await them, that as of now they are unable to comprehend.There was a time when I would speak to Lajna members, and I would tell them what to do.After listening to my speech , the members would say, “We have understood your speech very well, but tell us what we should do?” I would then repeat my discourse and again they would say they had listened

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! ! 257 carefully to the entire issue, but they still await ed my instructions.I was taken aback by their r esponse for I had told them of all sorts of projects , and still they asked me what to do ! However, now I have observed that they are growing in their understanding of how to work and they have begun their activities with great enthusiasm.Yet, they should remember that disagreements are inevitable in such matters, and they should develop the habit of tolerating differences.A nation, which does not tolerate differences , excepting disagreements on those issues which are fundamental , and a nation which does not integrate people who disagree with them and instead forces them to break away, such a nation will never progress.A major reason for the downfall of Muslims is that they sideline whoever disagrees with them.In fact, if something is not a fundamental disagreement , and does not violate the system or strike at its foundation , then it is necessary and should be accepted.Of course, if the dispute is over principles and strikes at the roots, then it is necessary to separate the person who causes such disagreement s because doing so is comparable to the severing of a limb which develops an infection , which in turn will destroy the whole body.Following this, I turn my attention towards an incident , as alluded to in this address, which occurred here at the slaughterhouse.I will speak to Lajna [about it].Among the Lajna Ima’illah [present here] , such women are not present here who have children or who have grown up childre n , except for a few.Yet, as th e women present here are the representatives of other women , I will draw their attention towards the responsibilities enjoined upon the women of this era.Make y our Children Brave a nd Strong O ur Jama'at has remained peaceful in the current time , I t is peaceful now and will remain peaceful in the time to come.However, th is does not mean that we abandon our rights upon being forced to do so and it does not mean that we should refuse to safeguard our rights.The most peaceful person in the world was the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , but the latter part of his life was spent in fighting battles.

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! ! 258 In reality, peace and war are not contradictory.At times, peace and war are one and the same , and at other times, war is opposed to peace.S ometimes , war opposes peace to a certain extent and favors it to a certain extent.At other times, it is necessary to wage war to establish peace , and there are times when war is waged to destroy peace.At times , the si tuation lies between these two.I n other words, the intention is to establish peace , but the action leads to the destruction of peace.Or the intention is to destroy peace , but t he action taken leads to peace.Thus, if war is necessary to establish peace, then it is necessary for our children to be courageous and va liant.In our country, one great problem is that when the time comes for men to undertake a special task, women make a great commotion, ‘O, our children, our brothers, our husbands , and our other relatives will undergo hardship s.’ W here the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa had fearless and courageous men, he also had valiant and resolute women.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and his followers accomplished magnificent and outstanding deeds.I f a man sets out for the battle field and leaves behind a crying mother, a wailing wife and a grief - stricken sister at home , he will be unable to carry out his task courageously because the shadow of grief w ill linger in his heart.It will plagu e him with the feeling that his home has been engulfed by sorrow.However, if he leaves his family joyful, his heart will be cheerful.He will be confident that he has not left an unhappy person in his home.Secure in this pleasure , he will wholeheartedly embark upon the journey with his life.As our Jama'at progresses, many importan t tasks will unfold before them.W e do not know what sacrifices we will be required t o offer to advance forward.Only God knows how soon in the future we will be responsible for the administration of governments and what circumstances we will go through to do so.Therefore , it is important that the women of our Jama'at be brave and strong - hearted , so that their children grow to be courageous and bold.Where I advise the women of my Jama'at to progress in education, moral training, the organization and service of religion, I would also add that they should raise their children to be courageous.Their hearts should be so strong that whatever sacrifice is required ,

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! ! 259 they do so with pleasure.Thus , when they leave their homes for the purpose of sacrifice, they depart gladly, not leaving grief - stricken scenes behind them.Now that the A dh ā n for Maghrib has been called, I will conclude my speech and pray that God endow s the men and women of the Jama'at with such spirit , that the best possible system is established.M ay He also bestow spirituality , lest we are left with a system , but no spirituality.( Al - Fazl , October 11, 1929) ! ! !

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! ! 260 Address to the Ladies at the Occasion of Jalsa Salana Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra December 28, 1929 After the recitation of Tashah h ud and Surah Al - Fatihah , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra stated: The Current State of Women’s Educational Abilities: Every year, I have drawn the attention of the women of our Jama‘ at to the fact that until they attain an education , their own relationship w ith God can never be satisfactory nor can they fulfill the obligations they owe to their relatives, family, nation, and country.Perhaps the words that I have just related weigh heavy upon you , for they imply that you are uneducated.Yet the fact is t hat you are not only unacquainted with other languages, but you are also unfamiliar with your own language and due to this , I have difficulty in delivering speeches to women.The Difficulties Faced During a Speech When giving a speech, I try not to use w ords that you cannot understand, even though I do not de liver this speech in a foreign language.When a nation is in such a pitiful state that it does not possess the ability to understand a spe ech in its own language, it is proof enough of its poor condition.A speech is delivered in everyday language.For example, if religion is being discussed, words such as Day of Judgment, destiny, etc., are essential.Now if someone [listening] does not understand these terms , several difficulties a rise for the lecturer.He is left with only t wo options : e ither he uses simple words, concentrat ing on using easily understood language thus ruining his speech , o r he uses technical words in his speech which his audience fails to understand.

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! ! 261 Therefore, every single woman should pay attention to her educational progress.On the men’s side, I can spe ak for hours on a single verse, but among women, my attention remains focused on whether the address can be easily understood.Due to this , the address and lecture etc., directed towards women remains very basic and the real subject escapes the mind.When I give the dars to women, there are times when I deliver a lesson over one and a half to two r uk ū‘ in a short time , whereas with men, I spend the same amount of time in explaining just one verse of the Holy Qur’ān.So once again , I call your attention to the importance of being knowledgeable in your own country’s language.Pay Attention Towards y our Progress After this, I draw your attention to the fact that religious education is the most important education.How can I explain it to you so that you pay heed ? In this age, Allah Almighty’s m essenger came and for forty years he spoke continuously of God Almighty, resulting in a God - fearing atmosphere where many men attained the status of Ghaus , Qutab , W ali , Siddiq [ various ranks denoting extreme devotion and nearness to God ], and the righteous.Some of them rank ed among the likes of Haz rat Abu Bakr ra , Ha z rat ‘ U th man ra , Haz rat Zubair ra , and Haz rat Talha ra.He also addressed many among you and he also narrate d God’s teachings and he trained the women in a similar manner.However , they [the women] were unable to reach such a [lofty] status.After his demise, God appointed a person with the Siddiq i 5 attributes from among you, but even that did not bring about the required transformation.God then appointed me to this position and for the last fifteen years, I have been drawing your attention towards religion through regular lessons and recurring serm ons, exhortations, and lectures.I have always strive n to make women progress , yet still ! # ! The person with Siddiqi attributes refers to Hazrat Hakeem Maulana N u r - ud - D in, Khalifat - ul - Masih 1 ra.Siddiqi means the Truthful and is the high rank of extreme devotion that Hazrat Maulana N u r - ud - D in attained, similar to Hazrat Abu Bakr ra Siddiq.[Editor] !

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! ! 262 that spirit that I yearn for has not been cultivated within them.I do not see any woman among you who is capable o f leading and guiding you.Alas! W hat effort should I employ so you may awaken ? There is a fire raging in the world, yet there you lie in a deep stupor.Does Anyone among you Know t he Holy Qur’ān ? A few days ago, I pos ed a question to the women here ; c an you name any woman [from amongst you] who has studied the Holy Qur’ān thoughtfully and has herself uncovered a profound meaning or aspect from within it ? E xcludi ng scholars, there are many men who are apparently uneducated or minimally educated , yet whether they live in a town or in rural area s despite their apparent lack of knowledge , they can explain many profound facets of the Holy Qur’ān which people were unaware of before.M en from Qadian, many who are u nfamiliar with Arabic, can relate several wonderfully astute and meaningful points from the Holy Qur’ān.Give me one example of a woman who has uncovered something new from the Holy Qur’ān and presented the world with something it was previously unaware of.Additionally, t here are even some women present among you , who others call maulvi s.Once again, I emphasize [this point] and ask you : w h o among you has been blessed with the understanding of the Holy Qur’ān ? What is the Reason f or t his Shortcoming? There are many women among you who say men are more favored.Yet , I ask you , d oes God Almighty h arbor hostility towards you? Does He refuse to help you? I s the door to understanding the w ord of God shut upon you and do the angels not help you access the court of God? What is the reason for this? The only reason is that you do not read the Holy Qur’ān as the Holy Qur’ān should be read and you do not realize that it contains knowledge, value, and wisdom.You re ad it only as a divine Book which you are required to read.For this reason, the door to its wisdom is closed to you.Heed the following point well.T he Holy Qur’ān is God’s book, and it holds all knowledge.The Holy Qur’ān does not exist so that you may gain Heaven by reading it or Hell by not reading it; rather Allah says :

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! ! 263 ِﻓ ۡﻴ ِﻪ ِذ ۡﻛ ُﺮ ›ُ ۡﻢ [“… wherein lies your glory and eminence ;”] (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.21: V.11 ) T hat is, i t contains provisions for your spiritual development and knowledge.The Holy Qur’ān is not a charm.It contains wisdom and principles.Until you comprehend it, the Holy Qur’ān will be of no benefit to you.Th ere must be hundreds among you who have stated some fact s of information.However, if you are asked about the source of your knowledge , you would never mention the Holy Qur’ān to be the source of that information.Instead, the source of your information would be books, magazines, novels or the publication of an author.In many cases, for the women of our Jama'at the source would be a book of the Promised Messiah as.Not even one amongst you would say that you had understood a certain point after pondering over the Holy Qur’ān.How dark the situation is that you remain so ignorant of the Holy Qur’ān which contains such treasures equally for all mankind in this world.If the door to the Holy Qur’ān is closed t o you, what more can be expected of you? How One Woman Progressed I will tell y ou the story of a woman who was little versed in writing and reading.At present, I am not sure if she knew how to write, but it is certain that she was able to read.She recited the Holy Qur’ān as the Holy Qur’ān should be recited, not for the expectation of Heaven or for the fear of Hell ; s he did not read it as a habit or to show off.Rather , she recited it with the understanding that this was God’s Word and with the awareness that it contained all knowledge.As a result , al though she was never apprenticed to anyone, she became a teacher for the whole world.Who was that woman? Her name was Haz rat A ’isha h ra.That Lady Surpassed Many Men in her Comprehension of t he Holy Qur’ān She [ Ha z rat A’isha h ra ] understood the Holy Qur’ān the way it should be understood.Her one single example shamed the men of the

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! ! 264 world.Despite all their intellect and intelligence, they were unable to attain such astuteness and wisdom [as her].There is a verse [in the Holy Qur’ān ]: َﺧ ﺎ َﺗ َﻢ َو ا ِّٰﷲ َّر ُﺳ ۡﻮ َل ٰﻟ ِﻜ ۡﻦ َو ِّر َﺟ ﺎ ِﻟ ُﻜ ۡﻢ ِّﻣ ۡﻦ َا َﺣ ٍﺪ َا َﺑ ۤﺎ ُﻣ َﺤ َّﻤ ٌﺪ َﻛ ﺎ َن َﻣ ﺎ ا ﻟ َّﻨ ِﺒ َّٖني n [ “ Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah , and the seal of the Prophets.” ] (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.33: V.41) Muhammad sa is not the father of any man amongst you.Surely , he is Allah ’ s Messenger and the seal of the prophets.The people understood [this to mean] that there would be no prophets after him.This is because the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa had also said : َﻻ َﻧ uzِ ﱠ 3َ ْﻌ ِﺪ ْى [There is no Prophet after me] ( B y this the Holy Prophet sa meant that there will come no prophet who will invalidat e his Shariah ).T his saying gave addit ional support to people of that particular viewpoint and so they deduced that there could never be a prophet after the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Muslims spread throughout the world and they propagated this idea.Once, this topic was being discussed in a gathering and Haz rat A’isha h ra passed by.On hearing this , she said : ُﻗ ْﻮ ﻟ t ْﻮ ا ِا ﻧ ﱠ ٗﻪ َﺧ ﺎ َﺗ ُﻢ ا َْﻻ ْﻧ ~ِ ' ﺎ ` ِء َو َﻻ َﺗ ُﻘ ْﻮ ﻟ t ْﻮ ا َﻻ َﻧ uzِ w ﱠ 3َ ْﻌ َﺪ ٗە [Certainly, do say, he (the Holy Prophet) is the Seal of all Prophets, but do not say, there is no Prophet after him.] Behold , b y reflecting up on the Holy Qur’ān , Haz rat A’isha h ra came to the correct conclusion, granting even the Prophet of this age a great advantage.How neat ly did she remove the misconceptions which have misled Muslims for thirteen hundred years! Thus, the Promised Messiah as also benefited from Ha z rat A ’ isha h ’s contemplation of the Holy Qur’ān , and the Ahmadiyya Jama'at is indebted to her.She eased

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! ! 265 their predicament.T his is just one example of her understanding of the Holy Qur’ān.An Example of this Lady ’ s Insight i nto Hadith The second incident, which is evidence of her profound wisdom and insight , is the martyrdom of Haz rat ‘Ali ’s ra brother, Haz rat Ja ‘ ffer ra.When news of this reached home, the women began to wail and lament , as was the Arab custom.Since Islam was new, people had not yet entirely cultivated Islam ic habits.Th e customs from the time of ignorance still persisted and were being followed by these women.When this was reported to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , he instructed that they be told to stop.Despite being forbidden, they did not cease , and someone again complained to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa stated : ا ﺣ ﺜ ﻮ ا ﻟ ‚ v ا ب „ … w ُو ﺟ ُﻮ Mِ ِﻬ ﻦ ﱠ [Cast dust in their faces] T hat is, to fling dust at their faces.The people who heard him say this ran to literally throw dust up on them.When Haz rat A’isha h ra heard of this incident , she was quite displeased with them and asked, “Do you believe that the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa would be so ill - mannered as to direct you to afflict pain at this time of hardship? T he Holy Prophet Muhammad sa meant for you to leave them alone.” This Lady had True Understanding of the Word o f Allah and t he Word of t he Holy Prophet Muhammad sa You see, Hazrat A’isha h ra was able to grasp such a point, which men were unable to understand.She is the only woman in the world who fully comprehended the Holy Qur’ān and the word of Allah ’s Prophet sa.C onfirmation of this fact is provided by the incident of Ifk [the great lie] , when the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa asked her, “ A’isha h ra , tell me truthfully what happened?” S he replied, “That is not my job.God Himself will provide the answer.” Subsequent ly, revelation from the Holy Qur’ān proved her view to be correct , for the Holy Qur’ān proclaim s that the accuser is res ponsible for bringing witnesses, not that the accused be compelled to swear to his or her

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! ! 266 innocence.Haz rat A’isha h ra studied the Holy Qur’ān as it should be studied , therefore, she a cquired an understanding of it which was superior to that of men.If you also s t rive to contemplate and comprehend it in the same way, you will derive the same benefits and you need not depend on any one to acquire any type of knowledge.The Holy Qur’ān contains knowledge f or every age.If one reflects upon it with God’s help , one can unlock the doors to astounding knowledge for people around the world.The Holy Qur’ān i s a Treasure of Knowledge Take the Holy Qur’ān as a simple example.T hirteen hundred years ago , it described the time of the Promised Messiah as.It says : ُﻋ ِّﻄ َﻠ ۡﺖ ا ۡﻟ ِﻌ َﺸ ﺎ ُر ِا َذ ا َو “ And when the she - camels, ten month s pregnant , are abandoned , ” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.81: V.5 ) Which means that t ravel by ca mels would be rendered obsolete.T oday, t he world has invented trai ns , which proves what the Holy Qur’ān revealed m any years ago that a time will come when these conveyances will no longer be required due to the invention of a new means of transportation.َو ِا َذ ا ا ۡﻟ ُﻮ ُﺣ ۡﻮ ُش ُﺣ ِﺸ َﺮ ۡت “ And when the wild beasts are gathered together , ” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.81: V.6) Which means that inferior and ignorant nations will gain respect and a time will come when they awaken to demand their rights and the world will be required t o give them their rights.Merely r eflect on the issue of elections and you will see how perfectly this prophecy is affirmed.H ighly respect ed Brahmans [the highest caste in Hinduism] knock on the doors of Chooray [ lower - class street sweepers ] to ask for their votes.ُز ِّو َﺟ ۡﺖ ا ﻟ ُّﻨ ُﻔ ۡﻮ ُس ِا َذ ا َو “ And when people are brought together , ”

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! ! 267 (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.81: V.8) Or in other words, people will be united together; meaning the lower classes and upper classes will all gather in one place.One example of this is today ’ s gathering.There are several amongst you whose mothers and grandmothers might have consider ed it an insult to sit with people of a lower class, but you are sitting together in accordance with God ’ s revelation and God has made everyone equal.Times have Changed, therefore y ou s hould a lso Reform Yourself Today , all supremacy has ended.The circumstances of the past can be captured from the following example.It is said that a Chaudhry [upper class person] was traveling with a Marasi [street singer , considered to be of lower caste ].On their way , they stopped at an inn.The ground under the Marasi’s bed was extremely muddy due to rain, so the poor man reluctantly moved closer to the Chaudhry.The Chaudhry smacked him harshly , exclaiming, “A re you trying to be my equal?” At the second stop , there was no bed available, therefore the Chaudhry was forced to sit on the floor.T he Marasi took up a shovel and began to dig a gra ve - like hole in the ground.The Chaudhry inquired as to what he was doing , to which the Marasi replied “ H ow can I possibly sit at the same level [as you] ?” Times have changed, and many Sayyeds, Pathans , and Mughals [Southeast Asian ethnicities who were considered of high social status] go to the homes of lower caste deputies an d pay their respects.Now , the one who is greater and more honorable is the one who is faithful and righteous in the sight of God.Remember this, that now you can no longer sit at home and rule over others.The days of ruling over others is gone.God Almighty w ishes to create unity by removing all hierarchy.According to the judgment contained within the Holy Qur’ān , the righteous will now prosper.According to the following verse , a righteous man is a learned man.n َا ۡﺗ ٰﻘ ُﻜ ۡﻢ ا ِّٰﷲ ِﻋ ۡﻨ َﺪ َا ۡﻛ َﺮ َﻣ ُﻜ ۡﻢ ِا َّن “ Verily, the most honorable among you, in the sight of Allah , is he

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! ! 268 who is the most righteous among you.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.49: V.14 ) The Holy Qur’ān c an Turn Illiterate People into t he Most Learned Ones Although we regard him to be a great scholar in the matter of faith , b y worldly standards, the Promised Messiah as did not have much [opportunity] in the way of seeking secular knowledge.H e wrote his books in the most miraculous way , al though by all appearances, he was not a learned person.For this reason, the maulv i s whom he addressed would taunt him by calling him a clerk , but God Almighty unl ocked the doors of knowledge for him.Look at my own situation.As a student, I failed my exams and was un able t o pass a single grade.Consequently , people complained to the Promised Messiah as that I was not paying attention to my studies.The Promised Messiah as called me and Hazrat Maulana Nur - ud - Din ra.I was worrie d as to how I would be punished, but the Promised Messiah as wrote out a passage and asked me to copy it.When I copied it accurately, he showed it to Haz rat Maulv i Sahib ra and said, “The c omplaint seems to be incorrect.” That was my test and a fterwards, Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih I ra taught me.His approach to teac hing was that he would read one passage of the Holy Qur’ān at a time.I n response to my questions , he would say, “ Mian, learn it for yourself.” The Incomparable Commentary of t he Holy Qur’ān - A Challenge t o Present Day Scholars Academically speaking, there is no way that I can be termed a scholar.However , I have studied the Holy Qur’ān as the Holy Qur’ān should be studied and thus have benefited from it.I am now able to challenge all riva l scholars to compete with me over the commentary of any verse from the Book of God.With Divine help, I will In S h a ’ Allah offer such an understanding of it , that the world will stand amazed.W hatever the topic may be and w ithout thinking over it beforehand , I can stand up and have God Almighty open the doors of its knowledge to me.God Almighty has revealed to me such insights to the Holy Qur’ān , which have not been given to anyone within the

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! ! 269 last thirteen hundred years, except for the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and the Promised Messiah as.Thus , all knowledge develops from sincerity and righteousness and not from pretentiousness.Experience this for yourself.R ead the Holy Qur’ān with sincerity and God Himself will endow you with its knowledge.At times, e xperts in various fields have come to me and ask ed me questions concerning their subjects.When I answer their questions correctly, they are amazed and ask me the names of the books I have read on the subject.At my response that I have read none, they reply that my answers indicate as if I have read many books on the topic.I answer that I ha ve read the most comprehensive b ook of knowledge.Ponder upon each word and statement of the Holy Qur’ān and the door to its knowledge will be opened for you.Even a woman of average ability can derive benefit from it.I have instruct ed you y ear after year, but you have not derived any benefit.May God enable me to see you obtain some benefit from this instruction this time.How t he Holy Qur’ān Should be Read The Holy Qur’ān is the first and foremost source needed to attain religious knowledge.It should be read with the intention t hat it is the Book of Allah, and it contains absolute knowledge.Question each word, and God Himself will provide you with the answer.Look closely.S imply saying Al - H amd u L illah reveals no insight.However, if you raise the question upon this statement of the Holy Qur’an and ask , “W hy are our parents and our teachers not deserving of praise [instead of God]? ” [You will notice] that the answer to this question already exists in [the subsequent statement of the Holy Qur’an which states,] Rabbu l ‘ Alamin [ Allah is the Lord of all the worlds].Which means, H e is also the Lord of even those who are benevolent to wards you.Immediately , one understands why all praise is solely for God.This way the meanin gs will unfold before you.H owever , if your purpose is to receive blessings merely by reciting the words of the Holy Qur’ān , then there will be no benefit.

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! ! 270 After the Holy Qur’ān , Seek Knowledge of the Sunnah o f t he Holy Prophet Muhammad sa The second essential reading to carry out for attaining religious knowledge is the knowledge of the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , which means reading the Hadith of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Religious education is incomplete without it.Although the Holy Qur’ān contains all [knowledge] , absolute righteousness is required to attain its true knowledge.Those points which are dependent up on a person adopting perfect righteousness, have been concealed by the Holy Qur’ān and will only be revealed to the reader when that status [of righteousness] is achieved.Not everyone can attain supreme righteousness; therefore, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa made the important issues and basic knowledge of Shariah known to everyone.F or example , it includes such issues as Salāt , fasting, Hajj, Zakat , etc.Since faith requires practice and practice requires knowledge of these issues, you must become knowledge able in Sunnah and Hadith.After becoming familiar with the Holy Qur’ān and Hadith , it is crucial for women to teach others.They should organize the teaching of this wit hin their homes, towns , and neighborhoods.Read the Books o f the Promised Messiah as The third important means for gaining religious knowledge is the study of the Promised Messiah ’s as books.God has shown mercy to you by making the Prophet of this age write his books in Urdu.Y ou can easily read them and gain benefit therefore you have no excuse.The necessary knowledge regarding this era as provided by the Holy Qur’ān , can be found in his books.If you make an effort to read or listen to them, you can develop the skills which will enable you to solve the most intricate of problems.I Will Test y ou on t he Promised Messiah’s as Books At this time, I am assigning two of the Promised Messiah ’s as books, which must be read or heard by every woman.Next year , I will give you a test to assess whether you have followed my directions.I am tired of repeatedly admonishing you and yet you remain

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! ! 271 indifferent.Now , I would like you to take a step towards practical implementation.The assigned books are Kashti - e - N u h and Shahadat - ul - Qur’ān.Make an effort to read them.T hose who are unable to read , ask your Association’s secretary to arrange for you to listen to them.I will phrase the questions in such a way that even illiterate women will be able to answer them.For examp le, I will ask whether a particular point is mentioned in a certain book.Each one of you will either stand up or sit down, and I will say to you, “Whoever believes that this book contains issues related to this question , they should stand up.” T his way , I will discover whether you have read the book because whoever stands up when a point has not been mentioned in the book, will reveal that she has not read the book.There is a story of an individual , who became a self - proclaimed Haj j i [the name used for those who have performed the Hajj , pilgrimage] and would use hearsay to narrate tales of Hajj.Hajr - e - Aswad is a stone which [pilgrims] have been commanded to touch, kiss , or point towards while performing the circuit of the Ka ‘ ba h.This Haj j i was unaware of this.A wise man came there and as a test, inquired after the well - being of a few inhabitants of M ecc a.In the course of asking these questions , he i nquired, “How is Mr.Hajr - e - Aswad doing?” Th e Haj j i responded , “He is doing well, but now has grown old.” Thus , his lie was exposed.In the same way, I will be able to discover if you have read those books or not.For example, is there or is there not a mention of Jesus as in K i shti - e - N u h ? Or is Salāt mentioned in Shahadat - ul - Qur’ān or is it not? Even the least educated of women can do this.You should read these books thoroughly , so that you are not embarrassed at that time.Women from our Jama'at should be ahead of other women in the field of religious knowledge.In the days of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , there was not one single man or woman who was illiterate.This is evidence of their great sincerity , for attaining an education was not customary in Arab society.Today , we should take advantage of all available facilities for education.Read General Newspapers a s Well The most convenient source of knowledge is a book or a

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! ! 272 current newspaper.Although weekly magazines and other newspapers are useful, they cannot provide information that a daily newspaper can.I receive five daily newspapers a nd fifteen to sixteen magazines.H owever, I have observed that very little attention is paid to the daily newspapers in my home.Women tend to read the magazines , even though the newspapers contain more information.One’s knowledge advances by reading the news, not by reading articles.Read ing opinion columns is a folly.N ews is more valuable.I have never read the opinion of journalists because I formulate my own opinions.W e should all devise our own opinions.Pay pa rticular attention to the news and do not trust another’s opinion , for o pinions vary.One revelation of th e Promised Messiah as can render one person a disbelieve r and another person a believer, or in other words someone may opine that it is a lie, while another person says it is true and so the truth is revealed to him.Hence, both will have their respective points of view.The on e who reads another’s opinion will be impressed by the opinion and not the real facts.As an example, I will refer to a news article published in a Lahori Jama ‘ at’s newspaper P ai gham - us - Sulah.During the early days of my Khilafat , there w ere article s published in it with headlines such as ‘ The truth has been exposed ,’ ‘The secret has been revealed ,’ and ‘ Mahm u d ’s conspiracy has been disclosed.’ Yet, the news articulated within these articles was that I wandered around at night, asking people to get up to offer Salāt and pray that the Jama'at is saved from turmoil.Upon reading this, many friends wrote and asked whether it was true.I replied, “Why do you worry ? I s pray ing a sin? I did not ask anyone to steal or to engage in looting.” Therefore, one shou ld never be afraid of newspaper headlines.It i s Crucial t o Read Al - Fazl a nd Misbah [Jama'at Publications] With reference to [periodicals] of the Jama ‘ at it is essential to read our newspapers, such as Al - Fazl and Misbah.Knowledge of the Nizam - e - Jam a‘ at [administrative set - up of Ahmadiyya Jama ‘ at] will be gained from them.Some people do not read them because they believe that the articles are too long, complex , and are beyond their comprehension.Others feel that the articles are too simple, ordinary , and that reading them would be useless.Both of these viewpoints are

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! ! 273 wrong.It has been narrated that once someone asked Ha z rat Imam Abu Han i fa h rh whether he ever had a brilliant teacher.He replied, “I never met anyone more brilliant than one child.That child gave me such advice that I still get chills thinking about it.Upon s eeing the child running around in the mud and rain , I cautioned him about slipping.He replied , ‘ Do n o t worry about my slipping , as it would only soil my clothes , but take care that you do not slip.For if you slip , the whole Ummah w ill slip.’ ” Therefore , do not be arrogant and do not underestimate magazines and newspapers whilst believing yourself to be more knowledgeable.In order to cultivate unity among the nation and to unify its opinions, it is imperative to read the same types of magazines.A Suggestion f or Improving Misbah It is often said that Misbah contains no scholarly articles.However, when I read it, I find it to be very useful.Yes, the subject matter needs to be organized ; their lack of order is a common fault in newspapers.For example, if an article discussing Allah Almighty as Razzaq [ Provider ] , is laid out next to an article on embroidery, such articles will not be organized in an intellectual manner.Therefore, articles need to be better organized in our newspapers.If you promise to read it regularly, I promise to organize it.It will start with the creation of the universe , systematically follow ed by a series of useful and helpful articles.We will make these subjects so easy [to understand] that you will face no embarrassment at any gathering.If a discussion about Vedanta and Zoroastrianism sects takes place somewhere, you will not be perplexed by these words , for you will find a reference to all scienc es in it [the Misbah ].Ahmadi L adies S hould M ake Arrangements f or Regular Reading of Misbah Lajna members should go back to their local M aj a lis and pass a resolution that they will read or listen to the Misbah regularly and will publish it.Once two hundred Lajna members pass this resolution, I

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! ! 274 will arrange for a series of these articles.The year before last , at this Jalsa, I told you that if fifteen women came here from other towns , I would teach them all of the Jama‘ at’s important issues within fifteen days.However, except for one woman, no one responded.If this situation continues, then it will be your own fate.My third piece of advice is that by the Grace of God, the establishment of the Lajna is proceeding successful ly.Right now, three Lajna chapters are working extremely well , i.e., Qadian, Sialkot , and Amritsar.The Lahore and Peshawar chapters are right behind them.I hope that other Lajna chapters will also strive to do useful work.The Qadian Lajna ’s activities are limited to the h eadquarters at present.I hope that in the future, they will also attempt to manage arrangements outside [of Qad ian].Women Should Assume t heir Responsibilities Women should assume r esponsibility for their own affairs.O nly then can they progress.We do not know what is o n your minds.W e can only be made aware of women’s needs through women.J ust as we understand men’s needs , which women cannot know , in the same way w e are unaware of that which is o n your mind.T herefore , you should express your opinions yourselves and explain that which lies with in your hearts.The Promised Messiah as has stated that faith is of three types.One is that of an old woman , who says Subhan a llah [ Holy is Allah] u pon seeing a mountain; she says Subhan a llah when she hears about a saint; and says Subhan a llah while happily believing that this saint subdued ravenous beas ts.She is set in her view that these are the ways of Allah.Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih I ra would tell of a popular fable among the public, of a time w hen the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa embarked on a Mi ‘ raj [ The apex of spirituality/ the event mentioned in Surah An - Najm / a spiritual journey] and his path was obstructed by a mountain.Voices upon voices ca lled out from the heavens, urging him to hurry.He ran here and there but was unable to find his way.Finally , he came upon two beggars who were grinding opium and upon asking

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! ! 275 them for direction s, they told him, “W ait, let us drink our opium.” Haz rat Jibra ’ il ra [the angel Gabriel] and the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa were in a hurry , ye t the beggars took their time and continued to drink bhang [an opium derivative].Finally, they squeezed the opium leaves and made a ball out of its residue.They t hrew it towards the mountain , exclaiming , “Ya ‘Ali ra.” The mountain exploded and a path was created for them.Upon hearing such absurd stories, some women still say, Subhan a llah.Ignorant and foolish people believe that such tales are true.They do not realize that such tales defame God, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and Haz rat ‘Ali ra as well.Haz rat ‘Ali ra acquired his statu s due to the Holy Prophet Muham m a d sa.W hen he is dishono red , then how can Haz rat Ali’s ra honor be maint ained? Just look at our nation.No one captured us and taught us Islam ; rather , our forefathers conquered Islam ic countries and accepted Islam after being i mpressed by its good qualities.Why do we respect Haz rat ‘Ali ra today? It is purely due to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.If we had not beli eved in the Holy Prophet Muhamma d sa , we would have respected Ha z rat ‘Ali ra merely as one among many chiefs.In short, one ’s faith should not be so ignorant.This type of faith is like that of an infant , who is always under an other’s control.He [Promised Messiah as ] says the second type of faith is that of the philosophers , who are skeptical of every concept.It is like the faith of older boys, who run and fall.The third type of faith is the faith of saints, which is the faith of the mature and wise.T hey are not controlled by others, and they are not hampered in their actions.When they act, they do not fall or become injured , rather they act while stay ing safe from injury.So, remember that women can advise other women much better , which is why the existence of Lajna is so vital.They will understand other women’s needs and their advice will accordingly leave a deeper i mpact upon them.Duties o f Lajna The following should be the duties of Lajna:

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! ! 276 1.They should make sure whether or not all Ahmadi women in their chapter know the Kalima [ Shahada ] and Salāt.They should administer a test annually and submit a report.T here should be no negligence in this regard.2.Participate in tabligh.Arrange meetings everywhere and invite women.Lajna should pay prompt and immediate attention to this matter.When we preach to non - Ahmadi women and they convert, then they will also persuade their men to accept Ahmadiyyat.3.Organize the system of chanda.The purpose of chanda is not to fulfill our needs , for God’s work never comes to a halt.The purpose of chanda is to strengthen faith.Ponder over how there are m any treasures that lie buried away in th e earth.I f God desired, then just as He has informed his pious servants of thousands of matters concerning the Unseen in the past, He could reveal the location of any buried treasure so that it be used to advance religious work.God has given me much knowledge of the U nseen.He cou ld have told me that a lso.Ye t , He desires to strength en your faith and to create a spirit of life in you.Once the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa asked a person to pay Zakat , but the man made some excuse.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa instructed that in the future, Zakat would not be accepted from him.Later , [to make up for it] , he would present countless camels and goats, but they would not be accepted , and he would leave crying.There is no stipulation of quantity when giving chanda , only that the intention be sincere.Strive to advance in your faith and wherever a Lajna is not established, create one and claim your rights for yourself.When one stands up for one’s rights, God Himself procures their rights.Wak e from your slumber and serve your faith, so that the blessings of God are bestowed up on you , as they are on men.May you become the masters of those bounties o f God , which were granted to your ancestors.( Misbah , January 15, 1930)

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! ! 277 Women’s Right to Representation at Majlis - e - Mushawarat Address at Jalsa Salana Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra December 28, 1929 While giving his speech on various important matters a t the Jalsa Salana held on December 28 th 1929, Haz rat Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra said the following regarding women’s right s to repres entation at the Majlis - e - Mushawarat [ a n assembly of Jama'at representatives for mutual consultation] : One more issue , which has created an outcry in our Jama'at , is the matter of women’s rights at the Majlis - e - Mushawarat.D uring the Majlis - e - Mushawarat , I had presented a question of whether wom en should be given the right to representation.No other matter has generated so much passion, or rather frenzy, as this issue has produced.Women may be fragile, but it seems that they have a special ability to embolden men.Some friends feel so strongly regarding this, that they say if women receive the right of representation, it will be the demise of Islam.By contrast, the same fervor was not observed in the opposing group, although women do feel strongly.When an article was published in Al - Fazl opposing women’s right s to representation, the Lajna submitted a complaint to me a sking what should be done now.Jami ‘ a Ahmadiyya held a debate and those who opposed women’s right to representation , were declared victorious.I told the women, “You should hold a meeting as well and debate over whe ther or not men have the right to representation in Majlis - e - Mushawarat , and then decide that they do not.” In Jami ‘ a Ahmadiyya , the decision was made on children ’s subjects, not on the right to representation.Although this is not a trivial question, a mist ake could be very dangerous.Yet on the other hand it is not so extreme that if women were given the right to representation , Islam w ould be declared dead.There is no doubt that

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! ! 278 this question is very important , but it does not pertain to Shariah.Shariah proves that the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa sought advice from men as well as women.The methodology of consultation is not specified , either with reference to men or to women.Even the greatest advocate against the represent ation of women cannot prove this issue.The Sharia h states , “seek consultation.” However, the method is left to our discretion to act according to the prevailing circumstances.If during the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , consultation consisted of representatives coming to Medina from Syria, Yemen, Aleppo , and so forth , i t is possible that an attack could have taken place in their absence.Therefore , the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s sa practice was to gather people at the time of Salāt to consult them.Later , this practice had to be changed.Therefore, the method of consultation can be altered, for it is not specified in the Sharia h.W e must establish it according to our circumstances.If we err, we will suffer the consequences.T he Sharia h will not be buried away.I t will surely remain alive.The people in our Jama'at should fully understand this.T hat age no longer exists when a person can stand up and declare that women are intellectually challenged , thereby inferring that women have no intelligence.This assessment is itself proven wrong by the practice of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and the practice of those who followed him.If it meant what is normally thought to be true, then why did the Holy Prophet Muhamma d sa seek advice from ‘ Umme Salmah ra ? If women are deficient in intellect, then could such women exist who excelled perfectly intelligent men in matter s of intellect , leaving no man to be their equal ? I present to you Ha z rat A ’isha h ra.In the Holy Qur’ān , the following words were revealed : ا ﻟ َّﻨ ِﺒ َّٖني َﺧ ﺎ َﺗ َﻢ [ “ Seal of the Prophets ” ] ! ! ! ! !!!!! " Holy Qur’ān, Ch.33 : V.41 ) O n the other hand , the re were also the words [of the Holy Prophet sa ] mentioned in the Hadith which states :

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! ! 279 َﻻ َﻧ ِﺒ َّﻰ َﺑ ْﻌ ِﺪ ْى [ There is no P rophet after me] As we moved further and further away from the time of the Holy Prophet sa , it was concluded from these [phrases] that no other prophet would come after him.No man was able to avert this danger , except for Haz rat ‘Ali ra and one other.However, Haz rat A’isha h ra very boldly declared : َﺗ ُﻘ ْﻮ ﻟ t ْﻮ ا َﻻ َﻧ uzِ w ﱠ 3َ ْﻌ َﺪ ٗە ُﻗ ْﻮ ﻟ t ْﻮ ا ِا ﻧ ﱠ ٗﻪ َﺧ ﺎ َﺗ ُﻢ ا َْﻻ ْﻧ ~ِ ' ﺎ ` ِء َو َﻻ [Certainly, do say, he (the Holy Prophet sa ) is the Seal of all Prophets, but do not say, there is no Prophet after him.] “ Say , that the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa is ! ا ﻟ َّﻨ ِﺒ َّٖني َﺧ ﺎ َﺗ َﻢ ! K hātamun - Nabiyyīn , [Seal of the Prophets] but do not say that no P rophet will appear after him.” Now observe who se opinion has been given validation by this era’s A postle [the Promised Messiah as ].T he women who were considered intellectually deficient , or those men who were c onsidered intellectually perfect.At that time, if she had thought , ‘ Why should I say anything, when I am considered amo ng the intellectually inferior ? ’ we would have encountered many difficulties on this issue and would have faced defeat at many fronts.When we present the meaning of K hātamun - Nabiyyīn to be that a prophet can come after the Holy Prophet sa but he must be from the followers of the Holy Prophet sa and that he must be subordinate to the Holy Prophet as , we were bound to have been asked that why was this meaning not realized by the people that had gone before ? N ow , when someone poses this question, we can respond that the Holy Prophet Muhammad ’s sa wife interpreted it as such.In fact, ‘intellectually deficient’ is a relative term.It implies that a woman is less intelligent than a man.I t means that the most perfect woman will be less intelligent than the most perfect man and a

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! ! 280 second ary level woman will be less intelligent tha n a second ary level man.This is something that cannot be denied because in some matters which relate to men, women are compelled to remain behind , such as in battles or wars.Thus, ‘intellectually deficient’ is a relative te rm and one cannot take away a woman’s right to representation due to this , f or if we follow a method of selection , then only men with higher intellectual abilities should have the right to representation and others should be denied this right.However, the reality is that there are very knowledgeable men who attend Majlis - e - Mushawarat , along with others who know nothing.There are scores of better men elsewhere and not only men, but scores of better women.For instance , compared to the villager who is a representative at the Majlis - e - Mushawarat , there are many more knowledgeable men from our Lahore Jama'at who are not given the right of representation.Therefore, women do have the right to representation, but the question is how to give them this right.Upon reading some articles in Al - Fazl , some people may come under the impression that the time for Jihad has come ! However, they must remember that women possess this right.The question is how we should consult them , without detracting from their rights, and also so that we benefit from their advice.( Al - Fazl , January 7, 1930; Number 53, Volume: 17) ! ! ! !

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! ! 281 Marriage Customs and their Reformation Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra Haz rat Sayyed Muhammad Ishaaq ra read a statement outlining marriage customs at the wedding of his daught er , Sayyeda Naseera Begum.Haz rat Khal ifa t - ul - Masih II ra addressed this statement.This speech gives guidance on principles regarding these customs.True Islam ic Teachings Concerning Marriage There are four points concerning the N ikah.Two of these are part of Islam.The first is that the N ikah must be performed with the girl’s consent and secondly, that the N ikah is publicly announced.Yet, t he other two are not part of Islam.The first is that the groom ’ s family goes to the bride ’s house and bring s back the girl.This can be practiced both ways.The groom ’ s side can bring back the bride or the bride ’ s family themselves , may take the bride to the groom’s home.In fact, it is my observation that there are many examples of wh en the bride ’ s family escorted the bride to the groom’s home.T herefore, introduc ing a new requirement into Islam , where the groom ’ s family must go and bring back the bride , is not appropriate and will introduce problems.There is no doubt that to show the bride respect, oftentimes the groom ’ s family does go to bring her.H owever, if the bride ’ s family arrive s with the bride, there is nothing improper about this.The second point is the giving of the J ah e z [dowry given by the girl’s family].According to Islam ic Shariah , it is the man who must give something to the woman.The woman is not required to bring anything with her, and anyone who forces her to do so , has committed a grave error.Certainly, there is no harm if her parents wish to give her something , but it is not compulsory.Rather , it is unlawful for the groom to refrain from giving something.Shariah has made it mandatory for every man to set the M ehr for women.There are certain other points in Mir Sahib’s address which remain unclear to me.For instance, if relatives are to participate, they

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! ! 282 must pay special attention to their clothes , thus requiring them to make new clothes.However , new clothes are not necessary to attend.I am present here but have not made any new clothes.The clothes I am wearing are those which I already owned.Thus , an attempt to hinder participation based solely upo n the requirement that new clothes be made will result in people within the Jama ‘ at viewing such participation as improper.Grad ually, a feeling will arise within the Jama ‘ at, that there is a lack of cooperation on such occasions.That w omen and men would all stay at home , is also incorrect.It is necessary to abolish the notion that new clothes are required to participate in such functions , regardless of whether one can afford it , as opposed to completely opting out of participating.Reforming the Customs o f Jah ez a nd Bari There is no doubt that the customs of the Jahez [dowry giv en by the girl’s family] and B ari [a gift given by the groom’s family] are not good [as it is currently practiced] , therefore an effort should be made to reform these customs as soon as possible.I n this matter , I fully support Mir Sahib’s view.A plague and hardship which destroys homes such as this, should be wiped out immediately.I have seen very good households deeply involved in this custom, and I am not embarrassed to reveal that in our own household , the women are wholly involved in this.I have heard them say they should do something , no matter how minimal.Usually, people do not consider their financial condition.There is no doubt that not only Jahez , but Bari is a bad custom.Giving Jahez according to one ’ s means is somewhat justifiable; however, to date , I have found no precedence for the giving of Bari , especially in the way it is now practiced.However, this does not mean that those who can afford to give a Jahez , should not do so.On such occasions, the Promised Messiah ’s as conduct should be an example for us.The Holy Qur’ān is the foremost [authority], and on those issues where it is silent, it is permissible to check the Hadith.Yet, the narrators of the Hadith are not present among us, and we personally have no knowledge of their morals and truthfulness.It is possible that among them , were those who fabric ated [the Hadith ].It is also possible that there are so - called Hadith , which hold no more value than a piece of rubbish ; and there are Hadith , which deserve to be discarded as rubbish , but are

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! ! 283 perceived to be authentic.Indeed, there are many Hadith concerning the Promised Messiah a s which have been proven to be fabricated , along with many which should be regarded as authentic , but are considered false.However, the revelation of the a postle , appointed by God Almighty, is recent and fresh; and whatever he says, is like that of freshly squeezed juice.Thus, his deed s are [representative of] the real Sunnah and Islam ic teaching since he has been appointed by Allah Almighty.The likeness of H adith i s like that of a person coming and telling us that the Qur’an says one thing or the other whilst we have not seen it for ourselves.Therefore, we must give precedence to what we hear directly from the Messenger of God.The Reception Given by t he Bride’s Family I consider the reception given by the bride’s f amily to be a burdensom e custom.However, if the girl’s family we re to feed the guests something without a formal reception, this would be no B id’at [innovation].Yes, i f it is alleged that the person who does not feed [his guests] is wrong for doing so , then it unquestionably becomes B id’at.And likewise, if anyone says that refraining from giving Jahez is wrong and Jahez must be given, the n that person spread s B id’at.However, if the individual , out of his own desire, gives his daughter something or feeds his guests, then th is can in no way be described as Bid’at.On the occasion of Mubarika Begum’s wedding, the Promised Messiah as himself ordered and paid for items from Amritsar for the attending guests.If a person does this because he feels it is required of him, then he is practicing Bid’at.However , when a person naturally and considerately serves his guests something , it cannot be called Bid’at.Mir Sahib states in his address that middle - class people should give the bride some clothes, boo ks, a chest etc., as she departs, but if giving anything to the girl is Bid’at , then even this instruction promotes Bid’at.Why should we do this? Basically , if one gives according to his own means , then it is a good practice; however, the person who cannot afford to give even these few things and puts himself into debt to do so , he will be held accountable by Shariah , f or practic ing extravagance.God Almighty forbids extravagance and waste in the Holy Qur’ān.It is commanded :

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! ! 284 َﺗ ۡﺒ ِﺬ ۡﻳ ًﺮ ا ُﺗ َﺒ ِّﺬ ۡر َﻻ َو “ S quander not thy wealth extravagantly.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.17: V.27) And those who act extravagantly are called the brethren of Satan.Yet, i f one happily gives according to his means , there is no harm in that.If today , a person can afford to give the girl ten thousand rupees , then by all means he should do so.If afterwards , his condition deteriorates due to a change of circumstances, and he is unable to give anything to his second daughter , no blame shall be on him because when he offered the first one [her dowry] , his intention was to give [an equivalent dowry] to all [of his daughters] , but now his circumstances have changed.Refrain from Displaying Bid’at a nd Extravagance Briefly, Bid’at is any practice that people rigidly adhere to despite the absence of any definite command [regarding it].It is not supported within Islam , nevertheless it is considered compulsory due to people’s opinion s.This is for purposes of show only.T o practice it is an extravagance and God Almighty has declared the extravagant to be the brethren of Satan.Therefore, one should protect oneself from this and strive to shun as many destructive B id’ats as one can.( Misbah , May 15, 1930)

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! ! 285 Address to the Ladies at Jalsa Salana Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra December 1930 After Tashah h ud , Ta‘awwuz , and recitation of Surah Al - Fatihah , Haz rat Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra recited the following verse: َا َﺗ ۡﺠ َﻌ ُﻞ َﻗ ﺎ ُﻟ ۤۡﻮ ا n َﺧ ِﻠ ۡﻴ َﻔ ًﺔ ا َۡﻻ ۡر ِض ِيف َﺟ ﺎ ِﻋ ٌﻞ ِا Eِّۡ ِﻟ ۡﻠ َﻤ ﻠ l mِ َﻜ ِﺔ َر ُّﺑ َﻚ َﻗ ﺎ َل ِا ۡذ َو ِﺑ َﺤ ۡﻤ ِﺪ َك tُ َﺴ ِّﺒ ُﺢ َﻧ ۡﺤ ُﻦ َو s ا †ِّ َﻣ ﺂ َء 'َ ۡﺴ ِﻔ ُﻚ َو ِﻓ ۡﻴ َﻬ ﺎ ُّﻳ ۡﻔ ِﺴ ُﺪ َﻣ ۡﻦ ِﻓ ۡﻴ َﻬ ﺎ َﺗ ۡﻌ َﻠ ُﻤ ۡﻮ َن َﻻ َﻣ ﺎ َا ۡﻋ َﻠ ُﻢ ِا Eِّۡۤ َﻗ ﺎ َل n َﻟ َﻚ ُﻧ َﻘ ِّﺪ ُس َو “ And when thy Lord said to the angels, ‘I am about to place a vicegerent in the earth,’ they said, ‘Wilt Thou place therein such as will cause d isorder in it, and shed blood? A nd we glorify Thee with Thy Praise and extol Thy Holiness,’ He answered, ‘I know what you know not.’ ” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.2: V.31) Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra stated : T here are two kinds of Kh u l a fa in the world: those who are appointed by man and those who are commissioned by God through revelation.The Khalifa ordained on the basis of revelation is call ed a ‘Prophet’.The arrival of revelation - bearing Kh u l a fa create dissension in the world, n ot because they themselves create dissension, but because people have conflicting dispositions.In this ruk ū ‘ , Allah the Almighty relates the incident of Hazrat Adam ’s a s birth.W hen the angels said , “Will you create therein such a person who wil l create disorder in the earth? ” In other words, the angels posed the point that although the intention appears to be for the sake of bringing about something positive , the reality would be that it would be a cause for disorder.In this regard, God Almighty said, “ I know what you know not.I establish a Khalifa so that the good are

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! ! 286 distinguished fr om the bad.The Holy Qur’ān has straightaway addressed this question.W ith the advent of every prophet, disorder has been created in the earth, for which the proph ets were held responsible.As with earlier prophets, it was commonly said during the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , that he created rift s between one brother and the other brother.Now , at the time of the Promised Messiah as , people claim the same thing , that he is the fo under of discord.T here were already seventy - two sects, and he has now made Ahmadis the seventy - third facti on.They assert that the divisions should have decreased , but on the contrary , one more has been added.Perhaps those of you, who are non - Ahmadi, also feel the same way.T herefore, let me first clarify this issue.The first question is that of bloodshed and disorder.Keep in mind, in regard to this, the Holy Qur’ān has described the situation [ which previously existed ] before the advent of a prophet in these words : ا ۡﻟ َﺒ ۡﺤ ِﺮ َو ا ۡﻟ َِّرب ِيف ا ۡﻟ َﻔ َﺴ ﺎ ُد َﻇ َﻬ َﺮ “ Corruption has appeared on land and sea … ” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.30: V.42) In other words , there was disorder in the land and at sea a nd this is what always occurs.Now, we should examine whether only one sect existed in this world before the arrival of the Promised Messiah as , or was this dissension already present? Did the Shi ‘ ites and the Hanafis a lready exist before this or no t ? Were disputes not already present over rituals such as the Eleventh [a ceremony], Am ī n Bil - J ahar [saying Am īn loudly], and Rafa‘Yadain [raising hands during Salāt ] , and so on? If you ponder over this, you will realize that before this, there existed great disorder, to which there was no limit.On e is embarrassed simpl y by hearing of it.In Afghanistan, the fingers of hundreds of people were mutilated, only because they raised the index finger during Tashahhud in Attahayaat [a section of the Salāt ] and according to the Hanafi school of thought , this voided the Salāt.A friend narrated that once a person from Ahl - e - Hadith [a Muslim sect] went to offer Salāt in congregation with Hanafis in their mosque.H e

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! ! 287 raised his index finger in Attahayaat.He had just raised his finger, when the whole group of followers discontinued their Salāt and jumped upon him , shoutin g “ W icked man, wicked man !” Thus, such troublemakers already existed before the arrival of the Promised Messiah as.The Promised Messiah as came to reform.Who is the troublemaker? T he one who causes injury or the doctor who intends to treat it with a scalpel? If one’s mouth is bitter due to fever, and the physician prescribes Q uinine [an extremely bitter medicine used in India] , no one w ill say that this was the act of a cruel person who caused his mouth to be bitter.If a doctor does not remov e phlegm, the body’s condition deteriorate s.W hat possible objection could there be to removing phlegm? How could a patient’s condition improve i f a bone remained broken, a wound was no t cleaned by a scalpel , or a st ringent medicine was not app lied ? The patient’s life would be endangered.Considering the situation, how could any one consider the doctor to be the wrongdoer? Once, a person asked the Promised Messiah as about this division.He said , “Very well , t ell me , in order t o preserve your good milk, do you mix it with yogurt , or do you keep it separate?” It is obvious that if good milk i s mixed with yogurt, it cannot stay wholesome for even one minute.Hence, it was essential to separate godly people from the unfortunate ones.Just as if one does not take precaut ionary measures when visiting the sick a healthy person may contract a disease , l ikewise, it is the practice of God Almighty to separate the godly people from spiritual illnesses.T herefore , God Almighty has commanded that funeral , weddings, Salāt etc., should be observed separately [from non - Ahmadis].It is generally women who dispute this matter ; therefore, I will advise women.Just as the life of one who is healthy is endangered by contact with the sick, remember that the same could happen if one maintains [familial] relationships with non - Ahmadis.Most women say, how can a relationship between a brother and sister be sever ed? Truly , I can say to you that if there is an earthquake or if a fire breaks out, a sister will not care for her brother, but would rather push him away and seek to escape as quickly as she could from the collapsing roof.Then why is religion viewed any differently? The fact is that

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! ! 288 these sentiments are those of peacetime, not of periods of hardship.If tonight, God sends the angel of death to any of you and he says, “ Although I am commanded to take the soul of your brother or another dear one, but let it be I will take your soul instead” n o woman would accept this.God Almighty says : َﻧ ﺎ ًر ا َا ۡﻫ ِﻠ ۡﻴ ُﻜ ۡﻢ َو َا ۡﻧ ُﻔ َﺴ ُﻜ ۡﻢ ُﻗ ۤۡﻮ ا ٰا َﻣ ُﻨ ۡﻮ ا ا :َِّ ۡﻳ َﻦ َا ُّﻳ َﻬ ﺎ “ O ye who believe! Save yourselves and your families from Fire.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.66: V.7) Which means, save yourself and your family from the fire.If a follower of the Promised Messiah as i s married to a non - Ahmadi, she will certainly dr ift away from Ahmadiyyat due to her husband , or she will grieve herself to death.She will be isolated from her relatives because of religious intolerances.This is one manner of fire [torment].Would you push your daughter into the fire with your own hands? F or the sake of a short - lived relationship, you put her in an eternal fire , and so you should avoid this.T he di visions that arose at the advent of the Promised Messiah as w ere already present , they w ere not new.However, if you make sacrifices , then others will be inspired to see that this is how the divisions can be eradicated.For example, as an Ahmadi, d o not marry non - Ahmadis.B e a good role m odel so that they may be convinced.If as an Ahmadi , you continue to maintain the same relationship with them, they will ask, “ We can esta blish relations with them as it is.W hat is the point of becoming an Ahmadi ? ” Remember, this is a sin against the nation.If you sever relationships with them completely and offer this sacrifice for the sake of God, then on the one hand where God will g rant you better marriage propos al s than those relatives , on the other hand as a reward for your steadfastness , He will bring you together with those relatives as well.However, the condition is that you do not allow your steadfastness to slip.Do not believe that God will separate you forever.No, a bsolutely not! He will unite you and will unite you forever.He sees your perseverance.S ever your relationships for the sake of God and remain bowed down before God’s will.In the end, your relatives will be

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! ! 289 forever reunited with you.Once , I had a dream of a kabbadi [wrestling] match being held.There we re two parties, Ahmadi and non - Ahmadi.One by one, t he members of the Ahmadi team were bringing the opposing team ’s players onto their side , unt il none were left except one large man.He crept along the wall until he finally reached the Ahmadis, where he stood up and said, “When the rest of them had all come over to you , what was I to do there all by myself?” Th ere is a lesson in this for you.I t is God’s firm decision that He will un ite you with your relatives.However , if you yourself go against His decisions and maintain these relationships, then t ake heed that they will continue to draw further and further away from you, for your action s are against the wi ll of God Almighty.His anger will divide you for the rest of time.It is related that Haz rat ‘Umar ra was a very fierce opponent of the Holy Prophet sa.So much so, that he so brutally beat his slave - girl for accepting Islam to the point that she lost her eyes.Once , when the disbelievers hatched a plan to kill the Holy Prophet sa , Haz rat ‘Umar ra resolved to take up the gauntlet.Someone who came to know of his intention, told him to take care of his own home first, as his sister and brother - in - law had also become followers of the Holy Prophet sa.He immediate ly went to his sister’s house where h is sister and brother - in - law were listening to the recitation of the Holy Qur’ān from a companion ra of the Holy Prophet sa.They quickly hid the Holy Qur’ān.A fter interrogating them, Haz rat ‘Umar ra attacked his brother - in - law with his sword , but his sister intervened and was injured.Striking a woman was considered an act of cowardice, and therefore Haz rat ‘Umar ra felt ashamed.To cover up his embarrassment upon witnessing his sister bleeding, he asked her to show him what they were r eading.The brother - in - law wishe d to show him the Holy Qur’ān , but his sister passion ately exclaimed, “You are unclean.H ow can you be shown this Holy Book?” Haz rat ‘Umar ra , who had been greatly affected by his own action and the strength of his sister’s faith melted , and immediately accepted Islam.This occurred because this woman was fully determined to abandon her honored brother , but not her sacred faith.

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! ! 290 Hence, God softened Hazrat ‘Umar ’s ra heart because of her steadfastness.After becoming Muslim, he became a devotee of Islam.If his sister had not shown such courage, the e ffect on Haz rat ‘Umar ra would not have been so great , nor would brother and sister have been so closely united forever.Understand that t his fruit was solely rewarded due to her sacrifice.Thus , if you wish your relatives to join you, then make the sacrifice.God’s lancet is for your own benefit and His punishment is for the sake of having mercy.He never punishes anyone unjustly.His Mercy is boundless.He Himself says : َو ِﺳ َﻌ ۡﺖ َر ۡﺣ َﻤ ¤ِۡ َو [ “My mercy encompass es all things.” ] (Holy Qur’ān, Ch.7: V.157) My mercy is vast.Thus, how can you expect cruelty from H im , who has abundant mercy? No single action of His depicts any cruelty.Hell is only a hospital for reprimand and correction, where some stay for a few days, others a few weeks, a few months, and still others stay for years.Just as no one remains admitted in a worldly hospital for all time, similarly that hospital (Hell) is not forever.Paradise is home and Hell is a hospital.God would never force his servants to suffer eternally.One Hadith narrates that ultimately, the doors of Hell will swing open with the breeze of Paradise , thus cooling it.This is evidence of abundant m ercy.Therefore, the separa tion from your relatives is for the sake of admonition and progress, not as an act of cruelty and harshness.In the same way, a baby’s separation from its mother’s womb is beneficial and essential for its growth.Does any mother dislike the parting of her baby f rom her womb [at birth] ? Does she ever lament, “Oh why ha s my baby been removed from my womb?” She will never say this, for she understands that this separation will open the avenues for the baby’s gr owth and development.It could not make much progress by remaining in the womb.Thus , God Almighty cuts you off from your relatives , so that you may be reunited with them after having made lasting progress.

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! ! 291 ا َۡﻻ ۡﺳ َﻤ ﺂ َء ٰا َد َم َﻋ َّﻠ َﻢ “ He taught Adam all the names , ” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.2: V.32) God told the angels that in this division of factions (which appear to you to be divisions), is a school, and the purpose of such separation is to communicate knowledge.I f sisters, brothers , and parents all stay together, their edu cation cannot be completed.However, when th eir schools are separate, they can complete their educational schooling.A boy, who is s pecifically sent to school , realizes that he has been separated from his relatives for the sole purpose of education.In this way, both the student and the teacher are conscious of this obligation and the objective is achieved.By staying together the whole time this awareness could never b e realized.Therefore , ا َۡﻻ ۡﺳ َﻤ ﺂ َء ٰا َد َم َﻋ َّﻠ َﻢ “ He taught Adam all the names , ” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.2: V.32) [this] means that God appointed a Khalifa to perfect all aspects and areas of learning, so that he could distinguish individuals , educate them, and provide them with knowledge of God’s attributes to pass onto His creation.Hence, this separ ation is not a hardship, but a mercy.It is impossible for you to achieve nearness to God without isolating yourselves from the spiritually sick.Now , by separating yourself, you ha ve found God.Hence, you have attained this most priceless blessing, for which however grateful you may be, is still insufficient.Therefore, do not b e agitated by this se paration from your relatives and do not falte r.I reiterate my advice to you.D o not maintain relationships with those relatives , who ar e spiritually severed from you.D o not participate in their funerals , etc.Do not make yours elves the object of God’s wrath, simply based on these relationships.Following this, I would also like to say something concerning t he knowledge about God Almighty.

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! ! 292 The Most Important Thing i s Knowledge Regarding God Many women may believe they are knowledge able regarding God , but in actuality, they do not know God.If they did know Him, they would have absolute faith in Him.As a result of not understanding Him, many women promptly associate every action and every consequence with t aqdir [destiny].This is evidence of their unfamiliarity with God and their ignorance of His attributes.Remember , your understanding of predestination is incorrect.Y ou blame God Almighty for the ill consequences of your own mistakes, claiming it to be fate.What you do no t comprehend , is that Go d , the Supreme King of the Heavens and the Earth , has no desire to cause pain to some or to bring happiness to others, to make one cry and others laugh.What benefit c ould He gain from t his ? D oes any mother hope that one of her son s lives and the other dies, that one is blind and the other has sight, or that one is sick and the other is healthy? This is ignorant thinking.Much of our nation’s downfall is due to this [false understanding of the] doctrine of predestination.Due to this , our efforts have gone waste d , our endeavors crippled, and all our struggles rendered fruitless.You must fully understand that this premise of fate is completely erroneous.God Almighty has established rules.W hoever properly followed these rules succeeded, and those who deviated from them failed.F or example, at this Jalsa, many [ women ] are sitting at the back and many in the front.Was it God who arranged them to sit in this manner ? Granted, the organizers may have played a role to some degree, however there is still a definitive difference between the first comers and the late comers.Those who arrived early found a good place in the front and those who came later , sat fu rther back.What role did d estiny play in this? Once during the time of Haz rat ‘U mar ra , some individuals wished to leave the area due to the plague, and Haz rat ‘Umar ra a greed.However, as happens today, there were those who disagreed, and who put forth th is same concept of predestination saying : ا ` َﺗ ِﻔ ﺮ ﱡ ؤ َن ِﻣ ْﻦ َﻗ َﺪ ر 1 ‹ِ “Do you run from Di vine decree?”

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! ! 293 Yet , how exquisitely did Haz rat ‘Umar ra reply! He answered : ا ` ِﻓ ﺮ ﱡ ِﻣ ْﻦ َﻗ َﺪ ر 1 ‹ِ ِا Œ َﻗ َﺪ ر 1 ‹ِ “I am going from one Divine decree to another.” Think ! If it is fate for a man to fall sick due to an insect bite, then is it not also fate for the doctor to give him medicine for him to become well? You believe in one fate and not the other.Y our example is like that of the marasi who sits idly by.His wife urge s him to work , but he make s excuses that he can not find any work.Finally, she suggests that he join the army during the ir recruitment campaign.He says , “ Perhaps you wish for my death, for recruitment is for war, and war means death.” To tea ch him a lesson, the wife mills some grain in the grindstone.S ome grains remain unbroken, and others a r e completely crushed.She shows her husband, “Look, not all the grains were crushed in the grind st one.S ome remained intact.Why then, do you believe that war signifies death for everyone?” He said, “C o unt me among the crushed grain.” Do you believe that a child falls ill because of its mother’s rebuke or dies due to her curse? Yet, when discussing God Almighty , you brashly and boldly claim that this adversity is God’s will.If you perceive God as the Supreme Master, then you must also think of Him as the Merciful.Why do you perceive Him to be cruel? What benefit does God derive by making your child fall ill? You exposed him to the cold, you neglected him, and you were careless, causing him to develop pneumonia.Now you blame God rather than accepting your own negligence.Your child grew up illiterate , because you did not inculcate in him the love of learning.Y ou did not discipline him, you did not keep him from wandering about, ye t now you evoke destiny for your own misdeeds.When did God’s angels dictate that your child be illiterate? When did they snatch away your child’s books? When did they block his way to school? It is this concept of destiny , which has deprived our country of God’s blessings.O bserve how this very country’s English children are healthy , but yours are sick ; the English are educated , but you rs remain uneducated; the English are affluent , but you are impoverished; they are highly esteemed and cheerful ,

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! ! 294 whereas you are pessimistic and disheartened.This is not due to divine decree being th eir friend and your enemy.T he sole reason for this is that they acted according to the laws of nature, or you could say that they made proper use of the “machinery” of the world and benefited from it.However, you have been the losers , due to your waywardness and disregard for rules.When a child falls sick due to your negligence , your foolishness , or your ignorance, you as sociate this with divine decree.Y ou neither accept your mistake nor do you attempt to reform yourself.You do not take care to train your children prop erly and when they are spoiled and dissolute you say, “ Indeed, it was destined.” Remember well, this is all due to negligence and disregarding the laws of nature.God has established these rules, and those who follow them will be successful, and those who break them will be destroyed.O nce again , I will instruct you not to use destiny as an excuse to blame God.ا َۡﻻ ۡﺳ َﻤ ﺂ َء ٰا َد َم َﻋ َّﻠ َﻢ [ “ He taught Adam all the names ” ] (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.2: V.32) He [God] t aught Adam His attributes.What is referred to here is the knowledge about God, or in other words, the understand ing of His attributes.You belong to a Jama'at chosen by God.I t is vital for you to develop an awareness of Him.You should forget about fate.A ssociate fate with God on ly up on pleasant occasions.Understand that He is the All Powerful, the Merciful, the Gracious, and He is the One who resolves difficulties.Haz rat Abraham as expressed the concept of destiny very exquisitely when he said, “I fall sick, God bestows health; I remain ignorant, and God grants me knowledge; I am neglectful and He confers awareness.” Consequently, you should also desist from attribut ing cruel actions to God.Remove your own slackness and shortcomings from yourself.Practice the rules ordained by Him in an appropriate manner , so that this adver sity may be removed from you.T ake care to remember this instruction, so that this issue no longer re - surface s with in our Jama'at.The Second Issue i s Prayer Prayer is a weapon which cuts through whatever it strikes at.

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! ! 295 God Almighty says to His Holy Prophet sa , “O my Messenger! Say to My people, what cares my Lord for you , if you do not stay connect ed with Him through prayer?” [Holy Qur’an Ch.25: V.78] Yet sadly in our country, prayer is valued less than a broken shoe , even though Islam has granted us such a weapon [prayer], that no matter how much pride we exhibit upon possessing such a weapon , it will not be enough.Prayer is the stairway between the Creator and His creation.Once the Promised Messiah as in a dream saw a ditch which had been dug out and s heep were lying there waiting to be sacrificed.When the Promised Messiah as arrived there , people said, “We were waiting for you, so that we might slaughter them.” At that moment, a vision conveyed the knowledge to the Promised Messiah as that the sheep represented those who were sinne rs.A voice was then heard: s ُد َﻋ ﺂ ُؤ ُﻛ ۡﻢ َﻻ َﻟ ۡﻮ َر €ِّۡ ِﺑ ُﻜ ۡﻢ َﻳ ۡﻌ َﺒ ُﺆ ا َﻣ ﺎ ُﻗ ۡﻞ “ Say; But for your prayer to Him, my Lord would not care for you.” (Holy Qur’ ā n, Ch.25: V.78) Pray to God for your hardships to be remitted.T he most difficult problems can be re solved through prayer.If there was no prayer, human existence would have certainly remained unfulfilled.The Messiah of Nazareth as very exquisitely stated, “Man does not subsist on bread , but rather on the words of God.” Therefore, first is the knowledge of God and secondly prayer is essential for human existence.Without it your lives are useless , a nd your efforts remain fruitless.Do not w o nder over those vast kingdoms who do not believe in God and yet still remain prosperous.They may be [wealthy], yet being a King is no great achie vement.Anyone who is proud of this is very foolish.Have you not witnessed that the destitute street sweeper cries out in agony or great pain at the time of death in the same way a powerful yet agnostic King does ? Examine the lives of the prophets who remain u naffected by the stresses of time and who never grieve d over suffering, for they confront ed misfortune boldly and with ease.Indeed, their hearts are filled with more contentment than a ny wor ldly King , even if he be the

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! ! 296 ruler of the entire world.The reason is that a worldly King relies on material means, whereas a messenger of God, owing to his strong bond with God, remains completely unperturbed under the protection of His Protector.Even though he is almost devoid of material means, there is no one who can attain his level of bliss and contentment.What kingdom or power did the Promised Messiah as possess ? Nevertheless , he remained unaffected by the difficulties and hardships of the time.He as prophesied that the Czar of Russia, who was a great King , would be denigrated to an extremely helpless state.Thus, that is what occurred.Now consider the former might of the Czar , and following this prophecy, h is utter helplessness.Thus, we come to realize that k ings have no worth.They are like the dead left in the hands of the living.However, the beloved of God possess authority in every aspect.There is an incident of a saintl y old man who lived in Delhi.At that time , t he King , became angry with him.While the King was away, an enemy spread a rumor [ against the saint ], over which t he King decided to punish the saint with death as soon as he returned home.People told the s aint that he should flee from there before the King’s arrival or he should ask for forgiveness.Yet, he remained quiet.T he King approached close r to Delhi.News spread that the King was furious with the holy man and upon his return, he planned to mete out a punishment as a lesson to him.The well - wishers again g ave the same advice, but he replied , “Let him come.A fter all , he is a King , not God.” It was then relayed that the King’s convoy would arrive the next morning.Even when the King drew close r to Delhi, this saintly man very assuredly stated, “ Hanooz Delhi d oor ast ” [Delhi is still far].The listeners were astounded that the holy man was saying he was far from Delhi , when the King was only moments away.However, that very night, the King died of colic.He was never destined to ente r Delhi.There is an incident related concerning the Holy Prophet sa who by worldly standards appeared to be in a state of ex treme poverty and helplessness.Yet, despite this apparent destitution, reports of his sa prophethood and progress continuously reached the King of Iran, who despite being a King , feared the Holy Prophet sa.Finally, he sent the Governor of Arabia an order to arrest him sa.Men came to the Holy

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! ! 297 Prophet sa with the roy al order and clearly stated, “Do not resist.Hand yourself over quie tly.The King is very powerful , and you must follow his order and come to Iran.This is in your best interest.” He sa replied, “I will give you an answer tomorrow.” The next day , he sa told them, “Listen, last night my God killed your god.Go back.” When the men returned , they repeated to the Governor exactly what they had heard.The Governor was shocked and waited fo r the mail to come from Iran, where he received information that the King’s own son had killed him on the very night that the Holy Prophet sa had conveyed [his message ].The letter also s tated, “My father was very cruel.I have killed him.I am n ow the King.My father had ordered an Arab to be unjustly killed.N ow that he is dead, I declare this order void.” Now , can you see that in this world, possessing authority and kingdom is worth nothing.The true objective should be to have protection from dangers, and only those who have a bond with God, who believe in His attributes and seek His help through prayers can be in security.Remember that God does accept the prayers, however, he does so in accordance with the rules [He has prescribed].This is in accordance with the law of nature also; c an a roti [flatbread] be made by flinging flour against a wall? Rather, a roti can only be made by following the procedure established for it.Thus, prayer will only be accepted when the rules which are set for its acceptance are followed.Now I pray that God Almighty grant you the ability to understand , Am ī n.( Misbah , January 15, 1931)

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! ! 298 Duty of Ahmadi Women at this Time Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra Fifty years ago, if a Muslim woman from any respectable family in India was a sked to go to the station wearing her burq a , she would have refused.She would have travelled in a doli and then enter ed the train with the curtains pulled down around her.The windows of the train would all be closed, and up on reaching the destination, she would exit in the same manner.At that time, could anyone have imagined that conditions would change in such a way ? Nonetheless, look around you.An epidemic h as spread from thousands of miles away.Under its influence , Indian women casually walk down the streets with men, even holding hands.T he se are the same women , whose grandmothers arrived in their homes [as brides] in dolis and later left from there in their caskets [upon their death].At th at time, Indian Muslims believe themselves to be absolutely safe , for they had no intention of abandoning their values and traditions.And y et, i s it possible for one human being to remain unaffected by another? Just as clouds and locusts travel from thousands of miles away and destroy crops, ideas from thousands of miles away can d estroy our own values, and we cannot remain safe un less an impenetrable circle is formed around us.There are two types of circles.O ne is spiritual and the other worldly.The spiritual circle is [attained] w he n a person places one’s h and in the hand of the Apostle of that time, or that one places one’s hand at the hands of those who followed him, or one places one’s hand in the hands of the successive generations of followers.This is the spiritual circle which the future Jama'ats follow, and despite the excess of mischief and evil, they will remain largely protected from it and will receive the Help of God Almighty.Thus , observe how at the present time when the whole world is in turmoil, the Ahmadiyya Jama'at is safe by the Grace of God Almighty.The Ahmadiyya Jama'at is under Divine protection solely due to its pledge to the Promised Messiah as.

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! ! 299 Thus, one means of security is closeness to a prophet.The second method is instructed in the Holy Qur’ān which states : َﻛ ﺎ َن َﻣ ﺎ َو n ِﻓ ۡﻴ pِۡ َا ۡﻧ َﺖ َو ِﻟ ُﻴ َﻌ ِّﺬ َﺑ pُۡ ا ُّٰﷲ َﻛ ﺎ َن َﻣ ﺎ َو 'َ ۡﺴ َﺘ ۡﻐ ِﻔ ُﺮ ۡو َن ُﻫ ۡﻢ َو ُﻣ َﻌ ِّﺬ َﺑ pُۡ ا ُّٰﷲ “ But Allah would not punish them while thou wast among them, and Allah would not punish them while they sought forgiveness.” (Holy Qur’ ā n, Ch.8: V.34) This means that people who try to destroy the instruments of evil are saved from punishment.However, it is the job of a believer to strive in eliminating vices.Whereas it is impossible to completely eradicate filth, man can be protected from its stench by burying it in a hole and covering it up with dirt.In the same way, we cannot totally eliminate evil from the world , but we can control it.Thus, the second method is to contain the evil and prevent it from spreading.The way to do this is to bring those who spread vices into our community and consequently, put a stop to their bad intentions.Hence, there are two ways t o safeguard against destruction: one is an attachment to the Prophet and being part of his Jama'at, and the other is making an effort to curb evils.Where both come together , it is as if light radiates further light.In India, the trend towards completely abandoning p u rdah is spreading.These people blame p u rdah for their downfall , even though those who abandon p u rdah are enslaved by others.In other words , they have adopt ed mental and spiritual slavery , and those of us who consider p u rdah necessary are free from this beca us e we thoroughly oppose th at culture which they believe is the means of their advancement.According to us , [what is] seemingly [considered] slavery holds no importance.After all, someone must obviously govern the country.Even if this government belonged to Indians themselves, would all of them rule ? Only a section would govern.Hence, outward slavery is nothing.I n actual fact, it is mental slavery which is dangerous.Therefore, those who abandon p u rdah are

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! ! 300 turning into complete slaves of Europe.T hey say p u rdah leads to their decline, whereas [the reality is] that Muslims conquered the world while adopting p u rdah.The wives of Holy Prophet Muhammad sa would observe p u rdah , but still participate in battles.In the battle of Siffin , Haz rat A’isha h ra commanded the army herself.At the time , the highest - ranking generals retreated, but she remained on the battleground.Thus, blaming one’s own weakness on others is stupidity.P u rdah is observed here in Qadian, but our women are far more educated than women from other areas.Once , I made an inquiry and discovered that while t her e are very few illiterate girls, there are many more illiterate boys, and yet p u rdah is properly observed.Then there are many girls who have taken the Maul v i examination, and several are now preparing for FA [college] after having passed the e ntrance exam.In contrast, those who oppos e p u rdah remain engulfed in the same illiteracy and darkness.Undoubtedly, they have more resources and if they tr ied, they could overtake us; however, their progress will be the result of their wealth and not a direct result of discarding p u rdah.I t should also be noted that those who abandon p u rdah are supported by the governmen t.The wife of the g overnor was strongly opposed to p u rdah , so much so that she refused to go to a P u rdah Club, because she believed it to be insulting.M any Muslim women abandoned p u rdah solely because they did not wish to be deprived of meeting the g overnor’s wife.People of our Jama'at should remember that our responsibility goes beyond convincing people of the death of Jesus as.Although this is very important, it is also our duty to confront movements such as atheism, aversion to Islam ic injunctions , and the [erroneous] belief that Islam does not give rights to women.The best way to combat this is to fully establish a system of education for women.If we tell those women, who are determined to disobey the Islam ic commandments , that they tread on a harmful and detrimental path, they will not listen to our advice due to their prior convictions.They will respond , “You men are tyrants, and you have deprived women of their rights.” However , if women go to them and

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! ! 301 say, “W e can tell you from our own knowledge and e xperience that Islamic teachings are superior and most beneficial , ” then they will be affected.If th is movement among women is confronted by women, it will be more successful than if men confront them.If women tell them that they receive all their rights by following Islam ic teachings, then others will wonder, ‘If these women are taking advantage of this, then why should we not do so also? ’ It was for this reason that I raised the question of women’s right s to representation in the Majlis - e - Mushawarat.I wrote a letter from England in 1924, in which I said a movement against p u rdah would arise in India.A t that time , my articles were published in Al - F azl , including this letter.S everal years earlier , I had warned of this movement against p u rdah , which began two years ago.For this very reason, I had brought up the issue of women ’s rights to representation in the Majlis - e - Shura.It is our responsibility to give women whatever rights the Shariah has accorded them, so that they become incli ned to Islam ic teachings.Un less they themselves are passionate about this, t hey cannot invite others to follow Islam ic teachings or preach to other women.No one from among you could declare that Madrassa Ahmadiyya or Jami ‘ a Ahmadiyya [a religious school] should be eliminated , for we all know that unless there are missionaries , there can be no propagation.Therefore , pressure is being put on the Majlis - e - Shura to increase the number of missi onaries.H ow can one believe that this movement among women against Islam ic teaching can be halted , un less women take up the work of tabligh ? However, how can a woman preach to others, if she views herself as a victim? Therefore, both aspects are important: women must be provided with an education, and they must also be given their rights.We should ourselves give women the rights accorded to them by Islam , so that they develop a passion to fight the battle of Islam as if it is their own battle.I n women’s gathering s, men cannot deliver speeches , o nly women can; and only women can record what is said in women’s meetings.Therefore, we should prepare women for this task, and they should be granted the rights allocated to them by Islam.In recent days, a young man came here from out of town,

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! ! 302 having dispute d with his wife.He wrote to me that a holy man had advised him to strike her with a stick if she did not listen to him.Upo n reading this, I was ashamed and wondered how he could consider such a person to be holy who advise s him to beat his wife ?! Piety lies in instituting Islam ic teaching s and not in dismissing it.I t is possible that a person could subdue his wife by beating her, but he does not strike his wife , rather he strikes at Islam because h is wife and other women acquainted with her will feel apathetic towards s uch a religion.Beating may result in peace at his home , but it will be an a ttempt to ravage the house of Islam.So , if that so - called saintly man is present here now , he should listen well.H e is not considered righteous in the sight of God.I n fact , he is the lowest of the low.This world can only find peace with justice, equity , and compassion.U n less this is done, success cannot be attained.In short, women should be educated, given good training , and they should be provided the extent of freedom allowed by Islam.In fact, Islam has given them freedom.Actually, it should be said that men should not try to confine women beyond the limits set by Islam , for just as we have intellect, so do women.I expect the Qadian Jama'at in general and the outside Jama'ats in particular, to pay attention to this matter.There are many issues which the National Jama'at should pay more attention to and there are other issues which d emand more attention from Jama'ats outside [Qadian].T his issue pertains in particular to the external Jama'ats.They should en sure that women understand the issues regarding p u rdah.After the [men] fully reassure them , the [women] should provide a means to el iminate false accusations against Islam.They [t he Jama'at s ] should strive to enlighten and instruct women about Islam , so that they can meet other women and reform the ir point s of view.If this movement grows , it will be very diff icult to overcome it.Matters which can be solved easily in the beginning , become far more difficult to solve later.( Misbah , February 1, 1931)

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! ! 303 Addres s at the Inauguration of the FA Class Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra In 1925, my intention to prioritize religious education was based upon the principle that women may thus be able to receive religious education whilst they are pursuing secular education.I prioritized the religious education [at an earlier age] with the view that religious education is not so interesting or appealing [as certain aspects of secular education] and therefore it is difficult to acquire religious education at a later stage in li fe.In this way, after women acquire som e degree of religious education , they may then pursue an Eng lish education also.Since this [ English education ] is more appealing, there should be no problem in acquiring it later.First, we began with Arabic classes for the girls.At that time, people in and outside of Qadian criticized this, in particular the P ai gha mi [Lahori Jama’at] section ridiculed it.However, by the grace of God Almighty , not only in Punjab, but in the whole of India , this is the first instance of our girls passing the Maulv i Fa z l exam [a degree in Islamic education] in such large numbers.I believe the number of our girls who passed the exam this year is greater than the number of girls in all of India, who have passed the Maulv i Fa z l exam in the past years.After this, as they were eligible to take higher education classes in the girls’ school.H igher education classes were established with the help of high school teachers.By God’s grace, this was also a success and this year , seven stud ents successfully passed their entrance exam.This in itself , is unprecedented , as never before have seven Muslim girls from one school been successful in the same year.S ince we have continuously advocate d the education of women in our Jama'at, several girls from outside of Qadian have also passed the e ntrance exam with commendable scores.In fact, one Ahmadi girl has achieved second position among the girls and thirteenth or fourteenth position among boys.My intention is that their education should advance in this manner , until we have so many women graduates , that we can place female staff in the school and establish a college as well.The

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! ! 304 government has now imposed a condition for men, which forbids th em from taking the private exam, however this condition does not apply to women.Before Punjab Universi ty applies this condition to women, we should produce a large enough population [of graduates] to educate our future generations and fulfill our educational needs.I have pondered over this extensively.U nless women become involved in our work, we cannot be successful.The majority of issues involve women , including the matter of our children’s mo ral training , which specifically relates to women.T his cannot be addressed until women are educated and they are put in charge of this task.N o matter how educated a woman is or how well she trains her children inside the home, she cannot be successful [on her own] because children are influenced by the children in their surrounding s and the only way every child can be well trained , is if a large number of educated women come together.Boarding homes for young children should be established and put under the supervision of women , so that they may instill good manners in them in childhood.When these children are grow n , the ir character can positively influence o ther ’ s character s.Success cannot be attained without this united effort; neither speeches, nor lectures, nor sermons can produce success.National character will only be achieved when such boarding hom es are established.Those whom God has given the ability , should enroll their children in them.Their supervisors should be women.Young children should board there, starting from an early age to the age of seven or eight years, during which good morals w ill be instilled in them.This group will then impress their characters up on others.Keeping t hese boys and girls together in one place for training up to the age of seven or eight can cause no harm but [conversely] c ould prove to be extremely beneficial to the nation.If we can establish such boarding homes and thus, develop good morals, such training would distinguish our Jama'at from others.However, this goal cannot be achieve d without enough educated women , which is why I believe women’s colleges are more important than men’s colleges.This does not mean that we do not require men’s colleges.We do need t hem, but at present, we are un able to fulfill the official requireme nts pertaining to them.However , in my opinion, even if we could fulfill th ose requirements, a women’s

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! ! 305 college is still more important, for men can reside away from home , but it is more difficult for women to do so.Keeping these facts in mind, as Nazir Sahib has mentioned, we are starting this wor k with minimal resources.We expect the high school teachers to continue to work hard to educate our girls i n the future, a s they have done in the past.It has come to my knowledge that geography has been selected as the subject for the F.A.class of women.I have heard that usually , students do not take this subject, perhaps because the subject is not considered useful or because the exam is difficult, and few boys pass.In reality, this is a subject which lacks sequential order and is therefore difficult to memorize.Those s ubjects with sequences can be memorized quickly , for one point leads to another.I have learned that those who take the philosophy exam , achieve higher scores because the subject is taught in a sequential manner.I believe it w ould be better if a man is prepared for this subject.Our professor , Qazi Muhammad Aslam , is an expert in this field.During the upcoming school vacation , [select someone] to learn the main points of the subject from him or someone else , and [based upon this learning], teach the girls this subject.Greater success can be expected by adopting this method.As this is our first attempt, we should adopt the path which is more likely to lead towards success.Philosophy also aids in the training of children; therefore, this subject should certainly be taught.I e xpect those who are in charge to strive to achieve this goal.I will now pray, and everyone should join in, that God Almighty grants us success in our endeavors, that He removes any weaknesses in our means , and grants us the best outcome.May He bestow such favors that women advance intellectually and produce the best means of training for our future generations.( Al - F azl , July 7, 1931, p p.6 - 7)

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! ! 306 Instill Courage and Bravery in Women Excerpt from Friday Sermon Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad , Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra The Holy Prophet Muhamma d’s sa Practical Example Even during peacetime, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa would encourage friendly competition among h is companion s, which would include archery and other skills of war and demonstrations of strength and vigor.It is stated in a Hadith that the Holy Prophet sa would arrange these types of contests in the mosque as well.He said to Haz rat A’isha h ra , “If you wish to watch, you may stand behind me and look over m y shoulder.” Ignorant people allege this Hadith to be false , because it contends that the Holy Prophet sa wou l d watch contests despite the fact that it i s this quality that Muslims have abandoned which has led them t o their ruin.Islam enjoins vigilance and a readiness to face the enemy at any time, and alongside this , it has endeavor ed to save women from cowardice.A Reason for the Fall of t he Mughal Empire The downfall of the Mughal empire in India was due in large part to women’s cowardliness and men harboring an excessive love for women.At the time of mutiny, the British allies saw that the rebels were strategically placed so that the British troops w ould be in the line of fire and would thus be defeated.They sent a message to Zeena t Mahal (s he was the King’s favorite wife , who c onspired with the British in the hopes that h er son would inherit the throne.Al though at that time, the throne and m onarchy existed in name only, she still desired it for her son ).The message said that it would be to her advantage if she had the cannons removed, for their location c ould prove to be extremely dangerous for the British troops.It is thought that if the cannons had not been removed from that locat ion, the outcome of the mutiny w ould have been the exact opposite.Zeenat Mahal said to the K ing, “My heart beats too fast

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! ! 307 [from the noise of the cannons] and I may faint.E ither have these cannons re move d or kill me first.” The K ing had the cannons removed at her request, which resulted in the loss of power for the Muslims.If this story is true, then the K ing was influenced by Zeenat Mahal’s excuse , for he knew that she was un accustomed to hearing the blast of the cannons.She could not have made this excuse , had the cannons been previously fired before her.For t he K ing would have replied, “ As y ou have heard their noise before, w hy would you collapse today?” Thus , the consequence of keeping women away from acts of bravery and courage , was that Zeenat Mahal was able to deceive the K ing.The Wis dom b eh ind Showing Military Exercises t o Haz rat A’isha h ra Haz rat A’isha h ra could not claim that her heart beat fast upon watching scenes of war, for the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa would show her military exercises and he always brought one of his wives with him during war expeditions.S ome have deduced f rom this that it is a Sunnah to take one’s wi fe along when traveling.Indeed it is, but a greater Sunnah is to inculcate coura ge and bravery in women, for unless they are brave , no nation can triumph.The greatest o bstacle to national progress is women exhibiting cowardice.I remember that once someone fell from a ladder in our house.I was about to rush forward to save him , but my wi fe held me back and said, “Do not go forward.” Finally, I had to push her away.I nstead of admiring her husband for his bravery and courage, she did the exact opposite and wished to stop me.Thus, it is our Jama'at ’s duty to make women fearless.The companions of the Holy Prophet sa gained great benefit from their women’s bravery.Muslim Wom en ’s Brilliant Action s During a Critical Situation in the Battle o f Yarm u k At the Battle of Yarmu k, a perilous situation arose for Muslims.It is said that the Christian army numbered between six hundred thousand and one million and the Roman K ing intended to either destroy the Muslims or he would not return alive.Although he did not take part in the war himself, he made all the arrangements for

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! ! 308 the army.He promised the comman der of his army, whose name was most likely Haman , that if he succeeded he would marry his daughter to him.In this war, the Muslim army numbered sixty thousand, and the left wing of the army was defeated.First of all , i f the wing of an army is defeated the risk is greatly increased that the enemy may encircle them and destroy the whole army.However, an army which is small to begin with has a low chance of survival, for the enemy c an single out each and every person and kill them.If God’s help had not been with them that day, the survival of even one single Muslim would have been miraculous , for the opposing army was very large and one wing had already been defeated.At th at time, Muslim women saved the army.Ab ū Sufy ā n ra was among the people w ho retreated.Although he was a very brave and high - ranking g eneral and had performed many great deeds for Islam, he had to withdraw when the rest of the army retreated.At that time, his wife Hind, who was looked upon by Muslims with great aversion , moved forward with a stick in her hand and striking her husband’s horse , said, “ Have you no shame? As a disbeliever, you strongly stood against Islam but now as a follower of Islam, you retreat!” Ab ū Sufy ā n ra was a man of good heart.He was certainly a brave man; and he had only been forced to retreat because his companions withdrew.However, when Hind said these words, he called to his companions and shouted, “Come back! The d eath which finds us while retreating is far worse than the death which finds us on the battlefield !” Consequently, the Muslims rushed forward again and co nquered the battlefield.A si ngle phrase uttered by a woman changed the course of battle.It is further recorded that the women themselves fought for half an hour to guard the gap which had been left.They used poles, tent - walls and whatever else they could get a hold of to protect the field, until the Muslim army returned.The Outcome o f Khansa’ s Bravery i n a War Against Iran Similarly, during a battle against Iran, it was predicted that the Muslims would be crushed , because the previous day they had suffered heavy losses and nearly twenty thousand men were martyred.Muslims had never suffered these many casualties before.

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! ! 309 At that time, there was a woman , who had three or four sons fighting in the battle.F irst ly , i f the woman had been from our country, s he would have never sent any one of her sons to war but if she had been compelled to do so, she would have sent one or two and kept one or two with her self.She would have advised the one she was sending off and said , “Remember son, take care of your old mother and guard your life.” L ook at th e example of such a mother and compare to that elder ly mother whose name was Khan s a! After three days of battle when there appeared to be no chance of any Muslims surviving , due to the fact that the Muslims were up against elephants for the first time and the Muslims were being crushed under their feet , s he told her sons, “I have never dishonored your forefather ’ s reputation and in return for safeguarding your ancestor’s honor, today I expect you to protect my honor and not retreat from the battlefield.If God Almighty gives you life, return triumphantly , but do not return while retreat ing.” This lion - hearted woman ’s sons fought so well that day that every one praised them.God Almighty was so pleased with her sincerity that all her sons returned alive.One Muslim General ’s Wife I will narrate another incident of a woman’s bravery.Haz rat Sa’ad B in Abi Waqas ra was a very courageous man and he had participated in many battles alongside t he Holy Prophet sa.There is no doubt that later battles were not as fierce as those fought in the time of the Holy Prophet sa because at that time , the security of the Holy Prophet sa was to be taken into account also.After the time of the Holy Prophet sa , Haz rat Sa’ad B in Abi Waqas ra was made a g eneral in a battle and was accompanied by his wife.She was the widow of another Muslim general and had married Haz rat Sa’ad B in Abi Waqas ra after his death.Haz rat Sa’ad B in Abi Waqas ra could not participate in the battle as he was afflicted with boils all over his body.It is a woman’s nature , whether she be a widow or divorcee, to refrain from mention ing her first husband in front of the second.I f she truly respects her first husband and does not express [her

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! ! 310 admiration of him] upon the mention of his name, she would c onsider that to be a betrayal.However, if she does act in this way, her second husband would become jealous.Haz rat Sa’ad ra was seated on high ground and was giving orders from there.He woul d write [his instructions] on pieces of paper and throw them down to the soldiers , who delivered them to the officers.The Iranians had a white elephant, which was especially large and which was especially trained for war.It had killed an entire tribe of Muslims , sparing no one.Ha z rat Sa’ad ra sat restlessly, but due to his illness, he could not do anything except write orders.His wife was also very dis tressed when she saw the Muslims being crushed in this way.S he inadvertently called out her first husband’s name, “Alas, if only Musna was he re today!” Haz rat Sa’ad ra could not bear such a taunt because Hazrat Sa’ad ra had been the one to fight valiant ly in battles alongside the Holy Prophet sa.I f he had not been disabled , he would have certainly been present in the battlefield.However, his wife desired that he be on the battleground , no matter what.He grew extremely angry at her taunt and slapped her.The wife said, “What kind of bravery is this ? You slap a woman, but you will not go out a nd confront the enemy , who is killing Muslims?” Haz rat Sa’ad ra was deeply affected by this because he realized that if his wife thought this, it was possible that other Muslims also believed that he was not out in the battlefield out of fear.Therefore, he assembled the whole army in the evening and removed his clothes to show them the boils which covered h is body from head to toe.The Duty o f Lajna Imai’illah Members Thus, in the early days, Muslim women accomplished remarkable things , for th ey were given the opportunity to participate in battles.The Holy Prophet sa always included them in battles.He sa taught them the art of battle and made them practice these skills.However, n ow Muslims have abandoned this practice.I have established Lajna Ima’illah , but it is in its infancy.A number of women show courage at times, but many lose heart and give up.It is our duty to make them courageous.And if we cannot prepare them to participate in war, at least we should i nstill them with enough

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! ! 311 courage, that if one of us [men] must sacrifice his life for Islam , the women are happy to partake in the blessings rather than feel miserable.A man who leaves for battle leaving his fami ly members broken - heartened, becomes disheartened.However, if he feels that his fami ly , al though saddened by his departure are also pleased , and wh ilst they pray for God Almighty’s protection they will also be content if he is martyred, he will feel exceptional bravery and courage.If we believe our religion to be true, then what is death? It is only a door to reach God Almighty and what better reward than to face har dships in the way of God Almighty.( Misbah , May 1, 1931) !

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! ! 312 An Appeal to Ahmadi Women for the Repair of the London Mosque Written by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra I would like to announce to all Ahmadi women that from the l etters I have received from England they seem to indicate that the London M osque, which was built solely with the donations of Ahmadi women and which made women of our Jama'at famous the world over for their dedication and sacrifice, is in dangerous condition due to an engineering defect.The architectural experts have advised that the dome should be immediately repaired and encased in a way so as to fully protect it.Otherwise , the whole building will certainly be damage d.On receiving this news , I deemed it appropriate to consult several companies, so that in this time of hardship , no unnecessary burden is placed on the Jama'at.However, every expert who was consulted advi sed the urgent repair of the m osque , otherwise we risk l osing the whole building.Because of this constraint, I have instructed Khan Sahib Farzand Ali Khan ra , the Imam of the London M osque, to designate a reliable company to begin repair work of the m osque.Meanwhile, I will appeal to the ladies of Jama'at Ahmadiyya to give chanda to preserve their monument , so that this mosque continues to be associated solely with them.I have obtained estimates for the nece ssary repairs and the minimum estimate is six thousand rupees.However , as expenses usually exceed estimates, the real estimate should be between seven to eight thousand rupees.Therefore, I appeal to the women of Jama'at Ahmadiyya to collect this amount.There is no doubt , that if they disregard the necessity of these repairs after erecting such a magnificent monument, then just as they had beco me renowned due to their sacrifice in the firs t place, their subsequent negligence will disgrace them.This is because the mosque they have erected , is situated in the economic center of the world and people travel there fr om all over the world.

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! ! 313 In my opinion , the actions of a Muslim are not for show, but are for the sake of God Almighty.Thus, our Jama‘ at’s women, should in this time of extreme financial hardship, present a superior example of sacrif ic e, not to parade themselves before the world, but to raise t heir status before God Almighty.Following this it will be proven that a believer’s sacrifice is not determined by the extent of one’s wealth , but by the generosity of one’s heart.Even in times of hardship, she gives preference to religious obligation over every other matter.S isters! Remember , that at this present time, serving Islam is the responsib ility of Ahmadis the world over.It is no ordinary blessing from God Almighty to be entrusted with such a magnificent responsibility.I f we must sacrifice every single particle of our being to attain this reward, the sacrifice would pale in compar ison to the blessings we will receive.Thus, prove with your actions that if women of other nations are oblivious and unmindful of their religious and national responsibilities, then Ahmadi women are not like them.By God Almighty’s grace, He has giv en them such a heart and courage that whenever the call to serve their faith rings out, they say ‘L a bbaik [we are here ].’ They harbor no regrets in serving their religion because their hearts are filled with joy to be given one more opportunity to attain Allah’s pleasure.As we have already begun r epair s on the m osque a nd money is needed urgently, chanda should be collected from Lajna Ima’illah , and where there is no Lajna , Anjuman Ahmadiyya should appeal to women directly for the repair of the m osque.Whatever is collected should be sent to the auditor of Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya.As always, at the time of such an appeal, the question arises as to whether or not chanda should be accept ed from a person who is not a member of the Jama'at.Thus, I will answer that rig ht now.A t the time of the m osque’s construction, my instructio n was for this building to be built solely from the funds of Ahmadi women.However, since the building ha s been erected and the question is only of repair and safety, if any [Ahmadi] sister ’ s friend happily wishes to contribute, her donation will be gladly accepted.Perhaps through this means, God

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! ! 314 Almighty will open the doors of His bounties for her and make her the recipient of many more blessings.A s our women are not yet as organized as the men, I instruct Nazir Sahib , Bait - ul - Mal [Head of Treasury], and all provincial, district and local Anjumans , to especially arrange for t his message to reach everywhere.M en should assume this responsibility to gather women and deliver this communication to them.They should assure that no wom a n is deprived of participating in this endeavor, regardless of whether the participation is large or small because gradually small efforts collectively become hugely blessed [and abundant].Mo reover, it is not acceptable to deprive any portion of the Jama'at from participating in virtuous deeds because this dampens that portion’s feelings of sincerity , which ultimately injures the entire Jama'at.I pray to God Almighty that He enables all Ahmadi women to promptly carry out this responsibility; and that this great monument of theirs not only stands firm , but that God Almighty elevates it even higher.َو آ ِﺧ ُﺮ َد ْﻋ َﻮ ا Mُ ْﻢ أ ` ِن ا ﻟ r َﺤ ْﻤ ُﺪ 5ِ 6ِ َر ب ﱢ ا ﻟ r َﻌ ﺎ ﻟ ` ِﻤ ‘ …َ And in the end , we proclaim that all praise belongs to Allah , Lord of all the worlds.Khaksar [ Humbl y] , Mirza Mahm u d Ahma d ( Misbah , September 1, 1931) ! !

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! ! 315 The Educational Progress of Ahmadi Women Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad , Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra September 13, 1931 ! O n September 13, following ‘ Asr prayers, Lajna Ima’illah Sialkot hosted a grand tea reception in honor of Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra , to which certain dignitaries of the city were also invited.Following is Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ’s ra brief address at this occasion.First of all, on behalf of my companions, the other guests , and myself , I would like to thank Lajna Ima’illah for t his reception.R eceptions are frequently held throughout the world, and it has become such a common occurr ence that perhaps it has lost some of its charm.However, a reception which stems from feelings of excitement and sincerity is a source of g reat pleasure and peace of heart.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa told his companions that if their means allowed it, they should invite each other for a meal to promote mutual love and relationships.The Holy Prophet sa himself invited people to meals and ascribed it such importance that he said that turning down an invitation is against my Sunnah.A s I know this reception is hosted by the Lajna w ith the same sincerity and spirit that the Holy Prophet sa wished t o instill in his u mmah , I pray to God Almighty to grant them blessings and bounties equal not merely to the value of this meal, but to the value of their intentions.Although I have not had the opportunity to address Lajna Sialkot prior to this occasion, it is evident from some letters and statements of a respected and devoted worker of theirs, who is the wife of the president of this Jama'at, that they are outstanding workers and an example for many other Lajna.In fact, at time s I have embarrassed the National Lajna by mentioning the work done by the Sialkot Lajna.Although there is no doubt that the nature of the National Lajna’s work is different, I still believe that the steadfastness with which the Sialkot Lajna works , is an example for everyone.

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! ! 316 By the Grace of God Almighty , I have a special interest in the education of women.Because of this, I have heard people’s objections and their opposing points of view.Even then, I am fully convinced and stand firm on the point that no nation can progress without the education of women.When I took over the administration of Jama'at Ahmadiyya, only an elementary school existed for women in Qadian.However, I taught the Holy Qur’ān and Arabic to my wives and my daughters, and directed them to teach local women the translation of the Holy Qur’ān and Hadith etc.I trained one of my wives especia lly for this purpose and my intention was that her own educational progress should benefit other women , but it was God’s Will that up on my return from tour ing England , she passed away.I then realized that traini ng only one woman was not feasible because it meant that if she died, it would take six to seven more years to train another one.Therefore, I arranged for female students to sit behind partitions to acquire education from [male] teachers.Objections were raised inside and outside of Qadian, questioning the value of an education where men taught women.Nevertheless, I paid no heed, as it is evidenced in the time of the Holy Prophet sa that men and women have taught each other in times of need.During the era of the Holy Prophet sa , Haz rat A’isha h ra herself taught his companions and new convert s the sacred words of the Holy Prophet sa.Our women ’s honor [ at this time] cannot be greater than the honor of those women, who lived at the time of the Holy Prophet sa.Therefore, the actions which are deemed appropriate for their status can in no way harm our [women’s] status.I conti nued with this undertaking and last year , a g ood number of women qualified for the Maulv i exam , the equivalent to a FA degree in Arabic.In addition , I also expanded the elementary school to include a middle school.Likewise, taking the Arabic exam qualifies one to take the e ntrance [exam], therefore some of the women who had either passed the Maulv i exam or who had been formally teaching at the school , also passed the e ntrance [exam] by the Grace of God Almighty.This year, we have established a college for women in Qadian.

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! ! 317 I n two years’ time , I expect several of the women will pass the FA exam and , in this way, I intend that at the very least , fifteen - year - old girls should complete their BA and MA so that w omen can teach other women themselves.The requirements for establishi ng a men’s college are strict, meaning that permission will not be granted until a specific amount of money is collected , and a building has been constructed.However, there are no such restrictions for a women’s college.Therefore, at very little cost we can take advantage of many facilities in organizing this for them.Moreover, when they [ the women] are ready to provide this education in Qadian, I am planning to establish a hostel so that arrangements can be made for women from out of town to stay there and receive the education.How distressing it is that not a single Muslim women’s college exists in Punjab! Th is college in Qadian is the first women ’ s college and by the Grace of God Almighty , many women are receiving their education t here.A few months ago, I went to Aligarh and I was told that only four girls took the e ntrance [exam], whereas in its very first year, sixte en girls took the exam in Qadian.We estimated that nearly one hundred percent of girls are receiv ing an education in Qadian; that is to say, their percentage is higher than the percentage of boys [who receive an education].T hat the education of our Jama'at’s women is increasing with such speed is a source of pleasure.In S h a ’ Allah , we will very soon overcome illiteracy among women, particularly in Qadian.( Misbah , 18 th October 1931) Considering the line of work started by the Sialkot Lajna, I am hopeful that their efforts will increase the awareness of education here as well.I am very pleased to hear that due to their good manners, the Ahmadi ladies [of Sialkot] have gained such recognition among other social cir cles, that all their girls are attaining their education in the [Ahmadi] school without friction of any kind.This bears excellent testimony to the spirit of their work.If not men, at the very least women are developing the spirit of cooperation when undertaking Islam ic projects , which is very gratifying.When the women develop this spirit, the men will be forced to combine their efforts.At this time, I cannot talk for long for my h ealth is not so good

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! ! 318 and as we , who live in rural areas , are not accustomed to eating the substandard cooking oil used in the cities , I often come down with a sore throat after eating my very first meal in Lahore.However, this time the malady s tart ed after my third meal.Moreover, I am to deliver anothe r speech later this evening.I will thus end my speech by briefly menti oning that oftentimes women f eel they have no worth.This thought is completely baseless and should be dismissed from the heart a s soon as possible.The Sialkot Lajna have proven that women work just as well.Women should remember that men and wome n are equal in the sight of God Almighty and women can advance through the same levels of progress as men.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said concerning one of his wives : ُﺧ ُﺬ ْو ا ِﻧ ْﺼ َﻒ ِد ْﻳ ِﻨ – t ْﻢ ِﻣ ْﻦ M ِﺬ ِە ا ﻟ r ُﺤ َﻤ ‚‘َْ ا ِء Which meant l earn half of the religion from Haz rat A’isha h ra.We have witnessed Haz rat A’isha h ra guide men in such important matters , that one is left amazed.She had attained perfection in understanding the sayings of the Holy Prophet sa.At times, men’s intellect could not grasp what her own mind could comprehend.Ther e is a well - known anecdote that once the re was a death in the Holy Prophet ’s sa family ; perhaps it was Haz rat ‘ Ali ’s ra brother who had been martyred in battle.T he women were greatly aggrieved , and they began to wail.S ince wailing was forbidden, someone mentioned this t o the Holy Prophet sa.The Holy Prophet sa told him to go and stop them.The man forbade them from continuing , yet they did not stop.At the time, Islam was in its initial stages, and the training of women was not yet complete.The man came back and told the Holy Prophet sa that they had not stop ped.He said : َﻓ ﺎ ْﺣ ُﺚ „ …ِ أ ` ْﻓ َﻮ ا Mِ ِﻬ ﻦ ﱠ ا ﻟ ‚ v َﱡ ا َب [Cast dust in their faces] In other words, put dirt on their faces.The man went and literally picked up dirt and began to throw it up on their mouths.When Haz rat

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! ! 319 A’isha h ra w as informed of this , she admonished him saying , “You are a man , but are you not wise enough to have understood the meaning behind what the Holy Prophet sa said ? The Holy Prophet sa meant for you to leave them alone, not throw dirt up on them.” Haz rat A’isha h ra was a very intelligent woman.Similarly, Haz rat Fatima h ra was unmatched in her righteousness and piety, so much so that the Holy Prophet sa would share c onfiden ce s with her.Other women were like them as well.Thus, women have the same means of progress as men, and I hope that no Ahmadi woma n ever feel s in her heart that there exists no opportunity for progress.Rather, their every step will move them forward and they will continue to work to increase the might and power of Muslims to infuse the world with the spirit of devotion , and to raise the standards of humanity in people in the same way we expect men to do so, or i n the way our God Almighty expects us to do so.I pray that God Almighty give s them the ability to serve the Jama'at, religion and the Muslim world , and grant them all the success He has promised His Holy Prophet sa , and that they become an example for other Jama'ats , Am ī n.( Al Fazl , September 29, 1931)

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! ! 320 A Summary of the Address to the Ladies a t Jalsa Salana Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra December 1931 This speech was delivered to the ladies by Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra at the Jalsa Salana in December 1931.Due to inexperience in taking notes , no woman could record the entire speech.Therefore , only portions of the speech are presented below.Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra s aid : L ast year , I instructed ladies to rea d the book Kashti - e - N u h [Noah's Ar k ].I would now like to question you.C ould the sisters who have read or listened to Kashti - e - Nuh please stand up.( When the ladies stood up, Huzoor said ), It appears that word has not truly spread throughout the Jama'at.However, to a certain extent, I hold Lajna Ima’illah responsible for not expressing more enthusiasm concerning th is announcement.The Qur’ān ic Ruk ū‘ which I have just recited , I picked it at random when I opened the Holy Qur’an to recite.I read it without any set intention because I do not prepare a specific topic when I come to speak at the women’s convention, as I know that ladies do not listen attentively.God Almighty says, “ I s end down water from the clouds.” Many women and men believe that the cloud is an animal , which drinks water from the ocean, but rain is the release of w ater vapor.There is no doubt that a cloud is comprised of polluted water, but it pours down after it is cleansed in the machine of God Almighty.In the same manner, God Almighty has given each of you His blessings ; your brain, your intellect , etc., which are cleansed through Allah ’s revelation and thus you are able to be come pious.The way in

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! ! 321 which a human accepts the water of God Almighty’s revelation, is the manner of person t he y become.You can see that the water of Alla h pours down the same for various plants , such as mustard, fruit, and potatoes.H owever, each plant a dopts the effects [of the water] in their own way.In the same manner, by way of the word of God Almighty, whilst a believer flourishes in his faith, a non - believer grows in his disbelief, and a hypocrite increases in his hypocrisy.Changing o ne ’ s heart is one ’ s own choice.The mercy of God Almighty is vast and infinite.Consider how it is the same Word of Allah which made Haz rat Abu Bakr ra ‘ Siddiq ’ i.e., one who’s each and every particle spoke the truth.On the one hand, he was an extremely tender - hearted person , but on the other hand, he grew so brave, th at he told Haz rat ‘ Umar ra , “ I will not repeal any word of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.” 6 In contrast, it was the Holy Qur’ān which also gave birth to Abu Jah a l [father of the ignorant] , who had been previously known as Abu al - Hikam [father of the wise].Therefore, people can benefit from the Book of Allah according to their understanding, otherwise it is of no benefit.Each one of you will benefit from my speech , according to your own understanding.God Almighty sends down the rain, but it is up to man to benefit from it.When you choose to accept the truth, then work diligently at it.Consider this analogy: w hen you sew, does the needle do the work by itself? Similarly, roti cannot cook itself, even if flour, water , and fire are present.Unless you make the effort , will the roti bake itself? Of course not.In the same manner, God Almighty has sent ! 6 This is what Hazrat Abu Bakr ra said after being appointed as the Khalifa of the Holy Prophet sa.Before his demise the Holy Prophet sa had readied an army to fight the Byzantines under the leadership of Hazrat Usama bin Zaid ra.When the Holy Prophet passed away, it was recommended that the army no longer be sent as it was important to protect Medina.Hazrat Abu Bakr ra wisely and bravely rejected this proposal and said the quoted words.[Editor] !

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! ! 322 down His revelation.Now strive to learn and understand it , so that you may reap the benefits.Otherwise , nothing will come about.Learn r eligious knowledge.Do not believe yourself to be sinners whilst doubting how you will be granted the ability to learn religious knowledge.Know this, that if you a re a great sinner, then God Almighty is the Greatest Forgiver and Most Merciful.A re you great or is Allah the Greatest of all ? Ask for forgiveness, for God Almighty will certainly forgive you.Likewise , the Holy Qur’ān instructs us to establish Salāt.It is far better for women to perform Salāt in congregation.By performing Salāt in congrega tion, thousands of blessings will be gained , and it is not appropriate to perform Salāt alone.If women are determined to follow this, it is neither difficult for them nor is it forbidden.Women can lead the prayer [among women only].Congregational prayer is neither difficult nor dissimilar.The only difference is that seventy times more b lessings will be gained , and in this way, they will make more progress in the area s of religion and spirituality.Likewise, it is important to spend in the way of God Almighty.I cannot pass the chance to compliment the women of this community.Compared to other women , they have participated in the financial sacrifices with much more fervor.Our sisters are very brave in paying their chanda s , however , to donate anonymously and secretly reaps many more blessings.In our country , it has become a custom to force donation s or to make a demonstration of it.An example of this would be the woman who burned down her home to show off her beautiful ring [see page 40 3 ].Therefore, help the poor secretly and by doing so you will lose no thing and nor will God Almighty let your act go to waste , because He is the Master and King of both worlds.The earl ier prophets foretold of the Holy Qur’ān ’s prophecies and in a way , they envied us for this.Then how unfortunate it would be if you still failed to benefit from its revelation ! I f you do not fo llow its commandments, remember that the punishment for opposing it is grave indeed.

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! ! 323 Women view themselves as weak, but that is nothing to be proud of.Men never complain of being tired , however women complain of their weakness and frailty after having simply walked to a train.Unfortunately, they pass this sentiment onto their daughters , which is not desirable.Those who wish to make progress do not express their weakness.The more a person puts themselves through hardship the more they progress.Therefore, in or der to progress in your faith and spirituality, put yourself through hardship.You will naturally then become accustomed to it.Muslims have lagged behind others , for they have never attempted to excel others.Maulana Ishmael Shah i d r h worked hard to hone his swimming skills in order to surpass others.Therefore , in the skills of sewing, education, teaching and lecturing you should surpas s women of the other nations.Excel others in good deeds.Analyze yourselves to assess if you have this spirit within yourselves.Strive in order to excel other women.If you have given jewelry to charity, it is God Almighty’s promise that you will receive gold and silver jewelry many times over.There was a time when Muslims dominated the world, but now they have been disgraced.God Almighty has said that those who break divine laws will come to a miserable end.T hey end up as slaves.Rid yourself of laziness and obliviousness and inculcate courage and steadfastness within yourselves.If God Almighty has blessed you with children, may He also bless you with the ability to instill good moral training in them.I will also pray [for this].

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! ! 324 Address to the L adies at the Jalsa Salana Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra 1932 After reciting Tashahhud and Surah Al - Fatihah , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra said: Just as nerves and arter ies work together, t he world is also organized and runs with the cooperation between men and women.However nowadays , a war rages a ll around and discord is on the rise.There is a prophecy which says that , near the Day of Judgment , all blessings will be effaced.T he beasts i.e., the illiterate and lowly nations will be mixed together , their status will be raised , and all huma ns will desire equality.It is for this reason that this section of the human race, women, came to the realization that they should seek equality.Therefore , women began to take part in war and conflict.There is a saying in our country that a cantaloupe, upon seeing a nother cantaloupe, takes on its color.T his is also expressed as ‘ jumping on the bandwagon.’ T his quality and behavior is found in every country, but it is more rampant in our nation.Once a jackal was running and someone asked him where he was going.He replied that the K ing had ordered that all the camels in the city be captured.T he person replied that the order was for camels , whereas you are a jackal.He replied that perhaps jackals could also be caught.In exactly the same manner, the women of our nation are imitating Hindu and Christian ladies and demanding their rights.Yet, who are men to g rant women the rights , which God has already accorded them? The way in which the Holy Qur’ān has defined a Muslim woman, it cannot be found in any other religious book or religion.Christianity teaches that women do not possess a soul.In other religions , women are described as the organ of the Devil or as the root

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! ! 325 of all evil, etc.However , in Islam , wherever the Holy Qur’ān mentions pious men, it also mentions pious women.Haz rat A’isha h Siddiqa h ra is not revered solely for being the wife of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , but also for being A’isha h ra.Christianity has not established any rights for women, not even for mothers beca us e w hen it was mentioned to Haz rat Masih as that Mary had come to see him, he asked “ Who is Mary ? Go woman , I do not know you.” Thus , where a mother’s rights go un acknowledged, how can a wife’s rights be established ? If Christians do not believe women ha ve a soul, what rights can they accord them ? N ow, Muslim women strive to emulate them.It is a wise person ’s creed to never fall under another’s influence.Islam has given women more than basic equal rights.For example, a woman’s m ehr is determined at the matrimonial ceremony and the m ehr belongs solely to her and is under no one else ’s control.France is the most li beral country in all of Europe, and because wom e n have been denied their rights, they have taken it upon themselves to fight for their rights.Due to sheer blindness , Muslim women ha ve also demand ed their right s , even though God has already given them these rights.God knows why they have suddenly begun asking for them.Of course , they have not utiliz ed the rights already granted them.Non - Muslim women were never awarded any rights, which is why they demand them.However, Allah Himself awarded Muslim women rights.The fact is , that they neither learned to exercise their rights nor did they understand how to utilize them.Instead of fighting for and demanding your rights , learn to exercise the rights Islam has already given you.Raising an uproar after making a mistake is analogous to the following example.A highly skilled soldier , who was an excellent swordsman, worked for the King.The prince grew envious of the soldier , for the King w a s affect ionate and kind to him and was forever awarding him accolades.The prince requested a fine sword from [the King].The King ordered the soldier to give the prince a sword.The brave soldier warned the K ing that the prince was unfamiliar with the sword and could instead harm himself by improper use.Yet, the prince continued to insist and e ventually the prince received his

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! ! 326 sword, which resulted in him cut ting his arm due to improper use of the sword.A t this the King scolded him and the prince incurred his displeasure.Similarly, Muslim women are unaware of how to use their rights.Consider how Islam instructs that even weaning a child off his mother’s milk should be done after mutual consultation [ i.e., women should not be forced to wean the child off from their mother’s milk].Islam says the mehr is the woman’s property and they can use it as they wish.However, people began making the mistake of setting the m e hr too high, i.e., a million rupees or even more.What is the purpose of setting a m e hr at one or two hundred thousand rupees, if his [the husband’s] income is n ot even a penny? He is then un able to pay it.T his is not a matter of pride or display of wealth.People have created such grave problems for themselves by refusing to learn to correctly exercise their rights.At any rate , Allah has bestowed Muslim women with all sorts of rights and now they must learn to use those ri ghts correctly.If a person owns a n excellent horse but does not know how to ride the horse , the horse is useless.Along with the correct utilization , one requires a strong determination.Even if a person has knowledge and capability but has no determination, the ability is of no use.Some people are capable and knowledgeable, but they do not possess determ ination, therefore they are in capa ble of performing any work.R esolve should be firm and acted upon.When they resolve to do something, they should follow through.Some people have knowledge, capability , and strong determination, but they do not take an y action.Their example is that of an old woman , who i nstalled a door in her house but did not close it to keep the dogs out.The women of o ur country mistakenly believe that men have usurped their rights.Thus, Muslim women should remember that if they do not learn to implement the rights Islam has granted them , grievances are of no use.If you want to learn about the rights given to you by Islam , study the Holy Qur’ān and the Hadith , and th e proper interpretation can be found in the Promised Messiah ’s as books.Once Maulv i Abdul

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! ! 327 Kareem ra address ed his wife harshly inducing the Divine revelation which stated : ﻳ ہ ﻃ š › ﻖ ا چ ﮭ ﺎ ﻧ Ÿ ‘ ا س ¡ ر و ک د ] ﺎ ﺟ ﺎ ۓ ﻣ ﺴ ﻠ ﻤ ﺎ ﻧ ﻮ ں E ﻟ ' ڈ ر ﻋ ¦ ﺪ ا ﻟ § š › ﻢ ک ﻮ “ Advise t he Le ader of Muslims that this is un acceptable behavior.” [Urdu Tadhkirah p.323] Thus , learn lessons from the Promised Messiah ’s as practice and exemplary life.By following true Islam, his actions showed the great status Islam gives to women.Undoubtedly, our country’s elite leaders favor women’s rights , such as Sir Sayed Ahmad Khan, who was a very good leader, but his own community criticize d Islam.Other religions, such as Christianity , are already enemies of Islam and their mission is to criticize Islam.However, if o ur women learn their religion and read the Holy Qur’ān , they will be able to respond to allegations made by other religions.The Holy Qur’ān is the most complete book and by studying and pondering over it with full attention , one can gain the entirety of knowled ge.From primary school to taking my entrance exams [for college] , I was excused from taking exams due to my poor health.H owever , I studied the Holy Qur’ān.I did not study philosophy and logic, b ut by the Grace of Allah and by solely studying the Holy Qur’ān , I have always been comfortable in con versing with leaders of different religions, people of high status , and greatly esteemed orators and statesmen without any hesitation.No famous lecturer, principal , or bishop has had the courage to challenge me.When I visited Europe, I could converse in English over various topics and meet with well - known philosophers without any reservations in my heart.This was not due to my superior mental capabilities , but because I wield the sword of the Holy Qur’ān.Therefore, if you study the Holy Qur’ān , Hadith , and the Ahmadiyya literature, you will also discover how exceptional the religion of Islam is.No Christian dare s to face Ahmadis.You should wield the sword of the Holy Qur’ān.Reflect upon how no doctor is successful without

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! ! 328 using his medicine and shiny tools.However, he also needs his mental capabilities.If he is not capable, then no number of tools or medicine can be of any use.Some characteristics help develop capabilities.One is to be grateful.Gratitude generates many good morals and with gratitude comes the means to improvement and progress.The practice of being thankful generates unity and love in a nation.When you fulfill your obligation by thanking someone for their virtuous actions, it leads to the development of good morals.Haz rat Junaid rh (or Shibli) was a respect ed elder , who had previously been the governor of a province.He was such a pious and righteous man that people name d their children after him ( for instance, our Qazi Ahmed ’ s children’s names are Junaid and Shibli).When he was a governor, the King awarded him a robe of honor for his excellent service.When he came before the King in his robe of honor, he suddenly sneezed and wiped his nose on that elegant robe.The K ing saw this and believed that he was dishonoring the robe.He ordered his servants to immediately confiscate his robe.They did so and then they proceeded to throw him out of the court , accusing him of failing to understand what it was to be thankful for the R oyal honor bestowed to him.It is said that he had been a harsh and cruel governor , b ut after this incident he became a kindhearted , humble man of God.He knocked on the doors of everyone he had wronged and asked for the ir forgiveness for his shortcomings.He repented and immersed himself in the worship of Allah.This was all due to an incident concerning a robe.He realized that ‘ O my Lord! If one could be so greatly punished for dishonoring a robe , then not showing gratitude for all Thy bl essings will certainly deserve punishment.’ Consequently, after showing his gratitude, he became one of Allah’s saints.Therefore , you should become more grateful.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said that he observed more women in H ell, for they are [generally] ungrateful.Moreover , women lack cooperation.This occurs not only in our country, but women in Europe are also not cooperative.In continuation of this subject , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra said : “When I went to Europe, a woman asked me , ‘ Do you have doors in your

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! ! 329 country? ’ (In Europe , people often keep their doors closed).I answered, ‘ We do have doors, and they are also kept open.’ The woman misunderstood me and believed me to be inferring that we were hospitable , while Europeans were not.” Along w ith gratitude, you should show compassion for each other.In addition, w omen should practice in themselves a great deal of patience, which they often lack.The capacity for pa tience can be developed through practice.It is extremely rare for women in our country to be patient , for they do not practice it and it is only acquired through hard work and courage.Here , they begin to cry at the slightest hurt, but when you are at war with other nation s, what good will crying do ? The Sahabiat [female companions of the Holy Prophet sa ] developed forbearance , endurance , and patience through practice.One Sahabia ra lost her father, son, and husband in war.She showed no concern for them but continued to ask after the Holy Prophet Muhammad ’s sa wellbeing.When she learned that the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was alive and well, she said, “If the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa is alive, then I will not grieve.” Likewise , when surrounded by enemies during a battle , a female companion removed the poles from a tent and fought so fiercely against the enemy that they fled.However, the women of our country begin to cry at the most minor of difficulties whilst also claiming that they are being patient.This so - called patience is no patience at all.Once the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was passing by and came upon a woman crying desperately.He asked her why she was crying in such a manner.He was told her child had died.He approached her and advised her to be patient.She replied that only he who had been stricken [with such grief] , could understand her pain.S he did not recognize the Holy Prophet sa.She said, “If you had lost a child, only then could you understand how painful it is.” The Holy Prophet sa replied, “I have lost many children.” After the Holy Prophet sa left , someone informed the woma n that he was the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.The woman ran after the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and said, “I did not recognize you.Please forgive me.I will be patient.” T he Holy Prophet sa replied, “What use is patience now? You

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! ! 330 should have exercised patience before.Showing patience after crying so desperately is of no use.” Therefore, if you practice patience as the Sahabiat ra did, only then will you be able to develop the ability to participate in yo ur own country’s affairs and utilize your rights.Otherwise , how can a person who does not show patience, forbearance, and tolerance in trivial matters, show courage in national matters.You will only achieve something if your mind is free of sadness and grief.Otherwise, verbal lamentations are of no use.The n ext attribute is courage.Remember , courage enables humans to accomplish everything.If you have courage , you can act with bravery, otherwise you can achieve nothing.You could never accomplish with the help of your friends, that which you can accomplish with your own courage.There is an incident related of a Kashmiri from a time when many Kashmiri s joined the army.When the war was about to begin, the g eneral command ed the army to guard a certain ar ea.A few soldiers went to the o ffic er and requested that he appoint some bodyguards to protect them.The officer realized these soldiers lacked courage and t herefore, Kashmiris are n o longer enlisted in the army.On the other hand, o ne wise king learned a lesson from an ant.H e saw the ant fa ll several times while trying to climb up a wall.Finally , she succeeded , and the K ing learned a lesson from her.After losing several battles, he continued to strive , and he finally triumphed.This is courage and perseverance.It is narrated that once , Rustam 7 was defeated by a wrestler and thrown on to the ground.Rustam was known for his courage and determination, and he thought to himself, ‘Come courage.Let us gain our freedom.’ As the opponent pushed him on his back and pressed down upon his throat, he gathered up his courage and loudly yelled out in order to frighten his opponent , “Here comes Rustam ! Here comes Rustam !” Upon hearing Rustam’s name, the opponent became frightened and ran away.By using the incitement of his own name, ! 7 Rustam , a legendary hero in Persian mythology.He is best known for his tragic fight with Esfandiyār, the other legendary Iranian hero.Rustam was always represented as the mightiest of Iranian paladins (holy warriors).[Editor]

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! ! 331 Rustam saved his life.So , without courage and strength, one remains unsuccessful.Then there is humility and t awazu ‘ [hospitality and respect due to one’s humility ].In our country, tawazu ‘ is a very common word, but few people know its meaning.If somebody serves his guest with good food, it is said he was served with great tawazu ‘.If a police officer visits a village, entertaining him is viewed as tawazu ‘.However, they do not understand the true meaning behind tawazu ‘.It is said that once there was a K ing who would walk the streets in disguise.One day , he turned up at a point where a policeman was on guard.Out of arrogance and haughtiness, the policeman would not let the K ing pass , for h e assumed the disguised K ing was an ordinary man.The policeman said, “Do you know who I am?” The K ing asked , “Sir, what is your rank? Are you a corporal ?” The polic eman replied, “Go higher”.T he K ing said, “ A S a rgent ?” He replied, “Yes”.Now, the policeman asked, “Who are you? A police inspector!” The King also replied , “G uess a little higher , ” to which the policeman asked , “A deputy?” The K ing once again replied, “Go higher.” Further questions and answers ultimately resulted in him revealing that he was the K ing.The policeman was greatly embarrassed and apologized.Thus, s ome people do not understand what it is to show tawazu‘ and humility.Let someone acquire even the slightest worldly status and he swells with pride and arrogance.In their pride, they forget to keep their feet on the ground, and yet they do not realize that when great people show humility , they are respected and honored more so.Consider the Russian Cz ar’s destruction and the German Kaiser ’s defeat, all the result of arrogance and conceit and lack of humility.However, [King] George the Fifth is highly respected.If one approaches the public with humility and tawazu‘ , they will gain a great deal more respect.The subjects of the Emperor value him for his actions of humility.If people in aut hority show humility , they are greatly admired by the people who will wholeheartedly serve them with their lives.The nation’s leader is their servant.While discussing the implementation of the foundations of Islam , t he Promised Messiah as quoted the following Persian couplet:

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! ! 332 " ﻣ ﻨ ہ ک ﺮ ﺳ ی ز ﺑ ہ ﺮ ﻣ ﺎ ک ہ ﻣ ﺎ ﻣ ﻮ ر ﯾ ﻢ ﺧ ﺪ ﻣ ﺖ ر ا " Do not appease me by placing me on a high pedestal, for my mission is to serve.There are many benefits to being humble and unpretentious.This is one way to impro ve the inner self and command respect from others.Next, a most valuable trait is sacrifice.If you wish to take advantage of your rights, then make sacrifices.S acrifice yourself, sacrifice your wealth, sacrifice your desires, and serve others.One who serves others is great.All the rest are insignificant.Consider th e follo w ing point.I f a European princess serves others, if she visits the sick and the disabled in hospitals, gives them gifts, and asks after their wellbeing , she becomes highly respected.In this way, you are a member of the Promised Messiah ’s as Jama ‘ at, who consider themselves to be servant s of Islam.You should also make sacrifices in every aspect of life, so busy yourself in serv ing humanity , which will lead you to be successful in both the religious and in worldly life.In the end , I would like to offer an important piece of advice, that unity requires organization and discipline.There is a complete lack of org anization and discipline among women.This is a very important issue, and a concerted effort should be made to rectify this.When alcohol was prohibited in Islam , the companions of Holy Prophet Muhammad sa acted upon it immediately.Then there is the incident of when the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa sternly commanded everyone to sit down, and people sat down wherever his voice was heard.One of the companions , upon seeing another c ompanion sitting in the middle of the street, asked him why he was sitting there.The comp anion replied that he heard the Holy Prophet Muhammad ’s sa command and had sat down in compliance with his order.[He went on to say], “I do not know why we have been asked to sit, but I will obey his command.” Therefore, you should also learn this important and very necessary concept, that to achieve organization and discipline, you must listen and obey every command.

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! ! 333 After this , I would like to give the ladies tw o important tasks.They should consider th em and then report back to me with the results , so that we may implement this in our whole community.First and foremost is the question of burqa and p u rdah.T he previous version of burqa wa s useless when considering p u rdah in accordance with Shariah.Along with p u rdah , women also need fresh air for their health, which cannot be enjoyed when wearing the previous style , nor can one hold a child.If it flaps open with the wind or if one must lift something, only the back remains covered , while one’s front part of the d ress is revealed.Some do not like the new style of burqa as it reveals beauty and charm.Theref ore, they believe it to be useless and a chado r is also inc onvenient.This is why I am requesting talented women and expert seamstresses to come up with a burqa which is comfortable from the point of health, and is in accordance with Islam ic requirements , and then pass it onto us.I do not know how to sew , and women are more in tune regarding this matter.It is my hope that they will ponder over this and let us know, so we can review and implement it.The second matter concerns the women’s exhibition, concerning arts and handicrafts.A sample of every type of product crafted in your town , should be brought to be exhibited at headquarters.The present exhibition appears to be of the Lajna themselves, rather than the products.Ladies should direct their attention to this matter and a rrange t o send the highest quality product in their hometown.O r inform me, so I can make arrangements towards this.I will show th e Lajna how an exhibition is done.After attempting to do so in the last two to three years, I have observed that they have not accomplish ed anything.Therefore , women should strive in this regard.The y have been assigned these two responsibiliti es , and I hope that you will have accomplished them by next year.Lastly, I pray that may God Almighty help you with these blessed tasks.( Misbah , January 15, 1933)

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! ! 334 Obtain True Knowledge! Address to the Ladies at Jalsa Salana Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad , Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra 1933 After reciting the Tashah hud and Surah Al - Fatihah , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra said: As Sayyeda Fazeelat Begum has a loud voice, she should make an announcement on all four sides of the stage that I cannot speak loudly , for just yesterday I got out of bed after battling a bout of influenza.It will be better if the audience listens quietly.If those who cannot hear me sit quietly during the speech, they will at the very least attain blessings.(Upon this , Sayyeda Fazeelat Begum announced his message on all sides of the stage.) After this, Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra said : Those who have passed throughout the ages, be they men or women , bea u tified themselves to show their high status or distinction.If nothing else, they decorate d their bodies with s urma [dark pigment used as makeup] or they built grand buildings to express their beauty and grandeur.This was the standard by which their high rank and stature was measured.Therefore , cities such as Delhi, Baghdad and Cordoba have had and st ill have a large number of architectural marvels.Some believe that beauty lies in singing and playing music.In some countries , stylish and beautiful clothes are favored.I n India , some people would wear shalwars [loose pants] made from forty to fifty yards of fabric.I n India , there was a period of time when outfits were donned with pride and the current style of shalwars a nd pajamas [fitted ruched pants] were considered inferior.Over time, fashion has changed considerably.In any case, every age brings a new standard to mark high status.

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! ! 335 These days, it has become fashionable in our country to attain a higher education and obtain a d egree.I believe that today’s parents long for their daughters to attain a higher education even more than A lexander or Timur yearned to conquer other nations.Co pying and following English society has become a fashion , which has developed into a craze.In our country, more girls are obtaining degrees in an effort to mimic other countries, which has also become a fad.Initially, the trend was to be ignorant and now the trend is to obtain this type of education, alth ough this is also a form of ignorance.Oth er nations regard the English as fanatical for seeking knowledge.T hese nations are wrong.The English do not learn to rid themselves of ignorance, but rather they acquire knowledge which is necessary and useful for th e country.Perhaps o ur country is mimicking the British method of learning, but to its own detriment.Chaud h ry Zafrullah Khan ra just related to us the story of a man, who sent hi s son to a college in Europe to attain a higher educati on on the condition that he would have to support himself while attaining his degree, for the father could not afford to do so.Thus, this was a good example, for his money was not waste d and the boy was taught to rely on his own ability.The se days, women are developing an eagerness to attain a degree.They believe that un less they attain an educational degree , they will not be considered sophisticated.T his is a sign of their ignorance.I plan to advise the ladies of our community to gain knowledge , while also guiding them on how much and what type of education they should obtain.God Almighty has blessed every human being with one favor or another.Some are blessed with a good voice, whereas others write well.No doubt , writing is an excellent skill.A person can imp act others through [writing] from thousands of miles away and th is is one of the best ways to express oneself.I will give the ladies a simple example.In the beginning , sewing was done with a needle, but now sewing machines are used.The meaning of knowledge is to broaden your faculti es and obtain items of comfort to fulfill yo ur needs; to take advantage of good things

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! ! 336 and make them beneficial for your nation and religion.Knowledge is of two types: the science of religion , which benefits religion, and the science of bodies , which benefits the body.These two [categories] are labelled sciences and do not come under any other category.For example, a woman spends her life learning mathematics , but forsake s the responsibilities of rearing her children and household duties.W ho would say s he is intelligent and seeks knowledge ? Men are required to acquire this type of knowledge, as they are to earn a living, b ut why is it necessary for women to solve mathematical problems? This is not knowledge, but ignorance.The duty of a woman is to manage the household and raise children.However , people are in the habit of viewing the grass as greener on the other side.It is for this reason, in order t o mimic the European women , that our Muslim society looks to their daughters to acquire educational degrees.In fact, a woman is the queen of her domestic empire and is an officer of a military department, where she must raise her children.Women believe that the man ’s job is more comfortable and honorable and studying in colleges and acquiring degrees is an easy task , a source of much honor.However, i f women take over the work of men and men th e work of women, it would be disgrace ful.There was a period when the poets of Lucknow began to write and recite poetry in a feminine style and adopted a feminine conversational tone.However, when the King of Awadh adopted this feminine style of expression, he lost his kingdom.The Muslim children within India are spoiled , because the mothers are incompetent and do not know how to train them.When I went to Europe, I met an educated Indian person, who had adopted European culture so entirely, that he could not speak even a single word of his Indian language.This is the result of gaining degrees.In a way he had completely detached hi mself from India.In our country, if a person gains the slightest affluence , he believes himself to be different from the rest.In England , this is not the case , for they gain benefit from their knowledge, rather than causing harm to their nation by severing all ties with it, thus deprivi ng it of the benefit [of their

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! ! 337 knowledge].In fact, l ook at our stage here.Priding themselves as being either the wife of a judge, or the mother of a barrister, or the wife of a deputy, some women expect to be seated at a higher position than others.Nevertheless , they should have ensured that their sisters who work as the Lajna president, secretary, or national volunteer, were seated here on stage.I n this world , respect is not earned by money.A person cannot become great by f inding wealth, nor can a p erson gain respect by wearing an expensive outfit or costly jewelry.However, real knowledge instills d ignity in a person and an educated person deserves complete respect.In fallen nations, undoubtedly value is given to those who wear expensive clothes, but that is not the case with the pious.It is narrated that once Haz rat Sheikh Sa ‘ adi attended a princely banquet , where he was not given any respect, as it was his practice to dress modestly.The next day , he wore expensive clothes and was seated at a more prominent position.When the food was served, he began to feed his clothes.When people asked what he was doing, he explained that it was not him, but his dress which had been thus honored.Among the British elite, not one person cour ts these English judges and governors , who hold such prominent positions here in India.Once, when a photograph was taken , a British financial commissioner was requested to stand behind the late Hafiz Roshan Ali, although when he was in India, he had been powerful and highly respected due to his substantial income.People respect those who have more wealth, even though t his is wrong, for wealth does not produce respect.At any rate, our Jama'at has not yet received worldly respect, for what is respect? Remember that true respect comes from spirituality, piety, righteousness , and purity.Progress comes from good deeds.Respect is obtained through service.You should gain religious knowledge , which will benefit the nation and community.How many of you serve the religion and perform t abligh of Islam ? Thus , listen to the words of God and H is prophet and read Haz rat Sahib ’s [The Promised Messiah as ] books.There is plenty of time to read novels and magazines, but is there no time to read

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! ! 338 religious book s? How shameful to see English converts seek to learn Urdu to read the Promised Messiah as ’s books , while our ladies refuse to learn Urdu.If they can read a small amount , they begin to read novels.Seek to gain knowledge of religion ; read the Holy Qur’ān and read the Hadith.K nowledge and wisdom can be found with in the Promised Messiah ’s as books , therefore derive beneficial knowledge from them.Obtaining a b achelor ’ s or m aster ’ s degree offers no benefit to religion.Last year, a girl who was working towards her BA degree , was requested to do tabligh to her peers regarding the teachings of Ahmadiyyat.She replied that she did not wish to create conflict among her peers.Yet she was no intellectual, rather she was ignorant.What benefit did she gain from such an education? If education means to learn something , are not ironsmiths or carpenters knowledgeable in their field? The meaning of education is to learn that which captures your interest.Those fields which fulfill your needs are called education.A person with a BA degree was not recruited in the armed forces , for he was unskilled in the martial arts nor was he knowledgeable of army tactics.Would you call a physician competent simply because he might be knowledgeable concerning music [a skill unrelated to his field ] ? Therefore, we must evaluate what type of knowledge is required.We are in need of religio us knowledge.If a woman succee ds in earning her m aster ’ s degree but is incompetent in raising her children or managing a household, she is not knowledgeable but ignorant.The first responsibility of a mother is training her children and then running a household.One who reads Hadith and the Holy Qur’ān is a pious Muslim woman.If a woman excels in reading books to become a teacher or a physician, it is very beneficial because we need such professions.All other sciences are in vain.I ask the question, what will you do with a b achelor ’ s or m aster ’ s degree ? I advise the ladies of the community to learn religion and attain spiritual knowledge.Haz rat Rabi ’ a h Basri rh or Haz rat A’isha h Siddiqa h ra had no educational degrees.Haz rat A’isha h r a learned religion and she is the master of half of religious knowledge.When we need a Hadith dealing with the issue of

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! ! 339 prophethood , we refer to Hazr at A’isha h ra for its elucidation.Sher Muhamm ad was an uneducated carriage man , but he was exceptional at performing tabligh.When he would drive his buggy , he would hold the Promised Messiah ’s as book in his hand and ask his passengers to read it to him.In this way , he could do tabligh.Hence, when an i lliterate , uneducated man know s that which serves a greater purpose, he is knowledgeable and not ignorant.The Promised Messiah as used to say that the secret to progress ing in serving one’s religion is knowledge.A person becomes rich not due to pride or money, but from true knowledge.Now I pray that God Almighty may grant you the ability to attain true knowledge an d that you do obtain true knowledge.( Misbah , January 15, 1934)

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! ! 340 Address to the Ladies at Jalsa Salana Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra 1934 After reciting Tashahhud and Surah Al - Fatihah , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra said: In our country, and in fact in all other nations , there is a widespread notion that women are naturally and inherently incapable of accomplishing anything significant.In order to prove this notion incorrect, w omen should have accomplished great things, rather than a c ceding to it.A re they truly incapable of accomplishing anything great? And is it largely due to the Holy Prophet sa stat ing in a Hadith that he saw a large number of women in hell because they were ungrateful, deficient in understanding , and imperfect in their faith? The Holy Prophet as r elated this to us to make women aware of their condition and warn them that these shortcomings could lead them to hell.Ingratitude is not an innate quality.It is an [ acquired ] habit.I f a thief steals , it is not because stealing is in his nature , but because he has acquired the h abit of doing so.If women have acquired the habit of being ungrateful, it can be altered.However, instead of instructing women to rid themselves of this bad habit , today’s ignorant m aulv i s tell them it is women’s n ature [to be ungrateful] and they cannot change themselves.The women readily agree to this consensus.Thus , when the doctor does not prescribe treatment and the patient is content, th en death is the surest outcome.Whereas, by pointing out t hat women will go to hell for being ungrateful , being inadequate in their faith , and weak in understanding, the Holy Prophet sa challenged their sense of honor and urged them to give up such habits and thereby enter paradise.Just as he sa once light heartedly mentioned to his wet - nurse that old peopl e would not enter paradise.

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! ! 341 This upset her a great deal, but h e sa reassured her that youth would be restored to everyone before entering paradise.Consequently , t he Holy Prophet sa intended that women should give up ingratitude and increase their understanding.It is generally observed in children that at an early age , they have a poor understanding which improves with age.So now, when women are told they are deficient in understanding or in faith, are they to give up on their intelligence or faith? No, certainly not ! S imply because you are weak in faith, does not mean that you should give up your faith and sit on the side, but r ather that you should learn faith.We observe th at when children begin their schooling, they know nothing, but they learn and grow in knowledge.Should they quit at the beginning because they cannot read? In short, this was an admonition to abstain from ingratitude.Consider how great the favor is of t he Holy Prophet sa to wards women that before his advent women were treated as animals and were called every derogatory name.In fact, e ven now , several nations believe that women do not have a soul.Thus, how gracious was the Holy Prophet sa when he dictated that women and men are equal in humanity.We have observed that in some cases women are religious and men are weak in faith, women are wise and men are dull.In response to the Holy Prophet ’s sa great favor, it was the women’s responsibility to engage in the propagation of Islam as an expression of gratitude.However, the fault lies wholly with present day maulv i s who persuaded women that the ir mind and intellect was too weak to accomplish anything.Whereas on the other hand , t he Holy Prophet sa was challeng ing women’s sense of honor by pointing out that how can they enter paradise without committing virtuous deeds ? He pointed out that they fail to become intellectual and serve the faith.To acquire intellect , you need to work and in order to work you need to learn the skills to work.The fault lies with the maulv i s for teaching the opposite.Today, I have explain ed to you the truth about this Hadith , so that you may understand that this is what is meant by it.

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! ! 342 Following this advice , which was the prelude to my speech, I wish to tell you that this is a wonderful time to serve Islam.The maulv i s wiped away half of the body of Islam by alleging that women are deficient in understanding and are incapable of accomplishing anything.The maulv i s have inculcated such concepts among Muslims, which have made them believe that even the prophets are not free from the touch of Satan.Therefore , in one way or an other, they have defamed all prophets.However , the Promised Messiah as presented the true picture of Islam.M aulv i s have propagated the false notion that the Holy Qur’ān speaks of many such things which would be inappropriate to accept as true.If I beg i n tell ing you each one, you would be astonished.R emember, true Islam is that which the Promised Messiah as has presented , which is Ahmadiyyat.Thus , if at this time Ahmadiyyat is in danger, it means Islam is in danger.The Islam presented by the maulv i s is in no way acceptable.They present Islam ic teachings to non - Muslims in a negative manner.For example , they claim that if you come upon a non - Muslim traveler, it is permissible to steal his wealth or that it is lawful for you to take the wife of a non - Muslim without marrying her.Who would accept this version of Islam ? T hese scholars go on to assert that true Islam is Jihad , according to which it is permissible to kill a Hindu, Christian or Sikh and to take their assets.Hazrat Khalifa t - ul - Masih I ra related that once he went to Amritsar [a city in India] and gave a man four aaney [coins] to purchase some sweets.When t he man came back with the sweets , he also handed him [Hazrat Khalifat - ul - Masih I ra ] back the full amount of money.Upo n questioning him as to how he had returned with both the sweets and money in hand t he man replied that it was M al - e - Ghan i mat [spoils from the war].H e had asked the shopkeeper to show him something from the backroom and when t he shopkeeper went to the back , he quickly picked up the eight aaney.Hazrat Khalifa t - ul - Masih ra s aid, “You have stolen the money.” He defended himself by saying that the shopkeeper was a Hindu , not a Muslim.Thus , it is the Promised Messiah ’s as great favor upon us, that he presented us with the true teachings of Islam.If Islam was

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! ! 343 presented as a teaching which permits either the killing of or stealing from anyone who is a Hindu, Sikh or Christian, would any person accept such an Islam ? No one would ever do so ! And it is o n this basis, they say that the Promised Messiah as has abrogated Jihad [ fighting against an enemy].These days , m aul v i s have gathered together to proclaim that since Islam enjoins Jihad and these people [ Ahmadis ] are opposed to it, their Jam a‘a t should be destroyed for having broken the sword of Islam.Why are they so bent up on destroying and persecuting Jama'at Ahmadiyya? It is because the Promised Messiah as has done away with oppression and dishonesty.The people of Kabul killed Haz rat Sahibzada Abdul Latif ra because he spoke against killing the British.Likewise , there was another man who became the only Ahmadi in his family, and his father and relatives beat him before every meal, as regularly as one eats curry for food.He was beaten every day in this manner.Once his father entered w hile his brothers were beating him, and when he screamed, “I am dying , ” the father felt pity in his heart and asked the sons to leave him alone.T his situation continued for two years, solely because his family was angry at him for converting to Ahmadiyyat.Similarly, there was a businessman from Narrowal [a city in India] who suffered greatly after accepting Ahmadiyyat.You are already aware of the situation in Kabul and what has passed there.Besides that , when some Ahmadis fro m Lahore and other cities went to perform tabligh , hundreds of people pursued them , and dogs were set upon them.Some of the women who accepted Ahmadiyyat or who inadvertently married non - Ahmadis write to me that they are called names and are persecuted.Non - Ahmadis create problems for their Ahmadi colleagues in offices and refuse to give th em leave of absence to attend Jalsa , or they even dismiss them from their jobs.Additionally, e ducated Ahmadi candidates are denied jobs , simply on the basis of the m being Ahmadi.Then there have been some Ahmadi men who were boycotted by their wives and children an d they suffered greatly for many years until the wife accepted Ahmadiyya t.Moreover, they misinform authorities that we are anti - government ,

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! ! 344 while o n the other hand they tell the public that we are government agents , thereby turning the government against us and inciting people to attack us and destroy our possessions.In the ir m osques , they declare that Ahmadis are pigs and should be refused entry in to their mosques.T hey make proposals to declare ou r marriages null and void.In short, our condition is similar to that of the Muslims during the time of the Holy Prophet sa.D espite the vastness of the earth, it has narrowed for us.Recently, gatherings were organized in Qadian where they hurled obscenities at us , and some government officials sid ed with them.On the one hand they incite t he government against us , and on the other they mislead the public.However, let our enemies remember that they shall fail.Let the wife part ways with her family , l et the husband d esert his family.However, Ahmadiyyat will not be forsaken.Recently, an incident occurred, where a child turned up [at one of our offices].His parents had subjected him to several hardships and had even stripped him of his clothes.Our Jama ‘ at clothed him and brought him here.Thus, those who are destined to come to us , they will most certainly do so , and they will not care for the consequences.The boy whom God had decreed to come to us, was even stripped of his clothes and yet he still came.So w ho then can stop the one whom God brings to us ? No one can eliminate faith by striking at it with a sword or by stoning it.We are all aware of the situation in Kabul, as well as the circumstances Sahibzada Abdul Latif ra and Ne’matullah Khan Shaheed ra endured, whereby t hey were forced to walk around the bazaars.S ome [Ahmadis] from among them had their noses pierced and were told to give up Ahmadiyyat , but they did not.When Sahibzada Abdul Latif ra was brought to the execution grounds, the K ing told him that there was still time to denounce Ahmadiyyat.The mullahs threw stones at him.His disciples cried when they saw his handcuffs , but he said, “ T hese are gold en bracelets.” An Indian trader, who has since accepted Ahmadiyyat,

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! ! 345 was also present there and said that he too threw stones at him.He [ Sahibzadah Sahib ra ] lay there bleeding but continued to say , “M y people do not know what they do.” People leapt at him as if they were the hunting dogs.They crushed his bones with stones , yet he raised his hands and continued to supplicate [to God].Th is was the faith of an Ahmadi! Therefore, f aith cannot be eliminated by anyone ’s efforts to diminish it.Whether it be the government , the public, the rich , or the mullahs.T hey may kill us , but they cannot corrupt our faith.Therefore, it is the duty of not only our men , but of our women as well , to prepare themselves to make sacrifices for the Jama ‘ at.There are example s of not only one but hundreds of people , who suffered greatly for the Jama ‘ at , until God granted them death.Thus, it is your duty to stand shoulder - to - shoulder with men.If you love your faith , then abide by the scheme I have proposed during these trial - filled times.Think about this: i f a mother stays awake all night for her child , d oes she do so as a favor to anyone? Therefor e , if you love your faith, then bear every form of pain for its sake.I cannot reveal all that which is currently undisclosed because it is not appropriate for a general to reveal all th e secrets to his soldiers.I had appealed for twenty - seven thousand five hundred rupees , but we cannot contend with money alone.Among our enemies are many wealthy people , who can donate sixty thousand rupees at one time.There are many millionaires among the businessmen in Bombay [Mumbai].We cannot compete with them even if we were to raise ten million.Sacrifice f or y our Faith - Simple living The real responsibility of every Ahmadi man and woman is to make sacrifice s, therefore every man and woman must live a simple life.We are unaware of what kind of sacrifices may be required from us.The Holy Qur’ān clearly states that we should neither s pend our

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! ! 346 wealth extravagantly n or hoard it in a miserly fashion.I f we are in the habit of spending all that we have, then when it becomes necessary to give in the way of our religion, we will have nothing to give.Therefore, I advise you to live a simple life and make a habit of hard work.How will those people who are accustomed to eating good food or whose houses are full of things, be able to migrate ( if there be a need to migrate or if someone needs to go and live in an other place to serve the faith )? During t he time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , there was an occasion when people were required to set out for an expedition.Twenty thousand accompanied him , while three did not.These three were well - off and believed that because they had their own transport , they c ould catch up later, so they did not leave [with others] due to their pride over their wealth.It was custom ary of the Holy Prophet sa to make stops along the route when he travelled.H owever , this time he did not stop near the city and continued.When the three l eft their homes to follow, they could not find him [the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa ].The route was dangerous , and at last they were compelled to return to their homes.God Almighty did not approve of this action of theirs and they were given a punishment lasting fifty days , during which no one was allowed to talk to them.Servants, wives, children , and other Muslims were not allowed to speak to them.One of the [three] men sent his wife to her mother’s home so that he would not speak to her by mistake.Another of the three was very talkative.He said , “I would speak to everyone, but no one would respond.One day , I visited my cousin who was sitting in his garden and said to him , ‘ We have shared together our times of eating and resting, and I have share d my secrets with you.D o you believe me to be a munafiq [hypocrite] ? ’ My intent ion was for him to tell me whether he believed me to be a believer or a hypocrite, bu t he did not reply.He simply raised his face up to the sky and said, ‘O nly Allah and H is Prophet know best.’ ” “ When the truth of the situation was revealed , I w ished that the earth would open and swallow me.Everything went dark before my eyes , and I could not even see the gate from which to exit the garden.I

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! ! 347 was forced to jump the walls of the garden to leave.I was walking through the market when I saw a man pointing at me and telling another man, ‘ He is the one.’ He gave me a letter from a K ing, in which it was written that as the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa did not care for my dignity , I should join them.At t hat point , I realized that this wa s Satan , who was trying to deceive me.I asked the man to follow me.On the way , I passed by a baker’s oven, threw the letter in the fire , and told the man to tell his K ing that I had given my reply.I visited the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa daily and offered my sal a am [ greeting s of peace ].I would look at his face to gauge whether he had replied to my sala a m in a low voice.I would then leave , but come back again to offer my salaam , in case the Holy Prophet sa had not hear d me the first time.I would look at his lips, hoping his lips would move [in reply] and answ er me in a soft voice.D espite the vastness of the earth, it had become narrow for us.” “ T he morning when the commandment for our forgiveness was revealed, many people rushed to break the news.One clever person scaled a roof top and shouted, ‘ O m y Malik! Go d has forgiven your offence.’ ( I am narrating this incident to you to illustrate that wealth can become an obstacle.Note how the poor left [with the Holy Prophet sa ] , but wealth became a barr ier for the rich).I gave a suit [ of clothing ] to the first man who delivered me the news, saying that this is all I have.Since my wealth came in the way of my faith, I have decided to give the rest of my wealth, garden , and land to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Thus, this suit of clothing comprises of the entirety of my wealth , which I now give to you.” Learn a lesson from this historical incident and pledge to adopt simplicity in eating and drinking.Make only one dish for the meal.Many of the wives of farming families cook several dishes of vegetables.Every Ahmadi woman and child should promise to keep their dress simple.Make fewer outfits comp ared to earlier and do not spend any money on accessories for your clothes.It is not forbidden to keep what you have already.Doctors should prescribe such remedies which are less costly.Do not go to see plays or other entertainment.Do not give any money or g ive only a small amount of money as gifts at weddings.In keeping up with custom and fashion, d o not spend a great deal of money on the decorations of your homes , except if you

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! ! 348 need to repair or replace a broken piece.Many of these instructions are for the rich , but some are for the middle classes, and some are for the poor as well.Use your savings to buy properties.With this scheme, poor women will also be able to participa te in purchasing a property.V illage women can come together and contribute two rupees each to buy a property worth two hundred rupees and then rent it and share the income equally among them.In this way , poor women can contribute when the need for chanda arises.If every individual begins to save what they have and buy property, then in a brief time , a great many things can be built.When you r financ ial state strengthens , you will find many opportunities to serve the Jama'at.If women co n vert jewelry worth a thousand rupees into property, at the very least, they can earn a monthly income of five rupees.However, this is not an order, lest the weak are tested, f or t he Promised Messiah as has said that women love their jewelry more than they love their relatives.Many of you have jewelry , but you do not pay the Zakat.In this way , you can save yourself from the punishment of not paying the Zakat.A nd if you possess jewelry, you must pay Zakat on it.If you buy property with your jewelry, you can generate a monthly income.You shall be able to spend with ease and spend in the way of religion as well.You can buy property by coming together.Where ver it is established, Lajna should make an effort.W here there is no Lajna , it should be established.Village women should take out an hour or two from their day to make baskets etc., and thus earn at least one or two coins.Skilled women can earn twenty to thirty rupees per month.However, since I have instructed against excessive decorations, you should make simple goods, such a s ornamental hair ties or long skirts.I propose that starting from February 1936, an exhibition should be held from now on.Women from all over should send items and these items can be sold in that exhibition.Th e exhibition should be held in Lahore and women from all over should attend.Women from Hyderabad , Deccan, Bengal, UP, Sarhad, Punjab should all attend.These days , when there is so much opposition against us , women can help by performing tabligh to other women.Wom en from

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! ! 349 Kasur, Amritsar, Ferozepur, and Gujranwala and from every other district should participate in this exhibition and conference.The lecturers should be properly trained , and I will appoint men to assist you in this regard.Through this, women will have the opportunity to take part in tabligh.Gradually , centers for tabligh will be established in other cities, such as Lahore, A mritsar, Sialkot, etc., so that women in other areas can perform tabligh.Now I have assigned you your work and you can no longer complain that you were not given a chance to serve.Adopt simplicity in your lives and also take part in tabligh.If even now you make excuse s , it would not be appropriate.I p ray to God Almighty that in the future , He enables our men, women , and children to serve Islam.You should strive , so that when the enemies see your efforts, they join you.Now , there is no room for excuses.Each person has been given their responsibility and if you show indolence, you will be answerable to God.May God Almighty enable you and I to follow the path which pleases Him , Am ī n.( Misbah , January 15, 1935) !

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! ! 350 Hazrat Khalifat - ul - Masih II’s ra Instructions Regarding the Moral Training of Children Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra December 27, 19 2 5 Hazrat Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra addressed the topic of moral training of children at the 19 2 5 Jalsa Salana.Hazrat Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra said that if children are raised according to Islam ic teachings from the very beginning , they will grow up to be free of sin and develop good morals.Since this is a highly important and essential matter, every woman in Jama'at - e - Ahmadiyya should keep it at the forefront of her mind.T herefore , some of these instructions are presented below : Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra said : Contrary to other religions, Islam has not only drawn our attention towards the methods of era dicat ing sin but has also stressed up on how we should strive to prevent it from taking root in the first place.I say w ith regret , that while the Holy Qur’ān has highlighted this point and some Muslim scholars have also emphasized this, Muslims as a nation, have not paid full attention to it and have ignored the fact that sin takes root even before the age of puberty.When people say a person has begun to fall into sin , the truth is that the seed of sin which had been planted within h im , that seed has in fact now grown into a tree and has become visible to us.O therwise , how could a tree grow where there is no seed? It c an not.If a person had no prior ability to commit sin, from whence did the ability emerge when he was grown ? The reality is that sin develops in childhood an d settles in side the heart before the onset of puberty a nd at times, the origin of some sin may even be in place before birth.By the time a person is grown , and the religious scholars tell you to sav e him from evil, he is already u nder the complete control of Satan.By this, I do not mean that he has

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! ! 351 taken on all sin , but that he has developed the capability and inclination towards sin and is easily lured to wards it.As I have told you before, morals are based on some predispositions.If these dispositions are corrupt ed during childhood , the person becomes fully equipped to commit a sin, even though he wa s born completely free of sin.You should ponder over w here sin come s from.I s sin not inherited? Nations who have certain characteri stics t end to pass on similar characteristics to their children.If a nation has lacked bravery for generations and you are encouraging them to be brave, they will still show cowardliness when fighting , or they will not fight with the same courage that a nation would which is known for its bravery.Although you could train and reform them in these matters, one’s heritage does play some role.Similarly, sin is borne from an excess of greed, anger, fear, love, and desires.If you reflect, are t hese dispositions not cultivated right from childhood? Are the se small, harmless habits not the foundation of future sin? Parents say about their child that , ‘H e is only a child, so of course he will behave in this manner.’ However, is it not true that childhood is the time when th e deepest imprints take hold ? Why would a person steal, if in childhood he had been taught to control himself ? [Take the example of] a person who embarks upon Jihad but then he runs away from the battle due to the fear of the enemy.People taunt him for doing so, however think about this carefull y.Wa s it not those childhood stories of cowardliness, told by his mother, which brought him running back in fear? The s ame goes for anger.During childhood , pa rents ignore this and when the child grows up, he goes about fighting with everyone.Again, is sin not bred due to the lack of will power? Is this weakness created without any reason? After all, why does a human being spend his entire life making resolutions only to break them, therefore achieving no thing? Lack of will power does not develop in one day; rather, it is developed in childhood and only in childhood.

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! ! 352 Otherwise, why would a person, who earnestly wishes to rid himself of a bad habit, not succeed in doing so? Had he been properly trained, that would have been sufficient to convince him that such a habit i s wrong , and he would have immediately quit.O r , if such a habit is good , he would have adopt ed it straightaway.Now, I will tell you how to safeguard your children from developing this weakness.The first door of sin is opened by the sway of the parent’s thoughts , rooted within their hearts, before their child is even born.It is important to close this door first.Thus, people should show mercy to their children and purify their thoughts.If they are unable to succeed in this the whole time, they should at least follow the solution given by Islam to protect their children to a certain extent.Islam has prescribed a cure for inherited sin.When the husband and wife come together, they should recite this prayer: ا ` ﻟ ¨ ﻠ O ُﻬ ﻢ ﱠ َﺟ ﻨ ﱢ ~ْ َﻨ ﺎ ا ﻟ ﺸ ﱠ 'ْ ٰﻄ َﻦ َو َﺟ ﻨ ﱢ ِﺐ ا ﻟ ّﺸ 'ْ ٰﻄ َﻦ َﻣ ﺎ َر َز ْﻗ َﺘ َﻨ ﺎ [O Allah! Keep us away from Satan and keep Satan away from the children you will bestow us.] O Lord! Protect us from Satan and pr otect from Satan the children Y ou have provided us.This is not a charm or m a gic spell, and it is not necessary that you say it in Arabic.Yo u could say it in your own language, ‘ O Allah ! Sin is harmful.P rotect us from sin and protect our child from sin.’ The intention or thought made at that time , will sta nd as a wall between Satan and the child.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said if this prayer is said at the time [of conception] , the child is born free of satanic influences.Some people raise the question that although t hey recited this prayer several times, it did not show the specified result.The answer to their doubt is that firstly , they did not re cite the p rayer as it should have been re cited but said it as a charm.Secondly, by no means is this a solution for all sin.It is only for such sins as are hereditary.After inherited sin, the person’s thoughts regarding sin start to become tainted in childhood.Islam has resolved this problem in the following way.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa told us that moral training begins at birth and I believe that if it w ere possible the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa would have s aid to start while the child wa s still in the

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! ! 353 womb.However, since this is not possible, he sa said to start right after birth by calling the Adh ā n in his ear.The words of Adh ā n are not said as a charm or spell, but the purpose of this command is to cause parents to understand that the time for their child’s moral training has begun.In addition to the Adh ā n , the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa has co mmanded that children be taught good manners right from childhood.He sa substantiated this command by teaching manners to his own relatives during their childhood.It is narrated in the Hadith , that when Ha z rat Imam Hassan ra was a small child and was eating, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said to him : َو « t ْﻞ ِﺑ 'َ ِﻤ ﻴ ِﻨ َﻚ ، َو « t ْﻞ ِﻣ ﻤ ﱠ ﺎ ]َ ِﻠ ' َﻚ E at wit h your right hand and eat from that which is in front of you.Haz rat Imam Hassan ra was only two and a half years old at the time.In our country, if a child moves his hand all over the plate, fills his mouth with too much food, and even soils the clothes of those sitting around him, his parents laugh and do not fret over this.O r they reprimand him very lightheartedly, the intention of which is not to t each their child, but simply to show off that they care.Another incident narrated in the Hadith is that once Haz rat Imam Hassan ra picked a date from among the dates allocated to chari ty and put it in his mouth.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa inserted a finger in his mouth and removed it.The significance of this was to teach that he ought to eat of his own earning s and should n ever be a burden on others.In short, it is the child’s moral training which shapes a person into w hatever he become s in the future.Thus, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said: أ # ْو ، ُﻳ َﻨ + َﱢ ا ِﻧ ِﻪ أ # ْو ، ُﻳ َﻬ ﻮ ﱢ َد ا ِﻧ ِﻪ َﻓ ﺄ # َﺑ َﻮ ا ُە ، ا ﻟ 9 ِﻔ ْﻄ َﺮ ِة َﻋ ? # ُﻳ ﻮ ﻟ # ُﺪ ٍد َﻣ ْﻮ ﻟ B ﻮ C B ﻞ ﱡ Fُ َﻤ ﺠ ﱢ َﺴ ﺎ ِﻧ ِﻪ [ Every child is born true to nature.It is his parents who make of him a Jew or a Christian or a Magian ] This means, a child is born of pure nature.Beyond that, i t is his

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! ! 354 parents who make him Jewish, Christian, or Zoroastrian.It is true that parents take him to the church to make him a Christian, but he also becomes what his parents do and say.Thus, he becomes just like his parents.The fact is that children have a habit of imitating others and if parents do not teach him good deeds, he will mimic others and learn from them.Some people say that we should leave children alone and once they are grown , they will become Ahmadis.I say, if no other voice reaches a child, then it is possible that once exposed, he would accept Ahmadiyyat as a grownup.However, even now, when other’s voices reach him and he is absorbing everything , then he will become what he sees and hears.If a ngels do not convey their point of view , then Satan will befriend him.If he does not hear that which is virtuous, then he will hear that which is evil , and evil is what he will become.( Misbah , May 1945) ( Minhaj - u - t ul alabeen , p p.50 - 54)

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! ! 355 Address to the Ladies as Jalsa Salana Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra December 1936 The following is a brief s ummary of Haz rat Khalifat - ul - Masih I I’s ra speech.If at places , the meanings are not clear or th is narrative does not convey that which is characteristic of Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II’s ra speeches, the editor takes full responsibility.After reciting Tashahhud , Surah Al - Fatihah , and Surah Al - Inshirah , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra said: Each action has an outcome and any work , which does not result in an outcome finds no favor with a wise person.For instance, a farmer works hard in the hopes of an outcome.He plows his land, levels it, sows the seeds, and waters it.He recognizes that his work will not go to waste, for the fruit borne therewith will be many times greater than the effort he put s in.He saw his father and grandfather receive the harvest after they had plowed and planted the seeds.However, he will stop working so hard if he finds that after plowing, leveling, seeding, fertilizing , and watering the crop he no longer receives any harvest , or he no longer reaps a harvest after five or ten seasons.Yet, if h e consistently reaps the rewards of his efforts and o nly very rarely loses his crops, then in that case, he will consult the experts for the cause behind the failure of that season.Consequently, he will act on their advice and have full faith in the positive outcome of his efforts.It is for this reason that he wakes early in the chilly winter mornings to water [his fields] and he happily works in the fields during those sweltering summer days and never tires of hard work.Why is this so? It is because he firmly believes that his efforts and hard work will not go unrewarded and will surely bear fruit.Thus, consider the following question.In the hopes of reaping crops to support his living for the year, t he farmer plants his seeds , worth only a few rupees.He works hard and firmly believes that his

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! ! 356 efforts will not go unrewarded.If this is so, then how could the efforts of our hundreds and thousands of men who wor k for our Jama'at, who sever their own appetites to pay chanda , who break their ties with relatives only to join ties with the Jam a‘ at , go to waste? For if spen ding thousands of rupees and enduring all types of hardships , everything just results in no outcome, then I must say that we are the most unfortunate of all people s.The farmer bears the fruit of his toils by sowing seeds , the value of which is no more than a few rupees.If we find no return for our expense of thousands of rupees, this can be attributed to two reasons.One, we either follow the wrong path or we have not employed the correct means.A farmer consults the experts to discover the cause behind the loss of his crops and he improves on any weakness.Likewise, we should also determine the condition of the path upon which we tread.Is it the right or wrong path? For instance, the original foundation of our movement d ifferentiate s us from what other [Muslims] follow.First ly, mainstream Muslims believe that a reformer has yet to come for our reformation , whereas we believe that the reformer has come.He was the Promised Messiah as , the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.We believe that the Jesus as they await, has already come.Secondly, we say that the Holy Qur’ān is a living book and obeying the instructions contained with in the Holy Qur’ān can raise one to the status of a prophet, whereas our opponents claim that no other prophet will arrive after the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.These are the two central and significant differences between us.There are however a number of minor differences.For instance, Ahmadis say that he who i s promised to come , will not appear from outside , but will be from among us [Muslims].Non - Ahmadis say that he will descend directly from heaven.Ahmadis believe that by following the Holy Qur’ān , one can become the recipient of all awards and virtues, as mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān ; whereas non - Ahmadis question what the Holy Qur’ān can tell us , for the only truth is that which we have constructed ourselves.They attach more importance to their own beliefs than they do to the Holy Qur’ān , and yet ver y few Ahmadi women consider these issues.Not many women look at or thoroughly understand such issues, which is why

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! ! 357 they can not stand up to other women.If our women understood these issues, then no other female adversary could stand up to them.Thus, we have not erred in adopting the [right] path.If the desired results are not forthcoming, it is due to our own failure to act.For example, if a person places the Holy Qur’ān upside down before someone , and consequently that person c annot read it properly, is that due to the reader’s lack of wisdom or a deficiency in the Holy Book itself? Therefore, e very Ahmadi woman should recognize that the Holy Qur’ān and Hadith ha ve very clearly stated that t he Jesus as who has passed, will not reappear.Instead, a reformer will emerge from within the u mmah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.The first thing we must study is w hat God Almighty and the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa have said concerning this [matter].Only those who spent their entire lives in the service of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , his companions ra , could have truly understood the meaning and the significance of his sa sayings.As is evidenced in the H adith , there was much agitation when the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa passed away, for it happened unexpectedly and his companions ra were un aware that his sa death would occur so suddenly.The following Surah [ A n - Nasr ] was revealed around the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ’s sa death : § ا ۡﻟ َﻔ ۡﺘ ُﺢ َو ا ِّٰﷲ َﻧ ۡﺼ ُﺮ َﺟ ﺂ َء ِا َذ ا § َا ۡﻓ َﻮ ا ًﺟ ﺎ ا ِّٰﷲ ِد ۡﻳ ِﻦ ِۡيف َﻳ ۡﺪ ُﺧ ُﻠ ۡﻮ َن ا ﻟ َّﻨ ﺎ َس َر َا ۡﻳ َﺖ َو n َﺗ َّﻮ ا ًﺑ ﺎ َﻛ ﺎ َن ِا َّﻧ ٗﻪ ¨ ا ۡﺳ َﺘ ۡﻐ ِﻔ ۡﺮ ُھ َو َر ِّﺑ َﻚ ِﺑ َﺤ ۡﻤ ِﺪ َﻓ َﺴ ِّﺒ ۡﺢ “ When the help of Allah comes and the Victory, And thou seest men entering the religion of Allah in troops, Glorify thy Lord with His praise and seek His forgiveness.Surely He is Oft - returning with mercy.”

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! ! 358 (Holy Qu’r ā n , Ch.110: V.2 - 4) Which means , ‘ O people, when you see armies upon armies of people entering Islam , you should glorify Allah and ask him for forgiveness and protection.He indeed returns with mercy.’ This was an indication to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa that he would soon join Allah and that the time for triumph had come upon them.This made his companions ra very happy , but Haz rat Abu Bakr Siddiq ra began to cry so much that he was unable to speak.Once Haz rat Abu Bakr ra had recomposed himself , he sat down and addressed the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , “O Prophet of Allah , we are ready to sacrifice ourselves, our parents, our wives, and our children.” The rest were surprised and questioned the soundness of this elder’s mind.However, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa replied that Haz rat Abu Bakr ra understood [this Surah ] too well.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said that he loved Ha z rat Abu Bakr ra more than anyone else.If it had been permitted to appoint a Khalil [an intimate friend of the highest degree] with the exception of Allah , he would have chosen Abu Bakr ra.T he Holy Prophet sa went on to say that all windows would be closed , ex cept for Abu Bakr ’s ra window.This statement was intended as a prophecy , that upon becoming the Khalifa , Haz rat Abu Bakr ra would enter the m osque through the window specifically appointed for the sole purpose of leading the prayers.The love that the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and Haz rat Abu B akr ra possessed for one another demonstrates the lofty spiritual status of Haz rat Abu Bakr ra.People asked Abu Bakr ra why he had been so upset at this glad tiding of divine succor.He replied that the prophets of Allah come to spread the message of Allah and return to Allah upon completion of their assigned task.Thus, up on hearing these Qur’ān ic verses , he said, “May our lives and those of our parents, our wives , and our children be sacrificed for you.” One can see from this that from among the companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , Haz rat Abu Bakr ra best interpreted the Holy Qur’ān.When the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa passed away, Haz rat Abu Bakr ra was out of town.U pon hearing of the passing of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , Haz rat ‘ Umar ra drew his sword from its sheath and declared that he would strike at the head of anyone who said th at

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! ! 359 the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa had passed away.He said that the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was not dead and had left to commune with Allah , as Haz rat Moses as had left to commune with Allah.Hazrat ‘ Umar’s ra declaration had a profound effect on all the other Muslims.One learned companion however became very upset and sent someone to notify Haz rat Abu Bakr ra right away because the Muslims ’ state of mind was taking a turn for the worst.Consequently, Haz rat Abu Bakr ra who had been coincidentally out of town, returned and immediately went to where the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was laid.He removed the fabric which covered his face, kissed him on the forehead , and said, “O Prophet of Allah , may our parents be sacrificed for you.God will not bring two deaths upon you ; one that is your own , and the other that of your followers going astray.” Even though Haz rat Abu Bakr ra was a meek and tender - hearted man, he approached Haz rat ‘Umar ra , who was still standing with sword in hand and said, “O ‘ Umar, sit down! ” Yet, Haz rat ‘Umar ra who was too unsettled to stay put , stood up again and again.After seeing such emotion, Haz rat Abu Bakr ra stood up and recited this verse: n ا ﻟ ُّﺮ ُﺳ ُﻞ َﻗ ۡﺒ qِِ ِﻣ ۡﻦ َﺧ َﻠ ۡﺖ َﻗ ۡﺪ َر ُﺳ ۡﻮ ٌل s ِا َّﻻ ُﻣ َﺤ َّﻤ ٌﺪ َﻣ ﺎ َو “ And Muhammad is but a messenger.Verily all Messengers have passed away before him.(Holy Qur’ān , Ch.3: V.145) Which means, O people, Muhammad sa has passed away.Those who worshipped (our leader) Muhammad sa should know that Allah never dies.Muhammad sa was a prophet of Allah.If Muhammad sa has passed away , will you turn your back? Haz rat ‘Umar ra sa id that such a state came upon him at hearing this verse , that he felt like his legs would crumple beneath him.He felt as if this verse had been revealed that very day.Notice how this incident that occur ed immediately after the death of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , clearly demonstrat ed that the companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa never believed Haz rat Jesus as to be alive.

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! ! 360 If Hazrat ‘Umar ra had believed that Haz rat Jesus as was still alive in heaven, he would have certainly made this argument in support of his earlier claim.Had Haz rat ‘Umar ra forgotten this? Even if we suppose that Ha z rat ‘Umar ra had forgotten, then one of the other companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa would have mentioned that Hazr at Jesus as is still a live.Now tell me , who possessed a better understanding of our faith than the companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa ? There is an old Punjabi adage which goes , “You tell me news of my home, when I am just coming from there.” Is it possible that tho se companions ra , who were the most knowledgeable , who were the recipients of countless blessings did not comprehend this concept, but those who would come later would possess a deeper understanding ? It would be strange indeed for Haz rat ‘Umar ra to remember Haz rat Moses ’ as incident when he travelled to Mount Sinai to commune with God , but not to remember Haz rat Jesus as.Secondly, the peculiar aspect of this verse : s َو َﻣ ﺎ ُﻣ َﺤ َّﻤ ٌﺪ ِا َّﻻ َر ُﺳ ۡﻮ ٌل “And Muhammad is but a messenger…” ( Holy Qur’ān, Ch.3: V.145 ) can only be reasoned if all earlier prophets had passed away.Thus, when this verse supports this [theory], and no one argue d that Jesus as was not dead , this is clear evidence of the fact that not one companion held this notion.If any one of the companions had believed Haz rat Jesus as to be alive, then the news that the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was dead and Jesus was still living, would prove devastating for him.A poet has depicted the feelings of the companions at that time in a most beautiful way : ﻛ ﻨ ﺖ ا ﻟ ﺴ ﻮ ا د ﻟ ﻨ ﺎ ﻇ ﺮ ى - ﻓ ﻌ ± ﻋ ﻠ ' ﻚ ا ﻟ ﻨ ﺎ ﻇ ﺮ ﻣ ﻦ ﺷ ﺎ ء 3 ﻌ ﺪ ك ﻓ ﻠ ' ﻤ ﺖ - ﻓ ﻌ ﻠ ' ﻚ ﻛ ﻨ ﺖ ا ﺣ ﺎ ذ ر You were the pupil of my eyes.Upon your demise, the eye has become blind.Now I do not care who lives and who dies Because I only feared the occurrence of your death.

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! ! 361 T his event was of such great significance that after this , how can we presume that Haz rat Jesus as still lives ? After [this incident ] , Abdullah bin Saba began to spread dissension.The companions ra considered him to be an apostate , for he began to spread the notion that Allah , W ho revealed the Holy Qur’ān will once again raise the Holy Prophet sa to the same level.If Ha z rat Jesus as is still alive, then we can say that the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa also lives.The verse that Haz rat Abu Bakr ra recited can only mean that either Haz rat Jesus as should not be believed to be a Prophet or that the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa came first and then Haz rat Jesus as came after him.While in fact, everyone knows that Haz rat Jesus as came first and was also a Prophet.Thus, in light of this verse, he has died.n َو َﻣ ﺎ ُﻣ َﺤ َّﻤ ٌﺪ ِا َّﻻ َر ُﺳ ۡﻮ ٌل s َﻗ ۡﺪ َﺧ َﻠ ۡﺖ ِﻣ ۡﻦ َﻗ ۡﺒ qِِ ا ﻟ ُّﺮ ُﺳ ُﻞ “ And Muhammad is but a messenger.Verily all Messengers have passed away before him.” ( Holy Qur’ān, Ch.3: V.145 ) Th is verse clearly shows that all prophets who preceded the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa have passed.Thus, what other evidence is needed, after the evidence of the Holy Qur’ān and that which the companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa have presented ? The Promised Messiah as has put forward a very strong arg ument.Remember, there are three Qur’ān ic verses , which i f all ladies learn by heart , then no one can stand a chance at defeating them regarding this topic.The first is the verse which Haz rat Abu Bakr ra recited : n َو َﻣ ﺎ ُﻣ َﺤ َّﻤ ٌﺪ ِا َّﻻ َر ُﺳ ۡﻮ ٌل s َﻗ ۡﺪ َﺧ َﻠ ۡﺖ ِﻣ ۡﻦ َﻗ ۡﺒ qِِ ا ﻟ ُّﺮ ُﺳ ُﻞ “ And Muhammad is but a messenger.Verily all Messengers have passed away before him.” ( Holy Qur’ān, Ch.3: V.145 ) And the second verse is mentioned in Surah Al - Ma ’ ida h in the last ruk ū‘ :

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! ! 362 ا َّﺗ ِﺨ ُﺬ ۡو Eِۡ ِﻟ ﻠ َّﻨ ﺎ ِس ُﻗ ۡﻠ َﺖ َء َا ۡﻧ َﺖ َﻣ ۡﺮ َﻳ َﻢ ا ۡﺑ َﻦ ٰﻳ ِﻌ Fۡ َﺴ ﻲ ا ُّٰﷲ َﻗ ﺎ َل ِا ۡذ َو َﻣ ﺎ َا ُﻗ ۡﻮ َل َا ۡن >ِۡۤ َﻳ ُﻜ ۡﻮ ُن َﻣ ﺎ ُﺳ ۡﺒ ٰﺤ َﻨ َﻚ َﻗ ﺎ َل n ا ِّٰﷲ ُد ۡو ِن ِﻣ ۡﻦ ِا ٰﻟ َﻬ ِۡني ُا ِّﻣ َﻲ َو َﻧ ۡﻔ ِﺴ ۡﻲ ِۡيف َﻣ ﺎ َﺗ ۡﻌ َﻠ ُﻢ n َﻋ ِﻠ ۡﻤ َﺘ ٗﻪ َﻓ َﻘ ۡﺪ ُﻗ ۡﻠ ُﺘ ٗﻪ ُﻛ ۡﻨ ُﺖ ِا ۡن n ِﺑ َﺤ ٍّﻖ >ِۡ َﻟ Fۡ َﺲ ا ۡﻟ ُﻐ ُﻴ ۡﻮ ِب َﻋ َّﻼ ُم َا ۡﻧ َﺖ ِا َّﻧ َﻚ n َﻧ ۡﻔ ِﺴ َﻚ ِۡيف َﻣ ﺎ َا ۡﻋ َﻠ ُﻢ َۤﻻ َو s َو َر َّﺑ ُﻜ ۡﻢ َر €ِّۡ ا َّٰﷲ ا ۡﻋ ُﺒ ُﺪ و ا َا ِن ِﺑ ٖۤﻪ َا َﻣ ۡﺮ َﺗ ªِۡ َﻣ ۤﺎ ِا َّﻻ َﻟ pُۡ ُﻗ ۡﻠ ُﺖ َﻣ ﺎ َا ۡﻧ َﺖ ُﻛ ۡﻨ َﺖ َﺗ َﻮ َّﻓ ۡﻴ َﺘ ªِۡ َﻓ َﻠ َّﻤ ﺎ s ِﻓ ۡﻴ pِۡ ُد ۡﻣ ُﺖ َّﻣ ﺎ َﺷ ِﻬ ۡﻴ ًﺪ ا َﻋ َﻠ ۡﻴ pِۡ َو ُﻛ ۡﻨ ُﺖ ﴾ ۱۱۸ ﴿ َﺷ ِﻬ ۡﻴ ٌﺪ ¯َۡ ٍء ُﻛ ِّﻞ َﻋ ‡ٰ َو َا ۡﻧ َﺖ n َﻋ َﻠ ۡﻴ pِۡ ا ﻟ َّﺮ ِﻗ ۡﻴ َﺐ “ And when Allah will say, ‘O Jesus, son of Mary, didst thou say to men, ‘Take me and my mother for two gods beside Allah.’ H e will answer, ‘Holy art Thou, I could never say that which I had no right.If I had said it, Thou wouldst have surely known it.Thou knowest what is in my mind, and I know not what is in Thy mind.It is Thou alone Who art the Knower of all hidden things; I said nothing to them except that which Thou didst command me - Worship Allah , my Lord and your Lord.And I was a witness over them as long as I remained among them, but since Thou didst cause me to die, Thou, hast been the Watcher over them, and Thou art Witness over all things.’ ” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.5: V.117 - 11 8 ) In other words, when Allah pose s this question on the Day of Judgment : ‘ O son of Mary as ! D id you tell your people to worship you and your mother as gods? ’ Haz rat Jesus as will reply, “ My Lord, what authority had I to say that for which I have no right? If I had acted so , Y ou would have known.You know what is in my heart.I cannot even fathom the extent of Y our knowledge.You know the unseen.I only said that which You had comma nded me to say; that is , ‘W orship One God , W ho is my Lord and your Lord.’ I only watched over them as

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! ! 363 long as I lived among them and they continued on the path of Tauheed [the worship of O ne God , the Oneness of God ].Once Y ou caused me to die, Y ou were their Guardian.” God Almighty will ask this question on the Day of Judgment.This verse clearly indicates that Ha z rat Jesus as states that his followers were not misguided until after his death.According to the verse, if Ha z rat Jesus as was still living, his followers would not have gone astray, yet the reality is that his followers have indeed gone astray, for they have discontinued the ir belief in Tauheed.Consequently, as the u mma h s hav e gone off course, it proves that Hazrat Jesus as has passed away.The Holy Qur’ān and the companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa have decisively concluded that Haz rat Jesus as is dead.Thus, the path we have chosen is the right one and we have not erred in following this path.God is not displeased with us.The second point is that no follower can take special blessings away from the blessings of t he Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.A simple example will explain this.Salāt is obligatory on every adolescent man and woman.Islam commands that every child of seven be taught to observe Salāt.If he does not observe Salāt by the time he turns ten, he must be made to observe it by reprimanding him.We say f ive obligatory prayers each day and Al - H amd Sharif, [ Surah Al - Fatihah ] must be recited in each and every r ak ‘ at.There are other Surahs which are not recited in some r ak ‘ at , but Surah Al - Fatihah is obligatory and must be recited in every r ak ‘ at.What is the importance of including this Surah in every single r ak ‘ at? Let us look at the following verse: § َﻋ َﻠ ۡﻴ pِۡ َا ۡﻧ َﻌ ۡﻤ َﺖ ا :َِّ ۡﻳ َﻦ ِﺻ َﺮ ا َط § ا ۡﻟ ُﻤ ۡﺴ َﺘ ِﻘ ۡﻴ َﻢ ا ﻟ ِّﺼ َﺮ ا َط َﻧ ﺎ ِا ۡﻫ ِﺪ “ Guide us in the right path.The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings ,… ” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.1: V.6 - 7) The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said there is no Salāt without reciting Surah Al - Fatihah.Let us now examine what the straight path is and how the Holy Qur’ān further elaborates upon this.It is revealed in Surah A n - Nisa :

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! ! 364 ِﻣ ۡﻦ ا ۡﺧ ُﺮ ُﺟ ۡﻮ ا َا ِو َا ۡﻧ ُﻔ َﺴ ُﻜ ۡﻢ ا ۡﻗ ُﺘ ُﻠ ۤۡﻮ ا َا ِن َﻋ َﻠ ۡﻴ pِۡ َﻛ َﺘ ۡﺒ َﻨ ﺎ َا َّﻧ ﺎ َﻟ ۡﻮ َو ُﻳ ۡﻮ َﻋ ُﻈ ۡﻮ َن َﻣ ﺎ َﻓ َﻌ ُﻠ ۡﻮ ا َا َّﻧ pُۡ َﻟ ۡﻮ َو n ِّﻣ ۡﻨ pُۡ َﻗ ِﻠ ۡﻴ ٌﻞ ِا َّﻻ َﻓ َﻌ ُﻠ ۡﻮ ُھ َّﻣ ﺎ ِد َﻳ ﺎ ِر ُﻛ ۡﻢ َﺗ ۡﺜ ِﺒ ۡﻴ ًﺘ ﺎ َا َﺷ َّﺪ َو َّﻟ pُۡ َﺧ ًۡري ا َﻟ َﻜ ﺎ َن ِﺑ ٖﻪ َﻋ ِﻈ ۡﻴ ًﻤ ﺎ َا ۡﺟ ًﺮ ا †َُّ َّﻧ ـ ۤﺎ ِّﻣ ۡﻦ َّٰﻻ َﺗ ۡﻴ ٰﻨ pُۡ ِا ًذ ا َّو ُّﻣ ۡﺴ َﺘ ِﻘ ۡﻴ ًﻤ ﺎ ِﺻ َﺮ ا ًﻃ ﺎ َﻟ َﻬ َﺪ ۡﻳ ٰﻨ pُۡ َّو ِّﻣ َﻦ َﻋ َﻠ ۡﻴ pِۡ ا ُّٰﷲ َا ۡﻧ َﻌ َﻢ ا :َِّ ۡﻳ َﻦ َﻣ َﻊ َﻓ ُﺎ و ﻟ l mِ َﻚ َو ا ﻟ َّﺮ ُﺳ ۡﻮ َل ا َّٰﷲ ُّﻳ ِﻄ ِﻊ َو َﻣ ۡﻦ s َو ا ﻟ ّٰﺼ ِﻠ ِﺤ َۡني َو ا ﻟ ُّﺸ َﻬ َﺪ آ ِء َو ا ﻟ ِّﺼ ِّﺪ ۡﻳ ِﻘ َۡني ا ﻟ َّﻨ ِﺒ َّٖني ﴾ ۷۰ ؕ﴿ َر ِﻓ ۡﻴ ًﻘ ﺎ ُا و ﻟ l mِ َﻚ َو َﺣ ُﺴ َﻦ ۷۱ ﴿ ٪ َﻋ ِﻠ ۡﻴ ًﻤ ﺎ ِﺑ ﺎ ِّٰﷲ َو َﻛ ٰﻔ ﻲ n ا ِّٰﷲ ِﻣ َﻦ ا ۡﻟ َﻔ ۡﻀ ُﻞ ٰذ ِﻟ َﻚ “ And if We had commanded them: ' Kill your people or leave your homes,' they would not have done it except a few of them; and if they had done what they are exhorted to do, it would surely have been better for them an d conducive to greater strength.And then We would have surely given th em a great reward from Ourself ; And We would surely have guided them in the right path.And whoso obeys Allah and this Messenger of His shall be among those on whom Allah has bestowed His blessings , namely , the Prophets, the Truthful, the Martyrs, and the Righteous.And excellent comp anions are th ese.This grace is from Allah , and sufficient is Allah , the All - Knowing.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.4: V.67 - 71) These rewards are from God Almighty and God Almighty Himself has instructed us to beseech Him for His reward s.In fact, this entreaty has been made compulsory upon us, so that no Salāt is complete without it.

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! ! 365 If it were not possible to attain the status of prophethood, then why were we taught to say this prayer five times a day? No intelligent p erson would prefer to ask for something which is improbable, therefore why would God do this ? Consider the following story.A man was sitting by the window of his home watching a boy wave a piece of bread before a nearby dog.W hen the dog ran towards the boy, the boy began to beat the dog with a stick.The man , who was watching this incident through the window became very angry at the boy’s behavior and called the boy over by showing him some money.When the boy came closer the man slapped him.The boy began to cry and asked him why he had called him over to give him money but had instead slapped him.The man told the boy that he wished to teach him a lesson for luring the dog over with a piece of bread and then hitting him.N either the boy nor the dog showed any wisdom.D o you not believe that God has as much intellect as th e man [in this story]? Thus, God says, “ Wake up [at night] and b eseech Me, and I will give you that which you ask.” If He does not do so, then does God order billions of Muslims to pray in the false hope s of receiving something which earlier peoples were awa rded? Muslims rise during the bitter cold nights of winter and leave the comfort of their beds.They cut their comfort short dur ing the short summer nights.It is not merely one person but billions of Muslims are such who have been wrongly promised by Allah to pray and yet their prayers are not ans w ered.It is worth pondering over this because this directive has been revealed in the Holy Qur’ān.These people accuse God of making false promises.There is a saying that an owner gives , but a storekeeper’s s tomach tightens [with worry].God Almighty gives freely, but m ullahs claim to guard God ’s treasures and they refuse to hand out the treasure.Our God says that He will reward anyone in accordance with the status that the person attains.However , the mullahs say that they will not allow that to happen.Notice how strange it is that the issue of prophethood has been

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! ! 366 narrated by women and it has also been discussed in Surah a n - Nisa , which means the Surah of Women.The matter has been raised in the Surah of Women , and who else but a woman could resolve this issue? When a disagreement arose among men over this issue, a woman resolved it.This woman was Haz rat A’isha h ra.God revealed this issue in the Surah of W omen [ Surah an - Nisa ] and also resolved it through a woman.However nowadays women say that they are not able to comprehend the matter.You should u nderstand it ! Every day , we pray to our Lord to grant us some particular blessings.God Almighty has promised in Surah a n - Nisa that He will grant someone the s ta t us they deserve.This issue has now been resolved.The third issue upon which we differ with others is the advent of the Promised Messiah as.We believe that the P romised O ne has come , and t hey say he has yet to come.This issue can be reduced to one or two arguments, which the Holy Prophet sa put forward in support of his truthfulness.In the Holy Qur’ān , God Almighty directed the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa to tell his enemies, ‘ I have spent a lifetime among you before my prophethood, and you admi t that I have never told a lie regarding any human being.H ow is it that I went to sleep one night and awoke the next morning to make false claims regarding God? ’ The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was known for his honesty and trustworthiness.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was from a very poor family , while Haz rat Khadija h ra was the wealthiest wom a n in M ecc a.His abject poverty is evid ent from the following incident : It w as customary among Arabs at the time to send newborn children to a wet - nurse.The wet - nurses who came to M ecc a during the year in which the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was born, refused to take custody of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , for after nursing a child, the wet - nurse generally receives a compensation from the family.They did not believe they would get much from this family.A t first , Haz rat Halima h also declined to take him but after f inding no one else to care for, she came back and took the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa under her care.Such were the financial conditions of his family , that no wet -

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! ! 367 nurse was willing to take him.When the Holy Prophet Muhammad ’s sa mother passed away, he went to live with his uncle.That entire period also passed in deprivation.At mealtime , his uncle’s children would make noise, but he sa would sit quietly to one side , for the uncle’s children knew they were the real owners and he sa lived off their remnants.H is uncle would often ask him why he did not laugh or play.From this, one can presume that his aunt did not show much affection to him.On the other hand, Haz rat Khadija h ra was a very wealthy woman.S he owned many slaves and traded in far - off areas.S he would have her slaves report to her a fter trade expeditions.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa began working for her and was sent on one tra de expedition.When he returned having made much profit, Haz rat Khadija h ra inquired about him from her slaves.The slaves told her that those people she had previously sent on expeditions had kept much of the profit for themselves, but they found the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa t o be very t rustworthy.She was so impressed upon hearing this , that she sent for his uncle and requested a proposal of marriage to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa replied that he would agree to the marriage if his uncle approved.Consequently , he married Ha z rat Khadija h ra with his uncle’s approval.H is sa honesty and trustworthiness were so great that Haz rat Khadija h ra very quickly recognized these qualities within him, and she handed over the entirety of her business and property to him.When s he said to him that from now on all her assets would belong to him, he sa responded that if that was truly what she desired, was he permitted to control [the property] as he wished? He continued to say that the first order of business would be to release all the slaves and set them free.His piety ha d made such an impression upon Hazrat Khadija h ra that s he readily agreed.Among these slaves , was a slave by the name of Zaid ra.He was the son of a rich man and had been kidnapped and sold as a child.His father had been searching for him this whole time and had finally reached M ecc a , with a large amount of money.He offered a vast amount of money for his son’s return.He said that he had searched for

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! ! 368 him for ten years and that after crying for him these past ten years , Zaid’s mother had lost her eyesight.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa went to t he Ka ‘ ba h and announced , “ O people , b e witness to this.Zaid is free and here stands his father.Go with him.For ten years, he abandoned his business and squandered a portion of his life to search for you.” Zaid ra r eplied, “I recognize my father and we meet again after much time.He has suffered much for my sake and who could say that they do not love their parents? I know that he has wasted ten years of his life in his love for me.However, I see no other parents before me , besides you.” I magine the love and affection Zaid ra had for the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.His father left weeping , but the son could not bear to be parted from the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Zaid ’s ra example demonstrates the true extent of the h onesty, trustworthiness , sincerity , and truthfulness of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa openly asked , “O people! I have lived a lifetime among you.Tell me now.Have I ever lied to you? W ould I then now lie concerning Allah?” It was on this basis that Haz rat Abu Bakr ra immediately accepted Holy Prophet Muhammad ’s sa claim.Hazrat Abu Bakr ra was out of town when the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa announced his claim of prophet hood.On his way back to the city he had stopped at a friend’s home and had just taken off his chad o r to lay down to rest when the maid of the house came and told him , “How unfortunate that your friend [ the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa ] has lost his mind and claims that angels have descended upon him.” Haz rat Abu Bakr ra did not even lay down , but immediately gathered up his cha d o r and left for the Holy Prophet Muhammad ’s sa home.There, he asked the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa if it was true that angels had descended upon him.As Haz rat Abu Bakr ra was the Holy Prophet Muhammad ’s sa closest friend and he sa did not wish for him to falter [in his faith], he sa hoped to facilitate the conversation.However, Haz rat Abu Bakr ra insisted that the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa swear to him that what he sa said was true.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa replied that it was indeed true.Haz rat Abu Bakr ra replied, “Stand witness to my faith.Why would you lessen my reward [ of accepting you ] by bringing forward proofs?” These were the people who accepted the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.

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! ! 369 The Promised Messiah as was given the sam e argument to support his claim.Prior to his declaration of prophethood and after the completion of B a rahee n - e - Ahmadiyya , Muhammad Hussain Batalvi praised the Promised Messiah as in one of his magazines.His praise knew no bounds.He wrote that this person was a saint , who served the faith [of Islam ] in a way which saw no equal in the past thirteen hundred years [since the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa ].M any ref ormers, saints, and scholars had passed through the past 1300 years , yet he felt that no one had served the faith as well as the Promised Messiah as.A fter the Promised Messiah’s as claim to prophethood, th at same m aul v i became his staunch est opponent.Yet , one should look at the prophet’s life prior to his claim, for eve n the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa face d great opposition and enmity after he sa claimed to be a prophet.The opposition will always make comments afterwards, but the proof is to be found in what was said pr ior to the claim.Consequently, t hese three arguments are supported by the Holy Qur’ān.I will narrate a n amusing incident.Mian Nizam - ud - D in was a simple, pious, and righteous person.Those who ha ve seen him , kno w him well.I was a little boy at the time.He was very fond of tea and would put loose - leaf tea in his mouth and whe rever he found water, he would drink hot water mixed with the tea.He was friends with Muhammad Hussain Batalvi and the Promised Messiah as.One day, Muhammad Hussain Batalvi told him of the Promised Messiah ’s as claim.He replied that Haz rat Sahib was such a pious man.How could this be? He went to the Promised Messiah as and questioned him on his claim that Haz rat Jesus as had died.The Promised Messiah as responded by saying that it is written so in th e Holy Qur’ān.Nizam - ud - D in said that the Holy Qur’ān states that he is alive.The Promised Messiah as said the Holy Qur’ān is our judge.If you can produce one verse from the Holy Qur’ān to support your claim that Haz rat Jesus as is alive, then we will admit your belief to be true.In response, Nizam - ud - D in said that he would produce fifty verses to support his claim and then the Promised Messiah as would be bound to believe him.The Promised Messiah as reiterated to him that if he

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! ! 370 p roduce d even one verse, he would be ready to accept him.Nizam - ud - D in said that he was going to go right now and get at least twenty verses from Muhammad Hussain Batalvi.The Promised Messiah as once again repeated that if he brought just one verse, he was ready to accept him.Nizam - ud - D in replied that he would leave for Lahore that very day and would return with ten verses.He left for Lahore and i n those days Haz rat Hakim Maulana Nur - ud - Din ra also happened to be in Lahore on personal business.People wished to see a debate between Muhammad Hussain Batalvi and Haz rat Maulana Nur - ud - Din ra.Muhammad Hussain Batalvi wanted to discuss the issue based on Hadith , but Haz rat Maulana Nur - ud - Din ra wanted to prove the issue based upon the Holy Qur’ān.Meanwhile, Nizam - ud - D in had reached Lahore and found Maul v i Muhammad Hussain in the Chinain Wali Mosque [a historic Mosque in the city of Lahore].Nizam - u d - D in asked him, “ Forget this spectacle.What would be the purpose? I have brought a very easy decision from the Promised Messiah as.Produce at least ten Qur’ān ic verses to support the view that Haz rat Jesus as i s still alive.Hazrat Sahib as ha s said to bring only one verse but write down ten for me.” Maul v i Muhammad Hussain Batalvi became very upset and said, “F or the past two months, after much suffering and arguing I was finally swaying Nur - ud - Din ra to wards discuss ing the issue based up on Hadith and now you bring up the Holy Qur’ān again ! ” Mian Nizam - ud - D in was a just man.He said, “Fine , w here the Qur’ān stands, we stand.” This clearly shows that we are on the right path and the Holy Qur’ān , Hadith , and the reformers of the faith support our viewpoint.It is the adopti on of such means which lead s to the straight path, thus prompt ing the launch of T a hrik - i - Jadid.If all men and women understand this path well, then we all shall be the recipients of Allah ’s help.We tread the right path, but if we do not see progress, it is due to our own weakness.For example, we may own a sword, but we do not know how to yield it.There is a story of a King who had a servant who c ould cut all four legs of a horse with one s wing of his sword.The prince thought that the sword was very good, for it could cut all four feet in one s wing.He asked the servant to give him the sword , but he refused.The prince ran crying to the K ing , complaining

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! ! 371 that he had commanded the servant to give him the sword and had been refused.The K ing called the servant over and said, “ What kind of servant are you, that when our boy has requested your sword, you refuse to give it ? ” The servant gave him the sword, but the prince could not cut the horse’s legs with it.He once again ran complaining to his father about the servant.Again, the King called the servant over and said, “ You did not give your sword to my boy.” The servant responded , “ H u z oo r, i n actuality, it is the very same sword, but he does not wield it properly.” Thus, the reality is that it was the serv ant who w ielded [this sword], for the sword itself was of no consequence.Likewise, imagine the Holy Qur’ān as a sword.The same Holy Qur’ān is as though it is dead in the hands of corrupt mullahs.Yet the same Holy Qur’ān is a sword in our hands.The Promised Messiah as has taught us how to correctly wield this sword o f the Holy Qur’ān.Now , when you are given this sword, if you do not take advantage of it, it is your own fault.You must search within yourself and find what you have gained through Ahmadiyyat.How unfortunate it is t o spend millions and millions of rupees wi thout achieving any outcome.Look at this convention for instance.Often times , women from the villages and towns say that they attend the conventions for the food that is served during the Jalsa.Is this the purpose of the Jalsa ? They endur e so much discomfort to travel in this chilly weather.T hey travel by rail which is in itself suffocating.They sleep on piles of hay when they arrive here and eat watered down daal [lentils].They endure all these har dships , but if they do not use these three days of Jalsa to sow the seeds from which they will reap grains for the next three hundred and sixty days, then it is indeed a cause for sorrow.And truly, when you take the seeds of recognizing God from these three days and remain strong in the [next] three hundred and sixty days, then you will receive God’s support and aid.And, onc e you have attain ed Allah ’s help and assista nce, you will have achieved everything.All th e discomforts and troubles you have endure d to attend Jalsa will no longer appear as such but will feel comforting to you.You will feel as if you no longer eat daal , but g old.You will feel as if you do not sleep on hay, but on a mattress, and that you travel on the most luxurious of trains.However, this is only possible when you

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! ! 372 take advantage of all this.From one item, o ne person will derive a benefit whilst another will come to harm from that very same thing.For example, one person may derive nourishment from a dish of salan , whereas another may feel a pain in his stomach after consuming that same salan.Those very grapes and guavas which bring delight to one’s heart and mind , may bring energy to one person’ s body, while causing cholera in others.The same grass, when consumed by a female goat is converted int o milk, whereas when consumed by the male goat, buffalo or bull , is only converted into waste products.No doubt, the Holy Qur’ān is a very superior book , but the work you perform will only be according to the machine that lies within you.For you see, both a female and male goat eat grass and in one there is a m echanism which produces milk from that grass, while in the other is a m echanism which makes waste and empties it.Thus, i f piety and righteousness lie within your hearts a spiritual milk will flow from within you, making you mothers for the whole world.However, if you lack piety and righteousness then even th e most superior of knowledge will deteriorate into little more th an waste within you, making you and others disgusted by your own behavior.So, inculcate the love of God with in yourselves.How many of you love God more than you love your children and husbands? In all honesty, if your children were called up for sacrifice , how many of you would happily and willingly agree to do so ? Take the example of Haz rat Khansa ’ ra.She was a very rich woman.Her husband lost all her wealth through gambling and even when she continued to borrow more money from her brothers , he lost even that.The hu sband died at a very young age, and s he raised her four sons.She converted to Islam at an old age.It is narrated that before a battle , the soldiers had sworn to either return victorious or lose their lives there.Ha z rat Khansa’ ra called all four of her children.She reminded them of the hardships she had endured to raise them, of being widowed at an early age , that their father had been a gambler and had lost all her wealth and property.She had worked hard to bring them up.She told them that she would send them off to war that day

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! ! 373 and that they should either return triumphant or s acrifice their lives there but to never show their backs to the enemy.She sent off all four of her children and fulfilled her responsibility to Allah.Shortly thereafter, she went to the forest and be fore her God, prayed while weeping, having fulfilled her motherly right.God Almighty granted them victory that evening.[I would like to mention] Muhammad Sharif , who resides in Gujrat where a skirmish is currently underway.The British council asked him to leave in order for him to stay safe, but h e refused to go.T he counc il said that the government would pay for his travel expense s, but he declined saying that he had come there to sacrifice his life.Finally, he was forced to leave.Thus, you should not be content with your neighbor’s children attaining such great heights.Rather, you should strive for your own children to set a noble example also.I have initiated some small schemes within the Jama'at , such as asking you to prepare one dish a day and to lead a simple life, etc.However, still many men, women, and girls do not participate in these schemes.Those of meager means already cannot afford more than one dish a day, therefore t his scheme is providing them with extra blessings.I asked women to refrain from applying gold lace [due to expense] upon their clothes.If someone already owns such lace, they may wear it only when attending marriage celebration s.Some women of reduced means ask for permission to apply fake gold lace or applique.I t ell them that those who use genui ne gold lace up on their clothes have at least some wealth to display but those who use fake gold lace only confirm their poverty.However, some s t ill do not refrain from engaging in this wastefulness.We should respect the value of each and every coin.Rupees are made by saving coins.Thus, value the money you have.Take that money and spend it on buying ghee [ clarified butter ] for your children , which will improve their health.What benefit could fake lace have? Additionally, you should no longer buy fake jewelry.What has al ready been purchased, so be it, b ut follow what has been previously instructed to you before further rules are introduced.Do not buy groceries from the door - to - door grocers selling on

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! ! 374 the street.Most of the time , the items purchased from them are not needed.If you had really needed something, you would have requested your husbands to go to the market and buy it for you.However, buying cloth from the street vendor shows that you ended up purchasing the cloth not because it was needed but because you saw it and then decided to purchase it.Therefore, keep in mind t o refrain from buy ing anything which is unnecessary.Lead a simple life.I am hopeful that y ou will ready yourself before the Call from God comes.Keep the fasts as prescribed to you by Islam.H ow many of you have made up the fasts you missed previously before the next Ramadan ? Make up all the missed fasts before the next Ramadan comes.Live simply so that you become a role model for your sons and daughters.May God Almighty shower H is mercy upon you.Th e children of those parents who have brought them up this way, will pray for their parents and also become a blessing for the co mmunity and nation at large.Thus, inculcate such a spirit of Ahmadiyyat with in yourselves and take with you such seeds that when you leave [this Jalsa ] , your heart is permeated with light and awareness of the truth.May they be the seeds that bear the kind of fruit that you will enjoy all year round and which will improve the life for your children, your spouses, your brothers, sisters, and your neighbors.! ! !

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! ! 375 A Child’s Upbringing is Depen d ent upon the Mother’s Moral State Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmood Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra At a Nikah sermon, Haz rat Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra said: The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said, Paradise lies under the feet of mothers.This does not literally mean that paradise lies under the feet of mothers, but that paradise can be attained by a mothe r’s good training.Paradise can never be found und er the feet of a mother who does not provide good training, does not correct a child’s morals, and does not familiarize a child with the ir religion.In that case, the child is ruined.Without a doubt, the father is the caregiver , head of the family , and the one in charge.Due to financial reasons , h e often stays outside the home and spends very little time at home.In that little time at home , he cannot fully oversee the training of his children.A t the age of five or six children are more likely to imitate and learn habits.At that time , the father can neither correct them nor watch over them , nor can he send the children to a teacher who could teach the children proper etiquette.Only a mother, with wh om a child spends all their time, can supervise him.If a mother lies in front of the child, t he child will also learn to lie.If a mother steals, the child will also learn to steal.I f a mother is careless and negligent towards her faith , then the child will also be careless and heedless of their faith.If a mother speaks the truth in front of the child , the n the child will also adopt the habit of speaking the truth.If the mother greets others with good manners and love, the child will also learn those good manners.If the mother shows mercy to the poor and needy, then the child will also develop the inclination to be merciful.I f a mother is religious and fear s God, then the child will also grow to be religious and God fearing.Thus, a child’s future depends on the moral training of mothers , and this i s the true meaning behind the Holy Prophet

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! ! 376 Muhammad ’s sa H adith , that paradise lies under the feet of mothers.In these times, many mothers do not provide their children with adequate moral training and instead of correcting their mistakes, they actually spoil their children.T hose mothers who raise th eir children to be careless regarding their faith , cannot be counted among those mothers who are said to have paradise under their feet.If children do not possess good morals , people will a ccuse the mother of being neglectful.If the children are good, people will praise the mother because t he early training which affect s a child’s future can only be provided by a mother.The father’s name is not mentioned , for he happens to have very little time to watch over his children.However, the mother has all the time to take advantage of the opportunity to supervise and reform her children.She is always with them , and they are always in need of their mother.The child continuously observes his mother’s behavior and love.They then cultivate within them sel ves those very behaviors and habits which their m other has, whether they are good or bad.T hrough this means [ of the mother ], a notable change occurs which forever impact s the child’s future.( Nikah Sermon, 30 June 1937)

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! ! 377 W e Should Pay Great Attention to Reformation Friday Sermon Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahm u d Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra April 1 , 1938 … Hazrat A’isha h ra always safeguarded the rights of women.When women would bring complaints against their husbands before the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , Hazrat A’isha h ra would fervently back these women and repeatedly state that their rights were being violated and this should not be so.Even the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said, “ A’isha h ra you greatly favor the women , ” but she continued to involve herself in [advocating for] their affairs.On c e the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa decided to perform Itika f When Ha z rat A’isha h ra came to know of this, she immediately put up a tent in the mo sque for Itikaf.Upon seeing this, the other Umm ah a tul - Mu’minin [ the m others of the b elievers, i.e., the Holy P rophet’s sa wives] also put up their individual tents.When the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa saw that tents were set up as though an army had come to station itself at the m osque, he i nquired as to what was going on.The companions ra of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa replied that the tents belong ed to the m others of the b elievers which were set up to isolate themselves from each other [for It i kaf ].The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa ordered that they be removed at once, for if these tents were left up, there would be no room for people to pray.Haz rat A’isha h ra always took great care to safeguard t he rights of women , but it is also narrated that on one occasion, after the demise of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , she stated that if the condition of women in the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa wa s as it was when she was saying this [i.e., after the demise of the Holy Prophet sa ] , he sa would have forbid den women from coming to the m osque.Now, this narration is from a time not too far removed from the demise of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.At the most, only thirty to forty years had passed.However, Haz rat A’isha h ra revealed

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! ! 378 that if these conditions had p resent ed themselves a few years earlier, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa would have forbidden women from attending the mosque.He sa would have revoked the permission he sa had given women to visit the mosque.The possibility of the Holy Prophet sa revoking his permission tells us that the women of th at time or women from other nations were in all probability not observing proper p u rdah.In all likelihood, people were complaining about them, and so she ra responded in this manner.Similarly , some people raise such objections in Qadian.D espite Haz rat A’isha h ’s ra object ion, that period is known as the best of times , for she objected only for the sake of the women’s reformation and not because the whole nation had been spoiled.However, t his does not mean that we should continue such practices , but we should worry over how we will change them.Such a reformation ca n only be achieved by counseling the youth about such practices, so that they cultivate a spirit within themselves and become capable of showing the true face of Islam and Ahmadiyyat.( Al - F azl , April 10, 1938, p.3) Lajna Should be Established Everywhere and all Adult Ahmadi Women Should be Made Members Excerpts from the Friday Sermon Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahm u d Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra October 28, 1938 , in Delhi The three sections of the Jama ‘ at, including m en, women , and children should weave their respective auxiliaries together and ac complish real training.This movem en t has three major parts: the first is the reformation of men, the second is the reformation of women, and

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! ! 379 third is the reformation of children.No nation in the world can be suc cessful without a specific purpose towards which men, women, and children all work together.Therefore, i t is the duty o f every Jama'at to reform their men, women , and children.The establishment of Lajna is vital for the reformation of women , but I regret to s ay that it has been considered Fard - e - Kafay ah [that which is considered obligatory for the community, so if one member offers it, it is considered offered on the behalf of the whole community ].Only a few women join the Lajna , and the rest do not believe it is necessary for them to part icipate in this organization.Therefore , it is necessary for Lajna Ima’illah to be established every where and all adult women should participate in it.Not even one member should be excluded , for this is the only way to reform women.I have come to know from reports sent from Delhi that o nly ten to twelve women attend meetings and give lectures.However , as long as even one woman remains excluded, our organization remains incomplete.If we have not made it compulsory to join Lajna, it does not mean that women should also deem it un necessary to join.Our intent is that they happily and willingly join the organization and through this, they attain God Almighty’s blessings and happiness.This is comparable to the Holy Prophet ’s sa instruction that Nafl is a source o f obtaining nearness to God.However, he sa also stated that he sa d id not wish to make anything compulsory with regards to N afl.In the same manner, it is my wish that my children refrain from taking up employment with the government.However, I have never forbidden them from doing so, for if they refrain per my orders, I shall be the one to receive the blessings and not them.The Holy Prophet sa desired to benefit his community in the same manner , therefore he sa placed no restrictions regarding Nafl.

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! ! 380 Recognize your Responsibilities Regar ding the Training of your Children a nd Apply all the Principles of T a hrik - e - Jadid within your Daily Lives Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra December 27, 1938 , Jalsa Salana After reciting Tashahhud and Surah Al - Fatihah , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra said: I n our country, there is a popular tale.In fact , there is even a proverb about which it says, ‘ The crow forgot his own style of walking when trying to walk like a goose.’ The story goes that a crow happened to see some geese and came to like the way the y walked.He thought to himself , ‘I do not like the way I walk.’ He picked up some goose feathers, stuck them within his own feathers, and began to walk like them.But how long could he continue to do this ? The geese viewed him a s a strange bird and began to strike him.He left the geese and went back to his own flock of crows.However, since he had adopted the geese’ s behavior for some time and had forgotten his own, the crows stuck out their beaks and struck him over and over again, pushing him away.The crow now stood all alone, neither belonging here nor there, accepted neither by the geese nor by the crows.The moral of the story is that whom ever God Almighty has chosen for a particular task will have the capacity to perform that task well.There is a saying in Urdu , ‘A job only suits the person to whom it is assigned.’ When someone attempts to do another person’s job, there are bound to be mistakes and confusion and it will be detrimental to the end result.God Almighty has divided humans in two : into men and women.God Almighty has bestowed upon them some similarities, as well as some differences.For example, both genders need food for their survival.It will never be the case that only men need food and

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! ! 381 women do not.However, there are slight differences in the type of food that is more suitable for each gender.For example, some women ’ s bodies may require a different type of nutrition than men.An example of this would be that women tend to re tain more fat on their bodies and thus may be able to withstand the cold b etter.This is in order to enable women to nurse their infants and thus, God Almighty has provided for the child’s wellbeing.It is God Almighty’s wisdom which lies behind this difference [between the two].Men and women have both been given an equal potential to progress and acquire wisdom.M en can not say that only we have been given wisdom and intellect, nor can women claim the same.Likewise, the ability to speak has been g iven to both men and women.If some men are great speakers, so are some women.God Almighty has given both men and women hands and feet but has endowed each with different strengths.In some qualities, God Almighty has granted more strength to men and less to women.God Almighty has granted men more physical strength than women.Compared to women, men can lift much heavier weights.On the other hand, God Almighty has granted women a greater degree of patience.The word patience here means the ability to tolerate a hardship for an extended period of time.This ability is either non - existent or very limited in men.This can be illustrated by presenting the example of children.When a child cries, a frown barely crosses the mother’s face, whereas there may be only one in a hundred men who would have that kind of patience.In this case, God Almighty has fashioned a woman’s heart into a mountain of strength.Give the world’s best male philosophers a child to care for one day and by the end of the day, they will have gone half - witted.I n comparison, when it comes to traveling or the case of wars, it is men who are most capable.Here, no matter how intelligent women may be, they are likely to become nervous.E ven though when it comes to raising a child, even the most uneducated wom a n prove s to be more intelligent and learned than the most knowledgeable of men.This particular strength [patience] is so profusely present in women while the smallest fraction of it cannot be found within men.T here are some men who know how to raise

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! ! 382 children.In my own experience, I have seen many men , who have raised their children well.For example, one man’s wife died, leaving one girl and on e boy.The man did not re - marry and instead raised his children himself.The same is true in the case of a friend from Qadian, Pir Ifthikhar Ahmad ra , who was Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih I ’s ra brother - in - law and the son of Munshi Ahmad Jaan ra.God Almighty had blessed Munshi Ahmad Jaan ra with so much wisdom that even before the Promised Messiah as proclaimed to be the M essiah , he wrote to him: ہ ﻢ ﻣ ﺮ ﯾ ﻀ ﻮ ں ک ی ہ ے ﺗ ﻤ ہ ﻲ پ ہ ﻧ ﻈ ﺮ ﺗ ﻢ ﻣ ﺴ ﯿ ﺤ ﺎ ﺑ ﻨ ﻮ ﺧ ﺪ ا ک ے ﻟ ﯿ ے.ﺗ ﻢ ﻣ ﺴ ﯿ ﺤ ﺎ ﺑ ﻨ ﻮ ﺧ ﺪ ا ک ے ﻟ ﯿ ے “We who are ill look towards you.M ay you become the M essiah for the sake of God, may you become the Messiah for the sake of God.” Munshi Sahib was a very devout and pious man.His son , Pir Ifthikhar Ahmad was very good at raising children.The late Maul v i Abdul Karim ra was a great member of the Ahmadiyya Jama'at.He was very close to the Promised Messiah as and held the community’s honor in great regard.In those days, there was no concept of formality or luxury.Pir Sahib ra lived in a small room in the Promised Messiah ’s as house.Maul v i Abdul Karim ra who lived in a room ab ove Pir Sahib ’ s room, would grow very upset upon hearing the cries of Pir Sahib’s ra children.He would often ask Pir Sahib ra , “ What kind of a father are you ? Why do you not quiet your children? I grow very anxious when I hear them cry.” Due to the earthquake in 1905, the Promised Messiah as went to stay in a friend’s orchards.It happened that Maul v i Abdul Karim ra and Pir Ahmad ’s ra tents were adjacent to each other.One day , Maul v i Sahib ra said to Pir Sahib ra , “ Pir Sahib! When your children cry, you hug one gently to your shoulder while speak ing gently to the other one.If it were m e, I would not be able to do so.Rather, I grow quite anxious upon seeing this.” Pir Sahib smiled and replied, “ What I do not understand is that I am the one holding the children and you are the one growing anxious.” Thus, there are certainly men who are patient.H owever, generally speaking, if men are compelled to take care of their c hildren , they grow anxious after only a short time.

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! ! 383 I become anxious if I must look after a child for even five minutes.Yet , women manage to cook, clean, read, write and take ca r e of other household responsibilities , while not growing the least bit irritated by the crying or the care o f their children.If they do become irritated, they give the child a gentle slap and the very next minute , they will be huggin g them.Thus, God Almig h ty has differentiated the nature [of men and wome n].If one wished to change the roles of the two, then neither would be successful.Each person is meant to perform his own specific function.For example, if one wished t o perform with his foot that task which is to be performed by his hand, or vice versa, it would be impossible to do so.There are many tasks done by the hand, which a foot can either not perform at all or if it can, would do so quite unsuccessfully.The work of hands and feet are different and God Almighty has bestowed each with different purposes.Thus, where God Almighty has made m en and women similar in some instances , he has also made them different regarding their separate roles [ in society ].However, it is regretful that our men and women often fail to understand these differences.Men often emphasize the difference s , wh ile women tend to stress the commonality and similarities between the two.Whereas the reality is that they are both mistaken.A fter marriage, a man tends to view the woman as an insignificant a nimal, who upon marrying him , should abandon all past connections.He expects that she should become one with him and associate only with his relatives.If she wishes to visit or help her ow n relatives, he objects and is annoyed.He may in his impudence, insult her relatives.He does not stop to think that God Almighty has given her the same heart He has given him.Because of such behavior , the woman ’s health suffers, and she keeps her feeli ngs bottled up which may result in the development of illnesses such as tuberculosis.I n my opinion, illnesses such as hysteria and it’s like , which are so common nowadays , are also the result of this.Thus, a man tends to believe that a woman has no awareness, even though a woman harbors a heart within her chest, just as a man harbors a heart within his chest.If he believe s th at his wife has a loving heart, then how can he expect his wife to sever all ties with the mother who raised her from

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! ! 384 a time, when if the man had seen her then, he would have turned away from her in dislike.Today’s mother s - in - law are simi lar.They forget how it was when they were young, how they were treated by their husbands or their mother s - in - law.Similarly, m other s - in - law do not give proper regard to the feelings or needs of their daughter s - in - law , and instead argue with them over petty issues.This is wrong.There have been many examples in this world which prove that men do not care for women’s feelings, or that they do not believe women to have a heart or any feelings.On the women’s side, this type of a situation is rarely seen.Although t here are some women who believe men should forget everything else and associate only with their wives , however this is rare.We can look to the example of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , who took great care to safeguard the feelings of his sa relatives.Once upon entering his home, he saw his wife, Umm - e - Hab i ba h ra , [ Abū Sufyān ’s daughter ra ] sitting with her brother’s head in her lap and playing with his hair.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa asked , “ Umm - e - Habibah ra , is Mu ‘awiyyah very dear to you?” She answered, “Y es.” The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said, “He is very dear to me as well.” Today’s educated women are beginning to feel that they can do everything that men can do.Men wrestle, so women have also begun wrestling.A woman’s modesty and wrestling do not go together.Similarly, women say they want to become employed.However, if they become employed their children will be destroyed.How will they be able to morally train their children? It is the wrong type of education which has planted this sort of incorrect notion into women’s minds.In the weste rn world, many voices have been raised in favor of women adopting this approach.Therefore , those countries where people prefer to have children, they desire that all doors of employment be shut for women and that women should fulfill the duty for which they were made.C hildren are the most precious possession in a home and a mother’s top priority should be the proper upbringing and education of her children.If women take up jobs , then the proper upbringing of children is impossible.

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! ! 385 My purpose with this introduction is to illustrate that where God Almighty has bestowed women with empathy, a caring heart, a nd a good mind so that she may gain a c lear understanding , He has also instilled clear differences and similarities between men and women.Men should carry out the duties assigned to them according to their differences and women should carry out their own duties.Certainly, where both men and women have shared responsibilities, those are obligatory.For example, where Salāt , fasting, and pilgrimage are incumbent upon men, they are also incumbent upon women, so that each ind ividual can attain their own reward or punishment according to their deeds.This decree is in accordance with God Almighty’s wisdom.However , in terms of war, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa has said that war is not incumbent upon women.It is ordained for men, while women can tend to the care of the wounded.The actual responsibility of women is the proper care and upbringing of their children , and this responsibility is no le ss than the responsibility of Jihad.If children are raised up properly, then the foundation of the nation is sound , and it can progress.However , if children are not raised up properly, then one day, the nation will certainly be destroyed.Hence, the future prosperity or destruction of any nation hinges upon the women of that nation.If the mothers of today were to morally train their children as the companions ra of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa did, is it not probable that their children would grow to be warriors of the nation, ready to sacrifice their lives , just as the children of the companions ra of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa did ? If today, God forbid, any weakness develop s in the Ahmadiyya Jama'at, women will be held responsible.Th us , the responsibility given to mothers is so very important , and even if sincere men desired to carry out the task of proper ly raising their children, they would not have the capacity to do so because the strength and the aptitude to morally train children lies only within w omen.Therefore, you should not take this responsibility lightly, rather you should attend to this responsibility with your utmost attention.How many among you desire that your children be beautiful or healthy? If your child is not very good looking or is not so fair , you

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! ! 386 w ill look the world over for any sort of powder to apply on your child to make him more attractive [in Indian culture, fairness is considered attractive].Yet, even if you give him the appearance of a human, but his soul does not resemble that of a human, could you be happy upon seeing him? If you do not care for the beauty of your child’s spirit , then you have proven yourself to be his worst enemy , f or you used all means possible to take care of his outside appearance, but you allowed S atan to breed from within him.Hence, if the women of today forego the proper care and upbringing of their children, the future generations will have the traits of snakes and scorpions.When you see these deadly, venomous snakes and scorpions in the faces or shapes of your children, will you be happy? If your children turn out to be righteous because of the pious upbringing you provide them, someday they will be praying for your souls ; otherwise, they will only end up cursing you.There are many such examples where mothers instilled the habits of lying, cheating, and stealing with in their children.For example, there was a child who had the habit of stealing.He st ole things from outside the home or from school and brought them home.His mother acc ep ted these stolen items from him.As a result , he bec ame a harde ned burglar and murderer.He then was caught and given the death penalty according to the law.Just prior to his hanging, he was asked for his last wish.He sa id , “I woul d like to see my mother.” When she arrive d , he use d the excuse of whispering something in her ear and invite d her to come close r, at which point he bit her ear.When asked why he bit his mother , he replie d , “I f she was not my mother, I would not be awaiting my death.It is s he who transformed me from a person into a Satan.” Mothe rs do not necessarily intentionally teach their children bad habits or incorrect behavior.Rather, it is a mother’s carelessness and lack of attention which can lead to bad habits or behavior s with in children.However , the responsibility still falls upon t he mothers.There are many among you , who would say , ‘I do not care if my child cannot recite the Kalima , as long as he stays alive.’ How many of you would say , ‘Let my child recite the Kalima and then if he must die, so be it.’

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! ! 387 Once a woman brought her unwell child to the Promised Messiah as and said , “ M y child has become Christian.P lease treat him.” The one thing which s he repeatedly stressed was that the Promised Messiah as should persuade him to say the Kalima [ Shahada ] one more time.T hen if he died afterwards, she would no longer be in turmoil.Since the child was ill, the Promised Messiah as sent him to Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih I ra , so that he could treat him as well as preach to him.However, the boy was firm in his beliefs and o ne night, he ran away to avoid reciting the Kalima.Upon discovering th is, his mother chased after him and caught up with him near Batala [a town nineteen k ilo m eters from Qadian] and made him return with her.In the end, God heard her prayers and the boy reverted to his Islam ic beliefs.Soon afterwards, he died, but the mother said that her heart w as at peace , for her son had recited the Kalima before he died.This is an ex ample of a truly righteous upbringing , and this is the type of spiritual faith which Islam wishes to suffuse within women’s hearts.It is th is sort of wom a n , who desire s to see her children filled with righteousness and to be well - trained, who not only benefit themselves, but also benefit t he whole nation.Such women can revive a nation.Imam Bukhari was a great man , and his mother deserved a good portion of credit for that.D o you think his mother was not granted extra blessings when people benefited from such an able mother ? No, for Imam Bukhari ’s mother certainly received a good portion of the special blessings he received for his righteous ness.In the same way, you cannot say that Imam Abu Hanifa h ’s mother was an ordinary woman.She was certainly not an ordinary woman.Can the woman who brought up a person age such as Abu Hanifah , be ordinary ? God Almighty states in the Holy Qur’ān that w hen a person is given an elevated status, his parents and his relatives will also be raised with him , and they will also receive those blessings.Parents play a key role in the making of a true believer.Do not think that if the child of a Christian or a Hindu becomes Muslim, his mother will not receive the blessings thereof.Even if she is not granted complete salvation , her sins will be great ly lessened.Most of you wish to take part in jihad but let me tell you that raising your children properly and making them righteous is in fact j ihad.

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! ! 388 U nder other social systems , you may say that if you were to remain occupied with raising children, then you will not be able become businesswomen , or ministers, or lawyers , or g enerals and you will not be able to e stablish peace in the world.However , in following Islam you c annot say this.Perhaps, this response will not satisfy Christian nations, but Islam has provided you with a v ery thorough explanation in response to this argument.According to Islam , if your son becomes a g ener al and brings peace to the world through his work , then his mother also receives her share of blessings for raising such a son who has brough t peace to the world.Thus , the Paradise which is promised to your son is the same Paradise promised to you.The refore, the true fruit of your life’s labor is dependent upon the proper upbrin ging of your children.Direct your attention to praying, keeping fasts, and giving charity.If you do not heed this advice, how wi ll your children heed the teachings of Sharia h ? You can to a certain extent, raise your children properly by setting a good example yourself , for it is true that when one sets an example, those around t h e m follow it ; and certainly, children have a great ability to copy others.If mothers do not set good examples for their children, then surely it would be near impossible for their children to be raised righteously.Additionally, God Almighty has decreed in the Holy Qur’ān that seek ing knowledge is incumbent up on both men and women.That knowledge which is gained for worldly benefit does not reap any blessings.God Almighty rewards those honorable deeds , which remain unrewarded in this world.Granted, the greater portion of knowledge men seek is for their business or wo rk, but they receive no blessings for this type of knowledge.However, after completing their formal education , women have a golden opportunity to attain blessings, since there is no worldly pressure put upon women who desire to com plete their education.Rather, completing their education is for the sake of acquiring knowledge.Therefore, women can acquire blessings while completing their fo rmal education.Just as God Almighty states that when you fast or pray you do not receive any return for it in this world, therefore, God promises us our just rewards in the Hereafter.When you raise your sons and ed ucate them, they in turn work and take c are of your needs as necessary.Therefore, you have gained the benefit of their education

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! ! 389 here on earth.However, t he reward for that which you spent on a g irl’s education is not given here on this earth.T he Holy Prophet Muhammad sa has said, “ The man who has two daughters, provides them with a good education and raises them well , will go to Heaven.” Thus , the reward of Heaven is promised in return for a girl’s education , but not for a boy’s education.This responsibility of a proper upbringing is no small matter.You can only impart knowledge to others when you are knowledgeable yourself.Therefore, you first must gain knowledge yourselves in order to raise your children properly.It is your duty to immediately draw your attention to enhancing your knowledge and moral training.If you do not pay attention to your own morality and education , your nation cannot be rectified.For certainly, th e service you could offer the Jama’at will remain forever unfulfilled by you.D o not deem that to be inconsequential.Remember well, the service you offer to Islam and Ahmadiyyat by raising your children to the best of your ability , cannot be do ne by anyone else.You must strive to train them from their infancy onwards , in such a way that when they grow up, they will be ready to sacrifice their lives for the cause of their faith.Fr om childhood , y ou should tea ch them to always be truthful and to never lie.For i f your child lies, he not only puts you to shame, but also angers God Almighty.You must teach your children that their lives are meant to serve the cause of the faith.F or when the time comes to sacrifice their lives , their hearts will first be filled with worry for their mothers and their wives who they will leave behind.If you were to let them know tha t you will be happy when they either return victorious or die striving , then their burden will be lightened.Only then will they grow brave and triumph in the field of sacrifice and they will not hesitate even for one second in sacrificing their lives for Islam.Why did the companions ra of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa achieve so many successes? It was because they recognized that their death would not ravage their mothers with grief.They knew their deaths would not wreak havoc upon their wives.Rather, it would be an occasion of happiness and joy for them.Therefore, time and time again, they set off fearlessly and each time , they returned victorious.During the battle of Uhud , one woman demonstrated such

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! ! 390 strength of faith that the world is found severely lacking in the face of her example.During this battle, a rumor was spread that the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa had been martyred.I n anguish, women be gan running toward the battlefield.One woman came forw ard and questioned a soldier about [the well - being of] the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.The soldier replied , “O woman, your husband has been martyred.” T he woman asked, “I only wish to know about the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Tell me how he is.” The soldier replied, “Your father has been killed as well.” Still, the woman did not show any concern and once again inquired , “Give me news of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.” T he soldier, not understanding the true nature of her angui sh, replied, “Your brother has also been killed.” T he woman then very forcefully and with anger demanded , “I am asking about the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.N ot my husband, nor my father, nor my brother.” The soldier then replied, “ The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa is well.” Upon hearing t he news , a tremor of joy and contentment ran through the woman , who instinctively said , “ Al - H amd u L illah , Allah ’s messenger is not hurt.If others have me t their deaths, it matters not.” Take a moment to consider why that woman’s father, husband, and brother went into battle without hesitation.It wa s because her husband kn ew that if he were to die in battle, his wife would no t g rieve.Her brother knew that his sister would be as good as dead if the battle was lost.Why then, do your children know fear? They learn it by seeing other women cry when men leave , and this turn s your children into coward s.Thus, you can serve Islam in the greatest manner if you can turn your sons into another Abu Bakr ra or ‘ Umar ra.Then surely that lofty status which your son will achieve, will be yours as well.And now, I would specifically like to draw your attention to T a hrik - e - Jadid.The most important aspect of this for women is to live a simple life.Practice simplicity in your dress, jewelry, and food.At this time , the condition of India is very poor, with the majority of the country’s wealth going to Europe.The condition of the Muslims is also quite dissolute.An Indian has no standing even before the lowliest British person.A British janitor , who comes to India, will earn more respect in India than an Indian , who will be completely disregarded.It i s because the British are the masters , while we are their servants.For

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! ! 391 this reason, our country is growing weaker by the day.The strange thing is that our countrymen are making their own conditions worse.They are bent up on weakening their country by way of their [emphasis upon] jewelry and wealth.Farmers may live simply , but they tend to spend more than they can afford on their weddings , and they waste the rest of their lives pay ing off the accumulation of interest.We have a real - life example of someone in Ferozepu r who borrowed fifty rupees, but in paying off interest upon interest, the result was that he ended up paying hundred s of thousands in debt ! Similarly , people who live in the city also tend to do unnecessary overspending.I have brought this to the Jama'at ’ s attention several times before and I am bringing this to your attention again today.I nst ead of taking out loans why do you not sav e first , so that you are not compelled to take out a loan? You may say that there is nothing left over to save , but when you do not have eno ugh money for food, do you simply skip a meal? Of course not.Y ou go and get a loan for the groceries.I say to you, go hungry, so that your children will pray for you in the future.Every person can save some amount of money to the extent of his or her means.If you begin to save a little at a time and continue to keep saving, then your husband will not be compelled to go to moneylenders to borrow money.After all, reflect for yourself, why would you put your children in debt for a mere four or five rupees ? B orrowing this trivial amount of money could result in your children spending the rest of their lives in servitude to pay off the debt.They will always say , ‘ Go d have mercy on our grandfather for he has burdened us with a debt of ten thousand rupees , forced us to live in servitude to the moneylender.’ If their mothers had consistently saved even a small amount and kept their desires in check , they would not have taken out a loan and would have been saved from a life of servitude.Being frugal is the first and foremost duty of the citizen of any nation and it is this prudence , which can lead a nation towards success.You must stop your husband from unnecessary spending and save your children from servitude.Thus, continue to save one thing or other and attempt to maintain simplicity in what you eat.

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! ! 392 One benefit of eating one meal will be that it would bring the rich a nd the poor together, eliminating the difference s between the classes.The second benefit of eating one meal is that a person stays healthy.Overeating causes one’s stomach to weaken and stomach problems, such as diarrhea and heartburn become persistent problems.A person with such illnesses may not be able to pray or even fast.Those who are fond of food are busy dreaming of chicken and kebabs even when praying.In contrast, a simple life is filled with such bliss , that acts of worship take on an added facet of enjoyment.A Sufi was once asked “ H ow does one find God? ” He replied , “ By eating less, sleeping less, and talking less.These three things will lead to God.” Hence, T a hrik - e - Jadid focuses upon the consumption of less.By adopting a simple life , you will make a stew, so that you are more able to easily feed two or four more poor people along with yourselves.In t h is way, your heart will be filled with joy and the hearts of the poor will be filled with joy, which will in turn please God.Therefore, if you spend less on food, you will have more to offer the needy and you wil l spend less money overall.You can spend the money left over on your children’s education, give more easily to chanda , an d spend o n other religious w orks.If wealthy women would ado pt these habits, they could even help control their husband’s u nnecessary spending.I have seen many examples where women have straightened out their husbands’ lavish spending and in doing so , helped turn their husbands’ attention towards religious matters.Thus, due to their simple manner of living, they persuade their husbands to also adopt simplicity.Hence , women play an extraordinary role in T a hrik - e - Jadid.Y ou can assist your husbands financially, by adopting simplicity in their eating habits.The woman who see ks pleasure in jewelry will b e unabl e to perform lofty deeds.Hence, eat s imple meals, wear simple clothing , aim to a chieve simplicity , otherwise God Almighty Himself will bring about austerity within your life.In this day and age, God Almighty desires to establish a new kingdom.In this new kingdom the rich will become p oor, and the poor will become rich.Th e trials and t ri bulations the rich w ill endure will be of their own doi ng and no one

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! ! 393 else’s.If you wish to achieve peace and comfo rt in this world and you also wish to please God, then give a portion of your wealth to the poor.If you do not do this, then the day is near when God will make his own arrangements for the poor.You must not wait for that day to come , but y ou should strive to gain those blessings for yourselves now.I am hopeful that you will pay strict attention to the upbringing and training of your children and make yourselves a shining example for the world.( Misbah , January 15, 1939) ! ! ! !

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! ! 394 A ddress to La jna on the Auspicious Occasion o f the Khilafat Jubilee Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra A r esponse to the a ddress p resented b y Lajna Ima’illah Qadian and i mportant a dvice f or w omen.At the blessed occasion of the Khilafat Jubilee on December 27, 1939, Haz rat S ay yeda Umme Tahir, General Secretary Lajna Ima’illah Qadia n , presented a congratulatory address to Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra in which she described the invaluable favors Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra has granted womenfolk.After reciting Tashahhud and Surah Al - Fatihah , Ha z rat Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra delivered the following address in re spon s e : First, I would like to say Jazak u mullah Ahsanal Jaza [ May Allah reward you the choicest reward ] for the address delivered on the behalf of Lajna Ima’illah Qadian.Next, I w ould like them to realize that the work of training women is not done as a favor to anyone but is an obligation from God Almighty laid upon the shoulders of His prophets and their s uccessors.Therefore , the obligation s I fulfill which are according to the commandments of God Almighty are no t favors upon anyone, rather they are a source of procuring a fortune as a provision for myself in the Hereafter.The Holy Qur’ān informs us that both men and women are created for only one purpose and that purpose is to attain nearness to Allah Almighty.Allah Almighty intends for men and women to unite together and come before Him with pure hearts and virtuous intentions and to attain the highest level of nearness to Him.The entire H oly Qur’ān is filled with an explanation of this.T herefore , wherever Heaven is referenced, men and wome n are mentioned together.Although men and women are not mentioned together in

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! ! 395 relation to the injunctions , but women are inferred wherever men are mentioned.The truth is that the Holy Qur’ān is the one and only perfect book, which has established the rights of women.Prior to it , neither the book of [ Haz rat ] Moses as include d the complete rights of women , nor did the teachings of [ Haz rat ] Jesus as propose such complete teachings; nor did Haz rat Noah as , Haz rat Abraham as , or other prophets mention these subjects in any great detail.O nly the Holy Qur’ān has declared to the world that women also harbor the same yearning to progress as men do, and have the same aspi rations, the same feelings, that same spirit of sacrifice and same aims as men.It was the Holy Qur’ān , through which the following declaration res ounded throughout the world : َﻋ َﻠ ۡﻴ ِﻬ َّﻦ ا +َِّ ۡی ِﻣ ۡﺜ ُﻞ َو َﻟ ُﻬ َّﻦ “ A nd they (the women) have rights similar to those (of men) over them … ” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.2: V.229) In other words [the Holy Qur’an is stating that], ‘ O men! You, w ho have been exploiting women’s rights w e now declare that just as you have certain rights over women, women also possess some rights over you.Just as men have the authority, so do women.[If it recognize s this ] , the world today would take advantage of th i s knowledge and would not be sli ding down the path towards sin.This responsibility falls on you.If you had taught your sons that Islam ic Shariah has established rights for women and to violate them is a gr ave sin, then you would currently not be shackled by the chains of slavery.Thus , this is the teaching of the Holy Qur’ān, and it is the duty of every believer to act upon it and to persuade others to act up on it.It is not a courtesy an d I assure you that regard ing this issue, there must be no ne gligence on our part.As long as there exists even one individual who [truly] believes in God Almighty, h is effort towards uphold ing the pro gress and organization of women will certainly continue because if he is negligent in this regard , then his transgression is not against you [women] , but it is against God.

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! ! 396 N ow however, a section of women are demanding rights which run contrary to the Holy Qur’ān.For example, [they say that] women should become Parliament arians or should become horse riders.It is obvious that such women cannot morally train children.It is for this reason that in Europe, the mother’s lap is not a place of learning and training.Instead , the y are sent to nursing homes set up specifically for them.Nannies give the babies milk and feed them and when the children are older, they are sent to boarding schools because their mothers are busy dancing and singing.However, the reality is that God Almighty has divided human life into two spheres.Just as doctors and lawyers both do good works in their own professions, women are working in their own sphere and men in their own.T hus , the spheres for men and women are separate.However, if it was dictated that everyone must either become a lawyer or a doctor or everyone should become either a blacksmith or a carpenter, then the world ’s industry w ould be destroyed.Equality does not necessitate that both men and women should perform the same job , but that on a national level , both are awarded the same portion of responsibility.Therefore , consider the gr eat responsibility God Almighty has accorded to women , that they do the tarbiyat of boys a s well as girls.In a way, they have become masters of a whole generation.This truth was affirmed by the Holy Prophet sa in the Hadith in which he stated that paradise lies under the feet of women.In this way , men have been informed what they can ask a woman to do and w hat they cannot ask her to do.For example, she is completely independent regarding her wealth.It is strange that Europe, which now proclaims that they gave women respect and freedom, only granted women the se rights twenty years ago, whereas Islam accorded women these rights 1350 years ago.What is required of women is that they should neither adopt the European freedoms nor should they remain submerged in ignorance.For example, some women claim that re ligion is simply the name given to God’s desires and once they realize what God desires , then the husband’s wishes should be in concurrence with those desires.In fact, this is completely incorrect, for a husband or a brother or a father

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! ! 397 has no authority over a woman regarding religion.When a woman has understood a specific aspect of her faith, i t is her right to act upon it accordingly, even if everyone opposes it.She cannot defend herself by claiming that her father or brother or husband did not allow her to do so.God will reply that in matter s of truth, I did not make you dependent upon anyone.It is for this reason, that matte rs of belief are interconnected with the mind and no one can decipher what goes on within another person’s br ain.Right now, whilst you women sit here p erhaps one woman’s child is making noise and you are thinking in your heart how imprudent she is, ruining the whole lecture.Yet, she is totally unaware of your thoughts.Thus, God Almighty has mad e the brain a hidden treasure which cannot come under the rulership of any King , n or any father , son , or teacher.It is as if God Almighty has granted you a chest, in which you can store all your secrets.Even if you live with someone for ten years, they will not know what that box contains un less you yourself reveal that which lies within your mind.It is your own personal trunk.If you wish to tell some one a secret , you can use the key to open that box.If you do not wish to tell them, then you do not open the box.Thus , God Almighty has given everyone the right to protect their treas ure in their own personal trunk.If they wish to share it with some one, they can open the door and if they do not wish to share it, they need not open it.Therefore, God Almighty has handed you the key to you r mind, and in the matter of truth , neither your husband nor your brother has any authority over it.There are thousands of women who do not accept the truth even after it has been revealed to them , and they do not accept the faith simply due to the fear of their parents , th ei r husband or someone else.A woman once came to the Holy Prophet sa and said, “ O Messenger of Allah! My husband stops me from giving sadaqa.C an I give sadaqa in secret?” The Holy Prophet sa replied, “Yes.” Therefore, in such matters a wom a n ha s the right to spe nd from her husband’s money without asking him.Thus , be aware of the rights , which God Almighty has granted you and be thankful for the favors H e has bestowed up on you , so that you may progress.Now I would like to refer to the address [which was initially

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! ! 398 presented].A mistake was made , which was that it was not the right of Lajna Qadian to present this address and attribute it only in their name.Lajnaat from outside Qadian also had the right and there was no reas on for them to be excluded.Lajna Qadian is no t distinct for being special, rather it only h olds preeminence because it is located in the headquarters.If they had not put the name of Qadian when mentioning Lajna, then other Lajna would have felt included and inspired.T he address would have bee n presented on behalf of all Lajna.After this , I would like to turn the attention of the women of the Jama'at towards establishing a Lajna in their own locations and hard working women should be included within it.Just as the mind cannot speak, a person cannot carry out any work without their hands.If there is a fire and a disabled person is in its path , then although his mind will immediately order him to run, however his feet will not respond.Despite his brain’s decision , he will be un able to run.In the same way, if a woman’s child falls in to a ditch, her mind will instruct her to pull him out, but if she has no hands , she will be un able to pull him out.Lajna are the arms of this Jama'at and it is very important that they [i.e., the organization of Lajna] should be established in ever y area.Thus, establish a Lajna in your respective location and make arrangements for your religious education and moral training.There are only twenty - five established Lajna , whereas men have established seven hundred and fifty chapters of their organization.You must stop procrastinating and establish Lajna Ima’illah everywhere.A New English Woman Convert ’s Congratulatory Address Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ’ s ra speech was still in progress when a representative of the English Ahmadi women, a newly converted English woman, Sa lima , arrived.Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra very kindly ended his address and gave h er the opportunity to present her address.Accordingly, the lady presented her address in English to Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra and he replied to her in English as well.Afterwards , he said:

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! ! 399 This is our newly converted sister , whose name is Salima.She lives in England.I received her telegram this morning that she wa s coming and that she wished to present her address.She was hoping to arrive by ten o’clock but was un able to arrive on time.You heard how beautifully she recited Bismillah [ In the name of Allah ].There are very few of you , who can correctly read Bismillah in that way.The British cannot read Arabic.What a shame that a woman from a Christian [ background ] can recite it so well and you, who are from this country, cannot say it correctly! I have briefly mentioned some points, which should serve as advice to you, and as tod ay happens to be quite busy, I am unable to address you for too long.Secondly, as women are able to hear the speeches to men through the loudspeaker, it is not necessary to deliver a separate speech.However , as the Holy Prophet sa would address women from time to time , I am continuing that tradition , despite the loudspeaker.In keeping with this Sunnah, I wish to deliver a brief address today.After this , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra delivered an uninterrupted speech which is written below: After Tashahhud and Ta‘awwuz , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra recited the following verses of the Holy Qur’ān : ِﻛ َﺮ ا ًﻣ ﺎ َﻣ ُّﺮ ۡو ا ِﺑ ﺎ ﻟ َّﻠ ۡﻐ ِﻮ َﻣ ُّﺮ ۡو ا ِا َذ ا َو § ا ﻟ ُّﺰ ۡو َر 'َ ۡﺸ َﻬ ُﺪ ۡو َن َﻻ ا :َِّ ۡﻳ َﻦ َو ُﺻ ًّﻤ ﺎ َﻋ َﻠ ۡﻴ َﻬ ﺎ َﻳ ِﺨ ُّﺮ ۡو ا َﻟ ۡﻢ َر ِّﺑ pِۡ ِﺑ ٰﺎ ٰﻳ ِﺖ ُذ ِّﻛ ُﺮ ۡو ا ِا َذ ا ا :َِّ ۡﻳ َﻦ َو ُﻋ ۡﻤ َﻴ ﺎ ًﻧ ﺎ َّو َا ۡﻋ ٍُني ُﻗ َّﺮ َۃ ُذ ِّر ّٰﻳ ِﺘ َﻨ ﺎ َو َا ۡز َو ا ِﺟ َﻨ ﺎ ِﻣ ۡﻦ َﻟ َﻨ ﺎ َﻫ ۡﺐ َر َّﺑ َﻨ ﺎ َﻳ ُﻘ ۡﻮ ُﻟ ۡﻮ َن ا :َِّ ۡﻳ َﻦ َو ِا َﻣ ﺎ ًﻣ ﺎ ِﻟ ۡﻠ ُﻤ َّﺘ ِﻘ َۡني ا ۡﺟ َﻌ ۡﻠ َﻨ ﺎ َّو

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! ! 400 َﺗ ِﺤ َّﻴ ًﺔ ِﻓ ۡﻴ َﻬ ﺎ ُﻳ َﻠ َّﻘ ۡﻮ َن َو َﺻ َُرب ۡو ا ِﺑ َﻤ ﺎ ا ۡﻟ ُﻐ ۡﺮ َﻓ َﺔ ُﻳ ۡﺠ َﺰ ۡو َن ُا و ﻟ l mِ َﻚ َﺳ ٰﻠ ًﻤ ﺎ َّو ُﻣ َﻘ ﺎ ًﻣ ﺎ َّو ُﻣ ۡﺴ َﺘ َﻘ ًّﺮ ا َﺣ ُﺴ َﻨ ۡﺖ n ِﻓ ۡﻴ َﻬ ﺎ ٰﺧ šِِ ۡﻳ َﻦ َﻓ َﺴ ۡﻮ َف َﻛ َّﺬ ۡﺑ ُﺘ ۡﻢ َﻓ َﻘ ۡﺪ s ُد َﻋ ﺂ ُؤ ُﻛ ۡﻢ َﻻ َﻟ ۡﻮ َر €ِّۡ ِﺑ ُﻜ ۡﻢ َﻳ ۡﻌ َﺒ ُﺆ ا َﻣ ﺎ ُﻗ ۡﻞ ِﻟ َﺰ ا ًﻣ ﺎ َﻳ ُﻜ ۡﻮ ُن After this, he s aid : “ And those who bear not false witness, and when they pass by anything vain, they pass on with dignity; And those who, when they are reminded of the Signs of their Lord, fall not down thereat deaf and blind; And those who say, ‘ Our Lord, grant us of our wives and children the delight of our eyes, and make us a model for the righteous.’ It is such as will be rewarded with lofty chambers in Paradise, because they were steadfast, and they will be received therein with greeting and peace, abiding therein.Excellent it is as a place of rest and as an abode.Say to the disbelievers, ‘ But for your prayer to Him my Lord would not care for you.Y ou have indeed rejected the truth , and the punishment of your rejection will now cleave to you.’ ” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.25: V.73 - 78) Some maladies are more common in one nation than the other.F or example, in our country hundreds of murders are committed every year.A man grows the slightest bit angry, and he picks up a n axe and cuts off the head of an other.Disputes arise over land, marriage, or business deals and m urders are committed as a result.Such behavior is rare among women.Compared to the hundreds of men given the death penalty over the course of a year , only one woman may be punished for this crime.However, there are some behaviors which are more common in women.Just as violence is more common in men, telling lies is more common in women.W here

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! ! 401 men roam [the Earth] with daggers, women roam around [the Earth] slaying others with their tongues.It was for this reason , that during Bai ‘ at , the Holy Prophet sa would require women to promise that they would refrain from making false accus ations.It appears from this , that Arab women were in the habit of falsely accusing others.Furthermore, the consequences of women lying is that children also pick up this habit.They believe that if our mother lies, why should we not exceed her in telling falsehoods? There is a well - known tale of two friends , who asked each other to reveal something about their families.One said, “Although circumstances have now changed , we used to be very rich.My grandfather had such a massive stable that whenever there was a famine, all the animals in the city would take refuge in one corner of tha t stable.” The other person replied , “My grandfather had such a pole , that whenever there was drought , he would pierce the clouds with that pole and rain would pour down.” The first person grew angry and asked, “Where did your grandfather keep that pole?” The other man replied, “He kept it in your grandfather’s stable !” Now, consider what a great lie they both told.Just a few days ago , I read another story of a dyer’s daughter , who entered her school and bumped into a confectioner’s daughter , who had also just walked in.The first girl asked the second girl about herself.The confectioner’s daughter said, “My father is a high - ranking officer.” The first girl said, “My father is a great banker.He lends people money, and we have many houses.” S he [the dyer’s daughter who was claiming to be the daughter of the banker] later went on to invite the other girl [the confectioner’s daughter who was claiming to be the daughter of a high - ranking officer] to dinner.Now this [so - called] banker’s daughter had no servants, so she asked her brothers and sisters to act as if they we re servants.She set out pastries, ordered jalebian [a sweet dish], and ordered dishes from the shops.W hen the officer’s daughter [who was actually the daughter of the confectioner] arrived, t he two started chatting.While they were talking to each other, one of the neighbors [of the dyer’s daughter] came in and saw the other girl.The neighbor said, “This is our dyer’s daughter.” The confectioner’s daughter replied, [about the

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! ! 402 girl she was visiting], “This is the banker’s daughter.” The neighbor asked , “ [You think that] she is a banker’s daughter? She is the daughter of the dyer who lives next to us.” Thus, this whole spectacle was arranged, so that they would appear wealthy before each other.Therefore , God Almighty tells us in Holy Qur’ān : § َو ا :َِّ ۡﻳ َﻦ َﻻ 'َ ۡﺸ َﻬ ُﺪ ۡو َن ا ﻟ ُّﺰ ۡو َر [ “ And those who bear not false witness ” ] (Holy Qur’ān, Ch.25 : V.73) The true believer always stays away from falsehood.If a true believer discovers that someone has lied, he will end his friendship with such a person and will cut all ties with him.A lthough t his teaching is for men as well, it is addressed mainly to women.It is for this reason that the promise to refrain from telling falsehoods has been added to the conditions of Bai ‘ at.Earlier , the wordings of the pledge were , ‘ I will give pre ce dence to my religion over [ all ] worldly endeavors ,’ but now ‘I shall not lie’ has been added.Therefore , you should commit yourself never to tell a lie.[To refrain from] l ying does not mean that you must tell everyone all your secret s.For example, if a thief’s wife comes to you to discover where you hide your valuables , you can tell her to leave your home, that you will reveal nothing.This is not lying.However, it would be lying if you hide your valuables in one place and then tell her that they are in another place.Thus , today every Ahmadi woman should sit up and listen.This promise [not to lie] is included within her pledge and if she lies, she will find herself having broken the pledge of allegiance.ِﻛ َﺮ ا ًﻣ ﺎ َﻣ ُّﺮ ۡو ا ِﺑ ﺎ ﻟ َّﻠ ۡﻐ ِﻮ َﻣ ُّﺮ ۡو ا ِا َذ ا َو “ …and when they pass by anything vain, they pass on with dignit y … ” ( Holy Qur’ ā n Ch.25 : V.73 ) [This verse] mentions another attribute of a believer, which is

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! ! 403 that when t he y see that which is vain , t he y pay no attention to it.However, it is most unfortunate that women are often attracted to vain things.For example , they will often ask each other , without any reason, about how much they paid for one suit or the other.[They will ask about] w here they purchase d a piece of jewelry and so they do not rest until they find out its entire history.The Promised Messiah as would relate that once a woman arranged for a ring to be made for her.However, nobody paid any attention to the ring.She was so upset that she burnt down her house.When p eople asked her if anything had been saved from the fire , s he replied that nothing had been saved except for th e ring.One of the ladies asked her , “W hen did you have this ring made ? It is so beautiful ! ” She replied, “I f you had asked me this earlier , my house would not have been burn t down ! ” This habit is not only confined to women but is also found in men.After saying As - S alam u ‘ Alaikum they begin to ask , ‘ Where did you come from? Where are you going? What do you do? What i s your income? ’ Now , why be so involved in someone else’s life? The English never ask each other, ‘Where do you work? What is your education? What is your income? ’ They do n o t even think to be so intrusive.In short, the pursuit of va in things is extremely prevalent among women , but God Almighty states that believers are those who do not indulge in vain pursuits.Frankly, can those who are focused on greater things even take the time to consider trivial matters ? If you are truly concerned for your religion and you under s tand that Islam has been thrust in such great peril , then you will be un able to focus on anything else.If your house is on fire , how can you sit in peace ? Similarly, in this day and age , when the homes of Muslims are on fire, how can you bear to absorb yourself with gold applique and adornments ? Why do you not dedicate this time for the service of Allah ’s religion and why do you not dedicate th is time to acquire religious knowledge? Your hearts are dead, and so while Allah’s religion is immersed in turmoil you do not shed tears , but rather you continue to carry on with your useless pursuits.The true believing men and women are :

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! ! 404 َّو ُﺻ ًّﻤ ﺎ َﻋ َﻠ ۡﻴ َﻬ ﺎ َﻳ ِﺨ ُّﺮ ۡو ا َﻟ ۡﻢ َر ِّﺑ pِۡ ِﺑ ٰﺎ ٰﻳ ِﺖ ُذ ِّﻛ ُﺮ ۡو ا ِا َذ ا ا :َِّ ۡﻳ َﻦ َو ُﻋ ۡﻤ َﻴ ﺎ ًﻧ ﺎ “ … those who, when they are reminded of the Signs of their Lord, fall not down deaf and blind thereat.” (Holy Qur’ān, Ch.25 : V.74) This verse means, w hen Allah ’s commandments and guidance are revealed to them, they do not ignore them , but immediately act upon them and they listen very carefully to Allah ’s guidance.I have seen men sit and listen for hours , and not one sound comes from them, but women cannot bear to be quiet and after some time, they begin to talk.Frankly, they have no interest in religious matters.I n our country , th ere is a well - known story of a pious man , who went to the m osque to say his Salāt.The Imam ’s mind was anxious and while leading prayers, the thought of fifteen rupees [local currency] came to mind.On the one hand the people follow ing b e hind him in the prayer were thinking that he was reciting Surah Al - Fatihah , but in truth, the Imam was thinking of how he would take tho se fifteen rupees and go to Delhi and buy different things with it and [ i nvest the money ] , until he had made a sum of five thousand rupees.When he went into ruk ū‘ , he thought of how when he had made five thousand rupees , he would go to Bukhara and buy some horses, and then sell them for twenty thousand rupees.He then thought of going back to Delhi and making forty thousand rupees from the twenty thousand.God Almighty disclosed the Imam’s thoughts to the pious man through a kashf [vision] and the man ended his Salāt in congregation and began to say his own prayers.After finishing the prayer, the Imam told this pious man , “Y ou have become a nonbeliever, for if you had been a Muslim , you would have said your prayers in congregation with us.” The pious man replied , “ I am very weak, and I cannot travel much.You went to Delhi and from there to Bukhara.You bought horses and travelled back to Delhi.I could not keep up with you in this journey, so I took leave from you.” The Imam was ashamed and apologized to him ,

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! ! 405 saying , “You are indeed a righteous man.” Therefore, God Almighty instructs us that true believers pay full attention when remembering Him, but the condition of some of you is such, that as soon as you begin your prayers, you begin to deliberate over the r ecip e for s ham i k ebabs [a n Indian dish] or ponder other worldly things.Frankly, many women have this problem.The Promised Messiah as once started giving daily lectures to women.One day , someone asked the Promised Messiah as to ask them to relate what they have understood.The Promised Messiah as asked a woman , who had been attending his lectures for the last fifteen days.She answered , “Y ou were most likely speaking of prayer and fasting , etc.” Upon h earing this, the Promised Messiah as stopped giving lectures to women.Thus, women very rarely listen with undivided attention , but God Almighty tells us that a di stinct feature of true faith is for you to listen to the Word of God Almighty with full attention.Then , God Almighty states a chara cteristic of a true believer is : َا ۡﻋ ٍُني ُﻗ َّﺮ َۃ ُذ ِّر ّٰﻳ ِﺘ َﻨ ﺎ َو َا ۡز َو ا ِﺟ َﻨ ﺎ ِﻣ ۡﻦ َﻟ َﻨ ﺎ َﻫ ۡﺐ َر َّﺑ َﻨ ﺎ َﻳ ُﻘ ۡﻮ ُﻟ ۡﻮ َن ا :َِّ ۡﻳ َﻦ َو ِا َﻣ ﺎ ًﻣ ﺎ ِﻟ ۡﻠ ُﻤ َّﺘ ِﻘ َۡني ا ۡﺟ َﻌ ۡﻠ َﻨ ﺎ َّو “ And those who say, Our Lord grant us of our wives and our children the delight of our eyes and make us a model for the righteous.” ( Holy Qur’ ā n Ch.25 : V.7 5 ) Allah has endowed the nature of every human being with a desire for greatness.He declares , “We are aware of this characteristic of yours and we also desire you to achieve greatness, but the way to achieve this is to continue to pray that you become an I mam.” This instructs us that a true believer should not be satisfied with small achievements , but should instead, desire to become a leader and Imam.Yet, whos e Imam ? [He should become an] Imam of the righteous and not of th ose who are from among the non - righteou s.

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! ! 406 You might be thinking , how can every person become a leader or Imam ? Hence, let me inform you that both men and women can be Imams.If a man strives to make his wife more knowledgeable and successful, then when she follows him, he has become an I mam an d she the mamoom [follower].Similarly , if the wife trains her children in the best manner, s he will be an Imam and her children will be mamoom , a nd your children ’s good deeds will be ascribed to you.You will be sleeping in your grave but when your children perform morning prayers, the angels will record that this respected woman has performed her morning prayer.You will be sleeping in your grave and the angels will record that this pious woman has performed her Zuhr prayer.You will be sleeping in your grave and the angels will record that this pious woman has performed her ‘ Asr prayer.When silence blankets every corner, when the sta rs glimmer [at night] , and people sleep, if you have trained your children to perform Tah a jj u d prayers , the angels will record that she has performed her Tahajj u d prayers.To w hat great and i ncredible heights you can reach ! Allah says : َﺻ َُرب ۡو ِﺑ َﻤ ﺎ ا ۡﻟ ُﻐ ۡﺮ َﻓ َﺔ ُﻳ ۡﺠ َﺰ ۡو َن ُا و ﻟ l mِ َﻚ “ It is such as will be rewarded a high place in Paradise because they were steadfast … ” (Holy Qur’ān, Ch.25 : V.76) Which means, t hose people, who perform such good works for God Almighty’s sake and who strive to raise pious children, I will bestow upon them the highest of ranks on the Day of Judgment, for they saved their children from theft, lying, deceit, and other similar evils in this world.A nd just as t hey spread peace in this world, w hen they enter Paradise, God Almighty will say , “ These are the people , due to whom My other people remained in peace.G o , and bes tow peace on them today and have them enter Darus s alaam [ The Abode of Peace].” n ِﻓ ۡﻴ َﻬ ﺎ ٰﺧ šِِ ۡﻳ َﻦ [ “ Abiding therein ” ] (Holy Qur’an, Ch.25: V.77)

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! ! 407 In return, the y will live in everlasting Paradise for all time.God Almighty says : ُﻗ ۡﻞ َﻣ ﺎ َﻳ ۡﻌ َﺒ ُﺆ ا ِﺑ ُﻜ ۡﻢ َر €ِّۡ َﻟ ۡﻮ َﻻ ُد َﻋ ﺂ ُؤ ُﻛ ۡﻢ s َﻓ َﻘ ۡﺪ َﻛ َّﺬ ۡﺑ ُﺘ ۡﻢ َﻓ َﺴ ۡﻮ َف َﻳ ُﻜ ۡﻮ ُن ِﻟ َﺰ ا ًﻣ ﺎ ﴿ ٪ ۷۸ ﴾ “ Say to the disbelievers: ‘But for your prayer to Him my Lord would not care for you.You have indeed rejected the truth and the punishment of your rejection will now cleave to you.’” ( Holy Qur’ ā n Ch.25 : V.78 ) Which means, ‘ Remember! You are My chosen ones only while you follow My guidance.If you disobey Me, then your God will pay no heed to you, and it will result disast rously for you.You will be disgraced in this world and your children will remain devoid of all blessings.’ What a treacherous punishment and warning this is ! How I wish you wo uld understand! How I wish you woul d improve yourself! How I wish you would pay attention to Allah ’s warnings and guidance! And how I wish that God may purify your hearts! If your children serve their faith, then you will also have a portion of their good deeds in this world and in the Hereafter.I pray to God that may He enable you to perform good works, and may He shower His blessings on your homes , Am ī n.! ! !

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! ! 408 Women are not a Separate Entity from Men Address to the Ladies at the Occasion of Jalsa Salana Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra December 27, 1940 After the recitation of Tashahhud , Ta‘awwuz , and Surah Al - Fatihah , Hazrat Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra said: There is an issue concerning women, which if women heard [advice concerning it] day and night and women and men were told of its i mportance morning and evening, even then these efforts would fall short due to the need [to focus on that matter] in this day and age.This is because the issue which I refer to has existed for thousands of years.A problem which has existed for thousands of years cannot be tackled in one lecture.Both men and women have been led to believe that wom en are separate beings from men and as a result , they either ignore them or do not give due importance to the many responsibilities which fall on women’s shoulders.The m ore often the importance of this matter is stressed, the greater will be the benefit for women.I have observed that this notion has become so widespread that men consider women to be something very different from them and women also believe themselves to be a separate entity from men.Women always take the word ā dam ī [ the literal definition is ‘from Adam’ and is used to denote people , or mistakenly only men ] to mean a man.If men are sitting in a gathering and women are asked, “Who is sitting there?” They answer: “ Ā dam ī.” Actually, ā dam ī means human beings.Men and women are both Adam’s progeny.When women are sitting in a gathering , men will say that no ā dam ī should go in there , because women are sitting inside.Therefore , it appears that two races exist.One belongs to Adam and the other belongs to Satan.If men believe they belong to Adam and women belong to Satan, then how will women make progress? This notion is so widespread that even an educated woman, whether she is a

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! ! 409 graduate or Maul v i Fa zl , she will use the phrase ā dam ī when speaking of men.E ven though , regarding humanity, God Almighty has not dist inguished between men and women.God Almighty says in the Holy Qur’ān : َّﻧ ۡﻔ ٍﺲ ِّﻣ ۡﻦ َﺧ َﻠ َﻘ ُﻜ ۡﻢ ا :َِّ ۡی َر َّﺑ ُﻜ ُﻢ ا َّﺗ ُﻘ ۡﻮ ا ا ﻟ َّﻨ ﺎ ُس ٰٓﻳ َﺎ ُّﻳ َﻬ ﺎ َﻛ ِﺜ ًۡري ا ِر َﺟ ﺎ ًﻻ ِﻣ ۡﻨ ُﻬ َﻤ ﺎ َو َﺑ َّﺚ َز ۡو َﺟ َﻬ ﺎ ِﻣ ۡﻨ َﻬ ﺎ َّو َﺧ َﻠ َﻖ َّو ا ِﺣ َﺪ ٍۃ n َو ا َۡﻻ ۡر َﺣ ﺎ َم ِﺑ ٖﻪ ºَ َﺴ ﺂ َء ُﻟ ۡﻮ َن ا :َِّ ۡی ا َّٰﷲ َو ا َّﺗ ُﻘ ﻮ ا s َّو tِ َﺴ ﺂ ًء ﴾ ۲ ﴿ َر ِﻗ ۡﻴ ًﺒ ﺎ َﻋ َﻠ ۡﻴ ُﻜ ۡﻢ َﻛ ﺎ َن ا َّٰﷲ ِا َّن “ O ye people, fear your Lord, Who created you from a single soul and created therefrom its mate, and from them twain spread many men and women; and fear Allah, in whose name you appeal to one another; and fear Him particularly respecting ties of kinship.Verily, Allah watches over you.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.4: V.2) He said, “O men and women ! Let us relate to you this knowledge a nd remember it well.Y ou will often go through trials.” Sometimes , a woman’s child or husband becomes ill ; s ometimes one goes into debt ; sometimes neighbors become enem ies ; sometimes your business suffers a loss ; sometimes a lawsuit is filed against you.When these situations arise, you become very anxious, and you look all around you to find some escape.Some look towards their friends, some attempt to find a lawyer, or some seek help from their relatives.God Almighty says, “Why do you suffer in this way ? Let us show you an easy way out and that is : َر َّﺑ ُﻜ ُﻢ ا َّﺗ ُﻘ ۡﻮ ا “ F ear your Lord.” (Holy Qur’ān, Ch.4: V.2) Why do you not take Allah as your shield during this time of tribulation ? ” A young child has little understanding, but even he runs to his mother when he is in trouble.Yet , look at adults.Some run to

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! ! 410 the east, some to the west, others to the north , and still others to the south, resulting in confusion.God Almighty then says, “O human s, when you were young child ren and lacked understanding, you ran to ward your mother.N ow , when you are grown, why do you not run towards your God W ho created you? As a child , you were n ot aware of God, but now you have matured.W hy do you believe that your mother can protect you, but God cannot ?” َﺧ َﻠ َﻘ ُﻜ ۡﻢ ا :َِّ ۡی َر َّﺑ ُﻜ ُﻢ ا َّﺗ ُﻘ ۡﻮ ا “ Fea r your Lord who has created you.” (Holy Qur’ān, Ch.4: V.2) This means, ‘ When the time of trial is upon you, t ake your Lord as your shield.’ He has created you from one soul.One soul implies the union of man and woman.Some people interpret it to mean Adam and Eve, because they believe that Eve was created from Adam’s rib.If Eve was indeed born from Adam’s rib, then what wa s the purpose of making women undergo the pain of childbirth? A child could have always been born from a man’s ribs.Thus, Nafse wahida [ one so ul] means that a man and woman are the same being.A similar example of this is mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān regarding th e companions of Haz rat Moses as , who said : َّو ا ِﺣ ٍﺪ َﻃ َﻌ ﺎ ٍم َﻋ ‡ٰ َّﻧ ۡﺼ َِرب َﻟ ۡﻦ “ Surely , we will not remain content with one kind of food … ” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.2 : V.62) Which means, ‘ O M oses , we canno t be content with just one meal, ’ e ven though they were given both manna and quails to eat.However , as they used to eat th e two together , they referred to the m as one meal.A mother loves her child , but he is not born from her ribs.Similarly, there is a love between male and female elements.A crane is a bird which loves its companion so dearly, that if one dies , the other will starve itself to death.Therefore, God Almighty has placed the essence of love in nature.Just as He has instilled love between

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! ! 411 the male and female, similarly, He has instituted love between man and woman.God Almighty says that man and woman are Nafse wahida.He then goes on to say : َز ۡو َﺟ َﻬ ﺎ ِﻣ ۡﻨ َﻬ ﺎ َﺧ َﻠ َﻖ َّو [ “ …and created theref ro m its mate… ” ] (Holy Qur’ān, Ch.4: V.2) Which means, ‘He has created his spouse from the same species.’ A man belongs to the species of woman and a woman belongs to the species of man.What is meant by “ minha ” is “ min nafs i ha.” In other words, a woman’s spouse is a man, and a man’s spouse is a woman.A man is the same form as a woman and a woman is the same form as a man.Th is verse mentions that the ‘spouse of a woman’ is a man, while the ‘spouse of a man’ is a woman.This is similar to how we refer to a pair of shoe s.W hen we have one shoe, we ask, ‘W here is its pair ?’ s َّو tِ َﺴ ﺂ ًء َﻛ ِﺜ ًۡري ا ِر َﺟ ﺎ ًﻻ ِﻣ ۡﻨ ُﻬ َﻤ ﺎ َﺑ َّﺚ َو [ “ And from them twain spread many men and women ” ] (Holy Qur’ān, Ch.4: V.2) Then from every man and woman, offspring were created.[ Allah says in the Holy Qur’ān ] : n ا َۡﻻ ۡر َﺣ ﺎ َم َو ِﺑ ٖﻪ ºَ َﺴ ﺂ َء ُﻟ ۡﻮ َن ا :َِّ ۡی ا َّٰﷲ ا َّﺗ ُﻘ ﻮ ا َو “ And f ear Allah , in whose name you appeal to one another; and fear Him particularly respecting ties of relationship.” (Holy Qur’ān, Ch.4: V.2) Certainly, take care of your parents , but do not forget your God, for your parents gave you life for a short time, while God has given you everlasting life.Similarly , take care of your relatives , but take care to remember Him, whose bond with you is the greatest.َر ِﻗ ۡﻴ ًﺒ ﺎ َﻋ َﻠ ۡﻴ ُﻜ ۡﻢ َﻛ ﺎ َن ا َّٰﷲ ِا َّن

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! ! 412 [ “Verily Allah watches over you” ] (Holy Qur’ān, Ch.4: V.2) [Which means,] j ust as a mother watches over her child, He watches over you.Therefore, it is wrong to entertain the notion that a man and a woman are two completely different species.Just as a man is a human being, so is a woman.Yes , their functions are different.A woman gives birth and nourishes the child, and the man is the breadwinner and provides for the children.It has never crossed my mind that this distinction between each function would be something which would degrade the status of wom en.This difference in duties can be found among men as well.I am a Khalifa , but not every man is a Khalifa , and my being a Khalifa does not exclude the rest of the Ahmadi men from being considered part of the male species.Does your species change because you come from different tribes ? In a typical family, children grow up to become a clerk, teacher , or a land registrar.Usually, the father and son have different professions.A registrar is still considered a man, a doctor is considered a man, and a tradesman is considered a man.Similarly, among women, there are laundresses and hairdressers.Now a laundress is still a woman and so is a hairdresser.Being a laundress or a hairdre sser does not negate their woman hood.In the same way, there is a servant and a master.Thus, the difference in professions does not change one’s species.Men go into varied professions , just as women adopt varied roles.They are both ā dam ī , only their roles are different.If women truly comprehend this point, they will be able to safeguard their own rights.If they believe themselves to be ā dam ī and men also consider them to be ā dam ī , then no one will suppress the other’s rights.There is no doubt that men and women have separate roles to perform , but God Almighty has assigned no differentiation between them regarding their faith.The most important belief is: َﺷ ۡﻴ ًﺌ ﺎ ِﺑ ٖﻪ ºُ ۡﺸ ِﺮ ›ُ ۡﻮ ا َﻻ َو ا َّٰﷲ ا ۡﻋ ُﺒ ُﺪ و ا َو

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! ! 413 “ W orship Allah and do not associate partners with H im.” ( Holy Qur’ān , C h.4: V.37 ) I s this commandment only for men and not for women? The same goes for believing in angels.J ust as men are required to believe in angels, women are required to do the same.The t hird point is to believe in revelation, or God Almighty’s revealed b ooks.Prophets h ave never said, ‘O men! Do this.’ Rather, they always said , ‘O men and women! D o this.’ Additionally, after the advent of the Holy Prophet sa , he would always say, “ O men and women! Do this work.” In fact , the first person to believe in the Holy Prophet sa was a woman.When he sa received his first revelation, he sa was very worried.He spoke anxiously to Haz rat Khadija h ra , the Mother of the Faithful , and said, “How will I accomplish this great task? I am growing quite anxious.” Ha z rat Khadija h ra replied : Z C َّﻼ َو ا ( )ِ َﻻ ]ُ ْﺨ _ 1 Eْ َﻚ ا ( )ُ ا C `َ ًﺪ ا “By God, God Almighty will never let you fail.How is it possible for Him to disgrace you after assigning you such a grand mission! You are kind to your guests , and you treat your relatives well.He will certainly help you.” Thus , the first person to accept the H oly Prophet sa was a woman.Accordingly, w hen prophets convey the message of God , they address men and women in the same way.L ikewise , both men and women are addressed when revealing the issues of Divine Decree.The belief in [the concept of] reward and punishment is incumbent upon women as well as men.If you study our beliefs , you will not find one single belief, which is designated solely for men and not for women.Next, w e come to the re a lm of ‘ conduct ’.We do not f ind any distinction here either.F or example, the commandment of Salāt is the sa me for women as it is for men.The same r ak ‘ at which are prescribed for men are also prescribed for women.Then there is the commandment of Zakat , which is prescribed for women a s it is for men.There is also no distinction between the commandment of fasting.D uring Hajj , everyone stands on an equal plane and the

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! ! 414 command to give charity applies equally to both.Thus, the articles of faith are the same and the deeds are the same [for both men and women].Reflecting upon this, if someone says tha t women are a different species, how could we believe them? It is asto nishing t hat although Islam came to establish women’s lofty status , today those women who follow this faith regard themselves as worthless and deprive themselves from serving their faith in the best way.Likewise, m en ar e negligent of this crucial responsibility.In a way, both are destroying the human race and bringing disgrace to them selves.The Holy Qur’ān says : § ُﺳ mِ َﻠ ۡﺖ ا ۡﻟ َﻤ ۡﻮ ٗء َد ُۃ ِا َذ ا َو “ And when the girl - child buried alive is questioned about.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.81: V.9) In other words, they will be asked why they buried their women alive.This suggests that neither men alone nor women alone are responsible for the debasement of women, but b oth are to blame for it.Today, whe n almost every woman considers herself unable to accomplish any great success in life , not only does she bury herself alive , but she buries alive the entire progeny of womankind , just as men used to bury her alive.These are th os e women whose eyes are open , yet they cannot see.They still breathe , but their hearts are dead.It is t he parents - those who gave birth to her - who are primarily responsible for this death.Next, i t is her elder brothers and sisters who are to blame for this dea th.Thirdly, it is the husband, who takes responsibility for her demise , and f inally, it is the sons who bring about her end.Together, they have collectively sla in her.If you cultivate a zeal within yourselves , then you will realize that there is no difference whatsoever between man and woman with respect to belief and conduct.There is only one area where men and women differ and that is in the field of jihad.Even then , a woman is allowed to give water, dress the wounds , and serve the injured.Once , when Haz rat Bilal ’s ra sister asked the Holy Prophet sa about this, he ra

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! ! 415 said, “Y our job is to dress the wounds of the injured and to prepare food, etc.” The Holy Prophet sa gave equal shares to men and women in the bountie s of war.The underlying wisdom in keep ing women away from the battlefield is to preserve their p u rdah.If they were to take part in war, the result would be that they could be taken captive.Therefore, God Almighty has released them from taking part in war and given them th e responsibility of dressing wounds.I f women were to take part in war, they would certainly be taken captive as well.Thus , women are prohibited from taking part in war in order to protect th eir dignity and respect.Otherwise , there have been many incidences of women who have confronted great g enerals.For example , Chand Bibi ha s prove n herself several times.Haz rat Zarrar ’s ra sister took part in many wars.Once , the Christian army came upon them with such ferocity that the Muslim ’s defense faltered.Haz rat Zarrar ’s ra sister called out to Hind and said , “ Hind ! Come out.T hese men are not capable of fighting, so let us fight!” They pulled down their tents and began to strik e the men’s horses with the tent poles.Ab ū Suf y ā n said to his son , Mua wiya , “These women’s swords are more brutal than the Christian’s.I would prefer to be killed , rather than to retreat.” There upon , the m en went back to the battlefield.Therefore, a woman can surely fight, but since there is the risk that she might be taken captive Islam cannot tolerate that a Muslim woman could fall into the hands of others.Finally , t here is another matter besides war, in which a distinction has been established and that is that a man can be a prophet , but a woman cannot.However, a woman can certainly attain the rank of Siddiq , which is only second to prophethood.You must know that Haz rat Abu Bakr ra is also called Abu Bakr Siddiq ra.Likewise , we say Maryam Siddiqa ra and A’isha h ra Siddiqa.In other words, God Almighty has given the same rank to women He has given to men.In the same way, women can attain the rank of Shuhada [martyrs].A woman who di es due to labor pains would be considered Shaheed , for she has helped to propagate the human race.Similarly , she can also attain the rank of Saleh [righteous].Only the rank of prophethoo d is unattainable by women, but a woman can certainly receive her share in the reward of h eaven granted to a Prophet.Thus, God Almighty refers to this truth in the Holy Qur’ān , declaring :

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! ! 416 َر ِّﺑ 5ِۡ ِﺑ َﺤ ۡﻤ ِﺪ 9ُ َﺴ ِّﺒ ُﺤ ۡﻮ َن َﺣ ۡﻮ ?َٗ َو َﻣ ۡﻦ ا ۡﻟ َﻌ ۡﺮ َش َﻳ ۡﺤ ِﻤ ُﻠ ۡﻮ َن َا +َِّ ۡﻳ َﻦ ُﻛ َّﻞ َو ِﺳ ۡﻌ َﺖ َر َّﺑ َﻨ ﺎ J ٰا َﻣ ُﻨ ۡﻮ ا ِﻟ Lَِّ ۡﻳ َﻦ َو 9َ ۡﺴ َﺘ ۡﻐ ِﻔ ُﺮ ۡو َن ِﺑ ٖﻪ َو ُﻳ ۡﺆ ِﻣ ُﻨ ۡﻮ َن َﺳ ِﺒ ۡﻴ َﻠ َﻚ َو ا َّﺗ َﺒ ُﻌ ۡﻮ ا َﺗ ﺎ ُﺑ ۡﻮ ا ِﻟ Lَِّ ۡﻳ َﻦ َﻓ ﺎ ۡﻏ ِﻔ ۡﺮ َّو ِﻋ ۡﻠ ًﻤ ﺎ َّر ۡﺣ َﻤ ًﺔ Yَۡ ٍء ا ۡﻟ َﺠ ِﺤ ۡﻴ ِﻢ َﻋ َﺬ ا َب َو ِﻗ 5ِۡ “ Those who bear the Throne and those who are around it, glorify their Lord with His praise and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe, saying, ‘Our Lord, Thou dost comprehend all things in Thy mercy and knowledge.So forgive those who repent and follow Thy way, and protect them from the punishment of Hell.’” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.40: V.8) It is said that a ngels bear the throne of God.They praise and glorify Him.They also pray for believing men and believi ng women , ‘O Lord, You are All - Knowing , w e beg of You to save those believers who have repented their sins , from the punishment of Hell.And O our Lord, admit all the believing men and believing women to the Paradise which You have promised them.And if a woman achieves a higher rank, then admit her husband to that rank, and if a man achieves a higher rank , then admit his wife to that rank.Likewise , admit the children along with their father, and admit the parents along with their children.Innaka antal azeezul hakeem.You are the Most Mighty and the Most Wise.’ Let us now ask ourselves, whether this prayer has been accepted or not.In this regard , we find the following verses in the Holy Qur’ān : َﺟ ّٰﻨ ُﺖ َﻋ ۡﺪ ٍن َّﻳ ۡﺪ ُﺧ ُﻠ ۡﻮ َﻧ َﻬ ﺎ َو َﻣ ۡﻦ َﺻ َﻠ َﺢ ِﻣ ۡﻦ ٰا َﺑ ﺂ •ِ pِۡ َو َا ۡز َو ا ِﺟ pِۡ َو ُذ ِّر ّٰﻳ ِﺘ pِۡ َو ا ۡﻟ َﻤ ﻠ l mِ َﻜ ُﺔ َﻳ ۡﺪ ُﺧ ُﻠ ۡﻮ َن َﻋ َﻠ ۡﻴ pِۡ ِّﻣ ۡﻦ ُﻛ ِّﻞ َﺑ ﺎ ٍب َﺳ ٰﻠ ٌﻢ َﻋ َﻠ ۡﻴ ُﻜ ۡﻢ ِﺑ َﻤ ﺎ َﺻ َۡرب ُﺗ ۡﻢ َﻓ ِﻨ ۡﻌ َﻢ ُﻋ ۡﻘ ¼َ ا †َّ ا ِر

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! ! 417 “ Gardens of Eternity.They shall enter them and also those who are righteous from among their fathers, and their wives and their children.And angels shall enter unto them from every gate, saying ‘Peace be unto you, because you were steadfast; behold, how excellent is the reward of the final Abode!” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.13: V.24 - 25) [These verses indicate] that believers will attain everlasting Paradise, and We [God] have accepted the prayers of the angel s.And We will join those people of high rank with their relatives, even if they are believers of a lower rank.Their fathers, grandfathers , and wives will all enjoy an elevated status.And every day, a ngels will arrive at their doorstep to visit th ese families , and they will say, ‘Our Lord send s you Salaam , because on Earth you suffered so greatly for His s ake.Now after death you have come into My sanctuary.’ We come to know from these verses that the a ngel’s prayers were answered and God Almighty has decreed that the parents, grandparen ts, children, and the spouses of believers of higher rank will be gathered together with them in paradise.And when God Almighty has decided this, then women have been granted all privileges because although Moses as was a prophet and his wife was not, yet she will certainly receive the same rewards in Paradise.Likewise, the Holy Prophet sa was the greatest of all the prophets and his will be the most exalted status in Paradise , but his eleven wives will also be there with him sa.In short, there is no difference between men and women with respect to belief and conduct.W here a differentiation has been made , women are in turn more greatly compensated.If the Holy Prophet sa had only one wife, she alone would have enjoyed the rewards with him sa in Paradise, but he sa had eleven wives and three daughters.Thus , fourteen women will enjoy those very rewards the Holy Prophet sa will be granted in heaven.Therefore , you must give up the idea that a woman is unable to accomplish anything.Today , I wish to say, ‘ O Ahmadi wom e n! You must change your way of thinking.Ā dam ī denotes a p e rson and you are an ā dam ī in the same way men are.’ God Almighty has established the same articles of faith for men and women; and the

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! ! 418 same rewards and blessings which are designated for men are designated for women.Thus , when God did not discriminate between men and women, why d o you? Until y ou remove this idea from your heart, you will be unable to accomplish anything.When someone believes himself to be dead [ineffective] , then essentially, he die s [fails].W hen someone believes h e can succeed, then he truly succeed s.Men are fulfilling the responsibilities which fall upon them.Male branches [of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community] can be found all over Punjab, whereas Lajna Ima’illah is not established across Punjab ; rather it has been instituted in very few places.He nce, first, change your way of thinking and recognize that God Almighty has created you to serve your faith.It is the duty of every woman to establish Lajna in every village.If you set up a Lajna wherever Ahmadis reside , God Almighty will provide you with the ability to do the work as well.The truth is , that the degree of tabligh women can do, men cannot.If women begin t abligh, the whole state of the country could b e transformed, but very few women turn their attention to ward s this matter.God Al mighty has granted wome n such weapons , the equal of which men cannot match, but she is negligent , and she reasons that perhaps on the Day of Judgment , ‘M y husband will be granted paradise, but I will go to hell , for I cannot accomplish anything.’ Hence , you must understand your responsibilities.Establish Lajna everywhere.Write to the M arkaz.If you do not get a response , then write to me.Write articles in Misbah [the women’s magazine].Those women who are educated, should do this work individually in their own areas and establish a Lajna everywhere.May God Almighty grant you the capacity to succeed in this work , in order that you to o receive the same rewards ordained for believers.( Misbah , January 1941)

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! ! 419 Address to the Ladies at the Occasion of Jalsa Salana Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra December 27, 1941 The address which Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra delivered to the ladi es of Jama'at - e - Ahmadiyya at Jalsa Salana was as usual , noted by Mohtarma [Respected] Amtul Salam , Nusrat Girl ’ s School.It is being published with a note of thanks to her.It is important to mention that as she is not a professional at taking notes at speed, t he speech may not have been noted down in its entirety.Yet , her efforts are praiseworthy and may God reward her for her hard work.(Editor , Misbah ) After the recitation of Tashahhud, Ta‘awwuz , and Surah Al - Fatihah , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra recited the following Qur’ān ic verses: َﺗ ۡﺤ ِﺘ َﻬ ﺎ ِﻣ ۡﻦ َﺗ ۡﺠ ِﺮ ۡی َﺟ ّٰﻨ ٍﺖ ا ﻟ ّٰﺼ ِﻠ ٰﺤ ِﺖ َﻋ ِﻤ ُﻠ ﻮ ا َو ٰا َﻣ ُﻨ ۡﻮ ا ا :َِّ ۡﻳ َﻦ ُا ۡد ِﺧ َﻞ َو َﺳ ٰﻠ ٌﻢ ِﻓ ۡﻴ َﻬ ﺎ َﺗ ِﺤ َّﻴ ُﺘ pُۡ n َر ِّﺑ pِۡ ِﺑ ِﺎ ۡذ ِن ِﻓ ۡﻴ َﻬ ﺎ ٰﺧ šِِ ۡﻳ َﻦ ا َۡﻻ ۡﻧ ٰﻬ ُﺮ َا َﻟ ۡﻢ َﺗ َﺮ ›َ ۡﻴ َﻒ َﺿ َﺮ َب ا ُّٰﷲ َﻣ َﺜ ًﻼ َﻛ ِﻠ َﻤ ًﺔ َﻃ ِّﻴ َﺒ ًﺔ َﻛ َﺸ َﺠ َﺮ ٍۃ ' َﻃ ِّﻴ َﺒ ٍﺔ َا ۡﺻ ُﻠ َﻬ ﺎ َﺛ ﺎ ِﺑ ٌﺖ َّو َﻓ ۡﺮ ُﻋ َﻬ ﺎ ِيف ا ﻟ َّﺴ َﻤ ﺂ ِء ُﺗ ۡﺆ ˆِۡۤ ُا ُﻛ َﻠ َﻬ ﺎ ُﻛ َّﻞ ِﺣ ۭۡني ِﺑ ِﺎ ۡذ ِن َﻳ َﺘ َﺬ َّﻛ ُﺮ ۡو َن َﻟ َﻌ َّﻠ pُۡ ِﻟ ﻠ َّﻨ ﺎ ِس ا َۡﻻ ۡﻣ َﺜ ﺎ َل ا ُّٰﷲ َﻳ ۡﻀ ِﺮ ُب َو n َر ِّﺑ َﻬ ﺎ “And those who believe and act righteously, will be admitted into Gardens through which streams flow, wherein they will abide by the command of their Lord.Their greeting therein will be, 'Peace.’ Dost thou not see how Allah sets forth a parable of a good word? It is like a good tree, whose root is firm and whose branches reach into heaven.

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! ! 420 It brings forth its fruit at all times by the command of its Lord.And Allah sets forth similitudes for men that they may re flect.” (Holy Qur’ ā n, Ch.14: V.24 - 26) First , I would like to say that in my opinion, my speech in the lad ies’ session has become redundant.H eretofore, women had their own separate session and men had their own.Now , ladies are able to listen to the speeches I deliver to men via the loudspeaker.Therefore, there is no apparent need to deliver a speech to ladies.Certainly, there are certain issues towards which women’s attention should be drawn, but even for that, there is no need for a separate speech every year.If Lajna Ima’illah ever feels the need for me to address a specific subject, they may suggest the topic to me , and I can deliver a speech on that topic.However, regarding the present situation , as my speeches on the men ’s side have been relayed to the ladies via loudspeaker for the past four years, I find that this will suffice for the women.Unless you argue , that for the last four years , men have been listening to two speeches and we have been listening to one.Therefore , for the next twenty - one years , there should be an additional speech presented to the women to make it even.However, I have not yet decided nor considered this issue.If God Almighty provides th e opportunity, I shall reflect upon the issue and whatever decision is made , will be carried out accordingly.Following this, I w ould like to say something regarding th e verses which I have just recited.In these verses, God Almighty has stated that believing men and believing women will be admitted into Paradise; a Paradise beneath which streams will flow.Today , we have ladies present here from Sargodha, Gujrat , and Lyallpur.Since they live in new ly settled areas, they are well aware of what a stream is and what its uses are.However, the streams which flow in heaven will be different from those of Sargodha and Gujrat.For one must take turns when using the water from th ese streams ; even if their pasture s are withering away or burning up in flames , they only receive water when it is their turn.Furthermore, some government officials make trouble and block the streams, which then ruin s the whole neighborhood.Likewise, if a landowner blocks the water to a stream, he can be imprison ed for one to two years.

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! ! 421 That is the state of streams in this world, b ut God says the streams [in heaven] will flow along the gardens.In other words, th ey will belong to the dwellers of h eaven and no o ther will be their master or owner.They will be able to partake of the water whenever they wish and : ٰﺧ šِِ ۡﻳ َﻦ [… they will abide …] (Holy Qur’ ā n Ch.14: V.24) t hey will continue to reside there.Where are those who built Sargodha and Lyallpur? [Where are] t hose who planted the trees, cultivated the land after great difficulty, ploughed t he fields while facing hardship? S ome of them lived on for two years, some for four years , and eventually , one after another , they all died.Today, they remain unaware of what happened to their lands and what fruits their progeny enjoys.Some of their children drink alcohol and some now gamble, while other’s descendants waste their time in cinemas.It is as if all their hard work has been wasted.In comparison, Allah says : ِﻓ ۡﻴ َﻬ ﺎ ٰﺧ šِِ ۡﻳ َﻦ [… wherein they will abide …] (Holy Qur’ ā n Ch.14: V.24) t he efforts of those who dwell in Paradise will not be in vain.I n fact , they will reap what they have sowed , and they will continue to do so.Then there is another difference between the streams, gardens, and lands of this world and those of the hereafter.M any people ’s wealth in this world is haraam [that which is forbidden in Islam ].For example, governments have forcefully seized vast pieces of land from peasants and given them to other people.The true owners starved to death , while other s lived off their land in l uxury.However, Allah says:

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! ! 422 n َر ِّﺑ َﻬ ﺎ ِﺑ ِﺎ ۡذ ِن [… by the command of its Lord …] (Holy Qur’ ā n Ch.14: V.26) t hose lands [in heaven] will not be confisc ated lands; rather they will be lawful and will be granted by God.In this world, how many households have been destroyed because the wealth earned by the parent’s hard work was wasted away by their children in useless pursuits.Yet, wh at we receive in the hereafter will be from Allah and its blessing will be everlasting : َﺳ ٰﻠ ٌﻢ ِﻓ ۡﻴ َﻬ ﺎ َﺗ ِﺤ َّﻴ ُﺘ pُۡ [ Their greeting ther e in will be ‘ Peace.’] (Holy Qur’ ā n Ch.14: V.24) In our country, people usually say that the root causes of all feuds are land, wealth , or women.Since lands and streams are mentioned here , the question naturally arises as to whether such feuds will exist in heaven , and will those who live in h eaven quarrel with one another over fields and continue their feuds? For this reason , Allah tells us that each person who meet s another in Heaven, will assure each other that they hold no grudges , that t hey will not harm each other , but rather will pray that God bless es them with peace.H e then says: َﻛ َﺸ َﺠ َﺮ ٍۃ َﻃ ِّﻴ َﺒ ًﺔ َﻛ ِﻠ َﻤ ًﺔ َﻣ َﺜ ًﻼ ا ُّٰﷲ َﺿ َﺮ َب َﻛ ۡﻴ َﻒ َﺗ َﺮ َا َﻟ ۡﻢ ۲۵ ۙ﴿ ا ﻟ َّﺴ َﻤ ﺂ ِء ِيف َّو َﻓ ۡﺮ ُﻋ َﻬ ﺎ َﺛ ﺎ ِﺑ ٌﺖ َا ۡﺻ ُﻠ َﻬ ﺎ َﻃ ِّﻴ َﺒ ٍﺔ ا َۡﻻ ۡﻣ َﺜ ﺎ َل ا ُّٰﷲ َﻳ ۡﻀ ِﺮ ُب َو n َر ِّﺑ َﻬ ﺎ ِﺑ ِﺎ ۡذ ِن ِﺣ ۭۡني ُﻛ َّﻞ ُا ُﻛ َﻠ َﻬ ﺎ ُﺗ ۡﺆ ˆِۡۤ َﻳ َﺘ َﺬ َّﻛ ُﺮ ۡو َن َﻟ َﻌ َّﻠ pُۡ ِﻟ ﻠ َّﻨ ﺎ ِس “ Dost thou not see how Allah sets forth a parable of a good word? It is like a good tree whose root is firm and whose branches reach into heaven.It brings forth its fruit at all times by the command of its Lord.And

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! ! 423 Allah sets forth similitudes for men that they may reflect.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.14: V.25 - 26) In the beginning of these verses, God Almighty had said that those who believe and are righteous , will enter Paradise.Now on the surface , people declare themselves Muslim and if asked about their faith, they would reply , ‘B y the grace of God , I am a Muslim.’ However, God Almighty declares that solely pronouncing oneself to be a believer does not make a person a believer.You must keep in mind, that having faith in Allah and acting righteously is like a good tree.Just as in this life, a fruit - bearing tree requires care and attention, no shajr - e - tayyaba [pure tree] flourishes unless it is watered and taken care of ; the forest trees being an exception.Likewise , it is not acceptable for one to merely claim true faith and acknowledge the value of virtuous deeds.Wild trees never bear the highest quality of fruits.The best quality fruit is only produced by the best trees, and the best trees are those which are nurtured by people.Therefore, the most apt metaphor for faith and acts of righteousness is the shajr - e - tayyaba , or in other words the tree which is nurtured , not that which grows wild.And this shajr - e - tayyaba cannot bear fruit without the water of virtuous deeds.J ust as a tree withers away if it is not watered after being planted, it will bear excellent fruit if watered and will remain fruitful for a long time to come.Likewi se, do not be content with your verbal declaration of faith, but remember well, shajr - e - tayyaba requires water and unless faith is watered with virtuous deeds, it cannot grow to become a shajr - e - tayyaba.Therefo re, do not be content with the mere recitation of Kalima.Unless you water the tree of ‘ L a ilaha ill Allah ’ [ t here is no God but Allah] with acts of righteousness , your tree will not bear fruit , but will wither away instead.In reality, as trees are of different types, similarly there are as many type s of ‘ L a ilah a il l Allah ’.Some a re good and others are rotten.In the Holy Qur’ān , an example of a k alima , which is rotten, is given as:

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! ! 424 Â ا ِّٰﷲ َﻟ َﺮ ُﺳ ۡﻮ ُل ِا َّﻧ َﻚ tَ ۡﺸ َﻬ ُﺪ َﻗ ﺎ ُﻟ ۡﻮ ا ا ۡﻟ ُﻤ ٰﻨ ِﻔ ُﻘ ۡﻮ َن َﺟ ﺂ َء َك ِا َذ ا ِا َّﻧ َﻚ َﻳ ۡﻌ َﻠ ُﻢ َو ا ُّٰﷲ ﴾ ۲ ۚ ﴿ َﻟ ٰﻜ ِﺬ ُﺑ ۡﻮ َن ا ۡﻟ ُﻤ ٰﻨ ِﻔ ِﻘ َۡني ِا َّن 'َ ۡﺸ َﻬ ُﺪ َو ا ُّٰﷲ n َﻟ َﺮ ُﺳ ۡﻮ Äُٗ “ When the Hypocrites come to thee, they say, ‘ We bear witness that thou art indeed the Messenger of Allah.’ And Allah knows that thou art indeed His Messenger, but Allah also bears witness that the Hypocrites are certainly liars.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.63: V.2) In other words, the hypocrites come before the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and say : Â ا ِّٰﷲ َﻟ َﺮ ُﺳ ۡﻮ ُل ِا َّﻧ َﻚ tَ ۡﺸ َﻬ ُﺪ [ “ We bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah ”] (Holy Qur’ān, Ch.63: V.2) C ertainly, God exists, and you are His Prophet.However, instead of Allah being pleased that they have affirmed the truth at last , God Almighty is already aware t hat you are the Prophet of Allah.They say that we also bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah.Now if Allah declares this and th ey do not, then it is a lie.However, when they have admitted it and Allah has al ready testified that the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa is His Prophet, the n the y should have said that they are truthful and that they have affirmed only that which God has already declared.Yet, Allah pronounces these hypocrites to be great liars.Even though you are the Prophet of Allah, and they also claim you to be the Messenger of Allah, they are liars.For their declaration of faith is not Kalima Tayyiba [pure word ], but rather , it is Kalima Khab ithah [ evil word ].For they do not say this ou t of true sincerity, but because they are h y pocrites.Then there are th ose people who sincerely accept their faith , but their faith is weak.Their example is like that of one who sows a mango tree but does not water it or take care of it.The result will be

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! ! 425 that the tree will bear mangoes , but the mangoes will be of inferior quality , sour , and few in quantity.E ven a donkey takes one whiff of such mangoes and tosses them aside.W h e n these mangoes are taken to market, they are left in the basket with other rotten fruit , and no one buys them.In contrast, the mangoes of superior quality are carefully wrapped in paper and labeled accordingly.Chiefs place order after order for such mangoes and the wealthiest people buy them.However, the rotten mangoes sit in the ir grimy and dirty baskets, and although t he shopkeeper calls out that he is willing to sell whole baskets of these mangoes at very low prices, still nobody buys them.Thus , there are those mango e s which let off the most beautiful fragrance , waft ing towards passersby and enfolding them from head to toe , affecting them as if an electric current.And, o n the other hand, you would not want your gaze to fall upon the [ rotten ] mangoes.T he same is true for other fruit.There is a time when melons are sold a t a high price [because of their sweetness ] and at other times , they are full of maggots.Therefore, Allah says, ‘You recite the Kalima again and again, but you shoul d understand what you say.’ Haz rat Abu Bakr ra , Haz rat ‘ Umar ra , Haz rat ‘ U th man ra , and Haz rat ‘ Ali ra also recited the Kalima Tayyiba.If you say that you declare the same Kalima as that of [Hazrat] Abu Bakr ra and [Hazrat] ‘Umar ra , then you are mistaken, for their Kalima was Kalima Tayyiba.Tayyiba in Arabic means beautiful, fragrant, delightful, and sweet.Tayyiba has other meanings as well , but these four qualities are specifically defined with in Tayyiba.It is not necessary that whatever is beautiful must also be fragrant.There are many people who are good - looking , but their underarms release an odor.There are others whose scent is not distasteful , but one dislikes thei r looks.There are some who are not ill , but they are illiterate and ill - mannered.There are still others who are beautiful, let off a sweet fragrance, and are learned, but they are not sweet , or in other words, their conversation is not enjoyable.Therefore, Tayyiba is that which encompasses all four qualities, or one who is beautiful, fragrant, delightful , and sweet.Therefore , those who claim to have faith in the Kalima Tayyiba should reflect on whether they have all four of these qualities.The first meaning of Tayyiba is beautiful.C onsider

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! ! 426 whether your devotion to faith is beautiful.You verbally claim that you are an Ahmadi , but do es your outward appearance reflect that of an Ahmadi? If a mango looked like a jujube [Indian date] , would people like it? Similarly, if your Salāt is not like that of an Ahmadi, if your f asting is not like that of an Ahmadi, if your z akat is not like that of an Ahmadi, and your Hajj is not like that of an Ahmadi, how can you say that you have understood Kalima Tayyiba ? No matter how superior in quality the mango is , if it is scarred and shriveled, nobo dy will buy it.Likewise, if you believe that by simply stating the Kalima T ayyiba , your Salāt , your f ast, your z akat , your Hajj, and your charity will automatically improve , you are mistaken.Just as no one purchases a blemished mango, your S alāt and fasts will not be accepted.These acts of worship can only be accepted when they are performed according to the conditions laid down by Islam.The second quality of Kalima is one’s fragrance.When someone goes to purchase something, he checks its fragrance.If he goes to buy melons, he smells them and hopes that they will smell sweet.T he same goes for other fruits.The lovelier the mango , t he more fragrant it is.In this way , people not only check the appearance of apples, pomegranates, grapes , and bananas, etc., but they also check its fragrance.Thus, Allah instructs us that since you have embraced your faith, your faith should exude a fragrance.In essence, your neighbors should be able to inhal e the fragrance of your good deeds simply by gazing upon you.Then , will they acknowledge that this is a great religion.At first, people will look at your outward appearance to assess whether you pray like a Muslim or not.Suppose a woman calls herself an Ahmadi but does not perform Salāt.H er neighbor will believe that her m aul v i was correct when he claimed Ah madi women do not perform Salāt or that Ahmadis do not uphold Salāt.For non - Ahmadi m aul v i s have told them that Ahmadis perform a different Salāt and f asting.Thus, a non - Ahmadi woman who does not perform Salāt , opens the gates of hell only for herself; whereas an Ahmadi woman who does not perform Salāt , opens the gates of hel l not only for herself, but fo r the fifty other women who are observing her.This is why Allah says become a S hajr - e - Tayyiba.You should be that tree, which is not only beautiful , but is also fragrant.Wherever you go , you should perform Salāt , give alms , keep peace , and perform good deeds so much so, that people will

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! ! 427 wonder , “Who is this woman who has come here and performs Salāt so diligent ly and gives so much charity?” T hose non - Ahmadi women will rise up, cursing their m aulvi s and come to you, drawn into the garden of Ahmadiyyat by your sweet fragrance.Therefore, your Salāt should be so fragrant, and your charity and alms be filled with such a sweet scent that people will inevitably grow contented.When this fragrance emanates from with in you, the result will be that people will rush toward you and you will become the source of drawing people towards Ahmadiyyat.The third meaning of Tayyiba is to be de lightful, i.e., such a thing which tastes good and that which is relished by one’s taste buds.This quality is necessary in a believer.Suppose that a woman performs Salāt and keeps f asts , yet is found backbiting from dawn till dusk , elaborating on who did what.The effects of her good deeds will fade away.T he act [of backbiting] is as filthy as a woman who eat s dirt.Mayhap they are mere words, but they are worthless and of no benefit to the listener or to the speaker.However , if she were to say, ‘ O my sister, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said this, O my sister, Allah commands us to do this.T hese are the rules concerning Salāt and f asting, ’ the listeners will be inspired, and they will delight in her discourse.Therefo re, first you must act according to your faith.S econdly, do good to such an extent that your reputation is established among people.Thirdly, speak of that which is beneficial to others.The fourth meaning of Tayyiba is ‘sweet’.This means that your discourse shou ld not only be beneficial to people , but also practical.I t should not only be rational but should be so heartwarming that one bonds with you emotionally, and it should be so attractive that one finds their faith through you.Intellectual conversation is enjoyable , but not always captivating.Although p oets speak very well , their words lack sweetness.Then there is that person, who relates the words of God in a very eloquent and learned way, his talk is delightful , but he does not always inspire.In comparison, a nother person speaks in such a manner, which is not only eloquent , but his words move the heart and increase other’s righteousness.His discourse is considered sweet because it impels the heart.

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! ! 428 These are the four qualities which must be present in a believer.If you become like this, you will inherit Paradise.What is Paradise? The trees of Paradise are the believers , and the stream s of Paradise are their deeds.When they all are gathered together in one place, they will draw everyone’s attention to themselves.The difference between this world and the next world is that here the believers remain hidden , but in the next world they will be assembled together , and the world will gaze upon them in amazement, marveling at their magnificence.When Haz rat Shah Wali - ullah rh , Ha z rat Khawaja Baqi Billah rh , Haz rat Qutub - ud - Din rh , Haz rat Khawaja Nizaam - ud - Din rh , Haz rat Syed Ahmed Brailvi rh , and the thousands of other saints who have passed away , when they are all gathe red in Paradise people will gaze at them in wonder.In this world, [the believers] stand as individual trees , b ut in the Hereafter , they will form an orchard of trees, bearing the sweetest fruit.Upon witnessing their d eeds and faith, people will cry out that no Paradise can be superior to this one.Can a village, where the inhabitants create chaos by telling lies, steal ing other’s belongings, refusing to feed the hungry, and commit ting robbery, be called Paradise? In comparison, the greatest Paradise in the hereafter is where all righteousness will be gathered together , and all impiety will be separated.Women who perform Salāt and men who perform Salāt ; truthful women and truthful men; women who believe in the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and men who believe in the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa ; women who believe in the Holy Qur’ān and men who believe in the Holy Qur’ān ; women who believe in all the prophets and men who believe in all the prophets; women who serve other people and men who serve other people; women who guard themselves from lying, cheating, and fighting and men who guard themselves from lying, cheating, and fighting.T hey will be gathered together at one place and who would not hope to reside with them? No doubt, there will be gardens there, but the true meaning of this [verse] is that it will be an abode, where all righteous people will be assembled.Therefore , I advise you that although you have been taught the

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! ! 429 Kalima , it is now up to you to make it pure.People presume for themselves great designations , but mere titles are of no use.Likewise , one does not gain respect by simply reciting the Kalima ; one gains it by making it pure.When both aspects of the Kalima are present, only then does a believer transform into a tree of Paradise.Thus, u nless you become a Kalima Tayyiba , you can not become a tree of Paradise.The Holy Qur’ān has given you the simple example of the tree.God Almighty did not direct your attention towards the moon or the sun.He did not present example s of Alexander or Aristotle.He did not pose before you the question of algebra.He did not attempt to rais e you up towards the dome of some building.R ather God Almighty presented to you that which each one of you , rather each c hild has seen.God Almighty declared that He did not take you towards the mountains or rivers, for He asks , “Have you ever seen a tree ? ” Just a s a tree is watered, likewise you should water yo ur faith with charitable deeds.D evelop good traits within yourself.When you do this, you will become a tree of Paradise.Just as a nurtured tree bears beautiful, fragrant, delicious , and sweet fruit, nurture your faith to be beautiful, fragrant, delightful , and sweet.W hen you become such a tree, God Almighty’s angels will lift you from wherever y ou are and will take you to His Paradise , for God pro nounces that His garden cannot be complete without such trees.People transport trees from far off places to plant in their gardens , so that their garden looks beautiful.In this very way , God’s angels will retrieve the righteous from e ach corner of the Earth , so that people can not say that this or that type of tree is not present in the garden of Allah.What a grand trade the righteous make with God , but how unfortunate that fe w people pay heed to this agreement.I now pray that God enable s you to grow into a tree of Paradise and that you transform your Kalima into Kalima Tayyiba , so that by the Grace of Allah you turn into a S hajr - e - Tayyiba.َو آ ِﺧ ُﺮ َد ْﻋ َﻮ ا cُ ْﻢ أ C ِن ا ﻟ e َﺤ ْﻤ ُﺪ (ِ fِ َر ب ﱢ ا ﻟ e َﻌ ﺎ ﻟ C ِﻤ kl mَ And in the end , we proclaim that all praise belongs to Allah , Lord of all the worlds.( Misbah , February 1942)

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! ! 430 Reform your Practical Life and Establish Lajna Ima’illah Everywhere Address to the Ladies at the Occasion of Jalsa Salana Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahm u d Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra December 26, 1942 After Tashahhud, Ta‘awwuz , and the recitation of Surah Al - Fatihah , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra said: W hile traveling by car o n my way here, I noticed that the roads and market places were full of men while the Jalsa Gah is all but deserted.Now that I am here on your side , I find the same.The Qadian Jalsa is a religious obligation.It is a place to seek religious knowledge, not a playground nor a fair where you come to eat.Of three hundred and sixty - five days in a year, you spend three hundred and sixty - two days doing what you please and you come to Qadian for only three days.Yet, you spend even that time w andering about here and there and you believe you have fulfilled your obligation to God? In fact , at this point, the condition of my heart is such that I do not even wish to make a speech.That which I say now, is only because I am forcing myself to do so.Beware! Lip service does no good.No nat ion in this world, whether it be religious or worldly, can make progress until their actions concur with their words.The companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa accomplished more and talked less.The Holy Qur’ān refers to the hypo crites as those who frequently spoke concerning the Prophet Muhammad sa.The hypocrites would join in the Holy Prophet’s sa gatherings and claim , ‘ We swear upon God that you are a Prophet of God.’ The faithful did not swear such oaths.There is no record of the believers swear ing such oaths, but the Holy Qur’ān does mention the hypocrites as repeatedly making oaths that the Prophet was the Messenger of Allah, although they were of the liars.

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! ! 431 It is essential that women transform themselves.Currently , your condition is that of the dead.You r mental capacities are not yet honed to appreciate knowledge in a conceptual manner, nor do you have the command of your language to express your views clearly.When women come to see me , they expect that I will listen to their stories of distress.This k eep s me from performing many important tasks.O ut of two hundred men, o nly ten men will behave in this way, while out of one hundred , ninety women will act in this manner.I postpone a hundred other things in order to listen to them because they are from Jama'at - e - Ahmadiyya , they are in distress and I wish to sympathize and be kind to them , but [due to their manner of prolonging the conversation] they end up wast ing time.Women tend to engage in lengthy conver sations.For example, they will begin by saying , ‘ I entered someone’s house through the door on the south side of the courtyard.The courtyard was only the length of three to four charpai [a traditional Indian bed, made of fibers woven together].I crossed the c ourtyard and the porch and then entered the hom e.’ This type of conversation tells me that there is no real issue worth discussing at all.The biggest need here is that you find something to occupy yourself.Women from farming families are occupied with c hores with in their households.They are used to working hard.However, women who live in the cities, know nothing except for conversing.Wealthy women spend their time cursing their servants.The entire day passes in this absurdity.They spend five minutes yelling at the servant because he did not clean a cup, whereas they could have cleaned it themselves in only one minute.Some people climb the Qut u b Minar [a tourist attraction in Pakistan, which has high minarets] for two minutes in order to etch their names , to say that the son of so and so came here on such and such day.They cannot bear to think of simply going up for two minutes and return ing.R ather they deem it necessary to l eave a mark.Minart - ul - Masih is a sacred plac e, but some ignorant folks go up there and carve their names.On the contrary , you dare to live in God’s world for some fifty to sixty years and yet , you do not exert yourself to leave a memorable mark on this world.Would you say that your mother, your paternal grandmother, or maternal

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! ! 432 grandmother have left an indelible impression upon this world for you? In the Bible , it says, ‘ O Adam! The punishment for your sin is that your daughter will love her husband rather than lo ving you and that your son will love his wife rather than loving you.’ A man comes to ask leave of his father , saying he has received a letter that his child is ill, and he must go.His father, understanding of his feelings, grants him permission.The truth is , if he was truly grateful , he would not leave his mother and father.I nstead , he would allow his wife and children to die, but he would never leave his parents.That which you regard in this world as your legacy , may not be considered as such , but in actuality may be the grounds for erasing your legacy.The only thing which remains behind is your virtuous deeds.That which you do for Allah ’s sake , will last forever.Where is the progeny of Haz rat Abu Hurairah ra ? Where are his houses? For although we do not know who his descendants are, where his houses may be, what his inheritance was , yet when we say his name, we say Haz rat Abu Hurairah ra with respect.A few days ago , an Arab visited me and told me that he was a descendent of Haz rat Bilal ra.I do n o t know if he told the truth or a lie , but at that moment, I wished to cleave to him solely because he was from among the progeny of t hat man , who call ed the Adh ā n in the Holy Prophet ’s sa mosque.Today , where is [Hazrat] Bilal’s ra progeny? Where are his houses? Where are his assets? Yet, t he Adh ā n he called out in the Holy Prophet’s sa mosque still lives and will continue to live for all time.Henc e, everything in this world peris hes, except for one’s deeds.Still, you pay no attention to them.God Almighty states [in the H oly Qur’an] that He has bound each person’s bird to his neck [Bani Isra’il Ch.17: V.14].W hat is that bird? It is his deeds.If he is pious, then his bird will be pious; if he is evil, then his bird will be evil as well.Therefore, strive to reform your practical life.There must be hundreds of [Lajna] who have attended Jalsa for nearly ten years now, but what have they gained after attending each year? There are two types of deeds:

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! ! 433 1.Personal 2.Collective Un less you are successful in both deeds , your life cannot be reformed, n or will God Almighty be pleased.Personal deeds are Salāt , f asting, Hajj, Z akat , and speaking the truth.It is not necessary for there to be twenty or twenty - five other women to help you accomplish these d eeds.These are personal actions which concern only one person , not a party of people.These are the type of actions, about which you cannot say, there were no other women with me, therefore I could not say my Salāt , or I could not f ast because th ere was no one else with me to f ast.On the Day of Judgment, God Almighty will not leave that person be who says he did not say Salāt because there was no Jama'at , or he did not f a st because there was no Jama'at , or he did not pay zakat because there was no Jama'at.On the Day of Judgment, you will be unable to protest that due to the fact that there was no Jama'at, you were unable to perform these deeds.Whether Salāt was neglected, or Hajj was forgotten, t hese are individual acts which every person can do on their own, whether or not others are around.The second type of deeds are those performed as a group.These are the actions performed together and they cannot be completed until they are performed as a Jama'at.For example, men are required to pray in congregation , but women are not, although it is preferable for them to do so.However , if a man fails to say his prayers in congregation , even if he says his prayers individually, on the Day of Judgment, he will be found guilty.On the other h and, i f you [ women ] do not pray in congregation, God Almighty will not pronounce you guilty.On the other hand, if you do say congregational pray ers, you will surpass the men and He will reward you more than the others.On the contrary, if a man fails to pray in congregation , even though he devotes his time and he prays, his Salāt will be pronounced imperfect in the court of Allah.I am not saying that he will go to Hell.H e might have performed other good deeds in such abundance that they have cover ed up this shortcoming.Allah possesses a measure, and H e weighs a person’s go od deeds in comparison to others.Some bad deeds are such that they alone will take yo u to Hell.For example, associating others with Allah ,

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! ! 434 denying the existence of Allah , the rejection of His angels, the refusal to believe in the Day of Judgment, the rejection of prophets, or the disavowal of God’s scriptures.These are all vices which on their own will lead you toward s h ell because t hese [vices] are huge mountains , and in comparison, y our good deeds are a useless measure.In addition to these, there are other vices which will be compared and measured against good deeds, such as offering Salāt in a lazy manner, back biting, gossip, etc.These are the vices , which they will be measured against.If there is an a bundance of one or an other good deed one can go to heaven, but if you deny a Prophet you cannot enter heaven.God Almighty is Merciful and i f He wishes , He may forgive all sinners.Otherwise, usually speaking, what is mentioned above is the general rule.Thus, some sins will weigh heavy upon the scale, while others will be measured against your good deeds.If the essence of your acts of righteousness weighs heavier upon the scale , then God Almighty w ill direct you to ward heaven, and if the essence of your vices weighs heavier , then God Almighty will direct you to hell.Congregational prayers are obligatory for men and if they fail to do so it will be recorded as a sin , and they will be marked down in numbers.If you [ women ] do not observe congregational prayers it will be no sin , but if you do pray in congregation , you will be rewarded.If you argue that you would like to say prayers in congregation , but you are unable to do so because there is no Jama'at, my response is that if you form the intention to do that which is ordinarily performed with the Jama'at , you will receive t he same reward.Since your heart intended to do so, it is through no fault of yours but due to a shortcoming in the system.God Almighty will pronounce her intention to be worthy , the fault lying in her inability to practically carry it out.God Almighty says that when a man treats another fellow man in a certain manner , it is as if that man has treated Me in the same manner.When he feeds M y servants, it is as though he has fed Me.When he builds a house for him, it is as though he has built it for Me , and in return, I will build a better house for him in Paradise.

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! ! 435 This also stands true for the moral training of your children.This is a task carried out at the Jama'at level.You are eager that your child speak s the truth.You tell the m day and nigh t, “My child! Speak the truth.My child! Speak the truth , ” but how can you accomplish this on your own ? Your child goes out to play and he tell s his friend , “ O brother , do not tell my father that I did not go to school today.” At home, you instruct him to tell the truth.Due to this conflict , at times your training prevails and at other times , his friend’s will prevail.Had the other child’s mother also taught him to only speak the truth, he would have immediately told your child that he c ould not lie , for his mother had instructed him never to do so.Therefore, the moral training of children can never succeed if not done collectively.Women should g ather together, reflect upon the shortcomings of their children, develop a plan , and then collectively pledge to work at removing these shortcomings from the ir children.It will require mutual cooperation.If every woman encourages her own child to speak the truth , then there will be no child who lie s.If there are fifteen children and one among them lies , the other fourteen will refuse to tell that lie because their mother has instructed them not to do so, therefore your child will also begin to tell the truth.Therefore, these are collective virtues , which cannot be accomplished single - handedly.The s ame holds true regard ing bravery.If our children are weak, then how will they reform themselves or the Jama'at , for that matter? What will they have to offer in service of their country or the nation? For even if the brave person is bobbed about by others as if he was a ball, he will not give up his work.Abu Dharr Ghaffari ra heard that a man from Mecca had clai med p rophethoo d.He sent his brother to inquire into it but when he returned he did not give a satisfactory report.Therefore, he went to M ecc a himself.He asked around and t he non - believers did not even allow him to contact the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Instead , they told him that there was a person , who used enchantments to separate brother from brother and a wife from her husband.However, he quietly continued his search, roaming the streets of M ecc a.Haz rat ‘ Ali r a saw hi m on the first, second, and on the third day.He finally stopp ed him to ask why he was wandering the streets.Haz rat Abu Dharr Ghaffari ra replied, “ Perhaps even you may be unable to properly assist me, for I am

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! ! 436 here for a certain purpose.” Yet, Haz rat ‘Ali ra was from among the believers; therefore , he insisted in his inquiry and Haz rat Abu Dharr Ghaffari ra finally told him.Haz rat ‘Ali ra took him to the Holy Prophet sa and he became a Muslim.The enemies of Islam were quite audacious , often cursing [Islam and the Holy Prophet sa ] with in the Holy Ka ‘ ba h.One day when they were cursing, Ha z rat Abu Dharr Ghaffari ra arrived there.He said, “Y ou curse so freely, but listen well.I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad sa is H is servant and H is M essenger.” Upon hearing this, the non - believers struck him quite badly.After beating him, they asked him if he da re d say it again.Since he was brave at heart, he retorted, “I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is H is servant and H is M essenger.” This was the standard of their courage and bravery.In the meantime , Haz rat ‘Abbās had arrived and he was a Muslim at the time.Someone asked him if he was older or the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa ? He replied that the Holy Prophet sa was superior in status, but he [i.e., Hazrat Abbas ra ] had been born earlier.Consequently, upon arriving he set Haz rat Abu Dharr Ghaffari ra free from their hold.Thus, once faith is entrenched with in your heart , the brave person stands up everywhere.Re ligion require s bravery and wo rldly affairs also require brave ry.Cowardice is ruinous in any situation and valor is good in every case.If the Japanese break into your homes , would you rather have your son scuttle away into the fields so they can freely rob your homes? Or would you rather that he stands at the doorway and fearlessly confront s them at the doorway so that people will exclaim, ‘Wow ! This young man died , but he saved the women of his house hold.’ Or would you rather that your son hides inside the house , while the enemy drags the women out by their braids? Y ou would certainly prefer the child , who would sacrifice his life to protect his home.One person’s fear breed s another person’s fear.Fear is cont agious.If you have seeded fear with in your child’s heart , how can you expect hi m to display bravery? And if you are the only one who teaches him to be brave , but he sees that other chi ldren are

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! ! 437 afraid, then he will also grow to be fear ful.When the Holy Prophet sa went in to t he Battle of Hunain , there were many new Muslims participating.The arrows began to fly and t hey took off running.Once they began to flee, th e whole Musli m army took off, until only twelve men remained standing with the Holy Prophet sa.On the opposite side stood four thousand men, ready to bombard them with arrows.The Muslim arm y w as not timid at heart, nor were they cowards , however they acted in a cowardly manner upon seeing others behave in a cowardly ma nner.No woman can make her child courageous and brave as long as the other women of the village do no t work towards raising their children to be fearless.Likewise , look at the issue of education.Even the richest person is unable to run a school by himself.On the contrary, the most impoverished of people can come together to establish a splendid college.Here, a school’s expenses come to nearly twenty - five to twenty - six thousand rupees.No one person is saddled with thi s expense, but it is distributed between all of you who earn four rupees and donate one paisa each.A Jama'at is deemed necessar y for group activities, therefore we have enacted a rule that wherever there are Ahmadi women , they should establish a Lajna Ima’illah.Lajna Ima’illah means ‘an assembly of Allah ’s pious maid servants.’ It is with deep regret, that I am forced to say that this group is not yet established everywhere.Wherever a Lajna is established , each wom a n in the area will be a member and every wom a n must pledge that she will sacrifice her life to spread Allah ’s religion and tha t she will give up her life, but she will not tread back wards.Dedicate a day or two per week and instead of gossiping about your neighbors, discuss religion and counsel each other on good deeds.Time and again , I have drawn your attention to the fact that you cannot work for your nation until you possess the appropriate weapon s.Lajna Ima’illah is your weapon.How can you perform group activities without working together? Strive to observe at least one prayer out of the five in congregation.If you pray in

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! ! 438 congregation, it is quite possible that its reward will take you to P aradise.Likewise , you should pledge that you will raise your children to be brave , you will teach them to adhere to the truth, you will teach them Salāt and other virtues , which together you decide upon.Assign them a tutor who will teach them rel igion.You can all work together to accomplish these tasks.Similarly , come together to read one portion of the Holy Qur’ān with the translation.The m agazine, Misbah , was launched f or the benefit of women.C ollect money from all the members, order it, and read it at Jalsa.Likewise, collect money to purchase Bukhari or one of the Promised Messiah’s as book s.Do the above in order that you may improve your ability to perform tabligh , that you may widen the scope of your knowledge and you are able to take advantage of the opportunity to relay righteous knowledge to others.Similarly, subscribe to the newspaper , Al - Fazl , so you remain abreast of the happenings in Qadian.God Almighty has given you this Jama'at , therefore you should take full advantage of it.Hence, by next year , no Jama'at should remain without an established Lajna.The following tasks are directed to the Lajna: 1.Each one of you should save a small portion of money, according to your means, and collect it to subscribe to the Misbah.2.At least one Salāt should be said in congregation , followed by the translation of a few verses from the Holy Qur’ān.3.Register your Lajna and request a copy of the constitution from the headquarters.This year, I greatly stress the importance of following these concrete instructions.(Afterwards, Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra led silent prayers).

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! ! 439 Address to the Ladies at the Occasion of Jalsa Salana Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra 1943 After Tashahhud, Ta‘awwuz , and the recitation of Surah Al - Fatihah , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra recited Surah Al - Kauthar : n ا ۡﻧ َﺤ ۡﺮ َو ِﻟ َﺮ ِّﺑ َﻚ َﻓ َﺼ ِّﻞ n ا ۡﻟ َﻜ ۡﻮ َﺛ َﺮ َا ۡﻋ َﻄ ۡﻴ ٰﻨ َﻚ ِا َّﻧ ۤﺎ ا َۡﻻ ۡﺑ َُرت ُﻫ َﻮ َﺷ ﺎ ِﻧ َﺌ َﻚ ِا َّن “ Surely We have given thee abundance of good ; So pray to thy Lord, and offer sacrifice.Surely, it is thy enemy who is without issue.” ( Holy Qur’ān, Ch.108: V.2 - 4) Hazrat Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra said: As Jama'at members have been made aware through newspapers , I have been feeling quite poorly since last May, therefore I am unable to speak properly today due to a cough and sore throat.Therefore, today I intend to speak briefly in the women’s Jalsa.Likewise, the speech in the men’s session will also be shorter as compared to previous years.Now that speeches given on the men’s side can also be heard through loud speakers on the women’s side, I do not consider this third speech as truly necessary.Nevertheless, as God Almighty has bestowed both men and women with a n atural spirit of competition between them both , therefore in consideration of their feelings , I have c o me over to speak for a few minutes.Before I elaborate further concerning this surah , I would like to draw the attention of the Jalsa organizers to a complaint I received regarding the fact that the women on the stage are served tea.This is dis liked by the other ladies.In my opinion, the sisters sitting on the stage should respect the feelings of their fellow sisters and avoid

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! ! 440 making this mistake in the future.If this mistake was made in the past, then it should be avoided in the future.Hunger and thirst are equally felt by those sitting on the stage as those seated on the floor.If the women seated on the floor can control their hunger and thirst, despite being squeezed for space and exposed to direct sunlight, then why cannot the women seated on stage do so ? However, t he unwell are exempt from this rule.One or two women might be ill , but to assume that all [ of these women] are ill is incorrect.Only a certain few are unwell here.In this case, if a woman [who is served tea] has heart t rouble, then instead of complaining [about her] she should be shown mercy.Anyhow, the current stage arrangements on the women’s side are faulty.My advice is to improve the organization of the stage.No one is given a seat on the men’s stage because of their wealth or a high status.The only people seated are either the presidents or secretaries of various Jama'ats.They are expected to go back and relate a summary of these proceedings to their Jama'ats.Other exce ptions are non - Ahmadi guests, those who are unwell , or those who are hard of hearing.I believe that the ladies should have a similar system.The p residents or secretaries of various departments and national officeholders, who oversaw the arrangements, should be given the opportunity to sit on the stage.Non - Ahmadi guests , who took pains to be here, those who are disabled and those unable to sit on the floor for long periods of time , should be allowed to sit on the stage.Similar ly, benches should be placed near the back of the Jalsa site for the unwell and disabled.I hope that Lajna will make a note of this and will implement this instruction for next year.Only the Lajna presidents, the secretaries, the unwel l , the non - Ahmadi guests , or organizers should be allowed to sit on the stage.Those who do not meet these criteria should sit on the floor in the future.(At the time, a Jalsa site officer sent a note to Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra s tating that both yesterday and today, no food or tea was served to the ladies sitting on the stage.) Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra mentioned that it was good to

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! ! 441 hear that food was not served this time , but it was unnecessary to relate this.One should happily tolerate criticism regarding that work, which is carried out for the sake of God Almighty.Those who work for the sake of God Almighty are pleased when criticized instead of growing angry.Hence, criticism should be heard with one ear and let out the other.Nothing should make one happier than to be called names for the sake of God.A true Ahmadi is one who bears criticism for the cause of Allah.During the time of Hazrat Khalifa t - ul - Masih I ra , one brother initiated a noble scheme.After some time, he was asked how his scheme was working.He said that it does not appear to be too successful.It feels as if Allah does not like it , for no one has cursed or criticized it yet.Thus, if a scheme is initiated for the cause of Allah it is bound to invite criticis m and we should not be offended.After some time , the man said, “Congratulations! T his scheme is blessed.I ha ve received a letter replete with profanities.” Thus , to accept criticism for the sake of Allah is the spirit behind a nation’s true progress.To impulsively defend criticism is a sign of one’s lack of fortitude.Maul v i Burhan - ud - Din ra was a revered man in the Jama'at.In 1903 , the Promised Messiah as visited Sialkot.He was welcomed with a grand reception , but at the same time was cursed by his enemies.When the Promised Messiah as was returning, people began to throw stones at him.Such a great quantity of stones were thrown that the car windows were rolled up.Poor Maul v i Sahib ra was an elderly man and he was seized by these people.At times, they pulled on his beard, punched him, or shoved him.He continued to walk, while exclaiming, “Glory to Allah , how did I become so fortunate?” At last, people put cow dung in his mouth and he said, “Glory to Allah.How was I so fortunate to receive such b lessings?” Hence, the criticism a believer encounters in the way of his faith, becomes his source of salvation.He should never fear it.Haz rat Abu Talha ra was a dear companion of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.During the battle of Uhud, when the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was deserted save a few companions, Haz rat Talha ra

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! ! 442 stood close by and held his hand aloft before his face.One after another, t he enemy’s arrows rained down and struck his hand until it was entirely mutilated.Many years later, someone saw his hand and called him ‘ hand amputee.’ Haz rat Abu Talha ra replied, “Th is hand is the source of all blessings for me.W hen the enemy attacked the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa d uring the battle of Uhud , I raised this hand to shield his sa face from the enemy’s arrows.When the arrows pierced me, my hand was dismembered.” Someone asked him, “Did you not feel the pain?” He replied, “I did not even let out a sigh.It was painful , but I could not exhale out of fear that it would shake my hand and the arrows would strike the Holy Prophet Muhammad s a.” Therefore , being disgraced or being physically or verbally abused for the sake of Allah leads one to an elevated status.Now , I would like to briefly mention a few points related to the s urah I have just recited.God Almighty says in this s urah : “O Prophet! n ا ۡﻟ َﻜ ۡﻮ َﺛ َﺮ َا ۡﻋ َﻄ ۡﻴ ٰﻨ َﻚ ِا َّﻧ ۤﺎ “ Surely , we have bestowed upon thee an abundance of good.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.108: V.2) Surely, we have bestowed thee with Kauthar.Kauthar means an abundance of good or a person who gives charity most generously.Thus , this would mean, ‘ O Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , We have given thee an abundance of good, i.e., we have bestowed upon you all possible bounties and blessings of this world.Let us all observe that this s urah was revealed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa when he had very few believers with him.His acquaintances , fr iends, and those dear to him were all against him.He had many enemies who were so powerful that no one could even imagine that God Almighty would bless him with such great success and prosperity.At this time and in these circumstances , Allah revealed : n ا ۡﻟ َﻜ ۡﻮ َﺛ َﺮ َا ۡﻋ َﻄ ۡﻴ ٰﻨ َﻚ ِا َّﻧ ۤﺎ (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.108: V.2) We have bestowed these blessings upon you in great quantity.

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! ! 443 T his revelation is from a time when Muslims numbered very few and faced difficulty even when walking through the streets.God Almighty promised the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa during this time that He would g rant him abundance and prosperity.At the time [of this revelation] Haz rat ‘ Umar ra had not yet accepted Islam.One day , he lef t his home with the intention of kill ing the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa [ Allah forbid].On the way, someone asked him, “ ' Umar ra , where are you going with that sword in your hand?” He replied, “To kill [ the Holy Prophet] Muhammad sa.” Th e person retorted , “Your brother - in - law and your sister have accepted Islam.G o and murder them first.” Ha z rat ‘ Umar ra asked, “Is this so? ” He turned around and headed to his sister’s house.Their door was closed, and they were listening to the recitation of the Holy Qur’ān.Upon arriving, he immediately knocked at the door.They replied, “Wait.Let us open it.” Firstly , it was unusual for the door to be locked and then instructing him to wait, was cause for even more suspicion.Haz rat ‘ Umar ra g rew even more wary.He asked them why the door had been locked.They replied, “For no reason.” Haz rat ‘ Umar ra told them that he had heard the ir voices [reciting something] and he stepped forward and began to beat his brother in - law.Haz rat ‘ Umar’s ra sister could not bear this and out of love for her husband, stepped before her husband and shielded him, saying to Haz rat ‘ Umar ra , “ If you must beat someone, then beat me.I am your sister.W hy do you beat him ? ” Haz rat ‘ Umar’s ra hand was already mid - air and unable to stop, came down upon her face with full force as she stepped before him.Her nose began to bleed.For a truly brave man, this sight was quite disturbing.His anger vanished at the sight of his sister’s blood and h e beseeched her, “Forgive me sister.I t was a mistake.” When he noticed that his sister was still angry , he requested , “Show me what you were listening t o.” His brother in - law was still afraid , but the H oly Prophet Muhammad ’s sa companion, who had been reciting the Holy Qur’ān [to them], leapt out with excitement , exclaiming, “Is a person such as Haz rat ‘ Umar ra w illing to listen to the Holy Qur’ān ?” As soon as Haz rat ‘ Umar ra touched the pages of the Holy Qur’ān , his sister snatched it away and said, “Do not let your impure hands touch these

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! ! 444 pages.T ake a bath before handling this Sacred Book.” Ashamed and embarrassed, he took a bath.Afterwards , he recited one verse and his heart melted.The second verse softened it even further.The third verse changed his condition.The fourth altered it even further and by the fifth verse, his condition ha d been transformed.At th e sixth verse , tears began to flow from his eyes.When he finished the surah , he quietly stood up and went to see the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.His door was also closed, so h e knocked accordingly and someone as ked, “Who is there?” He replied, “‘ Umar Bin Al - Khattab.” ‘ Umar ra was a brave and fierce warrior of M ecc a.U pon hearing his voice , the companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa exclaimed, “O Messenger of Allah! ‘ Umar is hostile.Do not open the door.” In reply, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa told them to open the door.Ha z rat Hamza ra , the Holy Prophet ’s sa uncle was also a very brave soldier.He instructed, “Open the door.I will see to it that ‘ Umar ra does not misbehave.” Haz rat ‘ Umar ra entered as if he w ere guilty of a crime.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa inquired, “What has brought you here, ‘ Umar ra ?” He replied, “O Prophet of Allah ! I come here as your servant.” As soon as the companions heard this, they raised the slogan Allah - o - Akbar [ Allah is great] so loudly that the whole of M ecc a resounded with their voices.Muslims were so suppressed at the time that they could not even offer their prayers openly.In such conditions, Allah said, “O Muhammad sa ! I will give thee an abundance of everything.Thy religion will be granted such supremacies t hat thou will be unable to count them.The poor will become so rich that their treasures w ill be innumerable.” How was this promise fulfilled? It was fulfilled at the conquest of M ecc a when the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa entered M ecc a with ten thousand spiritual followers.Abū Sufyān saw th e army from a distance and inquired as to which army this could be.His companions named some tribe of Arabia , but he replied, “No, they could not possibly have such a large army.” His companions began to list off all the largest tribes and he replied that none of them had an army so large.Finally, they said that it mus t be Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Ab ū Sufyān said, “ I just left him at M e dina.How could it be Muhammad sa ?” Thus, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa had such a

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! ! 445 large army that no other Arab tribe possessed it s equal in size.There once was a time when he had made preparations to leave M ecc a with only one companion.At that time , God Almighty assured him, “ They call you poor and miserable, but I will give you everything in such abundance that you will be unable to tally it.” n ا ۡﻟ َﻜ ۡﻮ َﺛ َﺮ َا ۡﻋ َﻄ ۡﻴ ٰﻨ َﻚ ِا َّﻧ ۤﺎ (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.108: V.2) We granted you abundance and blessings and accorded you with the best of the best.The Holy Qur’ān is also included amongst the abundance of bounties , for all other books in the world pale in significance before it.Thousands of books have been published all over the world.One can find b ooks in India and countless other countries.Although India is a poor country and Punjab is a poor province, their libraries still carry thousands of books.Similarly, there are thousands of libraries scattered throughout the world and they carry hundreds of thousands of volumes.Up till now, t ens of millions of books have been written and they have been destroy ed.Some of these books contain hundreds of volumes , yet in comparison , the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was revealed a small book which could easily be memorized by people.However, its light and wisdom have no equal.Each and every word of the Holy Qur’ān carries vast meanings and interpretation.Even the greatest of books pales in insignificance before even one single verse of the Holy Qur’ān.Its language is so lyrical that even the greatest linguists stand in amazement upon hearing it.I n Arabia , th ere were seven famous poets and their poems had been transcribed in gold lettering upon the doors of the Ka ‘ ba h.One of these poets named Labeeb , accepted Islam.Haz rat ‘Umar ra once invited him to recite a fine couplet.He recited : s ٰذ ِﻟ َﻚ ا ۡﻟ ِﻜ ٰﺘ ُﺐ َﻻ َر ۡﻳ َﺐ Æ ِﻓ ۡﻴ ِﻪ s ا ٓﻟ ـ ّٓﻢ “ Alif, Laam, Mim.This is a perfect Book; there is no doubt in it; ” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.2: V.2 - 3) Haz rat ‘Umar ra said, “ Yet, y ou are a good poet! ” He said, “O Khalifa of the Prophet sa ! Is there a ny need for a n other couplet

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! ! 446 wh en the Holy Qur’ān exists? All the poetry in the world remains ineffectual before it.” There happened to be an atheist poet in Arabia.The King was also an atheist.He said to the poet, “You continuously engage in debates with various Muslims.Why do you not write a verse , which could be presented as an equal to their Holy Qur’ān ?” The poet said, “ W e are in need of food for living , consequently we praise people.If you provide us with food , I can write.” The K ing asked him what he required.He said, “ I require a garden, serving maids, and everything else which one may require.I will then need respite for six months.” The K ing waited for six months , pleased that in the meantime, a verse was being created to compete with the Muslims.After six months, he asked if it was ready.The poet said, “No!” The K ing grew furious that after spending thousands on him , it was still not ready.The poet said, “ O my King! It was not for lack of effort.You are welcome to come inside and see for yourself.” Inside, t he K ing observed a large heap of papers.The poet said, “Whenever I attempted to write something similar to the Holy Qur’ān , my pen would stop.At every step, I felt humilia ted and embarrassed.” Therefore , the Holy Qur’ān is a book of such elevated stature , because it holds the answer to all human requirements , and it encompasses all necessary directives.Consequently , God Almighty has made the Holy Qur’ān such a blessing , which discusses all human needs.Allah says : n ا ۡﻟ َﻜ ۡﻮ َﺛ َﺮ َا ۡﻋ َﻄ ۡﻴ ٰﻨ َﻚ ِا َّﻧ ۤﺎ (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.108: V.2) We have given you everything in abundance.When we were children, we would read the story of ‘ A mar Ayyar [‘ A mar the cunning] , who possessed a bag, which yielded whatever he desired.When he needed food, it would yield the most succulent delectable [food].When he needed to fight, it would yield an army, elephants, horses, etc.Granted, this was only a story , but there is no doubt that in reality, the Holy Qur’ān is that bag given to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , in which no human need or question ,

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! ! 447 whether rational or otherwise , is not perfectly answered within it.The commendation of good deeds, rejection of vices, the relationship between men and women, the directives for war and peace, marriage, business a nd economy, matters of trade [are all contained within it ].In short, there is nothing you could ask for which the Holy Qur’ān does no t give you an answer.The Holy P rophet Muhammad sa was given such a book, before which nothing else i s it s equal.By the grace of God Almighty, I have experienced this, and I challenge anyone to come forward with a question which is not answered by the Holy Qur’ān , but as of yet , no t one person has brought forward any such issue.Once , a non - Ahmadi m aul v i visited me and demanded that I prove the truth of the Promised Messiah ’s as claim from a verse of the Holy Qur’ān.I said that the truth of his claim could be proven with every verse of the Holy Qur’ān.He said, “Fine ! Then prove it with this verse: ِﺑ ﺎ ِّٰﷲ ٰا َﻣ َّﻨ ﺎ َّﻳ ُﻘ ۡﻮ ُل َﻣ ۡﻦ ا ﻟ َّﻨ ﺎ ِس ِﻣ َﻦ َو Â ِﺑ ُﻤ ۡﺆ ِﻣ ِﻨ َۡني ُﻫ ۡﻢ َﻣ ﺎ َو ا ٰۡﻻ ِﺧ ِﺮ ِﺑ ﺎ ۡﻟ َﻴ ۡﻮ ِم َو “ And of the people there are some who say, ‘ We believe in Allah , and the Last Day ;’ while they are not believers at all.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.2: V.9) I asked him if this verse applied for all time or if it was only applicable for that ti m e.He replied, “For all time!” I then replied , “W hat an excellent attestation this is of the truth of the Promised Messiah as.God Almighty clearly indicates that even in the presence of the Holy Qur’ān , there will be those w ho will claim that they believe in the Holy Qur’ān , but they will not be Muslims.If all those born among the followers of Holy Prophet Muhammad sa were fundamentally righteous, there would be no need for a Prophet.Thus , in this verse, God Almighty reveals that there will always be hypocrites who will c all themselves Muslims, but they will not be believers at heart.Therefore, it is imperative that there be someone who would make them the true followers of the Holy Prophet

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! ! 448 Muhammad sa.” Thus, sometimes God Almighty uses His own enemy to s peak the very thing which support s Him.Once, a priest came to the Promised Messiah as.A discussion aro se around whether Arabic was more concise or English.The Promised Messiah as said, “Fine.What is the English translation of the Urdu sentence, ‘ Mera paani ? ’ ” The priest answered , “My water.” Haz rat Sahib as replied , “ The Arabic word, ﻤ ﺎ ئ [ m y ] is sufficient.” The priest was embarrassed.Thus, it was Allah ’s discretion that the Promised Messiah as spoke that very word , which proved concise in the Arabic language.Thus, God Almighty blessed the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa with Kauthar [abundance].Compared to that time, his believers are now born in all the world.It is Allah ’s might that the followers of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa are spread throughout the world.Even after all this time has passed, we still sit here and invoke D urud [blessings] up on the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.The third meaning of ‘ this age ’ is “I will send a person who will be very charitable and will distribute charity and alms in abundance.” The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa refers to this age, saying that the Promised Messiah as will distribute money among people , but they will reject it.People wrongfully assume that this means gold or silver , but people do not reject gold or silver.One night , someone gave another person some alms.The person who received the alms happened to be a thief.The thief gave it away , saying how some foolish person handed m e this money himself.Th e next morning , that man made fun of him for giving charity to a thief.The next day, that person gave alms again and it happened to be to a prostitute.People made fun of him again , saying that he gave charity to a woman whose money is spent on obscenity and sin ful acts.On the third day, the man once again handed fifty to a hundred rupees to another person, who just happened to be very weal thy.The next morning, there was a n uproar around the fact that he had handed a wealthy person alms.W hat use would he have for that money? Yet, all tho se people accepted the money , for no one r eject s gold or silver.

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! ! 449 The bottom line is , that when the Hadith states that the Promised Messiah as will distribute treasures to the followers of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , it means that the Messiah will place the treasures of the Holy Qur’ān before them , but they will hurl them to the side and refuse them.Thus, Allah says : n ا ۡﻟ َﻜ ۡﻮ َﺛ َﺮ َا ۡﻋ َﻄ ۡﻴ ٰﻨ َﻚ ِا َّﻧ ۤﺎ ( Holy Qur’ān , Ch.108: V.2) “O Muhammad sa ! We will bless you among your progeny with a spiritual son, who will be blessed with spiritual knowledge.He will distribute these spiritual treasures to the four corners of the earth , but the ill - fated will reject these treasures.” n َو ا ۡﻧ َﺤ ۡﺮ ِﻟ َﺮ ِّﺑ َﻚ َﻓ َﺼ ِّﻞ “ So , pray to thy Lord, and offer sacrifice.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.108: V.3) When someone receives blessings , they should sacrifice a great deal and should spend much time in prayer.For m any of you , the thought may have cross ed your mind , ‘What an ill fate we ha ve! We do not have children, we have no property, our husbands do not possess a high status, and we are no t very well educated.’ Yet, you possess that which even the k ings of this world do not have.Hundreds of k ings are deprived of this treasure.Their children, their relatives, their honor, every single thing will perish in this world before they die.Angels will whip them , saying, “ Away with your souls! ” They will leave that which they possess in this world , but that which you have received through the Promised Messiah as will accompany you in the hereafter.God Almighty has blessed you with the riches of integrity, which will never come to an end.Those, who in this world were positioned as leaders, lords, and rulers , will stand in Hell, hands outstretched, beseeching the believers for a drop of water , but the believers will reply that God has not permitted them to do so.

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! ! 450 Therefore, every person who has been blessed with an abundance of virtues has an obligation to keep himself largely occupied in worship.َو ا ۡﻧ َﺤ ۡﺮ [ “…and o f fer sacrifice” ] (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.108: V.3) Which means, b ecome someone who is ever increasing in his s acrifice.Allah has blessed you with an abundance of wisdom and there is nothing in this world which compares with it.There are two things God Almighty asks of you.O ffer Salāt in your gratitude, or in other words, be thankful and grateful.And second ly , disseminate these bounties to those who are deprived of them.Strive to reform mankind and bear whatever hardship necessary in order to improve their condition.Who so ever s erves the religion is wealthy.He possesses gold.He possesses silver.And he who is bereft of this [blessing] , is poor and destitute.He will suffer a lingering punishment after death.Therefore, bring abou t a change with in your life.Women show indolence when offering prayers.Worship is a means to deepen the bond between God and His servant.You complain regarding your husbands , that they spend their time outside and there is not enough time to talk to them.However, Allah Himself says, “Come, speak to Me.” He is benevolent and beautiful.C an your husband ever love you as much as Allah does? Who could be more fortunate than a believer who has been given Kauthar and then given an opportunity to act upon His [ Allah ’s] directives? Allah continues : ا َۡﻻ ۡﺑ َُرت ُﻫ َﻮ َﺷ ﺎ ِﻧ َﺌ َﻚ ِا َّن “ Surely, it is thy enemy who shall be without issue.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.108: V.4) This means, ‘ O Muhammad sa , Prophet of Allah ! Due to this abundance of virtues, the enemy who stand s against you will remain

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! ! 451 unsuccessful and disappointed.’ Once you attain this level , you will never fear your enemy, for you will triumph.Your enemies have planted their roots , but they will be cut from under them and those who stand against you will be utterly destroyed.The believer who is given Kauthar will be glorious.He will be the K ing of K ings.His every enemy will be dishonored and disgraced.Once, the K ing of Iran sent his soldiers to arrest the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.The messengers said, “The K ing of Iran has called for you , therefore you should quietly come with us.” The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said, “I will reply after three days.” For the next three days, t he Holy Prophet Muhammad sa prayed.After three days , he said, “Go ! T ell your K ing that my Lord has killed your lord!” [In the meantime, the King’s son had murdered him and captured the crown].

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! ! 452 Address to the Ladies at the O ccasion of Jalsa Salana Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra 20 Hijrah 1323 After reciting Surah Al - Fatihah , Haz rat Kha lifa t - ul - Masih II ra said: I n this world , t he most valuable virtue a person can possess is earnestness.The Holy Qur’ān has called it devotion and faithfulness.In the Holy Qur’ān , God Almighty says : § ِّﻟ ۡﻠ ُﻤ َﺼ ِّﻠ َۡني َﻓ َﻮ ۡﻳ ٌﻞ “ So, woe to those who pray.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.107: V.5) On the one hand, He commands us to perform Salāt and on the other He uses the word ‘ obliteration ’ for those who perform Salāt.This word is used for th at Salāt which is offered without sincerity.Salāt is a source of union between man and God.If there is lack of sincerity, Salāt cannot be considered a true Salāt in the court of God.Our fasting cannot be considered a true fast i f we are not sincere.If we are sincere, then our Hajj is valid, our Zakat and sadaqa is valid.If there is no devotion, then there is nothing.When an actor imitates a K ing, people do not fear him.However, when a landowner of some acreage appears , people treat him with respect because he i s not imitating.Similarly, when a performer acts like a great thief, people do not fear him because it is only a performance.However, people fear even the sight of the casual thief who steal s o ne or two coins cautioning each other to stay alert.When people go to the cinema and watch the lords and wealthy deliver their fabrics to the tailor onscreen, audience members do not go out the next day and deliver their fabric to that same actor to be tailored.I nstead , they go to their own ordinary tailor, who cha rges a nominal amount of money for tailoring, for he is a tailor in real life,

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! ! 453 whereas the one mentioned earli er is not.Likewise, people do no t go to a doctor’s son, although at times, he is given the title of ‘doctor’ out of courtesy , but the reality is that he is not.Likewise, people would rather go to an ordinary pharmacist for treatment , rather than go to an actor who plays at being a doctor.Thus, w hen you are so careful in your worldly affairs, do you not believe t hat God is car eful in His work? If you are one hundred percent conscientious , then God is two hundred percent conscientious.And when you consider yourself so intelligent , do you believe God Almighty to be so foolish (God forbid) to accept your Salāt without any sincerity? To accept your tarnished coins for charity? The real essence is sincerity.It is impossible to progress without being heartfelt.The real difficulty is that people are far removed from si ncerity.In general, women believe in surface - level conversation.Women call themselves Ahmadi , but they harbor all sorts of vices in them selves, whereas we need action and devotion.Without these, progress is impossible.In the present situation, what choice do men have other than either bringing about a pious transformation within their Ahmadi women or leaving them behind? So far, we have not one example where a man ha s turned apostate, but the woman has refused to do so.Women have also become apostate along with their men, which suggests that women have no fait h of their own.Her faith is that which her husband follows.Out of twenty women, at least ten should possess a faith of thei r own.Their faith is not their own, but the faith of their husbands, fathers or sons.The quality of a whole pot of cooked rice can be judged by a single grai n from within it.We have this one sad example before us.P erhaps God Almighty has shown us this apostasy to test the faith of women.When Abdur Rahman Misri [the Egyptian] turned apostate, I th ought that perhaps his wife would not turn apostate along with him.She was the daughter of my teacher.She appeared to be a lady of very strong faith.N evertheless, she too became an apos tate along with her husband.Consequently, these sorts of circumstances reveal to us that the kind of sincerity and faith we require of our women

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! ! 454 does not exist and withou t it, progress is impossible.T herefore , I address the Lajna in particular.The Lajna of each neighborhood should organize and within one week gather together all young and old, assess their number , and compel them to join the Lajna membersh ip.F or those who refuse to enter [into Lajna Ima’illah] , consider them to be non - Ahmadi.In the beginning , there used to be one main Lajna meeting and it was attended by all members.Gradually indolence grew and work became reduced to neighborhood meetings.Now , it is limited to collecting chanda only.I have not received a report for many years now, so I am forced to reach the conclusion that no work is being done.It is for this reason that I have gathered you here today , so I c an give you some practical advice.Organize yourselves within one week.Enroll each and every Ahmadi woman in Lajna and from there , gather together and determine your priorities.Many women do no t observe proper p u rdah.Non - Ahmadis and corrupt individuals have congregated here , due to which our reputation is being tarnished.To allow these depraved women into your homes is akin to allowing a strange man in.Once again , it is against Shariah for a woman to travel without a male relative [ mehram – a male relative, i.e., fa ther, brother, husband, or son], but I have come to know that some women travel to Batala and Amritsar without the guardianship of their men.Also, I have forbidden you to watch movie s in the cinema.Regardless of this instruction , there are some boys in the neighborhood who have made friends with the railway guards in order to travel to Batala without a ticket and watch movie s.Why do the owners of these c inema s allow them to watch a free movie? It is obvious that they have developed friendships with them and every friendship which is developed with a criminal intent is in itself a crime.Had their mothers been watching them, they would never have been able to go.Additionally, many people in Qadian own a radio and they listen to music.The purpose of the radio is t o listen to the news or to academic and literary topics.From today on, if I receive a report that any of you have listened to a song, even if you claim that it was a na’at [ in praise of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa ], he or she will be

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! ! 455 boycotted.The radio is quite beneficial for listening to academic and literary speeches, the news, literary articles , or dramas without any musical accompaniment.Other than that, neither qawwali [ Muslim devotional music ] nor na’at is permitted.A child runs around naked, belting out the sounds, ‘Aaa, Aaa’.The qawwali singers also croon , ‘Aaa, Aaa.’ If singers chant these notes , you fondly listen to them , but if they showed up naked , you would run far away from them.Thus , the very actions children engage in, singers also engage in when singing their songs.T hese preoccupati o ns express a vulgar mentality which could destroy your dignity.It is the Lajna ’s responsibility to reform them.It was revealed to me , “ Islam will prosper if you c an reform fifty percent of the women.” By indicating such a number , this suggests that reforming even fifty percent would be a great accomplishment.There is no difference between you and non - Ahmadi wome n, ex cept that you give your money in chanda and they spend their money in the cinemas.Even you have not yet achieved the true spirit of faith.None of the women among you can engage in a scholarly discussion.You are unable to address any gathering.A fter completing your household chores, the spare time you could have given to God is instead given to these singers and dancers , while listening to the radio.What allotment can you then expect in God’s house? How will your next generation grow up t o reform others ? Who will be responsible for the reformation of the future generations? The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa instructed you to marry so that your numbers grow and Islam prospers.However, what good is that generation wh ich does not grow up to be soldier s for Islam ? Subsequently, the education you seek is with the intention to obtain a job.If you work, then who will take care of your children? An English education is not bad in itself but the intentions are faulty , and if the intentions are faulty the results will naturally be ruinous.If you tread the wrong path, you will only receive a faulty outcome.When girls are highly educated it is hard to find a match for them, unless they choose not to work and they only acquired an education for the sake of knowledge.If a high school graduate marries a man with an elementary - level schooling , then I will be convinced that she

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! ! 456 acquired her education earnestly [for the right reasons].All these issues pertain to Lajna and they should make the necessary improvements.The secretary for National Lajna should gather reports from all the neighborhoods and report back to me.I am now making it a rule, that at least once a month, or for the time being, once every two months , all the women in Qadian should come together to deliberate upon the shortcomings in th eir neighborhoods and ways to overcome them.It is the responsibility of the local presidents and their secretaries to invite all women to the meetings.If you invite only fifty percent of the women, then you will be slaying the remaining fifty percent, for they will continue to decline in their devotion.The neighborhood meetings should be held o nce a fortnight and the meetings for the m arkaz should also be held once a fortnight.Thus, one Friday or Satu rday night, meetings should be held at a neighborhood level and th e next Saturday, the meeting should be held at the national level.Only by performing this work regularly, will it be beneficial.Do a small amount of work but make it a regular habit.T hen continue to further increase in your work.Take a pledge from every woman that when she leaves her house to attend the meeting, she will not stop by anyone else’s home and will complete her work.Thus, no man will be able to comment that women wander around uselessly in other ’s homes , using the Lajna meeting as an excuse.( Al - Fazl Newspaper, May 24, 1944; Number:120, Volume:32) ! !

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! ! 457 Methods for the Religious Education and Moral Training of Women Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmood Ahmad Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra Some time ago, Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra del ivered a speech in a gathering concerning the religious education and training of women which is presented below for women to read and implement.T he rea l method of training is simply for women to thoroughly study that which has been revealed by God Almighty.To this end, women must first and foremost read the Holy Qur’ān.I t is my observation that the level of moral training which one can attain by [the acquisition of] knowledge cannot be gained to the same extent by any other means.Knowledge alone is the single factor , which enables one to implement those behaviors easily and readily , which would otherwise be very difficult to implement, if not impossible.Therefore , in my view, the most advantageous factor for the moral training of women is knowledge and many benefits can be gained from it.Therefore , the first point is that [acquisition of] knowledge is in itself a means of training a person.Knowledge assists in the development of truthful thinking and the recognition of what is right and what is wrong.Secondly, when a person learns to read and write and God Almighty ’s blessings are upon them , t he y are given the opportunity to read the sort of literature which discusses those points that are imperative for a person’s moral training.Thus , besides reading the Holy Qur’ān , any books concerning the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , books written by the Promised Messiah as , t he y can also obtain benefit from books of othe r pious and intellectual persons.Additionally, with knowledge comes an awareness of the existence of various vices and their dreadful consequence s.H ence , knowledge allows people to recognize immoral behaviors and the

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! ! 458 ramifications of engaging in them.In this way, a person learns to recognize moral behaviors and the reward of doing so.The result is that such a person struggles to save them selves from vice and strives to progress in doing good.Thus , the true means of moral training is by teaching women the Holy Qur’ān and Hadith.The Negligence S hown by the Residents of Qadian in R egard to the Religious Education o f Girls I have reiterated countless times that although men are obli ged to learn English for employment purposes , women are not obliged to do so.For the most part, they should mainly conc entrate on religious education.It is with much regret that I am forced to say that due attention has still not been paid to this matter.Religious s tudies classes have been set up to educate girls , but I have noticed that only those girls who wer e unable to gain admission into college or who have not achieved high marks attend these classes.If this is the attitude of the people of Qadian, then one can accordingly deduce what Jama'ats outside of Qadian are doing.Out of His Grace, God Almighty has provided us with every possible facility for attai ning religious education.If they choose to do so, w omen can very easily attain religious education, but de spite the availability of every means possible, the people of Qadian have foregone the opportunity to utiliz e [this facility] and pay little attention to the se religious studies classes.Assigning Responsibility The next important issue is the placing of responsibility on women for certain tasks.A person who is assigned a position of responsibility develops the ability to think and deliberate.God Almighty has created the human intellect [in such a way] that the more a person utilizes it, the more he discover s the hidden treasures of knowledge.This is so because God Almighty has embedded the human mind with a secret version of the Holy Qur’ān.For this very reason , the Holy Qur’ān is also called the Kitab - e - Maknun [ the Hidden Book].One version of the Qur’ān is that which is evident, and every person owns this physical version of the Holy Qur’ān.Ho wever , God Almighty has taken another version of the Holy

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! ! 459 Qur’ān and concealed it within the human m ind.W hen one reads the Holy Qur’ān and ponders over its commandments , their true self begins to awaken because of this deliberation , and t he y reflect upon the ideas [contained within it ] , recognizing them as the very same ideas t he y ha ve always believed to be true.P eople accept the truth for this very reason, for their hearts also recognize the truth of this knowledge.Thus, i t is imperative that responsibility be placed upon people to promote their inherent qualities and to reveal these hidden jewels.Whoever is assigned responsibility dev elops the habit of reflection and w hen that person begins to deliberate, the message of the Holy Qur’ān buried deep with in their mind , reveal s its treasures.It is then that the person progresses in their ability to truly comprehend the Holy Qur’ān , while also advancing in their personal knowledge.The Purpose o f Establishing Lajna Ima’illah It is a grave mistake indeed for M uslims to have failed in placing responsibility upon women; hence leaving their inherent qualities un nurtured.I established Lajna Ima’illah in order to instill a sense of responsibility in women.Consequently , the result is that one is now the president , while another is the secretary, another is designated to collect chanda , and someone else is assigned to oversee affairs.Similarly , they hold their own Jalsa s , which the y themselves organiz e , in which they present their own speeches, advocate p u rda h , undertake the elimination of disputes and arguments , and gather women in one place to offer prayers in congregation.Likewise , there are many other sorts of religious tasks which women are fulfilling most effectively, as a result of having responsibility placed up on the m.By assigning them responsibilities, some women have develop ed the ability to be come judge s , some to become auditor s , others have developed the ability to carry out administrative work , and still others have cultivate d the ability to be come teacher s.Thus , a sense of responsibility can also be very effective in the training of women , but very little attention has been paid to this matter so far.So far, Lajna Ima’illah has performed well in Qadian , but it still does not operate i n such a way that each and every woman

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! ! 460 functions as a part within the system.Yet a great transformation has taken place among women through the establishment of Lajna Ima’illah.There are many women who can do tabligh if they are given the opportunity.They can explain their point of view to others and prove themselves to be an example of courage and fearlessness by keeping their emotions under control when required.Bravery o f Ahmadi Women Some days ago , at the occasion of Jalsa in Delhi, o pponents [of the Jama'at] c reated a commotion and threw stones.The women testified that at the time, while the women from outside [of the Jama'at] who were attending the Jalsa grew anxious and began to sputter, the women of Qadian showed no sign of disquiet and remained seated in silence.In fact, when t he non - Ahmadi women grew more ag itated, th e Ahmadi women of Qadian encircled them completely to protect them, thus exhibit ing proof of their bravery.The spirit exhibite d by the Ahmadi women was nowhere to be found in the women who were visit ing from outside the Jama’at.The reason being , that our women often listen to religi ous discussions and through Lajna , are given opportunities to participate in religious activities up on different occasions.They understand that growing agit ated or panicking does not help, but discipline is the key to success.Consequently, they organized themselves and display ed no anxiety.However, since the other women were not in the habit of exhibiting self - discipline , th ey panic ked; just as in times of difficulty ignorant women display agitation and refuse to solve problems with wisdo m.If a thief breaks into someone’s home, what would be achieved by panic king ? Indeed, if we can organize ourselves in such a way that the thief is apprehended, then thi s would truly be a source of praise.It is these characteristics which can assist in the training of women.The rest of the reminders and advice can be given at meetings, for it is necessary to galvanize the hidden strengths of women.Responsibility o f Educ ation and Training o f Children When women are trained in this way , then they can be expected to supervise their children when men are out [at work].The

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! ! 461 Holy Prophet sa said : Z W ﻠ o p W ْﻢ َر ا ع r َو s W ﻠ o p W ْﻢ َﻣ ْﺴ ُﺌ ﻮ ٌل َﻋ ْﻦ َر ِﻋ ﻴ ﱠ ِﺘ ِﻪ [ Each one of you is a guardian and will be questioned regarding his dependents.] Every individual amongst you is a guardian and t he y will be asked regarding the dependents for whom they are responsible.They will be asked to what extent they participated in their care and upbringing and whether they fulfi lled their obligations.If husbands appoint their wives to oversee their children’s etiquette, morals , training, prayers, fasts , and education, then it is guaranteed that women will learn these things themselves and will then teach their children.W hen a woman is held accountable for this responsibility , she will inevitably ponder over ways to improve [her own] morals and will utilize these methods to improve the morals of her children.Just as [the teachers in] the schools are given educational training and after obtaining a BA or MA , they are conferred a BT degree [degre e in teaching] , which is actually just one way of of fering a higher education to boys.S imilarly, if women are advised on how to raise their children, they will be able to fulfill their responsibilit y in the best manner and will endeavor to perform it with enthusiasm and enjoyment.However, men g enerally believe that women should not be included in tasks requiring responsibility.Thus, i f a woman ventures to offer her opinion, her husband rebuke s her and questions her on what she knows of the matter.This not only discourages the woman, but also suppresses those very a bilities , which she could have most capably used to successfully fulfill her obligation of moral training.Those w ho Deprive Women of t heir Legitimate Rights Hence , the best means of moral training for a woman is thro ugh education and awaken ing in her an awareness of her responsibilities.Yet I am sorry to say that even now, this weakness of depriving women of their legitimate rights has been bred within some Ahmadis and still they expect the woman to serve the faith alongside them.In reality , as long as a woman is not accorded her rights , she will continue to hang heavy around the man’s neck and

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! ! 462 she will never be able to whole - heartedly participate in serving her faith.After all, how cruel is it that while God has placed within a woman the same heart he has placed within a man, accorded her with the same brain He has accorded man, has blessed her with the same abilities He has blessed a man, yet men have chosen to take the position to treat women as if God Almighty has neither placed within them a heart , nor accorded them a mind , nor has He bestowed her with an y feelings or emotions.When a woman is treated with such injustice , one of two possibilities will certainly follow.Either she will become as if a hollow shell, from wh om the man will be unable to derive any comfort , or else her inner self will rebel and allege that her religion does not grant her the rights she deserves and [that it] is not worthy of be ing adopted.She will think, ‘ How is it possible for God to have placed a heart in side my chest, created emotions and feelings inside of me, instilled in me the capacity for intelligence and discernment, and placed the strength of wisdom in side me, yet He has still given man the option to treat me in any way he desires , whether good or bad? I have not even been given the right to raise an objection regarding his behavior.’ Therefore, a woman will be considered perfectly justified if she rebels after receiving such unfair treatment from men.She will assert that if the Holy Qur’ān presents this teaching , then this Holy Qur’ān is not the b ook of that God , W h o has given me this heart.If according to these teachings, I am not asked to make use of my intellect, then this cannot be the teaching of the same God , W ho has bestowed up on me the power to think.Therefore , she begins to develop feelings against her religion and its teachings.At times, s he believes that perhaps this point is wrong, and her religion never instructed it to be this way; that in fact, the man is at fault here.However, at other times it will also occur to her that it is entirely possible that her religion did indeed teach this.The result of this is that, without any [deliberate] intention or pre - conceived notion, she slowly and steadily begins to loathe her religion or at least, she loses her inclination towards her faith.

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! ! 463 The overall responsibility for putting women off religion lies solely with the bad example set by these men.Thus , the best way to morally train women is to teach them religious knowledge and to give them all the rights , which h ave been granted to them by God.For God Almighty says in the Holy Qur’ān , that you have been given some rights over women in the same way that women have been given rights over men.Consequently, women should be accorded t heir legitimate rights and they should be made to feel that ma n will never hesitate to grant them the rights which Shariah has accorded them.If women are treated in this way , their moral training will most certainly ensue in the most exceptional way.They will be come inspired , for true inspiration does not come from outside , but is created from withi n.The inner heart can only be motivated when the facultie s to think and reflect are developed.As long as the facul ty of thought remains dormant within a person and until they can shoulder responsibility for themselves , they cannot progress.These are the factors which are advantageous in a woman’s progres s and training.Proper moral training is not possible without this.(Misbah, February 1945)

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! ! 464 A Revelation of Glad Tidings Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmood Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra April 29 , 1944 Majlis Ilm o Irfan [a gathering], Qadian Secondly, there is a revelation which contains glad tidings.However, there is also an aspect of concern [that comes with it] , for a great responsibility has been assigned through this revelation and very few people fulfill th is responsibility.Anyhow , tonight I felt as if God Almighty was addressing me , saying, “If you can reform fifty percent of women , Islam will prosper.” Women’s moral reformation will play a substantial role in the future victories of Islam.God Almighty has draw n attention to this matter , that if through His acts and bounty , fifty percent of the Jama'at ’s women are reformed - or perhaps it alludes to the women of Qadian - then the means for Islam ’s progress will be ensured.Through this revelation , Jama'at members have been given the responsibility that every one of them should direct their attention to the refor mation of women and young girls and they should endeavor to acquire Islam ic teachings.They should cultivate Islam ic etiquette and the importance of the service to Islam should surge from within them.Reforming fifty percent of the women suggests that fifty percent of men will also be ready to serve Islam , for at times , women themselves stand as obstacle s when men wish to make sacrifice s.If fifty percent of women are reformed , rather than diverting their men from serving the faith, they will induce and inspire them , saying, “Go! S erve Islam.” The result will be then that when fifty percent of women are reformed, fifty percent of men will also be reformed.And if such a s pirit of sacrifice develops within the Jama'at , that even half are willing to forego everything for the service of Islam , then according to this revelation , this alone will suffice for the advancement of Islam.B y the Grace of God Almighty, those worthy results will begin to manifest themselves.( Al - Fazl , April 29, 1944)

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! ! 465 Translations of the Holy Qur’ān into Foreign Languages and Lajna Imai’illah Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - din Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra “...I hereby announce that I will bear the expense for the translation of the Holy Qur’ān into the Italian language.Of the six remaining translations, I have suggested that the Lajna in India should come together to bear the expense of one translation and this translation should be in the German language , for it was actually the Lajna who intend ed to build the mosque in Germany…” “ … Women have the right to participate in this task , which is why I have mentioned women.I have mentioned those whose rights were undeniable in thi s regard … and this chanda should be collected by the end of March 1945 … I have been told that Lajna Ima’illah will pay for two t ranslations.If this is realized, then the outside Jama ‘ ats will be responsible for o nly one [remaining] translatio n …” ( Misbah , November 1944, p p.8 - 9)

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! ! 466 Every Ahmadi Woman is the True Daughter of Eve Address to the Ladies at Jalsa Salana Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D i n Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra December 27, 1944 Important Instructions to National Lajna Ima’illah R egarding the Organization of Ahmadi Women : After recitation of Surah Al - Fatihah , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra stated: As s peeches can be heard here from the m en’s Jalsa section and I n eed to make speeches anyhow, thes e speeches are given jointly for both women and men.A s I stated earlier, there is no need for me to deliver a separate speech on the women’ s side.However, there are some matters which pertain specifically to women , and it is necessary to draw some points to wards women’s attention.Therefore, the need could arise for me to deliver a separate speech in the women’s Jalsa.Yet i n the past years , women have insisted that I deliver a sep arate speech to them at Jalsa.It is a natural desire for people to wish to claim their right.I cannot ignore their request.However, the condition of my throat is s uch that I have not even begun to speak , and my voice is hoarse.I wonder whether I wil l be able to deliver my speeches properly.However, I still w ish to mention a few things at the women’s Jalsa session , specifically because at this time , there are some matters particularly related to them.Our revealed Book, the Holy Qur’ān , has been revealed in a languag e which holds deep meaning , or in other words, every name contains within itself several meanings.In other languages , one name can be substituted for another without affecting the meaning.However , in Arabic, if one name is exchanged for another , its meaning most definitively changes.

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! ! 467 For example , take the word ! ٱ ّم or [ ‘ umm ’ , me an ing ‘mother’].In the Arabic language , the word ‘ umm ’ actually means ‘fou ndation’ and ‘purpose’, namely that from which other things emanate or proceed, or that which others direct their attention towards.Now , if some word other than ‘ umm ’ is used for mother in Arabic, then the meaning of the word will change completely.Yet, if in Punjabi or Urdu , another word is used for mother, for example, ‘ paa(n) ’ or ‘ taa(n) ’, it makes no difference.One can say ‘bay – alif – noon’ or ‘thay – alif – noon’ or ‘dal – alif – noon’ , you may infer from it what you will , and it does not affect the meaning in any way.As far as Arabic is concerned , if we change the name, it become s meaningless.It will become merely a symbol without any meaning, as we have mentioned with the example of ‘ umm ’.If it is replaced with the Arabic word, ‘ kum ’, it will be merely a symbol.It will not contain the meanings which are found in the word ‘ umm ’.A m other is called ‘ umm ’ in Arabic because she is ostensibly the foundation for her children.Secondly, children are dependent upon her to fulfill their needs.Hence, the meaning of ‘ umm’ in the Arabic language is that of a foundation , or that towards whic h others focus their attention.This is why a mother is called ‘ umm ’, for she is the root and the central source for her children’s training, towards whom her children direct their attention in order to fulfill their needs.If the word ‘ umm ’ is replaced with another word, the meaning of the [new] word will in no way reflect the meaning of the word ‘ umm ’.O nly a symbol will remain.Similarly , the Holy Qur’ān refers to human beings, i.e., men and women, with the word ‘ insaan ’ [ human ].The word ‘ bani nau ’ gives root to the word ‘ insaan ’.The word ‘ insaan ’ also holds a deep meaning.In reality , the word is ‘ in saan’ , which means ‘two loves.’ Thus , this word encompasses both men and women and its meaning implies an entity which exhibits two loves.On the one hand, this word reflects the rel ationship between God and man and on the other, it reflects the relationship between human beings.The word ‘ insaan ’ signifies such an entity who possesses love for both God and his fellow beings.No other bein g [with this capacity] except for a human , exists in this world.If longevity is to be found in a human , it can be found in

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! ! 468 animals as well.If a human possesses eyesight, other animals possess eyesight as well.If a human has ears, other animals have ears as well.If a human eats and drinks, they [the animals] also eat and drink.If a human possesses the ability to walk and run, so do animals walk and run.Mankind is divided into males and females , as are animals and they procreate and bring up their young just as human beings do.Yet, the one thing which lifts human beings above other animals , and which is not cultivated in other animals, is the love which a human being feels for God.Only within mankind, will you find beings who are immersed in the worsh ip of God Almighty.They are so engrossed in the ir love for God Almighty that they cannot separate themselv es from His threshold for even one minute.However, this characteristic is not cultivated within animals.That is why animals com plete their life in this world and they have no second life after death.M ankind however, is raised again to a new life after death.To reach his eternal life , he treads a new path which at times passes through heaven , and at other t imes passes through hell.Thus , the word insaan means that entity, who possesses two loves.One love is for God Almighty and the other love is for all mankind.Therefore, b ased solely upon this name [i.e., insaan ] , Islam reveals that the veritable purpose of religion is that it was introduced to the world so that human beings may develop a relationship with God Almighty and it could teach people to feel sympathy and love for mankind.The entire nature of religion is either concerned with developing love for God Almighty or concerned with maintaining a sincere bond with mankind.What is Salāt ? It is a n expression of th e bond and love between man and God.It is similar to the way in which a mother remembers her child, the way a child remembers their mother, or the way a brother remembers his brother, the way a friend remembers their friend, the way a husband remembers his wife , or the way a wife remembers her husband.Similarly, a righteous person does not forget his God.H e thinks of Him many times a day.This is what is known as worship , and this is Salāt.We have witnessed that where there is sincere love, no person can prevent another from remembering the [object of his affection].No matter how much one counsels a mother to cease thinking of her child, a child to stop remembering their

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! ! 469 mother, a friend to resist thinking of another friend, a brother from thinking of his brother, a father to forget his sons or the sons to stop remembering thei r father, a wife to forget her husband or a husband to cease thinking of his wife, they will n ever be prepared to forget those whom they love , for their love is sincere and genuine.Yet, it has been observed that among humans, many d o not possess the true [spirit of] humanity.They have forgotten their own God and they need to be reminded that a Being created them , He W ho is their real Master.I f they are made to realize this, they also need to be reminded to keep the remembrance of God Almighty alive within their hearts.They also need to be constant ly reminded to strengthen their relationship with God Almighty.This is a particular weakness in man , which originates from his animal instincts, for man is related to animals through birth.Thus, when the animal instinct take s over, while we may observe that some give preference to God Almight y in every possible way and hold their love for God far and above [their] love for the world, we also see people , who submit to their animalistic nature and forget their love and relationship with God Almighty.Just like animals, t hey consider life to be noth ing more than worldly enjoyment, eating and drinking, rest and r elaxation, amassing superior and luxurious items, leisure and travel, and acquisition of worldly pleasures.They have no link to the life hereafter.In fact, the entire scope of their desires is inextricably attached to the life of this world.I am amazed at how each person fears death and strives to save himself from the inevitable , how he spends thou sands and millions of rupees to avoid death.If our life is only connected to this world, what reason could he have to fear death? We have s een thousands, actually millions, of people in this life who possess nothing of the grandeur of wealth, comfort, and the rest of the luxuries of this world.Despite this, they still wish to live in this world.The r ealization of this innate desire of theirs indicates that they have been created to fulfill some higher purpose.If they have not been created for any other essential purpose, then what is it that attract s them toward this world despite their difficulties, urging th em to stay alive and flee from death? It is this very desire and sentim ent which God Almighty mentions in the Holy Qur’ān :

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! ! 470 ِﻟ َﻴ ۡﻌ ُﺒ ُﺪ ۡو ِن ِا َّﻻ ا ِۡﻻ tۡ َﺲ َو ا ۡﻟ ِﺠ َّﻦ َﺧ َﻠ ۡﻘ ُﺖ َﻣ ﺎ َو “ And I h ave not created the jinn and man, but that they may worship M e.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.51: V.57) Jinn and man have only been created in order for them to spend their time in the worship of Allah , so as to develop such heavenly eyes in the hereafter , which are capable of seeing God Almighty.God Almighty says in the Holy Qur’ān : َا ۡﻋ ٰﻤ ﻲ ا ٰۡﻻ ِﺧ َﺮ ِۃ ِيف َﻓ ُﻬ َﻮ َا ۡﻋ ٰﻤ ﻲ ٰﻫ ِﺬ ٖۤھ ِۡيف َﻛ ﺎ َن َﻣ ۡﻦ َو َﺳ ِﺒ ۡﻴ ًﻼ َا َﺿ ُّﻞ َو “ But whoso is blind in this world wi ll be blind in the Hereafter, and even more astray from the way.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.17: V.73) A person who is [spiritually] blind in this world and does not possess such heavenly eyesight with which to see God Almighty , will be raised up blind o n the Day of Judgment as well.For o n the Day of Judgment, his spiritual eyes will be borne from [his own] knowledge of Allah in this world.T hus, a person who did not develop spiritual insight to see God Almighty in this world , will be raised up spiritually blind in the next world as well and will be un able to see God Almighty.The Holy Qur’ān states that when such people are raised up blind, they will object , “W hat has happened to us that we cannot see anything?” God Almighty will then reply , “In the previous world you were blind a s you did not develop spiritual vision, which should have been developed there.That is why you cannot see Me now.” Upon hearing this, the people will say, “W hat is the use of this lif e if we are incapable of seeing You? ” The desire to form a bond with God and to achieve eternal life is embedded within man, even if he appears to have forgotten this.This desire deep within him

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! ! 471 directs him to continue living.Indeed, it is for this reason that suicide is forbidden in Islam.If man was created only for the purpose that man may eat and drink, then why is he punished if he commit s suicide? I t should have been the case that each individual should have decided themselves if he wishes to continue their life [if all this was just for the sake] of food and drink.W hat possible reason could there be to punish him for leaving this world [if this was only for eating and drinking] ? However, God Almighty created man for one and only one purpose , which is to prepare himself in this world for the next life.I f he is lazy or neglectful in preparing fo r the next world and waste s this time , he is guilty because t he time in this world is akin to the period when a student spends his time in school.A student who does not attend class is punished , because he wasted his time of learning and refused to acquire knowledge.Similarly, if someone does not prepare for the next life in t his worldly life , he deserves to be punished for he wasted his time.Thus, God Almighty has drawn our attention within the word, ‘ insaan’ to the reasoning behind this name , which is to generate two loves and two relationships.First, to love God and develop a relationship with Him and second, to develo p a love for and a relationship with mankind.All elements of worship are encompassed with in the first point.T hat is, they all connect back to a love for God Alm ighty.All other commandments, such as refraining from lying, stealing, indulging in bribery, fraud, and deception, backbiting, engaging in slander, and showing an ill temper, as well as [those to act upon such as] being cheerful, treating others well , respecting elders, taking care of the needy and the poor, being sympathetic towards others, showing justice and equity in all matters, and behaving well towards one’s relatives are all components of the relationships between fellow human beings.Thus , the word insaan is the name of that being who possesses two loves and two relationships.One of which is with God and the other with mankind.If these two characteristics are found present in a being , then he is an insaan.If these two qualities are not

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! ! 472 developed , he is a beast, regardless of whether his appearance is t hat of a man or not because a ppearances mean nothing.It is only truth which transforms a man into a man, otherwise mere appearance s are like images which have no real existence.An image of an incredibly strong and powerful man can be drawn upon paper, which even a child can rip apart and throw away.If an image of Rustam is drawn up on a piece of paper, a two - year old child can easily tear it up.Accordingly, the person who is devoid of these two human characteristics is no more than a n image , for which there is neither respect nor honor in the eyes of God Almighty.Furthermore, mankind can be divided into two parts.One is titled Adam and the other has been given the name of Hawwa [ Eve ].When the word ‘ Ā d a m ī ’ is spoken, this means the child of Adam, be it man or woman.When women wish to frighten children, they use the word ‘ Hawwa ’ to scare them [Hawwa means Eve, however the sound to the word is often used to scare someone].However , [ they do not realize that ] they are Hawwa.Some elderly women, w hose teeth have fallen out and whose back s are bent, can frighten their young children relatives.They believe that if Grandmother Hawwa of thousands of years ago was to re - appear, they would certainly run away in fear upon seeing her.Women scare their children by saying “ Hawwa , Hawwa !” Yet, this Hawwa is indeed the same Grandmother Hawwa , who was Adam’s as wife.The name of Adam as appears in the Holy Qur’ān while the name of Hawwa [Eve] is mentioned in Islam ic literature and Hadith and so on.These two names of Adam and Hawwa are replete with meaning as well.Adam means the one who lives on this earth and works the fields, engages in business, and travels.In Arabic : ا د ] ﻢ ا ﻻ ر ض ! # adimul ar dh ] refers to the earth’s ground and Adam as is that being who lives up on the earth and earns his living through working the fields.The word Hawwa is derived from : َﺣ ﻮ َى ﻳ ﻬ ﻮ 1 ى # hawwa yahwi ] which means , to cover something, t o collect something , or to become the owner of something.As such, Hawwa means somebody who gathers children round herself, rules them , and is known as the head

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! ! 473 of the household.Clearly, both these names are full of meaning.It is not certain whether the person we call Adam was actually named Adam, or whether he was called Adam because of the qualities he possessed.[Similarly] , we cannot say for sure that the woman mentioned in the Hadith , was truly Hawwa , or if she was named Hawwa simply to illustrate the qualities she possessed.Whatever the case , if these were truly their names, their names reflected the truth; and if these were their attributes , then these [names] were simply their attributes.Accordingly, Adam means one who works and toils in the fields, ploughs the fields , and makes the land habitable.Likewise, Hawwa means she who stays inside the home and cares for her children and is known as the queen of her ho usehold.Thus, every woman who still retains these qualities today, or takes care of her household [and] tends to the moral training of her children, is known as Hawwa.A decent man who works hard, is industrious , and makes this earth habitable, is an ā d a mī in the truest sense.The ignorant, who sit at home , batting flies and refusing to work hard; or certain wealthy men and those addicted to luxury , who live off their father’s and grandfather’s earnings and do not hing else, are men only in name.They are not men o f worth.For the meaning of Adam is he who goes out to work and makes this world a satisfactory place to live.Similarly, women who do not take due care of their household, who do not attend to the upbringing of their children, do not organize all household necessities, and do not train their children in such a way that the future generation should become pious, righteous, brave, fearless, ready to offer every sacrifice for the sake of their faith, and acquire religious knowledge , are something else entirely.They are daughters of Hawwa in name only, not in practice.For they did not gather their children around themselves, nor did they prove themselves to be the true master of the household.And they did not fulfill the obligation upon them as the head of the household, which was to watch out for the best interests of their child ren and their moral training.They did not discharge their duty of supervising their children, as was made incumbent upon them.Thus, the woman who does not gather her children around herself to provide the means for their betterment and their upbringing, nor does she supervise the

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! ! 474 household, is Hawwa only in name and not in practice.If a woman w ishes to be known as a true daughter of Hawwa, it is her duty to organize the household affairs a nd train her children correctly.[She should] train them in such a way that her title as head of the household remains warranted.Malik [master] means those who are under [her] are obedient to [her].However, i f a woman does not properly train their children, they will be disobedient.A lack of proper training causes children to develop the habit of disobedience , thereby causing the gradual and continual increase in engaging in wrong habits.It is said that there was a dissolute boy , whose mother loved him with the wrong kind of love.The mother never stopped him from any sort of wrongdoing.She did not stop him when he began stealing tiny things.If anyone complained to his mother, she would defend her son saying he was not like that.It escalated to the point where he began to steal larger and larger things , to the point that he began to kill and plunder.Finally, he was arrested for the crime of murder and was sentenced to death by hanging.As the time of the execution approached, the officer told him, “We can make arrangements to grant you one last request or arrange a meeting with anyone you may wish to meet.” He said, “Yes, send for my mother.I wish to see her.” Accordingly, th e mother was called for.He said to her, “I wish to say something in your ear.” When the mother brought her ear close to him, the son bit upon her ear so hard that she cried out in pain.The jailers who were witnessing this scene nearby, shouted out, “O you villain! Within a few minutes , you will step on the threshold of death and yet, you continue to be so vicious.What sort of conduct is this that in your last minutes, you bite off your mother’s ear? ” He replied, “ It is due solely to this mother that I am being hanged today.If she had raised me properly, I too, w ould be a good person today.However, she did not p ay attention to my upbringing when I made mistakes during my childhood.Th is mother would cover them up.If I stole something from someone and they came after me, she woul d say, ‘M y son does not have your [ belonging s ].’ Gradually, my morals deteriorated and were d istorted until I turned into an evil being, a thief , and a robber.Today, I am to be hanged for these sins.”

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! ! 475 Thus, a woman is only entitled to be called a daughter of Hawwa in the true st sense when she trains her children correctly.She should safeguard their morals and if she neglects to do so, she is not worthy of being known as a daughter of Hawwa or the master of her domain.Therefore, it is essential for the daughters of Eve to raise their children in the best manner.Nations can A cquire Paradise O nly T hrough Mothers The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa has said that paradise lies under the feet of mothers.What an exquisite statement a nd w hat great prominence the Holy Prophet sa accords the mother ! People usually interpret this to mean that paradise is gained by being obedi ent and dutiful to one’s mother and this is also true.However, the real import is that a nation can only attain a state of paradise when mothers are righteous and impart the correct moral training to their children.If the mothers are not good and do not properly train their children , the children will never be righteous.This is because those nations whose children are not virtuous , they will never acquire paradise.Consequently , the r eality is that nations may only acquire paradise through mothers.The standard with which the nation’s mothers raise their children is the very standard in which the nation will create good or inferior work resulting in either a great nation or an inferior one.If mothers properly raise their children, the n ation’s actions will bring about an excellent outcome and that nation will succeed in its goals.If mothers do not train their children correctly, the actions of that nation will neither generate satisfactory results nor can that nation succeed in achieving its goals.This is exactly why Islam has placed particular emphasis up on educating women.On one occasion, the Holy Prophet sa advised that a man who had three daughters and raised them well and educated them , would be entitled to enter paradise.One of his companions ra said, “O Messenger of Allah , what if a man has two daughters instead of three , what then ?” The Holy Prophet sa answered , “I f the man has two daughters and raises them well and educates them, he too will become deserving of paradise.” He then went on to say , “I f someone has only one daughter and he gives her a good education and prope r

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! ! 476 training, he will be worthy of enter ing paradise.” N ow, note how much importance the Holy Prophet sa has attached to the education of women.The truth is that nothing can progress without the education and proper moral training of women.God Almighty has r evealed to me that if fifty per cent of women are reformed , Islam’s progress is gu arantee d.Hence, God Alm ighty has forged a direct link between your [women’s] reformation and the success of Islam.Un less you reform yourself, no matter what our missionaries may do , it will be of no use.The truth is, that until it is made apparent to the world that Islam accords women with a standing and rank of such superiority that no other nation can compete with Islam in granting them such a status until then, we can never succeed in bringing others into the fold of Islam.This is because a person of another faith will only study the Holy Qur’ān and ponder over it and act upon it after t he y becomes a Muslim.Yet b efore t he y become a Muslim, only our own actions and examples can draw their attention towards Islam.Therefore , th e reformation of women is incredibly necessary.I n Qadian , a n all - out effort is underway to achieve this goal.The opportunities for education are already present here, for a school and a college for religious studies has been already established for girls.However , as I have already explained and reiterat ed what the Holy Prophet sa has stated, paradise lies under the feet of mothers.This task is not within our control.O nly you [women] can do this.U n less you work with us and cooperate with us and un less you dedicate your lives for the benefit of Islam , we can achieve nothing.God Almighty has divided mankind into two parts and imbued distinct emotions into each.Women cannot fully understand men’s emotions nor can men fully understand women ’s emotions.As such, since we are unable to recognize each other’s emotions, only men can properly train men and only women can properly train women.We cannot accurately interpret a wom a n’s thought processes.We have emotions which are solely particular to men.Only women can comprehend the sorrows and the needs of other women.Only they can remove their doubts, solve their problems, and guide them towards correct reformation.

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! ! 477 This is why the Holy Qur’ān states that the only religion which c an be beneficial to mankind is the one which comes from God Almighty.If a human being were to establish a religion and if a man was the founder of that religion, he would only consider the feelings and thoughts of men, being incapable of accurately interpreting the feelings and thoughts of women.I f a woman w as to be the creator of this religion, she would only be able to take into consideration the feelings and thoughts of women and therefore, be unqualified to accurately understand the feelings and thoughts of men.As such, if there is any being who can bridge the gap which exists between man and woman, it is none other than Allah Almighty Himself and only that religion which comes from Allah Almighty , can be of benefit to the entire world.It is Allah Almighty Himself W ho created both men and women and it is He W ho is acquainted with the weaknesses of women and of men.[It is only] He W ho is cognizant of the good qualities found within women as well as the good qualities found withi n men; the One W ho is familiar with women’s capabilities and familiar with men’s capabilities ; the One W ho understands the emotions of women as well as the emotions of men.It is stated in the Holy Qur’ān : َﻳ ۡﺒ ِﻐ ِٰني َّﻻ َﺑ ۡﺮ َز ٌخ َﺑ ۡﻴ َﻨ ُﻬ َﻤ ﺎ َﻳ ۡﻠ َﺘ ِﻘ ِٰني ا ۡﻟ َﺒ ۡﺤ َﺮ ۡﻳ ِﻦ َﻣ َﺮ َج “ He has made the two bodies of water flow.They will one day meet; Between them there is at present a barrier; they cannot encroach one upon the other.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.55: V.20 - 21) There are two bodies of water in this world which flow next to each other, but despite runn ing alongside e ach other, they do not meet.These two rivers allude to men and women , who live side by side and between them lies love and affection.A sister loves her brother, and a brother loves his sister.A husband loves his wife, and the wife loves her husband, so much so , that at times, they sacrifice their lives for each other.Even so, a woman is a woman, and a man is a man.There exists a barrier between them, and they cannot come together except under the guidance of God Almighty.He is the one and only bond , which mutually unites the two together.Thus, Allah has told me to reform women because I am the Imam.However, as I

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! ! 478 have previously mentioned, this task cannot be done without your help.It is you who can do this work.I t is you who can s o w the seeds of the progress of Islam.This task can only be accomplished through you.I t is impossible to be successful in this endeavor without your help and cooperation.As such, I am conveying this message to you from God Almighty that if you can reform fifty percent of women, Islam will realize success.Accordingly , it is the responsibility of those women who are passionate about Islam , possess a desire for Islam’s progress, and who are sincere to rise up and reform women.I have established Lajna Ima’illah for the reformation of women.Lajna should complete its organization and strive to reform women, give them moral training, and correct their morals.They should collect w hatever necessary resources in order to accomplish this objective.Lajna Ima’illah has been in existence for quite some time in Qadian and t here are approximately forty to fifty branches in the rest of India.By comparison however, men have more than eight hundred branches.Where the men have more than eight hundred branches, the women have forty to fifty branches, indicating that not even twenty percent of the women have organized themselves.The question of work will follow later, for naturally, the first step is to organize the structure.How can any work be done when the administrative arrangements are not yet in place? Therefore, today I am announcing to however many women are here attending the J alsa , that if no Lajna Ima’illah has been established where they live, they should return and establish a Lajna Ima’illah.And if the resources to establish a Lajna Ima’illah are not available, for example, if there is no literate woman residing there who can do the work , s he should meet with the National Lajna Ima’illah before leaving, receive guidance, leave names and addresses and so forth with them, so that they may arrange f or the establishment of a Lajna in her town.If we wish to take up the task of reforming women , it is essential t o establish a Lajna Ima’illah wher ever there resides more than one woman.Lajna means ‘committee’.In Urdu, where the word ‘committee’ is used, the Arabic word is ‘Lajna’.Hence , e very Ahmadiyya Jama'at [chapter] should include a committee of women.Wherever there are educated women present, t hey should write to the National Lajna Ima’illah to obtain the rules

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! ! 479 and regulations, gather together the women in their area, read these rules to them , and establish a Lajna.Where there are no educated women , they should request a man to write a letter, inform ing the National Lajna and apprising them of their needs.If such women are here at Jalsa , they should meet with the officers of the National Lajna Ima’illah to explain their needs in order for the National Lajna to arrange the fulfil ment of their needs.Thus, a Lajna may be established in every Jama'at.Hence, until [our] voice reaches the ears of every wom a n, no work can be accomplished.And for our call to reach them , first and foremost , it is necessary to organize all women and establish a Lajna in every village, town, and city.At this point , some places outside of India have established a Lajna , however the work performed is unsatisfactory, both in India and outside of India.Thus, I am directing this particular instruction to the women of the Jama'at, s o that they leave here with the firm intention that they will not rest until a Lajna is established in their own town and village.I f there are no educated women where they live and it is diffi cult [for them] to correspond, they can request a man to write a letter and inform the National Lajna of their present needs or they can write a letter to me, and I will make the necessary arrangements t o meet their needs.My intention is to assign this work to missionaries as well , so that wherever they may go, they are sure to establish a Lajna Ima’illah.T his work should be completed i n every village, town, and city within this year.At this time , Lajna is not established in several cities, let alone in every village.T herefore, a thorough effort should be made t his year for women to organize themselves and establish a Lajna in every Jama'at within 1945.In this way, if God Almighty enables us to do so, we can take a step towards the reformation and training of women in the next year.I also advise the Nationa l Lajna Ima’illah to strengthen its organization and understand the importance of its work.Up until now , the Lajna Ima’illah of Qadian was considered the National Lajna.Actually, the Lajna of Qadian should be considered a separate branch, just as othe r cities have branches.The National Lajna should be independent.Next, t he National Lajna should appoint secretaries for each of the six or seven various offices.After creating separate

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! ! 480 offices, they should then correspond with the Jama'ats known to them.For those Jama'ats unknown to them , they should obtain [ the relevant information] from the office of Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya.Thereafter , they should correspond with the male secretaries there, acquire information about the women in the area, and attempt to establish a Lajna there.On the one hand , I urge each woman to leave here with the intention of most certainly establishing a L ajna Ima’illah once she arrives home.O n the other hand, I am drawing the National Lajna ’s attention to their responsibility to finally decide to establish Lajna Ima’illah in every city, town, and village of India within the year.[Indeed], not only within India, but it should strive to establish Lajnaat outside of India as well.I am bringing this to the attention of both [groups], for at times the locals procrastinate and at times, the headquarters delay.Therefore, I have drawn the attention of both [groups] to this , so that if National shows indolence , the locals can draw their attention towards this matter in order to motivate them.I f the locals procrastinate, the headquarters should attempt to reform them.Until then, the National Lajna is at fault , and it is their mistake that they have not yet organized their own administration.I mportant tasks cannot be executed without staff.I have indicated to the women of the Lajna several times that they should appoint permanent staff to work in the office full - time.After all, women are teaching in schools and they are doctors, so why can we not find industrious women to permanently work for our administration? It is my belief that we can find such women who will work as clerks or secretaries for an appropriate salary and can correspond with Lajnaat outside [of Q adian].At present , this work has been assigned to such women , who are at times available to do the job and at other times , are not.Th us, they are un able to complete the work to the required standard.F rom the very beginning , I had also advised the Khuddam [the men’s auxiliary from fifteen to forty years of age] to hire permanent workers for their office and not worry about having to pay these workers some nominal salary , because un less you maintain workers on a permanent basis you will never be able to achieve success.Accordingly, th e Khuddam appointed such workers and for the most

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! ! 481 part, the y have organized themselves within India.Lik ewise, the Lajna can never be successful until it appoints permanent workers in its office.It is absolutely wrong to believe that they can be successful in this task without employing women as permanent staff.Perhaps women c ould have become organized five years earlier had the National office permanently appointed clerks to regularly correspond with women who live outside [of Qadian].Therefore, I urge the National Lajna Ima’illah to develop a scheme for their work by January 1945 and to designate such female clerks whose responsibility it would be to correspond with women in other places on a daily basis.Where the addresses [of the women] are unknown to them , they should obtain the addresses of the male secretaries [of the local Jama'ats] through Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya and request information on the local women.Subsequently, they should correspond with them to establish a Lajna.In this way, when Lajna Ima’illah is established in every place, the y can make their needs known to the National Lajna and attention can be given to their reformation and training.If in a certain place there is no woman with knowledge of the Holy Qur’ān , the women can write to the National Lajna requesting the appointment of an instructor to teach them the Holy Qur’ān.If at another place there is no woman who is learned in Urdu, women can write to the Nationa l Lajna so that arrangements can be made for someone to teach them Urdu , enabling them to read the Ahmadiyya Jama'at ’s periodicals and the Promised Messiah ’s as books.Hence, the Lajna of those areas will correspond with the National Lajna to express their needs.It will be the National Lajna ’s responsibility to endeavor to meet these needs.Thus, our work cannot progress until the issue s concerning women ’s moral training are re solved.A woman is an extremely valuable diamond, but if she does not have proper moral training, her worth is not even equal to that of cheap glass because a piece of glass is still of som e use, but a woman who lacks good education and moral training and who is unable to serve her faith is worthless.A nation can never improve until its individuals are reformed, for a nation is a collection of individuals.Thus , the National Lajna Ima’illah must accomplish a great task , which is this : to en sure that the women of the Jama'at are capable of reading religious matters , and that they are able to study and

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! ! 482 un derstand them.When they develop the ability to reflect over religious matters, it is hoped that they will understand their responsibility and they will perform b eneficial work for their faith.Just as the human hand performs all the work, but a hampered o r injured hand is of little use, similarly, women are undoubtedly valuable and useful beings who can accomplish so much.However, they must first be trained to become competent and capable.Just as a diamond must be cut and polished in order for it to be of use and a source of beauty; women must also be reformed for them to be valuable for the faith.Consequently, the National Lajna Ima’illah has a long way to go , and an enormous task lies before it requiring them to make sacrifice s day and night.It will require such women as are willing to dedicate themselves for the cause of the faith in the same way as men have dedicated themselves for the cause of the faith.Therefore, I am giving the National Lajna Ima’illah a margin of o ne month.W ithin one month, i.e., before the end of January 1945, they should organize their office.Land has already been purchased for the office , which will be dedicated to the memory of Umme Tahir ra.The payment was made from a loan.Its location is on the way to Darul Anwaar near the [Printing] Press , close to the turning in the road.It is a good place for the building of Lajna offices.This place is located in a n entirely Ahmadi neighborhood where women can come together without encountering any difficulty.Furthermore, the offices of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya are located nearby , from where necessary information can be obtained as the need arises.On accou nt of difficulties due to the war, we cannot build anything there for the time being.The land was purchased from Malik Amar Ali Sahib when the time was right.At th e time , Malik Sahib sacrificed a great deal for the sake of the Community and gave it [to us] for four thousand rupees, which was inexpensive considering the [property] value at the time.Had he demanded a higher price at the time, it would have been within his rights.I had asked the late Umme Tahir ra to inform Malik Sahib that we need this land for the Jama'at and he g a ve it to the Jama'at without taking any profit.Consequently, he sold it without making any profit, even though the current value of that land is much more than what he accepted.B ased up on current prices , it runs to approximately twenty - five to thirty thousand rupees.

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! ! 483 If a building is constructed there after the war, I estimate it will cost nearly thirty to forty thousand rupees.There should be some rooms designated for offices, a hall for lectures , able to accommodate one thousand to fifteen hundred women when gathering to gether for their meetings , and so on.Some rooms should serve the purpose of a religious school.There should be some [living] quarters, so that women who work in the off ices can stay there.There should also be a library.There sh ould be fifteen to twenty rooms designated for this work , as well as one hall in which to hold meetings.I estimate nearly thirty to forty thousand rupees will be spent on this building.In my view , it is not a huge undertaking for the women of our Jama'at to collect this amount.I have observed that although the women of our Jama'at are no more educated than other women, by the Grace of Allah , they possess such spirit and sincerity of sacrifice that wh enever a scheme is presented to them, it immediately becomes successful.Twenty years ago , I initiated a scheme among the women of the Jama'at for the building of the Berlin mosque.This [scheme] was incredibly success ful and they immediately raised seventy thousand rupees.I believe there exists no other group of women in India, where such a level of sacrifice exists as with in the women of our Jama ‘ at.If our numbers were equal to the smallest tribe in India, then by the Grace of God, not only our men , but today our women would offer up so much money for the sake of faith , that even the people of the richest countries of Europe would be un able to present such wealth for the sake of their faith.[In fact], they do not do so.At this time , we number four to five hundred thousand altogether, while the Sikh population, which is the smallest group in India, numbers four million.Thus , we constitute about one eighth or one tenth of their total.Yet, if our population were equal to that of the Sikhs, the women of our Jama'at would c ollect so much for the cause of [their] faith that even the wealthiest powers of Europe would not be able to raise such amounts of money for their religion.A nd [indeed] they do not do so.By the Grace of God, the spirit of sacrifice is nurtured within our Jama'at and they are capable of achieving the true faith , which is

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! ! 484 only attained through sacrifice.It is only we who show listlessness in our efforts at times.The question does not even arise as to where th e money will come from.For when we aim to d o something for the sake of G od Almighty ’s religion and we wish to complete that work, God Almighty says, “Be” and it is.M oney is not an issue.By the Grace of God, the women of our Jama'at will easily deliver the money.What is needed is for the national offices of Lajna Ima’illah to organize themselves and hire permanent workers.They should acquire the addresses of women from all areas and initiate correspondence with them, establish a Lajna everywhere, and organize the women there.After this, just as men hold two meetings , one being this Jalsa Salana and one Majlis - e Shura , w omen should hold another Ijtema [gathering] at one other time besides this Jalsa.R epresentatives from the various m aj a lis in India should participate in this gathering and appraise their work and formulate the kind of rules and regulations which will enable them to progress further.At this occasion ( Jalsa Salana ), the National Lajna should consult with those women from out of town to decide when the Ijtema should be held.If the Ijtema were to be held during the occasion of Majlis - e Shura and different departmental secretaries were to be invited, then perhaps I could also take some time out to offer guidance on how they can structure their work.Once they become organized, the next step to be taken for their reformation will be for every single woman to learn to read and write in her own mother tongue.As a matter of fact, when a nation learns to read and write in their own language, the acquisition of all other knowledge becomes effortless.What we refer to as ‘m a nt i q’ or ‘logic’ is what every man and woman applies in their daily conversation.When y ou laugh at someone’s foolishness, it is due to, or the inference is, that you believe what the person said is illogical.When you say that you do not understand something or that it is against reason, the term ‘illogical’ is us ed to intimidate you.The truth is, that there is no [special] knowledge , which is known to men but not to yo u.Rather, it is the same concept s you use in your day - to - day conversations.There are thousands of terms you

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! ! 485 hear in foreign languages and are amazed and astounded by them , yet these terms are nothing more than what are used in ordinary daily conversations.Consequently, if you learn to read and write in Urdu, you will be capable of easily understand ing all these terms and you can benefit from all sorts of knowledge.At this time, w hen these large and unknown terms are presented before you which mak e you feel impressed, o nce you have learn ed Urdu, all of these terms will appear relatively simple to you.Therefore , the first step Lajna Ima’illah should take once it is organized, is to teach all the women within the Jama'at to read and write.Next, the second step should be to write down in straightforward Urdu the principles of Salāt , fasting, and other major commands of Shariah and teach them to all women.The third step is for all wo men to learn the translation of Salāt , so that they do not recite the Salāt as if they were parrot s.Let it not be that when reading Salāt , they do not know what they say during Salāt.The final and the most crucial step is for all women to learn the translation of the Holy Qur’ān.With in a few years ’ time , there should be no woman left in our Jama'at who does not know the translation of the Holy Qur’ān.A t this time, there may not be even one woman in a thousand who knows the translation of the Holy Qur’ān.M y position is that of a teacher, therefore th ere is no harm if I request those women who know the translation of the Holy Qur’ān to stand up and those who do not know the translation to remain seated.I would like to see how many among you know the translation of the Holy Qur’ān.Thus, a ll those who know the translation of the Holy Qur’ān should stand up.( Upo n Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ’s ra instruction , many women stood up and upon seeing this, Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra continued.) It is a very satisfying thing to see that more women than I had estimate d stood up.Al - H amdu L illah ! Now you can sit down.For me, this happiness is greater than the joy of Eid.I had thought that the number of women who knew the translation of the Holy Qur’ān would be less than one - tent h of the women who stood up.However,

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! ! 486 it is God Almighty’s Grace that there are more women who know the translation of the Holy Qur’ān than I had perceived.Yet for me, this is not a source of contentment.I will only be satisfied when each one of you knows the translation of the Holy Qur’ān.It will only be a source of happiness for me when you not only know the translation, but you also understand the meaning of the Holy Qur’ān and I will be truly happy when every one of you can teach the meaning of the Holy Qur’ān to others.Greater than this, will be that day when God Almighty will pay witness to the fact that you have understood the Holy Qur’ān and that you have acted upon it.I now feel that I have fulfilled the purpose for which I gave this speech.I have had this cold s ince the day before yesterday , which has given me a sore throat and made it difficult for me to talk.I must now go and give a long lecture to the men, which y ou will also be able to hear.Therefore, I will end this here and go over what I have just said to you.1.Each one of you women should leave here with the intention of establishing a Lajna as soon as you return to your hometown.2.The National Lajna Ima’illah should become organized within a month’s time.They shou ld strive and work hard to such a degree that they should at the minimum organize all the women within the year in all the countries, particularly so within India, and they should establish a Lajna Ima’illah in ever y village, town and city.Following this, I would like to make an announcement concerning the scheme I initiated some days ago of translating the Holy Qur’ān into seven languages.Within this, I assigned women to cover the cost of the translation and publication of the Holy Qur ’ an into one language , and the translation and publication of one Islamic book into one language , meaning tw e nty - eight thousand rupees.I then asked the women of our Jama'at to cover the cost of the translation of the Holy Qur’ān and its publication into the German language and the translation and publication of one Islam ic book in to the German language, which is estimated to come out to twenty - eight thousand rupees.Consequently, the women of our Jama'at, in keeping with their previous tradition , have pledged thirty - four

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! ! 487 thousand rupees at this time.By the Grace of God Almighty , the re quired amount has been pledged and actually , they have pledged more than what was asked.However, there is still a section of women in the Jama'at who have not taken part in this [scheme].I desire that every woman should be a part of this, even if she give s only a pai [a penny], so that she is not deprived of this virtuous opportunity.Thus, I would like those women who have not yet participated to take part.If a woman can only donate half [a penny] then let her give only half but let her take part in this virtuous scheme.For i t is not a matter of money, but the [point] is that when this translation is published in the German language, every individual who benefits from this translation will pray for these women , ‘Ma y God Almighty shower His Mercy up on those , owing to whom we have received this blessing.’ And when through this translation, a person becomes Muslim, God Almighty’s mercy will descend up on those women , who participated in this translation solely because they accepted the faith.Therefore , I wish for none of you to remain deprived of this blessing.And let there be no woman among you who does not partake of these blessings.If she is only capable of giving a few pennies, then let her give a small sum, for in the eyes of God Almighty , if she is only capable of giving a few pennies , it is as if she has given a million rupees.God Almighty does not look at the amount , but He looks at the piety and the intention with which the money has been given.Apart from this, I would like to mention another matter.O ur Gold Coast Jama'at has decided to establish a women’s school, for which a local Ahmadi has given land worth fifteen thousand rupees.And now the Lajna there has decided that women should raise money for the construction of the school.I have received a letter from them, asking their Ahmadi sisters of India to assist them in this matter.Hence, I have spoken with the National Lajna Ima’illah about this and they have pledged to send four thousand rupees.Out of this four thousand, the Lajna Ima’illah of Delhi has pledged fifteen hundred through Chaudhry Sir Muhammad Zafrullah Khan ra and the National Lajna Ima’illah has distributed the rest of the amount among various Lajnaat, who will be informed shortly.Very small

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! ! 488 amounts have been assigned to the Lajnaat, in fact some have been given the responsibility for covering only four or five rupees.I am hopeful that as soon as each Lajna is informed, they will certainly participate in this donation.As a matter of fact, four thousand rupees is such a small amount that if I w ished , I could have simply sent it from Qadian.However, I wish to spur an awakening and spirit of sacrifice within the whole Jama'at.To this end, it is necessary for every individual to be included in work ing for the faith.This is why I have distributed this amount throughout the women of the Jama'at.Each Lajna will be told of this and w hen they receive this information , every woman should take part in this , so that she is not deprived of the blessings.The Gold Coast is in that part of West Africa where some among them, wear no clothes, eat raw food , and live under the trees.By the Grace of Allah Almighty, o ur missionaries there are doing a wonderful job of set ting up schools and boarding for men and women, where they are educated.Those who were naked are now wearing clothes.Those who lived under the trees are building houses, and the Hubshis [locals] are reading the Holy Qur’ān and offering Salāt and in this way, Islam is progressing.The flag of the Holy Prophet sa is being staked in to the ground and the Chri stian missionaries are fleeing before our missionaries ’ eyes.Thus , every woman should absolutely pa rticipate in this donation, through which a women’s school will be built in this country.She should participate, knowing that the school which will be built from this donation, will be the means through which ignorant women, who had never even heard of the name of the Holy Prophet sa , will learn of religion.There is another thing that I wished to say.I have decided that an effort should be made this year to build a women’s board inghouse in Qadian.People who live out of town have often complained that their girls are unable to attain higher religious education in Qadian , due to the lack of a women’s boardinghouse.Now, I am announcing that this work will begin this year , In S h a ’ Allah.I cannot say that the construction of the building will also be completed , for there are many difficulties presented in construction due to the war.At any rate , the work towards th e boarding house will commence this year.May Allah

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! ! 489 grant you the utmost capa city in obtaining religious knowledge and may you become so beneficial to the Jama'at , that while you are in this world, the world benefits from you and learns from you.W hen you go before God, may you become the beneficiary of His Blessings and may the world continue to pray for you because of your good deeds.Now , I pray that God Almighty may inculcate in you a sincere love for Him, the Holy Prophet sa , the Holy Qur’ān , the religion of Islam and mankind.M ay you become such a lofty presence that you have no equal in this world.W hen you leave this world, may God Almighty be pleased with you, may God Almighty’s Messenger sa be pleased with you, may your family be pleased with you, may your neighbors be also pleased with you, and may the entire world be also pleased with you.Some of you are mothers and some of you are going to be mothers.T he Holy Prophet sa has stated, paradise lies under the feet of mothers, thus may G od Almighty make you true mothers.May heaven be created within our nation through you and when you depart this world and go to the next world, may you become the recipients of God Almighty’s mercy and blessings and may you attain Allah’s Paradise , Am īn.

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! ! 490 Ahmadi Women and the Training of Children Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra January 25 , 1946 In my opinion, the responsibility of teaching children [the characteristic of ] hard work lies with their t eachers and their parents, yet they have not instilled in them the habit of striving and working hard.We are competing against such nations whose youth d o not marry well in to their forties , and they spend their lives working in laboratories.Consumed i n their work, they meet their end at their desks and leave t heir nations with extremely useful inventions.We face such people who when they ran out of cannonballs, gunpowder, or other weapons they import ed discarded rifles from America in order to fight their enemies.The British asserted, ‘ Let the Germans come.W e will fight them at sea.If we are un able to fight them at sea , we will fight them upon the shores.If we are un able to fight them up on the shores, we will fight the m in the streets of our cities.Wh en we are unable to fight them in the streets, we will fight them at the doors of our homes.If we are still unable t o fight them, we will board ships to America, however we will never end the war with them.’ [ Adapted f rom Sir Winston Churchill’s speech “We Shall F ight on the B eaches” 1940 ].These are the sort of people we are facing and to challenge the m, we are given such young men who claim they will bear hunger, they will go in to the jungles, the mountains, and the deserts, who claim they are willing to leave their homeland to go abroad, who claim they are ready to sacrifice everything close to their heart, however , once they are assigned with a task, they say, “I cannot manage o n forty rupees and hence I have come running back.” Another say s, “I could not adjust to the new place ; hence I was forced to leave my work.” At the same time , he writes that the [Ahmadiyya] m ovement should not take offence at his action and keep him listed among the w aq i f [lifelong devotees of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community].He returns

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! ! 491 to enjoy the company of his mother, father, and wife, because he missed them, yet he also asks that we should not revoke his w aqf [ lifelong devotion to religious services for the Ahmadd i y y a Copmmunity].This is the sort of youth we have been given.What work can they be capable of ? We require such people who do not move an inch from where they have been stationed.Their dead bodies may well fall a foot towards us, but the step of a living person should always move a foot ahead , not behind.We require such people , and it is these people who work to build the foundation of nations.Allah Almighty says of the companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa : É َّﻳ ۡﻨ َﺘ ِﻈ ُﺮ َّﻣ ۡﻦ ِﻣ ۡﻨ pُۡ َو َﻧ ۡﺤ َﺒ ٗﻪ َﻗ ٰﻀ ﻲ َّﻣ ۡﻦ َﻓ ِﻤ ۡﻨ pُۡ “ Some of them have fulfilled their vow, and there are others who wait.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.33 : V.24 ) And from them, some have already sacrificed their lives and among them are those who are waiting.This is the waqf which brings about a revolution in the world.Hence , the teachers and the parents have an obligation to supervise their children and raise them to be hard working.Inculcate in them a habit of saying prayers, fasting, and follow ing other Islam ic commandments.Develop in them an interest in the commandments of religion.Teachers should encourage the parents to pay full attention to their children’s education.The truth of the matter is that mothers determine the ir child’s good or bad future.A child learns most of their mo rals at a n early age.If mothers are vigilant and do not allow their children to indulge in immoral ity , the n children can grow up free of ill - habits to a certain extent.However, if at an early age , children are not strictly checked when they steal, lie, or develop other bad habits , they are unable to rid them selves of such behavior when grown.There is a well - known story in our country of a mother whose son became a thief.From a thief, he turned into a bandit.O ne day , he killed someone during a robbery , and

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! ! 492 h e was sentence d to a hanging.Right before he was hung , he asked permission to say something to his mother.The mother was called and when she came forward, he asked to speak into her ear.He was allowed to do so and as he leaned in c lose to his mother , he bit her cheek.His mother screamed and st epped back.People rebuked him , saying , “ Y ou are a person of such i ll character that on the one hand you are about to be hanged, yet you still have not learned your lesson ! Your heart has not softened and now you have bitten your mother’s cheek? ” He replied, “You are unaware that today , I am being hanged due to my mother.Biting her cheek pales in comparison to m y being hanged.The truth of the matter is that my mother should be hanged instead of me.” He further said, “ I was a young child, yet I used to wander about in the streets.If anyone c omplained to my mother about me , she would argue with him , ‘M y child could never be like this.People say this out of animosity.I do not know why people are so hateful against my child.My child is not wicked.’ Whenever I stole pencils, paper, pen, ink, etc., from school, my mother would tell me, ‘Don’t put it here , lest someone sees it.Rather, put it over there.’ If someone complained of my stealing , my mother would curse them and claim that they are ruining my reputation.All this made me a thief and from a thief, I became a bandit.During a robbery , I killed someone and so now I am being hanged.My mother is entirely responsible for this murder.Therefore , instead of merely having her cheek bitten , she should be hanged in my place.” Similarly, there are boys who would like to dedicate their lives to the service of the Jama'at , but their parents discourage them and advise them to find positions in other places , and serve the Jama'at later by paying chanda.However , where there is a need for individuals , c handa can not suffice in those cases.To an extent, I think this responsibility lies upon Lajna Ima’illah.If Lajna Ima’illah impresses the needs and significance of waqf up on the minds of women then within a year, women will a lso offer up their liver ; i t is often said that a motherland offers up its liver [a metaphor often used in India to denote the sacrifice of something most beloved to the person concerned ].A wom a n’s liver is her children.If mothers motivate their sons to dedicate their lives for wa q f and involve themselves in other good deeds, I believe many more of our youth will dedicate their lives for waqf.

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! ! 493 There is an incident recorded in Islam ’s history of when the Muslim army suffered defeat.Haz rat ‘Umar ra sent every man who could be made available to support this army, however the army still lacked manpower.The Iranian army consisted of thirty thousand soldiers.There was no obstacle in the path between the battleground and M e dina.At that time , a Muslim g eneral delivered a speech and said, “Today you are responsible for the survival and the safeguarding of your faith.If you are defeated today , then there lies no army between you and M e dina to hold the enemy back.If the enemy escapes from here, it will head straight to M e dina to attack.” At this time , a well - known poetess by the name of Kh a nsa ’ beckoned her three sons and said, “Your father was an immoral man.I had to borrow money from my brother , which I would give my husband until the time of his death.You were all little, but I worked hard to raise you on my own.I have lived my li fe virtuously and with modesty.Y ou are all witnesses to this.” Khansa’ continued and said, “You know that I ha ve put much time and effort into raising you and have never asked you for anything in return.” Her sons agreed.She continued , “You are my three children and I have no one in this world except the three of you.My love for you is clearly evident by my service to you.Today , a time has come upon Islam whe n men are being called upon to fight.You must heed that call.I f you come back this evening having attained victory, may you come back alive, otherwise may your dead bodies be found lying upon that battleground.If you do not obey this order of mine , then I will not forgive you my bounty on the Day of Judgment.” Her sons replied, “Yes mother.We accept.” Upon saying thi s , they set off.One of the most difficult challenges the Muslim army faced, was that the Iranians had brought their warrior elephants with them.Whenever a horse or a camel faced an elephant, it would run away.[At the time,] a Muslim g eneral told two of the three brothers to join him.The g eneral said that they would atta ck the elephants from the front.A lthough death was certain, this tactic may well save the rest of the Muslims.The brothers agreed.It is extremely difficult to attack an elephant from the front, as elephants have been trained to fight in battles by wrapping a person in their trunks a nd then throwing them to the ground.T hey pr oceeded to attack the army chief’s elephant.One brother took a position to the right of the elephant and the other

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! ! 494 brother to the left.The g eneral stood straight before the elephant.When the g eneral attacked from the front, the elephant would turn his head to the right or left.Whenever it turned to the right, the brother on the right side would attempt to attack its trunk with his sword.The elephant would lift him up with his trunk and throw him to the ground.Once the elephant turned to the left, the brother on the left attempted to attack it s trunk with his sword.The elephant would then lift him up with his trunk and slam him to the ground.However, this did not deter the two brothers from the elephant’s sides.[They continued] until they had badly injured it.Finally, t he elephant took fright and began to retreat.When this elephant began to retreat, the other elephants in the formation also took fright, and they too turned back in retreat.Due to the stampede of elephants, a panic arose i n the opposing army and the whole Iranian army r a n away.T hus, t he Islam ic army achieved victory.Therefore, there have lived such women as these , who preferred their children to be martyred in the battlefield , rather tha n see them alive having been defeated.Resting aside the training of their children to sacrifice their lives, t oday, we see women who even discourage the ir children from dedicating their lives for the cause of faith.The truth of the matter is that women are predominantly led by t heir emotions.I f you appeal to their emotions, they can achieve great heights of virtue ! In one battle, Haz rat Sa’ad ra was a commander , and he received a complaint concerning a new Muslim , who was found to be dri nking alcohol.Hazr at Sa’ad ra had the man imprisoned.At that time , Haz rat Sa ’ ad ra , had a wound on his back side , so he was unable to ride.Eventually, a high seat was made for him and Hazr at Sa ’ ad ra could give out commands while half stretched out on the seat.Haz rat Sa’ad ’s ra tent was close to where the new Muslim soldier was imprisoned.Whenever he heard a slogan raised or a mournful cry from the battleground , the new Muslim would pul l at his chains in anger and cry out , “If only I could have been part of today’s battle.Is there any Muslim who will free me? Even though I am sinful, I have no less anguish in my heart for Islam than any other.” Yet, the other Muslim soldiers were not ready to free him because they were afraid of angering Haz rat Sa ’ ad ra.At last, Haz rat Sa’ad’s wife ra said, “Let pass what will.I am going to unlock his chains , as I cannot watch him suffer like this.” She opened the prisoner’s chains and set him free.

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! ! 495 The new Muslim covered his face and joined the Muslim army in battle.Wherever he attacked, he lifted the spirits of the rest of the army.In the evening, when the fighting was over, he ran back to where he was imprisoned and Haz rat Sa’ad’s wife ra once again locked him in his chai ns.During the battle, Haz rat Sa ’ ad ra suspected that this particular man was present during combat , since he had a unique style of fighting , but he ra dismissed the notion , thinking that as he was im prisoned it must be someone else.The next day, when the battle began , Haz rat Sa’ad’s wife ra once again opened his chains and released him.H e joined the Muslim army and attacked the enemy with great valor and courage.At the end of the day, when the Muslims were victorious, Haz rat Sa ’ ad ra grew more certain that he had indeed seen the imprisoned soldier fighting in battle.He turned to his wife and said, “I believe this is your mischief.It appears that you released him.I will punish you for breaking the law.” His wife replied, “You may punish me as you wish, but my conscience would not allow me to see my husband merely watching the battle , while he imprisons another person, who has so much passion for Islam that he attempts to break open his chains upon hearing the sounds of battle.” Hearing his wife talk so intrepidly, his anger melted away.He then forgave the ne w Muslim.Thus, women are often motivated by their emotion.The Lajna Ima’illah has a responsibility to tell women that today , Islam needs their sons.T oday , Islam needs their husbands.T oday , Islam needs their wealth.It is their duty that they present this without hesitation.If this practice is adopted , then I am sure that even those with a weak faith , will show themselves to be a model of high sincerity.One man told me that it is was his wife who made him a strong Ahmadi.He said, “When I brought my salary home , she would ask whether I had paid chanda on it.If I said I would pay it tomorrow, she would refuse to cook, saying she would not cook food bought from this money.At times, I was forced to go in the middle of the night to pay chanda.Until I showed her the receipt, she would not begin cooking, otherwise she said it wa s unlawful money and , therefore, she could not cook with it.” Hence, if women support us and tell their children that if they do no t pledge their lives to waqf and they do not develop piety within themselves, they will not forgive them their motherly right in the H ereafter.They should let them know that t hey will tell God that he did not fulfill his right; that my son was

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! ! 496 disobedient for he did not listen to me.If mothers take this stand, a revolution will be brought about in no time.If mothers adopt this stance , then ninety - nine percen t of the boys will be reformed, n inety - nine percent of our boys will improve in their studies.They will becom e motivated , and they will develop the spirit of sacrifice.I would like to take this opportunity to tell the women of our Jama'at to inspire their sons to dedicate themselves to waqf for the sake of their faith.For those who are not accepted for waqf by our Movement, motivate them to take money out of their earnings and donate it for the publications of Islam and Ahmadiyyat.If their sons are not prepared to do so, then it is the duty of every mother to warn her sons, “You have not fulfilled your right to me and on Judgment Day , I will tell God Almighty, here stands my disobedient son.He di d not listen to me.” I see that the time has come to direct the Movement in a magnificent way.However, we cannot succeed in this quest , until our women unite with us.The day when our women adopt this type of thinking, rest assured that the reformation of our boys will suddenly become easy , and t hey will work vigilantly in every area of life.Therefore, progress in our education is absolutely necessary for our Jama ‘ at.Education plays a key role in guiding a person to the rig ht path and to understanding truth.It facilitates the path for any task , which may lie before a person.One of my friends mentioned that his grandfather was Ahmadi , but his father was not.It occurred to him that his grandfather was a very piou s and revered man , and he was never unjust.Th ere must have been an inherent truth [within Ahmadiyyat] for him to have accepted Ahmadiyyat.Consequently, he began reading the books of the Promised Messiah as and as a result , he became Ahmadi.Now , this was only possible be cause he was educated.If he had been an unlettered person , he would never have thought [to pursue this further].Eve n if he had thought of it, he would have been un able to read the bo oks.Hence, it is necessary that the Jama ‘at have not only hundreds , but thousands of educated people.Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya requires many workers , as does T a hrik - i - Jadid

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! ! 497 Ahmadiyya.In addition, we need five thousand men skilled at trade, who are willing to dedicate their lives to Jama'at work.This need cannot be met until the Jama'at makes a conce rted effort to improve the education of its members.We should have enoug h qualified BA and MA graduates to fulfil our needs , after which we can pass them onto government [positions].I see that the doors for the advancement of our Jama'at are opening swiftly.That which previously appeared remote, is rapidly approaching us now.The way awareness and attention are emerging with in our people , reveals that the fragrance of our lost Joseph has reached us.It would be pure laziness and carelessness on our part if we did not set out with a caravan and bring our Joseph home.( Misbah , February 1946, p p.3 - 10 )

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! ! 498 Praise of the W ork of Qadian’s Ahmadi Women and an Expression of Approval Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra Febr uar y 15, 1942 In a Friday sermon, Hazrat Khalifat - ul - Masih ra stated: Compared to men, women have exhibited an excellent example of sacrifice.Granted, that due to their lack of knowledge in mathematics, they have made mistakes, bu t I was able to pick those out in a timely manner and I directed them as to how they could rem ove those mistakes.Accordingly, th ey labored with diligence and hard work.I believe that if men show the same spirit our women have shown, we will be as victorious as we were hundreds of years earlier.If the men develop the same sort of fervor and passion the women have demons trated, then our day of victory is very near.Women have worked with such fervor, that now some of their appearances are virtually unrecognizable.They did not care to eat.They did not care to rest , and they worked so hard that I believe that some of them lost three sair [half a kilo], some have lost four sair , and yet others five sair.Compared to them, men have worked very little.Those who have observed them, re presentatives of the opposition , and polling officers have been greatly impressed by our women ’s sacrifices.The women, who came to help the polling officers on behalf of the government, were so impressed that they said, “We do not understand what kind of Jama'at this is.How did this spirit of self - sacrifice develop ?” There were pregnant women whose labor pains had already begun , who came to vote.Some came to vote who were in such extreme pain, that they fainted right after casting their votes.There were some who had given birth only twelve hours earlier and arrived lying upon stretcher s , simply to cast their votes.If there were only one such incident it could be co nstrued as an exception, however here we had more than a dozen women who came to vote during childbirth pains, or who had given birth only a few hours earlier.Then

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! ! 499 there were some who came to vote who were in such a poorly state that they could not even sit and had to be brought up on a gurney.They were supported by one relative from the left and another from the right, lest they should fall.There are more than a dozen examples of such sacrifice.This dis p lay of sacrifice had a profound effect up on t hose women who were themselves the agents of the opposition party.They were amazed by the display of such sacrifice.B y exhibiting such sacrifice during the elections, our women have proved that they deserve to be forever remembered for this sacrifice and their example should be brought up repeatedly with in the Jama'at.Through the ir unprecedented example and high level of devotion, they have proved to surpass the men in national matters.I see that the men are very lax in matters of national interest , and they do n o t seem to fully und erstand the purpose of sacrificing for their nation.T hey appear ready w hen discussing the idea of sacrificing for the sake of their faith.However , when asked to sacrifice for the sake of national interest, they do not pay their full attention to it.(Misbah, March 1962 , p p.12 - 17 )

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! ! 500 Responsibility for Tabligh and Ahmadi Women Address to the Ladies at Jalsa Salana Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra October 1, 1946 (8 York Road, New Delhi, India) After Tashahhud , Ta‘awwuz , and recitation of Surah Al - Fatihah , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih ra said: In the Holy Qur’ān , wherever the beginning of the creation of mankind has been mentioned, God Almighty has mentioned that first, a soul was created.And then: َز ۡو َﺟ َﻬ ﺎ ِﻣ ۡﻨ َﻬ ﺎ َﺧ َﻠ َﻖ [ “… created theref ro m its mate … ” ] (Holy Qur’ān, Ch.4: V.2 ) from this, its partner was born.The Bible explains ‘from this, its partner was born’ by st ating that a woman was created from splitting Haz rat Adam ’s as rib.However, the Holy Qur’ān refutes this concept that a woman was born from splitting apart Hazrat Adam’s as rib.The Holy Qur’ān says : َز ۡو َﺟ َﻬ ﺎ ِﻣ ۡﻨ َﻬ ﺎ َﺧ َﻠ َﻖ [ “ … created therefrom its mate ” ] (Holy Qur’ān, Ch.4: V.2 ) T he mate is created from that very being.This means that Allah created woman from the same species as man.Here ِﻣ ﻦ ( min) refers to species, and t he Holy Qur’ān produces many examples of this.At one place, God Almighty says :

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! ! 501 ِﻣ ۡﻨ ُﻜ ۡﻢ s ا َۡﻻ ۡﻣ ِﺮ ُا و >ِ َو ا ﻟ َّﺮ ُﺳ ۡﻮ َل َا ِﻃ ۡﻴ ُﻌ ﻮ ا َو ا َّٰﷲ َا ِﻃ ۡﻴ ُﻌ ﻮ ا [ “ … obey Allah and obey His Messenger and those who are in authority among you.” ] (Holy Qur’ān, Ch.4: V.60 ) Which in other words means c hoose your leaders from among yourselves.Here , no one would translate the word ! ِﻣ ۡﻨ ُﻜ ۡﻢ as choosing your leaders from among those who were cleaved from your ribs.T he word clearly states that th o se people are from among your group.Your circumstances match their circumstances , their needs match your needs, they are human just as you are , and they harbor feelings just as you do.They understand your needs.Accept them as your leaders and do not create phantom leaders , for the l atter neither exist s , nor can they benefit you.The words minha and ِﻣ ۡﻨ ُﻜ ۡﻢ minkum are mentioned innumerable ti mes in the Holy Qur’ān , but that does not mean that everything was created by cutting open your rib s.Rather, i t means that just as you are , they too are of the same kind.Therefore, when God Almighty says : َز ۡو َﺟ َﻬ ﺎ ِﻣ ۡﻨ َﻬ ﺎ َﺧ َﻠ َﻖ [ “ … created theref ro m its mate … ” ] (Holy Qur’ān, Ch.4: V.2 ) It means that a woman is created from the same species as the man.This reveals to us that just as men have been bestowed with a heart and mind, women have been bestowed with a similar heart and mind.The rib is not mentioned here.However, what is being referred to here is the commonality between m e n and wom e n.Since the creation of th is world, times have come when men have tried to prevent women from carr ying out their responsibilities.Similarly, other times have passed when women have tri ed to prevent men from fulfilling their responsibilities.There have been other times in history when men viewed a woman as a different creature.At other times, women have viewed men as different beings.However, t he revelation of the Holy Qur’ān dispels this misconception.The Holy Qur’an states :

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! ! 502 َز ۡو َﺟ َﻬ ﺎ ِﻣ ۡﻨ َﻬ ﺎ َﺧ َﻠ َﻖ [ “ … created therefrom its mate … ” ] (Holy Qur’ān, Ch.4: V.2 ) By stating this, t he Holy Qur’ān eradicates these differences and tells us that women have the sam e responsibilities as men, they have the same sentiments as the other and both are answerable to God Almighty for their deeds.It is another matter that men have different responsibilities and women have different responsibilities.However, we cannot say that women cannot comprehend men’s obligations.Even men are engaged in different jobs and occupations.There are some who are revenue collectors, some are police inspectors, and others are doctors.Despite their differing professions, men share the same feelings and emotions, which have no bearing on their responsibilities.Therefore, just as their various professions makes no difference upon their feelings and their sentiments, women’s assignation of a different role makes no difference upon her feelings or her sentiments.The only difference is in the division of labor.Certain tasks are assigned to men and other s to women , but both are held accountable.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said: Z W ﻠ o p W ْﻢ َر ا ع r َو s W ﻠ o p W ْﻢ َﻣ ْﺴ ُﺌ ﻮ ٌل َﻋ ْﻦ َر ِﻋ ﻴ ﱠ ِﺘ ِﻪ [ Each one of you is a guardian and will be questioned regarding his dependents.] That each one of you will be asked regarding his own duties and his own responsibilities.Just as a shepherd tends to his sheep with care and attention , similarly each man and woman is responsible for his or h er duty.If a woman is en trusted to take care of her children, her husband’s home and finances, she will be answerable for these duties.If the man is responsible to provide for the welfare of his children, he will be held accountable for these duties.By the same token, a household servant or a caretaker is accountable for the job assigned to him.Consequently, it is wrong for men t o presume that women are incapable of offering sacrifices or participating in religious activities and that they are created as playthings for them.It is also wrong for women to believe that they are unable to participate

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! ! 503 in any kind of sacrifice.Both of these outlooks are erroneous.They will not be successful in t abligh, until and unless our men and women are fully aware of their individual r esponsibilities and strive to overcome their differences.It is for this reason that I created Lajna Ima’illah as a separate organization.Lajna Ima’illah means “A n assembly of Allah’s maidservants.” Just a s the most favorable of all names for a man is Abdullah [which means, Servant (male) of Allah] , that for a woman is Am a tullah [which mea ns , Servant (female) of Allah].The attribute of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , which Allah has mentioned with special reverence in the Holy Qur’ān is ‘Abdullah , ’ which means the servant of God Almighty.Thus, to become God Almighty’s servant is the greatest attribute.L ikewise, a woman’s best quality is to be come God Almighty’s handmaid.Just as it is obligatory for a slave to carry out his master’s instructions, I have given you the name of Lajna Ima’illah , to bring your attention to strive in becoming servants of Allah.This is your opportun ity to carry out the tasks which will please your Master.Thus, w hen you stand before H im, be a n applicant for His reward.However , this is also an occasion where you could forget your duties to God Almighty and thus, be prepared to accept His wrath and stand before Him as one of the guilty.There is a world of difference between the one who is presented before God Almighty to receive his reward and the one who is presented as a criminal.There is a great difference between a person who is presented in the court of a K ing as a criminal and a g eneral who presents himself in the court to receive his reward.People envy the g eneral , but feel sorry for the criminal, ev en though both are presented in the court of the K ing.For one entered as a criminal , with his head h ung low in shame, and the other arrived triumphant in his victory , with the surrounding people envy ing him.Hence, understand well y our obligations and be vigilant.In the eyes of Allah Almighty , men and women are equal, as a re their responsibilities.When we peruse the annals of history, we find two prophets whose historical accounts are preserved.The life of one of these

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! ! 504 prophets, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , is very well preserved.His whole life is very accurately and truly preserved.The other prophet is Haz rat Jesus as.A portion of h is life is accurately recorded.We see that during the time of these prophets, women made major sacrifices.Among the disciples of Haz rat Jesus as were women who spent day and night doing tabligh.Even today, Christian women feel proud of the sacrifices these early Christian ladies made.When Ha z rat Jesus as was taken off the Cross, he was kept in a sepulcher.Haz rat Masih as prophesied that he will come out alive after staying in the grave for three days and three nights.When Haz rat Jesus as arose from the sepulcher, it was women who first visited him.The m en had fled away in fear , but it was Mary Magdalene and two other ladies who first arrived to see him that morning.They did not fear persecution from go vernment officials.At this time, women showed valor and strength in their faith compared to men , which has been a source of pride for Christian women.Next, the exemplary standards of sacrifice displayed by the women from the Holy Prophet Muhammad ’s sa era have yet to be seen.A Muslim’s heart is enraptured when t he y learn of the e levated standards of sacrifices exhibited by their splendid mothers and grandmothers.There is no doubt that the female companions who accepted the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa were Arab and without a doubt, the majority of Muslims are not Arab.However, spiritually speaking, the female companions of the Holy Prophet sa are our mothers and grandmothers.Hence, in the Holy Qur’ān , God Almighty refers to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa as the father of all Muslims.He is not only the father of Arab Muslims, but also the father of Pathan Muslims , the father of Rajput Muslims , the father of J atoon Muslims , and the father of Muslims who are considered untouchables.In fact, he is the father of anyone who recites the Kalima.Similarly, the female companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa were the mothers and sisters of the companions of his time, as well as the spiritual grandmothers of all Muslims living today.When a Muslim reads the historical accounts , he is astounded by the superb sacrifices his grandmothers suffered.During the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , Muslims were persecuted , and they were subjected to a great deal of pain and

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! ! 505 suffering.Of these Muslims some were free, and others were slaves.The slaves were torture d and often targeted by enemies.However, the enemies targeted the free Muslims less, therefore they could not persecute them as freely.A husband and wife among these slaves were so brutally persecuted by their master, that one’s heart trembles when one hears of it.Their master would lay them on blazing hot sand and jump up on their chests, leaving them under the blazing sun for so long that their eyes would swell and redden.Still , the master would have no mercy on them.Once the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa passed by and saw that they were being tortured so cruelly.Their master had forced them to lay up on the hot sand , while he tortured them.He repeatedly asked them to refute the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and to proclaim that o ther gods should be worshipped beside Allah.J ust as a father becomes distressed upon witnessing his child’s affliction, how could the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa who felt a greater love than any parent, withstand such a sight? He felt great anguish.He stopped there to pray for them and received a revelation from God.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa counselled them, “Be patient.Be patient a while longer.God Almighty will soon remove from you this pain and liberate you from this suffering.” Within two to three days , the man broke free from this world d ue to unbearable suffering, and later his master killed the woman with a spear.These people were slaves.They did not belong to free families.It wa s thought that the intellect of slaves wa s not strong and that generations of slavery had render ed them less intelligen t than ordinary servants.However, by accepting the Holy Prophet sa , they became so wise and of such strong resolve that they sacrificed everything but refus ed to deny the Oneness of God.Among these slaves was also Ha z rat Bilal ra , an African, whose master would subject him to intense torture, but [today] I wish to give you examples of women’s sacrifice.I have already given one example above and I will now give you some more incidences of sacrifices made by women.When the persecution of Muslims in M ecc a intensified , and the enemies were increasing in their mischief every day.When

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! ! 506 suffering had beco me unbearable, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa advised his followers t o migrate towards Abyssinia.T hey replied, “O Prophet of Allah ! H ow can we go to another place and live in peace and harmony while you suffer here?” The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa replied that he had not received God Almighty ’s permission to migrate yet, but they should do so.[He continued to say that] when he receives permission to migrate , he would do so.Among the emigrants was a woman , who was helping her husband load the camels in the early morning.Ha z rat ‘ Umar ra , who had not yet accepted Islam , happened to pass that way.He wa s deeply moved by what he saw.Al t hough Arabs were disbelievers and transgressors , they were brave, and their hand would not rise to h urt the weak and the old.Here in the early hours of the day, Haz rat ‘Umar ra saw a woman preparing to leave M ecc a for ever.I n a voice heavy with tears, he inquired , “ Lady ! It appears that you are preparing for a journey?” She replied , “We have planned to leave here.The suffering has extended beyond what we can bear.Alas, what did we ever do to you? We only say, Allah is O ne, yet you stop us from saying even that.Therefore, we leave.” Upon seeing her helplessness and sadness, even the hard - hearted ‘Umar, who had no mercy for Muslims, was moved to tears and addressed her, “ Okay lady , God be with you.” and with that, he went away.Thus , women left their homes, suffered abuse, and accepted death, but they never wished to hide their belief that God was O ne.These women were women just like you.Just as you have hearts within your chests, so did they have hearts.Just as you have children, so did they have children.Yet, they sacrificed everything on the path toward s God.Ha zrat ‘Umar ’s ra sister was a woman as well and it was through her, that Hazrat ‘ Umar ra was given the message.It is said that Haz rat ‘Umar ra left his home with a sword in his hand.Someone asked him where he was going.He stated that he was going to kill the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.He w as then asked what he would achieve by killing the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.If he murdered the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , his family would kill [Hazrat ‘ Umar ra ] and his family.It was better for him to first take care of his

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! ! 507 own family instead, as his sister had already accepted Islam.Upon hearing this, Haz rat ‘Umar ra went straight to his sister’s home.When he arrived, a c ompanion of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was reciting the Holy Qur’ān to his sister and brother - in - law.As soon as he knocked on the door, they hid the companion and the pages of the Holy Qur’ān.Haz rat ‘Umar ra entered th e house and asked what they had been readi ng.They answered, “T he Holy Qur’ān.” Hazr at ‘Umar ra asked , “W ho was teaching you?” At this they responded , “What concern is that to you?” Haz rat ‘Umar ra again asked them , “I have heard that you have become be lievers of O ne God.” He then raised his hand to strike his brother - in - law.When he raised his arm in the act of striking him, his sister realized that her husband was about to be hit because he had accepted Islam.This gave her the courage to stand between Haz rat ‘Umar ra and her husband and she said, “Yes, yes.We are now Muslims.I f you wish to beat us for this, then do so.” In the meantime , Hazrat ‘ Umar’s ra hand had already risen and was swinging down.His hand was no longer in his control and consequently, his arm jolted down and struck his sister's face wi th such force that the room echoed with the sound of its contact.Blo od came rushing out of her nose.Haz rat ‘Umar ra , who had been intending to strike his brother - in - law until he fell to the ground , stood shocke d at the sight before him.Alt hough he was terribly cruel and a staunch disbeliever, he was still the son of a noble Arab family.His bravery and sense of honor was shaken.Suddenly, he knew what it felt like to be a criminal , for he had raised his hand at a woman.He has spilled the blood of his sister; whose safety was his first and foremost responsibility.In his anxiety, he could think of nothing else but this.Utterly overwhelmed, he timidly asked his sister , “O my sister , b ring that teaching which you wer e reading.I will read it too.” The spark of his sister ’s faith was now ignited.She was no longer a woman , but a lioness and Haz rat ‘Umar ra was no longer a man , but a jackal simply waiting to be preyed upon by a lioness.His si s ter questioned him, “Can you lay your hands upon this Holy Qur’ān , when you can not even differentiate between th at which is pure and impure?” Haz rat ‘Umar ra , affected by the regret of his cruel

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! ! 508 offenses, cowered like a cat before his sister, entreating her, “O sister, what shall I do that I should be allowed to touch the Holy Qur’ān ?” His sister replied, “There before you is the washroom.Go there and bathe and then you will be allowed to touch the Holy Qur’ān.” Haz rat ‘Umar ra quietly left to bathe and returned before his sister.A slumbering flame of hope ignited within his sister’s heart and with a rapidly beating heart, she began to wonder if her brother could also join her with in t he light of Islam.With trembling hands, she handed Hazrat ‘ Umar ra those very pages of the Holy Qur’ān that she and her husband had been studying.For the first time , he was read ing the Holy Qur’ān with his heart free of prejudice.He had read only a few verses when the Holy Qur’ān subdued him.Upon reading a few more v erses , his eyes filled with tears.He read further and he grew disgusted with his own disbelief.He looked upon his past with revulsion and as he continued to read, h e felt his heart soar away from him.He rose in a passion and asked where the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa lived.At that moment, his sister who had been lovingly gazing upon him and had been praying for her sibling to be redeemed and guided aright , heard, “ W here does the Prophet live?” This question scattered her thoughts of love for her brother.Now, the fountain of her heart erupted in her love for the Hol y Prophet Muhammad sa.She questioned if her brother’s passion was only temporary and ill intentions still remained hidden within him.[She thought], ‘ If he intends to kill my beloved , the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , what sh ould I do ? ’ She threw to the side all thoughts of Hazrat ‘ Umar accepting Islam and became overwhelmed with her love for the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.S he took Haz rat ‘Umar ra by his collar and with a passion which only love can create, shouted, “By God , I will not let you go to see the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa unless you swear that you a re not going with ill intentions.” Haz rat ‘Umar ra gazed upon his sister in a docile manner , similar to that of a chicken which gazes upon a sword at the time of slaughter, and said, “I am going to become a Muslim.” Had such words ever been uttered as these? A dead sister was given life

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! ! 509 [because of Hazrat ‘Umar’s ra change of heart].She let go of Haz rat ‘Umar ’s ra collar and s he thanked God for this blessing which had reunited a separated brother and sister and had changed the Khataab household from a hell in to heaven.Haz rat ‘Umar ’s ra sister told him that the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was at the home of Umme Hani.Haz rat ‘Umar ra set off quietly.When he arrived at the house of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and knocked at the door, the companions saw him through the crevices of the doors and informed the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa that Ha z rat ‘Umar ra stood with a sword in his hand , knocking upon the door.They advised him t hat it w ould be unwise to open the door at that time, however the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa replied, “It does not matter.O pen the door.” Haz rat ‘Umar ra entered, while holding his sword.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa proceeded ahead, pulled him by his collar and said, “Your bad intentions have not yet changed.” Ha z rat ‘Umar ra cast his eyes down and said, “O Prophet of Allah , I have not come here with bad intentions, I have come to be included among your servants.” Upon hearing these words, the Muslims exuberantly raised the slogan, “God is the Greatest” and it echoed in M ecc a from one corner to the other.This incident indicates that Haz rat ‘Umar ’s ra acceptance of Islam was the result of the preaching and sacrifice of a woman.Consequently, [the reward] of that work which Ha z rat ‘Umar ra accomplished after accepting Islam, was also enjoyed equally by his sister , as she was the cause of him having accepted Islam.When a delegation from M e dina came to invite the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa to migrate to M e dina, a woman was also included in this delegation.This delegation met with the Holy Prophet sa at one o’clock in the morning and even at that time this woman insisted upon being part of this delegation.The delegation expressed their desire for the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa to come to M e dina when he felt the need to migrate.This woman was full of enthusiasm and sincerity that she always participate d in Jihad and she raised her children in such a way , that they proved themselves to

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! ! 510 be dedicated soldiers of Islam.When the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa decided to migrate, one particular woman played a role in the proceedings.Asma ra , Haz rat A ’isha h ’s ra older sister, prepared the last meal before the Holy Prophet’s sa departure from M ecc a.At that time , clothing was very scarce.Women had only one big sheet of cloth, which they would wrap arou nd themselves like a sari [an Indian dress which involves long fabric wrapped ar o und one’s torso and shoulders].Many of the men did not even have this option.They only had enough cloth to make a loincloth.When Haz rat Asma ra could not find a piece of cloth in which to pack the food for the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , she ripped a piece of fabric from he r sari and wrapped the food.When she had ripped her sari for this purpose , it split into two pieces.She then w rap ped one piece around her waist.Due to this, she was given the title of “ Zat - un - N i taqain ” [ the lady of the two belts ].N ormally, only slave women wore such ripped sari s.Once , after the demise of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , someone taunted Abdullah bin Zubair that he was the son of Zat - un - N i taqain , meaning the son of a slave woman.Upon hearing this, one of the companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa asked him that while taunting Abdullah bin Zubair, had he forgot ten the reason for which his mother was called Zat - un - N i taqain ? That dress, which serves as the basis for your taunt of his mother, was ripped by her to pack the food for the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Therefore, this is no taunt but rather a proof of his mother’s greatness.When the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa went to M e dina , the women were as happy as the men.They welcome d the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa with passionate songs of greetings.They were very grateful to God Almighty that He had caused the moon to rise from Thaniyat - ul - Wida [ A place where Holy Prophet ’s sa camel stopped when he migrated to M e dina ] for them.They zealously sang the verse: ﻃ ﻠ ﻊ ا ﻟ V ﺪ ر ﻋ ﻠ ﻴ ﻨ ﺎ ﻣ ﻦ ﺛ } ~ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﻮ د ا ع “O people look! The moon rises from the East for people , but God Almighty has raised our moon from Thaniyat - ul - Wida for us.”

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! ! 511 After this, the Muslim women of M e dina set forth excellent e xamples of continuous sacrifice.The examples of sacrifices displayed by the female companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa cannot be found in the women of any other nation.During the battle of Uhud , when the rumors of martyrdom of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa spread, the weak and cowardly ran from the battlefield towards M e dina.At the same time , the women of M e dina were madly running towards the field of Uhud and some of them even reached t he battlefield.It is said of one woman , that upon arriving on the battlefield, she asked a Muslim about the Holy Prophet Muhammad ’s sa wellbeing.The Muslim informed her that her father had died.She said that she was not asking him about her father but was asking about the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.In some narrations , it is stated that the Muslim gave her the news of the death of her father, brother, son , and husband.And in another narration, it is stated that he gave her the news of the death of her three relatives : father, brother , and husband.Yet, e ach time this woman said, “I do not ask you about my relatives, I only ask you about the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.” The Muslim told her that the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was well.Afterwards , she ran towards the field of Uhud.Her statement is proof of how much love she had in her heart for the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.She kept running towards the field of Uhud and she would say to any soldier she met on the way : ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص M َر ُﺳ ْﻮ ُل ﻣ ﺎ C َﻓ َﻌ َﻞ “O ! W hat has the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa done? ” This statement is very typical of a woman.No man can think up a statement such as this, for when a woman’s child or husband dies , she laments, ‘O, what have you done? You have left, leaving us to remain alone.’ Therefore, this statement, ‘O ! W hat has the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa done’ speaks to the feminine voice and no historian c ould ever invent such a detail, for none other than women speak in such a way.The wo man continued to repeat, “O ! W hat has the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa done? He has beco me a martyr and has left us to remain.” She could not be consoled , even after the

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! ! 512 companions reassured her.S he insisted to be taken to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.When she saw the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , she ran towards hi m sa and clung to the hem of his shirt.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said, “O sister! I am grieved to hear that your father, brother and husband have died in the battle”.She replied, “Y ou are alive ! T herefore , I care not for the death of anyone else.” This was the passion which drew those women toward the field of sacrifices.They proved true to the covenant they had made with Allah.Haz rat Sa’ad bin Maa’z ra was proudly holding the bridle of the animal of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa upon returning from the battle.His brother had also been killed during the battle.On approaching M e dina , he saw his mother coming and said, “O Prophet of Allah , my mother approaches.” Haz rat Sa’ad’s mother was eighty or eighty - two years old.She was partially blind , and it was difficult for her to distinguish between sunlig ht and shade.Upon hearing of the martyrdom of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , even this old lady hobbled her way out of M e dina.When Haz rat Sa’ad informed the Prophet of Allah that his mother was approaching , the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa instructed him to stop his con veyance.When he reached near this old lady, she did not ask about the wellbeing of her sons.When she asked, she asked only after the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Ha z rat Saad ra replied that he sa stood before her.This old lady looked up and with her weak eyes let her gaze wander over the face of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said, “O Lady , I am very sorry that your young son has been martyred in this battle.” Upon receiving this type o f news, one loses the ir senses, but this old lady lovingly replied, “O Prophet of Allah! W hat do you say? I feared only for your safety.” These were the wo men, who worked alongside men to spread Islam and perform tabligh.The se are the wom e n the Muslim world is proud of, due to their sacrifices.

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! ! 513 You have declared your faith i n the Promised Messiah, Haz rat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as.The Promised Messiah as is the shadow of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.In other words , you are the shadow s of the female companions.Yet , tell me truly.D o you have the same miraculous passion for religion and the same light present within you which they possessed ? Are your children as righteous as the progenies of the female companions were ? If you ponder upon this , you will find yourselves far behind them.The level of sacrifices these women made , have yet to be found with in this world.The sacrifices they made with t heir lives were so dear to Allah that He very soon bestowed success upon them.The work which other nations were unable to accomplish over several years, these male and female companions achieved within a few years.When t he Holy Prophet Muhammad sa emigrated to M e dina , he stood all alone.He was a weak and helpless individual.However, before eight years had passed, he entered M ecc a as a conqueror.Within this period, the men and women made sacrifices in such a way that Allah Almighty’s blessings descended upon them with a fervor , and He opened the doors to success for them.Upon the demise of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , Islam had spread throughout the whole of Arabia.At the occasion of each sacrifice , the female companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa would inquire , “O Messenger! Can we not partake in this sacrifice? Men may offer themselves for every field of sacrifice, but we cannot partake in any Jihad.Why do you not let us participate in this as well?” The women from that era competed with men in making s acrifices , but today, women compete with men in proving their indolence.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was once preparing to leave for a battle whe n a female companion joined the army.When the male companions stopped her, she asked , “Why? Why can I not go? I s it not our duty to serve Islam as well ? ” Upon hearing this reply, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa laughed and said, “Take her with us.” She was assigned to provide water and first aid to the injured.After

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! ! 514 the success, when the spoils were dis tributed, this woman received a share equivalent to the men.After this incident , it became routine for the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa to take s ome women along when going into battle , to serve as nurses and look after the injured.Often, his w ives accompanied him and did the work of nursing.In the Battle of Uhud , the daughter of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , Haz rat Fatima h ra , accompanied them as well.There was no battle in which the female companions were left behind.For this reason, whenever righteous men are mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān , God Almighty has mentioned righteous women as well.If this same spirit develops with in our Ahmadi women , then Ahmadiyyat w ill progress far more rapidly.However, I regret to say that our Ahmadi women believe that performing t abligh or making sacrifice s for Islam is only the men’s job.They believe their job is simply to cook and take care of the children.How many among you preach regularly? I believe that from all the women who accept Ahmadiyyat, not even one out of a thousand d o women’s tabligh.Most of them accepted Ahmadiyyat because of their fathers, brothers , or sons.They are indebted to men for their faith.Thousands of women live in your neighborhood.Men cannot perform tabligh to women.O nly women can do so.If you truly understand your responsibility, then if every year, men bring in two to four hundred other men into the fold of Ahmadiyya t in Delhi, an d women bring in an equal number of women into the fold of Ahmadiyyat, it will not simply be two to four hundred men and four hundred women accepting Ahmadiyyat.Rather, it will be thei r brothers, sisters, sons , and daughters, who will also enter Ahmadiyyat and thus, the speed of tabligh will double.Yet, I ask you this : h ave you ever felt within you that desire to do tabligh ? Have you ever tried to understand the responsibilities and obligations of being an Ahma di? Ahmadiyyat does not mean that you simply give a few rupees to chanda or that you sprinkle some drops of water upon your face when performing ablution and then go

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! ! 515 recite two or four ruk ū‘.In f act, Ahmadiyyat is the name of such a bond with Allah Almighty that a true union is established between Master and slave and that person is included among His loved and chosen ones.Allah Almighty does not discriminate between His servants and His d oors are open for everyone.Yet, what is required is that a person develop a burning d esire within them to seek Allah Almighty that one cannot live without this , and the true purpose of their life is to grow close to God Almighty.During the period of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , men sacrificed and became the recipients of Allah ’s bounty; similarly, women also sacrificed for Allah and received His bounty.In fact, sometime s they even excelled men.Within Islamic Jurisprudence, n o man has ever reached the rank that Haz rat A’isha h ra holds.Today, the issue of finality of prophethood is a matter of great contention between Ahmadis and non - Ahmadis.We assert that after the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa a subordinate prophet can appear , but non - Ahmadis claim that the door of prophethood is forever closed after the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and no prophet of any kind can now appear.It is d ue to this very disagreement that friction has continued to last year after year between us and them.[Yet, notice] how well one woman has re solved this conflict.After the death of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , Haz rat A’isha h ra over heard some people focus up on the words : َﻻ َﻧ ƒ„ِ ﱠ `َ ْﻌ ِﺪ ْى in place of ا ﻟ ﻨ † ّﻴ kl m ﺧ ﺎ ﺗ ﻢ Upon hearing this , she said: ُﻗ ْﻮ ﻟ W ْﻮ ا ِا ﻧ ﱠ ٗﻪ َﺧ ﺎ َﺗ ُﻢ ا َْﻻ ْﻧ †ِ ~ ﺎ C ِء َو َﻻ َﺗ ُﻘ ْﻮ ﻟ W ْﻮ ا َﻻ َﻧ ƒ„ِ ‹ ﱠ `َ ْﻌ َﺪ ٗە [ Certainly do say, he (the Holy Prophet) is the Seal of all Prophets, but do not say, there is no Prophet after him.] You may indeed say that he is Khātamun - Nabiyyīn , but do no t say that no other prophet can appear after the Holy Prophet sa.Haz rat A’isha h ra made it clear with this statement that Khātamun - Nabiyyīn

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! ! 516 does not signify that no other prophet will appear after the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Hazrat A’isha h ra sensed the possibility that people might fall into the danger of believing that no prophet could now appear after him sa.For s he knew that the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa himself h ad prophesied the advent of a prophet after him and the Holy Qur’ān prophesied that there would be a second commencement of the prophethood of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.She also understood that the dead could not come back to life in this world , therefore a second coming indicated that a person in the likeness of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa would appear.Hazrat A’isha h ra understood this concept, but other illustrious C ompanions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa could not comprehend this.While Haz rat A’isha h ’s ra statement explains this well, it is Hazrat ‘ Ali ’s ra saying which is most powerful.A person tutored Ha z rat ‘Ali ’s ra sons , Haz rat Hassan ra and Haz rat Hussain ra.Once , Haz rat ‘Ali ra was passing by when he overheard the teacher teaching his children the concept of Khātimun - Nabiyyīn.Ha z rat ‘Ali ra interrupted and told him not to teach his children of Khātimun - Nabiyyīn , but rather teach them of Khātamun - Nabiyyīn.In other words , both are forms of pronunciations , but he preferred the latter one.For Khātamun - Nabiyyīn means seal of the prophets , but Khātimun - Nabiyyīn means the termination of all prophethood.T each my children the ta with a zabar [in Arabic, the punctuation mark fatah ].Today, every Muslim, whether he be a scholar or illiterate, except for Ahmadi s , holds fast to the belief that after the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , there can be no other prophet.However, 1300 years earlier, Haz rat A’isha h ra ensnared this error and refuted it with such compelling words.What a magnificent solution it was that she presented! Similarly, there are a many more examples and many more situations, where women have excelled over men.Once the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa sent a body of troops for battle and appointed Haz rat Zaid ra as their leader.He was the Holy Prophet Muhammad ’s sa slave whom the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa

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! ! 517 had liberated.After being freed, Ha z rat Zaid ra did not wish t o leave the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Haz rat Zaid ’s ra uncle and father came to take him back.They requested the Holy Prophet sa to allow Haz rat Zaid ra to accompany them back home.H is mother had lost her eyesight [due to her] crying for him.The Holy Prophet sa said he had already set Haz rat Zaid ra free , and he gladly permitted him to go with them.He sent for Haz rat Zaid ra and told him that his father and uncle had come to take him back with them and he should go.The reality was that Haz rat Zaid ra was from a free family.When he was younger, Christian robbers had kidnapped him.After being repeatedly sold from place to place , he was finally bought by Ha z rat Khadija h ra.When the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa married Haz rat Khadija h ra , she dedicated th is slave to him , and the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa freed him.Haz rat Zaid ’s ra father asked the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , “Take as much money as you wish and release Zaid ra.” The Holy Prophet sa replied, “I h ave already freed him , and you have my full permission to take Zaid ra back with you.” The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa told Haz rat Zaid ra , “Your parents are devastated due to their separation from you therefore you should go with them.” Haz rat Zaid ra replied , “You may have freed me, but I do not consider myself to be free.I am not ready to leave you under any condition and you are dearer to me than my parents.” P ointing to himself , he then stated, “I love my mother so very much.Give her my salaam but tell her that my love for the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa is greater than my love for her.” When Haz rat Zaid ra gave this response to his father , the Holy Prophet Muhammad ’s sa heart filled with such love, that he stood and announced: “ O P eople , listen ! F rom today on , Zaid ra is my son.” At that time, the tradition of mutab a nna [ C ustom of considering the adopted son to be one’s actual son in all respects ] was still permitted and was not yet forbidden.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa appointed Haz rat Zaid ra to be the officer to lead the army as I mentioned above.However, along with this , he also stated, “I appoint Haz rat Zaid ra to be the leader of this army , but if he dies in battle then Haz rat Jaffar ra will take over and if he is killed, then Haz rat Abdullah Bin Rawah ra w ill lead them.I f he is also killed, then who m ever the Muslims agree

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! ! 518 upon as a leader , will be appointed.” At the time, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa made this announcement, a Jew was sitting near him.He commented, “I do not consider you to be a true Prophet , but if you are, then n ot one of these three men will come back alive.For that which a prophet speaks, always comes to be true.” The Jewish man went to Haz rat Zaid ra and said , “If your prophet is true , then you will not come back alive.” Haz rat Zaid ra replied, “ Allah knows best if I will come back alive or not , but our P rophet is true.” It was God ’s wisdom that this prophecy was to be fulfilled in exactly this way.First , Haz rat Zaid ra was martyred, after which Haz rat Jaffar ra took over the army.He was also martyred.After him, Ha z rat Abdullah Bin Rawah ra took charge of the army and he also laid down his life.The whole army nearly fell into disarray , when Haz rat Khālid bin Walīd , upon the persuasion of some Muslims, took the flag in his hand.Allah Almighty granted the Muslims victory through him and the army successfully returned home.When the army returned to M e dina , the relatives of those M uslims who were martyred began to wail.At the time , the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa sensed that no sound of wailing or crying was coming fr om Haz rat Jaffar ’s ra home.This might be because he was the Holy Prophet ’s sa brother [cousin] and being so , his family was more aware of Islam ic law.Hence , they set an excellent example of patience.Secondly , because of the migration from M ecc a , only his wife remained at home and there was no other loved one [living with them].At the time , all of M e dina was stricken with grief and sadness.The women were crying for their relatives , bu t Haz rat Jaffar ’s ra home was desolate.Consequently, upon observing this disparity, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa commented that there was nobody to cry for Haz rat Jaffar ra.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa uttered this statement , and the companions bowed their heads in embarrassment.Many among them left the gathering and went home and asked their s isters and wives what they were doing there.Th e Holy

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! ! 519 Prophet Muhammad sa had just commented that everyone mour n ed for their own relati ves, but no one mourned at Hazrat Jaffar’s home.Upo n hearing this, all the women in M e dina went to Haz rat Jaffar ’s ra home (at the time, the tradition of wailing for the deceased was practiced and had not yet been prohibited ).The women began to cry loudly and beat themselves.Due to the women’s wailing, a great hue and cry arose in M edina.When the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa heard this, he questioned his companions as to what this noise was.The companions replied that since he ha d said that there was no one to mourn for Haz rat Jaffar ra , upon hearing his comment, all the women of M edina ha d now gathered at his home and we re crying for Haz rat Jaffar ra.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa replied, “This was not what I meant.I do not approve of cr ying.Go and stop them from doing so.” Yet now t he women were very emotionally involved and crying over the martyrdom of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ’s sa brother.A regret had grown in their hearts that we ha ve mourned our own family members and brothers, but there is no one to mourn the Holy Prophet Muhammad ’s sa brother, therefore this wailing is borne from our adoration and is of sincere passion.In the meantime, o ne of the companions arrived there and said, “Be quiet.Be quiet.Do not wail, for the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa does not approve of this.” The women responded, “Go.Go back to your home.How is it that the Holy Prophet’s sa brother has been martyred and we do not mourn him [by wailing] ? ” When the women did not refrain from crying, the companion approached the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and said, “O Prophet, I have attempted my best to stop them from wailing, but they will not cease.” T he Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said leave them well alone.After crying for so long, they will gradually cease crying on their own.At this moment, the Holy Prophet sa used this phrase : ا ﺣ ﺚ ا ﻟ ‚ v ا ب ﻋ ´ ¨ و ﺟ ﻮ M ﻬ ّﻦ [Cast dust in their faces] ‘T hrow dust up on their faces ,’ which meant to l ea ve them alone.In Punjabi , there is also a saying ‘ let him eat muck , ’ which means leave the person alone.It appears that the companion was not too intelligent.He heard the phrase :

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! ! 520 ا ﺣ ﺚ ا ﻟ ‚ v ا ب ﻋ ´ ¨ و ﺟ ﻮ M ﻬ ّﻦ When he heard it, he stood up, and went back.He returne d and collected some dust in the sheet he used to cover his shoulders.He began to throw the dust upon the women’s faces.When Haz rat A’isha h ra saw this , she asked him what he was doing.The companion told her that the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa had said : ا ﺣ ﺚ ا ﻟ ‚ v ا ب ﻋ ´ ¨ و ﺟ ﻮ M ﻬ ّﻦ At this she said , “ Are you so ignorant that you cannot comprehend the meaning behind his statement ? The meaning was to let them be and th ey would quiet down on their own.” Now , see how Ha z r at A’isha h ra grasped the meaning of the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s sa statement while the male companion did not.Hence in no as pect of religion and sacrifice are women left behind.The examples o f women that I have presented before you were still women.The only difference is that t hey were not as delicate as you and th ey were fully aware of their re sponsibilities.If you also wish to be an heir to the blessings which the male and female companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa were heirs to, then strive to f ollow in t heir footsteps.The days of simply talking are over.Every passing day brings greate r trials and misfortunes for Muslims.In the future, you will also face that which the men face, including those trials and tribulations which will confront men.Many of the wives of the Ahmadis who were martyred in Kabul faced great trials.Women were widowed and chil dren became orphans.T hey were forced to deal with imprisonment for a lengthy period of time.Likewise , if the future holds hardship s for Ahmadiyyat, you will face them equally.Hence, be vigilant and banish all indolence.Un less the women work shoulder to shoulder with men , tabligh cannot be successful and Islam will not prevail over the world.Therefore, I was greatly saddened when the Secretary of Lajna Ima’illah here informed me that women partake very little in religious affairs and attendance in their meetings is very low.Most women say that thei r daily routine allows them little time to attend Lajna meetings , while others say that their men do no t allow them to

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! ! 521 go out.Do you believe that your faith is subordinate to your husbands or your brothers? On such occasions, if your brother or husband stops you from doing religious work, then you should make it abundantly clear to them that you are not willing to obey them in this matter, [and say that this is so] ‘because after death, I will be answerable to Allah Almighty, not to you.’ When the commandment of p u rdah was newly revealed, a companion asked a man for his daughter’s hand in marriage.The companion agreed , but the man se t forth the condition that he would not marry her until he saw the girl.When the girl’s father was presented with this condition, he refused and said he was not ready to show his daughter to him.The c ompanion who wished to marry the girl, sat in a gathering before the H oly Prophet Muhammad sa and stated, “O Prophet of Allah sa , o ne man wishes to marry but the girl’s family refuses to show her face.What should be done in such a situation ?” The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa replied, “ Islam has given the instruction for p u rdah , but upon the occasion of marriage , it is permitted to see the woman.” That companion went back and told the father that he had asked the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and he had said that in this type of situation, it is acceptable for the woman to show her face.T he father replied, “It is not a question of whether it is acceptable or not acceptable.I am unwilling to show her.Th is is how I slight you.” T he daughter was listening to their conversation from inside and with an outburst of emotion, she pushed the curtain aside and said, “I f this is the Holy Prophet Muhammad ’s sa directive, then my father ha s no right to refuse you.I stand here before you.Look upon me.” At that time , the standard of righteousness of Muslim men and women was very high.As soon as she appeared , saying that if the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa says this, then what right has my father to refuse you to see me, the companion’s eyes lowered in respect.He stated, “By God, I will marry that girl who holds the Holy Prophet Muhammad ’s sa instruction in such high regard without seeing her face.” Hence, this companion married her without seeing her.Such were the women whose hearts were full of the grandeur of Allah and

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! ! 522 the greatness of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Hence, your fath er and your brother have authority over you until and unless they become a hindrance in your path towards attaining faith.However, if they stop you from partici pating in religious works and you obey them instead of God, then you have taken your brother or your husband as your God.Rather than attaining righteousness, you have committed a sin and instead of becoming a good believer , you have become a disbeliever.Yo ur faith should be that which you hold dearest to you and when fighting for your faith , you should care for no one else.Syed Ahmed Sahib Barelvi rh was a Mujjadid [ reformer ] before the Promised Messiah as.When he went to perform Hajj , among his caravan were nearly a hundred women who had never stepped out of their ho mes uncovered.When they did go out, a doli would be taken to their room and they would leave their home sitting inside of it.If they had to walk from one street to the other, a rrangements for p u rdah were made be fore they could pass.When t hese hundred women went for Hajj to M ecc a and the time came to circuit the Holy Ka‘bah , Syed Sahib said, “O S isters! The One God who has ordered you to cover yourself is now the same God who forbids you to cover yourself while circuiting the Holy Ka‘bah.” History tells us that with out uttering a single word, all the women unveiled their faces.Such was the faith of the women in the thirteenth century , who did not have the means to enlighten themselves as you have.They had not witnessed as many signs and miracles as you have.Why then, can you not rid yourself of indolence ? If you will not do tabligh , then who else will? Men cannot preach to women because of p u rdah and if you will also not preach to them, then how will Ahmadiyyat spread amongst women? W omen who have abandoned their p u rdah have no more interest in religion.T hey have become disbelievers, and they are even unwilling to listen to religious discussions.Women who observe p u rdah will speak of religion and it is only you who can reach others.

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! ! 523 Hence , tabligh is your responsibility in the same measure as it is of the men.If you will not work side by side with men in religious affairs , then you are not a f unctional part of the Jama'at.Rather, y ou are a blis ter, which stops a person from carrying out his duties efficiently.A blister may prompt the increase of flesh, but it does not increase the strength of the body.Rather, it is a sign of di sease.Would anyone wish a blister to remain a part of his body? Therefore, we also do not wish our women to damage the rest of our body by being a rotten limb.If they remain so, then they will surely deserve to be amputated from the rest of the body.Thus , for ego your indolence and weaknesses and make yourself a use ful part of Ahmadiyyat.Instill within yourself the resolve that either you will establish Ahmadiyyat , or you will die.Until you establish this as your mission , you cannot play a useful role within Ahmadiyyat.Strive to fulfill any responsibilities given to you, so that when you stand before God Almighty, you stand as a victorious servant.To accomplish this, it is necessary for you to induce a massive transformation within yourselves so that you, your neighbors , and the res t of the world become aware that you have been imbued with a new soul.You should learn religion for yourself and teach it to your children.If you will not learn it for yourself, how will you perform tabligh to othe r women? You should possess a great zeal for tabligh , so much so that if y ou are living in a house for one to two years and your tabligh has not proven to be effective , you should then ask your brother or husband to relocate elsewhere so you can spread Ahmadiyyat to another people.Hence, I hold the expectation t hat you will reform yourselves before time runs out and you will fear the coming of the Day of Judgment.I pray to God Almighty that He reforms your hearts and rid s you of your ignorance and your immoralities so that you can become a true believer and be a source of glory for us.Now I wi ll pray , and you should all join me in doing so, so that you may rid your hearts of its rust and you emerge triumphant before Allah , ( Am ī n ).

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! ! 524 Awaken your Emotions and be Mindful of your Faith A summary in his own words of a speech presented to the Ladies at Jalsa Salana Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmood Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra December 27, 1946 H az rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih ra said: T he presence of a loudspeaker negates the n eed for a separate speech to the ladies, but on the other hand, it is still important for the ladies to be addressed separately.Islam has forbidden the concept of free intermingling of genders.Upon the surface, they appear to be two separate beings , but truly they are one.The relationship between man and wo ma n is not [based up on] rule of law, but up on love.The mother does not learn how to love her child.This relationship is not dependent upon any rule of law.She acts according to that instinct which nature has imbued within her.The truth is that this relationship is neither bound by any laws nor by any guide.No complication s can arise if the basis of a relationship between a man and a woman is love.When the parents arrange for the marriages of their sons and daughters , they list a series of demands.I have often witnessed that those people who set up conditions are more likely to be involved in lawsuits.T hese sorts of demands always lead to conflict and disagreement.If a man and a woman establish a relationship based up on righteous sentiments , their journey will succeed.If it is not established on piety, conflict and discord will ensue.Laws and conditions change with circumstances.However , if the foundation is based up on love, then no demand can survive, whereas if the demands p revail, then love can not survive.Of the two, one will certainly shatter.As God has created men to be of utmost worth for women and women to be of utmost worth for men, and a woma n’s emotions inspire her to believe that she cannot live without

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! ! 525 men and men believe that they cannot survive without wom e n, the truth of these emotions prove that those people who establish such terms and conditions are extremely foolish.It is sheer stupidity to establish laws for emotions.The se principles were in fact ingrained within our nature at the time Adam as was created.Our only job is to nurture our pure and honorable emotions.A mother understands how to go about taking proper care of her child and how to train him.Now , if a law was established that a child ’s bed should be changed every five hours, then how c ould a child suffering from diarrhea, sta y in one bed for five hours? God Almighty has instilled a mother ’s nature with the ability to ma nage these matters for herself.Any law established for those matters, which have no proper timings, will inevitably hinder man.Thus, there is no need to establish any sort of law s for life.At the same time , there is a need to educate women in specific matters.Therefore , certain lectures are beneficial for women.I initiated the establishment of Lajna Ima’illah [in different towns] the year before last f or the purpose of this special training.At that time, there were forty to fifty Lajna at and now there are two hundred and twenty - five.The men ’s branches number about one thousand.If the law of equality holds true for women, then there should be an equal number of Lajn aat as well.Even i f it is half , then Lajna at should still number five hundred.Women p rotest that they should be held equal with men in obtaining jobs.If they can work in post offices and hospitals as well as men do, then they should also work equally hard in matters of r eligion.As God has prescribed five daily prayers for men, He h as ordained it for women.Likewise , as fasting is for men, it is prescribed for women.Thus, just as men are obligated to work in matters of religion, so are women.There is no reason for them to lag behind in the field of religion.The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said, “Learn half of the religion from A’isha h ra.” This purports that half the share of the religion is men ’s and half of the share is women ’s.It means that one woman holds half of t he religion and the entire world ’s men and women hold the other half.Take any aspect [of the

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! ! 526 religion].Women will no t lag behind.Therefore , attend to your religion.Teach those who are illiterate.If in some places , there are no literate women , then request mature wom e n from Qadian, who do not require a man to accompany them , to visit that town for four to five months to educate the se women.When you learn to read and write in your own language, you will understand your religion all the better.I advise y ou to first set up a Lajna auxiliary and then set up a system of education.Organize yourselves.If you learn how to read and write, you will be able to preach very easily in your area.Y ou will then see that the membership of the Jama'at will grow , not by the hundreds , but by the thousands, In S h a ’ Allah.After this, Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra led the silent prayer.Four Important Exhortations 1 - Congregational Prayers 2 - Establishment of the Lajna Ima’illah 3 - Truthfulness 4 - Work E thic Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmood Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra December 28, 1946 Men should establish Lajna Ima’illah wherever it has not yet been formed.Many women have complained to me that men do not cooperate with them.Some [men] even stop them from attending Lajna meetings.Then , there are some [men] who create obstacles when the women wish to establish Lajna Ima’illah.This is dangerous.Un less women work side by side with men in the service of religion, we cannot progress.If women do not work side by side with us to construct that outside structure of Islam, then they will bring this structure crumbling down from within.B ring your child to the meeting.Advise and exhort him in good teachings.Let him hear matters of faith.However, if your wife is not imbued with that same

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! ! 527 spirit , which Islam wishes for its women to have, then as soon as your child is at home she will tell him , “Your father has lost his wits.H e takes y ou to the mosque upon his own whims and this will damage your health , therefore you must refrain from it.” If the father urges his child to lead an economically frugal life, t he mother says, “Your father ’s advi c e is solely due to stinginess.He calls it faith, but the real reason is that his heart does not allow him to spend on your needs.You may fulfill your heart ’ s desires.I am ready to help you.” Take notice.If something like this is happening with in a home, it is as if two swords clash against each other , one from the front and one from behind.It is inevitable that no peace can be found where ver two swords strike against one another.Thus firstly , our Jama'at should develop in themselves the habit of saying their prayers in congregation.Secondly , the Jama'at should instill in themselves a good work ethic , specifically regarding the implementation of th eir responsibilities as a Jama'at.Who ever is appointed with a task, sh ould keep the following principle at the forefront of his mind: I will not back away from this, even at the risk of death.Un less such a spirit is developed within them, the Jama'at cannot fully progress.Thirdly , Lajna Ima’illah should be established everywhere, and special consideration should be given to the ir spiritual education and reformation.Fourthly , truthfulness should be established within the Jama'at.As long as truthfulness is maintained within a nation, it cannot lose.I n this respect, I see that this weakness still stands within our Jama'at.In matters of litigations, some people give evidence in such a convoluted manner that even the judge is confounded whether he sho uld rule one way or the other.Although, i t should be very easy to reach a decision in litigation cases between believers, for t he Holy Qur’ān has urged every believer to be truthful.In other words, what you present should not only be the truth, but it should also be free of any twisting of the truth.There are many things which are true but are made into lies by twisting the words.It is for this very reason that t he Holy Qur’ān has advised us

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! ! 528 t o be both truthful and straight forward.Four Pieces of Advice After giving you these words of advice, I bid you farewell with prayers.If people implement this council, then God Almighty will also bless your efforts in tabligh.He will bless your affairs and will draw the victory of Islam near.It is these four walls up on which the structure of Islam stands.I will now pray and bid you farewell.While praying for yourselves and your relatives, keep in mind to also pray for the progress of Islam and Ahmadiyyat , and for the success of the missionaries , who have traveled to faraway lands in the service of Islam.To such places, where no pleasure or comfort is available to them.Where there is no one to listen to their conversations.Where there is no one to sympathize with them.Where th e re is no one to share their burden.Yet, they immerse themselves in the service of Islam night and day.Governments have become their enemies.The public is against them.Society gazes upon them un favorably.In short, people at all levels of society oppose them, but they continue to convey the teachings of Islam and Ahmadiyyat to people.Therefore , while it is your duty to not shirk from doing whatever you can for the progress of Islam , you should also pray for those missionaries , who offer so much sacrific e.I received many telegrams for prayers at the occasion of this gathering , but I cannot read them out to you now.It will be sufficient to say that we should pray for our friends , in particular the missionaries , who are especially deserving of our prayers.Actually , it would be in correct to say that they need our prayers.Rather, the reality is that it is incumbent up on us to pray for them , for they have left their countries to work on our behalf.Their claim has now been laid upon us in such a way, that their rights can only be fulfilled by our prayers and supplications.Other than this, we have no other way to fulfill their rights.Now , I will pray for you and also for Islam and Ahmadiyyat.

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! ! 529 You should also pray for me, as well as for the missionaries of this movement , that Allah Almighty rewards their efforts.Especially pray for those four things I have j ust mentioned.May our Jama'at stand firm in regard to them.Unless faced with exceptional difficulties, be regular in congregational prayer.If the obligatory prayer must be offered in the home , then include your wife and children so that the Salāt is offered in congregation.Secondly, establish truthfulness.Such truthfulness that astounds even your enemies.Thirdly, [foster] the habit of working hard ; s uch a h abit of working hard, that making excuses and apologies is completely wiped out from our Jama'at.Whoever is entrusted with a duty should discharge that duty with complete diligence or perish in their attempt to do so.F our thly, the reformation of women : establish Lajna Ima’illah in all places and work hard to disseminat e women’s spiritual education.At this time, it is these four matters, to which I have drawn your attention.You should pray that God Almighty enables all of you to follow these instructions, s o that when you all return to the Jalsa Salana next year , you will be able to lay your hand on your heart and say that y ou have acted upon my advice.In fact , there will be no question of even having to lay your hand upon your heart.The t ruth is, that if you act upon these points, such transformations will take place that you will require no testimony from anyone.God and His Angels will themselves, testify that you have acted upon them.Now I shall pray.After this, Ha z rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra led a lengthy prayer, and after saying As - S alam u ‘ Alaikum , gave permission to the members to depart.

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! ! 530 Safeg uarding the Rights of Women Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra January 31, 1947 Today, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that as far as the question of humanity is concerned, men and women possess the same sentiments and propensities.There are s ome minor missteps, which can cause man to stumble in matters of great significance , leading to erroneous perceptions and doubts.One of these matters, which I am going to discuss , is related to a woman’s rights.The Holy Qur’ān draws attention to this matter by stating: َّو َّو ا ِﺣ َﺪ ٍۃ َّﻧ ۡﻔ ٍﺲ ِّﻣ ۡﻦ َﺧ َﻠ َﻘ ُﻜ ۡﻢ ا :َِّ ۡی َر َّﺑ ُﻜ ُﻢ ا َّﺗ ُﻘ ۡﻮ ا ا ﻟ َّﻨ ﺎ ُس ٰٓﻳ َﺎ ُّﻳ َﻬ ﺎ َز ۡو َﺟ َﻬ ﺎ ِﻣ ۡﻨ َﻬ ﺎ َﺧ َﻠ َﻖ “ O! Mankind, be mindful of your duty to your Lord, Who created you from a single soul and created therefrom its mate.” (Holy Qur’ān Ch.4: V.2 ) As far as human nature is concerned, a woman is created in the same way as man is.In the words : َز ۡو َﺟ َﻬ ﺎ ِﻣ ۡﻨ َﻬ ﺎ َﺧ َﻠ َﻖ [ “…and created therefrom its mate…” ] Allah A lmighty has brought our attention to the point , that there is no difference in the nature of man and woman.Women possess the same nature and desires as men do, therefore, women should be given the same rights as men have.In no way, does t his verse imply that all of mankind was created from one soul [person] , for that inference would contain no element of wisdom.

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! ! 531 Harmful Effects of Failing to Fulfil l Women’s Rights It is highly r egrettable that for so lon g, women have been deprived of their natural rights.This is true not only in India, but also in Europe and America.Therefore, every so often women r ise up against men over this state.For i t is human nature which most certainly forces them to rise and compels them to rebel after suffering such prolonged suppression and torture.The daily protests by the Achooths [the Untouchables : a working class disparaged by other Hindu sects] and the laborers are a result of the same cruelty they have faced.However, as far as basic human needs are con cerned, one can even live without Achooths and worldly business affairs can continue w ithout laborers.As such, we see neither untouchables nor many laborers in Europe.People still manage to do their own work.Yet , if women decide to rebel, not only will the business of the world stop, but the entire world will come to an end.Just imagine such a rebellion.H ow fearful it would be if women decided to rebel against men! If women refuse to bear children, how would the world survive? Indeed , this would lead to the end of the human race and to moral corruption.Thus, to persist in that injustice [of suppressing women] which could lead to such highly dangerous consequences is utter stupidity.It i s Imperative for Women to Participate i n Righteous Deeds Y ou should pay special attention in fulfil ling women’s rights.Just as it is essential for men to participate in virtuous deeds , it is just as essential that women be given the opportunity to participate.I received a letter from a woman , in which she wrote that her husband would not allow her to pay her own chanda.He says that his chanda cover s her dues as well, although this is incorrect.Just as man’s nature requires that he perform good deeds with his own hands, so does a woman’s nature compel her to earn her own rewards by doing good deeds.Righteous ness purifies the heart.Un less one perform s one’s own deeds, how can their self be cleansed? Just as one cannot perform Salāt on another person ’s behalf , similarly one cannot pay chanda on

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! ! 532 another ’s behalf.Therefore, you should grant women the opportunity to participate in such matters, including chanda , in order t hat their natural desire is fulfilled.This is not only limited to the matter of chanda.I have only mentioned it as an example.Yo u must believe women to be your equal in every aspect of life and accord them their rights.In regard to men’s rights, Allah Almighty has stated : ا ﻟ Êِّ َﺴ ﺂ ِء َﻋ ‡َ َﻗ ّٰﻮ ُﻣ ۡﻮ َن َا ﻟ ِّﺮ َﺟ ﺎ ُل “ Men are appointed guardians over women.” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch.4: V.35) This is because men have the status of veto power in domestic affairs.When a difference of opinion occurs between husband and wife, the man’s decisi on will be final.However, if differences increase and th e man begins to abuse his veto power , then the woman can petition for her rights th rough the court system.I therefore draw the attention of men and especially young men, to establish justice and not create a barrier in the path of [following] Islam.

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! ! 533 Payment of Chanda from Jewelry and Inheritance Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Kh alifat - ul - Masih II ra April 11, 1947 , in Qadian We have noticed that most women possess some jewelry.Women like to wear jewelry, even if it is only one or two rupees worth.Even the poorest woman wears earrings of eight aana (one sixteenth of a rupee) at least.Everyone is rewarded [by Allah] according to what they give.Therefore, a woman who wears only eight aana worth of earrings and give s a single paisa (penny) still earns equal reward.Both partake in equal reward.I was saying that the majority of women possess some type of jewelry.If we assume that there are twenty thousand women in our Jama'at and each woman has on average, fifty rupees worth of jewelry, then this amount equals ten lakh [one million] rupees.This way we can collect ten thousand rupees of chanda.Women have written to me that they are even willing to sell their jewelry to come up with this amount.I have told them that they should also sacrifice according to their means , however we cannot burden you to collect this general fund.Men come first, and then you thereafter.Men should step forward before women.Since men acquire twice as much inheritanc e, their share of sacrifice should be double as well.Out of their father's estates , a brother gets two rupees while his sister gets only one.It is only befitting that the brother should contribute more than his sister.It is a custom in England that a woman is given precedence in all dignitary affairs.On every such occasion they say, ‘ ladies first ’ ; for instance, while entering a room, or to be seated for a meal.In short, they honor women in all affairs.By the grace of Allah , our men are not one s to sit back [doing nothing] and tell their women to go ahead [ regarding giving chanda ].The Responsibility o f Women i n Extraordinary Circumstances There could indeed come a time when each and every man is

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! ! 534 killed.At that time, it would be the women ’ s obligation that they shed even their last drop of blood while confronting the enemy, since this is what the faith demands.However, while men are still living , it is not the practice of our Jama'at to ask our women to shout slogans.Sh ould all men perish, then certainly, women should step forward and shed even the last drop of their blood to uphold the flag of faith.This is however not their duty in ordinary circumstances.Since they go through the troubles of pregnancy and menstruation, it only indicates that Allah Almighty has created them to stay at home.Therefore, as long as the last man is alive, it is his duty to give his life in order to protect the women.Thereafter, women can definitely come out and fight.They are maidservants of God, and it is their responsibility as well to uphold the flag of faith.They should therefore sacrifice their lives in the battlefield , but never let the flag of faith fall down.Anyway , right now I am addressing both.I am addressing both m en and women.Among women, those who own property should pay one percent of that property, and those who are given an allowance by their husbands, need to give accordingly.Those who have property greater in value than their income, should pay a share of the property, since a believer prefers to excel in sacrifice and does not turn back.This is a time of trial for the Jama'at.Each individual should make an effort to survive this trial.Within one and a half month s, those who pledge their lives will be in the forefront of w aq i feen.Also, I have drawn your attention to maximize the number of those participating in the scheme of W asiy y a t.There should be no man or woman left who is not a m u si.Excel in your faith and sincerity.Vie with each other in doing good deeds.I also feel a need to tell you that your donation to this particular scheme should not affect other chanda s.It should not result in cuts in monthly chanda , w a siy y at , or T a hrik - e - Jadid chanda s.Paying one obligation towards Allah, by cutting short on others, is never fruitful.It lessens your reward.( Al - Fazl , 16 April 1947)

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! ! 535 A New Era for Misbah Magazine Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra In Qadian, in the ‘New Era of Misbah ’ edition, Ha z rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra blessed the magazine with his following writing: “You must have learned through the Al - Fazl or other means that Misbah is now under the auspices of Lajna Ima’illah.Now men are free of this responsibility, but it does not mean that they are completely forsak ing any involvement in this.According to Islam , men and women are not two separate entities, neither are they two separate parts, rather they are two parts of one entity.They are not one in entirety, because they each are given their own rights.T hey are not two parts because they are not permitted [by Islam ] to live separately from one another.Thus, according to Islam , they are two parts of one entity.They cannot therefore renounce their responsibility toward s one another at any cost.J ust like you can never lose your interest in men’s publications, similarly they cannot lose their interest in yours.It is vital to maintain complete unity of both parts of one entity, otherwise both will be rendered useless.They cannot survive separately since they are components of one unit.They cannot antagonize each other, or their union will prove futile to both.If one part does not support the [function of] the other, it will instead damage it.In this way, they would not even achieve that wh ich they could have individually achieved.Therefore, do not think of your separate magazine as an individual entity, rather, one part of a combined project.Just like one class in a school is divided into two or three sections; it is the same class [grade] only divided into separate sections to facilitate its function.The teacher of one section teaches the same thing as the other, yet more teachers assume a smaller number of students to pay closer attention.The Law - Maker of Islam is Allah, who is neither a man, nor a woman.He does not therefore, side with men or women.C ome then, let us work together following the commands of our Just Creator.”

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! ! 536 T a hrik Scheme of Chanda for Berlin Mosque Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra July 20, 1923 Note: This excerpt was received afterwards so it could not be published in the section of the book where Ha z rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih’s ra sermons of 1923 are published.“As I announced in the last Friday Sermon, today by the blessings of Allah Almighty , the foundation of the Berlin M osque will be laid.The telegram indicates that the time of this ceremony will be three o‘ clock in the afternoon, which coincides with our [current] time now considering the time difference.This was announced outside, and we have gathered here also to pray to God Almighty that He blesses the building of this m osque.Though a building was purchased for England’s M osque earlier, it has not been renovated yet into a m osque because enough funds have not been collected as of now.That is why this Berlin M osque is the first Ahmadiyya m osque in Europe.Not only that, but this m osque is also the first m osque built by Muslims.Even though three m osques were built in Europe before this.O ne of which is in Woking, built by an Englishman.O ne is in Berlin , which is old and unoccupied, and was also built by the government when prisoners of war were brought from Russia.M any of them were Muslims , totaling about twelve thousand, and hence, the government built that m osque for them.Therefore , in contemporary Europe, this is the first m osque built by Muslims.I said contemporary Europe because Muslims have been living in different parts of Europe for thousands of years and they built m osques there, but once they were forced to convert to Christianity, those m osques were abolished.Even now there are m osques in Europe where Muslims live, but those areas are not considered to be a part of Europe anymore and are rather considered separate.Therefore, this is the first m osque in this area, which is actually considered Europe, and from where Muslims have been evicted.That is why I asked all friends to gather and pray that God Almighty blesses this m osque and make it a source of propagation and development of Islam.”

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! ! 537 Friday Sermon Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad , Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra July 27, 1923 “Some time ago, in this very m osque, I had indicated my wish to build a m osque in Berlin.I also mentioned that our Jama'at is already weak [financially] and is supporting many other expenses.Th erefore , to have a m osque buil t by the weaker section of th is weak Jama'at , or i n other words, a m osque is to be built by the weakest part of the weakest Jama'at in the world (meaning women, who are weak, because they have neither individual income nor are they as educated as men ).They should work on this project, so it c an prevail as an outstanding sign.When I initially made this proposition to women, some people from the Jama'at also thought that it would be impossible to collect that much money.In the beginning, my estimate was thirty thousand rupees , but at the time of the actual initiation [fundraising], I increase d the sum to fifty thousand rupees.Our Jama'at also thought it to be a very large amount of money.When the amount received totaled twenty thousand rupees, newspapers from outside of the Jama'at mentioned with amazement the fact that Ahmadi ladies had contributed such a generous sum of money.Then , before the deadline, the total sum amounted to sixty thousand rupees, surpassing the pledges.After this, I again announced the need for more money, and including the pledges this time, it totaled to seventy thousand rupees.This is the accomplishment of the weaker part of the weakest Jama'at of the world.In terms of number s , our Jama ‘ at is n o thing in comparison to other Muslim groups.However, had it been announced i n the mainstream Muslim world, that their women should collect this amount within three months, none of them would have been able to do so , even though they have billionaires and millionaires as well as princes and k ings among them...” ( Al - Fazl , August 3, 1923, V.8)

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