The System of Mushawarat in Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya

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TH E SY STEM OF MUSHAWARAT IN J A M A ‘ A T - E - A H M A D I Y Y A ISLAM INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATIONS LIMITED

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pU G U fcf The System of Mushawarat in Jama4at-e-Ahmadiyy a English rendering o f Jama ‘at-e- Ahmadiyya kd Mushawarati Nizam (Urdu— Unpublished) © Islam International Publications Ltd Published in UK in 2007 Published by: Islam International Publications Ltd Islamabad Sheephatch Lane Tilford, Surrey United Kingdom GU10 2AQ Printed in UK at: Clays Ltd, St Ives pic ISBN: 1 85372 968 X

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Table o f Contents PREFACE...............................................................................................IX CHAPTER 1................................................................................................1 M ushawarat D uring the T ime of the H oly P rophetsa.............................1 First Meeting o f Islamic M ajlis-e-Shura.........................................................................2 Mushawarat about the Captives o f B adr........................................................................3 An Important Meeting o f Shura.......................................................................................5 A Suggestion to Adopt Foreign Warfare Tactics..........................................................9 Another Instance o f Consultation by the Holy Prophet*..........................................10 More Instances o f Consultation by the H oly Prophet53.............................................14 Saying o f the H oly Prophet33: “Advise Me, O People”.............................................16 Consultation about Adhan................................................................................................17 Consultations with W om en..............................................................................................17 The True Nature o f Shura.................................................................................................18 The Status o f Mushawarat in the Shariah......................................................................20 Criteria for Membership o f Shura..................................................................................22 M ushawarat during K hil A fat - e -RA sh id a.................................................23 Unparalleled Resolve o f Hadrat Abu Baler18.................................................................23 Formal Establishment o f M ajlis-e-Shura......................................................................26 Usual Method for Conducting Majlis-e-Shura.............................................................28 Shura in the Final Days o f Khilafat-e-Rashida...........................................................32 CHAPTER U.............................................................................................35 M ushawarat D uring the T ime of T he P romised M essiahas.................35 First Majlis-e-Mushawarat o f the Jama4a t...................................................................35 Aim s and Objectives o f Jalsa Salana.............................................................................36 Establishment o f a Consultative Committee for the Propagation o f Islam............37 General Consultations with Members o f the Jama4a t................................................38 Establishment o f Madrasa Ahmadiyya..........................................................................40 First Fiscal Budget o f the Jama4a t...................................................................................41 M ushawarat D uring the T ime of H adrat K jhal I fatul M asih I1 ^.....42 First Majlis-e-Shura o f Khilafat-e-Ula..........................................................................42 A Crucial and D ecisive Meeting o f Majlis-e-Shura....................................................44 An Overview o f Mushawarat During the Time o f Hadrat Khalifatul Masih lra...46 M ushawarat D uring the T ime of H adrat K hal I fatul M aseh II™ 47 An Extraordinary Meeting o f Shura...............................................................................48 Shura During the Early Years o f Khilafat-e-Thaniya...............................................52 Consultations with Experts & Organizing the Structure o f the Jama4at...............53 Formal Establishment o f Majlis-e-Mushawarat...........................................................54 Pure and Ideal Environment ofM ajlis-e-Shura............................................................55 Basic Guidelines for Shura...............................................................................................63 Decisions o f Majlis-e-Mushawarat: Beacon for Future Generations....................81 Difference between Majlis-e-Shura and Worldly Conferences...............................82 Shura: Foundation for the Future....................................................................................83 Advantages o f Consultation other than in Majlis-e-Shura.........................................84 Jurisdiction o f Islamic Shura is Limited to General and Financial Matters..........85 The Global Nature o f Majlis-e-Shura.............................................................................86 iii

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Establishment o f Majlis-e-Shura in Every Country...................................................87 Evolution o f Majlis-e-Shura.............................................................................................88 Extraordinary Benefits o f International M ajlis-e-Shura............................................93 Shura— Lifeline o f the Islamic Order.............................................................................94 A Requirement o f the N ew Century o f Ahm adiyyat.................................................95 Global Impact o f Majlis-e-Mushawarat........................................................................95 CHAPTER m...........................................................................................99 O bjectives of M ajlis - e -S hura.........................................................................99 Purpose o f Mushawarat...................................................................................................105 The Spirit o f Shura and Mutual Consultations..........................................................106 Victory o f Islam is Linked to Majlis-e-Shura...........................................................107 Role o f Shura in the Stability o f the Jam a'at............................................................108 Unique Character o f M ajlis-e-Shura............................................................................110 The Exemplary Institution o f Mushawarat..................................................................112 The Distinguishing Feature o f Mushawarat in Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya.................118 Importance o f Majlis-e-Shura in the Training o f the Jama'at................................122 How Shura Unites Khilafat and the Jama'at..............................................................123 Jurisdiction o f M ajlis-e-Shura.......................................................................................124 CHAPTER IV.........................................................................................127 E ligibility for R epresentation in S h O r A..................................................127 Procedure for Representation........................................................................................127 Procedure for Electing Representatives......................................................................128 Restricting the Number o f Representatives.................................................................130 Wasiyyat N ot A Precondition for Membership o f Shura........................................131 Having a Beard as a Condition for Membership o f Shura......................................132 Some Criteria for Electing Representatives...............................................................136 Eligibility o f the Delegates— Another A sp ect..........................................................142 Another Important Principle for Selecting Representatives...................................145 Nau Muba’Pln and M ajlis-e-Shura..............................................................................146 Determining the Number o f Representatives.............................................................149 Further Instructions for Election o f Representatives................................................152 Representation o f Sahabara and Members o f the Central Anjum ans....................154 Basic Decision regarding the Number o f Representatives......................................157 Revised Decision about the Number o f Representatives.........................................163 Alternative Representation.............................................................................................166 Representation o f Lajna Im aillah.................................................................................171 Indirect Representation o f Lajna...................................................................................176 Direct Representation o f Lajna............................................................................178 Responsibilities o f the Delegates...................................................................................187 A Strong Admonition to the Representatives.............................................................188 Representatives should Perform their Duties Responsibly.....................................189 Representatives are the Trustees o f Shura...................................................................190 Attendance o f the D elegates...........................................................................................191 CHAPTER V...........................................................................................193 T he E tiquette of S hura..................................................................................193 An Exhortation to Speak with Courage and Conviction..........................................194 Some Important Precautions...........................................................................................195 IV

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Seeking Permission for Going Out..............................................................................199 It is Sinful to Violate the Etiquette o f Shura.............................................................200 The Khalifa D oes N ot Side with Any Party..............................................................201 The Khalifa Alone should be Addressed....................................................................202 It is Wrong to Ridicule Someone upon his M istake................................................204 Listen to Everyone with Care and Attention.............................................................206 Blind Following is not the Way o f the Believers.....................................................208 Difference between General and Detailed Debate on the B udget........................210 Far-Reaching Effects o f Shura’s Decisions................................................................211 Some Extremely Valuable A d v ice...............................................................................212 D o Not Base your Opinions on Hearsay....................................................................216 Avoid Exaggeration.........................................................................................................217 Do N ot Insist upon Your O pinion................................................................................217 Issues Regarding Auxiliary Organizations not to be Raised in Shura..................221 CHAPTER V I.........................................................................................223 T raditions of S h u r a.......................................................................................223 Duration o f Shura............................................................................................................223 Determining the Dates for Shura..................................................................................226 The Opening Session.......................................................................................................226 The Reality o f Prayer.......................................................................................................227 Prayer— An Important Part o f Shura............................................................................228 Holding Shura Under the Canopy o f Prayer..............................................................229 Opening A ddress..............................................................................................................230 Punctuality.........................................................................................................................231 Appointment o f Sub-Committees.................................................................................232.Other Sessions o f Shura..................................................................................................233 The Task o f the Chair’s A ssistant................................................................................234 Offering Names for Participation in the D iscussion................................................236 Clarification about the Chair’s Assistant.....................................................................238 Entering the Shura H a ll..................................................................................................238 Attendance o f Za’iiin in Shura......................................................................................240 Those on Duty Must Wear Badges...............................................................................240 Photography N ot A llow ed..............................................................................................241 Seating Arrangements for D elegates...........................................................................242 Follow Good Traditions...............................................................................................242 Some Important Traditions o f Shura...........................................................................243 Need for Reiterating the Traditions o f Shura.............................................................245 Establishment o f a N ew Nazarat or Appointment o f a N ew Nazir.......................245 Traditional Shura Dinner................................................................................................246 Valuable Traditions o f the Jama'at...............................................................................247 Arrangements for Majlis-e-Mushawarat.....................................................................250 Preparing and Printing o f the Shura Reports..............................................................251 Significance o f the Shura Reports................................................................................254 CHAPTER VH........................................................................................257 T he A genda.........................................................................................................257 Preparation o f the A genda..............................................................................................257 Guidelines regarding the Framing o f the Agenda and Rejected Proposals........259 Another Guideline regarding Rejected Proposals...................................260 v

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Proposals Pertaining to Administrative Matters........................................................262 What Matters Concern the Shura.................................................................................263 An Important part o f the Agenda.................................................................................266 Premature Proposals........................................................................................................267 Proposals should Conform to Prevailing Conditions...............................................268 An Unsavoury Precedent..............................................................................................269 The Final Shape o f the A genda....................................................................................270 Shura does not Cater for Proposals Sent by Individuals........................................270 Procedure for Re-Submitting a Proposal....................................................................271 Procedure for Reconsidering a Decision o f the Shura.............................................272 Another Important Instruction regarding the Agenda..............................................273 Addressing Proposals according to the Agenda........................................................274 CHAPTER VHI......................................................................................277 A ppointment of S ub -C ommittees.................................................................277 Criteria for Membership o f Shura Sub-Committees.................................................279 Members o f the Sub-Committees should be Selected with Care..........................280 Selecting Members for the Sub-Com m ittees.............................................................282 Sub-Committees should Consist o f People from All Walks o f L ife.....................282 A Guiding Principle for the Sub-Committees..........................................................285 How the Sub-Committees should Deliberate.............................................................286 Absence from Sub-Committees.....................................................................................288 Prolonged Sub-Committee M eetings..........................................................................289 Work o f the Finance Sub-Committee...........................................................................290 Jurisdiction o f the Sub-Com m ittees.............................................................................292 Opinion o f a Department about the Sub-Committee Report..................................295 Copies o f the Sub-Committee R eport.........................................................................296 General Observations regarding the Sub-Committee Reports..............................297 Why some Issues Need to be Discussed Beforehand...............................................299 Vague and Unclear Recommendations.......................................................................300 Proposals Relating to the Rules o f Sadr Anjuman Ahm adiyya.............................301 Dissent from the General Consensus o f a Sub-Committee....................................302 Procedure for Suggesting an Amendment...................................................................303 Various Directives regarding Am endments...............................................................304 How to Amend the Sub-Committee’s Recommendations......................................308 More Instructions regarding Amendments.................................................................309 Absence o f the Representative o f a Jama4at which Initiates a Proposal..............313 CHAPTER IX..................................317 T he H igh P oint of M ajlis - e -M ushaw arat................................................317 Offering Advice is a Religious Obligation..................................................................317 The Method o f Consultation at the Time o f the Holy Prophetsa...........................320 Advice should be Offered Impartially.........................................................................321 Another Fundamental Principle o f M ajlis-e-Shura...................................................324 It is wrong to Insist upon One’s O pinion...................................................................326 Proper Procedure for D ebate.........................................................................................326 Representatives are Bound to Express the Views o f their Jama'ats as w ell.......329 Procedure for Deliberating upon the Sub-Committee Reports..............................330 Various Forms o f Consultation and Main Objective o f Shura...............................332 Guiding Principle for Those who Take Part in the D iscussion..............................336 VI

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The Outcome o f Consultation......................................................................................337 The Discussions should be Result Oriented...............................................................339 Business Institutions o f the Jama*at...........................................................................340 When the Khalifa Expresses his Opinion Before the V ote.....................................341 Procedure for Raising Points relating to the Budget................................................341 Advantages o f Debating the Budget Proposals........................................................342 Formation o f the Standing Finance Com mittee........................................................344 Proposing Increase in the Budget.................................................................................345 Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Cannot Cut its Budget without Approval.................346 Things to Remember when Voting...............................................................................347 The Right to Vote Must be Exercised.........................................................................348 Recasting o f V otes............................................................................................................349 Procedure for the Approval o f Shura’s D ecisions....................................................350 Instances o f Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIra Differing from the Majority...............354 Role o f Shura in Issues Relating to M arriage...........................................................359 Principles Governing the Shura’s D ecisions..............................................................365 Formal Approval o f the Shura’s D ecisions................................................................366 Instances o f the Decisions o f Shura being R eserved...............................................367 Importance o f Shura’s Decisions..................................................................................368 Failure to Implement Shura’s D ecision s.....................................................................370 CHAPTER X...........................................................................................373 M ajlis - e - M ushawarat and the C entral D epartments.....................373 Review o f Implementation o f Previous Year’s D ecisions.....................................373 Shura and Workers o f the Jama'at................................................................................374 The Purpose o f Scrutinizing the Work o f N azarats................................................375.Another Aspect o f the Questions Raised during Shura...........................................381 The Rationale Behind the Scrutiny o f Nazarats.......................................................383 Important Guidelines for the D elegates......................................................................384 Understanding the Jama'at’s Code o f Conduct.........................................................385 The Right Method o f Raising Questions.....................................................................386 Restriction on Asking Questions: Only Proposals may be Presented..................388 Streamlining the Work o f the Central Organizations...............................................393 Setting up o f an Investigative Committee..................................................................394 Appointment o f a Commission to Oversee the Work o f the Nazarats................396 Responsibilities o f the Office-Bearers o f the Jama'at..............................................397 Rules o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya and Majlis-e-Mushawarat...........................399 Election or Nomination o f Office-Bearers.................................................................400 “Differences among my People are a Source o f Blessing”...................................402 Members Must Express their Honest Opinions.........................................................403 Electing Office-Bearers through the Electoral C o lleg e..........................................404 Reports o f the Central Departments.............................................................................406 Management ofM ajlis-e-Shura....................................................................................406 CHAPTER X I.........................................................................................409 T he L egal S tatus of M ajlis - e -S hura.........................................................409 Difference between Mushawarat and Western Dem ocracy....................................416 Proposals Relating to Hadrat Khalifatul M asih.........................................................418 Shura Cannot Advise the Khalifa to Undertake a T our..........................................422 The Shura can only Advise the Khalifa in Basic Issues..........................................423 vii

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The Khalifa alone can Appoint the Office-Bearers..................................................429 Status o f the Investigative C om m ission.....................................................................431 Proposals Put before Majlis-e-Shura by the Khalifa................................................431 Members may Freely Deliberate upon the Khalifa’s Proposal..............................434 Another Proposal Presented by the K halifa...............................................................434 Need for Unity and Uniformity in the Jama‘a t.........................................................436 An Apology by Majlis-e-Mushawarat.........................................................................438 Chairmanship o f Shura in the Absence o f the Khalifa............................................441 Majlis-e-Mushawarat in the Absence o f the K halifa...............................................442 Inauguration o f Shura with a Written M essage........................................................444 Shura During the Illness o f Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra........................................447 First Shura in Rabwah after the Migration o f Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IV *.....448 Some important Points regarding Consulting the K halifa.....................................449 Centenary Celebrations and the Dawn o f the Second Century o f Ahmadiyyat..452 A Message o f Felicitation and a Renewal o f the Pledge o f Allegiance...............455 A Distinction o f the Jama'at..........................................................................................458 The Last W ord..................................................................................................................459 viii

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P r e f a c e Hadrat KhalTfatul Masih IVrh, in his Friday sermon on 31st March, 1995, (while Majlis-e-Shura was in session in Rabwah), said: “The Jama1at should publish an introductory book about the system o f Mushawarat that is currently established in the Jama1at...I assign to Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya the task o f publishing this book.Thereafter Tehrik Jadid w ill get it translated and publicize it around the world.” Accordingly, Muhammad Aslam Shad Mangla Sahib was assigned this task by Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya.He, along with Yusuf Salim Sahib and Rafiq Ahmad Javed Sahib, did the hard and crucial work of collecting the required material and putting it into two covers.Upon instructions from Chaudhry Hamidullah Sahib, Waldl A‘la, Tehnk Jadid, Rabwah, the task of translating the book into English was assigned to Wakalat Tasnrf, Rabwah.The initial groundwork for the translation was done by the late Mian Muhammad Afdal Sahib.May Allah reward him for his labour of love and grant him a lofty station in heaven.The translation was then revised and finalised at Wakalat Tasnifby: • Raja Ata-ul-Mannan • Syed Tanwir Mujtaba • T ahir Mahmood Mubashar • Kashif Imran Khalid We are grateful to Maulana Muniruddin Shams Sahib, Addi tional Wakilut Tasnlf, London, for his assistance and valuable suggestions in the course of this translation.We are also grate IX

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ful to the following who helped us to review the translation in its various stages.May Allah reward them abundantly.• Pir Dabir Ahmad • Nadeem Ahmad (Advocate) • Professor Abdul Jalil Sadiq • Professor Chaudhry Munir Ahmad • Shafiq-ur-Rahman We have tried to remain faithful to the Urdu text as far as pos sible.The text, for the most part, consists of extracts from speeches and sermons delivered by the Khulafa over the years.Some speeches by Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh which are in English have been taken verbatim from the Urdu text.At some places where the words did not seem to make sense, we went back to the original tapes and made necessary corrections.Please note that the name of Muhammadsa, the Holy Prophet of Islam, has been followed by the symbolsa, which is an ab breviation for the salutation Sallalla.hu ‘ Alaihi Wasallam (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).The names of other Prophets and Messengers are followed by the sym bol as, an abbreviation for ‘ Alaihissalam (on whom be peace).The actual salutations have not generally been set out in full, but they should nevertheless, be understood as being repeated in full in each case.The symbolra is used with the name of the companions of the Holy Prophetsa and those of the Prom ised Messiah (as).It stands for Radi Alla.hu ‘anhu/‘anha/‘ anhum (may Allah be pleased with him/with her/with them).rh stands for Rahimahulla.hu Ta ‘ala (may Allah have mercy on him).at stands for Ayyadahulla.hu Ta ‘ala (may Allah, the Mighty help him).In transliterating Arabic words we have followed the follow ing system adopted by the Royal Asiatic Society.

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' at the beginning of a word, pronounced-as a, i, u pre ceded by a very slight aspiration, like h in the English word 'honour'.< — 1 th, pronounced like th in the English word 'thing'.£ h, a guttural aspirate, stronger than h.£ kh, pronounced like the Scotch ch in 'loch'.^ dh, pronounced like the English th in 'that'.O 3 s, strongly articulated s.ck * 4, similar to the English th in 'this'.t, strongly articulated palatal t.-k z, strongly articulated z.£ a strong guttural, the pronunciation of which must be learnt by the ear.gh, a sound approached very nearly in the r 'grasseye' in French, and in the German r.It requires the muscles of the throat to be in the 'gargling' position whilst pronouncing it.(3 q, a deep guttural k sound.is ’, a sort of catch in the voice.Short vowels are represented by: a for — - — (like u in 'bud'); i for — - — (like i in 'bid'); u for — d.— (like oo in 'wood'); Long vowels by: a for ----- 1 ---- or ^ (like a in 'father'); i for u — - — or ----- j ---- (like ee in 'deep'); u for j — d.— (like oo in 'root'); XI

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Other: ai for < J — - — (like i in 'site')4; au for j — - — (resembling ou in 'sound').Please note that in transliterated words the letter 'e' is to be pronounced as in 'prey' which rhymes with 'day'; however the pronunciation is flat without the element of English diph thong.If in Urdu and Persian words 'e' is lengthened a bit more it is transliterated as 'ei' to be pronounced as 'ei' in 'feign' without the element of diphthong thus is translit erated as 'Kei'.For the nasal sound of 'n' we have used the symbol 'n'.Thus Urdu word 'o ^ ' is transliterated as 'mein'.* * The consonants not included in the above list have the same phonetic value as in the principal languages of Europe.We have not transliterated Arabic words which have become part of English language, e.g., Islam, Mahdi, Quran, Hijrah, Ramadan, Hadith, ulema, umma, sunna, kafir, pukka etc.Chaudhry Muhammad ‘Ali Wakllut Ta§nlf Tehrik Jadld Rabwah 03 June 2007 * In Arabic words like (Shaikh) there is an element o f diphthong which is missing when the word is pronounced in Urdu.* These transliterations are not included in the system o f transliteration by Royal Asiatic Society.[Publisher] xu

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Chapter I M ushawarat D uring the T ime of the H oly P rophetsa The arrival o f the Holy Prophetsa at Medina marked the advent o f a new era in the communal life o f the Mus lims.At Medina the Holy Prophetsa laid the foundation o f a regular government and strengthened it by signing a social pact with the Jewish tribes living in Medina.Thus he not only ensured peace for its inhabitants but also paved the way for social and political ties between Mus lims and Jews.Consultations with the Companions formed an integral part of die system laid down by the Holy Prophetsa for running the affairs o f the Islamic state.Under Divine command, he would consult his Companions in all politi cal, social, economic and military matters.Having consulted them, he would at times accept their advice and at times reject it, in keeping with the Divine command: “When thou art determined, then put thy trust in Allah.” [Al-e-‘Imran, 3:160] In short, the Holy Prophet5 3 always tried to accommodate the opinions o f his Companions in every communal mat- i

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya ter.He would sometimes consult all o f them, and at times he would consult only a few selected Companions who could provide wiser counsel upon the matter at hand.F irst M eeting of I slamic M ajlis - e -S hura Many o f the consultations made during the lifetime of the Holy Prophetsa were related to military matters.The first such instance is the Battle o f Badr which came as a com plete surprise.The Muslims had come out o f Medina unprepared and ill-equipped, since they had intended only to stop a trade caravan o f the disbelievers.But when the Holy Prophetsa got news o f the approach o f a whole army, he called a halt and summoned the Companions for con sultation.This is how Hadrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib1 3has described this episode: Having summoned the Companions, the Holy Prophet33 asked their suggestions as to which course o f action should be adopted.Some said that, considering the cir cumstances, it was better to go for the caravan, for they were not prepared to face the full army.But this idea did not appeal to the Holy Prophetsa.Upon this some eminent Companions started making speeches vowing to sacrifice their lives and offering everything they possessed in the way o f God.Miqdad bin Aswadra, alias Miqdad bin ‘Amr said: “O Prophet o f Allah, we are not like the Compan ions o f M oses38, who said, ‘Go you and your God and fight, here we sit’.We are ready to go with you wherever you may lead us.We shall fight on your right and on your left, and in front o f you and behind you.” Hearing this, the H oly Prophet’ssa face became radiant with de light, but he still awaited some response from the Ansar, 2

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya for, under the Covenant o f ‘Uqba, they were only obliged to defend Medina if it was attacked.Despite all the im passioned speeches, the Holy Prophetsa kept asking for more advice.Sa‘d bin Mu‘adhra, the Chief o f Aus Tribe, realized what the H oly Prophetsa sought, so he stood up to speak on behalf o f the Ansar, and said: “O Prophet o f Allah, I suppose it is our opinion that you await.God is our witness that, having accepted you as truthful and taken you for our guide, we shall go with you wherever you may lead us.We call Allah to witness, Who has sent you with the truth, that if you order us to jump into the sea, not a single one o f us w ill hesitate to do so.You shall, God w illing, find us steadfast in battle, and you shall see in us that which shall please you.” ISirat Khatam-un-Nabiyyin, pp.354-355] This, in short, was the first meeting which the Holy Prophetsa called to consult his Companions.The devo tion and spirit of sacrifice with which the Companions gave their advice, remains unparalleled in the history of the world.M ushawarat about the C aptives of B adr After his successful return from the Battle o f Badr, it was again through consultation that the Holy Prophetsa reached a decision about the prisoners o f war.It was the Arab custom to slay their prisoners o f war or to en slave them for life, but the Holy Prophetsa was strongly averse to either practice.Since he had not yet received any Divine revelation in this connection, he decided to put the matter before his Companions.Hadrat Abu Bakr™ was the first to respond: 3

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya “O Prophet o f Allah, these prisoners are our cousins and our kith and kin.I propose that we free them in exchange for ransom.The money we thus receive w ill strengthen us against the disbelievers.It is even likely that Allah may grant these people guidance and they may become our helpers.” [Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, vol.1, pp.30,31, published in Beirut] Hadrat ‘Umar™ disagreed and took the position that kinship should not be a consideration in matters o f faith.He said: “O Prophet o f Allah, these people are the enemies o f God and they have rejected you.They are the ones who ex pelled you from M ecca and came out with a huge army and brought every calamity upon the Muslims.They are the pillars o f infidelity and symbols o f misguidance.The progress o f Islam lies in destroying them.O Prophet o f Allah, do not hesitate to slay them.I would even have the Muslims slay their own relatives with their own hands.” The Holy Prophetsa listened to Hadrat ‘Umar’s1 3 speech but remained silent.Hadrat Abu Bakrra stood up once more and spoke further about the importance of kinship, mercy and forgiveness, and expressed his hope that these people might accept Islam.But Hadrat ‘Umarra was against giving the prisoners any concession.When the two had expressed their opinions, the Holy Prophetsa re tired to his tent for a while.When he came out, the Companions were all eager to hear his decision, for some o f them agreed with Hadrat Abu Bakrra and others concurred with the opinion o f Hadrat ‘Umar13.But the 4

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya Holy Prophetsa once more asked for advice, and again the Companions came up with same two views.[Mnsnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, voL 1, p.31, published in Beirut; Hayat-e-Muhammad, by Muhammad Hussain Haikal, Urdu translation, p.330] Because o f his natural propensity to kindness and com passion, the Holy Prophetsa accepted the advice o f Hadrat Abu Bakr™ and rejected the idea o f slaying the prisoners.He decided that the prisoners who could pay for their re lease should be set free.This decision was later endorsed by Divine revelation.(Surah Muhammad, 57:5) A n I mportant M eeting of S hura Having suffered a humiliating defeat, and having lost many o f their chiefs and noblemen at the Battle o f Badr, the Meccans were in a great rage, and their hearts were burning with the fire of revenge.They started preparing for a new onslaught, and, in the third year o f Hijrah, their army was ready to move.When the news reached the Holy Prophetsa at Medina, he summoned an open meeting for the purpose o f consultation, in which all the Companions were present.In view of the superior num bers of the Meccans and their greater skill in warfare, the Holy Prophetsa considered it advisable to adopt a defen sive strategy and to fight the enemy from within Medina.It is recorded on page 43 o f Slrat Ibn-e-Hisham, vol.2, that the Holy Prophetsa did not consider it expedient to move out o f Medina to meet the Quraish at their camping ground.Some of the eminent Companions agreed with the Holy Prophetsa, but he still called the 5

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Majlis-e-Mushawarat and sought advice from all the Companions.He wanted to have a consensus in dealing with the enemy.The majority o f the participants were o f the opinion that the battle should be fought in the open outside Medina.These included not only passionate young men but also some of the wiser and more experienced Companions.Most o f the young men were those who had missed the Battle o f Badr and were now eager to prove their gal lantry and valour.The spirits of the Companions had been greatly raised after the victory at Badr, and they thought that the enemy would consider them weak and cowardly if they fought from within fortifications.Among these zealous Companions was Hadrat Hamza1 3 , the Holy Prophet’ssa uncle, who had shown great skill with the sword at the Battle of Badr.The excitement o f some young men had risen to such a pitch that one of them pas sionately proclaimed, “We cannot allow the disbelievers to go back to Mecca and boast that the Muslims hid be hind the battlements of Yathrib for fear of us.” When the Holy Prophetsa saw such zeal and fervour on the part of the Companions, he accepted the majority opinion and decided to meet the enemy outside Medina.It was Friday.After the prayers, the Holy Prophetsa urged the Muslims to take part in the battle.He then went into his house and, with the help o f Hadrat Abu Bakr1 3 and Hadrat ‘Umar1 3 , put on his headgear, his ar 6

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama £ at - e -A hmadiyya mour and his sword.While the Holy Prophetsa was in the house, the Companions outside were still discussing the two strategies for battle: whether to make fortifications or to fight outside in the open.Some o f the wiser Com panions said that the people should not have insisted on fighting outside Medina.Therefore, when the Holy Prophetsa emerged, they came forward and requested him to reconsider the decision.“We never intended to oppose your judgement, O Prophet o f Allah,” they said humbly.“Whether you decide to fight from within forti fications or order us to fight in the open, we can never disobey you.We are wholly at your command.” But the Holy Prophetsa declined to revise his decision and said: “I apprised you o f my opinion but you disagreed.It is against the majesty o f a Prophet o f God to remove his armour once he has put it on for battle.” [Sirat Ibn-e-Hisham, vol.II, p.44; SIrat Khatam-un-Nabiyyln, pp.485-86; Rayat-e-Muhammad, pp.356-359; Al-Rafrlq-ul-Makhtum, pp.393-394J This crucial Majlis-e-Shura was held before the Battle of Uhud.Here is one o f the verses o f the Holy Quran re vealed in this connection: “And it is by the great mercy o f Allah that thou art kind towards them, and if thou hadst been rough and hard- 7

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e - ahmadiyya hearted, they would surely have dispersed from around thee.So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them, and consult them in matters o f importance; and when thou art determined, then put thy trust in Allah.Surely, Allah loves those who put their trust in Him.'” [Al-e-‘Imran, 3:160) 1 In this context, Imam Bukhari has said the following in Sahih Bukhari, Kitabul 1 ‘tisdm bilK itab wa Sunnah: Consultation is held before a matter has been resolved or clarified.But, in compliance with the injunction JfjSS [When thou art determined, then put thy trust in Allah], once the Holy Prophetsa had decided upon something, no one was allowed to bypass the deci sion o f Allah and His Messenger.The Holy Prophet^ consulted his Companions before the Battle o f Uhud as to whether they should fight the enemy from within Me dina or outside.The Companions were for engaging the enemy outside, but when the Holy Prophetsa had taken up his arms, and had decided to march out o f the city, the Companions changed their minds and advised otherwise.The H oly Prophet53 paid no heed to this belated advice.He said, “Unless God so ordains, it does not behove a Prophet, having once taken up his arms, to put them down again.” The following is a summary o f the commentary on this verse, as told by Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IVrh in his Dars-ul-Quran : The Battle o f Uhud began with consultations with the Companions.Their proposal was accepted and the Mus lims suffered as a result.But Allah said to the Holy 8

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya Prophetsa: You accepted the advice o f your Companions being too kind and considerate; But, henceforth, We command you: “ Consult them in matters o f importance”, <diljiJsjSlcJ.yc.dli “When thou art deter mined, then p u t thy trust in Allah.” The final decision shall lie with you, and once you have made your deci sion, you shall put your trust in Allah and not in the people.They shall be o f no avail to you, only Allah shall be your help.He shall support you in whatever decision you take for His sake.A S uggestion to A dopt F oreign W arfare T actics The animosity o f the disbelievers o f Mecca had reached its climax after the battles of Badr and Uhad.They urged all Arab tribes to unite against the Muslims, and, muster ing up all their strength, formed a formidable army and resolved to attack Medina.When the news o f these preparations reached Medina, the Holy Prophetsa asked his Companions’ advice as to how this threat should be dealt with.O f those who participated in these delibera tions was an eminent Persian Companion, Hadrat Salman Farslr\ Being conversant with foreign warfare, his idea was to solidify the defences o f Medina by dig ging a deep trench around areas which were more vulnerable.The concept of digging trenches was com pletely foreign to the Arabs, but the Holy Prophet^ accepted the idea and ordered the trenches to be dug.[SIrat Khatam-un-Nabiyym, pp.574-575] The strategy o f digging a trench proved very effective 9

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am a ‘ at - e -A hmadiy ya during the Battle o f Ahzab.When the siege o f Medina had dragged too long, Banu Ghatfan, one o f the Mec cans’ allies, became restless.They sent one o f their chiefs, Harith Ghatfani, as an emissary to the Holy Prophetsa and offered that if they were given half the produce o f Medina as ransom, they would break ranks with the Meccans.It should be remembered that Banu Ghatfan were an extremely greedy and selfish tribe.They would join any group that could bribe them to their satisfaction.In the Battle of Ahzab, the Jews had secured their support by promising them half the income from Khyber.Hence, when the Holy Prophet8 3 took up their proposal with Hadrat Sa‘d bin ‘Ubadah1 3 and Hadrat Sa‘d bin M u‘adhra, they said, “O Prophet o f Allah, if this is a Divine decree, then we dare not disagree.But if it is our advice you seek, then we humbly submit that in the past no one has ever dared to extract ransom from the people o f Medina.How then can we accept such degrading terms after Islam has dignified us? We would rather die fighting than accept such conditions.” Thereafter, the Holy Prophetsa ceased all negotiations with the Banu Ghatfan.[SIrat Ibn-e-Hisham, vol.II, p.257; Hayat-e-Muhanimad, by Muhammad Hussain Haikal, pp.419-420] A nother I nstance of C onsultation by the H oly P rophet " Another example o f consultation by the Holy Prophet83 is found in relation to the Battle o f Hunayn.The victory o f Mecca was an occasion of great delight for the 10

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama 4 at - e -A hmadiyya Muslims.Their hearts were full o f joy and their tongues were filled with the praise o f Allah.But, at that very time, the other two famous tribes o f the non-believers Banu Hawazin and Banu Thaqlf o f T a’if were preparing to take revenge upon the Muslims.They had decided that before the Muslims could launch another attack, they would themselves attack the Muslims and destroy them.They quickly mobilized a formidable army, headed by a head-strong and youthful chief from Banu Hawazin, by the name o f Malik bin ‘Auf.The peculiar strategy they adopted was to take their cattle and families along with them, so that, instead o f taking to their heels, the fighters should fight to their last, defending their children.They also carried with them on a howdah an aged person who, in his prime, had been a genius in the art o f warfare, so that they could benefit from his knowledge and experience.But when this old man listened to the grunting o f the camels, the bleating of the goats and the crying and shouting o f women and children, he asked what it was all about.When the facts were revealed to him, he advised Malik bin ‘A uf not to make the mistake o f taking all the cattle and children with him, for it would amount to their slaughter.“Lodge them at some safe place,” he said, “and they can join you if you are victorious.But if you take them with you and are defeated, you shall suffer great humiliation because o f them.” [SIrat Ibn-e-Hisham, voL II, pp.523-524; Shan-e-Muhammad by Mian ‘Abid Ahmad, pp.469-470] 11

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya But the haughty Malik bin ‘Auf, who was driven by a wild desire to be the supreme ruler o f Arabia, paid no heed to the advice of the wise man.Consequently, he was met with a crushing defeat and hid himself in the fortresses of Banu Thaqlf in the valley o f Ta’if, who were his allies.But he left behind a huge fortune of 40,000 silver coins, 2,200 camels, more than 40,000 goats and 6,000 men, women and children.{Hayat-e-Muhammad, p.540] The Holy Prophetsa ordered the spoils o f war to be col lected, while he himself set out in pursuit of Malik bin ‘Auf.Any laxity towards him could be dangerous since he was seeking sanctuary in the valley o f Ta’if.When the Holy Prophetsa reached Ta’if, he ordered a halt in or der to consult his Companions.While the consultation was going on, the enemy was preparing an ambush.The Banu Thaqif scaled the walls of the fort and sent down a hail o f arrows on the Muslims, martyring a number o f them.The Holy Prophetsa instantly moved his men to another location and continued the consultation.The point under consideration was whether the same sort of siege should be laid on the Banu Thaqlf, to force them to surrender, as had been laid on the Jews at Khayber.Even if they came out to fight in these circumstances, it would be easier to overpower them.Another option considered in this meeting was to shower stones on the fort using catapults.It was Hadrat Salman Farsfa who proposed this war strategy which was alien to the Arabs.But even 12

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama 4 at - e -A hmadiyya that did not succeed in breaking the enemy defences.The Holy Prophetsa was also advised to destroy the vine yards o f the Banu Thaqif so that they could easily be subjugated, but the Holy Prophetsa rejected this proposal, although it was used as a threat.While the Companions were offering all sorts of suggestions to overcome the enemy, some men who had deserted the Banu Thaqif presented themselves before the Holy Prophetsa.They informed him that the enemy had a large stockpile of food and it could last them for up to a year.The Holy Prophetsa consulted Naufal bin M u‘awia Delira, who said, “The fox has gone into its den.If you continue to exert pressure, you can catch it, but if you leave it where it is, it can do you no harm.” The Holy Prophetsa then decided to lift the siege and went back to the valley of Hunayn where people were waiting for him to distribute the spoils o f war.[Hayat-e-Muhammad, pp.543-544; Al-Rahlq-ul-Makhtum, pp.664-667] As soon as the Holy Prophetsa had disposed o f the spoils, some men, who had accepted Islam from among the tribe o f Hawazin, sought his audience.They humbly re quested him to return to them their families and their property, for they had been encouraged by the kindness which the Holy Prophetsa had shown towards Hadrat Shima bint Harithra.The Holy Prophetsa said to them, “What do you love more, your families or your posses sions?” They said: “O Prophet of Allah, there is nothing dearer to us than our wives and children.” “All right,” 13

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya the Holy Prophetsa said, “I will return to you your men, women and children who are in my or my family’s pos session.As for the prisoners who have fallen to the lot of other people, you should make a request for their release in front o f everybody after Zuhr prayer.I shall then see what I can do.” After they had done as instructed: The Holy Prophetsa said, “Friends, I return my own share and that o f Banu ‘Abdul Muttalib.” Hearing this the Companions unanimously said: jdsj 4 * 4iJ!jU Jj-ijd atf u “Whatever we possess is not ours but belongs to the Prophet o f Allahsa.” Saying so, they too gladly returned the prisoners who had fallen to their lot.[Hayat-e-Muhammad, pp.545-546] M ore I nstances of C onsultation by the H oly P rophetsa Before the advent o f Islam, there was no proper system of governance in Medina.It was inhabited by different tribes and each followed its own laws.No attention was given to matters o f administration, and all powers re sided in the Chiefs.It was the Holy Prophetsa who first introduced a regular civil and administrative structure in Medina, though he did not consider it expedient to inter fere with the internal affairs o f the tribes.Whenever the Holy Prophetsa invited opinions on various matters, the Chief o f the tribe was expected to give his opinion about it.It is evident from Hadith that some people were also consulted individually.[Da’ira-tuI-Ma;arif (Urdu), vol.19, p.45} 14

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In this context, Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IHrh says: “When we study the blessed life o f the Holy Prophetsa, we find that the number o f people he would invite for consultation varied from ten or fifteen to a thousand.History has preserved instances o f the Holy Prophet’s consultations in which no more than 10 or 15 people took part.On other occasions they would number more.Hence the Holy Prophetsa has set the example for consulting from ten or fifteen to a thousand people.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1967, p.65] Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IVrh further elaborated this point: ‘T his is not the time to go into the details o f the incidents which relate to Mushawarat at the time o f the Holy Prophet54, but we find all kinds o f them, e.g., sometimes he would consult with only a woman, sometimes with a few Companions and sometimes with the whole commu nity.At the occasion o f the Treaty o f Hudaybiyyah, the H oly Prophet53 consulted the whole community and re jected their unanimous opinion.” [Friday Sermon, 29 March 1996] “The Holy Prophetsa used to consult everyone, great or small, in view o f his ability to give counsel.Since not everyone is proficient at everything, the H oly Prophet53 would at times summon only a particular person for con sultation.But the system o f Shura which is now established, with its constitution and democratic voting procedure, did not exist at that time.It has come into ex istence due to the increasing demands o f time.In principle, however, the system o f Shura remains the same as practiced by the Holy Prophetsa.” [Friday Sermon, 28 March 1997] _____________ T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A' at - e -A hmadiyya _____________ 15

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the S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya S aying of the H oly P rophet sa: “A dvise M e , O P eople ” It was the practice o f the Holy Prophetsa to consult the people whenever an expedition was being planned or some other important matter was to be decided.He would summon them and say: J-13' ZJ * ' “ Advise me, O people.” [SIrat Ibn-e-Hisham, vol.1, brans.Maulana Ghulam Rasul Mehr, p.70S] Sometimes, the Holy Prophetsa would invite everybody for consultation, but as it was up to the individual whether or not give his or her opinion, there would be silence at first.Then Hadrat Abu Bakrra would stand up, put forward his opinion briefly, and sit down.Hadrat ‘Umarra would then follow suit.Sometimes other Com panions would also join in with their suggestions and the matter would be decided unanimously.The agreed opin ion of Hadrat Abu B ak P and Hadrat ‘Umar1 3 usually proved to be conclusive.It is recorded in Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal (vol.4, p.227) that the Holy Prophetsa once said to Hadrat Abu Bakrra and Hadrat ‘Umarra: “When the two o f you agree upon something during consulta tion, I do not disregard your opinion.” A famous Hadith, relating to consultation in matters o f state, is attributed to Hadrat M u‘adh bin Jabalra, and has been mentioned by Imam BaihaqI in chapter Al-Ijtihad o f his book Majma ‘-ul-Zawaid wa Mamba ‘-ul-Fawaid.He says that when the Holy Prophetsa decided to send him to Yemen, he consulted a number o f Companions including Hadrat Abu Bakri3, ‘Umar1 3 , ‘Uthmanra, ‘A lfa, 16

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Talhara, Hadrat Zubairra and Usaid bin Hudair™.Hadrat Abu Bakr1 3 said, “O Prophet o f Allah, if you had not asked for our opinion, we would have remained silent” The Holy Prophetsa said: “I feel the same when I give my opinion regarding something about which Divine revela tion has not guided me.” Hadrat M u‘adhra said that these words of the Holy Prophetsa encouraged the Companions and some of them started offering their suggestions.C onsultation about A dhan During the early years of migration to Medina, there was no proper means for calling the faithful to prayer.The Companions would gather in the mosque for prayer when they thought it was time.After the construction of the Prophet’s Mosque the question as to how Muslims should be summoned for prayer came into limelight.One o f the Companions urged the use o f a trumpet, like the one used by the Jews, while another suggested the bells used by the Christians.But Hadrat ‘Umarra sug gested that someone should be appointed to call people to prayer when it was time.The Holy Prophetsa approved o f this idea and assigned this duty to Hadrat Bilalra.[Sahlh Bukhari, Kitab~ul-Adhan] C onsultations with W omen In his general consultations, the Holy Prophetsa would also invite women to give their opinions along with the men.One such occasion was the Treaty o f Hudaybiyyah.The Companions were so grieved as a result of the Treaty, that when the Holy Prophetsa asked them to re _____________ T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya _____________ 17

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya move the Ihram and sacrifice their animals, they did not respond, for they were all heartbroken with grief.Ob serving this, the Holy Prophetsa quietly retired to his tent.Ummul M u’mimn Hadrat Umm-e-Salamah13, who was with him at the time, said, “O Prophet o f God, do not be anxious.By the grace o f God, the Companions are not disobedient, it is only the conditions o f the Treaty that have so grieved them.I would suggest that you do not say anything to them.Instead remove your Ihram and sacrifice your animal, the Companions, I am sure, will follow you.” The Holy Prophetsa did as advised, and when the Companions saw this, they also quickly started sacrificing their animals and shaved their heads.[Sirat Khatam-un-Nabiyyln, pp.769-770] T he T rue N ature of S hura So far we have discussed Shura in the light o f consulta tions that were held at the time o f the Holy Prophet33.We shall now proceed to analyze some o f its theoretical aspects.In the verse, [Consult them in mat ters o f importance ], the word Am r does not apply only to extraordinary matters, but also to matters o f governance and administration.The purpose of holding Mushawarat is to seek people’s opinions on important matters which require thought and deliberation.The final decision, however, lies with the head or the leader, and this pre rogative is at the basis of Islamic Mushawarat.When the leader calls responsible and wise people for consultation, he reserves the right to accept or reject their opinions.18

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh has elaborated on the na ture o f these consultations with reference to the above verse _P>V1 (j J [And consult them in matters o f importance ].Hudur said that if the one who seeks coun sel, accepts it blindly in all its aspects, he will not have acted according to the true intent o f the words “Consult them Consultation means inviting the opinions o f others but it does not mean that those opinions should be ac cepted as they are.Rather, these opinions should be put to the test o f reason and the best part should be accepted.Writing about the need for governments to seek people’s opinion, Hadrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib1 3 has raised a very fine point.He says that the verse “ And their affairs are decided by mutual consultation ”, is addressed only to those who have been chosen by the people to run the government.He writes: “The Holy Quran lays down the following principle for those who are elected as rulers by their people: S ' i jliin jZl i l j A - f f f ' j ^ 1 £ ^ 3 I 3 JL J i J v, __ I (Al-Shura, 42:39) [Those who hearken to their Lord, and observe Prayer, and whose affairs are decided by mutual consultation, and who spend out o f what We have provided fo r them.] The believers are instructed to be truly obedient to God, to worship Him regularly, to decide the matters o f state with mutual consultation, and to spend the wealth God has given them for the welfare o f mankind.The duty o f the ruler, as laid out in this verse, is that, having been 19

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya elected, he should not adopt unilateral and tyrannical methods.He should always remember that the govern ment has been given to him as a trust, and he should keep in touch with public opinion and run the affairs o f state with consultation.Even to the H oly Prophetsa, God Almighty said, (Al-e-‘ImrSn, 3:160) This means, consult them in matters o f importance; and when thou art determined, then put thy trust in Allah.This instruction was not directed towards the Holy Prophetsa alone but was meant for all his Successors and follow ers....In exceptional cases, however, Islam acknowledges the right o f the Amir to overrule the opinion o f the majority if he deems it necessary to do so.But, at the same time, the Shariah makes it binding upon the Amir not to resolve any important matter without consultation.Hadrat ‘Umar”1 , the second Khalifa o f the Holy Prophetsa, who is considered an authority in Islamic socio-politics, went so far as to say: [There is no Khilafat without consultation.] This means that no Islamic government can be considered legal unless it establishes the institution o f Mushawarat.” [Sirat Khatam-un-Nabiyyin, pp.633-634] T he S tatus of M ushawarat in the S hariah The verses o f the Holy Quran and the Hadith quoted above throw light on the importance of Mushawarat in all important matters, whether they are related to governance or otherwise.The practice of the Holy Prophetsa bears out that he always consulted his 20

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Companions, and they too followed his holy example in this regard.Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IVrh says: “The injunction to hold consultations, which has been made binding upon Muslims through the Holy Quran, is so clear and explicit that no instance o f it can be found in any other Divine Scripture.It is one o f the many distin guishing features o f the Holy Quran.N o religion can produce an example o f the elaborate system o f consulta tion and Shura which the Holy Quran has laid down for the Imam and for Muslims at large.” Reaching important decisions through consultation is a source o f great worldly and spiritual benefit for Muslims.This is why the Holy Prophetsa consulted his Companions so often that Hadrat Abu Hurayrahra had to remark: “I have not seen anyone consult his companions as often as the Holy Prophetsa.” ( Sunan Tirmadhi, Abwab FadaiJ-ul- Jihad, Bab ma J a ’a f il Mashwarah).Hadrat Imam BaihaqI has quoted a tradition from Hadrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas1 3 , that when the verse [Consult them in matters o f importance ] was revealed, the Holy Prophetsa said: “Though Allah and His Prophet stand in no need o f consulting other people, Allah has made consultation a source o f blessing for my umma.Therefore, any Muslim who adopts the path of consulta tion shall not be deprived of true light and guidance.But [Friday Sermon, 31 March 1995, Al-Fadl International, 12-18 May 1995, p.8] 21

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya he who avoids it will not escape humiliation.” [Shu‘b~ul-Iman, vol.6, pp.76-77] Imam Baihaqi has quoted another tradition from Hadrat Abdullah bin ‘Umarra in the same book.The Holy Prophetsa said: “When a person intends to undertake something and reaches a decision about it after consulta tion, Allah always helps him to make the right decision.” C riteria for M embership of S hura The following Hadith throws light on the criteria that should be adopted for choosing Shura members.Hadrat ‘Allra reports that he once approached the Holy Prophetsa and said: “O Prophet of Allah, when you are no longer among us and we face some difficulty with regard to which the Holy Quran is silent, and upon which your own holy example does not throw any light, what do you advise us to do?” The Holy Prophetsa said that such problems should be solved in the following manner: “Call together the virtuous scholars from among you and reach your decision with consultation.But never, in such cases, depend on the opinion o f any one individual.” [Kanz-ul-‘Ummal, vol.2, p.340; Durr-e-Manthur, vol.6, p.10; ATam-ul-MuqeTn by Ibn-e-Qayyim, vol.1, p.54] This Hadith clarifies that consultation is necessary only in matters about which there is no clear and explicit in junction in the Holy Quran or Hadith.It, therefore, follows that in matters about which clear injunctions are 22

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya to be found in the Shariah, consultation is'not only un necessary but is outright forbidden.Moreover, consultation should only be held with people who are known for their knowledge, religious insight and righteousness.Hadrat Abu Hurayrahra relates that the Holy Prophetsa once said: “Seek advice from a wise person; when he gives his advice and you reach a deci sion, do not go against it, or else you will face humiliation.” These two Ahadith taken together bear out that the Holy Prophetsa has declared it essential for members o f the Shura to be wise, sound o f judgement, virtuous and pious.M ushawarat during K hi lafat - e -R as hid a The institution o f Khilafat came into existence after the demise o f the Holy Prophetsa, and the Khulafa continued with the system o f Mushawarat.In this context, the Promised Messiah3 8 says: “The use o f authority can be a very sensitive matter.For this reason, the Khulafara whole-heartedly adopted the path o f Shura, so that if a mistake was made, the respon sibility would lie upon the whole community rather than on one person.” [Tbe Promised Messiah's™ letter to Nawab Muhammad ‘All Khan Sahib, Maktubat-e-Ahmadiyya, voL 7, part 1, p.52; Ashab-e-Ahmad, voL 2, p.1096) U nparalleled R esolve of H aorat A bu B akrr a Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddiqra was elected Islam’s first Khalifa after consultation among the Companions13.When he took up the responsibilities o f Khilafat, he 23

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat m J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya found Medina in turmoil.Some of the tribes had rebelled and others were refusing to pay Zakat.In addition to these hazards, Hadrat Abu Bakrra also had to dispatch an expedition under the command of Hadrat Usama bin Zaidra, which the Holy Prophetsa had ordered to be sent during his lifetime.In these circumstances, Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddiq1 3 sought the advice o f the Companions, including Hadrat ‘Umar13.They were o f the view that, owing to the great danger faced by the Muslims in Medina, it would be better to postpone the expedition.Hadrat Abu Bakr1 3 , however, refused to accept this.He said: “I swear by Him in Whose hand is my life, that even if I am in danger o f being carried away by the beasts o f the jungle, I shall not stop Usama’s expedition, which the Holy Prophet1 3 had him self ordered.I shall send this ex pedition even if I am the only living soul left in Medina.” [Sirat Hadrat ‘Abu Bakr Siddlq-e-Akbar by Muhammad Hussain Haikal (translated), p.137] When some Muslim tribes refused to pay Zakat, Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddlqra called a meeting o f Shura and invited the eminent Companions for consultation.Their unani mous opinion was that, under the circumstances, these people should be dealt with leniently.Hadrat Imam Suyutlrh has related this incident as follows: Hadrat ‘Umar” advised the Khalifa not to go to war, but Hadrat Abu Bakr” said: “If people refuse to pay even a small sum, or decline to offer lambs, as they did in the days o f the Holy Prophetsa, by God I shall go to war to collect these dues.” Hadrat ‘Umar1 3 asked: How can you 24

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya go to war, when the Holy Prophet5 1 3 has clearly said, “I am responsible for the life and property o f anyone who proclaims *i5\ JjJ/j XLAJXiH [There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger ], and I shall give them their rights; as for the rest, they w ill be answerable before God.” Hearing this, Hadrat Abu Bakr” said, “I shall certainly go to war against anyone who tries to separate Zakat from Salat.” [Tarflch-uI-KhuIafa, pp.74-75] The following extract by Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IVrh further clarifies this point: “Khilafat does not only submit to God, but also submits to the authority o f its predecessors, so much so, that it loses itself in submission to them.This also shows— and this is what the Khulafa have also understood— that the verse (Al-e-Tmran, 160) equally applies to anyone who * becomes the leader o f the Muslim umma after the Holy Prophetsa, whether he is appointed directly by God— as the Promised Messiah (as) was— or is otherwise elected.Whenever he makes a decision, he shall do so through consultation.But only he shall make the final decision, and he shall be helped by God in whatever he decides.He has to put his trust in God, only then shall he be able to make his decisions.” [Friday Sermon, 31 March 1995, Al~Fadl International 18-22 May 1995, p.8) Hence, during the Khilafat of Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddiqra the opinions of eminent Companions were sought in all matters of importance, but it was the Khalifa who always made the final decision, and even the Companions who differed with him would submit to it.Hadrat Abu Bakr 25

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J amac at - e -A hmadiyya Siddiq® always presented matters o f importance before eminent Companions and tried to reach a consensus.He always kept the wise and experienced Companions close to him.No institution o f Shura was yet in place, as would be in the time o f Hadrat ‘Umar®, but Hadrat Abu Bakr® always invited eminent Muhajirin and Ansar and sought their opinions in important matters.F ormal E stablishment of M ajlis - e -S h O ra When Hadrat ‘Umar® became the second Khalifa, he continued to act in compliance with the Divine injunc tion [And their affairs are decided by mutual consultation ], and made arrangements for regular consultations in all matters relating to the Islamic state.He established an all-encompassing institution of Majlis- e-Shura which ensured the stability o f the Islamic sys tem o f government, and showed what a truly great administrator and thinker he was.He would always de cide important matters after due deliberation and proper consultation in Majlis-e-Shura, which comprised of prominent and exceptionally brilliant people.The Holy Quran has laid down the basic principles for Mushawarat, but it does not put forward any particular procedure as to how it should be held.It leaves it to the Muslims o f every time and age to determine a system which suits their requirements and also conforms to the example set by the Holy Prophetsa.Whatever form Mushawarat may take, the aim is to reach decisions with consultation, so that unity can be assured among the 26

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya umma.By establishing the institution o f Mushawarat on a broad basis, Hadrat ‘Umarra highlighted its universal significance.During his Khilafat, matters relating to the state and to the umma were decided in Majlis-e-Shura after proper deliberation.He believed that consultation was an integral part of Khilafat, and would say: ‘There is no Khilafat without consultation.” [Ibn Abl Shaiba, vol.3, p.139, with reference to Kanz-ul-‘Ummal] Majlis-e-Shura consisted o f wise and experienced people elected by the Muhajirin and Ansar.Hadrat ‘Umarra would encourage young people and would seek their opinions in most matters.On occasion, he would even consult with women.And if the matter under considera tion had to do with non-Muslims, they too would be included in the consultations.[Al-Faruq by Shibli Naumanl, p.191; Shahkar-e-Risalat by Pervaiz, pp.272-273] Hadrat ‘Umarra would give preference to the opinion of even an ordinary person, if it happened to be better than his own or that o f some other important person.On one such occasion, he said that the amount o f Mehr (dowry) given to women was increasing by the day and a limit should be set on it.Upon this, one o f the ladies said: “Allah says, that even if you have given your wives heaps o f money, do not take it back.” When Hadrat ‘Umarra heard this, he said: “My sister is right, and ‘Umar was wrong.” [Al-Sunan-al~Kubra, vol.7, p.233; Al-Faruq by ‘Allama Muhammad Raza, p.68; A$hab-ur-Rusul Aur Unke Karname, part 1, p.164] 27

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya During the time of Hadrat ‘Umai*3, Majlis-e-Shura was convened only to discuss important matters, but there was also a body consisting of eminent Companions which would meet in the Prophet’s Mosque to deliberate upon routine matters.Hadrat ‘Umar1 3 would update the mem bers regarding the situation in different provinces and if there was any issue worthy of deliberation he would in vite their opinions on it.It was in such a meeting that the question of levying tax ( Jizyah) on the Majusls was first taken up.‘Allama Al-Baladhurf, a famous Islamic histo rian, has described this meeting as follows: A committee consisting o f Muhajirin used to meet in the Prophet’s Mosque in the presence o f Hadrat ‘Umar13.He would discuss with them numerous matters which came to him for decision.One day Hadrat ‘Umar” said: “I can not figure out what to do about the Majusis.” ‘Abdur Rahman bin ‘A u fa stood up and said: I testify that the Holy Prophet5 2 did say, “They should be dealt with on the same principle as the People o f the Book.” ]Fatuh-ul~Baldan, part 1, p.383] U sual M ethod for C onducting M ajlis - e -S hura The usual procedure for conducting Majlis-e-Shura at the time o f Hadrat ‘Umar1 3 was that someone would go around calling people to the mosque, and they would all gather there.Hadrat ‘Umarra would offer two rak ‘as of prayer, and then make an elaborate speech about the matter under consideration.He would then invite people to offer their suggestions.[Tarikh Tabri, p.2574] 28

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Hadrat < Umaifa would give people full freedom to ex press their opinions, but he would also exercise his prerogative to make the final decision.The question is: Is a Khalifa bound by the decision of the majority, or has he the right to reject their opinion? We find both instances in the time o f Hadrat Abu Bakrra and Hadrat ‘Umar1 *.There were times when the Khalifa accepted the opinion o f the majority.And one o f the guidelines sent by Hadrat ‘Umar™ to his governors was that, in cases where no clear guidance was available in the Quran or Hadith, decisions should be made on the basis o f consensus.But, on the other hand, we also find decisions made by Hadrat Abu Bakrra and Hadrat ‘Umar™ which were against the opinion o f the majority.For instance, with regard to the people who had refused to pay Zakat after the demise o f the Holy Prophet83, we find that Hadrat Abu Bakrra was determined to crush their rebellion, whereas the majority of the Companions, including Hadrat ‘Umarra, was against such an action.In this instance, Hadrat Abu Bakr1 3 overruled the majority and acted according to his own judgement.It was due to the blessing and majesty o f Khilafat that even those who had been against this idea, submitted to the Khalifa’s decision with all their heart and soul, and did not show any hesitation in putting down the rebellion.In this context, two important points need to be kept in mind.If the basic guidance regarding the matter under consid eration was to be found in the Holy Quran, the only 29

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya question that remained was how to apply it.Even when the Khalifa rejected the opinion o f the major ity, he would not force his decision upon them, but would put forward his arguments and try to convince the sceptics.For instance, when the question about the con quered lands o f Iraq came up, a grand Shura was called which included, apart from Muhajirin and Ansar, ten prominent leaders from the tribes o f Aus and Khazraj.The majority differed with Hadrat ‘Umar1 3 and suggested that the control o f the conquered lands should be given to the army.Hadrat Imam Abu Yusuf has referred to this event as follows: Hadrat ‘Abdur Rahman bin ‘Auf” said that those who conquered the land with their swords were more entitled to it than anyone else.Hadrat Bilal” also advocated this idea so forcefully that Hadrat ‘Umar” was displeased and had to say: j [O God, help me over Bi lal and his friends.'] Hadrat ‘Umar”, however, was o f the view that since the land was the property o f the Govern ment, it should be allowed to stay in the possession o f its inhabitants.Hadrat ‘A ll” , Hadrat ‘Uthman” and Hadrat Talha” were also o f the same opinion....The matter was taken up in Majlis-e-Shura and the debate went on for several days.People expressed their opinions boldly and confidently, but as they could not come to a definite conclusion, Hadrat ‘Umar” postponed the meeting pending further deliberations.He later recalled the Shura and opened the meeting with these remarks: “I have bothered you to come forward and help me to discharge the responsibility which has been placed on 30

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T he S ystem of mushawarat in J am A‘ at - e - ahmadiyya me, for I am just an ordinary man like you.Today you have to decide according to the truth.Some o f you have disagreed with me and others have agreed, but I do not want you to agree with my opinion simply because it is mine.I merely refer you to the Book o f Allah which tells the truth.Even I, when expressing an opinion, do so for the sake o f the truth.” (Kitab-ul-Khiraj, Imam Abu Yusuf, pp.14-15] He then said that during the deliberations, he had found guidance from some verses o f the Holy Quran.He then quoted the verse: “Whatever Allah has given to His Messenger as spoils from the people o f the towns, is for Allah and for the M essenger.” (Al-Hashr, 59:8) After this, everyone, including the sceptics, were satis fied with the decision of Hadrat ‘Umarra.This is how the Companions used to express their dissent ing opinions, and this was the God-given capacity which helped the Khalifa to make the final decision.Hadrat ‘Abdullah bin M as‘udra used to say: “When Hadrat ‘UmaTa makes a resolve, it facilitates the matter for us.” Even when choosing people for key posts, Hadrat ‘Umarra used to consult the Shura.At times when choos ing a high official for some country, he would ask its leading citizens to nominate someone whom they con sidered competent, honest and trustworthy.[Al-Faruq by Shibli NaumanI, p.191] 31

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya S hura in the F inal D ays of K hilafat - e -R ashida As already mentioned, Hadrat cUmarra firmly established and organized the system o f Shura during his Khilafat.Hadrat ‘Uthmanra continued this process by consulting eminent Companions and government officials.Most of the time when important matters came before him, he would call the Shura, and this Shura would include gov ernment officials.Once an issue pertaining to the Holy Quran was brought to the notice o f Hadrat ‘Uthman1 3 by the people o f Iraq.They argued that since they had been taught the Holy Quran by Hadrat Abu Musa Al-Ash‘arira, their Q ira’at (recitation) o f the Holy Quran was more accurate than that of the Syrians.The Syrians, on the other hand, claimed that their recitation was more correct as they had been taught by Hadrat Miqdad bin Al-Aswadra.Hadrat ‘Uthmanra consulted the Companions on this issue and it was decided that only that particular manuscript o f the Holy Quran should be followed which had been collected in written form during the Khilafat o f Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddlqra and had been handed over to Hadrat Hafsara for safekeeping.He also ordered that all other manuscripts should be burnt, and this order was carried out.[Al-Kamil fit-Tarikh by Ibn-e-Athlr, vol.3, pp.11M12J Once Hadrat ‘Uthmanra summoned all the governors to Medina to discuss measures for maintaining law and or der in the land.Officials from the smaller provinces were also invited, as were members of Majlis-e-Shura 32

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadi yya and a number o f other eminent people from Medina.Hadrat ‘Uthmanra addressed the gathering and said: “Everyone has advisors and counsellors; you are my ad visers.You are well aware that people want me to withdraw some o f my governors whom they do not like and to replace them with those whom they favour.It is on this matter that I seek your advice.” All the governors and some members of Majlis-e-Shura offered their sug gestions and Hadrat cUthmanra listened to them all.Finally, some punitive and corrective measures were de cided upon and the meeting was concluded.[Al-Kamil fit-Tarikta by Ibn-e-Athlr, vol.3, pp.149-150; Encyclopaedia A$hab-un-NabFa, pp.576-577] After the martyrdom o f Hadrat ‘Uthmanra, Hadrat ‘A lf3 was elected the fourth Khalifa.The same tradition of Shura was followed during the five years o f his Khilafat.After his martyrdom, Khilafat was transformed into monarchy, for it was destined that the revival of the Is lamic Shura was to take place with the advent o f the Promised Messiah (as).The Promised Messiah (as) set up a consultative committee in his own lifetime to give spur to the mission of spread ing Islam.This committee met regularly on the occasion o f Jalsa Salana, and also discussed other matters o f im portance.The Promised Messiah3 5 5 would frequently consult members o f the Jama'at upon matters relating to the Jama'at and administration.Jalsa Salana 1907 was the last to be attended by the Promised Messiah3 5 5 in per 33

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya son.On this occasion, the first fiscal budget of the Jama'at was presented for approval in a meeting o f Ma- jlis-e-Shura.Just as Khilafat ‘ala Minhaj-in-Nubuwwah was established after the Promised Messiah (as), so was Majlis-e-Shura established on a permanent basis.In the following pages we shall discuss the gradual develop ment of Islamic Majlis-e-Shura during this renaissance o f Islam.

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Chapter II M ushawarat D uring the T ime of T he P romised M essiah ^ F irst M ajlis - e -M ushawarat of the J ama ‘ at Mushawarat is one o f the basic guiding principles which the Holy Quran has laid down for the establishment of the ideal Islamic society.It says: “And whose affairs are decided by mutual consultation.” (Al-Shura, 42:39) One of the fundamental objects o f the Ahmadiyya Jama4at is to establish the institution o f Mushawarat in conformity with true Islamic values and unblemished by any sort o f interpolation.In keeping with the practice of the Holy Prophetsa, the Promised Messiah3 5 would always consult his Compan ions on important matters, both individually and collectively, as and when required.An important in stance o f collective consultation was witnessed during the first Jalsa Salana that was held in December 1891.Since the Jama4at was very small at the time, and only 75 members were present in the Jalsa, it was not consid ered necessary to hold separate sessions for Jalsa and for Mushawarat.The Promised Messiah35, therefore, used the occasion of Jalsa for Mushawarat as well.This occa sion is considered the first Majlis-e-Shura o f the 35

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya Jama'at.The first proposal that was presented on this occasion was that a committee should be formed, com prising both Ahmadls and non-Ahmadls, to record the innumerable signs with which God was continuously blessing the Jama'at.This proposal was incorporated in the book Asmara Faislah and was read out by Hadrat Maulawi ‘Abdul Karim Sialkotira after Zuhr prayer, on 27th December, 1891.Thereafter the audience were re quested to propose names for the committee and to suggest how this committee should function.The mem bers who had come together solely to deliberate upon this proposal unanimously agreed that a booklet contain ing the proposal should be published at once, and, after gauging the reaction o f the opponents, members of the committee should be selected with the mutual agreement o f Ahmadls and non-Ahmadls.[Asmani Faislah, RuhanI Khaza’in, vol.4, p.336, footnote] A ims and O bjectives of J alsa S alana One o f the objectives o f Jalsa Salana, as mentioned by the Promised Messiah (as) in his announcement o f 7th De cember, 1892, is mutual consultation.The Promised Messiah (as) said: “A Jalsa o f my devoted and sincere followers shall be held on 27th December in Qadian.The main objective o f this Jalsa is for all the sincere ones to gain spiritual bene fit, to increase their knowledge and to enhance their spiritual understanding, by the grace o f Allah.Another benefit to be derived from such a Jalsa is that members o f the Jama'at w ill come to know each other better and their 36

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in jama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya relationships w ill be strengthened.Another important purpose o f this Jalsa is that members should come up with valuable suggestions for creating better religious understanding among the people o f Europe and America, since it is well-known that many righteous people in those countries are ready to accept Islam but are daunted by its sectarian divisions.” [Majmu‘ah Ishtiharat, vol.1, pp.340-341| E stablishment of a C onsultative C ommittee for the P ropagation of I slam On 28 December, 1892, the second day of Jalsa Salana, the Promised Messiah3 5 asked the audience to come for ward with proposals for the propagation of Islam in Europe and America.Members came up with various proposals, and it was finally decided, with the Promised Messiah’s3 3 approval, that a booklet containing the basic concepts o f Islam and presenting the beautiful teachings of Islam in rational terms, should be compiled and printed and should then be published extensively throughout Europe and America.Another proposal was for the estab lishment of a press in Qadian, and a list was made of members who would regularly contribute towards its ex penses.It was also decided that a newspaper should be started for the purpose o f spreading and helping the cause of Islam.Likewise, it was suggested that Hadrat Maulawi Sayyed Muhammad Ahsan Sahib o f Amroha1 3 should be appointed as a missionary o f the Jama4 at and he should visit places all over the Punjab and India.The Jalsa was concluded with silent prayer and it was decided that fu 37

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at ~ e -A hmadiyya ture Jalsas would also be governed by these basic princi ples, i.e., planning new strategies for the propagation of Islam and for winning the hearts o f new converts to Islam in Europe and America; considering schemes for the promotion of virtue, goodwill, righteousness and good morals, and elimination of immorality and ugly customs and innovations.A committee was constituted for imple menting these schemes and handling other organizational matters.Hadrat Maulawl Nuruddhi Bhervf3 was ap pointed its president and Mirza Khuda Bakhsh Sahib Atal!qra its secretary.The committee would consist of the following members: Khan Sahib Muhammad ‘AH Khan Sahib, Ra’Is M ain Kotla; Shaikh Rahmatullah Sahib, Municipal Commissioner Gujrat; MunshI Ghulam Qadir Sahib Fasih, Vice President and Municipal Commissioner, Sialkot; and Maulawl ‘Abdul Karim Sahib Sialkoti.[A’Tna-e-Kamalat-e-IsIam, Ruhani Khza’ln, vol.5, pp.615-616] G eneral C onsultations with M embers of the J ama ‘ at In the national census o f 1901, the government had de cided that there would be a separate column for every individual sect and it was decided that in all official documents each sect would be referred to by the name it proposed for itself.Members of the Jama'at, therefore, started writing to the Promised Messiah (as) asking him as to what name they should indicate in this column.The Promised Messiah3 5 , therefore, decided to consult the Jama'at on this point.One day, after ‘Isha prayer, he said: “I am receiving letters from everywhere asking what 38

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the S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e - ahmadiyya name should be given to our Jama'at.I request everyone to suggest a name.” Present on this occasion were Hadrat Maulawi Nuruddin Sahib1 3 , Hadrat Maulawi Sayyed Muhammad Ahsan A m rohf3, Hadrat Maulawi ‘Abdul Karim Sahib Sialkotf3, Hadrat Maulawi Qutbuddin Sahib13, Mirza Khuda Bakhsh Sahibra and Hadrat Pir Sirajul Haq Sahib N aum anf3.The Promised Messiah (as) asked them to deliberate upon this matter and respond within three days, upon which Hadrat Pir Sirajul Haq Sahib N aum anf3 said: “If you would kindly permit me, could I offer my suggestion right now.” The Promised Messiah (as) told him to go ahead, and he suggested that the sect should be called Ahmadi.The Promised Messiah3 5 * did not give any immediate response, but the next day he published an announcement, under Divine guidance, in which he named the Jama'at Musalman Firqah Ahmadi (The Ahmadi Muslim Sect).[Tadhkira-tiil-Mahdl, by Plr Sirajul Naumani, part 1, pp.145-147] Hadrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahib1 3 has similarly enlightened us upon the Promised Messiah’s consulta tions with members o f the Jama'at.He says that whenever matters like Jalsas or publication o f an nouncements required deliberations, the Promised Messiah3 S would summon his Companions for consulta tion.This could happen up to three or four times a year.[Report Majlis-e-Shura 1927, p.144] 39

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya E stablishment of M adrasa A hmadiyya At the time o f the Promised Messiah (as), a school was established in Qadian which was called Madrasa Ta‘limul Islam.After the demise o f Hadrat Maulawl ‘Abdul Karim Sahib Sialkotf3 and Hadrat Maulawi Burhanuddin Sahib Jehlam fa, the Promised Messiah (as) became greatly concerned, and he was led under Divine guidance to consider: “Permanent arrangements have to be made for producing scholars who are skilled at oratory and are eager to serve the faith.He also said: I feel disappointed when I see the condition o f Madrasa T a‘limul Islam, for it has failed to achieve the purpose I had intended for it.If the students who pass out o f this institution go out only to seek the world, then why did we establish it? What we want is to produce people who will serve the faith.” [Maktubat-e-Ahmadiyya, vol.5, part 3, p.62] So the Promised Messiah (as) summoned a number of Com panions to consider this problem and to suggest necessary reforms.He said that the Madrasa should be reformed in such a way that it should produce real scholars and good preachers who should take the place of those who were passing away.He said that the Madrasa should produce Quranic scholars, preachers and intellectuals, and should become a source of guidance for the world.[Maktubat-e-Ahmadiyya, vol.5, part 3, pp.62-63] Upon this, some members suggested that the Madrasa should be closed down altogether and another school, 40

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya exclusively for religious education, should be set up.The administrators o f the Madrasa were also o f the same view.But Hadrat Maulawi Nuruddln Sahibra and Hadrat Mirza Bashiruddln Mahmud Ahmad Sahibra disagreed.They suggested that the Madrasa should continue and religious education should be included in its syllabus.[AJ-Fadl, Jubilee Number, 1939, p.65] The Promised Messiah (as) accepted the latter suggestion and decided that a separate section, meant for religious education, should be established within the Madrasa.[Al-^akam, 10 February 1906, p.2] This section for religious education proved to be the pre cursor o f a greater and separate religious institution that later came to be known as Madrasa Ahmadiyya.F irst F iscal B udget of the J ama ‘ at The last Jalsa Salana which was graced by the presence o f the Promised Messiah (as), was held in 1907.During the Jalsa, on 28th December, 1907, a conference of Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya—an organization set up by the Promised Messiah3 8 —was held after Maghrib prayers.The Presidents and Secretaries o f many outside Jama'ats were also present.A report prepared by Secretary Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya regarding the working of the different Departments o f the Anjuman was read out.This was followed by presentation o f the budget for the year 1908.Khawaja Kamaluddin Sahib discussed in detail various important aspects o f the budget, after which Hadrat Maulawi Nuruddln Sahibra made a speech 41

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama 4 at - e -A hmadiyya in which he spelled out the kind of organizations that were considered lawful by the Holy Quran.According to the summary o f the budget published in the newspaper, the income for the year 1908 was Rs.63,875 and the proposed expenditure was Rs.96,559.This was the first fiscal budget o f the Jama'at which was pre sented in the Conference.(Al-Badr, Qadian, 16 January 1908, pp.4-5] Note: It was on this occasion that the word Conference was first used for Majlis-e-Mushawarat.M ushawarat D uring the T ime of II adrat K hal I fatul M as I h I r a The election o f the first Khalifa after the demise of the Promised Messiah3 8 was a perfect manifestation o f the verse: [Their affairs are decided by mutual consultation ].Members of the Jama'at from within and outside Qadian, as well as members o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, gathered in Qadian for the funeral o f the Promised Messiah (as).They all unanimously elected Hadrat Hakim Nuruddin Sahib1 3 as Khalifatul Masih and first Successor to the Promised Messiah (as).Thus, according to the prophecy o f the Promised Messiah (as), the Second Manifestation was established in the Jama'at, and Khilafat on the path o f Prophethood was re-established.F irst M ajlis - e -S hura of K hilafat - e -U la In conformity with the pattern partly set by the Promised Messiah3 S , the first meeting o f Majlis-e-Shura was held 42

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya on the occasion o f Jalsa Salana 1908, from 8 to 10 pm on 26th December, in Masjid Mubarak, Qadian.It was convened by the Secretary Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya.Present in the meeting were representatives from Jama'ats all over the country as well as members o f the Anjuman.This meeting has historically been referred to as a Conference.The major issue discussed was whether to continue the religious institution set up by the Promised Messiah3 1 5 or to close it down.Here we give details o f this meeting: Despite being a member of the Anjuman, Hadrat Mirza Bashfruddin Mahmud Ahmad Sahibra could not be in formed o f this meeting beforehand.It was towards the close o f the meeting that he learnt that the Shura was go ing on in the mosque and that the question o f the Madrasa was being debated.When he entered the mosque Khawaja Kamaluddln was making a passionate speech.After he finished, Hadrat Sahibzada Sahib stood up and spoke briefly for about ten minutes.He said: “The work o f the Jama'at is not going to end today.These are matters whose influence w ill be felt for hun dreds and thousands o f years to come, and people are going to scrutinize them...This is the first meeting of representatives o f the Jama'at after the demise o f the Promised Messiah35.Just imagine how history w ill judge us: That the religious institution set up by the Promised Messiah35, in consultation with all members o f the Jama'at, just 2 years before, was closed down by his Jama'at immediately after his dem ise!...” 43

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya This brief but stirring speech caused a change o f hearts.Some members were so deeply touched that they could not restrain their tears.All those present unanimously announced: “We are not at all in favour o f closing the Madrasa Ahmadiyya.This institution shall continue and we shall never let it close down in our lifetime.” [Tarlkh-e-Ahmadiyyat, vol.4, pp.247-250; Speeches of Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau^ud™, Al-Fadl, 21 November 1935, p.4; Al-Fadl, 11 April 1961, p.4; Speech Jalsa Salana, 28 December 1961] A C rucial and D ecisive M eeting of M ajlis - e -S hur A An important occasion which called for consultation with members o f the Jama'at during the time o f Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh Ira, was when some questions were put to him regarding the jurisdiction o f the Khalifa.Hudurra instructed that these questions should be sent to forty members o f the Jama'at, who should forward their opinions to him, and should also assemble in Qadian on 31st January, 1909.[^aqiqat-e-lkhtilaf, by Maulawl Muhammad ‘All Sahib, pp, 34-35; Mujahid-e-Kabir, Sawaneh Maulawl Muhammad ‘All Sahib, p.92; Tarlkh-e-Ahmadiyyat, voL 4, pp.271-272] About 250 representatives of the Jama'at, who had been summoned by Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh Ira for consulta tion, came to Qadian and assembled on the roof of Masjid Mubarak on the appointed date.When Hudur arrived, he refused to stand at the place that had been specially pre pared for him in the middle.Instead, he moved to the eastern side which had been constructed by the Promised Messiah3 5 , and made a moving speech.He said: “My verdict is that the Khalifa has to be obeyed by the Jama4at and by the Anjuman, both o f which are subservi- 44

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ^ t - e -A hmadiyya ent to him.Anjuman is only an advisory body which is required by the Khalifa.” [Faruq, 5 July 1917, p.3; Tankh-e-Ahmadiyyat, vol.4, pp.280-281] Hudur added: “Some people have said that the Khalifa’s function is no more than to lead congregational and funeral prayers, to solemnize the Nikah, and to receive the pledges o f Bai‘at.But when all this can be done even by a Mullah, where then is the need o f a Khalifa? I spurn the idea o f such an allegiance.True Bai‘at means complete submis sion, with no question o f violating even a single injunction o f the Khalifa.” [KhHafat-e-Ahmadiyya ke Mukhallm kl Tehrik, pp.18-19] In consequence of this speech, all their doubts were re moved and they understood the true status o f the Khalifa.Hadrat Khallfatul Masih Ira asked Khawaja Kamaluddin Sahib and Maulawi Muhammad ‘All Sahib to renew then- pledges o f Bai‘at.He also said: I do not approve of those who held a Jalsa in support o f the establishment of Khilafat either.Once I had called people for a meeting, they had no right to hold a separate Jalsa.I never told them to do so.When God has granted me the courage to overcome this mischief, why then did they take this task upon themselves? Hudur instructed Hadrat Shaikh Y a‘qub ‘All ‘Irfani, who had organized that Jalsa, to re new his pledge o f Bai‘at as well.[Al-QauI-ul~Fa$l, January 1915, p.48; Tarlkh-e-Ahmadiyyat, voL 4, pp.280-281] 45

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e ~ A hmadiyya A n O verview of M ushawarat D uring the T ime of H a prat K haiifatul MASlfl IR A During Jalsa Salana 1909, which was held from 25 to 27th March, 1910, Ahmadiyya Conference was also held in a room of the Boarding House.It was presided over by Hadrat Sahibzada Mirza Bashmiddln Mahmud Ahmad Sahibra.Presidents and Secretaries from various Jama'ats made recommendations regarding certain issues, includ ing the budget, after brief deliberation.The Foreign Mission Fund was also launched and it was suggested that foreign Jama'ats should not be bound to hold Jalsas every year, but should seek permission and guidance from Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya in this regard.Members were also urged to make urgent efforts regarding the collection of the Construction Fund after returning to their Jama'ats.It was also suggested that, as and when suitable persons are available for the purpose o f preaching, they should be ap pointed to serve in this field.[Al-Badr, Qadian, 31 March 1910, p.2] With reference to this Conference, the Editor o f Al- Hakam had this to report: “In 1910, Jalsa Salana was held in March.M ajlis-e- Mushawarat was also held on this occasion under the name o f Ahmadiyya Conference, and Hadrat Sahibzada Mirza Bashiruddln Mahmud Ahmad” was unanimously elected to preside over it.Interesting discussions took place on different topics, which shows that people are growing more and more involved in the affairs o f the Jama'at.” [Al-Hakam, 28 March-7 April, 1910, p.14] 46

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THE SYSTEM OF MUSHAWARAT IN JAMA‘AT-E-AHMADIYYA Likewise, on the second day o f Jalsa Salana 1912, Ahmadiyya Conference was held in Masjid Mubarak, at 7:30 in the evening.First o f all, the Annual Budget was presented and passed after some discussion.The attention o f the members was then drawn to Madrasa Ahmadiyya and Zakat.Different proposals came up regarding the in come o f Madrasa Ahmadiyya, and it was finally decided that every Jama4 at should send a reasonable portion o f the Local Fund—which is received from members on occa sions o f their promotion, births or marriages—in order to award scholarships.It was also decided that more and more young men should be motivated to join Madrasa Ahmadiyya, particularly those who can bear their own expenses; and that students who fail to make the grade should be given other suitable tasks.Sialkot Jama'at proposed that the larger Jama'ats, in which the work o f collection of funds is substantial, should be allowed to pay some honorarium to those who collect the funds and keep the records, so that they may be answerable for properly maintaining the accounts.Al though a number o f delegates were not in favour o f this proposal, it was passed for it was considered necessary.[Al-ftakam, 7-14 January 1913; Al-Badr, 9 January 1913J M ushawarat D uring the T ime of H adrat K halifatul M as T h Upon the sad demise of Hadrat Khalifatul Masih Ira, on 14th March 1914, about two thousand members of the Jama'at gathered in Masjid Noor, Qadian.Hadrat Nawab 47

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama 4 at - e -A hmadiyya Muhammad ‘Al! Khan Sahib1 3 read out the will o f Hadrat KhalTfatul Masih Ira in which he had advised the Jama'at to remain united on one hand.On hearing this, the people started speaking in favour of Mirza Bashiruddm Mahmud Ahmad Sahib.Although some people, who were against the institution o f Khilafat, tried to draw attention towards themselves, members of the Jama'at refused to listen to them because these people were against the very idea of Khilafat.A group o f believers then started pledging Bai‘at at the hand o f Hadrat Mirza Bashiruddm Mahmud Ahmad Sahib1 3 with such zeal and passion as if their hearts were in the possession o f angels and were being drawn to the Divine will.[Tankh-e-Ahmadiyyat, vol.4, pp.554-555] A n E xtraordinary M eeting of S hura During the early days o f this Khilafat, it was felt necessary to call a meeting of the selected representatives of the Jama" at, in order to curb the nefarious activities of the Ghair M ubaV ln} Messages were sent to Jama'ats outside Qadian by Hadrat Nawab Muhammad ‘All Khan Sahibra, Hadrat Sayyed Muhammad Ahsan Amrohi Sahib1 3 and Hadrat Dr.Khalifa Rashiduddin Sahib1 3 , stating that Khalifatul Masih IIra wished to consult the Jama'at upon some important issues on 12th April 1914, at Qadian.Every Jama'at was instructed to elect two 1 The group o f Ahmadis who refused to pledge Bai'at at the hand o f Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIra; also known as ‘Lahori Ahmadis \ 48

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya representatives from among those who had pledged allegiance to Khilafat, and to send them to Qadian for this meeting.The Jama'ats complied with this instruction and more than 150 representatives came from Jama'ats outside Qadian.The total figure came to 250, including selected members from Qadian.The proceedings commenced in Masjid Mubarak at 7:30 a.m.The seating arrangement, as directed by Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra, was as follows: 1.Members o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, and news reporters.2.Representatives from Jama'ats outside Qadian.3.Members from Qadian.Dr.Khalifa Rash!duddlnra was the organizer o f this meeting.First, Mir Qasim ‘All Sahibra read out a paper written by PIr Manzur Muhammad Sahibra, in which he proved that Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IIra was indeed Musleh-e-Mau‘ud (the Promised Reformer).Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IIra came to the meeting after praying in Bait-ud-Du ‘a and delivered an incisive speech, which has been published under the title o f Mansab-i-Khilafat, (The Status of Khilafat).After lunch and Zuhr prayer interval, the second session commenced.It was presided over by Hadrat Sayyed Muhammad Ahsan Sahib AmrohIra, while Hadrat Nawab Muhammad ‘All Khan Sahibra acted as secretary.The delegates were invited to offer their suggestions and 49

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A' at - e -A hmadiyya comments on the Agenda presented by Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh I P in his earlier address (on the status of Khilafat).The delegates actively participated in the discussion and freely offered their considered opinions.It was finally decided that: 1.Missionaries should be sent to all the towns and cities in India for the propagation o f Ahmadiyyat.Their expenses would be defrayed by the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya under the head Ishd ‘at-e-Islam.2.Rule no.18 o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya was: “In each and every matter, the word o f the Promised Messiah2 5 shall be final and binding upon M ajlis-i- Mu‘tamadln and its subsidiaries, as w ell as upon Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya and all its Departments.” It was decided that this rule should be amended and the words “Promised Messiah (as)” should be replaced by the words “Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh II, Mirza Bashlruddin Mahmud Ahmad Sahib.” It was also decided that this resolution should be proposed by Hadrat Nawab Muhammad ‘All Khan Sahib, Hadrat Sayyed Muhammad Ahsan Sahib, Hadrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib, Hadrat Dr.Khalifa Rashld-ud-DIn Sahib and Hadrat Maulawl Sher ‘All Sahib.3.Every district should send some students to study at Madrasa Ahmadiyya.4.Missionaries should be paid by Anjuman-e- M u‘tamadln and not by the Jama'ats.50

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya 5.Secretaries o f all Jama'ats should determine the amount o f Zakat which is payable by their members, and make proper arrangements for its collection.This amount, as well as that under the head Ishci ‘at-e-Islam, should be sent directly to Hadrat Khalifatul Masih.6.Ahmadiyya schools and hostels should be established wherever possible, in order to spread education.As far as possible, Government grants should not be accepted for this purpose.7.A board should be convened to consider the estab lishment o f a college at Qadian.This board should consist mainly o f educationists and old boys from Ta‘limul Islam High school.[Man$ab-e-Khilafat, 1st edition, pp.55-56; Al-^akam 14 April 1914, p.9; AI-Hakam 21 April 1914, pp.7-8j Members from the following Jama'ats participated in this meeting: Lahore, Pakpattan, Kiryam (Distt.Jullundur), Rahon, Calcutta, Amritsar, Banga (Distt.Hoshiarpur), Mardan (Distt.Peshawar), Swabi, Saharanpur, Jammu, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Multan, Alipur, Lyallpur, Batala, Sarchur, Bhudyar, Ghokhowal, Talwandi Rahwali, Jullundur Cantt., Gojra, Hilalpur, Kot Radha Kishan, Karachi, Bahria, Sargodha, Dulmial, Kapurthala, Lodhran, Jorah, Saikhwan, Mahallanwala, Ahrana, Sareeh, Mangat Unchay, Dera Ghazi Khan, Dojwal (Ajnala) Gujrat, Shahjahanpur, Delhi.lATHakam, 14 April 1914] 51

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya S hura D uring the E arly Y ears of K hilafat - e -T haniya During the early years o f Khilafat-e-Thaniya, Ahmadi- yya Conference—-which was normally held at night in Masjid Mubarak during the Jalsa Salana—could not be held regularly due to the extraordinary circumstances.This is why no record of this Conference is available for the years 1914 and 1915.Al-Fadl, however, did publish the following note about Jalsa Salana 1915: “We regret to announce that, due to shortage o f time, Ahmadiyya Conference, which is usually held each year in Masjid Mubarak at night, could not be held this year.But this has been more than compensated for by the fact that, for the improvement, development and progress o f local Jama'ats, Secretaries were provided half-yearly re port forms at the behest o f Hadrat Khallfatul Masihat, so that, instead o f exchanging views only once a year, the work can proceed uniformly all the year round.” [Al-Fadl Qadian, 8 January 1916] Later, the half-yearly reports received from the Jama'ats were compiled and presented in a full session of Jalsa Salana by Secretary Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya.The de tails of income and expenditure were also included in these reports.[Al-Fadl Qadian, 30 December 1916; 22 January 1918; 12 January 1920] Nazir Sahib Baitul Mai would sometimes request the Jama'at for additional funds to meet the budget deficit.Therefore, the report presented in the Jalsa Salana of 1919 included a Rs.234,000 budget for the following year.When an appeal was made for funds, the faithful 52

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya immediately responded with Rs.12,000 in cash.[Al-Fadl Qadian, 12 January 1920] During the Ahmadiyya Conference, discussions were traditionally held on important issues facing the Jama'at.In this regard, the Editor o f Al-Hakam wrote the follow ing note on 28th March, 1919: “Ahmadiyya Conference serves a vital purpose, but un fortunately it could not be held during the last two years.Hadrat Khalifatul Maslhat wishes to cultivate the habit o f discussion and consultation in the Jama'at.He empha sized this in his speech Mansab-e-Khilafat.It is therefore important that some time should be set aside for consultation on important issues o f the Jama'at during Jalsa Salana.” [Al-Hakam, 28 March 1919, pp.5-6) C onsultations with E xperts & O rganizing the S tructure of the J ama ‘ at Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIra invited written suggestions from experts for improving the central organizational structure and establishing Nazarats.Hudurra said: “In view o f the rapid growth o f the Jama'at and increase in the volume o f work, an organizational structure has been evolved, which w ill facilitate the work and deal with the problems that frequently arise.I proposed a scheme and sent it to some friends for their comments.After due consultation and prayers, the structure has started functioning from 1st January, 1919...The new system comprises four Departments: 1.Nazir Baitul Mai w ill be responsible for the generation o f funds to meet the expenses o f the Jama'at.53

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in jama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya 2.Nazir Ta’lIf-o-Isha‘at shall compile the objections raised by the opponents against the Jama'at and shall prepare suitable replies.He shall also make available supporting arguments and material to the Jama'at.3.Ta‘lim-o-Tarbiyyat Department w ill be responsible for proposing and implementing the best schemes for the re ligious and conventional education o f the Jama'at and its future generations, because no nation can progress unless its future generations are enlightened.4.Amur-e-‘Amah Department w ill be responsible for suggesting and implementing schemes related to politics, trade and industry, skills, jobs and agriculture.It w ill also work on solving problems related to marriage.Then there shall be the Ifta Department, which alone w ill be entitled to pronounce edicts on religious matters, and to which all religious disputes shall be referred.AH these Departments come under a Nazir A ‘la, who presents weekly reports to me about all the subordinate Departments, and receives further instructions from m e.” [Al-Fadl, 1 April 1919, pp.7-8] F ormal E stablishment of M ajlis - e -M ushawarat Up to this time, the system o f Mushawarat had not been established as a permanent institution, and during the initial period of the Khilafat-e-Thaniya, meetings were held for the purpose of consultation only when required.In 1922, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIra established annual Majlis-e-Shura as an institution for the first time.In this regard, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IVrh has said: “The institution o f Mushawarat which we see today in the Jama'at was in fact established by Hadrat M usleh-e- 54

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya Mau‘udra in 1922.That was when Mushawarat became a formal institution, and subsequent events proved its im portance; for financial matters were acquiring a new significance, and occasional consultations were no longer considered sufficient.It was necessary to take the whole Jama'at, who are the contributors, into confidence re garding financial matters.This is the Majlis-e-Shura which has continued to grow, and now, by the grace o f Allah, it has been established on the same pattern in many countries around the world.” [Friday Sermon, 31 March 1995; AI-Fadl International 12-18 May 1995, p.7] As a formal institution, the first meeting of Majlis-e- Mushawarat was held in the auditorium o f Ta‘lim~ul- Islam High School, from 15th to 16th April, 1922.It was attended by 52 delegates from Jama'ats outside Qadian, and 30 representatives from the Central Departments.Separate passes were issued to delegates and Za’irin (visi tors).Za’inn were seated in the upper galleries while the delegates were seated in the main hall.Hudur’s chair and table were placed at the Northern side of the hall and the delegates sat before him in a semi-circle.P ure and I deal E nvironment of M ajlis - e -S hura Majhs-e-Shura o f Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya does not only differ from other worldly organizations in its organiza tional structure and its fimctioning, it also has a very unique environment which has to be experienced to be understood.We will try to describe here it in a few words.Nations are not built in a day, it is something that re quires years o f hard work and extraordinary supervision.55

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e ~A hmadiyya The atmosphere o f Mushawarat owes its development to years o f hard work, continuous supervision and sincere prayers o f Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IIra.His personality and character is imprinted on every aspect o f Majlis-e- Shura as we see it today.Its every manifestation re freshes his memories in our minds.He was charged with the responsibility o f educating and training the people of a backward area o f an undeveloped country, who could not be termed as civilized and cultured by any stan dards— and this was particularly true o f the Punjab.The task before Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IIra was extremely complex and difficult, not only because he had to trans form such backward people into a civilized and cultured entity, but he also had to establish an Islamic System of Consultation with all its practical manifestations, which would become a role model even for the civilized world, and would project the superiority o f Islamic teachings over other religions and ideologies.This was an arduous task.At times people would con tinue to repeat the same mistakes despite his elaborate speeches and repeated exhortations.He would explain things to them again and again, and yet they would con tinue to make mistakes.He was like a mother who teaches her child to walk and eat, or like a teacher who finally manages to teach correct pronunciation to an er rant student.Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh Hra had to work hard to make the members understand the etiquette, ethics and wisdom o f the system of Mushawarat.He worked till 56

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya his last breath and left behind a highly organized and or dered institution of Mushawarat, which is doubtless a model for all consultative institutions o f the world.Whenever, due to lack o f understanding or proper train ing, some members spoke unnecessarily during the Shura, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IIra would advise them in words such as these: “Yesterday I said that you should not speak just because you want to speak.You should speak only when it is really necessary.People tend to speak in haste because they lack wisdom , or perhaps they are so lost in their own thoughts that they do not hear what others are say ing and go on repeating the same things.” [Report Majlis~e-Shura 1922, p.32] There were times when Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IIra had to admonish the members in a considerate manner.Dur ing Majlis-e-Mushawarat 1923, in response to a question that was asked in an objectionable tone, Hudur™ said: “This is not a Parliament where people are incited against one another; this is Majlis-e-Mushawarat.If you do not understand something you should ask.Such problems are at times caused by a person’s tone.His intention may not be what his tone implies, and it may be his habit to speak in that tone.When the Quranic verse was revealed ad monishing the faithful not to raise their voices in the presence o f the Holy Prophet5 *, one o f his Companions, who had a loud voice, adopted complete silence and even avoided the company o f the Holy Prophetsa, for he be lieved him self to be a hypocrite on account o f his loud voice.He then had to be told the true connotation o f the 57

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the S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya injunction.Hence, if someone is in the habit o f speaking aloud, he should try to control his voice and his tone.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1923, p.26] Hadrat Khallfatul Masih Hra would not only examine the questioner during Majlis-e-Shura, but he would also scru tinize the truthfulness and appropriateness o f the Nazir’s reply...If there was even a hint o f ambiguity in the reply, Hudur1 * would clarify the matter in such a way that there would be no need for any more questions.On the second day o f Majlis-e-Mushawarat 1923, Hudur, not being satis fied with the reply of a Nazir Sahib, observed: “Instead o f saying that the report could not be prepared in such a short time, he has denied all responsibility for the work.Although he is the N a’ib Nazir o f the office which has published the report, he says that there is no record available.If he had plainly admitted that he could not complete the work due to shortage o f time, the matter would not have taken this turn.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1923, pp.29-30] Hudur closely monitored the reports prepared by the Nazirs and made sure that no segment of the report fell short o f the high moral standard laid down by Islam.A Nazir Sahib in his report spoke about an eminent scholar o f the Jama'at in terms that implied slight sarcasm.Hudur pointed out this error and demanded rectification.Here we have given only a few examples.Those who have had the honour o f regularly attending Majlis-e- Mushawarat know how Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIra made an untiring effort to revive Islamic traditions in 58

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya this institution.Whenever Hudur noticed anything con trary to the established norms and principles he would admonish the Jama'at in a suitable manner even during the discussion.Apart from drawing inferences from the Holy Quran and Hadith, he would also quote episodes from the Islamic history.At times he would speak about these important matters in his closing address.In case of minor mistakes, he would draw the attention o f the per son concerned by a kind remark.At times he would tell a joke or relate some interesting anecdote and put every one at ease.He would normally use this method when someone was dragging his speech too long and was trying the audience’s patience.He would point out the mistake in such a pleasant and charming way that the listeners en joyed it and would feel refreshed.Thus he would not only rectify the error, but the interest of the audience would also be maintained.At times, however, he would be dis pleased by the unmannerly behaviour of certain people and would admonish them.Such situations normally arose when he noticed an element o f egotism, arrogance or sarcasm in someone’s speech; or when someone hurt other people’s feelings; or got personal and deviated from the subject under discussion; or when someone sounded hypocritical or ostentatious.On such occasions Hudur would express his strong displeasure.However, if a speaker referred to someone in light humour, he would not disapprove o f it, and would himself join in the pleas antries and reply on behalf o f the victim in a manner that left the audience marvelling at his ready wit.59

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya He had great respect for the senior workers o f the Jama'at and Companions of the Promised Messiah (as).During Mushawarat he would treat them with due hon our and respect, would listen to them attentively, would overlook their mistakes, and would not lay down any time limit for them.Since most members from the Pun jab belonged to the rural and agriculture areas, and they would normally be in a majority in Majlis-e-Shura, he would listen to their suggestions with particular care.But at the same time he would encourage the representa tives from far flung areas to offer their point o f view, even if they were less in number.He would himself in clude the names of representatives from the Frontier Province, Sindh, Bengal, Madras, Bombay and Uttar Pardesh, in important sub-committees.And if they would not give their names, he would insist that they ex press their opinions.Majlis-e-Mushawarat was made up o f all kinds o f advis ers, such as educationists, senior government officials, engineers, lawyers and doctors, and even craftsmen such as blacksmiths and masons.They would all offer their advice according to their own knowledge and capability.All o f them, including ordinary shopkeepers, brokers, simple and illiterate villagers, Punjabis, Sindhis, Bengalis, Madrasis, Malabaris and the eloquent people of Uttar Pardesh would sit together and portray a spectacle of equality.Difficulties o f language did not impede the pro ceedings, as those who had difficulty in expressing their 60

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya views were at liberty to mix Urdu with English or Punjabi or their local language and thus convey their message.They were never ridiculed.At times the audience would smile affectionately, or their eyes would grow moist with the thought of how Allah had brought all these pure souls to the fold of the Promised Messiah3 1 5 , so that they should all help in the revival of Islam.These people had the benefit o f a wise, sagacious and enlightened leader who listened to them and understood them.And whenever the audience faced any difficulty in understanding something, he would eloquently and fluently explain it in his own words and they would be satisfied.While important issues were being discussed, Hudur would at times become anxious about the future o f Is lam, and whether succeeding generations would be able to properly discharge their obligations.His addresses during Mushawarat possessed an aura o f glory.His speech, which came from the depth o f his heart, was electrifying and seemed to be coming from heaven.The.atmosphere would be highly charged and moving, and a great surge o f emotion would seep through the audience, and they would become filled with the desire to serve Islam with renewed zeal and fervour.The audience would respond: “SayyedI! we, along with our progeny, are ready to sacrifice our lives, our wealth and our hon our in the cause of Islam.” It is not possible to accurately depict these special occa sions, but here is a small extract from one o f his 61

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J am A' at - e -A hmadiyya speeches which is enough to move any heart: “We are now in a battle; and if a soldier dozes o ff during the battle, he is sure to be killed.We have the glorious examples o f the Companions o f the Holy Prophetsa, whom we claim to be like...T he enemy is trying his best to pull down the flag which has been handed to us by the Promised Messiah35.It is our duty to hold it firmly in our hands; if our hands are cut off, we should hold it with our feet, and if one o f us loses his life, let another come for ward and hold it.Now , let me say to the children and young men who are sitting up there, it is quite possible that this war may not end in our lives.True, it is not the swords made o f steel we are up against, but we are facing the sword o f circumstances, o f time and o f death.If this sword is brandished before you, are you prepared to hold the flag from falling? (A ll present replied in affirmation).God and His Prophets have declared our era to be the last era; our sacrifices should also be the ultimate sacrifices.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1935, pp.90-92] Hadrat Khalifatui Masih IIra would also keep drawing attention towards prayer, Istighfar, and Taqwa , and the atmosphere would become saturated with spiritual fer vour.At times people would find it hard to hold back their tears.The collective prayer after the closing ad dress was quite unparalleled in its scenes of humility and emotion.The true miracle of Hadrat Khalifatui Masih nr a was not in creating an environment o f piety and right eousness during his lifetime, but in bringing about an everlasting change in the Jama'at, so that the same spirit o f piety and purity can be seen in Majlis-e-Mushawarat to 62

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya this day.Even today we witness the same spiritual at mosphere, the same gathering o f pure souls, and the same submission to Allah.Even today people offer their suggestions solely for the sake o f Allah, and it is in the same spirit that they are accepted.Their prayers hear the same complexion even today.Even today they have the greatest reverence for Khilafat.Their prayers are still of fered in the language o f tears.There have been many leaders in the world whose life’s work was washed away as soon as they died, but the greatest heroes are those whose work not only survives the passage of time but at tains immortality.Hadrat Khallfatul Masih Ura was just such a great leader who left behind lasting impressions, which might get blurred with the passage of time, but it can never be washed away.[Pages 55-63 have been quoted from SIrat Fadl-e-‘Umar, voh II] B asic G uidelines for S hura When Majlis-e-Shura was first established as a perma nent institution in 1922, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih Hra outlined its basic principles in his opening address, which serve as its charter.Hudur” said: “The Conference was scheduled to begin at seven, but whenever something new is undertaken, mistakes and er rors are to be expected due to lack o f experience.The smallest task cannot be performed to satisfaction without experience and practice.Those who drew out the pro gramme and informed the outside Jama'ats, failed to mention the time at which the Conference would begin.Consequently, some delegates arrived late by the night 63

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya train and w e had to wait for them in the morning.I hope that the officials w ill try to avoid such mistakes in future.The delegates should be informed o f the time when the proceedings start.Before I come to the issues for which we have gathered here, I would like to say something about M ajlis-e- Mushawarat.Why the Conference is Necessary: First o f all I w ill tell you what this Majlis—which has previously been known as a Conference— is all about.The Holy Quran tells us i.e., Muslims always make their deci sions through consultations.Consultation is very important, and nothing can be properly accomplished without it.Majlis-e-Mushawarat is held for the purpose o f discussing issues relating to the establishment and pro gress o f the Jama'at.For this purpose, representatives of various Jama'ats are invited to hold discussions, so that the task is facilitated and members are made aware o f the needs o f the Jama'at.This is what Majlis-e-Shura is all about.I do not precisely know why other people hold Conferences, but this conference is meant for consultation.The Difference between this and past Conferences: The main difference between this and previous Confer ences is that the latter were called by the Secretary Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, while this Majlis has been called by the Khalifa.The scope o f the previous Conferences was limited and they had their own methodology, whereas the task before this Majlis is enormous and its methodology is quite different.I am not sure what proce dure was adopted in the previous Conferences, but I must say that it gave rise to two contradictory ideas.During one o f the Conferences in which I participated, some o f 64

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the S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya the participants were o f the view that the decisions o f the Conference should be considered as final, and M ajlis-i- Muftamadln should abide by them.I believe this point was raised by delegates from Simla and this view was supported by many others.The conveners o f the Confer ence, however, got apprehensive and proposed in their speeches that Sadr Anjuman should have the final say on all matters.Hence the budget, which was supposed to have been presented for approval, was presented only for discussion.The result o f the Conference—which con sisted o f representatives o f the whole Jama'at— should have been that the Conference should be able to oversee the work o f a few individuals, but since the conveners had inimical intentions, they did not give the Conference its due importance.They intended to weaken Khilafat by gaining the support o f the Jama'at, after which they would decide about the Khilafat; but since the Confer ence went against them, they dissolved the Conference.The Objectives of the Conference: But the objectives o f this particular Conference are not the same, for the past Conference was convened by those who were op posed to Khilafat, and this Majlis-e-Shura has been called by the Khalifa himself.It has different objectives, and they are as follows: (1) The H oly Prophetsa would, as a rule, consult his Companions on all important matters.There were no trains in those days and no means o f travel as there are today, the Holy Prophetsa would, therefore, assemble the people o f Medina for consultation.This practice contin ued during the time o f the Khulafa.But since there are far better transportation facilities available now and peo ple can easily come together, and I cannot say how much 65

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya progress may yet be made, and it may even become pos sible for people o f Calcutta to come here for consultations and return the same day.In these circum stances it is important to expand Majlis-e-Mushawarat.This is why I have called you to share your view s so that we can benefit from them.It is true that members from outside may not be familiar with the conditions prevail ing in Markaz, but it is not necessary to know the background in every matter.Sometimes there are logical issues on which members from outside can give their opinion, and even better opinions than the opinions o f those living in Qadian.(2) Outsiders may not be familiar with our problems.That is why when they are asked for Chanda, they won der where all the money is spent.Due to this lack o f awareness they do not make contributions with the same zeal as they would otherwise do.I, therefore, thought that they should be made familiar with the prevailing circum stances, so that they may understand the problems faced by the workers o f the Jama'at.(3) There are some businessmen who can give good sug gestions.People who work for the government are very proficient in their fields, but even they at times have to call in expert opinion.We have such experts in our Jama'at, and we have invited them here to offer useful suggestions on the basis o f their experience.(4) This occasion allows people who do not regularly visit Qadian to do so.Even those who are unable to come for Jalsa Salana can make use o f this opportunity to strengthen their ties with Qadian.Consultation during the time of the Holy Prophetsa: N ow I shall describe the way the H oly Prophetsa and his Khulafa 6 6

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya used to make consultations.There were three ways in which these consultations were held: (1) Whenever there was an issue that required delibera tion, someone would make an announcement for the people to gather.Most often it would be a general an nouncement.The people would come together and discuss the issue, and the decision would then be taken by the Holy Prophet8 1 or the Khalifa.But, in this day and age, due to the prevailing conditions, there are some prob lems in following this method.I, therefore, do consult with the people o f Qadian, but in a different way.The Promised Messiah1 5 also did not seek advice in that manner, and it is in keeping with his practice and in view o f the prevailing circumstances that I have adopted this method.In the days o f the Holy Prophet51 every group or clan had a leader or an Amir.People would listen to whatever was being said but they would not speak by themselves.Only their leader spoke for them.They would all gather, but only the leader, whom they had elected to represent them, would speak.At times when an emotional person would stand up and ex press his opinion, the Holy Prophet5 1 would refuse to acknowledge him unless his leader spoke for him, for knowledge and experience are required for giving a con sidered opinion.Even children can contribute their opinions when everyone else is doing so.And these days everyone considers him self competent to express his opin ion, and does so.But the only person who is truly eligible to express his opinion is one who has knowledge and ex perience.Therefore, not every suggestion is worthwhile or worthy o f consideration.Thus, in the days o f the Holy Prophetsl only the leaders used to express their opinions, whereas nowadays every 67

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya one speaks out.For this reason, only a selected few are invited and they are either consulted separately or some particular people are called to speak.Therefore, no one speaks by him self, and if someone does so, something useful can at times be deduced.The same procedure can be adopted even today if there are regular leaders, but since this is no longer the custom, people have to be se lected for the purpose.(2) The second procedure adopted in the days o f the Holy Prophetsa was that only a few Companions, who were considered competent to render advice, were invited, and the Holy Prophet5 3 would consult them.Such advisers would number around thirty.At tim es, the Holy Prophef3 would call all o f them, and at times he would invite only three or four o f them for consultation.(3) The third method o f consultation adopted by the Holy Prophet5 3 was that, in extremely delicate matters, when he did not consider it proper to bring even two people to gether, he would hold individual consultations.He would call them one by one and discuss the matter separately.This would normally happen when he feared that people might get into a row due to their difference o f opinion.These were the three methods o f consultation, each effec tive in its own way, and it is these three methods that I also use for consultation.Guidelines for Consultation: Since w e are now going to hold consultations, I w ish to point out the things that we need to bear in mind.(1) We have not come here for any worldly gain.I live in Qadian and I have not come from outside, but some o f you, who are farmers, have had to get away from your 68

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya land to come here in this harvesting season, which is very difficult.Some o f you are businessmen, while some are employees who might have got leave after a long time and had many other things to do, but they gave it all up to come here.Hence we are all here for the sake o f Allah, and we should look only towards Him.This is even more important since we are facing the whole world and are competing with those who are superior in experience, or ganization and power.They have all the resources, they control the army and the government, while we, who have undertaken to conquer the world, have neither the strength, nor the resources, nor the experience, nor the expertise, and are in fact inferior in every field.In these circum stances, our deliberations can only be fruitful if we look to Allah.My first advice to you is to pray to Allah and solicit His help.You should pray: O’ Allah, I have come here for Your sake, guide me, so that no personal considera tion should cross my mind; nor should I give wrong advice and insist upon it and thus cause harm to the faith; nor should I be persuaded to accept someone’s incorrect advice through his eloquence.I pray to You that my ego may not come in my way, and the desire for fame or hon our may not cross my mind, nor may I become arrogant or give wrong and harmful advice, nor accept someone’s wrong advice.May my intentions remain good and sin cere, and may my advice be correct and subordinate to Your will.Everyone should pray in this manner, not just today, but whenever the Jama'at holds consultations.(2) My first advice to you is to pray, but no prayer is ac cepted unless it is accompanied by action.For instance, a person may pray for the ability to serve the faith, but if he is not w illing to spend a penny in this cause, how w ill 69

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the S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya he be able to render any service? Prayers must be sup ported by deeds.I, therefore, advise you to set aside all personal considerations, today, tomorrow or whenever consultations are held.Some people come with precon ceived ideas which they want others to accept.But this is not what consultation is about, the aim is to sit with an open mind and say what is correct.Some people come here having decided that they are going to get a certain point o f view accepted, and they try their best to this end, but this should not be the way o f our Jama'at, we should only say and stress what is correct.(3) When sitting down for consultation, we should be prepared to accept any good suggestion, not just our own.(4) Another point which must be remembered now and whenever such consultations are held in future, is that one should not offer any opinion for the sake o f someone else.There are people who express an opinion and after wards say that it was not their own, they had only expressed it only because a friend had asked them to.This behaviour is more dangerous even than misappro priation, but this is taken very lightly, so much so that even senior statesmen are found guilty o f it.A member o f the Indian Council once said that the opinion he had given was not his, and he had only offered it on behalf o f a friend.It is surprising that he did not see any wrong in this.This is a most dishonest conduct.Members o f our Jama'at should shun such practices.They should not give any opinion for the sake o f anyone else, and should say only what they themselves understand to be correct.(5) The only motive should be to offer useful advice rele vant to the issue under consideration.Let me explain this with an example.When discussing whether some new 70

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya scheme should be launched or not, some people, though they understand the importance o f the scheme, oppose it simply because they believe that if the scheme is launched, such and such a person w ill be appointed to run it.Some times they do so with dishonest intentions, and at times they actually do not consider the person suitable for the job.Instead o f taking up this issue when the appointment is being discussed, or to say clearly that the scheme should not be launched because the only person who can be as signed this task is not suitable, they oppose the scheme itself and say that it is not practicable.This is dishonesty and it should be avoided.Or, for instance, when a person is to be appointed for a certain mission, people start to ne gate the importance and viability o f the mission itself, only because they do not want that person to be sent on the mission.This is not the right thing to do.Correct sugges tions should be offered which relate to the actual question.(6) We must not hesitate to accept the correct sugges tions, no matter who presents them.Anyone who opposes a correct suggestion only because he is against the person who has offered it, is guilty o f dishonesty.(7) Do not form hasty opinions.Some people have no opinion o f their own and merely start repeating what oth ers have said.They should first listen to what other people are saying, compare their statements, and then form their own opinions, and should not depend solely on the opinions o f other people.Thus one should neither offer an opinion for the sake o f another, nor form an opinion on the basis o f another per son’s opinion.For instance, when someone points out some fault, you should not just agree with him, but should look into the matter yourself and then form an opinion.71

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya (8) One should not be too sure that his own opinion is most appropriate and free o f fault.Some people make this mistake and stray from the truth.At times even chil dren can come up with astonishing ideas.The Holy Prophet8 * used to consult even with his wives.After the Treaty o f Hudaybiyyah, when people were very upset (and refused to slaughter their animals), the Holy Prophetsa asked Hadrat Umm-e-SaIamahra what he should do.She suggested that he should go ahead and slaughter his ani mal without saying anything to anyone.He did accordingly, and all the people followed him and slaugh tered their animals.Therefore, a person should not insist on his own opinion, because even experienced people can make mistakes, and at times even an ordinary person may give sound and useful advice.He should sit here for the purpose o f increasing his knowledge.It is equally wrong to accept every opinion o f another person.You should only accept what is true and intelligible, and reject unenlightened opinions.(9) Always keep the facts in mind, rather than follow your emotions.Some people rouse the emotions o f other people, who then lose sight o f the facts.I too once made use o f people’s sentiments, but I gave arguments as w ell.A meeting was once held to discuss the closure o f Ma- drasa Ahmadiyya.When everyone began to speak in favour o f this move, I stood up and gave my own argu ments, for instance, that if we do not have our own religious scholars, from whom shall we seek religious edicts? I also passionately appealed to them that the Ma- drasa had been established in the memory o f the Promised Messiah3 S , and what would people say if we closed it down at the very first Jalsa after his demise? A f 72

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in jam A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya ter this speech, everyone agreed that the Madrasa should not be closed down.Even Khawaja Sahib, who had pro posed the move, said that this is not what he had meant.Therefore, raising sentiments in support o f one’s argu ment is permissible, but it is dishonest to resort to sentiments alone and to try to alter people’s opinions in this manner.Thus he who knows that his arguments are weak and, therefore, tries to raise people’s sentiments, is dishonest, just as the one who knows that the arguments are wrong but still speaks in their favour under the influ ence o f his emotions.(10) There can be two kinds o f proposals: those which offer greater religious benefit, and those which aim mainly at material benefits.Since w e are a religious Jama'at, we should support proposals which offer greater religious benefits.(11) Let us always bear in mind that our ideas should not only be good, they should also be superior and more ef fective than those o f our opponents.Similarly, our work should be more enduring than that o f our opponents.For instance, if we build a house which is not in the way o f the flood water, it w ill not matter even if it is not a strong house; but if it is in the way o f the flood, it w ill be a mis take not to build the house strong enough.Therefore, our proposals in Majlis-e-Shura should not only be positive, but they should be strong enough to encounter our oppo nents.What is more, our proposals should be better than our own previous proposals.Nations fall into decline when they forget either one o f these two principles.Just as it happened in the case o f the Muslims, a time might come upon us when our opponents are weak; if such a time comes and our efforts are not better than before, we 73

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T he S ystem of mushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya too w ill suffer great loss.There was a time when the Muslims were weak, but then a time came when their en emy was weak and M uslims were strong, at that time the Muslims were far stronger even than the Christians, but, despite their strength, they went into decline because they did not have enough troops.Therefore, we must keep increasing our strength, or else we shall lose.For instance, if the opponent is standing and we are walking, we w ill surely overtake him, but if the opponent comes running and w e merely increase our pace, he w ill surely overtake us, for at that time w e w ill need to run faster than him.Unless a nation invites Divine wrath upon it self, it can never be destroyed when it makes sure that its plans are not only superior to those o f its opponents, but are also better than its own previous plans.It is thus im portant to keep both these things in mind.(12) The first thing when discussing a proposal is to see whether it is useful or not.People tend to get into argu ments about minor issues which have nothing to do with the pros or cons o f the proposal itself.You should avoid arguing about irrelevant issues, and should stay focussed on the real issue.(13) Unless the point is o f particular relevance, repeti tions should be avoided.Not everyone needs to speak, unless he has something new to say.(14) Save your own time and that o f others.The Result of Consultation should be to generate new ideas, leam different aspects o f a proposal, and to gain knowledge, and not just to cast votes.This is the Islamic way.Proposals should be invited and opinions should be sought, and the useful proposals should be adopted.74

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiy Y a Under the influence o f the age, people tend to say-, why not seek people’s opinion and make decisions on that basis.The fact is that our faith teaches us i.e., Consult the people, but when you have made a deci sion, stay firm on it and do not fear what people might say.This has been the way in Islam.When Persia was at tacked, the enemy destroyed a bridge and many Muslims were killed.Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas wrote back that if rein forcement was not despatched immediately the Muslims would be defeated and the enemy would enter Arabia.When Hadrat ‘Umar™ sought advice from the Compan ions, they all said that the Khalifa him self should go and fight, only Hadrat ‘A ll did not speak.Hadrat ‘Umar™ asked him why he was silent, and whether he disagreed with what the people were saying.He said he was against the proposal because he did not believe that the Khalifa should fight in a battle.The Khalifa’s job is to support those who are fighting.A nation which spends all its force and has nothing to fall back upon is destroyed.If the Muslims suffer defeat despite your presence in the battle, they w ill have nowhere to turn and the enemy w ill overrun Arabia.Hadrat ‘Umar™ accepted his opinion and did not go into battle.It therefore becomes clear that the purpose o f consultation is not to cast votes but to gather really useful proposals.In the end, the opinion o f a few or even a single person might be accepted.This was the system followed by the Companions, and this is what we learn from the H oly Quran, and it should suffice for a man o f insight.But since the opposite thinking is current these days, I w ill speak a little about the advantages o f the suggested system, which certainly are more than the 75

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya advantages o f the system followed by the Anjuman, and the defects that are cited in this system are present in that system as w ell.Majority opinion, in fact, is not the opinion o f the majority, for there is one leader who influences the opinions o f all others.It is not a question o f the majority, but only a matter o f who is able to attract more votes.This is also what happens in the Parliament when members vote to save the government.Not everyone is competent enough to form a correct opinion, therefore most people follow others.Even those who have an opinion o f their own are influenced by those who are more powerful, and ultimately join them.Thus one party competes with the other and a constant wrangling goes on.But this does not happen in the Shura, since there is no concept o f group or party.The concept o f Anjuman comes to play when some people wish to move ahead o f others, for they know that if everyone is in agreement they w ill have no opportunity for self projection.They, therefore, keep wrangling over issues and try to bring people around to their point o f view and create parties.We have seen an example o f this: as soon as the Anjuman was formed, parties came into existence and the result is self-evident.Although those people have left the Jama'at, some people are still under the spell o f the Anjuman and cannot free themselves from it.Such things happen despite the fact that all the current members o f the Anjuman have pledged B ai‘at and are devoted members.Some time ago a delegation o f Anjuman came to me and said that the work o f the Anjuman was being hampered because a certain person had been sent o ff on some other assignment.They said that he should be reassigned to his previous post.I agreed with them and said that henceforth I w ill not send him 76

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya elsewhere.Soon somebody came to me from some place and requested that he required the assistance o f the said person in a court case.I told him that I had promised not to send him anywhere.The man was o f an excitable nature and he argued with me, but I stayed firm on what I had already told him.He then contacted an officer o f the Anjuman who then sent the man with him.I said that if the Anjuman had meant that the man should not go at the behest o f the Khalifa, and only at their own behest, this would lead to friction.There are positive and negative aspects in everything; Islam has adopted the positive ones and discarded the negative ones.Islam does away with autocratic form o f government whereby the son—no matter how incompetent—becomes the successor, and instead endorses a government which is based on majority opinion.And when a leader has been appointed, he is required to act with consultation, so that the people do not resort to party politics.Since he cannot nominate even his own son as successor, he cannot pass on the benefits o f his office to his heirs.I believe that the Shariah does not permit the Khalifa to nominate his own son as successor, just as Hadrat ‘Umar1 * declared that the son cannot be a Khalifa.Some people wanted him to nominate his son as his successor, but he refused to do so.Moreover, there is no higher status for which the Khalifa can aspire, hence there is no competition or partisanship.The negative aspects o f the Anjuman are thus eliminated.Now, it is not only the right o f Indians to become Khalifa o f the Promised Messiah3 S , and it is quite possible that after one or two Khalifas, the next Khalifa may be from among the Arabs or Africans, for this is not the prerogative o f any particular class or country.The Khalifa can hail from any place.Thus Islam has made 77

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Khilafat open to all and has done away with partisanship.Kingdoms are ruined due to dynastic succession.The Khalifa, on the other hand, inherits neither personal property nor personal advantages, so that he might create disorder.Nor can he transfer the Khilafat to his heirs, since the system o f Khilafat prevents it.Hence all the hazards o f autocracy are also eliminated.Democratic governments cause ruin through partisanship.This is what is currently leading England and France on a fatal course.But there are no such hazards in the Islamic system.The Roman Catholic system is very similar to the Islamic system, and that is why it has endured for thou sands o f years, and no other government has lasted so long in this way.However, the major flaw in their system is that they consider the law o f their faith as a curse; the Pope can, therefore, effect changes in the teachings as and when he wishes.Though the system continues to function, the faith has lost its purity because the Pope makes all the de cisions.This interference also results in disputes.But such things cannot happen in Islam due to the presence o f the Holy Quran and the Traditions o f the Holy Prophetsa which bind the Khalifa to work within their bounds.Thus all the possible flaws have been eliminated and all the es sential elements have been put into use.The fundamentals have been comprehensively stated by God Almighty, and the Holy Prophet5 3has elucidated them further.A Jew once said that Mam is indeed the true religion, for it contains comprehensive teachings relating to the smallest issues, even such as going to the toilet.The author o f a book which was recently published in Germany says that what ever one may say about Islam, it is a complete religion and it leaves nothing out.78

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya Since there are no parties, and the Khalifa has a relation ship with everyone, the relationship is therefore like that o f father and son.Brothers may quarrel, but no one stands up against his father.Since the Khalifa maintains a relationship o f love with everyone, they bring their dis putes to him and things do not get out o f hand.Advantages of Shura: (1) Many new ideas come to light.(2) Since there is no rivalry, the delegates try to form the correct opinion.(3) New ideas and solutions emerge during the discus sions.(4) People who come from outside get to know the prob lems faced by Markaz.(5) The work o f the Khalifa is facilitated.Since the Khalifa is also a human being, he can be misled, but the Shura helps him to gauge the thinking o f the people.It takes a lot o f supervision to prevent people from get ting on the wrong track.In the Shura people are hesitant to go against their prevalent views until superior argu ments are presented to the contrary.The presence o f the Khalifa, therefore, facilitates matters.The Procedure of Majlis-e-Shura: (1) The Khalifa w ill give general instructions regarding the proposals that w ill be discussed, and the things members need to bear in mind.(2) Sub-committees shall then be formed for each D e partment, because opinions should not be formed in a hurry.Experienced people should sit down and propose schemes which should then be debated in the Shura.The committees should deliberate on the proposals at length and then present their reports for discussion in the gen eral meeting, where the participants should be given the 79

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya opportunity to comment on them.If anyone wants to add or remove something from the proposal, or to make some amendment in it, he should stand up and present his sug gestion.A ll such suggestions should then be written down by one or more persons.Each kind o f proposal should then be discussed one by one, without reference to any individual.This discussion should also be re corded.At the end o f the discussion, or later on, the Khalifa w ill give his decision on the matter.Those who want to speak should stand up, and he who stands up first should be allowed to speak first.Someone should be appointed specifically to note who has stood up first.If many people stand up to speak, they should be allowed to speak one by one.When they are all finished, anyone else who wishes to speak should be asked to speak also.If someone stands up to speak again, he should be allowed to speak only after the others have spoken, unless he wishes to respond to some objection or question relating to his speech.N o one should be given more than two chances to speak, for the purpose is to re solve the issues, and not to argue.The person who is appointed to let people speak in turn, shall serve as A s sistant to Khalifatul Masih or his representative.He w ill assist the Khalifa so that he is free to focus on other im portant matters.Work of the Sub-Committees: (1) The Head o f the concerned Department shall be the Chairman o f the sub-committee.His deputy, or anyone else whom he appoints for the pur pose, shall officiate in his place if he is busy elsewhere.(2) The committee shall choose its own Secretary.(3) Efforts should be made to reach a consensus.If this is not possible, the opinion o f the majority shall be ac 80

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya cepted.But if those in minority think that their opinion must also be taken into consideration, their opinion shall also be recorded.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1922, pp.3-18] D ecisions of M ajlis - e -M ushawarat : B eacon for F uture G enerations During Majlis-e-Mushawarat in 1924, Hadrat Khalifatul Masfh IIra further said: “Now I take up the proposals which are going to be pre sented.The Agenda has already been published, and it contains an important matter relating to management.The best time for a people is that which is closest to their Prophet.The Holy Prophetsa said that his time was the best, followed by the one after him and that things would begin to deteriorate afterwards.The Promised Messiah3 * 1 has also said that his would be the best time, followed by the one after him, and that things would deteriorate after three hundred years.It is, therefore, essential that, in this better period, such regulations should be established for the functioning o f the Jama'at which may serve as a foundation for future generations and they may not be able to deviate from them.We pray that Allah may help this Jama'at, and we may not see a repetition o f the mis chief caused by the Paighamis [Lahori Ahmadls], but it is still possible that such people might rise again, or people might come to follow different Khalifas.Those who rule with power can crush such dissent by force, and most of ten people do not even dare to stand up against them, but we have no such power, all w e have is our faith which al lows freedom, how then can we stop such dissent? Therefore, we have to be extra cautious and establish a system in which there should be no danger o f dissension, 81

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya unless Allah so w ills, and none can challenge His w ill.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1924, p.11] D ifference between M ajlis - e -S hura and W orldly C onferences During Majlis-e-Mushawarat 1925, Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IIra said: “Our procedure and our method o f deliberation is not based on the principles that govern worldly Parliaments and consultative bodies, for their aim is that every party should protect its rights and demand them from the gov ernment.Their consultative gatherings are more like a battlefield where opposing armies vie to get their own rights.But our aims are different, and so is our proce dure.We do not come here to ask for our rights, for they were specified for us even before our birth...We are not here to demand our rights.And we do not demand our rights from human beings who are likely to make mis takes and fail to give us our full rights.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1925, pp.2-3] In the same context, Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IIra said: “We have gathered here, by the grace o f God, so that we should think o f ways for spreading the light and the truth which God Almighty has sent for the guidance o f the world.We are also here to deliberate upon any material, social or political issues that arise in this context, not be cause we wish to gain personal benefits, but because we wish to benefit mankind at large.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1930, pp-1-2] Hudur” also said: “Other people hold conferences in order to squabble over 82

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya their own interests.We, on the other hand, come together to establish peace in the world, and to establish the world upon justice and righteousness.Hence, we speak to the whole world and serve the whole world.This is Allah’s great favour upon us.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1930, pp.19-20] S hura : F oundation for the F uture Explaining the difference between Ahmadiyya Majlis-e- Shura and other worldly conferences, Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IIra said: “Worldly conferences try to show immediate results and to present a report before the people, but I have to present my report before Allah, Who has His eyes on the future also.Therefore I am always anxious that everything we do today should serve as a foundation for the future.We should not think only o f ourselves, but should work in such a way that we can say to God: If future generations remain cautious, they w ill not go astray.Thus it is the fu ture I am worried about, and it is for the future that we should lay down the foundation....Future generations w ill pray for those who have laid down this founda tion...T he time w ill come when God Almighty w ill demonstrate that this work has served as the cornerstone for the Jama'at.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1930, pp, 19-20] Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IIra also said: “In worldly consultations, every member has a right to say whatever he wants, whether it is accepted or not, but no one has this right in Khilafat.It is the prerogative o f the Khalifa to consult people on matters which he considers important, and the Shura is bound to offer their sugges 83

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in jam A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya tions upon those.Shura is entitled only to offer its opinion on matters upon which the Khalifa wishes to consult it.” [Report Majlis-e-Shtira 1930, pp.42-43] A dvantages of C onsultation other than in M ajlis - e -S hura During Majlis-e-Mushawarat 1967, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IIIrh said: “As far as consultations are concerned, it is not the right o f every member to give his advice.It is only up to the Khalifa to seek suggestions from the Jama'at.The two things are completely different.If every member o f the Jama'at was entitled to advise the Khalifa, there would be thousands who would say that although it is their right to give advice, they choose not to exercise it.But if it is taken as the right o f the Khalifa that all useful sugges tions for the progress o f the Jama" at must be sent to him, a person who does not do so becomes guilty o f violating this right.In the first instance, he says that it is his right but he foregoes it, but in the second instance he violates the right o f the Khalifa, which can never be allowed.As for general consultations, I am grateful to hundreds o f our members who keep on sending their suggestions to me, and some o f them are indeed very valuable.But at present we cannot put them into practice due to our lim ited resources.They are nevertheless useful suggestions and may at a later time be o f use to us.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1967, p.245] Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IIIrh also said: “Thus, consultation is o f the essence.After the consulta tion, there can be four possibilities: (1) Shura gives unanimous approval, and Khallfatul Masih approves it.84

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya (2) A suggestion is upheld by the majority o f the Shura, and is also approved by Khallfatul Masih.(3) A suggestion is not supported by the majority, but is approved by Khallfatul Masih.(4) Khalifatul Masih rejects a proposal that has been unanimously approved by the Shura.The principle is that in all events when a decision has been made, everyone must resolve to comply with it.Thus Shura and resolve become one and the same thing.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1978, pp.5-6| J urisdiction of I slamic S hura is L imited to G eneral and F inancial M atters In this context, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh has said: “Matters relating to finance are the main reason for con sultation.This is where Shura differs from other worldly conferences.The consultative bodies or Parliaments, which have been elected democratically or otherwise, have the right to formulate all kinds o f new laws.In Is lamic Shura, however, there is no occasion for law making, nor can there be any question o f it, for the Law- Giver has already laid down the laws.There are two fundamental pillars for every consultative body, whether it is called Majlis-e-Shura or Parliament.The first is legislation pertaining to general matters, and the other, which is the most important, is the budget...Since it is not possible for Muslims to legislate during the Shura— in the sense that they should interfere with the Divine law by amending it, for the Shariah is fi nal and everlasting—the next most important thing is the budget.The Shura deliberates on financial matters and comes to a decision.In this way all the people are taken 85

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya into confidence.This exactly is the system which, by the grace o f Allah, is established everywhere in the Jama'at.Hence, in these matters, it is most important that w e fol low the injunction T [Their affairs are decided by mutual consultation].” [Friday Sermon, 31 March 1995, Al-FadI International, 12-18 May 1995, p.5] T he G lobal N ature of M ajlis - e -S hura Majlis-e-Mushawarat was regularly held during the aus picious periods o f Khilafat-e-Thaniya and Khilafat-e- Thalitha, and foreign Jama'ats were also represented in these Central Shuras.Ahmadis from foreign countries who were present in Markaz during the Mushawarat would also represent their respective countries.In this way Central Majlis-e-Mushawarat served as an Interna tional Shura, and it also deliberated upon problems faced by Jama'ats in other countries.In 1982, when Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh became Khalifa, he called a separate session of Majlis-e-Shura at the end o f his first Jalsa Salana, and thus introduced the International element in Majlis-e-Shura.This Interna tional Shura was attended by members from foreign Jama'ats who were present on the occasion and repre sented their countries.Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya Pakistan and the Central Institutions were also represented.This laid the foundation for an International Majlis-e-Shura, separate from the Central Majlis-e-Mushawarat, which was being held continuously since 1922.Hudur, in his address, explained how this Shura was different from the 86

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ^ at - e -A hmadiyya other Shura.He said: “Our Majlis-e-Shura (which has been held regularly for the last 60 years), in its deliberations keeps in mind the problems faced by Ahmadis all over the world.Now, however, another Majlis-e-Shura has been initiated to specifically consider the issues o f Jama'ats outside Paki stan...This new Majlis-e-Shura has not taken away the International status o f the Central Majlis-e-Mushawarat.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1983, p.122] E stablishment of M ajlis - e -S hura in E very C ountry In 1983, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IVrh undertook a tour o f some countries o f the Far East.Towards the end of this tour, before inaugurating Majlis-e-Mushawarat in Sri Lanka, Hudur* observed: “The third programme which is being implemented in all the countries, and shall, Inshaallah, be implemented here also, is the holding o f Majlis-e-Shura.The Holy Quran has instructed the H oly Prophet 53 to consult the Muslims in matters o f importance, he therefore always consulted them upon such matters.The Holy Quran also said that after the consultation, the final decision would lie with the Holy Prophetsa, i.e., it was not obligatory upon him to abide by the opinion o f the people.The consultation was only meant to acquire useful suggestions.He him self would make the decision, and once he had done so, he was told that Allah would bless his decision; he need not fear anyone and should place his trust in Allah.After the H oly Prophet53, his Khulafa followed the same proce dure; they would consult the Companions, but would themselves take the final decision after praying and seek ing guidance from Allah.Although people’s suggestions 87

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T he S ystem of M ush A wajrat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadtyya were accepted in most cases, the Holy Prophet5 1 J and his successors always had the final say in keeping with the Divine injunction.Expansion of the Existing System of Shura: The same practice was followed by the Promised Messiah (as) and his Khulafa.Nothing was added to this system, but it was organized in a certain way.Hadrat KhalTfatul Maslh IIra began the sys tem o f holding Majlis-e-Shura every year.In 1922, for the first time, he invited delegates from all Jama'ats and Majlis-e-Shura was established as an institution.Since then it has been held more or less every year.The step I have taken is to establish Majlis-e-Shura in every country.This is because if Majlis-e-Shura was held in Markaz alone, other Jama'ats in other countries would remain ignorant o f what Shura is all about, and how it functions.Moreover, just as the Holy Prophet* has been asked to [Consult them in matters o f impor tance] , the Muslims have likewise been told, [Their affairs are decided by mutual consultation ].Therefore, it is not only those who have been appointed by Allah that are required to hold consulta tions, but Muslims at large have also been directed to work in consultation with one another.By the grace o f Allah, the institution o f Shura has now been established in most countries o f the world.The Shura that begins tomorrow morning w ill probably be the first to be held in Sri Lanka.” [Report of ^udur’s visit to Sri Lanka in 1983, pp.6-7] E volution of M ajlis - e -S hura The institution o f Majlis-e-Shura in Jam a‘at-e- Ahmadiyya progressed gradually and its traditions ma tured with time.In its present form, Majlis-e-Shura 88

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya began in Qadian in 1922.It has continued to be held in Qadian, then in Rabwah, and since 1985 it is being held in London.With regard to this evolutionary process, L Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IV had this to say during the International Majlis-e-Shura 1990: “The fact is that I have established the system o f Shura in all countries.Previously it was being held in Pakistan only, and that Shura was considered as representing all the Jama'ats o f the world.Then another Shura, known as the International Majlis-e-Shura, began to be organized by Tehrik Jadid.At the same time, the system o f Shura was established in different countries and it has now been es tablished as a proper institution in Jama'ats all over the world.Ahmadis in these countries are now benefiting from the blessings o f Shura, just as they benefited from the Central Shura.The Markaz supervises these Shuras and they send their reports regularly to Markaz.If there is any mistake, or a proposal happens to be against the estab lished norms, it is immediately taken note o f and rectified.The system is slowly progressing and expanding by the Grace o f Allah.Although this consultative institution is acquiring an international status, I still feel that the Central Shura, held under Khalifatul Masih has its own colour and its own distinctive features, which should be introduced.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shura 1990, pp.53-54| On the occasion o f International Majlis-e-Shura 1992, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IVrh spoke about the establish ment o f Majlis-e-Shura in various countries and its favourable results: [English] “So, Alhamdulillah, we have finished the busi ness even sooner than we estimated, and, in a very 89

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya beautiful atmosphere o f understanding and mutual re spect, and submitting the proposals only to win Allah’s favour, to be in the right, and not in the spirit o f debates which are commonly held in Parliament, etc.May Allah help us preserve this purity forever, because, as long as we succeed in preserving this purity o f thought, purity o f counselling, purity o f intention and purpose, this Shura w ill remain unique in the world, as it is unique today.And, I wanted to add this, when you hold your respective Shuras in your countries— as already, with the grace o f Allah, this practice has started with immense benefits to the Ahmadls o f different countries— you must remember that the same tradition should be reproduced ditto to the Central Shuras held under various Caliphs, and, in accor dance with the holy traditions o f Central Shura.If you do that— I know how seriously Ahmadls are moving in that direction in every country, then Inshaallah — the system w ill be preserved.Because, Central Majlis-e-Shura is not safe until that spirit is implanted with purity in the worldwide Ahmadiyya Communities, and all know what Shura is.If we fail to do that then the Central Shura w ill not be understood by people who w ill join us later on.And they w ill consider it to be a sort o f imposition o f view s o f a certain country on rest o f the world.And these were some fears, among other reasons, why I started to institutionalize Majlis-e-Shura in all countries o f the world, wherever possible.With the grace o f Allah, the results so far are most encouraging and wonderful.I am particularly happy to observe that ever since I requested the countries where Shura is held to submit to me their detailed reports, as to what passed and what happened and how and in what style a submission was presented, I have been noticing deviations which might have taken 90

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya place in the future.And I am horrified to note that if that step had not been taken in time, what would have hap pened to the future generation when discussions o f such nature came up later on.Now , despite the fact that my sermons are reaching directly to all the Jama'ats o f the world, as far as possible, and on Shura my derivations and observations have also been conveyed to all Jama'ats, yet here and there speakers stand up and ex press their view s in a style which is so alien to Ahmadiyya viewpoint and Ahmadiyya traditions.So that is why it is highly essential for a Khalifa to be there, not theoretically there, but practically, to watch the trends o f the Jama'ats universally, and to be personally familiar with the trends o f thought everywhere in the world, and the style in which those thoughts are expressed.We have the special blessings o f Allah in this period that Ahmadis as a whole, with very few exceptions— one in a million, or less than that— are totally committed to the word o f the Khalifa.And they accept that word, not in formality, but with all their heart.So, with the grace o f Allah, these corrections are made, which could have commanded such respect and such love as in the early period o f Ahmadiyyat.As we have noticed, those who remember the time o f Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra when he gave his opinion at the end o f a discussion...every heart changed and every mind changed and submitted to the final verdict o f Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra.Now I am so glad that this was not only limited to the attitudes o f Ahmadis to him.Later on I saw the same attitude vis-a-vis Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh III* throughout the history o f Shura when he presided, and then the same was passed on to my era.With the grace o f Allah, this is now spreading 91

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya to the whole world.I have been receiving reports from Africa—from Nigeria, Ghana, etc., and ultimately when I made observation, in places I disagreed with proposals, in places I took exception to the style in which certain proposals were discussed, and I have not a single complaint to make.Every time my opinion reached the country concerned, they submitted totally with frill accord.So, with the grace o f Allah, this is a very epoch-making period in the sense that we are preparing this institution to be handed down to generations later on, intact, pure and healthy, as we received it from our forefathers.So when you return to your respective countries, please remember— this is a very important thing, very essential to the survival o f Ahmadiyyat and the spirit o f Ahmadiyyat— Shura is the most sacred institution after Khilafat in the Ahmadiyya Community, like it was according to the Holy Quran...The most sacred institution mentioned in the Quran is Shura, where the right to consult others is given to the Holy Prophetsa but no advice can be imposed on him.It is in exactly the same style and the same noble tradition that Majhs-e-Shura was introduced by the late Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra.And this is one o f his great contributions to Ahmadiyyat which alone should justify him being called a Musleh-e- Mau‘udra.The benefit o f this w ill be to the end o f time.For us it is to preserve those noble traditions.For us it is to safeguard against possibilities from all sides.For us it is to deeply implant in the hearts and attitudes o f minds o f the present generation, and to see to it that they w ill convey the same institution down to the next generations— healthy, intact and with the same noble traditions.That is why I mentioned to you that, traditionally, I should have changed my assistant at the time o f committee, because 92

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya this is how I saw Khulafa working.So an occasional exceptional deviation is made, but it is mentioned clearly that it should not be taken as a future course o f events.It is just a small deviation from the past, and that deviation is also taken because it is a small affair.It is not central to the spirit at all.It is just a form.Otherwise, I would never have taken that exceptional decision.So try to preserve the form as w ell as possible, because the form protects the spirit.And try to imitate M ajilis-e- Shura Central to the very word, and letter, and spirit eve rywhere you hold Majlis-e-Shura, and continue to submit the reports to me so that I can have a general view o f what is happening, and notice in time if a deviation is be ing made here and there, because I know it w ill be corrected, Inshaallah, and the correction w ill be whole heartedly accepted.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shura 1992, pp.43-45] E xtraordinary B enefits of I nternational M ajlis - e -S hura Hadrat Khallfatul MasTh IVrh has said: “The institution o f Majlis-e-Shura is extremely important for the Jama'at.Although eight to ten years ago M ajlis-e- Shura was already established in the Jama'at as a Central institution, and an International Majlis-e-Shura would also be convened after the Jalsa, and suggestions from other countries would also be included in the Central Ma- jlis-e-Shura, Majlis-e-Shura was still not held in other countries.But since the Holy Quran has laid great em phasis on consultation, and Shura is the most important institution in Islamic System after Khilafat, and it also helps in the education and training o f the Jama'at, I, therefore, decided that it should be established in every 93

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T he system of mushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya country.And ever since this institution has been estab lished in the West, in Africa and in some Eastern Countries, by the Grace o f Allah, extraordinary signs o f strength and vigour have appeared in the Jama'ats.In ad dition to many other advantages, participation in Majlis- e-Shura enables members to establish a responsible rela tionship with the Jama'at.Everyone who attends Majlis- e-Shura as a delegate and deliberates upon different is sues, realizes that it is a very important institution in which the entire Jama'at is represented.” [Address to Majlis-e-Shora Brussels, 9 September 1992, pp.1-2] S hura —L ifeline of the I slamic O rder In a Friday Sermon, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh said: “After Khilafat, Majlis-e-Shura is the most important in stitution in the JaxnS'at, for the two have been mentioned in the Holy Quran and in them lies the life o f the Islamic order.That is why I am stressing the importance o f Ma jlis-e-Shura all over the world, and I am also endeavouring to keep an eye on them, so that if and when some fault is observed, it is immediately rectified, so that no wrong tradition is passed on from us to the next gen eration.The traditions o f Majlis-e-Shura are spread over a long period o f the Khilafat o f Hadrat M usleh-e- Mau‘udra.They are extremely valuable traditions, and the picture o f Majlis-e-Shura which is imprinted upon one’s mind after studying these traditions is the same that I am trying to inculcate in these Majalis-e-Shura, and this is what I w ill continue to do in the future.” [Friday Sermon, 30 April 1993, London, p.12] On the opening day of Majlis-e-Shura Germany, held on 28th April, 1995, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IVrh said: 94

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya “I wish to inform the German Jama* at that although as an institution Majlis-e-Shura has attained maturity and peo ple now understand how far members o f Majlis-e-Shura are at liberty, and at what point the Shariah laid down by Allah holds them back and seals their tongues and for bids them from going any further.Thus, as far as the formal order and discipline is concerned, the system has been very much regularized and people now understand the system.Everyone is aware o f his rights as w ell as his responsibilities.” [Friday Sermon, 28 April 1995, Al-Fadl International, 9-15 June 1995, p.5} A R equirement of the N ew C entury of A hmadiyyat In his message to Majlis-e-Mushawarat 1993, held in Rabwah, Pakistan, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh said: “Alhamdulillah, Majlis-e-Shura has now become a truly global institution.It has been introduced in many coun tries outside Pakistan, and in some it has been properly established.AlhamduliUah, Majlis-e-Shura everywhere is functioning in keeping with the same values which you preserved in Qadian and are now preserving in Rabwah.It is now becoming clearer by the day that the greatest need o f this century is to establish the system o f M ajlis- e-Shura in all countries, in keeping with high traditions and values o f the.Tama‘at.It should also serve as a pre cious gift from the previous century to Jama'ats that are stepping into the new century.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura Pakistan 1993, p.3] G lobal I mpact of M ajlis - e -M ushawarat International Majlis-e-Shura 1993 was a historic event, in that two honourable members o f Parliament from 95

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Burkina Faso were also among the delegates, as was a Mayor from a city in Ivory Coast.On this historic occa sion, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh said: [English] “I would like to announce something which may be o f interest to all o f you because I think it is the first time in the History o f Ahmadiyyat that members o f Parliament o f a country have also become members o f Ahmadiyya Parliament o f consultation, and that has hap pened in the case o f two members o f Burkina Faso.They are sitting members o f their Parliament, who have also become, for the first time, members o f this consultative body.Allah bless them.This should be recorded as an other mark in the history o f the progress o f Ahmadiyyat.Again, I do not remember if ever a sitting Mayor o f a city was made a member o f the Ahmadiyya Majlis Shura, and this time this has also happened.A Mayor from Ivory Coast who attended this Jalsa Salana, as you w ell know, him self opted to become a regular Ahmadl.He said, I should be accepted in the fold o f Ahmadiyyat.So when I met him I said, “Y es, you are accepted in the fold o f Ahmadiyyat and in the fold o f my spiritual sons.” He was delighted by that remark and asked me what name you would propose for me.I said another member who came from your country wanted my daughter’s name for this daughter, why not my name [for you], so he said, “Yes I am very happy about that.” This elated his spirit very much and he said, “I promise that when I return to my country I w ill make my entire Mayordom an Ahmadl Mayordom, and then I w ill invite you and say: See for yourself! Alhamdulilldh\ Allah bless him and give him strength, and he may be the first drop o f rain vis-a-vis other Mayors coming and joining the fold o f Ahmadiyyat 96

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya in Ivory Coast.This is also a historic event that a regular Mayor o f a city has also become a member o f M ajlis-e- Shura.This should also go into the records o f Jama'at-e- Ahmadiyya.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shura 1993, pp.7-8]

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Chapter III O bjectives of M ajlis - e -S hura Although the Promised Messiah (as) had begun the system o f consultations in conformity with Islamic traditions during his lifetime, he had also given the glad tiding of Qudrat-e-Thdniya (Second Manifestation) which would continue to the last day.Accordingly, all the Khulafa, in their own time, have done remarkable work in strength ening this institution and establishing it on firm grounds.The evolutionary process which Mushawarat, as an insti tution, has passed through.during the time o f Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIra is remarkable in the history of the Jama'at.The establishment o f the consultative process on permanent and sound basis is an achievement which points to a glorious future for the Jama'at.Through this institution, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIra inculcated the habit o f mutual consultations in the matters of the Jama'at, which consequently helped to sharpen and broaden their minds and created a culture of thought and reflection among them.It also gave them the zeal and enthusiasm to forge ahead.It is a most auspicious and blessed system which continues to open up new ways of progress for the Jama'at.Why did Hadrat Khalifatul Masih Hra feel the need to establish Mushawarat as a regular institution, and what was its significance and its aim in his eyes? To answer these questions, let us again turn to an extract from Sirat Fadl-e- ‘Umar.99

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya Maj lis-e-Mushawarat 1922, which was the first step in the establishment o f this regular institution, is of great sig nificance in the history o f the Jama'at.O f particular importance is the inaugural address delivered by Hadrat Khallfatul Masih Hra on that occasion, in which he high lighted the aims and objectives of Majlis-e-Shura—the Islamic system of consultation—the etiquette to be ob served, the responsibilities of the participants, the method o f deliberating upon the Agenda and the significance of the Shura’s decisions.This address definitely serves as a charter for the system o f Shura in the Jama'at.It is a river flowing with knowledge, wisdom and reflection, and is evidence o f his superior qualities, which must be present in a great reformer.Here I will reproduce some extracts from that address, which should suffice as an introduction to the institution of Shura in Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya.Speaking of the importance o f Shura, Hudur™ said: “First o f all I would like to tell you about this Majlis, which was previously called Conference.From the Holy Quran we learn that it should be the practice o f Muslims to i.e.decide their affairs through mutual consultation.Consultation is very useful and essential, and nothing worthwhile can be accomplished without it.The puipose o f this Majlis, in a few words, is to bring together members o f the Jama'at and to discuss with them matters relating to the progress and strengthening o f the Jama'at, so that the work can be facilitated and members made aware o f the needs and requirement o f the Jama'at.This is the essence o f Majlis-e-Shura.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1922, p.3] 1 0 0

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Speaking about the great importance and significance of Shura, Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IIra said: “Our Majlis-e-Mushawarat is not worth ignoring.At pre sent it may not be possible to perceive its significance, for it is yet like a seed, and even the greatest tree is at one time only a seed.When we see that some o f the delegates who come to attend this Majlis belong to small towns and villages, some come from places where there are only four or five Ahmadis, and that most o f the members come only from within India, it is hard to conceive that our consultations have anything to do with our future progress.But, we must remember, the future before us is not as limited as it might appear today, it is indeed a bright and glorious future that awaits us— far brighter and more glorious than any that a victorious nation has ever seen.No nation has ever been given the tiding that it.shall reach such pinnacles o f greatness and splendour that all other nations w ill be as nothing compared to it, and w ill become as weak and insignificant as the menials.But this is exactly what has been foretold about our fu ture through the Promised Messiah33.We have been told that Islam and Ahmadiyyat w ill continue to progress un til other faiths w ill become insignificant and Islam w ill reign supreme over the world.No other nation has ever had such a future.With this in mind, we can understand how our consultations are going to affect the world.I do not speak about the time when representatives o f the Jama'at w ill come from the world over and w ill represent four, five or six people, I rather speak o f the time when the delegates w ill represent m illions o f people, when the decisions taken in this Majlis w ill not affect four or five hundred thousand people, but w ill transform the world 101

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya from East to W est, North to South.We cannot say that only at that time w ill these consultations be o f impor tance, they are important even now, in fact they are even more important, for that future w ill be bom out to today.Future generations w ill not be able to easily change these decisions, due to the respect and honour people have for their forefathers, just as the decisions taken close to the time o f the Holy Prophetsa are given greater importance in Islam, and are referred to as Ijma‘ (consensus) and sunna...In view o f all this, you can understand how im portant it is for you to pray fervently before giving an opinion and how deeply you should reflect before offer ing your suggestions.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1926, pp.2-3J Regarding the extraordinary importance o f Majlis-e- Mushawarat, Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IIra once said: “I see that Majlis-e-Mushawarat is assuming great impor tance in the Jama'at, and this is how it should be...T he fact is that Khilafat cannot be beneficial unless it is sup ported by the process o f consultation.Majlis-e-Shura was always important in the sight o f Allah, but the Jama'at was not giving sufficient attention to it.It is, however, doing so now.This time two or three Jama'ats have made submissions that so and so should represent them and so and so should not, whereas in the past they would select anyone who was w illing to spare time.This time the Jama'ats have elected their representatives after proper delibera tion, and this is the positive spirit.Our Jama'at should realize that the dignity and honour o f Majlis-e-Shura does not come from the chair and benches 1 0 2

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya that are placed here, rather its real importance is that which it has in the eyes o f Allah.Can anyone say that the Holy Prophetsa was honoured because o f the dress he wore? N o, indeed, his honour was due to the status Allah had bestowed on him.Although at present our M ajlis-e- Shura does not enjoy any importance in the world, a time comes when the members o f the greatest Parliaments o f the world shall not have the status which the delegates o f this ShurS shall have, for all Parliaments shall be under it.Membership o f Shura is a great honour and time comes when kings shall be proud o f its membership.The Jama'at needs to realize its importance even more, and it should be called twice a year so that the issues can be de liberated upon.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1928, p.14] The importance o f Majlis-e-Shura can also be seen from the emphasis that is placed on participation in its sub committees.During Majlis-e-Mushawarat 1956, Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IIra said: “It is only 34 years since the process o f consultation formally began in our Jama'at, but the British have been doing this for the last one thousand years.We have never heard o f their members absenting themselves; they, in fact, consider it an honour to attend the sessions o f Par liament and participate in its proceedings with enthusiasm.But the situation here is that some members o f a committee, which had been set up to discuss an im portant issue o f the Jama'at, did not turn up for the meeting.It would seem that they consider it an honour to attend the meetings o f the District Board, but do not care for the meetings o f the Jama'at.A believer, on the con 103

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya trary, should consider it more prestigious to attend the meetings o f the JamaJat than to become a member o f Par liament.Unless this spirit is bom in the Jama'at, it cannot continue to do its work successfully.To ensure continu ity and progress, it is important to include the members in the process o f consultation, and if they are not inter ested in the affairs o f the Jama'at, our work may continue to an extent but there w ill be no real progress.Do as you w ish, but remember that the day comes when those who involve themselves in the activities o f the Jama'at w ill be greatly honoured, and the descendants o f those who do not take interest in these things w ill be re jected.When great powers like Britain and America w ill send their representatives for consultation, and w ill con sider it an honour, these people’s descendants w ill want to be included in the consultations, but they w ill be sent away and w ill be told that since their ancestors had re jected this process in their time and did not care for the work o f the Jama'at, they, too, cannot be included in these consultations.Get rid o f this callousness and remember that those who attend the meetings o f the Jama'at are so blessed by God that even the membership o f the American Congress is worthless against it.Try to attend these meetings at all costs, and if you do not, the Jama'at w ill lose nothing be cause o f your absence, while you w ill surely deprive yourself o f Divine rewards.The Jama'at was functioning even when there was no Shura, and it continues to func tion now when there is Shura.So, regardless o f whether you participate in it or not, the work o f the Jama'at w ill go on.If you do not consider it an honour to serve the Jama'at, your descendents w ill be deprived o f future re 104

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in jama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya wards.People are wont to acquire valuable properties for tbe benefit o f their descendants, you too w ill be leaving behind a valuable legacy for your children if you continue to actively participate in the activities o f the Jama'at.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1956, pp.22-25] P urpose of M ushawarat During Majalis-e-Shura 1925-1940, Hadrat Musleh-e- M au‘udra continued to highlight the importance o f Ma- jlis-e-Mushawarat.Here we reproduce a few extracts from his speeches: “The purpose for which we have gathered here is to under stand how best can we fulfil our obligations and perform our duties.This being the sole purpose o f our gathering, there can be no question o f any dispute or wrangling among us.We have come here for only one purpose, and.that is to find ways o f adequately fulfilling our obligations.People who come here for this purpose and understand their responsibility can have no wish to quarrel with one another...W hen offering our opinions, we should not be hasty, nor become angry, nor should our opinions be in fluenced by our like or dislike for some person.A believer belongs to the throne o f the Almighty.He may physically be on earth but his thoughts are high and sublime, for he reflects the attributes o f Allah.Hence he is above all prejudice.He does not segregate between young and old, ignorant and learned, acquaintances and strangers; they are all equal in his eyes.You should, therefore, remember your status as a believer when you take part in deliberations and when expressing your opin ions, and do not unduly hurt the feelings o f anyone.This is not such a difficult thing, what is even more diffi 105

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya cult is to desist from forming an opinion in ignorance.This means that whatever opinion you express should be motivated by sincerity and good intentions.At times, a person may not realize that his opinion is being tempered by his own personal prejudices, while this in fact is the case.Therefore, if he sees that his opinion is always op posed to some other person, even though the majority supports him, he should understand this is due to his in ner prejudice, otherwise why should he always oppose the thinking o f a particular person.This normally hap pens when some thoughts that are lurking at the back o f our mind influence our opinion and lead us on the path o f hostility and opposition.Whenever you form an opinion, always keep the fear o f Allah and His pleasure in your mind, for the smallest er ror can prove fatal to your faith, and a single misstep can cause such damage as might take centuries to rectify...The issues that we discuss here w ill affect millions and billions o f people.N o one knows to what extent our Jama'at w ill progress, but the Promised Messiah 3 8 has told us that it w ill spread so far and wide that people o f other faiths w ill become inconsequential.Our future generations w ill be affected by our decisions.Therefore, my advice to you is to always keep the fear o f Allah in your mind.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1925, pp.3-5] T he S pirit of S hura and M utual C onsultations “Coming together once a year and voting for certain pro posals is more or less a formality, and these consultations do not always prove to be beneficial.I, for one, know that precious few things come up in these consultations that I do not already know...Som etim es the things being 106

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T he S ystem of mushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya said are altogether wrong, but w e still have to listen to them.This is because the purpose o f holding such meet ings and consultations is to develop the spirit o f cooperation and to come up with suggestions for the pro gress o f the Jama'at.If this aim is not achieved, then it w ill be futile to hold such consultations.It is completely wrong to imagine that, like Europeans, we too have es tablished some kind o f Parliament o f our own.When we have withdrawn from the world, cut ourselves o ff from people, and settled in an isolation— where there are no worldly honours and benefits— our aim is surely not to imitate the Europeans in anything.Our sole aim and pur pose is to please God Almighty.Let people say what they want, we should keep ourselves focussed on what Allah says and what our Prophetsa proclaims and urges us to do.We can only succeed if we follow the path outlined for us, and never otherwise.I, therefore, urge you to pay more attention to this task, for the time w ill soon run out.Great changes are in the offing and a tremendous revolution is round the comer.So what is required o f us in practical terms is to bring about a trans formation in ourselves, to live up to the pledges we have made, to abide by the truth, and to love Allah and His Messenger*.By thus bringing about a positive change in ourselves, we w ill be able to win Allah’s favour.It is our duty to distribute among our friends and other people the wealth o f knowledge that God has given us.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1940, pp.125-126] V ictory of I slam is L inked to M ajlis - e -S hura Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh also continued to stress the need for strengthening the institution o f Shura.He said 107

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya that in the strengthening o f Majlis-e-Shura lay the secret o f the victory o f Islam.In his opening address on the oc casion o f Majlis-e-Mushawarat 1966, Hudur* said: “You have all gathered here to give suggestions about some important matters on which Khalifatul Maslh wishes to consult you.As the purpose o f this gathering is only to seek the pleasure o f Allah, let us first bow down to Him in humility and meekness, and solicit His help and guidance, so that our Beloved and Loving God may keep our deliberations free from anger, jealousy, malice and egotism.May He enable us to reach the conclusions that should strengthen Islam, and should hasten the day which centuries have waited for—the day when Islam w ill become victorious over all other faiths.We are in significant and our efforts are o f no consequence, but our God is All-Powerful.He can, if He so wishes, bless our efforts, and we do sincerely hope that He w ill bless our efforts, and the purpose for which He has created us and established the Ahmadiyya Jama'at shall be fulfilled.Let us now pray.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1966, pp.7-8] R ole of S hura in the S tability of the J ama ‘ at During Majlis-e-Mushawarat 1923, Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IIra spoke about the need for consultations despite the presence o f Khilafat.“A Jama'at must have a nucleus, and the most suitable option is that there should be a Khalifa, who should be independent in his view s and judgement.He should re ceive recommendations from others and accept only those which he considers appropriate, and reject those which he understands to be harmful for the faith, even if 108

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the S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya the whole Jama'at supports them.And whatever Allah puts in his heart in its place and establishes him upon it, he should put it before the people and they should accept it and follow it.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1923, p.7] Hudur also said: “Despite the presence o f the Khalifa there is still need for consultation...! established this institution in the Jama'at in keeping with the way o f the H oly Prophefa.Consulta tion is necessary despite the presence o f Khilafat.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1923, p.6] In the same context, Hudur said: “No Khilafat can remain established without consultation.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1923, p.8) Similarly, in his last Majlis-e-Shura, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IHrh said: “We have been commanded: (Al-e-‘Imran, 3:160) [And consult them in matters o f importance; and when thou art determined, then put thy trust in Allah.Surely , Allah loves those who put their trust in Him,] Consultation is very important and there is great wisdom in it.Every man thinks and reflects in a different way, this is why everyone is given an opportunity to freely put for ward what he considers to be beneficial for the Jama'at.Another wisdom in this system is that the one who seeks 109

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya advice should not become arrogant and imagine that he is the only one who can conceive o f better ideas.But the decision still lies with him.He must listen, but he does not have to accept.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1982, pp.7-8] Speaking about Majlis-e-Mushawarat, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IVrh said: “Just like Khilafat and the Jama'at, Shura and the Jama'at are also inseparable.This is why I believe that if the system o f Shura becomes fully established in the Jama'at—just as Khilafat has already become estab lished, by the grace o f Allah, the structure o f the Jama'at w ill become so strong that no power in the world w ill be able to destroy it.” [Address to Majlis-e-Shiira Brussels, 9 September 1992, p.2] U nique C haracter of M ajlis - e -S hura During the International Majlis-e-Shura in 1989, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh said: [English] “The Ahmadiyya system o f Majlis-e-Shura is a unique system in the world.Absolutely! there is no peer, no equal to this system anywhere.I was thinking o f this in comparison to those countries where they have a sin gle party House.It may be misunderstood by some that this also is a single party House.It is not so.There are many single party Houses in communist countries, in A f rican countries, but this is a ‘no party House’.This is the distinction which you must always maintain and keep in view.Everyone is a ‘party’ member if it is a ‘party’, so practically it is a ‘no party’ House.Everyone has an equal right, an equal obligation as w ell.This system is manifested at its peak, at its most beautiful expression, no

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya when these Majalis-e-Shura are attended by the Caliph o f the time himself.Then order is most perfectly main tained.Then everybody is very cautious that he should not say anything which should even inadvertently hurt the feelings o f others.So he is very cautious about choos ing his words, and so on and so forth.What I was thinking about during these discussions was that this sys tem should be maintained in its purity everywhere in the world as if the Caliph is also present there when some body else is chairing.I thought how can be this achieved? Then, immediately, I was reminded o f Taqwa again.Thinking o f Khalifa being present is not enough.I rejected this idea.My train o f thought went to the ulti mate end, that always thinking that God is present.When w e begin to forget that, we go awry, we go astray, we be come corrupted.Everything goes about our deliberations.So this is my last message.Carry it home.Remind eve ryone when you get together for consultations that we are sitting in the presence o f God and before expressing our opinions we must consult ourselves, search our hearts and see to it that whatever we thought was in the pres ence o f God, if it was taking shape in the recesses o f your hearts under the sight o f God, then whatever you say would be blessed.If there were some periods in which you felt as if you were not observed by God, then I as sure you that there you must have made some mistakes.So I hope you’ll keep this in view.I remember, when training my first child I used to emphasize to her that she should not do this or do that because there is God.A l though she could little understand what it was, I wanted to train her in this particularly, because I would not be there throughout my life, I would not be with her.So the only safe rule I thought would be to train her to always 1 1 1

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya concentrate on the presence o f God.Children are very very intelligent, o f course, and once perhaps I had over done it.So once she was about to jump on the sofas and I looked at her.She turned back to me and said, “God has gone out, please.For the time being there is no God.” (laughter) N ow this is pardonable from a child.She inno cently could think that God had temporarily left her, but it is not pardonable among adults.So never think that God has left you.Please, this is my m essage.” In his Friday Sermon on the opening day of Majlis-e- Shiira Germany, 1995, Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IVrh said: “If we can establish the institution o f Mushawarat with the utmost care, and close the doors to any tendency that is contrary to Taqwa , I am sure that, by the grace o f Allah, the Jama'at w ill progress at a great speed.” [Friday Sermon, 28 April 1995, Al-Fadl International, 9-15 June X995, p.5] T he E xemplary I nstitution of M ushawarat Addressing the delegates of International Majlis-e-Shura 1990, Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IVrh said: [English] “This is Ahmadiyya system as you have ob served today and witnessed today.A few days ago, not a few days, but a few months ago, an important Minister from an African country met me and wanted my advice as to what should be done about the system o f govern ment in his respective country and other African countries.Many African countries now run on a single party system, which is considered to be the right form o f democracy suitable for them.And when you speak o f multi-party system, the party in power does not tolerate it and w ill not hear o f it.So he wanted my advice as to what he should suggest to the government that should be 1 1 2

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the S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya done, from Islamic point o f view , o f course.So I'said the answer is very simple, it should be a no-party system.Neither one-party system is Islamic nor multi-party sys tem is Islamic.No-party system is the only advisable system which can work truly democratically right to the grass root level, where the loyalties are not to the party but to the ideas.The loyalties are to wisdom, to common sense, to the real requirements o f the people as a whole.So this is the Ahmadiyya system.There is no party and everyone is not only free, but is completely and totally unrestricted to follow any group here, or Jama'at or any body else.He has to express his opinion openly and freely according to his own conscience and his own con cepts o f what is right and what is wrong.Preserve this system.Do not let partisan spirits encroach into your healthy system which is devised by God in the Holy Quran.And this was the system which was enacted throughout by Hadrat Muhammad Mustafasa.He freely consulted people and that is exactly what he was advised by Allah: j.e in all important matters consult others.This is the true Islamic Parliament, which is a constant process, but occasionally people are called together, representatives like you who are specially con sulted on some important matter from time to time.But the spirit which I want you to always preserve and guard with all your life and honour whatever you can, is the spirit o f non-partisanship, the institution o f non-partisan aspect o f the Ahmadiyya consultative bodies.And that is why I take very strong exception to the be ginning o f partisan attitudes in the Jama'ats.And sometimes people think that I take very extreme meas ures in dealing with this.When I sometimes hear o f it, I 113

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T he S ystem of mushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya immediately turn the people involved in this crime out o f the Community.I say you may continue to call yourself AhmadT, but I have no relationship with you.Because this w ill be the beginning o f the end o f everything good in Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya.To be loyal to God is to be loyal to the Holy Prophet5 3 , is to be loyal to his subordinates, and it works downwards right to the ultimate end.And, to be loyal only to them, means to be loyal to the values they stand for.That is the only meaning o f loyalty.So, that is why I explained this point very clearly in answer to a question raised by Mr.‘Abdur Rahim.You know I told him that to disagree with the Khalifa is not a crime, to disagree with the Khalifa in the sense as Islam permits—respectfully, o f course— not in a manner as to injure the sensibilities o f the Jama'at with regards to their love for the Khalifa, or to insult the Khalifa as a representative o f the institution.That would earn Allah’s displeasure.I have no doubt about it.But to express the opinion honestly, genuinely is a must, and not to express your opinion when required is a crime, because the loyalty to the goodness o f Islam requires that, whenever required, you speak up the truth as you know.So the loyalties are ultimately to the truth and because the Prophets and their successors are wedded constantly and permanently with the truth.So to speak out the truth w ill never hurt them.It always pleases.But to choose a word with a view to please the Khalifa, even if you consider that it is not the whole truth, or truth at all, that is a crime.I remember once, during the time o f Hadrat Khallfatul Masih nr a , I found some office-bearers o f the Jama'at trying to read the mind o f Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IT 3 so that they would please him, and they could never please 114

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya him.He was always angry with them.Once I spoke to some person, I said: ‘Behave! What you are doing is Shirk, and Shirk can never please a Khalifa.Your goal is to please him, and when you judge him because you are distorted within, you judge according to your own measures.So, instead o f trying to judge him, know what the Holy Quran says.Familiarize yourself with the traditions o f Islam, and when you show your loyalty to those traditions, even if your personal judgement is that it may displeases the Khalifa, you should leam that your judgement is wrong.You should judge that you have ill- treated your own Khalifa by considering him to have an opinion which is against your knowledge o f the Holy Quran.So thereby you can never please him.So the ultimate advice to you is: always please God.And when you do that, you w ill always please every godly person, whoever he is.You w ill never displease anyone, any officer who is godly, I mean.If somebody is sordid, let him be displeased.You do not miss anything, you do not lose anything if you displease a person who is not permanently identified with the values o f Islam.So guard these values.It is a very precious institution.N o other institution in the world exists as the institution o f Shura in Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya.The last thing which is mentioned in the H oly Quran regarding the Shura is.The decision lies with you.You must consult people but, having consulted them— because you are not loyal to the party, because you, o f all the people, are loyal to God more than anybody else— so take your decision after consultation, according to what you judge the right thing to please God.So, that is why consultation is left out after that.It is said when 115

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T he S ystem of M xjsh A warat jn J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya you have made a final conclusion and have reached a judgement—because your decision is in relation to God—then you must stick to it firmly.And 4 I 1 I that is the part which has disclosed the secret o f the philosophy.From I infer that cJ fjs.means: Because you have taken the decision to please God, it is the responsibility o f God to help you, and He w ill.So this is how I read the underlying message o f this verse, and this is what I want you to understand and always prac tice meticulously.Allah be with you and may Allah always be pleased with us and with our thinking phe nomenon.The result may be wrong, but if the thinking phenomenon is pleasing to God, we have nothing to fear.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shura 1990, pp.96-100J This was the gist o f the Friday Sermon delivered by Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrl1 in which he directed Ma- jlis-e-Shura to guard against negative tendencies.In the same context, he also instructed the Jama'at to protect itself from innovations in religion and deviation from the right path.Hudur said: [English] “But this is the process through which innova tions are sifted out.Shura is one o f the instruments which helps Khalifatul Masih to realize that there is a danger o f innovation.So, as such, it is not objectionable.This has been discussed before and this argument has been enter tained, alright, in principle.Later on, if the other side made the rest convinced on particularly, they let us say make the Khalifatul Masih convinced, there is no innova tion involved, then the matter was carried.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shura 1991, pp.23-24] 116

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya The system o f Mushawarat in Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya is free from any sort o f influence from the representatives of the auxiliary organizations.Rather, the distinctive fea ture of this consultative body is to take up issues of a universal nature, on the basis o f truth and wisdom.In the same Majlis-e-Shura, Hudur said: [English] “Everyone who comes to this forum is free to speak for him self, and his representation o f groups ends there.It is only revived when the group’s interests are be ing discussed on the Agenda.Lajna vs.Ansar or anything; then, o f course, Lajna member represents the interests o f Lajna.But we have been sent here from dif ferent quarters, from different organizations, or different areas, to represent, not just their thinking, because they all send AhmadJs to this forum to represent truth and rep resent wisdom.So this is why Ahmadiyya M ajlis-e- Shura is not at all like any other such organization or in stitution in the world.Here you have no loyalties to the groups that sent you here.But you have only loyalty to truth and wisdom and understanding.So when you sub mit a proposal to the Khalifa, you must remember that you are submitting it with the consciousness that God is watching you and God expects you to submit only that which is good for the ultimate interest o f truth.So forget about your allegiance to Lajna altogether.It is your alle giance only to God and to the truth, and you are free to express yourself as best as you please.With this amended concept o f your participation, now I give you another chance to clearly speak as to whether you sup port the Shura sub-committee’s proposal.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shura 1991, pp.36-37] 117

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya T he D istinguishing F eature of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya The establishment o f Majlis-e-Shura in the Jama'at is, in fact, the revival of the Islamic system of Mushawarat.It might seem to resemble worldly Parliaments in some ways, but it is in fact purely religious in nature.Its only purpose is to make collective efforts to bring the world together upon one faith—Islam.In Chapter II, we have detailed the distinction between Majlis-e-Shura and worldly institutions, and have quoted the words of Hadrat Khallfatul Masih n ra, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih fflrh and Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IVrh on the subject.But this topic cannot be complete without the following extract from Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IV’srh book Sirat Fadl-e- ‘Umar.Majlis-e-Shura was established as a purely religious institution.Any resemblance to worldly Parliaments is solely superficial.Describing the objectives o f M ajlis-e- Mushawarat, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra has said: “Allah has once again given us the opportunity to come together in order to invite the world towards Islam and towards spirituality, while the world holds consultations for its material progress.The rest o f the world strives for material gains, but we are gathered here, by the grace o f God, to spread the light which He has sent for the guid ance o f the world and to think o f schemes to accomplish this task.We shall also be deliberating on social and po litical issues which result from our schemes, but our aim w ill not be to gain anything for ourselves, rather it w ill all be for the benefit o f the world at large.It is the hall mark o f every Jama'at established by a Prophet, that all their efforts are directed, not at gaining anything for 118

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya themselves, but to help others.Therefore, if we too want to be counted among the followers o f a Prophet, then all our efforts and our plans should be such that they benefit the world, regardless o f whether they are Ahmadis or non-Ahmadis, Muslims or non-Muslims.It is our duty to serve everyone, for, a believer is a servant o f mankind.God be praised, that while other people hold conventions to squabble over their own interests, we, on the other hand, come together to establish peace in the world, and to establish the world on justice and righteousness.Hence we speak to the whole world, and we serve the whole world.This is a great favour o f God upon us.” (Report Majlis-e-Shura, 1931, pp.1-2)...T he progressive development o f Majlis-e-Shura pre sents a very interesting study.This institution flourished and progressed under the direct supervision o f Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IIra from 1922 to 1965.A ll the new branches that grew out o f it, and whatever form it took, reflected two important concepts: 1.The concept o f the Consultative system o f Islam as visual ized by Hadrat Mirza Bashlruddin Mahmud Ahmad”.2.The cm cial role he played in putting his concepts into practice.The system o f Shura, as implemented by Jama'at-e- Ahmadiyya, makes a very interesting study particularly in this age.It presents solid material for scholars and re searchers who are interested in the comparative study o f religions, and particularly between the various religious and non-religious consultative systems.Here it w ill not be out o f place to mention that afterwards Maulana MaududI, the head o f Jama'at-e-Islami, estab lished a system o f Shura in Jama'at-e-IslamI as well.119

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya Regardless o f how much he benefited from our system o f Shura, or did not, the comparative study o f the two sys tems w ill be o f great interest to future researchers and scholars, and it w ill become obvious as to which o f the two systems is worthy o f being called a Divine system and a system established under direct heavenly guidance.Let us now present an outline o f the system o f Musha warat in Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya.(1) It is directly related to and dependant upon Khilafat.Khalifatul Masih, in keeping with the injunction [i Consult them in matters o f impor tance], may invite the opinion o f relevant people as and when he wishes.(2) Every such meeting begins with prayers and remem brance o f God, so that all decisions are made with Taqwa, and with Divine help and guidance.(3) Every member is at liberty to express his view s freely with the permission o f the Chair.But the speaker should address him self directly to Khalifatul Masih and not to the audience.Khalifatul Masih has full authority to ac cept or reject the view s o f the majority.This is the basic outline o f the system o f Mushawarat in Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya.Let us now turn to the subject o f its gradual evolution, and highlight some aspects o f this process, particularly those which reflect upon the mental or spiritual brilliance o f Hadrat Khalifatul Masih.The initial method adopted by Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIra for selecting members o f Shura was as follows: He would extend personal invitation to some people, whom he knew to be sagacious and competent, to attend Majlis-e-Shura.But most o f the delegates were those who had been nomi 1 2 0

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya nated by various Jama'ats in view o f their ability and their competence in matters that were to be deliberated upon.There was no limit as to the number o f delegates, but as the Jama'at grew and people started taking greater interest in Mushawarat, it was considered necessary to set a limit.Referring to this need, Hudur said: “From this year some conditions have been, laid down under which the number o f delegates has been limited.Jama'ats are no longer free to nominate as many dele gates as they wish.And as our Jama'at increases further, even more restrictions might have to be imposed in the future.N o, indeed, it is not a matter o f ‘may’, this is sure to happen.The time w ill come when we w ill have to in vite delegates from districts or even provinces rather than from Jama'ats, for it w ill not be possible for Shura to ac commodate thousands o f people.When God causes our Jama'at to spread throughout the world, at that time rep resentatives w ill only be invited from various districts, provinces or even countries.The Jama'ats should not mind these restrictions, which are necessary, and the ne cessity is only going to increase.But as long as the small Jama'ats enjoy the privilege o f sending their delegates, they must exercise their right and should elect the most suitable people to represent them in Majlis-e-Shura.” (Report Majlis-e-Shura 1940, pp.4-7) This method o f selecting delegates is in place to this day.Only the number o f delegates varies according to the cir cumstances.Amirs o f the Jama'ats, by virtue o f their office, are mem bers o f the Shura, and so are the Companions o f the Promised Messiah35, because o f their privileged position.Various Departments o f the Central Anjumans are also 1 2 1

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya represented in the Majlis-e-Shura.Another tradition, which is ongoing, is that Khalifatul Masih invites some scholars, experts, or eminent members o f the Jama'at, whose opinion he considers valuable.[SIrat Fadl-e-‘Umar, vol.n , pp.177-178,192-1941 I mportance of M a ju s - e -S hura in the T raining OF THE JAMA‘AT With regard to this important aspect o f Majlis-e-Shura, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh said: “The institution o f Majlis-e-Shura is vital for the proper training and education o f the Jama'at as well as for main taining its special character and safeguarding its potential.I receive reports from many European and other countries in which Majlis-e-Shura has been established, and I am told that a new life has been breathed into those Jama'ats.They have attained a new life and a new confidence, and the speed o f their progress has increased.” [Address to Majlis-e-Shura Brussels, 9 September 1992, p.9] Hudur also said: “By the grace o f God, you too shall progress gradually.Today you have come o f age, for a Jama'at cannot be come mature without Majlis-e-Shura.The maturity o f thought, the confidence and the satisfaction one gets from being personally responsible, cannot be attained other than from the Shura.” [Address to Majlis-e-Shura Brussels, 9 September 1992, p.2] Regarding the status o f Majlis-e-Mushawarat in Jama'at- e-Ahmadiyya, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh wrote: “The Khalifa has divided his work into two parts.The first is the administrative part, which involves the ap- 1 2 2

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pointment o f office-bearers...The second aspect is the laying down o f principles and basic framework, and for this purpose he consults Majhs-e-Shura.Thus, just as the M ajlis-e-M u‘tamadin represents the Khalifa in adminis trative matters, so does Majlis-e-Shura represent him in matters o f principle.But it is the Khalifa who heads both these institutions.In matters o f administration he guides Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, and in matters o f formulating principles and rules and regulations, he heads and guides Majlis-e-Shura.}Sirat Fadl-e^Umar, voL 2, p.204] How S hura U nites K hilafat and the J ama ‘ at Historically speaking, the evolution o f Shura and the way it unites Khilafat and Jama'at is a very interesting study, referring to which Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “It is only once out o f a hundred times that I have to make a decision on my own.In ninety-nine percent o f the cases, I reach a decision by adopting a little o f one per son’s opinion and a little o f the other, and drawing a conclusion from both.If the common man is not in volved in Mushawarat, he would not get used to thinking o f anything other than o f his domestic problems.But when we involve them in Mushawarat, their mental fac ulties are enhanced.Thus, a whole scheme can be formulated by bringing together various opinions, and this is most beneficial for the Jama'at.” [Tafsir-e-Kablr, vol.10, pp.182-183] Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IIIrh said: “The requirements o f our m ission and our responsibilities are changing, it is, therefore, o f no use to the world if we _____________ T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya _____________ 123

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e ~A hmadiyya come here as matter o f routine, talk to one another, and go away.We have to solve the world’s problems, and it is this we have to think about.God has made you the ba sis for all this.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1977, p.13] Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IHrh also said: “In a way, the delegates o f Majlis-e-Shura are the leaders o f the areas they represent.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1973, p.19] J urisdiction of M ajlis - e -S hura A most complicated problem has been put before the Shura several times, and it is to do with the interpreta tion and explanation o f the rules o f Wasiyyat.These rules were formulated by the Promised Messiah (as) him self.The role which Majlis-e-Shura can play in the interpretation o f these rules is explained by Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra in Majlis-e-Shura 1942: “The proposal under discussion has become very intri cate.One o f the questions that have been raised is whether or not we have the right to effect changes or amendments in the rules o f W asiyyat laid down by the Promised Messiah (as) himself.Another question that has been raised, and regarding which there has been some disagreement, is how to define the property on which W asiyyat would apply.Let me, first o f all, clarify that the question simply does not arise as to whether we have the right to amend the rules o f W asiyyat, because no Ahmad! ever says that he has the right to effect any change in the rules laid down by the Promised Messiah3 5 1.The question only applies to 124

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T he S ystem op M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya certain rules whose wording seems to admit o f change.So the debate can only be whether a certain rule falls un der the above category or not.When someone suggests an amendment, he does not mean that a rule laid down by the Promised Messiah3 S should be changed, all he says is that it appears from the wording o f the Promised Messiah3 5 that this particular rule admits o f the possibility o f change.While another person who says that no change should be affected does not mean that the first person does not agree with the rules laid down by the Promised Messiah35, he only wishes to point out that he does not consider this par ticular rule to be among those in which we have the right to effect change.So no one should unnecessarily insist that those who are in favour o f a change do not accept the rules specified by the Promised Messiah35.The reason I have had to point this out is because some people in their speeches seem to allege that their friends wish to abrogate the rules laid down by the Promised Messiah35.There is absolutely no question o f abrogation.The question is only about the nature o f the writing.Accusing an Ahmadi o f trying to abrogate any writing o f the Promised Messiah3 5 is a very wrong attitude.” (Report Majlis-e-Shura 1942, pp.52-53] 125

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Chapter IV E ligibility for R epresentation in S hura P rocedure for R epresentation In 1922, when the first regular Majlis-e-Shura was held, the total number o f delegates, including representatives from Markaz, was 82.The next year this number rose to 128.In 1924 an even larger number o f delegates took part in Majlis-e-Mushawarat.The procedure for electing delegates for Shura was also discussed on this occasion.Since the system of Shura was still in a nascent stage, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra made the following decision in this regard: “The question is: how should the members be elected? Should the present system be continued or should the • delegates be nominated for a period o f three years? Since we are still at a very early stage, the latter option can be set aside.We may not be able to find many people who can make themselves available for three successive years.At present anyone who is available is sent, and though this may not be very desirable, it is better not to put too many restrictions on the Jama'at considering its present state.What we can consider, however, is that the person who has been nominated by a Jama'at w ill continue to represent it in the Shura until the following year.I believe this is not a very important matter, and we have had enough discussion over it, so let me just outline the various suggestions that have come up.(1) Jama'ats should again be reminded that they should elect their representatives for the period o f one year.127

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya (2) The representatives who are attending this Shura should be considered representatives for one year.(3) The present delegates should be considered as repre sentatives o f their respective Jama'ats until the next Shura, and it should be announced through the newspa per that any Jama1at which wishes to change its delegate should elect a new one and inform us.Jama'ats which have not sent any representatives should choose them now and inform us also.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1924, pp.32-33] Hudur also said: “Let me say one thing more.Representative should be chosen by the Jama'ats and not by the Secretary, Presi dent or the Amir.The whole Jama'at should be involved in choosing a representative.When intimation about the nominee is sent to Secretary Majlis-e-Mushawarat, it should be mentioned specifically that the delegate has been chosen by the members o f the Jama'at.The Secre tary, President or Amir o f a Jama'at cannot nominate the representative on their own without consulting the Jama'at.This is very important.” [Report Majlis-c-Shura 1924, p.34] P rocedure for E lecting R epresentatives 1.Shura is linked to Khilafat.Hence, whenever Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh desires, he can summon people of sound judgement for consultation.2.Initially, there were no restrictions on the number of representatives.3.As the Jama'at progressed, a limit was put on the 128

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama 4 at - e -A hmadiyya numbers so that all districts, provinces and countries could be represented.[Report Majlis-e-Shiira 1940, pp.4-7; Report Majlis-e-Shura 1938, p.58] Some instructions regarding the nomination o f members for Shura always accompany the published reports of Majlis-e-Mushawarat.These instructions are as follows: ;il.The delegate should be sincere, o f sound judgement, and pious.2.A person can only represent a Jama'at if he is paying his Chanda in that particular Jama'at.3.A delegate should be one who abides by the Islamic customs, e.g., he should have a beard.; 4.A student cannot be sent as a representative.5.A representative should be regular in his Chandas, and should not be in arrears.[Instructions from Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IT0 , Al-Fadl 11 March, 1952] A person is considered to be in arrears if he has not paid his obligatory Chandas (Chanda ‘Am, Hissa Amad, Jalsa Salana) for six months or more.6.In this context, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh has in structed that the representative of a Jama'at should not be nominated directly by the Amir, President or Secre tary; the whole Jama'at should be consulted.And when informing Secretary Majlis-e-Mushawarat of his nomi nation, it should be specifically mentioned that the Jama'at got together and chose such and such a person to represent them.129

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya l 7.Hadrat Khalifatul Masih III also said that the mem bers of the sub-committees of Shura should be appointed by their Jama'ats so that consultations can be more ef fective and speedy.8.In Islam, while choosing representatives for Majlis-e- Shura, you do not vote for a party or a group.No one is allowed to canvass on his own behalf.9.W hen people choose a representative, they do so with the understanding that he is honest, spends his time in the service of the faith, and is dependable.They also keep in mind his personality and his past conduct.No one asks them to vote for him and no one canvasses in his favour.Hence the selected individual is truly a repre sentative o f his people.10.It is the privilege o f the people to choose from among them one whom they know to be upright in his everyday affairs, and to be pious and virtuous.[Address to Majlis-e-Shara Brussels, 9 September 1992, pp.5-7] 11.If it is the righteous people who are elected by mem bers o f the Jama4at, then this Jama'at can never perish.[Friday Sermon 2 April 1993, Al-Fadl Rabwah, 30 May, p.2] R estricting the N umber of R epresentatives When Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra saw that the number of delegates was increasing with every passing year, he de cided to put a limit to their numbers.He said: “Beginning from this year, some conditions have been laid down under which the number o f delegates has been 130

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya limited.Jama'ats are no longer free to nominate as many delegates as they wish.And as our Jama'at continues to increase further, even more restrictions may have to be imposed in the future.N o, indeed, it is not a matter o f may, this w ill surely happen.The time w ill come when we w ill have to invite delegates only from districts or provinces, rather than from individual Jama'ats, because it w ill not be possible for Shura to accommodate thou sands o f people.When Allah causes our Jama'at to spread throughout the world, representatives w ill not be invited from various districts or provinces but from countries.The Jama'ats should not mind these restric tions for they are necessary,.and the necessity is only going to increase.But as long as the small Jama'ats enjoy the privilege o f sending their delegates, they must exer cise their right and should elect the most suitable people to represent them.” [Report Majlis-e~Shiira 1941, pp.2-3] W asiyyat N ot A P recondition for M embership of S hura It was proposed in Majlis-e-Mushawarat 1948 that only Musis should be allowed membership o f the Shura.Though a large majority voted in favour o f this proposal, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra rejected the majority opinion and decided that Wasiyyat cannot be made a condition for membership o f Shura.He said: “The majority has recommended that Wasiyyat should be made a condition for membership o f Shura.But today I w ill make the decision, contrary to my usual practice.I do feel that there should be more restrictions concerning the membership o f Shura.The present rules are not enough.But the condition o f W asiyyat w ill serve no pur 131

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya pose.Members o f the Shura are very few and their [fi nancial] sacrifices are not likely to substantially increase our budget.Secondly, most o f the delegates representing different Jama'ats are already M usis, and imposing such a restriction w ill not increase our Chandas to any consid erable extent.” When Hudur ordered a count, it came out that 163 out of the 260 delegates were already Musis, and only 97 were non-Musis.Hudur then said: “If these remaining people are encouraged, they too w ill become Musis.So, despite the fact that the majority is in favour o f making W asiyyat a precondition for the mem bership o f Shura, I give my verdict in favour o f the minority: that W asiyyat is not a must for membership o f the Shura.” [Unpublished report Majlis-e~Shura 1948, pp.68-69] H aving a B eard as a C ondition for M embership of S hura Another proposal in this connection was that having a beard should be a precondition for membership o f the Shura.A lengthy but very interesting discussion was held on this subject.After analyzing the various aspects of the matter, Hadrat Mu sleh-e-Mau‘udra decided: “A ll members are agreed that the question should be lim ited to having a beard, and this is also my decision.But, first o f all, it is necessary to make people understand the significance o f having a beard.There are some members o f the Jama'at, who, despite their sincerity, are guilty o f shaving their beards.And it is because they do not realize the importance o f keeping a beard, and do not consider it as a part o f faith and sincerity.Therefore, it is first and 132

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya foremost duty o f the Nazarat to publish tracts in which the significance o f growing a beard is outlined.And until such tracts are published, it is not proper to hold people answerable.I hope that Nazarat TaTim and Tarbiyyat w ill publish such tracts and inform the people that grow ing a beard is the requirement o f the Shariah.Our members are so sincere and devoted that once they un derstand something to be the practice o f the Holy Prophetsa and the commandment o f the Shariah, they w ill surely act upon it.Someone once asked me whether faith depends on the beard, I said, ‘N o, faith depends on the practice o f the Holy Prophetsa, and his practice was that he kept a beard.’ Therefore,, it is necessary to publish such tracts.But the question before us is: What should be done when an Ahmad! does not keep a beard?” After listening to different views from the delegates, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih I f a said: “Since this is a matter o f Shariah, the sub-committee does not have any right to place limits on it.The Prom ised Messiah^ has given us the principle that sunna means everything which the H oly Prophet^ practiced and taught others to practice; thus not everything the Holy Prophetsa did can be included in the sunna.The word ‘sunna’, therefore, is applicable only to those acts o f the Holy Prophetsa which he also urged other people to fol low.Now , it is an established fact that the H oly Prophetsa kept a beard and'taught others to do the same, but in no Hadith do we find him telling how long the beard should be.On the other hand, history tells us that some o f the Companions kept small beards.Hadrat ‘A lira also wore a small beard and historians are o f the view that the same was true o f most o f the Companions.133

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I cannot say it with certainty about the Holy Prophetsa, but the Promised Messiah (as) would cut and trim his beard regularly.I do the same.If I allowed my beard to grow it could grow much bigger.The Promised Messiah (as) used to trim his beard every week, and some people collected the hair from his beard as Tabarruk [sacred relic].I also had some which I kept in a bottle, but someone took it.Once I told some students not to shave their beards.They stopped shaving, but they would trim their beards so fine with scissors that they looked as if they had shaved.When I spoke to them, they said they had not shaved, they had only trimmed their beards.The thing is that one should wear a beard, no matter how big or how small, or o f which fashion.We know that some o f the Companions had small beards, and the Shariah does not tell us how long a beard should be.We also know that the Holy Prophetsa had a long beard, and if someone follows his example in this regard he does so as an expression o f love for him.The beard may be o f any size, the size o f a grain or a handful, it depends on one’s own liking.N o one has the right to interfere in this matter; anyone who does so interferes in the Shariah...The Holy Prophet53 did say that one should lengthen one’s beard, but this does not imply that one should keep oiling and grooming it until it virtually sweeps the ground.The H oly Prophet’ssa injunction was in fact with reference to the Jews who used to shave their beards...This has become a very interesting issue, per haps it has always been so.Some are saying the Mullahism is trying to impose itself, while the religious scholars are agitated and keep sending me notes to sanc tion the keeping o f long beards.But the discussion is not ________ T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya ________ 134

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya about the length o f the beard, it is about its shaving, and whether the sub-committee’s recommendation should be placed before the house...(1) We have had enough o f this discussion.Now, those o f you who think that people who shave their beards should not be allowed membership o f the Shura should stand up.(The majority stood up in favour o f the proposition, and it was considered unnecessary to count their numbers.) (2) A ll those who think that people who shave their beards should not be given any responsibility in Markaz or in the local Jama'ats, should stand up.(This times also the majority was in favour, and no counting was considered necessary.) (3) Those who think that the beard should be a precondi tion for those wishing to enter into W asiyyat, should stand up.” (84 delegates supported this proposal and 95 opposed it.) Hadrat Khallfatul Masih Hra then decided to defer the implementation o f the decision until the following year.He said: “B y the grace o f God Almighty, such is the spirit o f sin cerity and devotion in our Jamatat, that I am sure if they are repeatedly told about the importance o f having a beard in sermons and through articles, they w ill put this teaching into practice...Though I approve o f your recommendation, I would still like to place a condition on it.I believe that keeping a beard is very important, because physical things influ ence the morals.A person who steals surreptitiously under the cover o f darkness does not affect other people 135

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya as adversely as a person who does a minor misdeed out in the open in front o f everybody.Therefore, I do accept the proposal, but it should be implemented after a year from today.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1927, pp.166-171] This restriction remained in place during the time of Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh.If, at times, a delegate was sent by a Jama'at who did not have a beard, the Secre tary Majlis-e-Mushawarat would not issue him a pass for Shura.Referring to one such incident, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh said: “I want to give you the good news that three o f our friends have started growing beards because o f M ajlis-e- Mushawarat.They came here as representatives o f their Jama'ats, but the office refused to issue them passes be cause they did not have beards, whereupon they immediately promised in writing that from that very moment they would start growing beards.So this is an other benefit o f Mushawarat.If Jama'ats keep sending ten or twenty such members in fixture, it w ill prove quite beneficial.It has also been reported from Dhaka that two members who did not have beards were elected as repre sentatives; but when they learnt about this precondition, they immediately decided to grow beards.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1968, p.198] S ome C riteria for E lecting R epresentatives By the grace o f God, as this consultative institution pro gressed, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra laid down some criteria for choosing the representatives.Due to the ex traordinary significance o f Majlis-e-Shura, he decided 136

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya that only pious and righteous people should be selected as representatives...He always stressed that a delegate of the Shura should not be one who is given to verbosity and glibness; he should neither be quarrelsome nor a faultfinder, and he should not be devoid o f piety and pu rity.Hudur also considered it very important that the Taqwa, piety, righteousness and sincerity should be the main consideration when selecting representatives for the Shura.Hudur said that only those suggestions can truly profit us which come from truly sympathetic hearts and are accompanied by humble and sincere prayers.At the occasion o f Majlis-e-Mushawarat 1940, he chose this very topic for his opening speech, some extracts of which we reproduce below: “M y dear people, who have come from far and wide to participate in this Majlis-e-Shura, our responsibilities and our obligations are so formidable that one shudders at the very thought o f them.The task o f creating a new earth and a new heaven— which God Almighty had given to the Promised Messiah3 5 — has now been entrusted to us.And there is not one among us who does not realize and acknowledge that we are not competent enough to ac complish this mission.In fact, we know nothing about it.The task entrusted to us is to build a structure, which, in its spiritual capacity, should equal the greatest buildings in the world, such as the Taj Mahal.But, as it is, w e are not even capable o f building cottages or even shelters for labourers.How then are we to build such an impressive structure that should amaze all those before us and after us? Surely we cannot do it, unless God Almighty Him self builds it for us, just as it is narrated in old tales that 137

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the S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya geniis would build houses for people.Those, o f course, are mere tales, but we do expect from our Lord that, while w e are asleep, He should H im self have mercy on us and raise that spiritual structure for us.And when we wake up, we should bow our heads in gratitude for His kindness, for it was a task that would have been impossi ble for us.But whereas w e can beg God through prayers and supplications to do for us one portion o f the task, there is yet another portion we ourselves have to do.And if we do not attend to it and do not try to accomplish what has been left to us, we w ill never deserve His help, which we are hoping for.The responsibility that is upon us is that we should always select competent people for our tasks.I am sorry to say that some Jama'ats do not elect competent representatives for M ajlis-e- Shura...They do not consider who is competent for the job, and merely choose a person who has nothing else to do and send him to Qadian.They merely ask, ‘Is there anyone who is free and can go to Qadian?’, and anyone who says he is free, is sent here.Such Jama'ats do not at all realize the immense responsibilities o f Majlis-e-Shura which these representatives have to shoulder.They send a person only because he was readily available, or was outspoken and critical, or was w ell to do, or simply be cause he craved for prominence, while the Holy Prophetsa has said that anyone who seeks to become prominent or desires an office should not be accommodated.There fore, I wish to convey this message to the Jama’ats through you: The work which God has taken upon Him self shall no doubt be done, but if we do not fulfil the task that is upon us faithfully and responsibly, Allah’s blessings shall also be delayed.138

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Try, therefore, to understand your responsibilities and always select competent people as your representatives.I think that the Jama'at has not yet fully realized the sig nificance o f Majlis-e-Shura.They merely consider it a committee in which they must send a representative to avoid embarrassment.It has, therefore, not been given the required attention...If in our Jama*at there happen to be hypocrites, people o f weak faith, people who do not offer their prayers, braggarts, accusers, and people whose hearts are devoid o f the fear o f God, this Majlis w ill be affected by partisanship.Loyalties w ill be divided and quarrels, disputes, and disturbance w ill ensue, just as it sometimes happens in weak and naive Jama'ats when a President or some other office-bearer is to be elected.Different sections o f the Jama'at canvass for different people and, instead o f thinking seriously o f a suitable person for the job, each party wants its candidate to win.Such disputes and such partisanship, if it starts in Majlis- e-Shura, w ill not do us any good either materially or spiritually.The people who are sent here should be o f such strong faith that, when it comes to the interest o f the Jama'at, they should not listen even to their parents, let alone that they should give ear to everything and start talking against the Jama'at.This kind o f people should stay as far from Majlis-e-Shura as possible, and there can be no question o f sending them as representatives.This time some Jama'ats have been guilty o f negligence in this matter, but I hope that Jama'ats w ill remember these instructions in future.I would like to ask the con cerned staff to publish this portion o f my speech, and keep publishing it on the occasion o f every Mushawarat, so that the Jama'ats should only elect those people who 139

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T he S ystem of M ush A wakat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya are more pious and honest and are regular in their wor ship.Some Jama'ats naively believe that such and such a person should be sent as their representative because he knows something o f financial matters or is a good speaker.Let me say that if the knowledge o f finance was the criteria for representation in Shura, we would invite some Hindu as a delegate, or even a Christian, if he hap pened to be good at finance.The thing is that budgetary matters are only o f secon dary importance, and it would not matter if they were not included in the Shura at all.After all, no budget was prepared in the days o f the H oly Prophet33.Likew ise, no budget was prepared in the time o f Hadrat Abu Bakr™, Hadrat ‘Umarra or Hadrat ‘A ll”.And no budget was pre pared during the time o f the Promised M essiah38.The budget only started at the time o f Hadrat Khalifatul Masih Ira when the task was assigned to the Anjuman.If at any time, due to any necessity, we were to abolish this M ajlis, would it harm the Jama'at in any way? The dis cussion about the budget, therefore, is only a superficial matter, and if we were to select members who had knowledge o f finance, but were braggarts and critics, and did not consider piety and Taqwa as the criteria for se lecting the members, it would be very much like taking out someone’s soul in order to cleanse his face; and what can anyone do with a corpse, even if it has a clean and shining face! There would be nothing better than to find people who are pious and righteous, and are also proficient in worldly knowledge and in financial matters, or happen to be good speakers or lecturers.And I have never said that w e should elect only those people who are regular in their prayers but 140

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya know nothing o f accounts, or people who are righteous but do not know how to speak.It would be infinitely better to elect someone who possesses both qualities.Instead o f electing some unrighteous person, who is only an expert in worldly affairs, it would be much better to elect one who is pious and God-fearing, and whose heart is filled with sympathy for the faith, if he is not a braggart, nor projects him self and is capable o f understanding things and offer ing advice.It is simply absurd to consider only a person’s worldly merit and to take no note o f whether he has any fear and love o f God in his heart.I would like to invite your attention towards these con siderations, and I would also like to direct the concerned staff that they should keep sending the relevant portions o f my speech to the Jama'ats, so that they may realize that they have to elect only such people to represent them in Shura who are pious and God-fearing, and are not quarrelsome or m ischievous or those who are not regular in their prayers, and tell lies, and are not straightforward in their dealings, and lay false accusations upon others, and are hypocrites and weak o f faith.Electing such peo ple is like hitting the very foundation o f the Jama'at.Such people should not be allowed anywhere near this Majlis, regardless o f how many m illions they have, and how good they are at holding the audience spellbound with their oratory.For us only those people are blessed who are faithful and God-fearing, even if they cannot speak w ell, rather than those who are great orators and their homes are full o f gold and silver, but have no faith or fear o f God in their hearts.We do not need such peo ple, and the farther they stay from this Majlis, the better it w ill be for u s...141

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya It can be o f no use to us to bring together such people and to include them in our consultations and our plans for the future, who are only good speakers and orators while their hearts are devoid o f piety, purity and spirituality.The peo ple who can be o f use to us are only those who are pious and pure, and only those suggestions w ill benefit the Jama'at which come from truly sympathetic hearts.Sug gestions which are not accompanied by the humble prayers o f a believer, cannot benefit the faith.When selecting members for the sub-committees, the same criteria o f piety, righteousness and sincerity should be considered, so that God may be pleased with us.All this may not be in keeping with rules o f the world, but we do not care o f that.Victory comes from God, and He loves the principles that He H im self has laid down for us.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1940, pp.3-11] E ligibility of the D elegates —A nother A spect In view of the immense significance of Majhs-e-Shura, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra had already instructed the Jama'at in 1926 that great care should be taken when se lecting representatives for Shura, and only the best people should be selected.Those who get selected as representa tives should bear in mind the dignity o f the Shura, and consider it a great honour for themselves.Speaking fur ther on this subject, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “Sometimes, instead o f coming him self, the Amir o f a Jama'at sends someone else to represent him.Such an at titude does not only harm the institution o f Mushawarat, but the whole system established by God, and it also ad versely affects their own selves.There were once a people who showed similar ingratitude, and were meted 142

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out a perpetual punishment.They were the Israelites.God said to Hadrat M osesas, ‘Tell your people to send their representatives, so that I may reveal My Word to them.’ When Hadrat M osesas brought this message to his people, they refused to go with him and told him to go himself.Upon this God declared that He would not re veal His Word to them, and would instead raise a Prophet from among their brethren.People who do not hold the Jama'at in due esteem, also do not realize that it is God’s favour upon them that they have been chosen to participate in this M ajlis, which is going to mould the future o f the world.Representation in this Majlis is such a great honour that even a monarch o f the entire world would feel honoured to be part o f it.The Jama'ats, therefore, need to be most careful when elect ing their representatives and should choose the best people to represent them.I am pleased to note that awareness about M ajlis-e- Mushawarat is growing in the Jama’at, and some Jama’ats insist on their right o f representation and choose the best people to represent them, but, on the whole, Jama'ats are still not giving full attention to this matter.This year the attendance is better than last year, but this is not because Jama'ats have realized their responsibility, it is because when I saw that the best people were not be ing selected for Shura, I sent invitations to some veterans o f the Jama'ats, and some good workers, and some young men whom I wished to involve in the affairs o f the Jama’at.These people are not the representatives o f their Jama’ats, they are in fact my representatives, for they were not chosen by their Jama’ats, nor did their Jama'ats show any eagerness to choose the best people as their _______ T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadtyya ________ 143

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e - ahmadiyya representative.In short, our consultations are o f the ut most importance.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1926, p.3] In the same context, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said dur ing Majlis-e-Shura 1941: “I have observed that whereas there are sincere Jama'ats that do their best to send capable representatives, there are others who send representatives merely because they feel obliged to do so.They do not have any reverence for Majlis-e-Shura.They just ask their members if any o f them plans to visit Qadian, and if someone says yes he is planning to go to Qadian because he wants to build a house there or for some other reason, they nominate him as their representative.Or if someone is going to Lahore or Amritsar on his own business, they ask him to be kind enough to go to Qadian as w ell and represent them in the Shura.Their behaviour is like the proverbial Bannia, who could not bathe in winter and considered another person’s bath as his own.Some o f these Jama'ats even nominate people from Qadian to represent them, rather than send their own representatives.It seems that these people have no inkling o f the immense importance o f Mushawarat, and have no idea o f the fact that all future development depends on it.In the beginning members o f the Jama'at were com pletely ignorant o f its importance, and for many years it was thought that there was no use o f offering advice or suggestions when the Khalifa him self was going to make the final decision, and it did not matter whether people said anything or not.Though this impression is still to be found among some people, it has for the most part been 144

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya dispelled.People have now begun to realize that' Majlis- e-Shura has its own importance, regardless o f the fact that the Khalifa takes the final decision.Some other faults are also being corrected gradually.Though people still at times make unnecessary speeches during Shura, those who attend it regularly can feel that a change has gradually come about.People now tend to speak only when they consider it truly necessary.It has also been observed that the system has matured consid erably, and suggestions are sent to Shura after full thought and deliberation; and people who wish to speak do so at the proper time and occasion.In short, I see great improvement in the working o f Majlis- e-Shura.Our members now have a greater realization o f its importance and are better conversant with the workings o f the Jama'at.Mistakes are still made, but they are far.fewer, and result mostly from individual dispositions.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1941, pp.3-4] A nother I mportant P rinciple for S electing R epresentatives Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra instructed members o f the Jama'at to improve and reform their own selves, because the whole Jama'at has to be established on Taqwa before it can come up with the best representatives.He stressed this point in his Friday Sermon prior to the first session o f Majlis-e-Mushawarat 1952: “Unless people truly reform themselves, and become God fearing, and adopt the spirit o f moderation and reflection, and utilize their minds and their wisdom, their representa tives w ill remain devoid o f truth and righteousness, and they w ill be at par with those who have no one to represent 145

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T he S ystem of mushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya them at all.The purpose which the Shura serves is that, if the members are righteous, it enables us to reach the cor rect decision; but it is not the purpose o f Shura to reform the members.Such reformation solely depends on the w ill and endeavour o f the individuals themselves...Reformation can only be achieved through personal effort and endeavour.If you become righteous, your Shura and your suggestions w ill also become right, and you w ill also try to implement the decisions.On the other hand, if the individuals are not righteous, their representatives, who are from amongst themselves, w ill also not be righteous.And when the representatives are deprived o f wisdom and righteousness and piety and moderation, their suggestions w ill also not be rational.Even if they happen to offer cor rect suggestions, they w ill not be fruitful.Unless you reform yourselves, you w ill be wasting your time.And if the representatives do not render correct advice, it w ill also not be possible to implement it.The key, therefore, lies in the hands o f the individual, and this is why Islam lays so much emphasis on the individual.” [Al-Fadl 23 March, 1952 p.3] NAU MUBA’rilN AND MAJLIS-E-S h CRA Since the people who join the Jam a‘at are not familiar with the etiquette and traditions o f Majlis-e-Shura, Hadrat M usleh-e-M au‘udra gave some instructions re garding their training.Hudur also said that new Ahmadls and the new generation should learn to ex press their views in the same patient and polite manner as is the custom o f their elders, so that they too may progress in Taqwa.Here we reproduce an extract from 146

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya H udur’s speech addressed to M ajlis-e-Shural941: “I have already mentioned that the new generations also need to be educated, and so do the people who keep join ing missionary Jama'ats.This is why God Almighty has taught us the prayer: [Guide us in the right path— The path o f those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings.— Al-Fatihah, 1:6-7] This implies that all members o f the Jama'at should try to raise the new converts to the same level o f faith as themselves.Likewise, their progeny should also be brought to the same standards': If we can understand this point, we w ill begin to progress very fast.If the Sahaba2* * realize that the Tabe ‘in should be at the same level o f faith as themselves, and if the T a b ein feel the same about Taba ‘ Tabe ‘in, and they feel the same about the T aba‘ T aba‘ T abe‘in, and if every father realizes that his progeny should possess at least as much faith and as much knowledge o f religion as him self, then such a Jama5at can never perish.Things only deteriorate when new Ahmadls or new Muslims come into the Jama'at and do not have the same respect for the Jama'at which ear lier people had, and the Jama'at begins to decline.Their 2 Sahaba: Those who have the honour o f being in the company o f the Promised M essiahas.Tabe ‘in: Those who have the honour o f being in the company o f the Sahaba.Taba ‘ Tabe ‘in: Those who have the honour o f being in the company o f the Tabe ‘in.Taba ‘ Taba' Tabe ‘in: Those who have the honour o f being in the company o f the Taba ‘ Tabe ‘in.147

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya forefathers offered great sacrifices and suffered great hard ships and persecution— as a result o f which they realized the importance o f their faith, and prayed, and studied the books o f the Jama'at; the new generation, on the other hand, when it grows up, finds only relatives and friends all around them.Thus they do not suffer at the hands o f the enemy, not get beaten and persecuted for their faith and, consequently, they do not realize the significance o f prayer, nor possess the strength and forbearance to face persecution and hardship.They do not progress in the higher morals, they do not attach themselves to the Jama'at, and always remain in need o f guidance.This is an ongoing process, without which no community can be called a living community.But this does not mean that new converts themselves do not have to strive to learn about their faith.True, it is the responsibility o f old Ahmadls to educate the new ones, but the latter are also under obligation to learn and follow the good examples o f their predecessors.For instance, there may be many here who have never attended Majlis-e-Shura before.They should observe those who have had this experience and should try to express their view s as they do, and show the same kind o f patience, forbearance and cour tesy as they show.The same teaching has been given to us by the Holy Quran.God Almighty says (Al-A n‘am, 6:91), which means that you should follow the good example o f your elders, for they have lived un der the influence o f the Holy Prophetsa for a long time.He prayed for them and they grew and flourished under the blessings o f God.Why not make use o f the model that is before you, rather than experimenting on your own? The Holy Prophetsa said: 148

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya IS^UwM' That is, ‘My Companions are like stars; they suffered great tribulations but bore them all with patience and for titude until they had learned all the lessons in the Divine academy, and had qualified in the tests o f piety and vir tue.’ Today it is your duty to follow their example.Instead o f adopting new ways and undertaking new ex periments, you should look at your predecessors and follow them.Those o f you who have joined M ajlis-e- Shura for the first time should follow the example o f your predecessors, and' should not only adopt their vir tues but should try to get ahead o f them, so that you may win Allah’s approbation.” ; ‘ [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1941, pp.4-7] D e t e r m i n i n g t h e N u m b e r o f R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s Having discussed different aspects of the eligibility of representatives for Shura, it will be appropriate now to lay down the principle instructions regarding the number of representatives.Initially, the Jama'ats were at liberty to send as many representatives as they liked, but certain restrictions were imposed later on and the number was fixed.During Majlis-e-Shura 1935, it was recommended that, in order to reduce expenditure, only one representa tive should be elected from districts where the number of Ahmadls is small, but where the number is greater, one representative may be elected from each Jama'at o f the district.The second proposal was that one representative should be elected from each Imdrat and one from each city Jama'at.In this way, the expenditure will be reduced, everyone will have representation and the areas will be 149

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya delimited.The third proposal was that one representative was not sufficient for the larger Jama'ats, and they should be given greater representation.After these proposals had been discussed, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra analyzed the issue in its various aspects, and said: “The basic amendment was from Sayyed Nadhir Hussain Sahib, according to which one representative should be elected from every Im arat and from every city, thus the expenditure w ill be reduced, every Jama'at w ill be repre sented, and the areas w ill be delimited.It has been proposed by Babu Shamsuddm Sahib that one representative is not sufficient to represent the larger Jama'ats, and they should have more representatives.He has suggested that the Jama'ats consisting o f 25 or more Chanda-payers should be allowed to send up to 4 repre sentatives, and those with fewer Chanda-payers should be allowed only one representative.Some other delegates also expressed their opinions.Diaul Haq Sahib raised some important points, but they relate only to the official work.He says, for example, that when the announcement is sent for the election o f the representa tives, the conditions o f eligibility should also be sent.But this does not relate directly to the proposal under consid eration.Likewise, he says that only good workers should be elected as representatives.This, too, does not relate to the proposal.It is, no doubt, important to encourage good workers, but if we make this a rule, the representatives w ill only represent the Nazarats and not the Jama'ats.This also does not pertain to the proposal.Another thing which he hinted at, and I w ill also hint at is that certain representa tives come here on my special permission, even though they do not fulfil the requirements o f membership and 150

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya have not been elected.These are mostly new converts whom I invite so that they may observe other people and try to fulfil the requirements in future.A couple o f such people who were invited last year have come here now, having fulfilled all the requirements.Now , those who think that the city Jama'ats should be al lowed to elect up to four representatives or more than one representative, should stand up.(9 were counted in favour) Since only 9 have voted in favour, the amendment is, therefore, rejected.Now I shall put before the house the amendment o f Sayyed Nadhlr Hussain Sahib in which he has proposed that every Imarat and every city should have only one representative, and no more.A ll those who are in favour should stand up.(Only 3 were counted in favour.) Since both the amendments have been rejected, I think that nobody needs to speak on the recommendations o f the sub-committee.I w ill now put the proposal to vote.If this proposal is also rejected, it w ill mean that no representa tive should come at all.The recommendation o f the sub committee is that the proposal which says that only one representative should be allowed from the districts where there is a small number o f Ahmadis, and where there are many Ahmadis every Jama'at should be entitled to elect one representative each, is not practicable at the present moment.As long as all the Jama'ats, small or big, deal di rectly with Markaz, and send their budgets and Chanda directly to Markaz, and are answerable to Markaz for their affairs, it w ill be detrimental to adopt this proposal.How ever, if Anjumans are established at the district level, and 151

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya they take total responsibility for the missionary, organiza tional and financial affairs o f their subordinate Jama'ats, this proposal might then become practicable.But at pre sent it is not possible to establish district Anjumans and to shift all the responsibilities to them.A ll those who are in favour o f this resolution may rise.(A large majority stood up in favour o f the resolution).Decision: There is no need to count.I understand that it is not yet time for us to start laying down limits on the num ber o f representatives.The status quo w ill be maintained.Our Majlis-e-Shura also serves as an institution for learn ing.People make mistakes and I correct them and teach them the correct procedures.Thus the people who come here get trained.But let us lay down some limited restric tion for the time being.For example, this time we received 24 applications from the 13 Halqas o f Lahore Jama'at, but I permitted them to send only 13 representatives.Such excess should be curtailed, and only reasonable excess may be entertained.I think that the present system is quite reasonable.And if there happens to be some extraordinary excess, the office can refer it to me for correction.” [Report Majlis-e-Mushawarat 1935, pp.23-25] F u r t h e r I n s t r u c t i o n s f o r E l e c t i o n o f R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s During Majlis-e-Shura 1935, it was also suggested by one o f the representatives that when an announcement is made in Al-Fadl regarding the election o f representa tives, the conditions o f eligibility should also be mentioned, so that the election can be held in keeping with these conditions, and sincere people who possess good judgement can be elected as representatives.152

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T he S ystem of mushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Therefore, from 1940 onwards instructions regarding the election o f representatives were published from time to time.Finally, on 11th March, 1952, the following in structions were published in Al-Fadl with the approval o f Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra: Instruction o f Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh Hat, regarding the election o f representatives, have already been published in Al-Fadl, 11th March, 1952.All the office-bearers and members o f Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya are requested to please keep in mind the following points: (1) The representative should be sincere, and sound o f judgement; (2) He should be a Chanda-payer o f the Jama1at which he represents.(3) He should be one who abides by the Islamic tradi tions, and should have a beard.(4) He should not be a student.(5) He should be regular in his Chanda, which should be paid at the prescribed rate in keeping with his real in come, and there should be no arrears against him.(Note): As per policy o f Nazarat Baitul Mai, a person w ill be considered to be in arrears, who— if he is a mem ber o f an urban Jama'at—has not paid his Chanda for the last three months, and—if he is member o f a rural Jama1 at—has not paid his Chanda for the last one year.(6) Jama'ats can send their representatives as per the fol lowing ratio: • Jama'ats with 50 Chanda-payers: 2 representatives; • Jama'ats with 51-100 Chanda-payers: 3 representatives; 153

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya • Jama'ats with 101-200 Chanda-payers: 4 representatives; • Jama'ats with 201-500 Chanda-payers: 6 representatives; • Jama'ats with 501-1000 Chanda-payers: 8 representatives; • Jama'ats with more than 1000 Chanda-payers: 12 representatives.The Amirs w ill be included in the quota o f representa tives, which means that the Jama'at which is eligible to send four representative, w ill elect only three and the fourth w ill be the Amir.The record o f Baitul Mai w ill be the basis for ascertain ing the total number o f Chanda-payers in a Jamatat.Hadrat Amu-ul-M u’minin has also instructed that the Secretary, Amir or President o f a Jama'at should not nominate the representative on his own and should seek advice from their whole Jama'at.The letter written to Secretary Mushawarat in this regard should mention spe cifically that the Jama'at came together and elected such and such a person as their representative in keeping with the conditions published in Al-Fadl.The Secretary, Amir or President w ill not nominate anyone without consulting his Jama'at.Consultation with the Jama1at is a must.Secretary Majlis-e-Shura [Al-Fadl.11 March 1952] R e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f S a h a b a ^ a n d M e m b e r s o f t h e C e n t r a l A n j u m a n s The issue of limiting the number o f representatives for Majlis-e-Mushawarat was taken up again during Majlis-e- Shura 1951.The Private Secretary proposed that a proper 154

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya procedure should be put in place to represent the Companions of the Promised Messiah (as), Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya and Tehrfk Jadid.Since no procedure had as yet been put in place for the representation of Central Departments, the number of their representatives was increasing unnecessarily.Likewise, there was no suitable arrangement for the representation o f the Companions of the Promised Messiah38.(Al-Fadl, 25 March 1951] No accurate account of the discussion which took place at the time and the decision that was reached, is available, because the report regarding Majlis-e-Mushawarat 1951 was not published.In the following year (1952), however, Nazir A ‘la Sahib presented the following report on the implementation of the previous year’s decisions: Apart from the budget approved by Shura last year, Sadar Anjuman Ahmadiyya also received Hudur’s approval for Shura’s decision that from now on the representation o f Companions o f the Promised M essiah35, Tehrik Jadid and Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya w ill be as follows: • A ll the Companions o f Promised Messiah3 5 who belong to the period prior to 1900 have an auto matic right o f representation.• Fifteen representatives w ill be selected from the Companions who belong to the period after 1900.• Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya w ill be entitled to send 20 representatives.• Tehrik Jadid w ill be entitled to send 15 represen tatives.155

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya In the light o f the above decision, the list o f the representa tives was sent to Secretary Majlis-e-Shura by Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya.The list o f the Companions o f Promised Messiah3 1 5prior to 1900 was also sent.But the procedure for selecting 15 Companions from the second category has not yet been specified.Therefore, the com plete list o f these Companions was provided to Secretary Majlis-e-Shura, so that he can present it before Hudur for approval.Nazir A‘Ia Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya 11th April, 1952 (Report Majlis-e-Shura 1952, pp.53-54) After this report was read out, Hudur spoke about the benefits and blessings associated with the Companions of the Promised Messiah (as) and their participation in Shura.Then Hudur announced his decision that all the Companions who accepted the Promised Messiah3 5 1 be fore 1900, and were at least 12 years old at the time of his demise, and had accepted him and had the privilege o f sitting in his blessed company, will be entitled to at tend Majlis-e-Shura.Likewise, regarding the proposal that 15 o f the Compan ions who joined the Promised Messiah^ after 1900 will be invited to attend the Shura every year, it was decided in Majlis-e-Shura 1954, with the approval o f Hudur, that 15 o f such Companions (who fulfil the given require ments) will be invited to attend the Shura every year.These decisions were duly followed from then on.It was in Shura 1951 that the strength of representatives 156

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama 4 at - e -A hmadiyya o f the Central Institutions was first defined.It was de cided that Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya will send 20 representatives, and Tehrfk Jadld will send 15.Later this was changed to 25 representatives for each.Subsequently, the quota o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya was increased to 30 while it remained 25 for Tehrik Jadid.Quotas for W aqf Jadld Anjuman Ahmadiyya was fixed at 9, Central Majlis Ansarullah and Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya were allowed 2 representatives each, Hadlqat-ul- Mubashirin and Majlis Nusrat Jehan were allowed one representative each, and Fadl-e-‘Umar Foundation was allowed 2 representatives.These quotas are liable to change with the approval o f Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh.At first it was not considered necessary to place any limit on the representation o f Lajna Imaillah, and their number would vary with the circumstances.But Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh limited their numbers to 30.[Report Majlis-e-Shura 1983, p.78J In addition to the above, some people are given special representation in Shura.Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh himself nominates them and they are sent personal invitation let ters from Hudur.These representatives are called ‘special invitees’.They can express their views on any point, and are eligible to cast their votes.B a s i c D e c i s i o n r e g a r d i n g t h e N u m b e r o f R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s The issue o f specifying the number o f representatives for Shura remained under consideration during the time of Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IIIrh.In his first Majlis-e-Shura 157

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya as Khalifa in 1966, Hudur said: “There is an even more important issue, but the District Amirs are not giving it the attention it deserves, and it re lates to the representation o f every Jama'at in Majlis-e- Shura.At the moment there are many Jama'ats that are not being represented.If they had been represented, even if they did not participate in the discussions, they would at least get an idea o f the requirements o f the Jam5‘at, and how things are to be done.They would also have seen the positive outcome o f the work they are doing, and they would have gone back happy with the knowledge that God blesses even their small sacrifices and grows a big and beautiful tree out o f their meagre efforts...But if every Jama'at is to be given representation in Majlis-e-Shura, changes w ill have to be made in the present regulations.Presently Jama'ats with 50 members send 2 representa tives, and in future they might be allowed only one.No doubt these details can be worked out, but the District Amirs are responsible and they need to make an effort to bring to Shura representatives from all their Jama'ats, and let Majlis-e-Shura bear witness to this.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1966, pp.13-14] Hadrat KhallfatuI Maslh IIIrh took up the same issue the following year, and said: “I also want to create a new and extraordinary sub committee.In the last Shura I had pointed out that not all the members who are required to attend the Shura under the rules, actually come to Shura.This time I have collected a lot o f statistics, which show that if all the representatives who are supposed to come here ac cording to the existing rules do turn up, they would 158

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya number 1871.In the last Shura 579 representatives came.This would imply that 1300 people, who were supposed to come for consultation, did not come, and were guilty o f disobedience.Secondly, if all the representatives were to come, they would number 1871, and if w e also include the representatives o f the various Departments and the Companions o f the Promised Messiah^ who are eligible for membership o f Shura, the total number comes to between 1950 and 2000.But at present we do not have a hall spacious enough to accommodate these numbers, and we would have to meet in some open place, hoping that it does not rain.On the other hand, it is difficult to hold proper consultations with such a large number o f people.This is why I want to establish a sub-committee to determine what the total number o f representatives should be, and how this number should be divided between the various districts...I want this sub-committee to consist o f ten members.I w ill give them these statistics to deliberate upon.They w ill have to determine the strength o f the representatives, and if they can divide these numbers between the dis tricts, so much the better, but they must at least come up with a formula to make this distribution.” [Report Majiis-e-Shiira 1967, pp.7-9] The sub-committee submitted the following recommen dations to Hudur for approval: 1.The number o f representatives from Jama'ats should be 550.The Companions o f the Promised Messiah (as) and the representatives o f Markaz will be in addition to this 159

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya number, so that any change in their representation will not affect the representation o f the Jama'ats.2.The number o f representatives from a Jama4 at will depend on the number o f its Chanda-payers.3.Forty Chanda-payers will constitute one unit.Jama'ats which have less than 40 Chanda-payers will be com bined with other Jama4 ats to form a unit o f 40.Smaller Jama'ats, which are combined to form one unit, will send their representatives in rotation, so that every Jama'at gets representation one after the other.Any Jama4at or unit consisting o f 40 to 60 Chanda- payers will be eligible to send one representative.If the number is between 61 to 100, they will send two repre sentatives...If the Chanda-payers are more than 100, one representative will be selected for every additional 50 Chanda-payers, e.g., 3 representatives will be selected from 150 Chanda-payers, and 4 from 200, and so on.4.In case a small or far-off Jama'at is not able to get representation in the Majlis-e-Mushawarat under the new rules, the District Amir can submit its case before Hadrat Khalifatul Masih.5.If the East Pakistan Jama4 at faces any problems due to the distance and expenditure involved in attending the Shura, the Amir should submit his case before Hadrat Khalifatul Masih and seek guidance.6.The District Amirs should recommend how the units 160

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya should be divided.Where there are no District Amirs, the Divisional or Area Amir should make these recom mendations.In East Pakistan, this will be the duty o f the Provincial A m irs...A ll these recommendations will be submitted to Hadrat Khalifatul Masih for approval.The delegates voted 334 to 221 in favour o f the first proposal, and it was approved by Hudur.Majlis-e-Shura was also unanimous in favour o f the sec ond proposal, and it was also approved by Hudur.The third recommendation was approved by Hudur, with the condition that Karachi and Rabwah Jama'ats will get 23 and 15 representatives, respectively.The remaining will be distributed district-wise and, where this is not pos sible, they will be divided division-wise in proportion.Since the remaining three recommendations related to matters of detail, the majority was o f the view that they should not be taken up for the time being, and may be deliberated upon later.Hudur approved o f this idea.[Published Decisions;, Report Majlis-e-Shura 1967, pp.87-$$] On 29th June 1967, after Majlis-e-Mushawarat, Hudur nominated the following five people to deliberate upon this matter and submit their report: (i) Sayyed Dawud Ahmad Sahib (ii) Mirza Tahir Ahmad Sahib (iii) Mirza ‘Abdul Haq Sahib (iv) Chaudhry Bashir Ahmad Sahib o f Gujrat 161

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat m J ama 4 at - e -A hmadiyya (v) Maulana Abul ‘Ata Sahib, whom Hudur ap pointed as the convener.This sub-committee met several times and analyzed the district-wise lists o f Chanda-payers provided by Nazarat Baitul Mai.Keeping in view the decision o f Hadrat Khalifatul Masih that the total number o f representatives will be 550, and that the representatives o f the Central Anjumans, other Central Institutions and Companions o f the Promised Messiah (as) will be over and above this number, the com mittee submitted the following recommendations: 1.In the light o f the resolution passed in the Majlis-e- Mushawarat, the case o f the 32 major Jama'ats was con sidered separately.They would be eligible to send 235 representatives.2.After the above allotment o f 235 representatives for the major Jama'ats, the smaller Jama'ats are left with 299 representatives.We recommend that this number should be divided among the smaller Jama'ats district- wise, as follows: (a) There should be one representative for every 35 Chanda-payers.(b) On more than 35 Chanda-payers— or the higher frac tion o f 35— one more representative shall be allotted.Thus there will be 299 representatives for smaller Jama'ats and 235 for the major Jama'ats.This brings the 162

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya total to 534, and 16 vacancies are still available out of 550.We think that these 16 should be divided as follows: (i) Districts where the strength o f the Jam a'at is three times more than the proposed representatives, should be given additional representation in such a way that every Jam a'at gets its turn after three years.That is to say, dis tricts where the Jama'ats are so many that each Jam a'at will not get its turn even in three years, can be consid ered for additional representation.(ii) Similarly, districts where the Jam a'at is small and is not entitled to send any representative, apart from the Amir, can also be given additional representation.These two methods can be adopted within the range o f the prescribed limit.In keeping with the established pattern, major Jama'ats in East Pakistan are eligible to send 12 representatives, while the smaller ones can send 17.Since, at present, it is not possible for all these representatives to actually come to the Shura, the number should be limited to 10.As and when the members are able to attend, the quota may be gradually increased.In case this proposal is approved, there will he vacancy for 19 more representatives.This will be added to the above 16 and the total will come to 35, which may then be distributed as required.R e v i s e d D e c i s i o n a b o u t t h e N u m b e r o f R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s In making the decision about the number of representa- tives for Shura, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih III had said that 163

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the S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at ~ e -A hmadiyya this proposal should be reconsidered after three years.This matter was, therefore, taken up once again in Majlis- e-Shura Pakistan 1991.Since the districts had been re zoned, Majlis-e-Shura proposed that a sub-committee should be constituted to re-determine the number and di vision of representatives.A committee was set up with the approval of Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh, and it made the following recommendations: 1.The number o f representatives from Jama'ats (exclud ing those from Markaz) should remain 550, as approved in 1967.2.When the total number of representatives was fixed at 550 in 1967, it was decided that there should be one rep resentative for every 40 Chanda-payers in the major Jama'ats, and 35 in the smaller Jama'ats.But, by the grace of God, the number o f Chanda-payers had grown since that time.It was, therefore, recommended that: (i) 80 Chanda-payers should constitute one unit for the major Jama'ats, on which they should be eligible to send one representative.On the higher fraction o f 80, they should be allowed to send one more representative.Likewise, 50 Chanda-payers should constitute one unit for the smaller Jama'ats, on which one representative should be authorized, and on the higher fraction o f 50 they should be allowed to send one more representative.(ii) With the exception o f Jama'ats in NWFP, Baluchistan and Azad Kashmir, the district-wise increase or decrease 164

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama 4 at - e -A hmadhtya of representatives of Jama'ats should be calculated ac cording to the above ratio.But the number of representatives for Lahore, Karachi and Rabwah will re main same as decided in Majlis-e-Shura 1967.(Lahore: 32, Karachi: 23, Rabwah: 18) (The number of representatives for Rabwah was 15, but it was later given three more representatives with the ap proval o f Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IVrh) (iii) As regards NWFP, Baluchistan and Azad Kashmir, it was recommended that if there was an increase in the number of representatives o f a Jama4at according to the above ratio, the increase should be granted; but if there was a decrease it should be ignored and the previous numbers should be maintained.As a result, no reduction was made in the case of three representatives for Pesha war District and one for Mardan.3.The strength o f representatives should remain 550 for the next 5 years, after which it will be reviewed.4.According to the new formula, the total number of delegates was calculated at 536, whereas previously it has been 545.5.There was a difference o f 14 representatives between the fixed number o f 550, and the recommended number of 536 for all the Jama4 ats o f Pakistan.Therefore, it was decided that if there was need for increasing the number of representatives anywhere, it could be accommodated from the 14 with Hudur’s approval.165

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya According to the revised formula, the number of repre sentatives for all the Jama'ats o f Pakistan was determined as follows: 1.Central representatives from Sadr Anjuman, Tehrik Jadid, W aqf Jadld, the auxiliary organizations, and Companions o f the Promised Messiah2 5= 110 2.Proposed number o f representatives o f Jama'ats of Pakistan = 536 Total number o f representatives = 646 [Unpublished report Majlis-e-Sbura Rabwah, Pakistan 1993, pp.82-85] A l t e r n a t i v e R e p r e s e n t a t i o n According to the decision o f 1967, the number of repre sentatives for Faisalabad was fixed at 14, which, by the grace o f God, was increased to 60 by 1970, but only 31 representatives participated from that district, leaving 29 seats vacant.Hadrat Khalifatul Masih HIrh instructed that the remaining Shura passes should be given to some Z a’irin (visitors) from Faisalabad.In this way, most of the seats were filled, but some still remained vacant.Hudur directed that from next year the number o f repre sentatives from Faisalabad would be reduced by 29.Hudur said that the list o f representatives should reach Secretary Majlis-e-Mushawarat at least three months prior to the Shura.And it should be accompanied by a list o f 50% additional names.These will be considered as alternate representatives...These alternate representa tives will sit among the Z a’irin, so that if any 166

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat rN J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya representative does not show up, his seat can be filled.[Report Majlis-e-Shura 1970, pp.29-301 This instruction was not limited to Faisalabad, Hudur made it mandatory for all the Jama'ats to arrange 25% alternate representatives from the whole district.They should not be chosen just from cities like Faisalabad or Sargodha, but from the rural areas also.These alternate representatives should come as Z a’irin, and if any repre sentative is absent, one o f them can take his place.Hudur said: “Every Jama* at should arrange 25% alternate representa tion.The only proper way to do this is that Jama'ats should elect 25% alternate representatives from all over the district and send them to Shura.They should not be elected only from the cities, such as Lyallpur or Sar godha, but from the whole district, including rural areas.They should come here as Za’irin, and there should be no need to send them invitations.An assessment should be made on Friday morning, and if some representatives have not turned up, alternate names should be suggested to fill the vacant seats.Suitable arrangements w ill have to be worked out in rela tion to the rural areas.People in those areas may not be able to make all these arrangements by themselves, be cause they are constrained by time and other difficulties.Therefore, those who are able to manage these things, should take it upon them selves.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1973, p.143] In order to maintain the required number o f representa tives, the matter relating to alternate representation was 167

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A' at - e -A hmadiyya taken up by the Shura from time to time.On one occa sion, only 28 out o f 31 representatives from Gujranwala attended the Shura.Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IIIrh ex pressed his displeasure at this and once again gave instruction about alternate representation: “Maybe this has happened before, but things come to be noticed at their own time.For some time the districts have been given their quota o f representation, e.g., Gu jranwala has been allotted a certain number o f representatives for Shura and this time 31 representatives were to come from there.Some districts are bigger than others and their representation has been determined accordingly.Within Gujranwala, these 31 representatives are divided according to the principles that have been laid down by the Shura.But I am afraid Secretary Shura was not informed about this distribution in time.For in stance, the number o f Jama'ats in Gujranwala is far greater than 31, by the grace o f Allah, and the distribu tion can be done in various ways, e.g., representation can be given in rotation, or areas can be earmarked for repre sentation.The result is that today I received a number o f applications from people who claimed to be representa tives o f their villages and requested for passes.When the first such application came to me, I told the concerned official that the application should have been verified by the District Amir.But then I remembered that it could also have been verified by the President o f the concerned Jama4at, since it may be difficult for people to contact the District Amir.But this had proved to be incorrect and, therefore, the verification o f the District Amir was re quired.If we had received the list o f representatives from various localities o f Gujranwala, whose total number 168

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya would be 31, then, before confirming from the’ District Amir, the office could have checked whether there was any representative coming from that village at all.M is chief may not necessarily have been intended and this may only have happened due to a person’s desire to par ticipate in the Shura.There are many applications whereby an applicant wants to substitute for an elected representative, who has fallen ill or has been unable to come.But the essential condi tion for a representative is that he should have been elected, and no one can'be considered for representation merely on the basis o f his desire to participate.A ll this calls for a more efficient system and organization.Secre tary Shura and District Amirs should ensure that the lists are sent in time and the representation is correct.There should be full representation.I stressed this point once, and perhaps what w e are seeing is a reaction o f that.For instance, we authorized Gujranwala to send 31 represen tatives and they elected them in accordance with the rules, but three o f them could not turn up, and only 28 out o f 31 turned up.This was not right.Therefore we in troduced the system o f alternate representation, i.e., electing a few more than the approved quota.Only today I received a letter in which it was stated that the elected representative had fallen ill, and the alternate representa tive could also not come.These difficulties arise so that we should think o f their solutions.There are problems, but God Almighty has gifted man with a powerful and efficient brain.These are only minor difficulties which can easily be solved, and should be solved.” [Report, Majlis-e-Shura 1980, pp.7-8] Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IVrh also continued with the 169

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya system o f alternate representation.Once, during the In ternational Majlis-e-Shura, a lady representative had to go back to her country and another lady was permitted to take her place.[English] “Hudur invited names o f the speakers.On a point o f order, it was pointed out by a lady representative that Mrs.Al-Hassan was not a representative but was representing Mrs.Samoonoo, the Nigerian Lajna Presi dent, who had been there that morning but had to leave.Hudur said: All right, I appoint her as a delegate.So her name should be included.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shura, 1988, p.97[ Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IIIrh took into consideration both the numbers and the quality o f representation in Shura.During Majlis-e-Shura 1976, Hudur instructed Secretary Shura to ensure that in future one fourth o f the representatives would be less then 30 years o f age.[Report Majlis-e-Shura 1976, p.13] In 1989 rules and regulation concerning Shura were pub lished by Tehrik Jadid, but they did not include the above rule.Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya Canada, therefore, proposed in International Shura that there should be 25% representation for those under 30 years of age in the Shura o f Jama'ats in all countries.Although this pro posal was not included in the Agenda, the following explanation was given about its necessity: [English] “Canada Jama'at sent this proposal saying that: It has been a practice to elect 25% o f the delegates to the National Majlis-e-Shura from members who are below 30 170

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya years o f age.In the rules and regulations o f Tehnk Jadxd Anjunian Ahmadiyya, issued in December 1989, this pro vision has been omitted.It is proposed that the following sub-para be added to the rules: “Clause 399: At least 25% o f the representatives from local Jama'ats, which have more than 25 Chanda-paying members, shall be below 30 years o f age.For example, Jama'ats electing two, three or four representatives w ill elect at least one young represen tative.” The comment on this proposal is that the rules and regulations o f Tehrik Jadld have been published and put into practice recently.Such a quick change is not desirable at this early stage.It may be considered after a few years if genuine or practical difficulties are experienced.Moreover it should be clear to all that the existing rules do not bar the election o f members below the age o f 30 as delegates to the national Shura.They may be elected if the members o f the Jama'at so desire.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shura, 1989] R e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f L a jn a I m a i l l a h There was previously no specific system to hear the opinions o f women in Jama* at-e-Ahmadiyya.In Majlis- e-Mushawarat 1928 a proposal was tabled regarding the establishment o f a women’s hostel in Qadian.The sub committee o f Shura accepted the usefulness o f this pro posal but recommended that the hostel should only be opened after the allocation o f funds and availability of female staff.After listening to the discussion, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “The matter under discussion mainly concerns the women and I think that they deserve to be heard on this issue.However, the Girls’ Madrasa has scheduled its ex- 171

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the S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya axns so that the Lajna are not able to attend this Majlis.At present they are lost in their books, and most o f the ladies who are present here are not well-versed at ex pressing their view s.But, lest they should say they were not permitted to speak, I invite anyone among them who wishes to speak, to do so.” The women, who were sitting behind a screen, said that they needed time to consult among themselves.Hudur gave them time to do so, and in the meantime he said a few things about various aspects o f the women’s hostel.Thereafter Hudur said: “I have been informed that two of the women wish to speak.I am happy to invite them to speak.” Ustani Maimuna Sufia Begum, the widow o f Hakim Maulawi Ghulam Muhammad Sahib Amritsari, was the first to speak from behind the curtain.She said: “Assalamo ‘Alaikum.On behalf o f my sister ladies I wish to say that w e are w illing to pay the expenses for establishing the school.Secondly, we are w illing to work for the school in any way we can.You can freely entrust to us any task, and w e w ill do it w illingly.”...She was followed by the daughter o f Maulawi Dhulfiqar ‘Ali Khan Sahib who said that the women wanted the hostel to be opened as soon as possible, and that they would be willing to offer contributions for this purpose.They could also supervise the work together.After listening to the women, Hudur enquired from them whether it was appropriate to open the hostel immedi 172

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A4 at - e -A hmadiyya ately or, as the sub-committee has recommended, to wait until all the essential items had been procured.Ustani Maimuna Sufia Begum stood up once again and said: “On behalf o f the sisters, I wish to say that we are will ing to make financial contributions, but we can wait until competent teachers are available from outside or have been trained here.The donations should be col lected, efforts should be made to acquire teachers, and this proposal should not be forgotten.” Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra accepted the proposal but did not approve o f the idea that only women should contrib ute for this project.He said: “If we leave it to the women to make all the contribu tions, it is likely to adversely affect our future progress.It.w ill shatter the peace o f our homes and generate the feel ing that men are not doing, and do not wish to do anything for the women.I, therefore, do not accept this suggestion.We should contribute for this project and tell the women that we are prepared to do our utmost for their education.We should portray the project in such a manner that only men should contribute to it.And this should be documented, otherwise if this work is done solely through the wom en’s contributions it w ill have very adverse effects.These days there is a growing feel ing among Christians, Hindus and Muslims that men do not care for the education o f women.I do not want this feeling to develop in the women o f our Jama'at.We w ill make arrangements for the education o f our women through our own contributions and w ill not demand even a single paisa from them.I w ill m yself make an an 173

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya nouncement to this effect, and those who wish to con tribute should do so.I hope that this project w ill be completed soon.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1928, p.61] Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra was o f the view that the women should be given representation in Majlis-e- Shura.The discussion regarding the women’s hostel worked as a spur and at the end o f the same Majlis-e- Shura, Hudur said: “I had wanted to make a long speech, but now I shall confine m yself to just one point which I want you to think about.It w ill be placed on the Agenda o f M ajlis-e- Mushawarat next year.It did not come to my mind merely as a result o f yesterday’s discussion, but I had al ready made a note o f it, and it has to do with the representation o f women.Before taking any decision, however, I would like to hear your opinions.I want to ask you, and particularly the scholars among you, whether or not the women should be given representation in the Majlis-e-Mushawarat.And if so, to what extent? The question about representation o f women is being raised everywhere and it should be taken up in our Jama'at also.When Islam has given men and women equal rights in certain matters, why should they not be consulted on important issues as well? The Holy Prophetsa him self would consult the people in his household, why then should our women not be given this right? This discus sion should be held on the basis o f arguments as to whether women should be given the right o f representa tion or not.This is something which has to be deliberated upon and it shall be put before Majlis-e-Mushawarat next 174

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya year, so that we can reach a definite conclusion.” [Report Majlis-e~Shura 1928, pp.141-144] In accordance with this decision of Hadrat Musleh-e- M au‘udra, the issue o f representation o f women was taken up for deliberation in Majlis-e-Shura 1929.Dele gates made forceful speeches both for and against the proposal.After listening to the arguments from both sides, Hudur said: “In order to include everyone present, let me say this very clearly that the women have given in writing that they should also be allowed to express their opinions.I had told them that if any o f them wishes to say some thing about their rights, and desires to be included in the consultations, or is w illing to say something on behalf o f her fraternity, I w ill give her a chance to do so.Their re-.ply was that none o f them wanted to say anything.But I repeat that if any woman wants to speak, she is welcome to do so.I permit any woman from my fam ily who wants to say something to do so.And if she is from some other family, she may consider her own good.From the reli gious point o f view , there is nothing wrong in a woman addressing men.Hadrat ‘Ayeshara used to stand up and deliver lectures, as she did during the Battle o f Siffin and on other occasions.Today, in a manner, w e are deciding the destiny o f womankind.Any woman who wants to speak can do so, and if they do not speak, two conclu sions w ill be drawn from their silence: Delegates who are against the representation o f women w ill say that if women cannot speak about their own rights, how can they be expected to speak about other important matters? W hile others can say that the women are in fact testing 175

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya the justice and fairness o f the men, to see whether or not they w ill give them their right by themselves.Anyhow, I w ill wait for four minutes and see whether any woman speaks or not, and then I w ill go on to something else.” Upon this, Ustani Maimuna Sufia Begum said: “Our Leader and our Imam, J Atil I just wish to ask that while educational institutions are being established to educate us women, so that we can preach Islam, w ill it not be detrimental for us if it is de cided that we do not have the right o f representation in Shura? W ill other women not refuse to listen to us be cause we do not have the right o f representation in our own faith?” After this Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra delivered an elabo rate address on the rights o f women, at the conclusion o f which he said: “I believe that the discussion we have had on this subject is not sufficient.I w ill therefore not take a decision just yet and shall leave the matter as it stands.We shall take it up again next year and see what kind o f representation should be given to women.I have opened up a line o f thought.Members should consider their arguments and we shall discuss it next year.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1929, pp.138-149] I n d i r e c t R e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f L a j n a During Majlis-e-Mushawarat 1930, the matter could not be debated formally due to shortage o f time.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra, therefore, gave an interim decision: 176

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya “This time some important matters have consumed a lot o f time, due to which certain issues had to be left out.One o f these, which our women were so anxious about, was to do with the representation o f w om en...Now I defer the other proposals for the future, but I w ill give an interim decision about the matter o f the represen tation o f women.Wherever Lajna Imaillah is established, they should get their members registered and get ap proval from my office.The Agenda o f the Shura w ill then be forwarded to those o f them who are accorded my approval.They w ill write down their opinions on the is sues and send them to the Private Secretary.While making a decision on these matters I w ill keep their opin ions in mind as w ell.Thus the problem o f men and women getting together w ill not arise, and I w ill also find out how useful it is for us to consult women.Their view s w ill be read out in Majlis-e-Shura when a proposal is be ing decided.This is my interim decision in their favour.The rest o f the discussion w ill be held next year.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1930, p.127) This interim decision continued to be implemented for a number of years.But when Hudur felt that there were some shortcomings in this procedure, he introduced cer tain changes to it in Majlis-e-Shura 1941.He said: “I also want to mention something very important about the representation o f Lajna.Lajna are consulted every year but their recommendations are given no impor tance whatsoever and are not presented in M ajlis-e- Shura.M y proposal is that at least one representative o f Lajna Imaillah should be present in M ajlis-e-Shura next year, and the suggestions which the Private Secretary 177

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e - ahmadiyya receives from Lajna o f other Jama'ats should be for warded to him.It w ill be his responsibility to mention these proposals when the relevant issue is being dis cussed, and also to inform the house where the proposals have come from.Thus w e w ill not only leam about their opinions, but may also leam something useful and re ceive some w ise suggestions.But even if there is no other advantage, we w ill at least remain aware o f the mental development o f women in our Jama'at.When their suggestions are read out, some o f them w ill be ri diculous and w e w ill know that they are ignorant about certain matters; but at times their opinions w ill be very sound, from which we w ill leam that their opinion about those issues is quite mature.Thus from the opinions we receive from them, our members w ill be able to deter mine the mental development o f our women.It is also possible that on certain matters relating to women, the members might respect the opinion o f the women and al ter their own opinion in favour o f the women.The office should note that in future, after receiving in structions from me, they should send all the suggestions to the person who has been elected the Lajna’s represen tative, so that when those issues are being discussed, he should be able to inform the house that such and such La jna has given such and such an opinion about the matter.This w ill help us to cater for the feelings o f women as w ell, particularly in matter that relate to them.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1941, pp.116-117] D i r e c t R e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f L a j n a The system of indirect representation of Lajna Imaillah continued till 1982.After Jalsa Salana, on 30th December, 178

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in jam A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya 1982, on the direction of Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IVrh, Tehrik Jadid organized a one-day Majhs-e-Shura for foreign countries, in which some women were nomi nated as representatives by Hudur, and they directly addressed the house.In Majhs-e-Shura 1983, some women were not only nominated by Hudur as represen tatives, but were also permitted to express their opinions in the house.On this occasion, Hudur spoke about dif ferent aspects o f giving the right o f representation to women.He said: N “I wish to bring it to the notice o f the Jama'at that from this year the procedure o f representation for Lajna has been changed.Previously they were represented in Ma jlis-e-Shura by a male member who would convey their opinions.Although it was difficult for him to maintain.contact with the women, he would receive small chits from them, would try to understand what they wanted to say, and present their view s before the house.Background to the Decision on the Representation of Lajna: I have made a research into the matter and have learnt that it was in 1929 when this issue was first brought up in the Jama'at.Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IIra put it before the Jama'at in Majlis-e-Shura 1929.Long discussions were held and eminent scholars o f the Jama'at were divided on this issue.The sub-committee voted with a small major ity in favour o f the right o f women to personally present their point o f view.The committee comprised 19 mem bers, 9 o f whom voted for the proposal and 9 against.The Chairman o f the committee voted in favour o f the proposal and it was, therefore, presented before the Shura for approval.The discussion which was held in the house 179

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya was animated and scholarly.Top ranking scholars, in cluding many Companions™, spoke for and against the proposal and left nothing unsaid that was relevant to the issue.I think that that discussion should have been a mat ter o f pride for any Majlis in the world.Not even the smallest point was ignored.Both sides presented their ar guments to prove either that women should not be given the right to speak in Majlis-e-Mushawarat, or that they must be given this right.It was a very interesting situa tion.Let me put before you some fascinating points that came out o f it.Importance of Khilafat: First o f all, this event shows that the Jama'at realizes the significance o f Khilafat.When I say this, I do not mean that I am trying to make you realize this, rather I want to assure you that this was an occasion for the expression o f the certitude which God Almighty has placed in your hearts with regard to Khilafat.When Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IIia presented his own point o f view , scholars from both sides put aside their own opinions and bowed their heads in submission, and the Jama'at showed an example o f perfect harmony and obedience.Had such a situation arisen without Khilafat, the Jama* at would have been split into two sects.One o f them would have considered addressing a male gathering by a woman as Haram [unlawful] in the light o f the Quran and sunna, whereas the other group would have considered it as permissible and essential.Hence this was a historic occasion, and when we reflect upon it we learn about the factors that cause divisions.The reason why differences arise in religious communi ties is that they do not enjoy the blessings o f Khilafat.But, in the presence o f the Khalifa, there is no reason for 180

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya any dissent.Both sides honestly present their points o f view , but when the Khalifa analyses the matter and an nounces his decision, they all become one.Nowhere else in the whole wide world w ill you find a system that en sures such complete harmony.As I was reading these proceedings, my heart was filled with praise for God Almighty who has blessed us with a beautiful and pure system to ensure solidarity and to proclaim His Oneness.This is also the conclusion that w e derive from Ayah Istikhldf.If and when you are blessed with the gift o f Khilafat, the result w ill be i.e., they w ill worship Me and w ill not associate partners with Me.Divine unity is and shall remain firmly established, and with its blessings the Jama'at w ill also be blessed with unity, and the whole Jama'at w ill move in one direction.A Subtle Point about the Status of Shura: Another thing worth mentioning in this regard is a fine point that was raised by Hadrat Sahibzada Mirza Sharif Ahmad Sahib.He had a very perceptive mind and was the only one to have mentioned this point.He said that Majlis-e-Shura has two basic functions: The first is to offer advice to the Khalifa, and in this ca pacity the question o f right does not arise.And the apprehension that if women gain majority they w ill pull the decision in their favour is simply absurd and baseless, because the function o f the Islamic system o f Shura is only to give advice.The other function o f the Shura is that, in case a Khalifa passes away, it plays a role in electing the new Khalifa— at least this was the position at the time.This is the only function o f Shura which needs to be deliberated upon, for there are no dangers associated with first one.What w e 181

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadi yya have to consider at the moment is that if the women are to be given representation, to what degree should it be.A Memorable Warning: Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘ud’sra as sessment was very interesting.He said that the conviction expressed by each side that its opinion is categorically established by Shariah, is meaningless and irrelevant.What is categorically established is that the Holy Quran neither permits nor forbids us in this matter.It is in fact a theoretical issue.And if we were to deprive the women o f a certain right, while Islam does not de prive them o f it, this may result in very dangerous tendencies, and it is possible that at one time women may refuse to accept these rules which have been made by men and not by God.In such a case, the responsibility shall rest wholly and solely with Majlis-e-Shura.Thus Hadrat Musleh-e-M au‘udra gave a grand warning.On the other hand, however, he declared with great resolve that, as far as the Quranic injunctions are concerned, there is no fear in my heart regarding their implementation.If the women defy the implementation o f Quranic injunc tions, we w ill not be bothered in the least.This is what God desires and we shall honestly decide accordingly and we shall definitely implement God’s will.And if, as a re sult o f this, liberal women are offended or turn away, we shall not be responsible for it.These are the command ments o f God; He is responsible for their implementation and has the power to implement them.The First Ahmad! Woman to Offer her Opinion in Shura: Thus it was established that since this was an intellectual mat ter, it would not be proper to deprive the women in the name o f the Shariah.As far as the personal opinion o f Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IIra was concerned, it becomes 182

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya clear from his assessment o f the matter that he not only approved o f it but also felt that a time would come when women would have to participate in these matters along side men.As a proof o f this, he permitted women to speak in this Majlis for the first time, but he did not make this a rule and said that the previous procedure would continue.In order to dispel the apprehension that perhaps it was against the Shariah, he invited the representatives o f women to speak, but no one spoke.Then he felt that perhaps men would not like to hear the voice o f their own women, so he said that the women o f his own fam ily may speak if they so wished.Still silence reigned.He then said, Look! You are making history for all times to come.If you shy away from exercising your right while men are speaking in your favour, you w ill prove that you are not competent for this task.I am telling you so, and I w ill now give you a few minutes to speak if you want to.The first woman who made history and spoke in Majlis- e-Shura was UstanI Maimuna, an active member o f Lajna Imaillah, who was the mother o f the late Malik Ghulam Ahmad ‘Ata Sahib, Waqif-e-Zindagl and Wakil (Tehrlk Jadid).She addressed the Shura for a few minutes.Therefore, we cannot say that this is the first Majlis-e- Mushawarat in which a woman has directly addressed the house.This may be the third such Majlis-e-Mushawarat.The first one was that in which UstanI Maimuna spoke, the second was this year’s Majlis-e-Shura which consisted o f representatives from other countries, and in which women from Africa and America directly expressed then- views.And this (Mushawarat o f 1983) is the third such Majlis-e-Shura in the history o f Ahmadiyyat, and this practice shall continue in future, Inshaallah.” 183

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama 4 at - e -A hmadiyya The second Majlis-e-Mushawarat referred to here was held on 30th December, 1982, after Jalsa Salana.For the first time in the history o f Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya, a Ma- jlis-e-Shura comprising only o f representatives from foreign countries had been organized by Tehrik Jadld.Male and female representatives from 24 countries par ticipated in it.With permission and guidance from Hudur, two o f the women representatives spoke from behind the screen.“A misunderstanding which might have arisen from the previous discussion needs to be corrected.Hadrat Mirza Sharif Ahmad Sahib merely hinted at it, but it has not been thoroughly discussed.The Islamic system o f con sultation does not give the right o f consultation either to men or to women.There are two injunctions regarding the Shura.The first is [Consult them in mat ters o f importance.] This verse addresses the Prophet, or, by w ay o f Zill [reflection], the one who occupies the seat o f his Khilafat, and makes it binding upon him to hold consultations.As far as the Holy Prophetsa was con cerned, he had very little need to consult anyone.N o one in the world has ever stood in so little need for consulta tion as did the Holy Prophetsa.Such was his personality, his ability and his luminous nature that, in the words o f the Holy Quran, he was ready to shine even if the heav enly spark had not illuminated him, meaning thereby that his nature was immaculately pure.Taqwa is in fact the true wisdom.Hence a perfectly righteous one, who is by nature so pure that even if he is not blessed with revelation, he w ill still be able to make the best decisions, such a one w ill seldom be in need o f 184

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THE SYSTEM OF MUSHAWARAT INJAMA‘AT-E-AHMADI y V a consultation.But when the heavenly light descends upon his light and he becomes a manifestation o f j y J Z j p [light upon light], why then should he be in need o f any consultation at all? It is established by the history o f Islam that every deci sion taken by the H oly Prophetsa was invariably correct.Even when he did not accept the advice o f others, his own decision turned out to be right one.And when he accepted the advice o f others but said that he did not per sonally agree with them, such a decision proved to be erroneous and the H oly Prophet’ssa personal opinion turned out to be the best.The inference that I draw from this is that although, on the face o f it, the verse addresses the Holy Prophetsa, it is in fact intended to constrain those who would come after him.Thus this verse w ill mean: ‘O people, I am con straining the only person in the world who could have been exempted from consultation, therefore, the lesser people who succeed him should dispel the very thought from their minds that they w ill be able to take a decision in accordance with My w ill, without holding consulta tions.’ But, at the same time, God has also given an assurance.He says JljSa o-iyc-lils which means that the responsibility for the final decision shall rest with the successor o f Prophethood, and advice shall only serve the purpose o f conveying an opinion to the one who is going to make the decision.Thereafter, since his decision will be obeyed and the consultations w ill have been held with complete honesty, the Holy Quran does not term it as a decision o f the Majlis-e-Shura, but says i.e., the final decision is to be taken by one person, and We as sure you that We shall be with you in that decision.185

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya i.e., have faith in God, Who w ill bless what ever decision is taken and He shall be with you.This is the Islamic concept o f Majlis-e-Shura.Therefore, all discussions as to whether women have this right or not, are absurd.Neither men nor women have any right, it is solely the prerequisite o f the Khalifa to hold consultations.As to how he should hold them, we know that during the time o f the Holy Prophet5 3 various methods o f consultation were adopted in various circum stances.An objection is at times put forward that the Holy Prophetsa never consulted men and women together.The fact is that this kind o f Majlis-e-Shura had not been established in his time, nor was there any occasion for such consultations.On the other hand, there were occa sions when cases related to men and women were presented separately, and the H oly Prophetsa held consul tations about them.During the Treaty o f Hudaybiyyah, a situation arose whereby the men lost control over them selves and adopted an attitude which greatly perturbed the Holy Prophetsa.On that occasion, he consulted Hadrat Umm-e-Salamahra, and it was her advice which turned out to be correct.Therefore, there can be no question o f ignoring the advice o f women.In the same context, the point discussed was whether men should hear the voice o f women or not.It is proven from Islamic histoiy that women would come to the Holy Prophetsa and present their problems, even personal prob lems, before him in the presence o f men, who narrated these incidents.They had not been invited as witnesses, but were already present on these occasions.Women would come to the Holy Prophetsa and say whatever they wanted to say.The fact that Hadrat ‘Ayeshara would ad 186

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya dress the public is also a part o f history.Therefore all such objections are based on mere superstitions.The fact remains that the Khalifa is bound to hold consultations according to the circumstances.According to the conclusion drawn by Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra this is an intellectual issue and consultations with women might vary according to the circumstances.Now it is not a question o f the right o f women, it is a question o f how to give them representation.The discussion w ill not be how women should exercise their right o f representation, but what procedure should be adopted to consult them.I do not think that a quota should be fixed.The Khalifa w ill call any number o f women in any manner in keeping with the circumstances.There is no need to lay down any rules in this regard.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1983, pp.48-56] R e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s o f t h e D e l e g a t e s The chapter relating to the eligibility, numbers and elec tion procedure for the representatives will now be concluded with a few words about their responsibilities.While Hadrat Musleh-e-MaiTudra has very clearly stated the conditions o f eligibility for the representatives, he has also emphasized that they should not only take a lead in financial sacrifices themselves, but should keep reminding their members about it, and try to inculcate in them the spirit o f making financial sacrifices.Reminding the representatives about their responsibilities, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “You, who have come here as representatives o f your Jama'ats, must show that you are their true representa 187

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya tives.If the schemes which have been presented here do not succeed and the income is not enhanced to meet the requirements o f the budget, how can those who have come here call themselves representatives.A representa tive is he who can satisfy those who have elected him.I hope that you shall consider yourselves representatives for the whole year and w ill successfully implement the proposals that have been approved here.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1929, p.182] A S t r o n g A d m o n i t i o n t o t h e R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s One o f the important responsibilities o f the representa tives is to support and strengthen the Jama'at.Members are liable to censure for neglecting this aspect of their duty.Admonishing the representatives in this regard, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “I want to admonish the Jama'ats through their representa tives who have come here.We have seen the results o f leniency.It is the responsibility o f the representatives ei ther to adopt methods by which no one who calls him self an Ahmad! remains a defaulter, or the method which I have suggested, i.e., sending the names o f the defaulters to Markaz.If they are not able to overcome this weakness they w ill be brought to account and w ill have to face one o f the following penalties: They w ill not be accepted as representatives in future, or they shall not hold any office o f the Jama'at, or they shall not be permitted to meet me.And if they still remain indifferent, the Jama'at w ill sever all ties with them because they failed in their responsibili ties to support the Jama'at.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1933, p.121] 188

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadeyya R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s s h o u l d P e r f o r m t h e i r D u t i e s R e s p o n s i b l y The representatives should not consider participation in Shura a pastime.They should take this honour seriously and should not only do their own work responsibly but should also try to bring awareness to the Jama'at.Advis ing the representatives, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “The representatives should realize their responsibilities with regard to others, and should not come here just for fun, and be like the proverbial giant who used to wake up after six months.I haverdearly stated the responsibilities o f everyone, and if I take action against someone after this, there should be no complaints.No doubt, paradise has been brought closer in this age, but hell has been brought nearer as w ell.The world is out to crush the spirit, culture, economy and social system o f Islam.No one can, therefore, be permitted to show negli gence.A ll o f you, who represent your Jama'ats, should try to motivate all your members, and if, despite such ef forts, some members still keep lagging behind, their cases should be reported to Markaz in tim e.” Noticing a change in the manner in which some repre sentatives addressed the house, Hudur said: “I am sorry to say that the standard which Majlis-e-Shura has maintained in the past is beginning to go down.No doubt some speakers have spoken sensibly, but there were others whose discourse was full o f fault-finding and fun making.It appears that due to the presence o f new mem bers, the old members have also forgotten the manners o f discourse.I hope that in future your suggestions w ill be se rious and dignified, so that people may look up to you.” [Report MajIis~e~Shura 1933, pp.134-135] 189

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s a r e t h e T r u s t e e s o f S h u r a On another occasion, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “If you go back and immediately start pressing the mem bers o f your Jama'at to arrange a meeting so that you may convey to them the message that you have to con vey, the members w ill become mentally prepared to accept the new proposals, and when they hear the details, they w ill become fully convinced.I also want to remind the representatives that their duty is not only to convey to their Jama'ats the proceedings o f the Shura, but to keep reminding them o f these matters continuously and persistently.The responsibility o f the representative who attends the Shura does not end with the closing o f the proceedings here, for he remains the representative o f his Jama'at for the whole year and it is his duty to keep reminding his people o f the decisions that have been taken here.Hence you should not consider yourselves representatives for just three days.When an individual is elected as a representative, from that day to the day when elections are held for the next M ajlis-e- Shura, he continues to be the representative o f his Jama'at.Just as it is the duty o f a representative to con vey the opinions o f his Jama'at to us, it is also his duty to convey our decisions and our points o f view to them.He first comes to us as the representative o f his Jama'at, and then goes back to them as our representative.It is his duty, till elections are conducted for the new Majlis-e-Shura, to consider him self a representative and to keep telling his Jama'at about the proposals approved here.You should not think that your representation o f Shura has terminated today.Your representation is not yet over and it w ill con tinue till the end o f the year.It is your duty, till the next 190

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the S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya elections, to keep your Jama'ats awake and to see to it that they do not become indolent.Remember, negligence and indolence can never bring any good.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1943, p.145] In this context, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IVrh has said: “Offer your opinions with discretion and carry them back with discretion.Reveal only as much as is permitted by Majlis-e-Shura or the Chairman...The trust assigned to you by God should remain secure in your hearts.” [Friday Sermon 29 April 1994, AI-Fadl International 13-19 May 1994, p.10J Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IVrh also said the following: “May God Almighty be with you, and may He carry you back happy and under His protection.May you be able to breathe a new life into your Jama* at, and may we see the bounties o f God being showered upon us as a result o f - your efforts.May this happen by Allah’s grace.(Amin)” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1984, p, 250] A t t e n d a n c e o f t h e D e l e g a t e s Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra expected from the represen tatives that their standard of attendance should be superior to any other institution o f this kind.It was also expected that the quorum o f Majlis-e-Shura should al ways be 100% and all members should always remain present and participate in the proceedings o f Shura.The punctuality should be such that all members should be in their seats before the arrival o f the Khalifa or his hon ourable representative.The discipline and noble traditions o f Shura are un 191

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya doubtedly the result o f the deep insight and magnificent training o f Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra.From the very beginning he established Majlis-e-Mushawarat on such lines that punctuality and discipline became the second nature o f its members.But whenever he observed even a little slackness he would take them to task.At one time Hudur was stationed at Nakhlah (a place 600 feet above sea level, in Khushab District) for a change of climate, from where he would come to attend the Shura.On one such occasion he noticed some slackness in the atten dance, and observed: “Only 411 out o f the 432 representative are present.This means that all the members who were issued passes are not here.This is indeed a very sorry situation.The mem bers who are not present in this session should be identified and should not be given the responsibility o f Shura in the future.They have come here specifically to attend the Shura, but have absented themselves.I have travelled 100 miles just to attend the Shura despite my illness, and they, who were present in Rabwah, have not bothered to show up.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1958, p.32] 192

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Chapter V T he E tiquette of S hura Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra kept a close eye on the eti quette to be observed in the Shura.When he first formally established this institution, he laid out its code o f conduct in great detail.These basic guidelines, which serve as a part of Shura’s manifesto, have already been stated in the first chapter o f this book, and need not be repeated.During Majlis-e-Shura 1923, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra gave the important directive that such things will not be discussed in Majlis-e-Shura which amount to an indirect attack or sarcasm against any section o f the Jama'at.Hudur had launched a scheme for the collection o f 50,000 rupees.When different aspects o f this scheme were con sidered, some delegates were of the view that the scheme should not be open for all, it should be declared a special Chanda and should only be collected from the affluent.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra did not agree with the idea of calling a Chanda “special”, and said that it would amount to an assault on the Jama'at.Although our Jam a'at is weak, most of our financial contributions come from the poor.In this backdrop, Hudur’s following observations are full o f sagacity and wisdom: “I am inclined to agree with the opinion o f the majority.The word “special”, however, requires some explanation.Here this word has not been used for any special distinc tion.As far as I am concerned, anyone who contributes 193

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya even a paisa is special, and it has nothing to do with sin cerity o f the person.The word “special” only distinguishes between the affluent and the not so affluent.The affluent are very few.The implication o f the words Chanda ‘Am (common subscription) is not that the common people are inferior, but it only means that the condition o f affluence is removed and the Chanda is col lected from the entire Jama'at.Therefore, I agree with those who say that these fifty thousand rupees should be collected from the affluent.The rest o f the Jama'at, who cannot pay a substantial sum, may be kept in reserve.The logic offered by one member that Chandas are mostly paid by the rich and poor people do not pay, is an impu tation against the Jama'at.Actually, the major part o f our contributions comes from the poor, but this time we want to keep them in reserve so that when we are in need o f more contributions we w ill accept from them as w ell.Their contributions are small, not because they do not want to pay more, but because they cannot pay more.But when w e make an assessment, w e find that the total con tribution made by the poorer members o f our Jama'at is greater than that o f the affluent.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1923, pp.49-50] A n E x h o r t a t i o n t o S p e a k w i t h C o u r a g e a n d C o n v i c t i o n While explaining the rules and etiquette o f Shura to the delegates, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra also instructed them that whenever they participate in Shura, they should ex press their views with courage and confidence.But, at the same time, it is important that their intentions and desires should remain subordinate to the will o f Allah.In the Fri day Sermon before the inauguration of Shura 1927, 194

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “If you want to embellish even your ordinary deeds, you must show courage, confidence and bravery in every thing you do.When w e do everything for the sake o f God, everything w ill become beautiful, but if we do not, we w ill never have any beauty.Therefore, on this occa sion, I would like to tell our friends who have come here, that when they go into Shura they should subordinate their opinions, their intentions and their view s to the w ill o f God, and should express themselves with true cour age, so that they are able to spread Ahmadiyyat bravely, and so that through their courage and bravery they are able to open up for their successors ways which w ill lead them to their true destination.So try to develop real courage and present your view s with confidence.” [Friday sermon 15 April 1927, Al-Fadl 22 April 1927J Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra also said: “Those whom the Khalifa asks for advice are under obli gation to advise him faithfully.And when they are asked for advice they should express their view s openly even if their view s contradict the view s o f another person.But the thought should never cross their mind that rejection o f their opinion would be a mistake.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1923, p.7] S o m e I m p o r t a n t P r e c a u t i o n s It was also considered a part o f the etiquette of Shura, that the representatives should not waste the time in needless arguments and repetitions.Secondly, they should listen to the proceedings attentively and should not talk to one another.Thirdly, no personal attack 195

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya should be made when expressing an opinion, people should not be discouraged, and there should be no undue insistence.Fourthly, it is important for the representa tives to participate in the proceedings wholeheartedly, and if they have to go out they should come back imme diately.In this context, Hadrat M usleh-e-M au'utP said: “Delegates should also see to it that they do not waste time.Sometimes people keep on repeating the same things.If you want to support a proposal which has been presented, you can do it through your vote.If there is a fresh argument, or if something has been missed, it can be presented, but repeating the same things all over again is a sheer waste o f time.Delegates should keep in mind that they should only stand up to present a fresh argu ment, and should not repeat what has already been said.Listen to other speakers carefully and attentively.It has been observed that some delegates either go to sleep or begin talking to one another during the proceedings.In the Parliament, which is in fact the Chief Parliament, members clap and laugh and make faces.But that is the mother o f worldly Parliaments, whereas this Majlis is the mother o f all religious conventions.The Quranic injunc tion for participating in such gatherings is i.e., listen with care.Therefore, you should avoid talking to one another, unless someone comes from outside and enquires about the pro ceedings, or you have to give some important instructions.It is also important to bear in mind that you should never give an opinion for the sake o f someone else.The words o f a believer are not commodities that can be bought for money, or given as a favour.A believer is not a call-girl 196

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T he S ystem of mushawarat in jama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya whom anyone can buy.He forms and gives his opinion only for the sake o f Allah and not for anyone else.He does not give an opinion for the love o f someone or for fear o f someone’s eminence.He only says what he con siders to be right.He should, nevertheless, be careful not to offend or hurt other people.He should not insist too much on his argu ments and should realize that other people’s opinions may also be correct.But even if he considers his opinion to be the right one, he should realize that the world w ill not come to an end even if it is not accepted.Or even if there was such a danger, God would take care o f things and the wrong would be put right.It is also important to ensure maximum participation in the proceedings.Our proceedings are so lengthy that not everyone can sit for so long, though I m yself have to re-.main present all the time.It is true that some are old and infirm, and others have to go out to eat or to attend to other necessities.Despite all this, members should try to ensure maximum participation.If someone has to go, he should do so for the minimum time and come back as soon as possible.In the Parliaments, members sit only as long as the matter under discussion is o f interest to them, otherwise they get up and leave.But we should give all our time to this cause, because our greatest personal need is o f no value compared to the smallest requirement o f the faith.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1928, pp.13-14J Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh, in his address to Majlis-e- Shura Belgium, also shed light on the rules and etiquette o f Shura.Here is a summary of his instructions: 197

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya 1.Do not say anything which may hurt another person.2.Whenever the Chair asks you to stop talking, you must stop immediately.All blessings lie in this, and from this emerges a dignified system.3.Do not speak against one another.Do not even need to speak with reference to one another.4.If you really have an argument to present, present it at your own turn and finish it within your time.5.When in doubt, ask about the procedure.6.Do not leave without permission.7.A member of the sub-committee cannot speak against the recommendations of the sub-committee, unless he has already handed in a note of dissent.8.Offer your names when names are invited for speak ing about a proposal.9.It is improper to ask someone to propose your name (for the sub-committee).There is no harm if you pro pose your own name or that of someone else.[Address to Majlis-e-Shura Brussels, 9 September 1992] In a Friday Sermon, Hudur similarly said that consulta tions should be held in an atmosphere of love and harmony.“Shura is for those whose hearts are bound together.True suggestions are those which come from people who love each other and offer their advice in true sympathy.” [Friday Sermon 15 April 1994, Al-Fadl International 13-19 May 1994, p.7] 198

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya S e e k i n g P e r m i s s i o n f o r G o i n g O u t It had been established as a rule that delegates will not go out without permission during the proceedings of Shura.It is in fact the injunction o f the Holy Quran that when a meeting is being held to discuss important mat ters, no one should leave without the permission o f the Chair.That is why when anyone wants to go out during the proceedings o f Majlis-e-Shura, he has to raise his hand and get the Chair’s permission.But undesirable situations did at times arise due to some people’s igno rance o f this established rule.In this context, Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IVrh gave the following instructions: “There are two sorts o f people who raise their hand during Majlis-e-Shura.I have observed that there are those who raise their hand and wait for permission to go out, and there are others who raise their hand and start walking, which seems to imply that they must go whether or not they are given permission and that the system o f seeking permission is only a joke.We have to be patient, because God repeatedly asks the believers to exercise patience, for bearance and etiquette.You should raise your hand, and if no one notices you from here, i.e., me or some other friend does not see you, then any worker who happens to see the raised hand should come here and point him out.” [Report Majlls-e-Shura 1983, p.100] The delegates have to raise their hand to go out in case o f need, but sometimes the Chair is too preoccupied to notice them and they have to keep standing with then- hand raised.In such a case, Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IVrh delegated this authority to his assistant, and said: 199

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat tN J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya [English] “Also remember that if some hands are raised...and some people want to go out for some short period, you can also permit them by waving to them to go out, otherwise they w ill keep standing.Sometimes I am too busy and I do not see the people who are standing.” [Report Internationa] Majlis-e-Shura 1988, p.54] If a delegate is compelled to leave the Shura and go back in an emergency, he has to ask Khallfatul M aslh’s per mission.It is neither desirable nor permissible for a delegate to leave with only his Amir’s permission.At the time of International Majlis-e-Shura in 1989, when Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IVrh learnt that a repre sentative had left with the permission o f his country’s Amir, he expressed great displeasure, and said: “First o f all the delegate should have sought permission from me.And you (addressing the Amir) too should have sought permission from me regarding the delegate, be cause during the Shura no Amir is eligible to grant leave to a delegate.Such things have to be brought to the no tice o f the Chairman o f the Shura.So, in future all delegates should remember that the Amir does not have the authority to grant leave to anyone, only the Chair is eligible to do so.” (Report International Majlis-e-Shura 1989, p.94] I t i s S i n f u l t o V i o l a t e t h e E t i q u e t t e o f S h u r a During Shura, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra laid great stress on offering Istighfar and presenting one’s views in a decent manner, with the fear o f God in one’s heart.He considered this to be a vital part o f the etiquette of 2 0 0

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Shura.Hudur said: “The Holy Prophet5 1 would always offer Istighjar when ever he sat in a meeting.According to the Traditions, he used to recite Istighjar seventy times.The reason for this was not, as some people discourteously say, that his heart would begin to be stained when he sat with other people, and he would offer Istighjar to remove these ill effects.How could anyone stain the Holy Prophet’ssa heart, who himse lf has said that his Satan had become a Muslim? The Holy Prophetsa did talk about the heart being stained, but this does not mean that his own heart could be stained.The reason why he offered Istighjar was so that other people’s hearts should not be stained and Allah may protect them.And the others offered Istighjar so that they would themselves be safe from being stained.Now, what has the company o f the Holy Prophet5 1 to do.with the staining o f one’s heart? The fact is that on these occasions, or when Khulafa are present in a meeting, many things can happen that may cause people’s hearts to be stained.The Holy Quran instructs us not to speak in a manner that might be disrespectful to the Holy Prophet51.And that which stands for the Holy Prophet5 1 also stands for the Khalifa.If someone speaks sharply or loudly in any other gathering, he w ill be considered rude, but if someone speaks in this manner in the presence o f the Prophet or Khalifa, he w ill not only violate the etiquette o f a meeting, but w ill become guilty o f a sin.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1928, pp.136-137] T h e K h a l i f a D o e s N o t S i d e w i t h A n y P a r t y There is no concept o f preferential treatment in Majlis-e- Shura o f Jama ‘at-e-Ahmadiyya.In this context, Hadrat 2 0 1

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “Our members should get into the habit o f speaking in a more dignified and God-fearing manner.But it has been observed that some delegates, without taking into account the fact that I have already made a decision, say that it re quires amendment.Even in worldly governments, nothing is said against the decision o f the Chairman.Although those people may have no loyalty or religious reverence for their Chairman, and in their hearts they may even call him stupid, but they still show regard for his decisions.The members o f our Jama'at, on the other hand, are quite sincere and devoted, and they only commit such errors due to ignorance o f the etiquette.This has not happened before, but this time I feel as if some o f them consider me to be one o f the Nazirs, whereas in fact the Khalifa is for everybody and not for any particular group.He treats everyone equally.He does not represent any particular Department, and is equally attached to all members o f the Jama'at.You, therefore, need to observe the etiquette laid down by the Shariah in such matters.The Promised Messiah3 3 once began a series o f lectures for women, but when he heard them making noise, he decided to discon tinue the lectures for the women were not paying due attention.It is, therefore, important to bear in mind the eti quette o f Khilafat and o f meetings.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1928, p.137] T h e K h a l i f a A l o n e s h o u l d b e A d d r e s s e d It has already been mentioned that the delegates should participate in Majlis-e-Shura with an open mind, and to offer their opinions in a brief and rational manner.They should not address one another and should not repeat the 2 0 2

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmajdiyya same things over and over again.In this context, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra had the following to say in Majlis-e- Shura 1933: “The delegates should sit in Majlis-e-Shura with an open mind.They should establish a relationship with God and pray that He may guide them.And to be successful they should also bear in mind i.e., there are weak members in the Jama'at whom they have to take along with them.Let us guard against arrogance and, instead o f sitting down and relaxing after accomplishing one task, we should immediately embark upon something else.Our God is the Lord o f the Universe and He is the Master o f unlimited progress.Why should not we also try our best? Another thing worth remembering is that if a discussion gets lengthier due to some misunderstanding, it is the ‘ duty o f the concerned Nazir to correct that misunder standing.At tim es a member misunderstands something which results in a lengthy discussion, and the concerned Nazir does not correct him, which is wrong.Delegates should not address one another.This is wrong both from the spiritual and worldly point o f view.Mushawarat means that the Khalifa is seeking advice from you.Therefore, you should address yourself to him.This is not a small matter, for it saves people from stum bling.When someone addresses another as an adversary, he is likely to get into a rage, but when he is addressing the Khalifa, this w ill not happen.Hence you should al ways remember to address the Khalifa on such occasions.This does not mean that you should actually address him with the word ‘Khalifa’, but your speech should be di rected towards him.203

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T he S ystem of mushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya Also remember that your points should be brief and logi cal.Some speakers tend to get into such details that they go completely o ff the track.Since there is little time and the matters that need to be discussed are many, you should be brief in whatever you say.” [Report Majlis-e-Shdra 1933, pp.12-14] I t i s W r o n g t o R i d i c u l e S o m e o n e u p o n m s M i s t a k e Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra kept a close eye on every as pect o f the etiquette o f Shura and repeatedly advised the members to abide by them.Since no rules were yet in place, the delegates would express themselves at their own ease and in their own language.At times people would try to express themselves in broken Urdu, which would be unbearable for some participants while others would not be able to control their laughter.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra took strict notice of this, and said: “Let me tell you that it is against the Islamic ethics to laugh at someone who makes a mistake while speaking, or to correct him during the meeting.Such a person should either be advised quietly, and if that is not possi ble, then you should keep quiet.In any case, laughing and making fun o f him is not appropriate.Such things happen in other gatherings but should never happen in ours, for they are against the Islamic code o f conduct.Everyone makes mistakes.By the grace o f God, I am a good speaker but many times during a speech or a ser mon I feel that I have spoken some words wrongly.This sometimes happens due to fatigue.” [Report Majlis-e-Shiira 1929, p.52] In the same Majlis-e-Mushawarat, Hudur further said: 2 0 4

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T he S ystem of M ushawaratin J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya “Some delegates have written to me that they do not un derstand Punjabi and they cannot speak Urdu.Such people can speak in English and those who know English w ill understand them, and, if required, their speech can be translated for others also.Similarly, those who can speak in Punjabi may do so, and since the majority un derstands Punjabi, it needs no translation.Since there are no hard and fast rules in this regard, we should take things as they come.It is neither essential for every speech to be translated in a particular language, nor is there any prohibition.If w e feel that a certain Punjabi or English speech is very important and is having a special impact, it can be translated.”: v [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1929, p.56] Similarly, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IVrh said: “When you come for Majlis-e-Shura, keep an eye on ' your weaknesses, and the greatest weakness is egotism.Time and again your soul w ill deceive you and w ill tempt you to laugh at your less intelligent friends, and w ill urge you to make fun o f those who are giving incor rect arguments.There are many kinds o f evil temptations which get in the hearts and minds o f people attending meetings where important matters are being discussed, and it is these that cause nations to go astray.Members o f Majlis-e-Shura should try to protect themselves from these temptations through Istighfar.” [Friday Sermon 30 April, 1993] Preserving the values of the Jama'at: At the end o f this Sermon, Hudur directed the delegates o f Majlis-e-Shura to adhere to the following: 1.Every delegate should come to the Shura offering 205

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Istighfar , and having performed Wudu.2.Every delegate should embellish his virtues, become subservient to God, and present him self before Him in the best manner.3.After offering an opinion, everyone should say: \j p [I have given you my opinion , it is now up to you to accept it or not.] If you come to Majlis-e-Shura in this spirit, and if you maintain these high traditions, I am sure Majlis-e-Shura w ill be able to safeguard the traditions o f the Jama'at, and w ill guarantee an everlasting life for it.[Friday Sermon, 30 April 1993J L i s t e n t o E v e r y o n e w i t h C a r e a n d A t t e n t i o n Since adherence to the etiquette is mandatory for every one, whenever Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra noticed some deviation he would correct it, and would not let any ex pediency come in his way.Once when he noticed a representative of Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya speaking in violation o f the etiquette o f Shura, he said: “Let me remind friends that the rules o f conduct which should be observed in every meeting—and this is not pe culiar to any religion but is important for people o f every religion, though some may choose to overlook it— is that when the proceedings have begun people should not talk among themselves.Yesterday it was not the people sit ting in front o f me who gave me reason for complaint, rather it was those sitting behind me, who are the work ers o f the Jama'at.W hile I was speaking, two Nazirs kept talking intimately for a long time.This is in direct viola tion o f the rules o f conduct for this Majlis, and it was 206

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya being done by the Nazirs o f Sadr Anjuman, who are holding important posts.They indulged in prolonged dis cussions while the Khalifa was talking and they were sitting close to him.It seemed as if they were settling their family problems right here.I have felt this before and I want to draw your attention to it again.Let me make it clear that if there is a complaint against any Na zir in future, I w ill issue instructions for him to be expelled from Majlis-e-Shura.If there is something im portant, it can be conveyed in writing, or even a brief conversation w ill not interfere with the speech, but this is not what happens and a long conversation takes place.In these consultations, you should remember that you do not know who will say the right thing.Speak your mind, and then listen to what others have to say.I have occasion ally had the experience that the advice given by some educated person was not correct, while that o f an illiterate villager, who could not even speak w ell, proved to be right.Therefore it is important to bear in mind when listening to someone that God may possibly guide us through him.A question arose during the time o f the Holy Prophet5 3 as to how people should be called for prayers.An ordinary man suggested a method to the Holy Prophetsa, on hearing which Hadrat ‘Umar1 3 said that he too had thought o f the same method, and it was Adhan.So guidance in religious matters can come even from an ordinary person.We should listen to others attentively.It is a common practice nowadays that when a ‘lesser’ person is speaking, we do not pay attention to him, rather we turn away from him, whereas the Holy Prophef3 would listen attentively to any one who spoke to him.What is the use o f Shura if we do not listen attentively to everyone?” [Report Majlis~e~Shura 1934, pp.11-15) 207

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the S ystem of M ushawabat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya B l i n d F o l l o w i n g i s n o t t h e W a y o f t h e B e l i e v e r s Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra also advised the members that they should not follow other people blindly, but should use their own reason.Instead of being carried away by emotions, they should give due thought to the matter at hand and then form an opinion.Once when the curtailment of the budget for Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya was being discussed in the Shura, Hudur said: “The workers o f the Jama’at have contributed a thousand times more than the other members o f the Jama’at in re lieving its financial burden.I understand this situation, and had I been attending this meeting as a representative o f some Jama'at I would have been ashamed o f suggest ing that a cut should be imposed on the allowances o f the workers.This shows how much difference there can be between temperaments o f different people.The fact is that the members do not give serious thought to an issue before expressing their opinions.Last year member after member got up and said that there was no reason to im pose a cut on the allowances o f the workers o f the Jama’at because whatever they are getting is a subsis tence allowance and not a salary, and that the additional burden should be shared by the outside Jama'ats.I stopped them time and again and said that it was not cor rect to burden only the outside Jama'ats.But today every speaker has said that the cut imposed on the workers’ al lowances may not be restored to them, as the Jama'at is faced with financial problems.The Shura is the same, the members are the same, the circumstances are the same, and the topic under discussion is the same, then why is it that last year you were insisting that no deduction should be made from the allowance o f the workers and the fi 208

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in jama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya nancial burden should be transferred to you, but today you are saying that the Jama'ats should not be burdened and that the deduction should be made from the workers’ allowances? Why this change o f heart? Your faith has not changed, the circumstances have not changed, the proposal has not changed, why then this difference? Is it perhaps because some o f the members o f our Jama'at blindly follow others and do not reason out the proposal by themselves? When one suggests that deduction should not be carried out from the workers’ allowances, every one starts supporting him, and when someone suggests that the amount should be deducted, then also everyone supports him.If we learn to talk according to principles, our opinion w ill not change even after ten years.It w ill not change until there are changes in the arguments or in the circumstances which force us to revise our previous opinion.But if we blindly follow others, our opinions are liable to change every moment.I once read in a history book about the condition o f a country in which the noose would be tightened around a person’s neck hardly a min ute after the crown had been placed on it.Similar is the condition o f some o f our representatives.If somebody says, 'Sacrifice! Sacrifice!’ everyone starts saying, 'Sacri fice! Sacrifice!' And if someone says 'Burden! Burden!' then also everyone agrees with him.This is a very un sound system...Members do not properly deliberate upon the issues.At times they become passionate and jump into the field o f sacrifice without caring for the conse quences, and when they withdraw, their condition is all the more laughable.This is a most undesirable state o f affairs.You should first o f all think about whatever is presented before you, and then, if you wish to say some thing about it, you should do so seeking guidance from 209

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T he S ystem of mushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya God, and you should always adopt the middle path.To ignore the requirements o f the time and the condition o f the Jama'at, and to be unmindful o f who is saying the right thing, and to just go on speaking emotionally does not behove a true believer.Keep your emotions under control when you are excited, and when your passions are cold, try to warm your hearts.When you are impassioned, look for arguments.And when you are satisfied with the arguments, stir up your emotions, so that whatever opinion you render is proper and results in your winning the approval o f God.If you do not bear these things in mind, then consultation w ill be utterly useless and the true purpose o f holding this Shura w ill not be achieved.” (Report Majlis-e-Shura 1940, pp.92-94] D i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n G e n e r a l a n d D e t a i l e d D e b a t e o n t h e B u d g e t In the same Majlis-e-Shura, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra explained the difference between general and detailed debate on the budget, and said: “The gentleman who is speaking should remember that this is not the time for general debate, and whatever he wants to suggest should be properly outlined.This is not the time for giving proposals that something should be done like this or like that.The time for that has passed.Now he can only say, for example, that the amount allo cated to the head o f account for postage should be reduced by this much.But he cannot suggest that the sys tem o f mail should work this way or that.If he wants to say something he has to give a definite recommendation, that so much amount should be reduced from such and 2 1 0

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e - ahmadiyya such head o f account.The general discussion has already taken place.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1940, p.112] F a r - R e a c h i n g E f f e c t s o f S h u r a ’ s D e c i s i o n s The delegates o f Majlis-e-Shura were occasionally ad vised about the rules o f conduct and were asked to realize their position and to offer opinions which have been properly considered, because the decision which they take today will become a precedent for future gen erations, and people w ill refer to the reports o f Majlis-e- Shura for guidance.In this context, Hadrat Musleh-e- M au‘udra said: “Today w e should make every decision after due delib eration, because scholars o f the future shall seek guidance from them in resolving major issues.Our pre sent condition is like the sun and those who succeed us shall be like the moon, which is illuminated by the sun.There is obviously a lot o f difference between the two.Therefore, while making a decision the members should fear G od...and we should take everything seriously.Gravity and solemnity should be apparent in your faces and in your body language, so that people should look at you and realize that Ahmadls really mean what they say...If friends abide by these instructions and keep them in mind when attending conferences and meetings, it can be quite beneficial both for their Tarbiyyat and also for Tabligh.This is what Majlis-e-Shura is all about.If the participants make the new members conversant with the rules o f conduct, especially on how to speak, the latter can easily learn these things.But what I have observed is that members start talking among themselves, and al 2 1 1

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T he S ystem of mushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya though I have repeatedly asked them not to do so, they still get carried away in moments o f excitement.There fore I w ill again advise you that you should show seriousness while talking and while forming your opin ions.You should keep in mind that you have to bring about a new revolution in the world, and future genera tions w ill solve their religious issues on the basis o f our decisions.We have been made responsible for an enor mous task and such tasks are accomplished only when subordinated to the w ill o f God.Therefore, the fear o f God and thought o f His greatness should always be pre sent in our hearts.We should avoid being unnecessarily critical and sarcastic, and there should be no argumenta tive behaviour.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1941, pp.17-20) S o m e E x t r e m e l y V a l u a b l e A d v i c e L Hadrat Khallfatul Masih III gave some extremely use ful instructions regarding the code o f conduct in Majlis- e-Shura.He said: “Before taking up the proposals one by one, I would like to draw your attention to certain issues.1.God has created us to cultivate dignified manners and to spread tolerance in the world.In these things we are the teachers o f the world.Hence during the proceedings o f our Shura, we should maintain decorum and should avoid impatient behaviour.2.Nobody should stand up merely to contradict someone else or to criticise him.This w ill have a negative impact on unity, brotherhood and love which Allah has created in our Jama'at merely out o f His grace.3.Try to avoid repetition.Many people get up and repeat 2 1 2

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something that has already been said.Something new comes into their mind, but before they get a chance to say it, someone else has already said it, but they still stand up and repeat it.This wastes a lot o f time and we are already short o f time.Some years ago, four days were allocated for Shura, but it has again come down to three days, and I forgot about it.In the future, Inshaallah, the Shura w ill be for four days.But if w e are to properly deliberate upon all the issues, even four days are not enough.It is important to save time as far as possible, and this can only be done if you express your opinions briefly and clearly.Use minimum words and do not repeat what has already been said.Repeating an argument merely tells us that you agree with it, and this we w ill know anyway when you are asked to vote on it.We do not need to know it at this stage.We do want to know, but the mem bers should tell us at the proper time.4.Do not give your discussion the form o f a debate.It is wrong to do so in Shura as a matter o f principle, because everyone who gets up and presents his viewpoint before the Khalifa, addresses him self to no one but the Khalifa, and there is no one to debate with.You should not get into a debate, so that my time is not wasted in stopping you.5.It is most important to pray when you stand up to give your opinion.We do pray collectively, and it pleases me to look at the faces in front o f me and know that they are not only listening but also praying.But you should pray particularly when you stand up to express your view s, so that God Almighty may guide you to say the correct thing in the correct manner, and if He approves o f what you want to say, He might make your speech effective and others may also be convinced.________T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya ________ 213

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya The consultations we are holding today are extremely im portant from the historic point o f view.Thousands o f years hence people w ill refer to these consultations o f Majlis-e- Shura, and w ill point out that such and such discussion took place in such and such Shura and the Jama1at arrived at such and such a decision.Most o f us do not realize the significance o f Majlis-e-Shura.If we were to realize its importance and its far-reaching effects, we would be very careful in what we say, since God Almighty has assured us that these words w ill become a model for the whole world.May God Almighty bring those days soon! The days are surely coming when the whole world shall as semble under the banner o f Islam through the Promised Messiah1 *, Inshaallah.This Majlis is a model for the entire world.It does not behove us to assemble for such important consultations and to speak so carelessly.Nations which have to pro gress live their lives in continuous reflection, deliberation and resolve.There is a time when a person or a nation reaches a line o f action after full deliberation, and then implements it.The Holy Quran tells us that a time comes when you act upon and hold consultations about the progress o f the Jama'at and o f Islam, and for the establishment o f Tauhld [Oneness o f God].And then there is a time when you act upon jiilJ * cUyi-ljll i.e., you come to a final decision, and you do not look to your means whether they are meagre or numerous, and start working with full faith in God, and do not take a single step back.The Holy Prophet5 2 once accepted an advice o f the Companions” which he thought was not correct.When he saw that it was the opinion o f the majority, he agreed (perhaps God had wanted to teach them a lesson) and got 2 1 4

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the S ystem of M ushawarat jn J ama ‘ at - e -A hmamyya ready to go to battle.When he came out in his armour, car rying his weapons, some eminent Companions1 3 realized that though he had accepted the advice o f the majority, he was personally not in favour o f fighting with the enemy outside Medina.Therefore, they submitted: ‘O Prophet o f God, your opinion is correct and it should be imple mented.’ But the Holy Prophet23 said: ‘God’s Prophets do not remove their armour having once put it on’, i.e., when they have taken a decision they only march forward.Since God Almighty has thus linked our actions, it is es sential for us to give thought to every aspect o f the matter before coming to a decision.We should come to a deci sion with the intention that we have prayed to God, and have tried to keep our intentions pure, and have endeav oured to make utmost use o f our intelligence which God Almighty has given us, and that once God has led us to this decision, no matter what happens we shall implement it.And regardless o f our meagre resources, if God enables us (and He does enable His people), we shall keep think ing and deliberating as He has commanded us to do, and shall try to implement our decisions with sincerity and re solve...and He shall surely produce the best results for us.Therefore, when you stand up, you should pray that you should be able to fulfil the responsibility that has been placed on you, both with regard to offering your sugges tions and implementing the decisions that you w ill arrive at.Pray that you may arrive at the correct decision and are able to implement it.” [Report Maj)is-e-Shura 1966, pp.77-80] It is improper to instigate one against another.In this context, Hadrat Khalffatul Maslh IIra said: 215

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in jama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya “This is not a Parliament where one party is instigated against another.This is Majlis-e-Mushawarat.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1923, p.26] Once during a Shura, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh did not allow a representative to seek clarification, and said: “You have come here to give suggestions, not to seek clarifications.This is not the occasion for it.If you need any clarification, you should come to the office where the staff w ill clarify the matter for you.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1969, p.92] On another occasion Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh said: “I have called you here for consultations.You should give your opinion and should not say that what someone has said is wrong.You should only give your own opin ion.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1982, p.14] Do N ot B ase your O pinions on H earsay Hadrat Khalifatul Masih m rh forbade the representatives from basing their opinions on hearsay.When a represen tative said that he had heard something about so many people, Hudur said, “Do not talk about what you have heard.If there is actually such a person, you should name him.” He said that he could not name anyone with certainty.At this Hudur said: “You cannot make some thing a basis for your argument in Shura which you are not sure of.You can only say that this is what you think, but you cannot say that there are many such people.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1973, p.114] 216

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat d m J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya A void E xaggeration Once during Majhs-e-Shura a delegate mentioned a car pet-factory which, in his words, was very big.But when Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh asked him how many looms it had, he said that he did not know the exact number.Upon this Hudur said that instead o f saying that there were lots o f them, he should have said that he did not know the number.Later on, when Hudur enquired from the same delegate as to how many children worked on those looms, he exaggerated their number also, upon which Hudur said: “Do not exaggerate, give ns the correct statistics.I was trying to make you understand this but you do seem to take the point.This is why I have chosen to talk to you directly.You should only say what is correct.Exaggera-.tion w ill neither affect me nor the members who are sitting here, for we are all one body.You should present the accurate facts before the Jama'at.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1976, p.61) Do N ot I nsist upon Y our O pinion It is also among the etiquette o f Majlis-e-Shura that delegates do not insist on their own opinions.Every opinion that is offered has to be based on good inten tions.Secondly, if during the discussion the Chair does not want an issue to be discussed any further, the dele gate should immediately stop speaking.Thirdly, no personal issues should be brought into discussion.If any representative thinks that a mistake has been committed by someone in offering his opinion, he should remember 21 7

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e ~ A hm adhtya that it is only the privilege o f Khallfatul Maslh to correct him.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra, while highlighting these aspects of the etiquette o f Shura, said: “I have always advised members not to be carried away like a cork in a stream.Once it has been said that only fundamental issues should be discussed, and no detailed discussions would take place, what then is the use o f get ting into details? In all the speeches there were only one or two fundamental points.As for the others, I cannot say that they wasted time because I let them continue, there fore, morally speaking, the time was not wasted, and I did not stop them so that they would not be embarrassed.But, in effect, time has been wasted because little o f sub stance has been said.Some members keep on talking even though they have been told to stop and despite the fact that the Khalifa is present.No one dares to defy even the Chair when he stops him.But here some o f us are so obdurate that they keep talking even when they have been told to stop (by the Khalifa).This shows that such people have very weak hearts, and they get carried away by every current.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1934, pp.88-89] In the same context, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “I want to remind you once again that if you are asked not to prolong the discussion, you should comply.Some times when delegates are restrained from speaking about an issue, someone starts a lengthy discussion on the same subject.I do not think that it would hurt the Jama4at in any way if individual opinions were not invited on a mat ter due to some expediency.It is against the etiquette to start arguing with the one who is presiding and to say 218

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya that he has not understood what you want to say.Even if he has not understood and has asked you to shorten the discussion, what is the harm? It is important not to con tinue the discussion at that time and, if it is really necessary, you should give your point o f view in writing.If I consider it important, I w ill allow you to speak.The third thing is that repetition should be avoided.I have said this so many times but Mends keep forgetting.Recently I read somewhere that things are repeated many times in the British Parliament, and this practice is to be found everywhere.But our method and our system should be superior to the greatest Parliaments o f the world, because we have less time, fewer people, and veiy important issues at hand.The fourth thing is that you should be brief.It is no use prolonging a discussion unnecessarily.The fifth point is that you must not on any occasion ad dress one another.Every speaker should address me, because it is I who have invited you for consultations.The sixth point is that everything should be said with the best o f intentions.You should not be motivated by per sonal considerations, and nothing personal should come between you.If somebody has erred and there is a need for admonition, I w ill admonish him m yself.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1935, p.15] Since it is essential for delegates to submit to the Chair, therefore, when presenting their suggestions to the Khalifa, the delegates should keep in mind his status and should not say anything which is against the status and dignity o f Khilafat.The delegates must obey the com 219

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T he system of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya mands of Hadrat Khalifatul Masih, must listen to him attentively, and must comply fully with whatever he says.Upon every word o f Hadrat Khalifatul Masih the delegates would become a picture of, ‘We have heard and we submit.’ When he asks a speaker to stop, he should stop at once.To continuing speaking after that, is not only against the spirit of Shura, it is also against the etiquette o f meetings.During Majlis-e-Mushawarat 1970, a delegate expressed his views in a very improper and objectionable manner, which not only displeased Hadrat Khalifatul Masih III , but the delegates also took an exception to it.Thereupon the delegate offered his apology to Majlis-e-Shura, which was accepted by Hudur.He said: “May God Almighty forgive you.Try to keep control over yourself.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1970, p.107] Likewise, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh once repri manded a representative on his unbecoming behaviour, and said: “I am telling you not to talk in this way and to sit down.If you do the same thing again and continue speaking when you have been asked to stop, your membership o f Shura shall be cancelled and you w ill not be given mem bership in future.This is not only against the spirit o f membership o f Shura, but it also amounts to rudeness, that you are repeatedly asked to stop but you go on speaking.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1984, p.126] 2 2 0

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the S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya I ssues R egarding A uxiliary O rganizationsnot to be R aised in S hura During an International Majlis-e-Shura, issues related to the observance o f purdah [hijab] were under discussion.In breach o f the traditions o f Shura, one lady delegate started speaking about how to improve cooperation be tween the Lajna and the Jama'at, the need for general Tarbiyyat, and improving the relationship between hus band and wife and their families.Hudur declared this to be against the etiquette o f Shura.He said: [English] “As far as the exception you have taken to the attitude towards Lajna, by; either the administration o f Canada or by men in general, is concerned, this is not the forum for this discussion, please.You met me in Canada.You explained some o f the problems to me.I thought I had answered them and satisfied you.If I failed to do so, you could have written to me again, through the Amir this time.Sister Mahmuda Mian: Hudur, you have explained very well.Hudur: This is not the forum for such discussions.So please confine yourself to the point under discussion alone.Sister Mahmuda Mian: Thank you, Hudur.” [Report International Majlis Shara 1989, p.120] Later during the same Majlis-e-Shura, Hudur further clarified this point and said that the rules o f Shura do not permit the representatives o f Lajna Imaillah, Khuddamul Ahmadiyya or Ansarullah to raise or discuss problems related to their organizations.Their representation to 2 2 1

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Majlis-e-Shura does not mean that they should bring up matters concerning their organizations and thus create polarization.In the broader interest, they should only discuss the point o f view of the Jama'at.Likewise, the delegates o f Shura, whether or not they are related to the subordinate organizations, will not take up any such is sue.Hudur said: [English] “Excuse me.This is what I was afraid may happen.Now let me clarify one point without any ambi guity.This Shura is not o f Lajna or Khuddamul Ahmadiyya or Ansarullah.No discussion as such should be held.That is why when Khuddamul Ahmadiyya is permitted to speak on this forum, they are not permitted to discuss Khuddamul Ahmadiyya itself.Nor, on the other hand, other members who do not belong to Khud damul Ahmadiyya, who have come just to represent some Jama'at in Shura, are permitted to discuss Khud damul Ahmadiyya as such, Ansarullah as such, and Lajna Imaillah as such.What Lajna did was, and why I accepted this proposal for discussion, was that they tried to push the m ischievous child from their lap to the lap o f men and to the lap o f Jama'at as such.I accepted it tem porarily.I mean to return it to their lap o f course later on, but the discussion here only should be from the Jama'at point o f view , from men’s point o f view , from women’s point o f view , from children’s point o f view , alright, but not from the Lajna point o f view and the Jama’at point o f view , not in this polarization please.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shura 1989, p.126] 2 2 2

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Chapter Y I T raditions of S hura Majlis-e-Mushawarat is an important consultative body of the Jama'at which functions directly under the supervi sion of Hadrat Khalifatul Masih.The Private Secretary to Khalifatul Masih acts as Secretary Majlis-e-Shura and manages administrative matters related to Majlis-e-Shura.Mushawarat is generally held for three days, once every year—usually in the last days of March or early April.If, for some reason, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih is unable to preside over it, he appoints some senior member of the Jama'at to officiate in his place, who conducts the meet ing in accordance with the same accepted traditions of the Majlis which are observed when Khalifatul Masih is pre siding.The Agenda o f Majlis-e-Shura comprises important issues relating to the Jama'at, which are sent in the form of proposals by the Central Departments and the outside Jama'ats.Representatives elected by the Jama'ats participate in Majlis-e-Shura.These representatives sit in front o f the stage, the representatives of Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya sit on the right, those of Tehrik Jadid sit on the left, and those o f W aqf Jadid sit behind the stage.The representatives of the auxiliary organizations sit with the Companions1 3 and other special guests.The representa tives of Lajna Imaillah sit separately behind a curtain.D uration of S hura In the beginning Mushawarat would be held for two days, but in 1927 it was felt that two days are not 223

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama 4 at - e ~ A hmadiyya enough.Since the issues to be decided were very impor tant, and the time allocated for the discussion was insufficient, Nazarat Ulya proposed that Mushawarat should be held twice a year, or for four days once a year.[Report Majlis-e-Shura 1927, p.9] The sub-committee recommended that Majlis-e-Shura may be extended to three days or more, as required.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra decided that Mushawarat would only be held once a year, and its duration could be extended.[Report Majlis-e-Shura 1927, pp.142-1431 Thereafter Majlis-e-Shura has been held for three days and this has become part o f the tradition of Shura, which, by the grace o f Allah, is being followed even to day.In 1958 and 1959, however, the work had to be completed in two days because o f Hadrat Musleh-e- M au‘ud’sT a illness.With this exception, Majlis-e-Shura has been held throughout for three days.A decision was once taken for Mushawarat to be held twice a year, i.e., during the Easter holidays, and then in June or July, so that the work that remained unfinished in the first Shura may be completed in the second.[Report Majlis-e-Shura 1944, p.146J At one time four days were allocated for Shura.In this connection, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “This year the Shura had been scheduled to last four days, but like last year the work was completed within three.I expect that as delegates gradually understand the 224

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THE SYSTEM OF MUSHAWARAT IN JAMA‘AT-E-AHMADIYYA importance o f the work, more and more delegates w ill be participating, and the work w ill not be completed in three days.Moreover, longer duration w ill make it easy for us to give more time to those who wish to speak at length.There is a proverb in Punjabi: ‘The fruit which takes longer to ripen is all the sweeter for it.’ If a mango is covered up with fifteen quilts to ripen it quickly, it shall only rot because o f excess heat, but if it is allowed to ripen in moderate heat, it w ill turn out very sweet.The progress o f the Jama'at has also been gradual.Take for instance the case o f the first Shura.Only about 150 dele gates participated in it, but later the number exceeded 500.True, the numbers did come down after the Parti tion, but they are beginning to increase once more.Whenever something new is started, only a few people at first take part in it.Very few people turned up for the.first Jalsa Salana in Rabwah, but now the number has gone up to forty, even fifty thousand, and in the coming years the figure shall, Inshaallah, rise to a hundred thou sand and more.This year the Agenda o f Shura was completed in three days, instead o f four, but when we get used to holding it for four days the delegates w ill be mentally prepared, and the number o f participants w ill also increase.” [Report Majlis-e-Shur§, 1956, pp.105-106] Thus a number o f suggestions were considered for the duration o f Shura, but in practice its duration remained three days.Except in case o f emergencies, the Shura has neither been held twice a year nor has it been extended to four days.22 5

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya D etermining the D ates for S hura Majlis-e-Shura is now usually held in the month of March, as decided by Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra.In 1958 Mushawarat was held on 25-26 April.On this oc casion, Hudur said: “This time Shura has been convened in an extremely hot month.Had it been held a month earlier, it would have done no harm, and the participants would not have to en dure such heat.Before the Partition, Shura was held in this season to coincide with the Easter holidays, so that the delegates would not have to obtain special leave from their jobs.But now the situation has changed.There are no longer any holidays for Easter, and the delegates have to get leave anyway.Therefore, it is no longer necessary to hold Shura during these days.It can now be held dur ing the month o f March, and the delegates w ill not have to endure such heat.” [Report Majlls-e-Shura 1959, p.2] T he O pening S ession When Hadrat Khallfatul Masih, or the Chair appointed by him, steps into the auditorium, all the delegates, who are already seated in their respective places, stand up in his honour.W hen Hudur occupies his chair they resume their seats.The session starts with recitation from the Holy Quran, which is followed by collective silent prayer.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra would sometimes say some prayers aloud in his own words before the silent prayer.For instance, on one occasion Hudur said: “In keeping with the traditions o f Shura, and as matter o f necessity, before we begin the Shura I would like friends 226

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya to join me in prayer that God may bless everything we do here, and our actions may produce good and fruitful re sults.May He bestow on us ample resources for accomplishing these tasks and then help us to benefit from them.May the results o f our efforts be beneficial not only for us, but for our future generations, and indeed for the whole o f mankind inhabiting the earth, and their future generations as w ell.Now I raise my hands in prayer, please join me.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1925, p.11 T he R eality of P rayer Another example o f the close relationship between Shura and prayer is seen in Mushawarat 1945.In the opening session, before the collective silent prayer, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra explained the philosophy of prayer:.‘T he proceedings o f Mushawarat are about to com m ence...I would like all delegates to join me in praying that God may enable us to tread the path that He ap proves of.May He nurture in us sincerity and breed in us love for Him.May He guide our thoughts and our ideas.May He expel from our minds all thought o f pride and arrogance, so that w e may become His instruments when working for the faith.May He remove from our hearts every trace o f arrogance and ostentation.The work which has been assigned to us is o f such importance and is so immense and difficult, that we do not have even a thou sandth part o f the power that is required to accomplish it.Only Allah can do it, and only with His help and succour can we accomplish it.So we should solicit Him for help so that the results o f our deliberations may fulfil the ob jectives which He wants us to achieve.His intention 227

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya should be our intention and His plans should be our plans, so that not the slightest part o f our accomplish ments is contrary to His desire.” Hudur then led the participants in a long silent prayer.[Report Majlis-e-Shura 1945, pp.1-2] P rayer —A n I mportant P art of S hura Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra declared the collective prayer to be an integral part o f Shura, and said: “We have come here today to discuss the budgets o f Te- hrik Jadid and Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, and also to discuss some other important issues related to the Jama'at.But before we start our regular work I shall, ac cording to the usual practice and tradition, begin with prayer and would like all o f you to join me.May God help us to seriously ponder over the issues and guide us to their correct solution.The work which awaits us is stupendous while the resources at our disposal are mea gre.Our responsibilities are great but we often tend to take things lightly.We fail to give due attention to what is important, because we lack the proper training.On the other hand, we sometimes give so much importance to trivial matters that a lot o f our precious time and energy is wasted.So we pray to Allah that He may enable us to realize what is truly important, and may give us the strength and wisdom to deal with the issues in an appro priate manner, and may He enable us to make the best use o f whatever little we have.May our plans and our sincere efforts result in replenishing our resources to meet the needs o f tomorrow, and may they increase even further in coming years, until we are able to effectively discharge the responsibilities that are upon us.May God 228

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya also help us so that we may not remain entangled in mere talk, and our efforts may lead us to concrete results.May our thoughts take such a practical shape that no power may be able to stop us.Our meetings always begin with prayer.For the future I prescribe that the work on all the three days o f Shura should start with prayer, and should also be a prayer at the end o f the concluding session.Thus we shall pray four times during the Shura: on the beginning o f the first and second day, and then at the beginning and end o f the third day.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1952, pp.1-2] H olding S hura U nder the C anopy of P rayer In the opening address on the occasion o f Mushawarat 1967, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IIIrh said:.“You have not come here for any personal gain.You have all come so that you may forget your personal inter ests, disregard your own biases and dispositions, and advise the Khalifa regarding the proposals that are put before you in the form o f the Agenda, while praying to God and partaking o f His help.I pray that Allah’s angels may guide you.Let them point out the path and may you be able to follow it, and may you be able to offer the right suggestions.The right suggestions are not necessar ily those that are accepted at the end o f the day, but every suggestion (whether it is accepted or not) which you of fer with sincerity and purity o f intention is the right suggestion.And I have come here so that when I have listened to your view s I should reach a decision and make a resolve, putting full faith in the living powers o f my Lord and trusting Him to bless everything that I do or get 229

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya done.As I make a resolve, I pray that may Allah guide us in our righteous acts, for just as we stand in need o f His guidance in our deliberations, so do we require His suc cour in their implementation.May Allah bless our meagre efforts and produce from them momentous results that are momentous in His eyes also.We neither care for the world, nor do we look to it All our expectations are with our Lord, and our heads are prostrate before Him.We seek His help and support and we are sure that when we have wholly become subservient to Him in His eyes, He w ill bless us with a new life and a new spirit, and w ill cause armies o f angels to descend for our assistance.And He w ill enable us to accomplish that for which He sent the Promised Messiah3 5 in this age.Islam shall become victorious over all false religions, Satan shall suffer the fi nal defeat, and the truth shall triumph.Let us therefore begin our Majlis-e-Shura with the prayer that may Allah, by His grace, accept from us even that which has not come to our minds and which has not been uttered by our tongues.He is the Knower o f the unseen, while our knowledge is imperfect and so are our actions.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1967, pp.5-6] O pening A ddress As already mentioned, the regular proceedings o f Shura begin with recitation from the Holy Quran and collective silent prayer.Then Hadrat Khalifatul Masih delivers the opening address, in which he usually mentions the objectives o f Shura, and gives instructions as to how the Shura is to be conducted and how the delegates should express their views.This address can be brief or lengthy depending on the circumstances.2 3 0

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the S ystem of M ushawarat d m J ama 4 at - e -A hmadiyya rh On one occasion Hadrat Khallfatul Masih III chose not to follow this tradition and appointed the sub committees straightaway without delivering the opening address.But he did make a speech at the end in which he spoke about three kinds o f consultations.He said: “I did not deliver the opening address because I have a feeling that it has become a tradition which is not really necessary.Hence I chose not to follow this procedure.When the delegates bring forward their suggestions, I may have something to say about them.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1973> p.14] PUNCTUALITY Mushawarat is conducted according to a previously drawn out programme in which the time o f each session is indicated.The delegates are expected to be present in the Shura hall before the scheduled time.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra was very particular about this.On one occasion he remarked: “It is as a result o f long years o f servitude and the bad habits o f our country, that the Shura is about to begin but the chairs o f many Nazirs are empty, and so are those o f a number o f delegates.Hard-working nations, whose objective is to dominate the world, behave very differently from other nations.They understand their responsibilities and value their time.But we seem to think that the time that has been fixed does not need to be adhered to....It has become our second nature to be late, that is why we assume that we do not necessarily have to be present 231

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T he S ystem of M ush A wajrat in J ama * at - e - ahmadiyya at the appointed time.But I believe that if we have to be successful, w e must learn to be punctual.Unpunctuality signifies lethargy and those who strive for progress can not afford such slackness.I hope that friends w ill bear this in mind and act accordingly.” [Report Majli 5 ~e-Shiir§ 1925, pp.10-11] A ppointment of S ub -C ommittees After Hadrat Khalifatul M aslh’s opening address, sub committees are appointed as required by the Agenda.The first sub-committee is set up to deliberate on pro posals related to the budget o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya.The Second sub-committee is appointed to consider proposals regarding the budgets o f Tehrik Jadid and W aqf Jadid.If there are proposals related to the teaching and training o f the members o f the Jama'at, committees may be set up to deliberate upon them under Nazarat Islah-o-Irshad or Nazarat TaTIm.If there are matters o f general nature or issues related to social wel fare, another committee may be set up under Nazarat Umur ‘Amma.And if any technical or special issue is to be taken up by Mushawarat, a committee comprising experts and technocrats may be appointed.At times committees have also been formed to revise or interpret the rules o f Wasiyyat.Before coming to the Shura, the representatives should consult their Jama'ats about nominating certain mem bers for certain sub-committees.This information is passed on to the Secretary Mushawarat before the Shura 232

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T he S ystem of M ushawajrat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya ' begins so that the nominations can be taken into consideration when the sub-committees are being formed.But this does not imply that all nominations are accepted.During the inaugural session some more members can also be added to these committees in consultation with the delegates.To assist him in nominating members for the sub committees, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih appoints someone from among the participants, who is fully conversant with the procedure o f Mushawarat.He sits on the right hand o f Hadrat Khalifatul Masih and prepares lists of members o f all the sub-committees.These lists, which contain the names o f the members and the Jama'ats they come from, are read out, so that any confusion can be clarified.The names o f the Chairman and Secretary of each sub-committee are also announced after they have been approved by Hadrat Khalifatul Masih.At the end o f the opening session, the Chairmen or Secretaries of the sub-committees announce the time and place for the meeting o f their respective sub-committees.The names o f the members are again read out and the meeting is ad journed, to be continued the following day.O ther S essions of S hura On the second day the first session starts as usual with recitation from the Holy Quran and collective silent prayer.This session goes on until 1:00 p.m.and is fol lowed by an interval for lunch and Zuhr and ‘Asr prayers.This is followed by the third session which also 233

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya begins with collective prayer.The fourth and final ses sion begins on the morning o f the third day with recitation from the Holy Quran and collective prayer.This session ends with a concluding address and silent prayer led by Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh.The second session of Mushawarat begins with a presen tation of annual reports regarding the working o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya and Tehrik Jadld.Thereafter, the Nazirs and Wakils o f various Departments o f Sadr An juman Ahmadiyya and Tehrik Jadid present reports regarding the implementation of the decisions that had been taken by Shura in the previous year.Sometimes the order is reversed, and the reports about the implementa tion o f the decisions come before the reports about the working of Sadr Anjuman and Tehrik Jadid.This is fol lowed by requests for increase in budgetary allocations for the three Anjumans, and then Secretary Shura reads out proposals received from various Jama'ats which have not been included in the Agenda, and the reasons why they have been left out.T he T ask of the C hair ’ s A ssistant After these preliminary steps, the real work o f Shura be gins, and the reports o f the sub-committees are analyzed.These reports are presented by the chairmen o f the vari ous sub-committees.They are then taken up and discussed clause by clause.At this stage, for the second time, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih appoints some delegate to assist him.2 3 4

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e ~A hmadiyya In the beginning, anybody who wanted to ^express his views about a proposal would stand up and would be al lowed to speak.But Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra did not approve of this practice.He decided that a list should first be prepared o f all those who wish to speak on the pro posal, and then the Assistant to the Chair will call them to speak in turn.Anyone who stands up during the discus sion and wants to speak will not be allowed to do so.[Report Majlis-e-Shnra 1927, p.140] A very interesting point was raised during the same Shura.One o f the delegates suggested that the gentleman assisting the Chair should not sit on the right hand o f Hudur.At this Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra remarked: “As already explained, the previous procedure that any one who wished to speak could stand up and do so, has been changed.The new procedure is that after a proposal has been read out, the names o f those who wish to speak upon it w ill be written down by Chaudhry Zafrullah Khan Sahib, who w ill then call each o f them to speak in turn.Since Chaudhry Sahib does not know the names o f everyone, therefore, those who stand up w ill first call out their names.The delegates should also note that if they have to say anything they must give their names immedi ately after a proposal has been read out.Those who stand up later w ill not be permitted to speak.One gentleman has suggested that Chaudhry Sahib should not sit on my right.I do not understand what he means, but I know the saying o f the Holy Prophet5 1 1 , that when only two people are praying together the second person should stand on the right side o f the Imam.So, 23 5

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in jama ' at - e -A hmadiyya regardless o f what the world says, the Shariah tells us that when somebody is working with the Khalifa, he should sit on his right.” [Report Majlis-e-Shiira 1927, pp.140-141] O ffering N ames for P articipation in the D iscussion The usual practice o f Shura is that the names o f those who desire to participate in the discussion are written down, and each of them is then called to speak in turn.But if during the discussion some points need to be elaborated, the Assistant to the Chair can permit some other delegates to speak on the issue as well.In this con nection, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “When a proposal has been read out, it shall be the duty o f Dr.Sahib (Hadrat Dr.Mir Muhammad Isma‘il Sahib) to ask who would like to speak on the proposal, and to note down their names.He w ill then call one by one the delegates whom he considers appropriate.It has been no ticed that some o f the delegates initially have no intention o f speaking but as the discussion goes on they start expressing their desire to speak.Within certain lim its, such conduct would certainly be more useful than harmful, because someone can suddenly come up with an idea that he did not have previously.But as it is, people get so carried away that everyone wants to speak while they have nothing new to say, and they keep repeating what has already been said.So the appropriate procedure is to enlist the names o f those who would like to speak, immediately after a proposal has been presented, and then they should be given the opportunity to speak.If af ter that I feel that more view s are needed, more people desirous o f speaking on the subject can be invited.Or if 2 3 6

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya the delegates feel that further discussion is required, and the majority o f them are o f this view , more delegates may be permitted to speak.One problem which might be faced by the gentleman who has been appointed to prepare a list o f the speakers is that he may not know the names o f all those who wish to speak.I know the names o f the members o f the Jama'at more than anyone else, and I am familiar with their faces as w ell, but even I forget the names o f some o f them in large gatherings.So when the delegates stand up and offer to speak, they should first tell their names.Some stand up and merely say, 'I want to speak,' but the gentleman recording their names does not know who T is.So when you stand up, call out your names and this w ill facilitate the work.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1931, pp.26-27] Advising the delegates who wish to speak, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “The sub-committee pertaining to Nazarat U lya should now present its report.After this the delegates w ill be permitted to speak on each proposal.According to the tradition, I w ill now appoint a delegate to invite friends to speak one by one.Chaudhry Zafrullah Khan Sahib, please come forward.Delegates should keep in mind that no one knows the names o f everybody.I know the names o f most people, but even I do not know all o f them, and I believe Chaudhry Sahib knows far fewer.So the proce dure shall be that those who want to speak should first speak out their names.In Punjab people feel shy in tell ing their names, but without this it w ill not be possible to know who is standing and is desirous o f speaking on the 237

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya proposal.So those who intend to speak should stand up and speak out their names.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1933, pp.20-21] On another occasion, Hudurra said: “Those who want to speak on this subject may do so.I want to add to the previous instructions that sometimes an important point comes up during the discussion.If Chaudhry Zafrullah Khan Sahib thinks that more dis cussion is required on the issue, he may permit even those delegates to speak whose names had not been listed before.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1934, p.27] C larification about the C hair ’ s A ssistant Although it is a great honour to work as Assistant to Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh, it at times causes some misunderstandings.In this context, Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh mr h said: “A gentleman is usually called to assist the Chair.For this purpose I shall be inviting different individuals in every session.But since this could give rise to some mis understanding, let me make it clear that when I call a different person to assist me, it should not be inferred that this change was made because the performance o f the first one was unsatisfactory.This clarification was needed to remove any possible misunderstanding.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1966, p.22] E ntering the S hura H all Entry into the hall where Shura is being held is by an entry pass.Secretary Mushawarat issues different passes 238

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e ~A hmadiyya to delegates and Z a’irin (visitors).Hadrat Musleh-e- M au‘udra had his eye on every detail.On the matter of the checking o f the Shura passes, he said: “Passes should be checked at two places.The checkers who are posted at the entrance to the hall get so overbur dened that they can only see a piece o f paper in the hands o f those entering, but they cannot read what is written on it.So there should be another check, five to seven yards before these checkers, from where the entrants should proceed one by one so that the next checkers can check their passes thoroughly.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1935, p.28] Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra also stressed that the rule re garding the passes should be strictly observed and no one should be exempted.He said: • “Now there is something to which I want to draw the at tention o f the organizers.As I came in, I saw a son o f mine at the entry door.The checker at first stopped him, but when he saw me he allowed him to come in.This was not correct.The correct thing would be to issue passes to my sons just like other people, so that they should realize that they too are bound by the rules, and are not eligible to enter without a pass merely because their father is presiding over the meeting.Letting them come in like that is a disfavour to them and not a favour, for it is likely to adversely affect their morals and charac ter, and could develop in them the habit o f breaking the law, rather than making them realize that they too have to abide by the law and cannot be allowed to break it.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1941, p.12] 239

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THE S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya A ttendance of Z a ’ hun in S hura Many members from the outside Jama'ats who come to benefit from the Shura as visitors are given separate passes as Z a’irin, upon recommendation of their District Amir, local President, or a Central Department.In the Shura hall these Z a’irin are seated behind the delegates.They listen to the proceedings o f the Shura silently and attentively.They are never allowed to speak during the Shura proceedings.On some occasions Za’irin are not allowed into the Shura.For instance Z a’irin were not given passes in the extraordinary Majlis-e-Shura held on 27th May, 1973.[Report Extraordinary Majlis-e-Shura 1973] Similarly, Z a’irin were not allowed to attend the con cluding session o f Majlis-e-Shura 1984.[Report Majlis-e~Shura 19S4, p.190] T hose on D uty M ust W ear B adges Many people are posted within the Shura hall to attend to miscellaneous duties.But it sometimes becomes diffi cult to distinguish between them and the delegates.To remove any such misunderstanding, Hadrat Musleh-e- M au‘udra gave the following instructions: “The second point which I want to make is that, though our Shura has continued to be held since 1922, the organ izers have not benefited from their long experience.Here in this hall delegates and workers are sitting together, but it is difficult to distinguish between them.If we had tried to solve such problems as and when they occurred, we 2 4 0

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T he S ystem of mushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya could have found a solution for them long ago.I do not think it would be proper to ask the delegates to wear badges, but it would be better to prescribe some sort o f badges for the workers, which they could wear during the session.A worker wearing the badge w ill be distinguish able from a delegate, and there w ill be no confusion.The workers o f Shura, which is the most important branch o f the Jama'at, should wear badges just like the members o f Khuddamul Ahmadiyya.They w ill thus be easily distin guishable and w ill not be taken for delegates.It w ill also make it clear to everyone that those wearing badges are workers and do not have the right to vote.By the grace o f God, this is not the time when somebody w ill want to cheat and stand up to vote, but the possibility o f some weak person doing so cannot be ruled out.So it is essential for the workers to have a distinguishing mark in the form o f a badge, which they should put on during Mushawarat.Thus there w ill be no confusion: they w ill not be taken for the delegates and w ill not be allowed to vote.” (Report MajJis-e-Shura 1950, p.7] P hotography N ot A llowed During Majlis-e-Mushawarat 1983, someone started taking photographs, upon which Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh said: “I have not given this permission to anyone.As far as I am concerned, you were only permitted to attend as a Za’ir (visitor).I did not permit you to take photographs.It is not in my knowledge that photographs have ever been taken in Shura.It causes disturbance anyway.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1983, p.118] 241

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THE S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya S eating A rrangements for D elegates With regard to the seating arrangements, Hadrat Musleh- e-Mau‘udra said that representatives from each district should sit together, so that they may consult one another when giving their opinion.[Report Majlis-e-Shiira 1950, p.45] In accordance with these instructions, it has become a tradition o f Shura that the chairs o f representatives are organized district-wise.The arrangements are altered every year so that representatives o f every district get a chance to sit in front o f the stage in rotation.F ollow G ood T raditions The great traditions established by Hadrat Musleh-e- M au‘udra were carried forward by the Khulafa who suc ceeded him.During the first Majlis-e-Shura o f his era, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IIIrh explained the philosophy behind these traditions: “It is the sign o f progressive nations that the lessons they learn during their lives are moulded into traditions.They stick to the good traditions and forge ahead embracing these assets o f the past.Every day o f their life brings a fresh lesson, and if it is a positive and enduring lesson, they mould it into a new tradition and thus the traditions keep growing.They keep marching towards the future, making conscious use o f the past and preserving their present experiences.The Za’irin sitting in the rear should remain silent.I want to tell those o f you who have come here for the first time about the etiquette o f this Majlis.242

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya One o f the traditions o f our Shura is that we do not sit here with our heads uncovered.The second tradition is that we do not talk to one another.The third tradition is that when a subject is under discussion and a good sug gestion comes into one’s mind, he expresses it gently and rationally and as briefly as possible.We have very few days and, by the grace o f God, a great many brains have gathered here.Thus, while there is no need to remain si lent due to shyness, there is also no need to speak without any reason.And when someone has said some thing and we have all heard it, there is no need for anyone to repeat it.But if you have a new point, you must express it, so that in the limited time we have, we are able to listen to all the opinions highlighting different aspects o f the subject.Another o f our traditions, which needs to be explained in detail, is that we should have a positive approach, i.e., whatever we say or whatever w e do should be beneficial for us, for our own people, for the whole o f mankind, and for future generations.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1966, pp.3-5] S ome I mportant T raditions of S h C jra Regarding the traditions of Shura, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IIIrh said: “It is our tradition that we do not talk to one another dur ing our Mushawarat.Nowhere in the world w ill you find consultations being held in such a tranquil atmosphere.Some noise can be heard from people standing in the rear, who have probably come here for the first time.Our own training was such that while I was very young and was memorizing the Holy Quran in class 1 o f Madrasa 243

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat m J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Ahmadiyya, we would be encouraged to attend Musha warat, even though a child o f that age could not understand what was going on.There would also be other children o f my age with me, but no one would make any noise.It is wrong to hinder other people from the fulfilment o f their duties.If the Za’irin sitting on the back start making noise, the delegates w ill not be able to hear us, they w ill, therefore, become irritated and loose their attention...It is important to keep the new-comers abreast o f our tra ditions, and also to remind the older people who may forget.As I have said, what is right must be said without hesitation, but one must also refrain from talking unnec essarily.Do not address one another or talk to one another.It is I who have invited you for consultations, and it is to me you should offer your view s.Do not criti cize what someone else has said, offer your own point o f view and we w ill know that you hold a different view.Do not make noise and listen attentively.Do not speak out o f context and do not waste time.Keep praying as you listen.There are many things which cannot be done simultaneously, but what I am telling you can be done at one and the same time: your ears should be listening but in your heart you should be busy praying.These two things can be done simultaneously.Thus you should take part in the proceedings o f Musha warat praying to God for His favours, His blessings, and His mercy.May God accept our prayers.May all o f you go back to your homes fulfilled, both individually and as a Jama'at, and may you not return empty handed.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1982, pp.13-15] 244

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya N e e d f o r R e i t e r a t i n g t h e T r a d i t i o n s o f S h u r a Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh also kept reminding the new-comers about the traditions o f Shura, so that the purpose o f Majlis-e-Shura and the procedure o f forward ing opinions in Majlis-e-Shura may become firmly established in their minds.Hudur* once said: “This objection should not arise in the minds o f those who are conversant with the traditions o f Majlis-e-Shura.Since young people keep coming to the Shura, it is nec essary to keep reminding them that the purpose o f presenting certain proposals in the Majlis-e-Shura is to draw the attention o f the Jama'at to issues which have become crucial due to lack o f attention; and though the Jama'at did employ certain means to solve these issues in the past, they have become dormant.When it becomes necessary to bring these issues to the front and to draw the attention o f the Jama'at towards them, they are al lowed to be presented in Majlis-e-Shura.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1983, p.70] E s t a b l i s h m e n t o f a N e w N A r a r a t o r A p p o i n t m e n t o f a N e w N a z i r The point was once raised in the Shura that there should be a separate Nazarat for Rishta Nata [affairs relating to match-making and matrimony].In response to this, Mirza ‘Abdul Haq Sahib said that it was not in the pur view o f Shura to offer proposals regarding Nazarats.All matters relating to Nazarats and Nazirs are considered solely by Hadrat Khalifatul Masih, and he alone decides on these matters.We do not have the right to render rec ommendations and proposals in this regard.At this, 24 5

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh said: “What Mirza ‘Abdul Haq Sahib meant was that there are certain on-going traditions o f our Jama'at, and one o f them, which has not been broken up to this day, nor should it ever be broken, is that decisions regarding the establishment o f a new Nazarat or appointment o f a Na zir are taken by the Khalifa him self.Members do not offer proposals in this connection, but if the Khalifa him self feels the necessity, he can seek advice from anyone, and only then should they offer their advice.No one of fers such an advice on his own.This tradition, too, should be upheld in Majlis-e-Shura.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1983, pp.106-107] T r a d i t i o n a l S h u r a D i n n e r One of the traditions o f Majlis-e-Mushawarat is that a dinner is held in honour o f the delegates on the evening o f the second day o f Mushawarat.Hadrat Khalifatul Masih graces the occasion with his presence and the representatives feel privileged to have dinner in the company o f their beloved Imam.Referring to this dinner on the occasion o f Majlis-e-Shura 1988, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh said: [English] “At 10 p.m.there w ill be a dinner.The same function which was held during lunch-time last year has now been brought earlier and has been turned into a din ner (for the delegates).You remember that we were offered a special feast...and got together last year by way o f a lunch at 10 p.m.We w ill be served dinner in the same dinner marquee.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shura 1988, p.123] 24 6

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya V a l u a b l e T r a d i t i o n s o f t h e J a m a ‘ a t ' Ahmadiyya Jama'at is a worldwide community.The character o f Ahmadls all over the world is derived from excellent traditions which have developed with time, and many o f which have taken the form o f rules and regula tion and have become part o f the system o f the Jama'at.Elaborating upon this point during Majlis-e-Shura 1989, Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IVrh said that preserving the rules and regulations in book form is not the real pur pose, the real aim is to preserve the valuable assets of the Jama'at which we possess in the form o f traditions.Hudursaid: [English] “Another thing I must explain to you is the fact that the Jama'at has grown traditionally.The purpose o f this booklet is not to create new rules and regulations.The purpose is to capture the wonderful, beautiful tradi tions which have evolved, into print, and to try to present to the people, who are newcomers or who are untrained, that these are the noble traditions o f the Jamafat.As such the important thing is to stick to the spirit o f traditions, otherwise these rules and regulation can lead people astray and change the spirit and the attitude o f the Jama'at members to the organization.They may become over technical, they may become legalistic, while it is against the tradition o f the Jama'at to indulge in such formalities.We always try to create and maintain the very best atmosphere o f cooperation and to run the or ganization with the minimum friction possible.So when these rules are published, they sometimes create friction because some legalistic minds try to read things in them which were not intended, and not being w ell versed with 24 7

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e - ahmadiyya the traditions o f the Jama'at, they sometimes try to create problems.Now , as far as I remember, I had spoken on all these things which you have raised during my visit to Kenya in the National Executive meeting.We had a very lengthy session together.A lso, wherever I visit these questions are raised and I try to educate the executive members and other Jama'at members on these issues.So I thought I had done enough work to resolve all the am biguities.But it is a human process.Ambiguities w ill be bom again and again and w e w ill have to remove them.It took so long because o f all that you have suggested.It is a critical thing.It is a very sensitive area and I wanted the traditions to be captured in the best o f spirits and every thing to be explained.So w e hope that this has been realized.If there are problems, if there are further amend ments and queries which come our way after the publication, then, o f course, Inshaallah, from time to time we w ill take these things up in our hands and try to explain away the ambiguities, and so on and so forth, if any...The purpose was exactly to provide the countries with a document which would work as a source o f light for them for various issues which may be raised from time to time pertaining to the administrative setup in their coun tries.It is not for public distribution as you have w ell understood.But the advisability o f publishing smaller booklets like you do in your ships, etc., is questionable here.In this case I feel— and this has been the effort throughout—to introduce the traditions without making people’s minds turn to the finer law points and things.Once it begins to happen, then the whole administration w ill become just form without substance.That is the fear which I have entertained generally and 24 8

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat tn J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya this is why I am always hesitant to issue more rules and more laws and things.This is a natural tendency in the world, that once you begin to create rules, laws and things, then the spirit is sometimes relegated to the back ground and a very formal, dry structure is created.As far as I have learnt from nature and God’s creation, it should be the other way around.In the process o f life, the dead things are pushed out and the live phenomenon begins from within outwards.Now, in the modem tendencies, the fact is that when you make new rules, laws and regu lations, somebody misinterprets it, sometimes somebody goes beyond his jurisdiction to take certain actions.In stead o f attending to the problem o f a wrong person and correcting him, they go for making new rales, and that creates deadwood in the centre, which is very detrimental for the day to day running o f the administration.That is why, I instructed the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya to revise the rales o f W asiyyat, etc., and to minimize the rales as far as possible.I think let’s first experiment with this book.Let the Jama'at show their response and try to leam the Ahmadiyya traditions from these books, and when in doubt they should always refer to me about the ambiguities which they consider are left in certain word ing, etc., and then, I think, from day to day I w ill be able to explain to them what really is meant, or I may reach the conclusion that the wording is not correct and we w ill change it to a better wording.For the time being, I think that should suffice.Other things were raised here by Mr.Gakuria.They indicated the mishandling o f affairs by certain Amirs.That is a completely different problem.However big a book may be o f law and regulations, etc., if the authorities are twisted slightly, or even in their in nocence, they are not experienced, they can always make 249

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya mistakes in the implementation o f these laws, and rules, etc.If these things happen, they should be treated on that level, not on the level o f rules and regulations to bind them more and more.Then the problem w ill be that you w ill bind the hands o f some Amirs, and rightly perhaps, but then you w ill be binding the hands o f many other Amirs unnecessarily, leaving very little room for them to perform their day to day duties.So what has been done, let’s consider it sufficient for the time being and during the next two or three years we w ill be able to revise this issue again.I w ill tell you in essence what it is.As I have tried al ready, we have tried to capture the best o f the traditions o f Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya into print, and these traditions have already been, in many cases, converted into rules and regulations, and in some other cases, they have not been converted into rules and regulations.So also we have tried to explain the philosophy o f the running o f the organization, day to day responsibilities and prerogatives o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, W aqf Jadid, Tehrik Jadid, Khuddamul Ahmadiyya.Everything has been introduced here to make the Ahmadi members fully understand how the system runs under the Caliphate.” [Report International Majlis Shura 1989, pp.59-67] A r r a n g e m e n t s f o r M a j l i s - e - M u s h a w a r a t In view o f the increasing importance and growing needs of Majlis-e-Mushawarat, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra is sued some comprehensive guidelines.Fresh arrangements were required for Shura every year, and necessary items had to be acquired on rent, which were not only costly but were also difficult to g et Hudur, therefore, instructed the 25 0

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya management as follows: “I want to direct the workers that, in view o f the impor tance o f Majlis-e-Shura, they should keep all the necessary items in stock.Our Jama'at w ill, by the grace o f God, last forever and Majlis-e-Shura shall remain its permanent feature and shall get even more organized with the passage o f time.It is, therefore, necessary to have seating arrangements for the delegates and Za’iiin.There is no doubt that in the past people were used to sit ting on the ground, but it is very difficult to get up from the floor and speak.The person speaking from the stage also feels that he is not reaching out to the audience.Therefore, in order for the speaker to speak confidently he should be in a position to look directly at the audi ence, and they too should clearly see him.This can be done effectively when people are seated on chairs.It is - difficult for someone sitting on the floor to get up and speak time and again.This point should henceforth be borne in mind, and some inexpensive chairs should be purchased for the purpose o f Majlis-e-Shura.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1950, pp.6-7] P r e p a r i n g a n d P r i n t i n g o f t h e S h u r a R e p o r t s The arrangements of Shura include the preparation and printing o f detailed reports about Majlis-e-Mushawarat, which serve not only as a source o f information and guidance for the delegates, but also form a record o f the consultations and important decisions taken at the Shura.In view o f this and other advantages, Hadrat Musleh-e- M au‘udra gave instructions for the immediate compila tion and printing o f these reports and dispatching them 251

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in jama ' at - e -A hmadiyya to the Jama'ats.Once he even expressed displeasure be cause representatives forget the decisions taken at the Majlis-e-Shura as soon as they go back, and do not try to implement them in their Jama'ats.He said that it was also the fault o f the organizers, for they do not get the reports o f Majlis-e-Mushawarat printed and sent to the Jama'ats in time.If the complete reports are delivered to the representatives within a month, they are able to re member the promises they made during Majlis-e-Shura.Hudur also said that the representatives should not need to be reminded, and he directed the organizers to fulfil their responsibility and have the reports printed as soon as possible.[Report Majlis-e-Shura 1928, pp.10-11] Thereafter Hudur accepted a request from the Secretary Majlis-e-Mushawarat which included an assurance that the reports would be published within four months after Mushawarat.[Report Majlis-e-Shura 1930, p.54] Hudur also directed that a number o f people should be deputed to write down the proceedings o f Mushawarat, so that the report can be quickly compiled for implemen tation.In compliance with Hudur’s instruction, six people were deputed to prepare the reports.[Report Majlis-e-Shura 1937, pp.28-29] The following request by Secretary Majlis-e-Mushawarat and the answer given by Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra sheds light on the problems faced by Secretary Majlis-e- 252

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama 4 at - e -A hmadiyya Mushawarat with regard to the preparation o f these re ports, and also highlights Hudur’s desire in this regard: Sayyedi—may.God be your Help tilfjtj M il jjAZ- ^Lsi During Mushawarat 1928, Hudur mentioned in his speech that it was only due to the slackness o f the organizers that the previous year’s report had only now been published, whereas it should have been published within one month after Mushawarat and should have been sent to the repre sentatives so that they would be reminded o f the promises which they made in the Majlis.Hence the report should be published within a month after Mushawarat.I humbly solicit Hudur to kindly reconsider this decision..The report o f Mushawarat is about 244 pages long.The publication o f such a voluminous document requires much more time.First o f all, Munshx Ghulam Nabi, the Editor o f Al-Fadl, takes a long time in producing a neat copy o f the report which he records during M ajlis-e- Shura.For this he requires from 4 to 6 months.Further more, even if the scribe writes four pages per day, it w ill take about three months for a book o f this volume.Then I have to go through the proofs all by m yself when I find time from my official duties.Therefore, I humbly solicit Hudur’s permission that the report may be published within eight months after Mushawarat.Your humble servant Y u su f‘All, Secretary Majlis-e-Mushawarat 08-04-1930 25 3

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Hudur replied: In this situation, I feel that a period o f four months should suffice.Efforts should be made to publish the re port within four months o f Mushawarat.But my decisions must be published within one month.Your re quest and my instructions should be read out on the occasion o f Shura.(Signed) Mirza Mahmud Ahmad Khallfatul Maslh II 08-04-1930 [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1930, p.54] S i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e S h u r a R e p o r t s Proposals continued to be presented in Shura regarding the publication of detailed Shura reports during the time o f Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IIIrh.In Mushawarat 1976, for instance, a representative said that since the proposals presented in the previous years are quite elaborate and contain some matters relating to legislation, therefore, if the report is prepared and sent out to the members who are coming for Mushawarat, they can go through it before they come here and can offer better advice.Such suggestions continued to be presented even during International Majlis-e-Shura.On one such occasion, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh said: [English] “But if you go back to some preceding years, you would notice that this practice was omitted during the Majlis-e-Shura held in the Headquarters as w ell as some preceding years.So it is not an issue which only applies to this International Majlis-e-Shura.The decision 2 5 4

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya was taken regarding the Shura in Pakistan, which, at that time, was the only representative Shura for the whole world.So, there are some reasons, o f course.But, as far as proceedings are concerned, they are recorded com pletely, without any om ission, with all the opinions expressed, and they are w ell recorded.So, as far as the record goes, that practice would continue to be so, but as far as the publication o f the full report and distribution to all the Jama'ats is concerned, I do not want to elaborate on this point.But due to some exigencies, it was decided that a limited circulation should be made only to the Jama'ats which are concerned.And with the time, o f course, in mind, we could circulate a limited amount o f reports, not perhaps elaborately, but regarding...the pro posals and the final decisions to all the Jama'ats, for their consumption at Majlis ‘Amila level and the level o f Mu- rabbi, etc., but not for public consumption.Mr.Maudud Ahmad: Hudur I was just wondering that, if it would be possible, that since the Shura is dealing with current affairs and if we can agree on one thing that let us say after every ten years the reports are then put in the li brary, in a central library, so that future generations w ill have access to that.Hudur: Yes, this is a good suggestion, but it is not di rectly related to this proposal, I think.We w ill take note o f this.You know, we send the entire records o f this M ajlis-e- Shura to be preserved in Pakistan and sometimes to In dia, etc.And we preserve the record here as w ell.So, maybe after a while when the situation eases, we w ill publish them all together in one big volume, or small volumes as w ell.Previous reports were published, o f 255

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya course.When I started writing the biography o f Hadrat Musleh-e-M au‘udra, I immensely benefited from the study o f these earlier reports.They make very interesting reading and enlighten you so much on various aspects o f the development o f Ahmadiyya thought within the juris diction o f the H oly Quran and the Traditions and the writings o f Hadrat MasIh-e-Mau‘udas.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shora 1994, pp.46-47]

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Chapter V II T he A genda P r e p a r a t i o n o f t h e A g e n d a Preparations for Shura begin from December to Febru ary when the Private Secretary, at the behest o f Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh, consults Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, Tehrik Jadid and W aqf Jadld as to the dates that will be most suitable for Majlis-e-Mushawarat.Reports from the three organizations are then submitted to Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh.Following Hudur’s approval, a notice is published in newspapers announcing that such and such dates have been fixed for the Shura and that out side Jama'ats and Central and Auxiliary organizations are invited to send in their proposals by a certain date.It is an established rule that the proposals should first be discussed in a general body meeting o f the local Jama'at from where they originate.The approval of Majlis ‘Amila o f the local Jama'at alone is not enough.In this context, Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IIIrh remarked: “Representatives o f Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya normally gather for deliberations at the Shura once every year.The Agenda o f the Shura includes the approval o f budgets for Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, Tehrfk Jadld and W aqf Jadid, and other proposals related to finance.M iscellaneous proposals which are sent by the Jama'ats are also delib erated upon in the Shura.Some o f these proposals conform to the rules o f Shura while others do not.With regard to the latter, it is the duty o f the local Jama'ats to 257

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadeyya inform their members about the rules under which pro posals are sent to the Shura.Proposals which do not conform to the rules have to be discarded right away and are not to be tabled before the Shura.Some o f the pro posals that are sent in accordance with the rules do not relate to the Majlis-e-Shura at all, and are in fact related to administrative matters.Then there are proposals which concern only the local Jama'ats.But w e keep receiving such proposals, for people are not adequately informed about the rules and guidelines for sending proposals to the Shura.I sometimes place in the Shura Agenda proposals which Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya has rejected (and has recom mended not to be tabled before the Shura).This is because I wish to speak about these issues.In this way I am able to provide necessary guidance to those who have sent the proposal and the Jama'at at large.Such proposals do not per se relate to Majlis-e-Shura, but it is important to place them before the Jama'at so that they may under stand the issues that need to be understood.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1977, pp.4-5] rH In this context, Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IV has said: 1.Proposals should only be sent to Markaz after they have been properly deliberated upon in the local Jama'at.2.When Khallfatul Masih allows a proposal to be tabled before the Shura, it does not necessarily mean that he agrees with the proposal.3.Approval o f a proposal by a Majlis ‘Amila is no reason for it to be approved by the Shura.[Address to Majlis-e-Shura Brussels, 9 September 1992, pp, 15-17] 258

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya G u i d e l i n e s r e g a r d i n g t h e F r a m i n g o f t h e A g e n d a a n d R e j e c t e d P r o p o s a l s With regard to the framing of the Agenda and the propos als that do not meet the Shura’s criteria, Hadrat Sahibzada Mirza Tahir Ahmad Sahib (Khallfatul Masih IVrh) has said the following on pages 197-198 of Sirat Fadl-e- ‘Umar, vol.1: Hadrat Musleh-c-Mau'udra has devised the following procedure for preparing the Agenda that is presented be fore the Shura: Various Jama'ats and individuals send their considered proposals to the office o f the Private Secretary according to the established guidelines.The Private Secretary then sends these proposals to Sadr An- juman Ahmadiyya, which, after considering them carefully, presents them before Hadrat Khalifatul Masih with their recommendation as to which o f them are wor- ' thy o f being tabled before the Shura that year, and which o f them should be rejected.The rejected proposals are read out before the Shura, so that delegates may know the kind o f proposals that were sent by the Jama'ats, and which o f them Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya did not consider eligible for the Shura.With regard to this procedure, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIra gave the following guidelines to Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya: “It would have been appropriate if Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya had given its reasons for rejecting some pro posals, so that members would not think that Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya had summarily rejected valuable proposals without giving them due consideration.And if these reasons proved to be somewhat insufficient, the Jama'ats would have an opportunity to deliberate further 259

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya on the matter, and Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya would re ceive better advice...Without such an explanation, it becomes impossible to know on what basis the proposals were rejected...It is not enough simply to reject the pro posals, it is also important to give the reasons for rejecting them.This w ill be for their own good, for if they merely read out the proposals without giving the reasons why they have been rejected, people w ill think that the authorities were foolish to have rejected proposals which would only have increased their reputation and prestige.So, if the Na zirs o f the Anjuman do not wish to be seen as foolish in the eyes o f the people, they should give their reasons for rejecting the proposals.In this way people w ill understand that the rejection was not a result o f lack o f deliberation, but the result o f reasoned consideration.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1945, pp.16-18] A n o t h e r G u i d e l i n e r e g a r d i n g R e j e c t e d P r o p o s a l s On another occasion, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IIra gave further guidelines in this regard: “Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya was indeed justified in bar ring certain proposals from being tabled before the Shura, but it was not enough for the Anjuman to have said merely that they did not consider these proposals relevant to the Shura.Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya should have given the reasons for rejecting them.For example, if it had been said that the Agenda was already a long one and time was short, and the proposal would therefore be tabled in the next Shura, this explanation would have been quite understandable.It is difficult to satisfy people merely with the statement that these proposals do not concern Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya.The primary ques tion is whether the proposals point at a genuine need.If 260

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya they do, and are related to Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, it would have been appropriate to explain that the proposal had been referred to the relevant Department and that the needful would be done.If, on the other hand, the propos als could validly be tabled at the Shura, it should have been announced that the proposals had been tabled before the Shura for deliberation.If it was not relevant to the Shura, the reasons should have been given.The fact is that every matter which pertains to our Jama'at falls under one o f the following four categories: (I) Matters which do not relate to our Jama'at: In such cases, the reasons should be given.(II) Matters which concern Majlis-e-Shura: These should be placed before the Shura.(III) Matters relating to Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya: The Anjuman itself should make decision about these matters.(IV) Matters which relate neither to Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya nor to the Shura, but pertain directly to Khilafat: With regard to such proposals, Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya should inform the Shura that they have been referred to Khallfatul Masih.In each case Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya has to respond differently.If a matter does not pertain to the Jama'at and relates, for instance, to politics, the Shura should be in formed o f its non-relevance.If a matter requires a decision by the Khalifa, Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya should explain that it relates directly to Khallfatul Masih and has been referred to him for decision.In the third eventuality, if the matter pertains only to Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, the latter should not merely say that it does not recommend the proposal to be placed before the 261

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Shura, rather it should inform the Shura that the matter has been referred to the relevant Department.The fourth eventuality may be that a proposal is related to the Shura, but cannot be placed before it due to time constraints.In such a case, it should be announced that the proposal w ill be included in the Shura Agenda the following year.Since every proposal w ill necessarily fall within these four categories, it is not enough merely to announce that we have barred certain proposals from being tabled be fore the Shura, Full explanation should be given as to which o f the four categories the proposal falls under and what decision has been taken with regard to it.If this procedure is followed, the person or the body initiating the proposal w ill be satisfied, and the thought w ill not cross people’s minds that a useful proposal had been re jected unreasonably.Instead, they w ill understand that the procedure adopted was the appropriate one.” [Unpublished Report Majlis-e-Shura 1948, pp.1-3] P r o p o s a l s P e r t a i n i n g t o A d m i n i s t r a t i v e M a t t e r s Administrative matters need not be placed before the Shura, for they can be disposed of by Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya or the other Anjumans.Once, when such a proposal was being discussed in the Shura, Malik ‘Abdur Rahman Khadim Sahib, Amir Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya Gu- jrat, raised the following point: In the presence o f clear instruction by Hudur that admin istrative matters and matters o f detail do not need to be placed before the Shura, the current proposal should not be presented here.Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya can itself take a decision about it.(This proposal was about hold 262

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya ing quarterly meetings o f the Agriculture Committee.) Chaudhary Mushtaq Ahmad Bajwah Sahib, Secretary of a Shura sub-committee, said that it was true that the matter being discussed was not o f fundamental importance, but it had been placed before the Shura so that Jama'ats should take more interest in it.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “Khadim Sahib is o f the opinion that only matters relating to principles should be presented here.He is also o f the view that the details can be worked out by Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, which is an administrative body.In my opin ion, he is right.The details o f a proposal should not be discussed in Majlis-e-Shura, for Sadr Anjuman Ahmadi yya is fully competent to decide upon such matters.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1956, p.75] Regarding the right to appeal when a proposal has been rejected, Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IVrh said: “Each o f you (delegates) has the right to appeal to me through the Chairman, and say that a proposal made by our Jamaiat was rejected, although, in view o f past prece dents, it should not have been rejected.Kindly allow us to re-submit this proposal on some future occasion.” [Address to Majlis-e-Shura Brussels, 9 September 1992, p.17] W h a t M a t t e r s C o n c e r n t h e S h u r a 1.Only such matters should be presented before Majlis-e- Shura whose expenditure has to be borne by members of the Jama'at, and for which the Jama'at is responsible.If a proposal does not fall under this category, it is a waste of time to put it before the Shura.In this context, Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IIra issued the following directives: 263

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T he S ystem of mushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya “I have said time and again that only such matters should be put before Majlis-e-Shura whose expenses are directly linked to the members o f the Jama1at.It is useless for Shura to deliberate upon matters which do not put any monetary obligation upon the Jama1at.In the proposal now being discussed, it has been suggested that books re lating to the life o f the Holy Prophetsa and the Promised Messiah^, and other important material about the Jama1at, should be translated into other languages, par ticularly into English.It suggests that books written by the Promised M essiah* should also be translated.It sug gests that members should be asked to offer honorary service in this regard.In my opinion, there was no need to place this proposal before the Shura, because it relates specifically to the Nazir o f the concerned Department.If he considers this proposal to be worthwhile, he should begin work upon it immediately; no one forbids him from doing so.It w ill only be a waste o f time to discuss this proposal in the Shura.” (Report Majlis-e-Shura 1940, p.6) 2.With regard to a proposal that a permanent committee should be set up to advise Nazarat Tabligh, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIra said: “This proposal does not concern the Shura.If such a committee were established to advise the Nazir Sahib, no one would object; it is, therefore, not a matter to be placed before the Shura.Only such matters should be de liberated upon here which place an obligation on the Jama1at as a whole, or for whose implementation the Jama1at is expected to make financial contributions.Any thing which lies outside these parameters does not concern the Shura.For instance, if someone were to sug 264

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya gest before the Shura that he wishes to offer Tahajjud prayers at Masjid Mubarak, such a proposal would have nothing to do with the Jama'at as a whole.It is his per sonal matter and he is free to do so if he so w ishes.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1944, p.74] 3.In the same context, Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IIra said: “I have emphasized time and again that it is useless to place before the Shura matters pertaining to institutions whose functioning is dependent on their own income.If a scheme is good and beneficial and members o f the Jama'at are contributing towards it, it can be implemented.But if people are not prepared to make contributions for it and do not seem to approve o f it, there is no reason why the Jama'at should take the responsibility upon itself.A simi lar sort o f proposal was submitted by Nazir Ta'lim.He suggested that the High School at Ghatialian should be upgraded to higher secondary school.The fact is that when the school was established, members o f the Jama'ats in the area pledged to make contributions to meet its expenses, but they failed to do so.Thereafter, the school was up graded to a middle school, and then to a high school, but the local Jama'ats still did not offer any financial assis tance.Now Nazir Sahib has suggested that this school should be upgraded to a higher secondary school.No doubt, there is a high school at Rabwah whose expenses are borne by the Jama'at, but this is in Markaz, and the whole Jama'at has to make contributions towards it.On the other hand, it is not obligatory upon the Jama'at to make contributions for a school in a village in Sialkot Dis trict.It is the duty o f the local Jama'ats to bear the expenses o f their own school...Such proposals should be considered by the relevant 26 5

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Nazarat or Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya.There is no need for us (the Shura) to waste time on such proposals.The proposal which appears as n o.l on the Agenda had ini tially been approved with the provision that students would only be awarded scholarships if people made con tributions for it.It is futile to seek further approvals in this connection.Hence I cannot allow this proposal to be tabled before the Shura.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1958, pp.9-10] A n I m p o r t a n t p a r t o f t h e A g e n d a 4.Only realistic and practicable proposals should be in cluded in the Agenda, and the budget should be specifically mentioned.In this regard, Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IIra said: “Initially, members o f the Jama'at would send proposals in order to motivate, and though they were good propos als, it was not possible for us to implement them.The proposals presented these days, on the other hand, are quite often in our power to implement.In any case, it is essential that only practicable proposals should be placed before Majlis-e-Shura.The proposals should not be such as are beyond our power to implement, either because we lack the resources, or because o f the prevailing condi tions, or because they are likely to cause m ischief or disorder, or merely because better proposals have already been presented before the Shura.I do not wish to speak any further on this...but I would like to point out a major deficiency in the Agenda, in that it does not contain any budget proposals, despite the fact that the budget is the most important matter which Ma jlis-e-Shura has to deal with.Thus if we follow the 2 6 6

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya current Agenda, we w ill not be able to deliberate on the budget proposals.Nazir Baitul Mai says that he forgot to include the budget proposals in the Agenda.This is in deed a grave om ission, and is actually like a wedding procession in which all are present except the bride groom.It is hard to make such a mistake.Anyhow, the Nazir Sahib has managed to complete this difficult task, and the budget w ill be presented and deliberated upon.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1941, pp, 8-9J P r e m a t u r e P r o p o s a l s Regarding half-baked and premature proposals, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIfh said: “We in Markaz should pay more attention to this matter, and the Jama'at as a whole should also keep thinking o f new proposals.All useful proposals should be sent to me.In fact, during the last few months, I have felt that pro posals which are sent to me by individuals are far better than those that are sent to Shura.This is because an indi vidual understands his responsibility, gives proper thought to his proposal, considers its every aspect, and sends it to me only after it has been perfected.Unfortu nately, when it comes to the Shura, people only convene a meeting when the Shura is close at hand, and send in any proposal they can think of.These proposals are not given due thought and are at times sent without even considering the facts.People do not even take into ac count the prevailing circumstances and the rules relevant to such proposals.They just send their proposals without properly thinking over them and end up wasting our time.I am thinking o f some procedure which w ill allow members o f the Jama'at to deliberate longer on the pro posals for the Shura, so that they are sent to us only when 26 7

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya they have been perfected.Immature and raw proposals should not be sent to us.If anyone can think o f a way to improve the proposals that are sent to Shura, he is w el come to share his suggestions with me.If w e all think together I am sure we can find a suitable solution.” (Report Majlis~e-Shura 1966, pp.215-216] Hadrat Khallfatul Masih I l f h also said: “When suggestions are sought through the Shura, Ma- jlis-e-Shura comes between the one who offers the suggestion and Khallfatul Masih.But there is no such barrier when someone offers his suggestion directly to Khallfatul Masih.” [Report Majlis-e-Shtira 1976, p.63] P r o p o s a l s s h o u l d C o n f o r m t o P r e v a i l i n g C o n d i t i o n s The proposals contained in the Agenda should deal with current needs.A proposal was once rejected by the In ternational Majlis-e-Shura, with the approval o f Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh, on the following basis: [English] “Proposal N o.8 submitted by Jama1at in Tu valu.It said: Considering the number o f branches within countries and continents, it has become logistically diffi cult to effectively implement the Shura resolutions within a period o f 12 months.The problems o f logistics are compounded by the inadequacy o f the postal and com munication system in many parts o f the world.Accordingly, they suggested that the new proposals for consideration by the Shura be brought up every two years, and the mid-term sessions be used mainly for the appraisal o f national follow-up progress reports and their implementation, in addition to dealing with other regular 268

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Shura business, as appropriate.Comment: This proposal has not been included in the Agenda because it is not in line with the practices and traditions o f the Jama'at.According to the normal rou tine, fresh proposals are invited every year and only such proposals are put on the Agenda which really present the needs o f the time.The expanding needs o f the Jama'at also suggest that the present practice should continue.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shura 1994, p, 11] A n U n s a v o u r y P r e c e d e n t On one occasion a Jam a‘at sent a proposal without properly considering it and without taking into account the relevant rules and regulations.The proposal was that when young missionaries are sent abroad, their wives should be sent with them.When Hadrat Khalifatul Masih III inquired from the concerned Jama'at, it turned out that the president o f the Jama'at had sent the proposal on his own without consulting Majlis ‘Amila or anyone else.When this proposal was being discussed in Shura, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IHrh said: “The president did not have the right to send such a pro posal without consulting the (local) Jama‘a t...'When a proposal comes to Markaz, it considers whether or not it is worthy o f being presented before the Shura, and the reasons for it.These recommendations are then sent to m e...I have purposely asked for this proposal to be in cluded in the Agenda so that I can make these people understand...This is why I had this proposal included in the Agenda although Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya had rec ommended otherw ise...! therefore announce (and this 269

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya was the purpose o f placing the proposal in the Agenda) that all such proposals w ill henceforth be rejected.Such proposals should never be presented in the Shura.” [Report Majlis-e-Sbura 1972, pp.200-201] T h e F i n a l S h a p e o f t h e A g e n d a At times Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya recommends that a particular proposal should not be tabled before the Shura, but Hadrat Khalifatul Masih decides otherwise so that some issues relating to it can be explained in the Shura, or the representatives can be given an opportunity to give advice upon it.However, such proposals are not assigned to a sub-committee of the Shura for deliberation.In this regard, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IHrh once remarked: “As I have already mentioned, there were three issues which should not have been included in the Agenda, but I still had them included so that I may shed some light on them and members may give their opinion about them, and the matter should be resolved in an appropriate way.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1973, pp, 14-15] S h u r a d o e s n o t C a t e r f o r P r o p o s a l s S e n t b y I n d i v i d u a l s According to the rules and regulations, any proposal which is presented by an Ahmadi in his individual ca pacity cannot be presented before the Shura.It is true that all proposals are initiated by individuals, but they take on a communal form since they are sent after proper deliberation by the Jama'ats or established institutions of the Jama'at.Hadrat Khalifatul Masih can, however, send proposals made by individual to the relevant Departments and instruct them that, if they consider the proposal wor 270

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya thy o f being presenting in Shura, it should be presented on behalf of the Department, and not on behalf of the in dividual.With regard to proposals that are rejected, Hadrat Khalifatul Masxh IVrh once observed: “The list o f rejected proposals read out just now includes some proposals by Mr.Mubashirat Ahmad o f Lahore.There seems to have been a slight misunderstanding which has caused these proposals to be presented in a dif ferent form.I had referred these proposals to Secretary Majlis Kaxpardaz with the notation that if they consid ered them worthy o f being tabled before the Shura, they should submit them either on behalf o f their own De partment or through the Standing sub-committee.But there was apparently a misunderstanding, or perhaps I did not explain the matter adequately, and my notation was taken to mean that I wanted these proposals to be ta- • bled before the Shura.Thus, when these proposals came before me in their original form, they had to be rejected, for, under the rules, no proposal sent by an individual can be tabled before the Shura.It is true that all proposals are initiated by individuals, but they have to come through Jama'ats or through the established institutions.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1983, pp.33-34] P r o c e d u r e f o r R e - S u b m i t t i n g a P r o p o s a l If a proposal has been tabled before Majlis-e-Shura and has been rejected, then, under the rules, such a proposal cannot be presented again before three years.Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IVrh said: “A proposal that has been rejected by Khallfatul MasTh cannot be presented again until after three years.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1983, p.100] 271

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Likewise, proposals which are already being imple mented in one form or the other cannot be included in the Agenda.In this context, the following announcement was made with the approval of Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh during an International Majlis-e-Shura: [English] “Secretary Shura w ill now read a list o f re jected proposals and w ill also read the reason why they were rejected.” ‘Ataul Mujib Rashid Sahib: “In order to maximize the beneficial use o f time available and concentrate on key issues, certain rules are observed by the Majlis-e-Shura.For instance, a proposal which has been debated and re jected in an earlier Majlis-e-Shura cannot be tabled again within three years o f its initial inclusion.Similarly pro posals which are accepted and adopted or are being implemented, with the permission o f Hadrat Khafifatul Masih, are not included in the Agenda o f the Interna tional Majlis-e-Shura.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shura 1988, p, 22J P r o c e d u r e f o r R e c o n s i d e r i n g a D e c i s i o n o f t h e S h u r a Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh had already clarified that in case a proposal has been tabled before Majlis-e-Shura, and has been accepted or rejected after deliberation, and it is to be presented again (after three years), the original proposal will first have to be read out and members will have to be told o f the decision that had been taken by Majlis-e-Shura, and why it has now become absolutely necessary for the decision to be revised.Hudur said: “It is important to note that if a proposal has been tabled 272

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the S ystem of mushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya before Majlis-e-Shura and has been discussed aind finally accepted or rejected by Khallfatul Maslh (as the case may be), then, if such a proposal is to be presented again, it w ill be necessary to mention that the same proposal has already been deliberated upon in the Shura.It should also be mentioned that the decision was taken on the basis o f such and such arguments.It should also be explained why it has now become necessary to revise the previous decision.If the circumstances, have changed they should be explained.If the proposal was one that had been re jected, the Shura should be told o f the arguments that had been presented in its favour and why these arguments had failed to convince the Shura.But now, as the circum stances have changed, we once again table this proposal before the Shura and request it to consider it once again.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1966, p.187].A n o t h e r I m p o r t a n t I n s t r u c t i o n r e g a r d i n g t h e A g e n d a Various aspects o f the preparation o f the Agenda and the proposals contained in it have already been discussed.When these proposals have gone through the different stages and have been finalized and published in the shape o f the Agenda, they are then sent to the Jama'ats so that their representatives can study them and elicit the opinion of their respective Jama'ats before coming to the Shura.Majlis ‘Amila o f every Jama'at is required to discuss the proposals and come up with a collective opinion, which their representative can present before the Shura.We shall discuss this in greater detail in Chapter IX.With reference to the publication of the Agenda, Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IIra has said that it is necessary to state 273

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya the chronological year o f the Shura, and also to mention how many years have gone by since the first Shura was held.He said: “At the very outset, I would like to point out to those who prepare the Agenda that the chronological year o f the Shura should be mentioned at the top.It is not enough merely to mention the year in which the Shura is being held, but it is also necessary to mention that it is such and such year o f the Shura.This is very useful in the historical perspective.The current Agenda only men tions at the outset that Majlis-e-Shura w ill be held on 7th 8 th and 9th April, 1939.Although this is helpful in learning the programme o f the Shura, it does not tell how many Shuras have been held before and what year o f the Shura it is— whether it is the fifteenth, sixteenth or seventeenth.Hence the historical record remains incomplete.From now on those who are responsible for publishing the Agenda should not only mention the year in which the Shura is being held, but should also mention the year o f the Shura, so that the historical record remains up-to-date.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1939, pp.1-2] A d d r e s s i n g P r o p o s a l s a c c o r d i n g t o t h e A g e n d a Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIra always tried to address every proposal contained in the Agenda.To this end, he would discourage unnecessary repetitions, so that the Agenda could be finished in time.He once said: “The Agenda before us today contains several points.We should try to deal with the whole Agenda within the days allocated for the Conference.In the past, many items of the Agenda remained unattended because some members did not have experience o f such meetings, and they kept 27 4

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya dwelling on trivial things, or merely repeating themselves.At times people have been seen to repeat themselves up to ten times.We should not waste time in this way and should endeavour to address the whole Agenda.With this in view, two changes have been proposed from now on.First, a time limit has been set for each sub committee within which it must complete its work.Sec ond, the practice in the past has been that whenever a proposal is tabled for deliberation, members begin to speak on it one after the other, and at times when people see other people speaking they, too, want to speak, though the proper way o f expressing their opinions is through the vote.It has, therefore, been, suggested that when a pro posal is read out those who wish to speak on it should come forward.Only these should then be allowed to speak and none else, because on such occasions people just stand up to speak when they see others speaking.If they really have something to say, they should express their desire to speak when the proposal has been read out, though in cer tain circumstances it becomes necessary to speak even afterwards.I believe that in this way we w ill be able to save time and the work w ill be completed in time.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1927, pp.6-7] 275

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Chapter VIII A ppo in t m e n t o f S u b -C o m m it t e e s In the inaugural session of Shura, sub-committees are appointed to consider the points o f the Agenda in detail, and to formulate concrete recommendations after ad dressing all the relevant issues.The letter from Secretary Shura, in which he forwards the items o f the Agenda to the Jama'ats, also contains an instruction that the Shura representatives should consult among themselves and propose which o f them should serve in the Shura’s sub committees.The Secretary expects such information to be conveyed to him before the start o f the Shura, so that the proposed names can be taken into consideration when the sub-committees are being formed.But it is not binding upon the convenors o f the Shura to include in the sub-committees everyone who has been recom mended by the Jama'ats.Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IVrh instructed that three copies of the lists of these nominees should be prepared to avoid any confusion: one for Khallfatul Masih, the second for the Assistant who would be appointed for this purpose, and the third for Secretary Majlis-e-Mushawarat.[Report Majlis-e-Shura., 1983, p.11) The usual practice in the formation o f the sub committees is to nominate delegates who are competent and experienced and, preferably, experts in the relevant fields.The sub-committees deliberate upon the items of the Agenda and look thoroughly into the relevant issues

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya before formulating recommendations to be placed before the house.It thus becomes easy for the house to reach a decision upon them.The Agenda generally comprises matters related to fi nance, education, Tarbiyyat, Tabllgh, and issues of general nature.To consider all these issues, three or four sub-committees are considered sufficient, but more sub committees may be formed if required.The sub committees usually relate to the Budget o f Sadr Anju- man Ahmadiyya, the Budgets o f Tehrik Jadid and W aqf Jadld, Nazarat Islah-o-Irshad, TaTim and Umur ‘Amma.At times standing committees are constituted by Hadrat Khallfatul Masih, which keep deliberating upon certain issues throughout the year and present their reports in the next Shura.And if no decision has been arrived at, the deliberations can continue until a decision is reached.Some members o f the sub-committees are nominated by the Central Organizations of the Jama'at, while the rest are nominated by the Jama'ats.Each sub-committee com prises about 30 members.A Chairman and a Secretary are also nominated for each sub-committee.In early years, one of the Nazirs would chair the sub-committee, and the committee would itself choose a secretary from its mem bers.This procedure was later changed.Now the Amir of a Jama'at, or an office-bearer, or an expert in the related field is nominated as the Chairman of a sub-committee, and a Nazir or Wakil is appointed its Secretary.[Report Majlis-e-Shura 1928, p.99) 278

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya This procedure has gradually become a permanent part o f Shura.C riteria for M embership of S hura S ub -C ommittees With regard to the formation o f the sub-committees, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udT a made the following observa tions during Mushawarat 1952: (1) “Members are now requested to propose the names for the Budget sub-committee.A s I have said a number o f times before, you shquld not propose names o f people who are not present here.Sometimes people just propose names without ascertaining whether the person whose name has been proposed is even here or not.Secondly, only the names o f people who are competent for the re quired task should be nominated.It is essential that the person who is nominated understands the matter that has been assigned to him.For instance, the task o f making reductions or increments in a budget, or including items which were previously not part o f it, requires that the member should be well-informed, should be familiar with his own area, should know the procedure for collect ing Chanda, and should be aware o f the difficulties that are faced in this regard.He should also have an idea o f the steps that are required to aid the progress o f the Jama'at.It is also important to include delegates from different provinces.We have here representatives from Jama'ats in Bengal, Sindh, Karachi, Balochistan, Bahawalpur, Punjab, Kashmir and NWFP.We also have foreign delegates from the United States, Syria, Indonesia, Egypt, Sudan and other countries.The difference is that the budgets o f the foreign countries are not discussed here, and are ap 279

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya proved by the countries themselves.Only certain funda mental issues are decided here and they prepare their own budgets accordingly.As such the representatives o f these countries are really not concerned with matters per taining to our budget.The Jama'ats whose Chandas do form part o f our budget are those within Pakistan.India is a separate country and since the Jama'ats o f that coun try are not contributing to our main budget, they are not directly concerned with it.Delegates from all the prov inces o f Pakistan must be represented on the various sub committees.Bengal, Karachi, Sindh, Balochistan, Baha- walpur must all be represented.Punjab should have a larger representation because it has the larger number o f Jama'ats, but the representatives should be such as can render us the maximum assistance.” [Report Majlis~e-Shura 1952, pp.4-5] M embers of the S ub -C ommittees should be S elected with C are (2) In this connection, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “I have been advising you time and again, and let me re peat that just as it is necessary to be careful in the selection o f delegates, and to make sure that they are competent and are capable o f forming an independent opinion, the same criterion should be applied in selecting members o f the various sub-committees.I have been told that sometimes delegates do not understand their respon sibility in this regard.I m yself once heard a delegate asking another to forward his name for a particular sub committee.O f course there is no harm in presenting one’s own name for a committee, provided one has the required ability, but it is not desirable for a delegate to ask someone else to present his name.For in such a case 2 8 0

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he tries to give the impression that other people feel the necessity o f having him on the committee, while he is in effect presenting his own name.The Holy Prophet3 * said that one should not present one’s own name for any posi tion.In those days he personally knew all the Companions, for they were close to him night and day, and he knew who was competent to give a particular ad vice or carry out a specific duty and who was not.But our Shura comprises representatives o f different Jama’ats and I do not know about each and every person whether or not he is capable o f advising on a particular matter.If the Shura were to be limited to the people o f Qadian, I m yself could nominate the members o f the committees, but now things are different.Representatives from other Jama'ats also participate in this Shura, and I do not know all o f them.I do not know which o f them is an expert in the field o f law, or education, or finance.Therefore, it is not improper for someone to offer his own name for a sub-committee, or for someone else to recommend him if he knows him.But it is highly disagreeable to ask some body else to suggest one’s name.Such a conduct implies that the concerned person considers him self very capable but wants to give an impression o f humility.The fact is that he is only expressing his desire for self glorification, and this is why he wants to be nominated for a sub committee.I later discovered that the concerned gentle man, although he had him self initiated his name, did not turn up to attend the meeting o f the committee.It is im portant to be careful about this in the future...Those who are nominated to work on the committees, should work diligently and should only offer practicable proposals for solving the problems o f the Jama'at.” (Report Majlis-e-Shura 1941, pp.7-8J ________ the S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya _____________ 281

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the S ystem of mushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya S electing M embers for the S ub -C ommittees (3) In Shura 1942, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IIra said: “I do not wish to make a long speech, I only want to speak to you about the selection o f members for various committees.Let me briefly reiterate what I have already said on a number o f occasions, that only people who are w ell versed in the relevant fields should be nominated for the committees.Sometimes the delegates behave irre sponsibly and propose the names o f people who are not members, or have not even come to Qadian.This causes unnecessary wastage o f time.So you should propose only the names o f those who are present in Qadian, are elected representatives, and are competent for the task.If you propose the name o f a person who is present in Qadian but is not a representative, it w ill not only waste a lot o f time but w ill also be a cause o f embarrassment to the person whose name has been proposed but he is not even a member o f Shura.Moreover, this would also be against the etiquette o f Shura.Only those people should be nominated who are representatives, are present in Qadian, and have some sort o f affinity with the task that they are to be entrusted.For instance, they may be secre taries (o f their Jama'ats) or people who are otherwise interested in the matter or possess relevant information.But when somebody does not fulfil these conditions, his name should not be proposed.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1942, p.2] S ub -C ommittees should C onsist of P eople from A ll W alks of L ife (4) Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra gave another very impor tant guideline about the nomination o f members for the 282

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya sub-committees.He said that it is not necessary for all Jama'ats to be represented on the committees, and, sec ondly, all the members should not be from urban Jama'ats.Representatives o f rural Jama'ats should also be nominated.Hudur said: “Now we are going to appoint the sub-committees and I want to make it clear that it is not fair for members o f every Jama'at to think that they should be represented in these committees.The number o f Jama'ats, by the grace o f God, is fairly large, and.it is not possible to accommo date all their representatives in the committees.The thing to be considered is that the right kind o f people should be on the committees, no matter what Jama'at they belong to.If every Jama'at were to nominate its representative, there is the likelihood that the right type o f people would be left out.Another defect might be that people nomi nated for the first committee may actually be more suited for a committee that is to be formed afterwards, but they do not make it into that sub-committee because they have already been nominated for the first one.We should take sincerity and fear o f God as our guiding principle.Prayer should precede every step you take.Pray to Allah before offering your opinion, when listen ing to others, when expressing your view s, and when intending to give a proposal.You should also remember to nominate for the committee members v/ho are more eligible and competent for the task than others.Another thing to be considered is that all members o f the sub committees should not be from urban Jama'ats; rural ar eas should be represented as w ell.The majority o f our people come from rural areas and their representation is necessary.So please propose the names for the commit 283

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya tees keeping all these things in mind.If someone is really competent in a certain area, he must be proposed for the relevant committee.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1934, pp.8-9] (5) Emphasizing the point that members o f the commit tees should be pious and dedicated, Hadrat Musleh-e- M au‘udra said: “During previous Shuras, I have said the people whose names are proposed for the committees should have the required expertise, and should be able to spare time for the committee’s work.I had also emphasized that all sorts o f persons— even villagers and uneducated peo ple— and people from all the provinces should be given a chance to work on the committees.As far as relevant ex pertise is concerned, there is little difference between the educated and uneducated.I have noticed that at times even uneducated people have the ability to reflect seri ously about different matters.They express their ideas so admirably on certain issues— to which they must have given good thought— that even educated people, who are not prone to deliberation, cannot do it to such effect.So when I said that only those people should be recom mended for the committees who have some sort o f affinity with the work, I was referring to their mental af finity and I did not mean that they should necessarily be graduates or should have attained a certain level o f edu cation.It is, in fact, the sincerity and Taqwa o f a person which determines whether he is suitable for a religious assignment.If somebody fears God and loves the faith, he can come up with ideas which may never be con ceived by an educated person who is devoid o f these qualities.It is my everyday experience that a person who 28 4

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T he S ystem of mushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya is utterly illiterate but is in the habit o f serious thinking and reflection, and entertains the fear o f God, and loves the faith, is blessed with such knowledge from God as is not possessed by a renowned scholar who only possesses conventional knowledge.” (Report Majlis-e-Shura 1943, pp.2-3) (6) Once, during a session o f Shura, names for members for the sub-committee for Nazarat D a‘wat-o-TablIgh were being proposed.Someone proposed the name o f a person who was not a delegate.Hadrat Musleh-e- M au‘udra gave him a warning and said: “In future if somebody proposes the name o f a person for a sub-committee, while the gentleman concerned is not a member o f Shura, the one who proposes his name shall not be permitted to attend the remaining session o f the Shura for that day.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1945, pp.4-51 A G uiding P rinciple for the S ub -C ommittees Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra would give instructions to members of the sub-committees after they had been formed.He once said: “It has been observed during the past few years that the sub-committees constituted for deliberating upon the items o f the Agenda did not put in the hard work that was re quired o f them.Some committees even left the work half finished.Hence, this time only two sub-committees have been formed so that the task can be performed properly.I now hope that they w ill work diligently and attentively, w ill not leave o ff until their work is finished, and w ill pre sent their reports in time for tomorrow’s session.285

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T he S ystem of M uskawarat in jam A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya There is also another point I want to stress.The sub committee working on the budget proposals should give particular thought to the means that should be employed for increasing the income.The war now appears to be over and this w ill considerably affect our income.The experi ence we have from the previous war is that the income came down suddenly after the end o f the war and this state o f affairs continued for ten years.So we should now con sider how to increase our finances, and we should have the maximum amount in the reserve fund.We should also try to reduce our expenditure as far as possible.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1945, p.5] How the S ub -C ommittees should D eliberate When forming a sub-committee for considering budget proposals, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra used to give guidelines as to how different aspects o f the budget should be deliberated upon.During Majlis-e-Shura 1936, he said: “According to the established procedure, I shall first con stitute one or more sub-committees to deliberate upon these proposals before they are taken up in the general session.Before consulting the delegates as to whether one or more committees should be formed, I would like to give some guidelines to the prospective members o f the committees so that they may keep them in mind when considering the proposals.At the outset, let me clarify that members are free to offer any advice they like, but it is up to the one who is seek ing advice to accept it or not.There are, however, certain matters on which it would only be a waste o f time to de liberate.For instance, let us take up the fourth issue 286

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya under consideration, namely, ‘What is the solution to the financial crisis faced by the Jama'at?’ I want to inform you o f my view s about this matter the viewpoint from which I w ill analyze your recommendations.I have said this before, but let me clarify once again, that I do not believe in abandoning a project unless I am fully convinced that it is detrimental to our interests.O f course I am prepared to consider suggestions about the aban donment o f a certain project, but I w ill only take such an action when it has been categorically proved that continuing with the project w ill be harmful for us.But I do not close the door for someone to make such a sugges tion.For example, if someone! suggests that our school should be closed, I would be prepared to listen to him, but, let me make it clear, I w ill not accept such a suggestion unless it is proved that the schools w ill be detrimental to the interests o f the Jama'at.Someone else might suggest that the London Mission should be closed.I would be prepared to listen to him as w ell, but I w ill only seriously consider this suggestion when it can be proved categorically that continuing with the mission w ill be injurious to Islam and Ahmadiyyat.I w ill not consider a proposal merely on the grounds that it puts a financial burden upon the Jama'at.I w ill not consider such a proposal because if the idea is only to curtail expenditure, it w ill be more convenient to do away with all the pro jects, just as other Muslims have done, who do not wish to carry such a burden.They neither enter this field nor do they shoulder any such responsibility.If we too must follow them, then why wind up just one or two projects, we w ill feel more comfortable by closing them all down.If w e are going to close down projects, then why are we 287

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya holding this Shura, and why are w e seeking advice? Why not shut down all the projects and go home and rest? But if the purpose o f our lives is to serve the relig ion o f Allah, then our argument should not be that we could save a lot o f money by closing a certain project.Our attitude should be to think how w e can support and finance a certain project, the responsibility o f which we have taken upon ourselves.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1936, pp.3-4] A bsence from S ob -C ommittees All members are required to be present in the meetings of the sub-committees and the standing committees.If a member has some urgent business, he should apprise the Chairman o f the relevant committee.Absence without permission signifies lack o f interest, and the absence o f a member may hinder the work.A sub-committee once recommended the following penalty for a member be cause he remained absent without any valid reason: Members who have been informed o f their nomination to a sub-committee but fail to turn up for the meeting, can be nominated for membership o f the Shura but they will not be nominated for any committee for the next three years.This action is necessary, since important work is sometimes held up due to the absence or lack of interest o f a member.So, if despite repeated written re minders by the Nazarat, a member does not respond or does not participate in the committee meeting without a valid excuse, his name should be announced in the Shura.If he still persists in this kind o f behaviour, he 2 8 8

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya should not be made a member o f any sub-committee for the next three years, so that he might realize his error.The majority o f the delegates voted in favour of this proposal, and Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra made the fol lowing observations: “I accept the proposal with the amendment that for the next three years such a person w ill not be nominated as a representative for the Shura.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1941, pp.45-53] Thus absence o f any member from the meeting o f the sub-committee without permission is a violation o f the rules and traditions o f Shura and invites punitive action.In one such case, Hadrat KhalTfatul Masih IV asked a member to explain his absence from a meeting o f the sub-committee, at which he apologized and expressed remorse.Hudur remarked: “You feel sorry, but you should have been good enough to intimate about your absence.You have a lot o f experi ence, by the grace o f God, and you know that such conduct amounts to disparaging the committee.It does not behove a person who has the honour o f the member ship o f a Shura sub-committee to absent him self without permission, just like a schoolboy.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1984, p.72J P rolonged S ub -C ommittee M eetings Sub-committee meetings generally go on late into the night.Only after lengthy discussions and extensive de liberations do the committees reach their conclusions 289

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya which are then formulated in the form o f a report.Com menting on the work o f the sub-committees, Hadrat M usleh-e-M au'ud1 3 said: “The sub-committees used to complete their work during the night.They would sit down immediately after the first session and sometimes continue to work until 3 a.m.in the morning.I too would remain awake and the reports o f the committees would keep coming in as late as 2 or 3 O’clock in the m orning...H ence the sub-committees should give maximum time to their assignments.We have to work throughout the year and we have only these three days to deliberate upon our work.We should be prepared to bear the maximum load during these days.” (Report Majlis-e-Shura 1943, pp.141-142] W ork of the F inance S ub -C ommittee Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau ‘udra gave detailed instructions as to how the committee for Nazarat Baitul Mai should deliberate upon the budget proposals and what means should be used for reducing or increasing expenditure.Hudur said: “This year again I have noticed certain flaws in the budget.I had proposed that this year Nazir Baitul Mai should him self prepare the budget, because last year An- juman took too long to prepare it, but the Nazir Sahib has taken almost the same time.Another flaw which has been discovered is that he did not present the budget to the Anjuman, while this is not what I had intended.Anyhow the budget proposals have been presented here without having gone through the procedure o f being presented before the Anjuman.The sub-committee was not aware 290

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya o f the reasons for the extra expenditure as demanded by different Departments o f the Anjuman, and it had to spend considerable time in finding out the reasons for the suggested increase.What the sub-committee should have done was to invite the concerned Nazirs or their repre sentatives to give their reasons for the increase in expenditure.The Nazirs or their representatives could then have justified this increase before the committee.This would have made it easier for the committee to de cide whether or not it should allow the increase.But this was not done, and the entire business had to be taken up here (in the house) and the members had to sit idle for about one and a half hour, for they were in no position to give their opinion on the issues.Another defect was that all the committee members were not sitting together.If they had been, they could have been consulted and a meaningful decision could have been taken regarding the acceptance or rejection o f addi tional expenditure in keeping with the majority view.The members were having meetings at different places and the decisions were taken independently by the Chairman o f the sub-committee and Nazir Sahib Baitul Mai as its Secretary.This was a fault, and one o f the members who drew attention to it suggested that if all the members had held a joint meeting and had listened to the explanations o f the concerned Nazir, they might have modified their opinion.Hence I propose that in future if the members o f the sub-committee for Baitul Mai wish to change their opinions after hearing the view s o f the Nazirs, they should send in a written note requesting that their view s may also be heard before the final decision is announced.My second proposal is that when the report o f the sub- 291

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya committee for Baitul Mai is presented, all its members should sit together.This w ill help the Chairman o f the sub-committee to put all the pertinent issues before them and secure their view s.In future, when the report o f a committee is being presented, all the concerned members should sit close to the stage, so that if they want to change their opinion after hearing the report, they may be able to communicate it.Another point to be noted is that when the budget sub committees are considering the proposals, a note should be sent to the concerned Nazir regarding the issues that are to be taken up by the committee, so that either the Nazir him self or his representative should attend the committee meeting and offer explanations for the pro posed increase in expenditure, and an appropriate decision can thus be reached...Anyhow, the sub committee has sanctioned the increase in the expenditure wherever possible.The Nazirs cannot now present the proposals that have been rejected.But if members feel that some o f the proposals made by the Nazirs were justi fied, they may suggest changes.For instance, the post o f a clerk in the office o f the Nazarat Umur ‘Amma has been rejected, which is wrong.The clerk is very much needed in that office.Similarly, if some other changes are needed, they can also be suggested by the members.They can also suggest increase or decrease in expenditure under certain heads.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1944, pp.131-133] J urisdiction of the S ub -C ommittees The sub-committees may leave the proposals o f the Agenda unchanged, modify them, or make some new 292

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya recoimnendations about them within their main frame- work.The sub-committee for Baitul Mai, while considering the budget proposals o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, may exercise its authority and make an in crease or decrease in the proposed budget.This decision was taken by Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra during Musha warat 1945.The following is the relevant extract from his speech: “The delegates have listened to the opinions that have been expressed.I think there has been some misunder standing, for members did not give detailed comments about the expenditure when they were asked to, but they are doing so now when we are in fact discussing some thing else.The recommendations now being made pertain to increasing the expenditure rather than reducing.it.The question put to the house was that if a certain ex penditure was considered unjustified or if some reduction was required, they should point it out.They were not asked to propose increase in the budget.So the mistake was that when the delegates were asked to discuss the expenditure in detail they kept silent, but now when a different item is being considered they are coming up with suggestions for increase in expenditure.For the fu ture, my instructions are that the sub-committee for Baitul Mai should deliberate upon all the proposals that are presented to it with regard to increase in expenditure.I have been told that the sub-committee was o f the view that it had no authority to suggest increase in the budget, but this was wrong.I believe that the committee does have the authority to recommend increase in the expendi ture.So my directive for the future is that the sub 2 9 3

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya committee should consider all such proposals.And since representatives o f different Departments w ill also be on the committee in the future, members o f the committee w ill learn about their viewpoint as w ell.Anyhow, the sub-committee for Baitul Mai has the authority to in crease the expenditure or effect changes in the suggested proposals.In future, a fairly large number o f representa tives o f the Anjuman w ill be on this committee, as such the committee shall know the viewpoint o f different De partments as w ell.Another possibility is that, if the sub committee does not itself increase the expenditure, it may refer the matter to Majlis-e-Shura where the opinion o f the delegates can be elicited.But it is better for the sub committee to deal with these issues itself, for it may not be possible for the house to adequately deliberate upon a suggestion regarding increase o f expenditure.As for re duction, it does not require a lot o f thinking, for we know about past expenses and can thus decide how much cur tailment is possible.But new expenditure requires a great deal o f thought and consideration.So I cannot permit discussion about increase in expenditure here in the house.If such matters are allowed to be presented before the house, they would consume a lot o f time.Since these are facts which cannot be ignored, I have authorized the concerned committee to increase the expenditure in any item they think necessary.The delegates should also keep in mind that if they consider it necessary to increase the expenditure for any head, they should present their suggestions to the committee.The representatives o f dif ferent Nazarats, being present in the committee meeting, w ill also be able to consider these proposals and form a definite opinion about them.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1945, pp.65-67) 294

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadtyya Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IIIrh, speaking about the juris diction o f the Shura sub-committees, observed that it was binding on them to consider properly all aspects o f a proposal presented before it, and to work out all the nec essary details.It should also recommend the formation o f another committee, if further deliberation upon some o f the proposals is necessary.Hudur said: “If Sadr Anjuman proposes an increase in its budget, this or any other proposal should be clearly indicated in the budget proposals.This requires immediate implementa tion.But the mere recommendation that a committee be constituted is vague.How did you make such a recom mendation? Who w ill form the committee, when shall it be formed, and how many members w ill it consist of? A ll this should have been decided by the committee.Com mittees are made specifically to go into such details.Your recommendation should have been that the commit tee should comprise, say, three or more people and that it should be formed immediately and begin its work.The need for referring to the Shura should arise only when a project has been devised and has to be financed, or when some important decision has to be taken which requires consultation with the whole Jama1at.If it is only a matter o f making an assessment and doing your work, it should be done there and then.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1979, p.93] O pinion of a D epartment about the S ub -C ommittee R eport In Shura, there is also a tradition that the concerned De partments are consulted regarding the recommendations of the sub-committees.On one occasion, before an 29 5

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama 1 at - e -A hmadxyya nouncing the final decision regarding the procurement of land for Maqbarah Musian in foreign countries, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh sought the views o f Tehrik Jadld regarding the recommendations o f the sub-committee, upon which Sahibzada Mirza Mubarak Ahmad, Wakil A ‘la, Tehrik Jadld presented the Tehrik’s viewpoint.[Report Majlis-e-Shura 1976, pp.154-156] C opies of the S ub -C ommittee R eport The sub-committee reports would sometimes be very lengthy, which would make it difficult for the members to discuss them.A delegate, therefore, made the follow ing suggestion: “I suggest that in view o f the importance and length o f the reports, and because they admit o f diverging view s or require some explanation, their copies should be circu lated among the members at least a little time before they are to be discussed.And if it is not possible to provide these copies to every member, they may be distributed among groups.” In response to the above suggestion, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh said: “The practice o f Shura is that copies o f the recommenda tions o f the sub-committee are not supplied to all the delegates.The recommendations can, however, be taken up one by one, as I have already instructed.The report which has been provided to Wakil ATa is incomplete.I do not know who supplied it to him.It was not the same that was presented to me, and that is why he had to wait so long.It has, therefore, been decided that, instead o f 296

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the S ystem of M ush A warat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya taking up the nine recommendation all at once, each should be taken up separately.But it is not our practice to circulate copies o f the report among the delegates.” [Report Majlis-e-Sfaura 1976, pp.156-157] The same problem came up on yet another occasion.A member suggested that the report o f a sub-committee is sometimes so long that delegates cannot remember all its points.But Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IIIrh replied that it was not that long, only one item had been read out.The delegate agreed but said that some reports are very long.Hudur said: according to our procedure, the entire report is first read out so that members may get an overview of the recommendations.But if the report contains twenty points, they are not discussed all at once, each point is taken up and discussed individually.Your objection, therefore, is not valid.The delegate again requested that if copies o f the rec ommendations could be supplied to the delegates it would facilitate things.Hudur said: “Making copies o f the report would only be necessary if the whole o f the report was to be taken up all at once, but when the recommendations have to be taken up one by one, and each item is read out a second time, there is no justification for it.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1979, pp-105-106] G eneral O bservations regarding the S ub -C ommittee R eports As already mentioned, the Shura sub-committees pre pare their reports after a detailed discussion upon all the 29 7

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya issues involved, after which their recommendations are presented before the Shura for deliberation.Some issues relating to the proposals are at times highlighted before the actual discussion begins, and at times some instruc tions are also given as to how the discussion should take place.In this regard, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra gave the following guidelines: “It should be remembered for the future, and I should be reminded o f it next year, that when the report o f a sub committee has been presented, a time lim it should be set, both for those who are presenting the recommendations and those who are commenting on them.This can be done after the list o f speakers has been prepared.If the number o f speakers is small, more time can be allocated to each speaker, but in case a large number o f delegates wish to speak, they w ill have to be given less time.These instructions should be noted for the future.Some members are not aware o f the rights they have in respect o f the budget.They think that when the budget is being discussed their view s should be confined to the budget.The fact is that general speeches can be made while the budget is being discussed, and the members can comment on the working o f every Department.Some members think that they can make their observa tions only in respect o f the Nazarat which has initiated a proposal, but this is also not correct.If, for example, a Nazarat does not come up with a proposal for ten years, does it mean that it shall not be able to benefit from the advice o f the delegates? When the budget is taken up for discussion, every member can offer his ideas for overall improvement, wherever it is called for.If proper attention 298

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the S ystem of mush A warat in J am A' at - e -A hmadiyya is not being paid to Tarbiyyat, the shortcomings o f the concerned Nazarat can be pointed out.A member made a suggestion about the translation o f the Holy Quran.This was correct and justified.Such observations keep me up to date with the thinking o f the members and also draw my attention to the relevant issues.There is no time for it now, but members should remember this in future.When the budget is presented in other organizations, the members sometimes propose a reduction in the expenses o f a Department in order to criticize its work.But this is not necessary in our case.Members can express their opinions without resorting to such tactics.” V y [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1937, pp.137-138] W hy some I ssues N eed to be D iscussed B eforehand Once, some members o f a sub-committee misunderstood a proposal and thought that it was aimed at establishing a university by the Jama'at.Commenting on their rec ommendations, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra observed: “The report has been read out, but I w ill now deviate from the routine and w ill state my own observations be fore inviting members to offer their views.Let me first explain what w ill happen if we take up the proposal as understood by the sub-committee.The committee mem bers seem to have thought that the proposal was aimed at establishing a university under the British Charter.I be lieve that it is a mere waste o f time to discuss such a proposal at this juncture, because w e do not have even a fraction o f the money and resources that are required to establish such a university...A nd even if w e are able to establish a university under the British Charter some 30, 40 or 50 years from now, it is useless to discuss it now.299

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya There is no doubt that some matters have to be consid ered even a thousand years in advance, but it is futile at this moment to consider whether 20 or 25 members should manage a university which may be established sometime in the future.When the time comes for imple menting such a project, people w ill work out the necessary details.The only issues we should take up at this stage are those which may cause future generations to go astray if we do not provide proper guidance about them now.The matter o f establishing a university does not fall into this category.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1940, pp.30-33J V ague and U nclear R ecommendations T* Hadrat Khallfatul Masih III made the following obser vations regarding such recommendations: “The recommendations o f the sub-committee are not specific.In item number 1, it has been recommended that parents who can send their children to Rabwah for memorizing the Holy Quran should do so.This is a vague recommendation.If parents o f one thousand chil dren opt to make use o f this opportunity, do we have enough provisions in the budget to cater for them? The sub-committee has made no recommendations for such an eventuality.Thus its recommendations are vague.If the suggestion had been for accommodating 20 children this year, it would have been possible, but it w ill become impossible if we say that all children who wish to memo rize the Holy Quran may benefit from the scheme.Such recommendations do not go beyond offering goodly counsel.O f course a word o f good advice can be in cluded in Mushawarat, but on the whole only concrete recommendations should be presented here which help 300

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the progress o f the Jama'at.The recommendation that children should be sent here for this purpose is not worth being considered in Mushawarat.If one thousand chil dren turn up for the Quran memorizing class, has the committee made an estimate o f the expenditure that would be involved? And how many teachers would be required? Have you considered how many teachers are presently available? Thus the committee has not given due thought to the details which would have facilitated the implementation o f this scheme.The recommenda tions made are vague and ambiguous, and you still suggest that I should accept them as they are?” (Report Majlis-e-Shura 1975, p.148] P roposals R elating to the R ules of S adr A njuman A hmadiyya After the establishment of Majalis-e-Sehat in the Jama'ats, the question o f appointing Secretary Sehat came up in the Shura in the form o f a proposal.The con cerned sub-committee’s report was in favour of the proposal.When this issue was taken up in Mushawarat, Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IVrh said: “The conclusion w e can easily draw from the statements made here is that members o f the Jama'at realize the need for such a programme, hence no one has opposed the proposal which stresses the need for paying atten tion to health.But when we consider how the Secretary w ill fit into the existing framework from the legal point o f view , w e are confronted with difficulties.What is more, this proposal has been presented in violation o f the rules.Our practice and our tradition is that if a pro posal affects a certain existing rule, then the proposer should first refer to the relevant rule.If he does not do _____________ the S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya _____________ 301

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya so, the proposal falls short o f the rules, and, as such, cannot be presented.” [Report MajUs-e-Shura 1984, p.66] D issent from the G eneral C onsensus of a S ub -C ommittee The sub-committees deliberate for several hours and then prepare their reports with general consent.These reports are signed by the President and Secretary of the committee and are then presented to the Shura for delib eration.If, however, consensus about a certain proposal is not reached, the dissenting members, provided they had entered a note o f dissent, can express their dissent ing views before the general meeting o f the Shura, with the permission of Hadrat Khallfatul Masih or his repre sentative who is presiding over the proceedings.But if a member has not entered a note of dissent, he can only speak in favour o f the proposal during the general ses sion.Expressing dissenting views at that stage would be considered contrary to the rules, and he shall not be al lowed to speak against the recommendations.In this regard, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IVrh said: “A member o f the sub-committee cannot speak against the recommendation o f the committee, unless he has al ready submitted a note o f dissent.” [Address to Majlls-e-Shura Brussels, 9 September 1992, pp.20-21] Similarly, the original proposals are not discussed in Ma- jlis-e-Shura.Only the reports o f the sub-committee are taken up for consideration.But if the majority feels that the recommendations o f the sub-committee are impracti 302

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya cable, members can be invited to offer their opinions about the original proposal.P rocedure for S uggesting an A mendment It has already been mentioned that the Shura sub committees deliberate exhaustively on the proposals, and their recommendations are presented before the Shura for further deliberation, and the views of all the dele gates o f the Shura are elicited.Sometimes, if the committee’s report has missed some point or some as pect, it can be set right through an amendment.In this context, Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IVrh said: 1.Before Majlis-e-Shura can deliberate upon a proposal, it is first taken up by a sub-committee.Thereafter the proposal is presented in the Shura in whatever form the sub-committee chooses.2.Once a proposal has come to Shura, it belongs to the Shura and the sub-committee has the authority to present it in any form, by making it better or removing any flaws in it.Thus the Shura does not deliberate upon the origi nal proposal, it only deliberates upon the proposal that is presented by the sub-committee.3.If a proposal (presented by the sub-committee) is re jected, we go back to the original proposal.You then have the right to deliberate upon the original proposal, for the proposal presented by the sub-committee has been re jected.Amendments can also be presented at this juncture.4.W hen a proposal has been read out and a member 303

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J am A‘ at ~ e -A hmadiyya stands up and says that the proposal is not good enough and he wishes to suggest an amendment, he will have to present it in writing, and not verbally...W hen an amendment has been presented, it is taken up before the proposal.5.Once a recommendation has been presented in the Shura, members o f the sub-committee are not entitled to speak against it.6.If, during the sub-committee meeting, someone is not satisfied with its report, and his conscience does not permit him to support it, he has the right to submit a note o f dissent before the end o f the sub-committee meeting.He is then free to offer any opinion in the Shura.[Address to Majlis-e-Shura Brussels, 9 September 1992, pp.18-20] V arious D irectives regarding A mendments The presentation of amendments during a discussion can be a very complicated matter.At times members present amendments upon amendments, some o f which contradict one another.It becomes difficult to decide which of the amendments should be adopted.In this regard, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mafrud1 * gave the following guidelines on various occasions: 1.Hudur’s first directive in this regard was: “The amendments which have been suggested are mak ing things very difficult, because some o f them contradict others, and some are amendments to amendments.We do not have time enough to hold lengthy discussions on them and come to some conclusion.It is also difficult for 30 4

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya me to decide which amendment I should present first.I might present the amendments in the wrong order.I con sulted Pir Akbar ‘A ll Sahib on this matter, and he thinks that if we could adopt the amendment suggested by Shaikh Bashir Ahmad Sahib, all the other amendments would be annulled.But I think it w ill not be fair to the members if we first present an amendment which results in the rejection o f all others.The general rule is that amendments which do not reject others should be pre sented first.” [Report Majli$-e-Shura 1942, p.59) 2.Discouraging the presentation o f unnecessary amend ments, Hadrat Musleh-e-Maucudra said: “We already have about 22 or 23 amendments.Even if we give five minutes to each, it would require about two hours for us to gauge the members’ view...I do believe that the delegates who come from other places are entitled to ex press their views about the budget, but they should bear in mind that Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, as well as the con cerned sub-committee, has already given due thought to these proposals.Therefore, except in rare cases, the budget does not contain items that are unnecessary or subject to criticism.But I have noticed that members at times come up with needless amendments.For a matter o f 4 or 10 ru pees, they waste so much o f everyone’s time.They ought to take into account the fact that the officers o f the Anju man who have prepared the budget, and the concerned sub-committee, must have sanctioned this expenditure for some justifiable purpose, and they must have given due thought to the matter.No one can include such expendi ture without consideration, merely to waste the Jama'at’s money.The Jama'at should give advice about fundamental 305

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya matters and issues which have a far-reaching effect, and not just fiddle with the idea o f cutting down five rupees from some contingent expenditure or slashing the station ery o f an office.I admit that while some unnecessary suggestions are made by members, they also come up with many useful ones...In future Shuras, the budget proposals should be taken up first.And this discussion should be allowed to continue even if it takes all the three days.The other items may be put o ff...As for the current budget proposals, my decision is that all amendments presented here should go to the budget sub-committee, which should consider them in its next meeting and reach a proper decision about them.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1944, pp.144-147] 3.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra also said that after the re port of each sub-committee has been presented before the Shura, a four-member board should be appointed to decide which amendment can or cannot be presented be fore the house.He said: “In future, no amendment should be presented verbally; it should be written down and handed to the Secretary o f the sub-committee whose report is being presented.If the sub-committee accepts the amendment, it shall become a part o f the recommendations o f the sub-committee.But if it is not accepted, it may be taken up for discussion.Since it is not possible for all the members o f a sub committee to come together on that occasion, and it is not enough for the Secretary alone to say whether he ap proves or rejects the amendment, it is therefore necessary 306

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T he S ystem of mushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya to set up a board representing every sub-committee, con sisting o f three members and the Secretary, and they should be present on the stage when their report is being presented.For this purpose three chairs should be placed on the stage.When an amendment is presented, this board should decide either to accept it or not, and should present its recommendation to me.The board can only accept or reject amendments which are new.The board w ill be bound to reject all proposals which have already been presented in the sub-committee and have been turned down.In future, delegates who wish to present amendments should do so in writing.A.lot o f time is wasted in the current procedure, for while an amendment is being dic tated, the rest o f the delegates have to sit idle.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1935, pp, 28-29] 4.0 n another occasion, Hudur said: “If any delegate wishes to suggest an amendment, he should do so in writing.And if a delegate wants to ex press his view s verbally, he should have his name listed for this purpose.At times delegates do not give their names in time and later express their desire to propose an amendment.This is not good.Whoever has an amend ment to present, should do so right now.Likewise, those who want to offer their views verbally should have their names listed.” [Unpublished Report Majlis-e-Shura 1947] 5.Amendments are taken up first.Regarding this rule, Hudur said.“Since amendments have to be presented first, I would like to ask your opinion about this amendment before the 3 0 7

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya sub-committee’s recommendations are presented.” [Unpublished Report Majlis-e-Shura 1948] H ow to A mend the S ub -C ommittee ’ s R ecommendations 6.The Sub-committee’s report should reflect the instruc tions given by the Khalifa, and if they do not, the delegates should propose appropriate changes through amendments.Although it is the prerogative o f the Khalifa to include the instructions he has given with re gard to the budget, etc., in the sub-committee’s report, but in order to highlight the importance o f Mushawarat, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said that the required changes in the committee’s report should be made through amendments presented by delegates.He said: “I want to say, as a matter o f principle, that in all our ex penditure w e should keep our priorities in mind.Whatever projects w e have begun and whatever money we have allocated, we should keep these in mind when suggesting future increases in the budget.Whenever more funds are available, priority should be given to fi nance these projects, so that our work does not go on haphazardly.If, for some special reason, we have to change priorities, the change should be made with the prior approval o f the Khalifa, and the request made in this connection should specify that a project which had priority should now be deferred and the money should be allocated to the new project.But before presenting this proposal, the Shura should make a decision that this pro ject should be given priority.People sometimes try to play tricks with me and ask me to approve a certain sum for a certain project.And later when I ask why something 3 0 8

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya which I had previously approved has not been accom plished, they say that the money was diverted to some other project with my approval.In such cases, the correct procedure is to first specify that a previously approved project is to be abandoned, and then to raise the question o f funds for a new project.In any case, we must outline our priorities, so that we can pursue them properly.Our work should not proceed hap hazardly, and our money should not be wasted.I instruct the sub-committees to prepare their reports bearing all this in mind.I also authorize the delegates to suggest amendments if they think that the sub committees or the finance coriimittee has not complied with my instructions.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1952, p.511 M o r e I n s t r u c t i o n s r e g a r d i n g A m e n d m e n t s (i) A proposal was once presented in Shura that people who do not pay Chanda or are in arrears should not be elected as representatives, nor should they have the right to vote in elections.An amendment was later proposed that the final clause, ‘nor should they have the right to vote in elections’, should be discarded.In response to this, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih I l f h said: “I do not accept this amendment because the implication o f this amendment would be that if 50% or 51% mem bers o f a Jama'at are in arrears in respect o f financial contributions, then, while they w ill not be entitled to hold any office o f the Jama'at, someone else can become a representative through their votes.This means that though they themselves are not eligible to come here (to 309

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya the Shura), their representatives can do so.In view o f this possibility, I do not allow this amendment to be pre sented in Shura.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1966, p.193] (ii) During another Shura, a representative raised the fol lowing question: I seek clarification about a fundamental issue.Last night when a proposal was under discussion in the sub-committee meeting, an amendment was proposed.At the time o f voting, I pointed out that we should first vote on the amendment, for this is our usual practice.But some senior gentlemen opposed this principle.I request Hudur to kindly clarify what our practice should be in such cases.Hadrat Khalifatul Masih III responded: “The amendment should be voted upon first.This is the rule.Your viewpoint is correct.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1970, p.103] (iii) Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh gave the following guidelines regarding the amendments: “Members can speak in favour o f this amendment, but if they desire to modify it they should do so in writing.In the sub-committee’s amendment, the word ‘at least’ has not been used in connection with matriculation, so you should either remain confined to the amendment as suggested by the committee, or, if you intend to add something to it, you should suggest an amendment in writing.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1984, p.34] (iv) Hudur also said: “The amendment is now before you.The procedure w ill be as follows: If delegates want to make some remarks 310

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya about it they may do so, after which the amendment w ill be put to vote.Here it is necessary to clarify that this amendment has been sought in the proposal as amended by the sub-committee.So opinions w ill first be invited regarding the amendment.If this amendment does not go through, then the amendment proposed by the sub committee w ill be put to vote.And if that fails as w ell, then the original proposal w ill be voted upon.This w ill be the procedure which the delegates should be clear about.Now, those o f you who wish to express your opin ions about this amendment should give your names.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1984, pp.63-64) (v) With regard to the procedure for commenting on an amendment proposed by a delegate, Hudur said: [English] “If the amendment had been tabled then you had a right, and everybody else had a right, to propose their names for a second discussion on the amendment.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shura 1988, p.80) (vi) When a sub-committee presents a proposal in an amended form, the amendment is first put before the house.In this regard, Hudur said: [English] “I agree.You support that idea with certain reservations and certain amendments.Those reservations and amendments were not put in black and white nor submitted by you as a separate amended proposal.So, as such, you have lost the right to discuss that amendment which does not exist.If we accept your view— I am mak ing it clear to all the audience here, all the members o f the Shura— if we accept Mrs.Salma SaTd’s view , it would not mean that automatically the first proposal on Agenda would be resurrected.It only means that this 311

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the S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya proposal w ill be rejected.The proposal o f the sub committee and the first proposal w ill also go overboard.That is where we stand in this situation.So now I call for division.Those who are in favour o f accepting the pro posal o f the sub-com m ittee...because Hidayatullah Hubsh has very rightly pointed out that the reasoning is not all correct, so forget about the reasoning part, those who agree with the proposal o f the sub-committee should raise their hands.There is only one hand which is not raised, which I can not see, but that does not matter anymore, because all the members here have raised their hands in favour o f the sub-committee’s amended proposal.So that becomes the recommendation, and I accept that recommendation.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shura 1991, p.38] (vii) Hudur mentioned the procedure to be followed when a member o f a sub-committee differs from the rec ommendations o f the sub-committee.He said: [English] “So this becomes a Tarmlm (amendment).As such an amendment should have been suggested in writ ing to the committee o f which you were a member.” Speaker: “It was presented, Sir, but it was rejected.” Hudur: “And yet you registered your right to speak in fa vour o f the rejected amendment.” Speaker: “Y es, sir.” Hudur: “That cannot be done.You see, you have the right o f dissent and you have the right to speak against the deci sion o f the committee o f which you are a member, that is very clear.But an amendment, when it is brought, is not discussed, but any other member here has a right to pro 312

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya pose another amendment.In that case first the amendment w ill be discussed and if the amendment is dropped then we w ill revert to the proposal o f the sub-committee.Other wise the amendment w ill remain the main subject o f discussion.This is the procedure which we have inherited from the past and we should not change our tradition.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shura 1991, pp.25-26] (viii) Explaining the correct procedure for presenting amendments, Hudur said: [English] “You see, first o f all let me remind you o f the correct procedure.When the sub-committee proposes an amendment, it is the amendment which is the subject o f discussion and not the original proposal.Right? Forget about the original proposal.Only when you want to re ject the amendment and adopt, partially or totally, the original proposal, can you give reference to the proposal.But the subject o f discussion is no longer the original proposal, it is just the amended form o f it.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shura 1994, pp.5-6] A b s e n c e o f t h e R e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f a J a m a ‘ a t w h i c h I n i t i a t e s a P r o p o s a l It is essential for the Jama'at which initiates a proposal to be represented in the Shura and also in the concerned sub-committee.The representative must also be present in Shura during the general discussion.But since the In ternational Majlis-e-Shura is held in London and it may be difficult for representatives from some countries to attend, Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IVrh, therefore, said that if the representative o f a country, whose proposal is in cluded in the Agenda, is unable to attend the Shura, the 313

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya proposal will still be taken up and they will be given the benefit of doubt.Hudur said: [English] “Mauritius has sent this proposal and no Mau ritian representation has remained in Shura.Why is this? In International Shura perhaps you do not apply the rules so strictly, do you? W hile in Pakistan this was a custom because it was easy for (I mean, within reach) one who participates in Shura.So it was considered essential, whichever Jama'at proposes anything representatives o f that Jama'at must be present in the Shura when the item is being discussed.But here it is a different situation.B e cause o f the global nature o f the Shura, it is not possible perhaps for every Jama'at to be here.So I w ill make this exemption, not only for this time but for the future as w ell.It should be noted down that this rule w ill be ap plied only to such cases where there should be every reason for the participation o f the proposing country.If there is not a very obvious reason, then we w ill give the benefit o f doubt and accept the discussion in absentia.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shura 1991, p.19] As already mentioned, it is essential for the representa tive of a Jama'at or country which initiates a proposal to be present in the sub-committee also.Referring to a case whereby a representative of such a Jama'at is present in Shura but not in the concerned sub-committee, Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IVrh said: [English] “No it’s not that If a proposal is considered by the sub-committee but the country which sends the pro posal originally fails to send their representative either to the Shura or to the sub-committee, then what was the atti tude o f Majlis-e-Shura towards the proposal?” (Hudur 314

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya then explained in Punjabi, and the speaker replied that Hudur’s observations were correct and such a proposal was not considered).Hudur: Shaikh Mubarak Ahmad Sahib! Shaikh Mubarak Ahmad Sahib: Sayyed!, on this point, Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IIra was very very serious; not only rejecting but also warning very severely”.Hudur: “Sometimes the warning went to the extent that in future we w ill not give you the right o f representation if you do not mend your ways.And Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IIIrt was also very particular on the presence o f all the members, to the extent that if somebody did not ap pear without any solid reason, which he presented beforehand and got permission to remain absent, that Jama" at was also warned.” Shaikh Mubarak Ahmad Sahib: “In such a situation when representative was present on the Shura and he did not at tend the Shura committee, it was more serious.” Hudur: N o, but this was the practice I remember...Shaikh Sahib: R ejected...Hudur: You support my memory? Shaikh Sahib: “Certainly, strongly support.” Hudur: “I am quite sure that this was the custom, and I personally also believe that this is my natural reaction to it, and this is in line with the reaction o f all the Khulafa before me.So we drop this proposal and send a strong note o f admonishment to South Africa.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shura 1994, p.14] 315

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Chapter IX T he H igh P oint of M ajlis - e -M ushawarat In previous chapters we have discussed at length the or ganizational structure of the Shura and the way its proceedings are conducted.Now we enter the most im portant and conclusive phase, which Hadrat Sahibzada Mirza Tahir Ahmad’s (Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IVrh) has beautifully portrayed in an extract which was included in Chapter II o f this book.In this session the reports o f the sub-committees are pre sented before the delegates to be discussed until they evolve into concrete decision with the assent o f Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh.The delegates freely discuss the pro posals o f the sub-committees.They weigh all their pros and cons, and offer their best advice to Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh.The proposals are then put to vote and become part o f the rules and regulations.In this chapter, we will discuss this procedure in detail.Members debate the proposals o f the sub-committees with great care and diligence.The gravity and solemnity and decorum with which the proposals are debated, is unparalleled.O f f e r i n g A d v i c e i s a R e l i g i o u s O b l i g a t i o n After this brief introduction, let us now take up the sub ject o f the general discussion in Shura.The first point which the delegates should bear in mind when comment ing on the recommendations o f the sub-committees, is 317

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya that the truly correct and blessed advice is the one which reflects the thoughts and feelings o f the believer, and is put forth with sincerity and pure intent.In this regard, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra has said: “One o f the qualities o f the believers mentioned in the Holy Quran is that they settle all their affairs through mutual consultation.This teaching is one o f the unique features which distinguish Islam from other faiths.Obvi ously we cannot imagine a time in human history when people did not consult one another or were averse to do ing so.From the day man was created, people have been consulting one another and shall always do so.But it is only the Holy Quran that has made it a part o f faith and an obligation.No previous scripture contains such injunc tions.The Holy Quran is the first book which has declared consultation to be a part o f faith and has called it a branch o f Islam.In this manner Islam invites our attention to two important points: First, many times the W ill o f God is in fused into the hearts o f the people at large, and His intention is reflected in the hearts and minds o f the Jama'at.Instead o f conveying His message through verbal revelation, He manifests it through the w ill o f the people.If this was not a fact, then consultation would not be an in tegral part o f faith and would not be considered a branch o f Islam.It is only in this manner that the thinking o f the people can be in harmony with the w ill o f God.Thus we leam, in the light o f the Divine injunction mentioned in the Holy Quran, that the w ill o f God does at times de scend upon the Jama'at, just as it descends upon the ears and tongues and hearts o f Prophets38...The second thing we leam is that, according to the teach ings o f Islam, all human beings are equal, and they have 3 1 8

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - b -A hmadiyya equal rights.And if someone is given greater authority for the sake o f management, it is only for the purpose o f facilitating things.It is not given to him as a birthright nor for any other reason.He represents the people and speaks on their behalf.He does not possess the rights which God has conferred upon mankind as a birthright or as personal privilege.Otherwise God would not give the injunction regarding consultations.The Holy Prophet* laid so much emphasis on consulta tion that he said, “Where there is no consultation, there is no blessing.” He said, “Neither God nor His Prophetsa needs your advice, and it is only out o f compassion that He has given you this right.” This is obvious, for consul tation means conveying something good and useful, and who would be capable o f doing such a service to God? As for the Prophet, he may be in need o f consultation as a person, but when God has provided him with every thing, he stands in no need o f consultation.But God says that consultation is a mercy for you.If the Holy Prophet* had not consulted his Companions, people who came af terwards, especially those with authoritarian tendencies, would have found an excuse for not consulting others be cause the Holy Prophet1 * did not do so.When the Holy Prophet* offered sunna prayers, it became a tradition; when he ordered the cutting o f a small part o f human flesh, it became a tradition; when he ordered the growing o f a beard, it became a tradition; so when he con sulted others, why should this not be appropriately deemed as a tradition? The Holy Prophet* used to consult others so that people would not be deprived o f the advantages with which God has imbued this process.There is a Punjabi saying: “A hundred w ise men, but the 319

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya same advice.” This means that even if a hundred w ise people are consulted, the idea proposed by one o f them, if it is correct, w ill be shared by all the others...This is why the Holy Prophetsa said that consultation was a source o f blessing, for when a person presents an idea or accepts it, he w ill also implement it with enthusiasm, and w ill be safe from any impure thoughts that might in vade his mind.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1926, Ahmadiyva Gazette 26 February 1927, pp.1-2] T h e M e t h o d o f C o n s u l t a t i o n a t t h e T i m e o f t h e H o l y P r o p h e t sa In past chapters we have already given a detailed account o f the Holy Prophet’ssa method of consultation.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra adopted the same method.He said: “Now I shall explain the method adopted by the Holy Prophetsa and his successors with regard to consultation.They would hold their consultations in three ways: (1) When consultation was required in any matter, a per son would go round making an announcement, and people would assemble.This was the common method; a general announcement would be made, people would gather and consultations would be held, and the final decision would be made by the Holy Prophet5 * 1or his K halifa...(2) Another method was that the H oly Prophetsa would summon only those whom he considered competent to advise on a particular matter, and not others.History tells us that the number o f these people would be around thirty.At times the H oly Prophet*a would consult them all together, and at others he would consult three or four o f them at a time.320

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya (3) The third method was that when the Holy Prophetsa did not consider it expedient to consult even two people at one time, he would call them one by one.He would talk to one and send him away before talking to the next.He would adopt this method when he feared that differ ence o f opinion might create some sort o f hostility between the people.These were the three methods employed in those days, and all o f them were very useful.I, too, use the same methods.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1922, pp.6-7] A d v i c e s h o u l d b e O f f e r e d I m p a r t i a l l y Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra would stress that members should remain impartial during the proceedings of Mushawarat.Elaborating upon this basic principle of Islam, Hudur observed: “Do remember that people who are offering opinions may have their personal differences, but when it comes to offering advice, the focus should be on the subject matter and not on the person who has given the opinion.It would be extremely mean to oppose something merely because it has been presented by someone with whom you have differences.Here I am only supposing that a member o f our Jama'at can have such feelings against another.But even it were so, no one should speak against another merely on the basis o f personal antagonism.Nor should he allow the harshness o f someone’s tongue to af fect his own opinion.A ll such things w ill only lead us astray and w ill only do us harm.Now let me say that we must keep two things in mind when making our decisions.Firstly, we should not forget 321

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya that in every community, there are two kinds o f people: the strong and the weak.The strong should not think that everyone should be as strong as they are.Similarly, the weak should not think that others should also become weak.The powerful w ill have to reduce their strength, and the weak w ill have to enhance theirs, only then can they work together.This idea can be elaborated with the example o f a strong bullock and a weak one, both wear ing the same yoke to pull a cart.Their collective effort is the average o f their individual strength.The stronger is re quired to slow down a bit, and the weaker one has to exert him self a bit more.So when giving advice you should opt for the middle way: do not place such heavy burden as it cannot be lifted by the weak, and do not become so indul gent that it becomes impossible to move forward.The second point which you should take into account while offering advice is that this Jama'at has been set up by God, and its progress does not depend on our efforts, but only upon His help and succour.Our own worthless ness should not worry us.Regardless o f what we are, the objectives that we are required to achieve have been set out by God, and it is He Who has entrusted them to us and has commanded us to move forward to achieve them.Our faith and trust in God demands that we should con sider ourselves worthy o f achieving these objectives.No w ise man would entrust the task o f a grown up to a child.No king would assign the m ission meant for a general to a sepoy.How then can we imagine that God would en trust a task to us which we are unable to accomplish, and that He should oblige us to achieve objectives which we are powerless to achieve.N o one knows our weakness and helplessness more than 322

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya ourselves.The enemy thinks that we are weak and tries to crush us, while the fact is that we are even weaker than he can imagine.Just a few days ago, a man, who was bursting with pride at the thought that his movement was gaining strength in the Punjab, boasted that he would crush the Ahmadiyya Jama'at.If I were a slave to my ego, I would have said, “Who are you to crush us? It is we who shall crush you!” But I only smiled at him, and I thought that the Jama'at which he claims he is going to crush is even weaker than he thinks.I smiled again, for he does not know in Whose lap we are sitting.He con siders him self to be a wrestler and view s our Jama'at as a child.He raises his hand at it and claims that he w ill trample it underfoot.Now , if he indeed considers him self a wrestler and the Jama'at a weakling, he should be ashamed o f making such claims before a mere child.If only he had eyes, and he could only see that the child is sitting in the lap o f its Father, compared to Whom the power o f the entire world is like a mosquito, and all the powerful people o f the world are but like ants! O f course the opponent can crush the Jama'at if we consider only the physical means, but this Jama'at is protected by Him, Whom no one can fight and He can reduce the greatest enemy to dust within the twinkling o f an e y e...Here we pledge before God that we shall do such and such work during the next year, but those who are weak forget this promise, and this is what obstructs the implementation o f our decisions, and stops us from making the utmost sac rifices.When offering their opinions, members should keep these things in mind.While they should have faith in God, they should also employ the physical m eans...It is hoped that all o f you w ill deliberate upon the issues 323

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - b -A hmadiyya with sincerity and Taqwa, and w ill keep both these things in mind: faith, and making use o f the available means.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1932, pp.9-18] A n o t h e r F u n d a m e n t a l P r i n c i p l e o f M a j l i s - e - S h u r a When offering their suggestions, the delegates address themselves to Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh.They neither ad dress any particular member o f the Jama'at nor speak in personal terms.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra has said: “The etiquette o f this meeting requires every speaker to understand that there is only one person whom they should address, namely, the Khalifa.As long as a dele gate is here, he should be oblivious o f those sitting on his right or left, and should imagine that he alone is address ing the Khalifa.If the delegates do not keep this point in mind, the very purpose o f consultation would be de feated, especially if they imagine that their aim is to contradict others.In fact, it is for the Khalifa to accept or reject any point raised by a delegate.Their duty is only to express their ideas and to say no more.When this rule is violated, it can result in heated arguments and strong words.But when you are addressing the Khalifa, it is not your right to reject or condemn what has been said by another delegate.I hope you w ill also keep in mind that even though a delegate may speak against the opinion o f another, it should not be taken personally.No personal consideration should ever find their way into our discus sions.If someone makes a mistake you should not dwell on it.If this principle is not observed, the result w ill be that when one person has expressed his opinion, another w ill stand up to contradict him, and then a third would contradict the second.This w ill result in a tussle and 3 2 4

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THE SYSTEM OF MUSHAWARAT IN JAMA‘AT-E-AHMADIYYA people w ill forget the etiquette that have to be observed in the presence o f the Khalifa.I am afraid that if the delegates do not observe these principles, I w ill have to enforce them and might even have to stop such members from speaking.We come here to win the approbation o f Allah, to plan for the progress o f Islam and to help im plement the schemes which w ill ensure its progress.How can we enhance our prestige merely by condemning the opinion o f another person as unreasonable, and declaring our own views to be beyond criticism? Wisdom comes from God, for it depends on knowledge, and He grants true knowledge.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1937, pp.54-55] L Hadrat Khalifatul Masih III also forbade delegates from criticizing one another.He said: “Members should remember that we have come here to ' seek advice, to listen to advice and to offer advice.Some delegates use words o f criticism, which is improper.When someone has expressed an opinion, there is no rea son to oppose him by name.Each o f you has to give his advice to me, and if you disagree you must express your disagreement.This is what is expected from consultation.But w e should always avoid using unbecoming words.” [Report Majlis-c-Shura 1969, pp.252-253] During Majlis-e-Shura International 1992, a delegate started addressing the audience along with the Chair.Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh corrected him and said: [English] “You should address the Chair only.This is the tradition o f the Jama'at, please.You should only address the Chair, not the members.” [Report International Majlis-e-Shura, 1992, pp.17-18] 325

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmaimyya I t i s w r o n g t o I n s i s t u p o n O n e ’ s O p i n i o n The delegates should express their opinions only when they are asked to do so, and they should stop immediately when asked to stop.They must not insist on their point of view.In this context, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “The proceedings o f Mushawarat w ill now begin.I would like to advise friends to make sure that no time is wasted.Let there be no repetition in the speeches, and when all the arguments have been put forward, no one should stand up to speak unless he has some new argument for or against the proposal, and unless he is asked to do so.For better management o f the proceedings, I usually ap point an assistant and I shall do the same now.When he announces that delegates who wish to speak on a particu lar issue should give in their names, they should give their names.They should also say whether they w ill speak for the proposal or against it.And when he asks them to stop speaking, they should do so at once and should not insist on completing their speech.Consulta tion is important but this does not justify violation o f the rules.Even if your advice is a useful one, it should be rendered in keeping with the rules.If you sit down when you are told, your advice w ill produce better results.” [Report Majlis-e~Shura 1936, pp.47-48J P r o p e r P r o c e d u r e f o r D e b a t e Although, as mentioned previously, a specific procedure has been laid down for enlisting the names of those who wish to comment on the recommendations o f a sub committee, it is quite possible that a very useful sugges tion might occur to a delegate during the discussion.In 326

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the S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmaditya such a case, even if the delegate has not already enlisted his name, the Assistant to the Chair can still permit him to address the house.Elucidating this point, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “Although, this procedure has been explained time and again, it is still necessary to mention it for the benefit o f those who are attending the Shura for the first time, or those who come from Jama'ats which have only re cently been formed.I, therefore, deem it necessary at the outset to repeat my instructions regarding the offer ing o f proposals.(1) I want to inform the members that I have appointed Pir Akbar ‘All Sahib to take down the names o f those who want to express their view s about any proposal.Therefore, when a proposal is presented, those who wish to express their view s about it should give their names to Pir Sahib.It has often been noticed that delegates do not give their names at first, and later express their desire to speak.This causes disturbance in the proceedings.So let me remind the delegates that those who are keen to speak about a proposal should give their names immediately af ter it has been presented.O f course it is possible that someone may not realize the importance o f the proposal in the beginning and may not offer to speak on it, and might wish to speak when he realizes its significance, but this happens very rarely.Nevertheless, Pir Sahib has the authority to allow anyone to speak, if he considers it nec essary.But this should only happen as an exception and not as a rule.Delegates who give their names for speak ing about the proposals should also mention the Jama'at they represent.W hile this w ill eliminate any chance o f the names getting mixed up, it w ill also tell us which 32 7

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T he S ystem of M ushawakat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmaimyya Jama1at has tendered which advice, and this record might be o f use in the future, for a Jama1at might say that it was not o f a certain opinion, while the same opinion had been expressed by its own representative.So when a proposal is presented, PIr Sahib w ill write down the names o f those who offer their names to speak about it, and this must be done immediately after the proposal has been presented.Exceptions can later be made if a supplementary question arises or somebody wishes to speak after realizing the importance o f the pro posal.It w ill be upon PIr Sahib to accord such permission, or perhaps I m yself might permit someone.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1937, pp.14-15] rh Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IV also elaborated upon this procedure in the following terms: (1) When a proposal is presented people are invited to speak on it.Those who wish to speak raise their hands and their names are noted by the person who is assisting the Chair.(2) It is not mandatory to note the names of all who wish to speak.At times, if there are a lot o f people who desire to speak and the time is short, the Chair can say that a certain number of speakers are enough.(3) If the discussion has ended and a delegate believes that his point o f view has not been presented by anyone, the Chair may give him permission to speak.[Address to Majlis-e-Shura Brussels, 9 September 1992, pp.21-22] 328

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s a r e B o u n d t o E x p r e s s t h e V i e w s o f t h e i r J a m a ‘ a t s a s w e l l During the general discussion, the representatives shall be bound to express the views o f their respective Jama'ats.If their personal point o f view is different, they are free to express it, but they must clearly outline the viewpoint of their Jama'at and then state their own view.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra clarified this point in the fol lowing words: “You must keep in mind that you are the representatives o f your respective Jama'ats.Hence w e expect that you have consulted the members o f your Jama'ats about all the proposals contained in the Agenda.If your own opin ion and the opinion o f the majority members o f your Jama'at is the same, then you should present that opin ion, and if the Jama'at has not given an opinion, you should then express your own view s.But if your opinion is not the same as the opinion o f the members o f your Jama'at, then you should present their opinion as w ell because your Jama'at has reposed confidence in you.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1933, p.14] During Mushawarat 1943, Hudur also said: “O f course w e allow the delegates to present their own view points as w ell, but their main responsibility is to present the view s o f the Jama'ats which they represent.Islam does not permit that any individual should be de nied the right to express him self, nevertheless, a delegate does not have the right to ignore the consensus o f the Jama'at whose majority has nominated him as its representative.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1943, p.22] 329

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya When the proposal under discussion was put to vote, Hudur said: “It appears that 116 out o f 228 delegates have come here having consulted their respective Jama'ats, while some have not done so.Henceforth all representatives should consult their Jama'ats before coming here.When they stand up to speak, they should first present the consensus o f their Jama'ats, and then, if their personal opinion is different, they may add that these were the view s o f their Jama'at, but they personally do not agree with them and such and such is their own opinion.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1943, p.25] P r o c e d u r e f o r D e l i b e r a t i n g u p o n t h e S u b - C o m m i t t e e R e p o r t s The Chairmen of the sub-committees present their re ports and delegates are invited to offer their views on each of the recommendations.The Assistant to the Chair prepares a list o f those who wish to express their views and then invites them to speak one by one.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra has mentioned the following four points with regard to deliberating upon the reports o f the sub-committees: “Members o f our Jama'at should observe the etiquette pe culiar to our Jama'at, particularly when they stand up to speak.I shall appoint someone to invite the delegates to speak one by one.He w ill see who has stood up first and w ill invite them to speak in the same order.But even if he is mistaken in this regard, his decision w ill have to be fol lowed.Secondly, when you express your opinion, you should neither contradict nor criticize one another, for this causes a breach in harmony.330

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Thirdly, do not keep repeating the same things.Speak only if yon have something new to say.Everyone w ill have a chance to express his views when the proposal is put to vote.However, if a member has not expressed his ideas very w ell, another one can do so, but the task o f inviting members to speak w ill have to be carried out more responsibly.Delegate who stands up to speak should first pray.The nations o f the past were by no means inferior to us in their power and unity, in fact they excelled us in every thing, but just see in what ways they were led astray!” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1924, pp.12-13] With regard to deliberating upon the reports o f the sub committees, Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IVrh said: [English] “The report o f the first committee w ill be read before you now by the President o f the committee, and after he has finished, we w ill take up the matter one after the other, point by point.And then we w ill invite obser vations, comments, recommendations, etc.So those who want to participate should raise their hands.One after the other we w ill call them to stand up and announce their names.Once their name is recorded, they w ill be re quested to sit down.After we have finished this, their names w ill be called in the same order, (sometimes slightly changed order), one after the other, and that is going to be the first round and the last round.If you do not make up your mind to participate, then you have missed the bus.Unless sometimes an amendment is moved, then new comments are invited and in that case you are given again an opportunity.And again some times I need an expert opinion.So I invite some others 331

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya who have not given their names, that is, offered their comments themselves.So this is the tradition o f the Ma- jlis-e-Shura which w e should always keep in mind.The purpose o f these explanations is that, whenever you return home, you conduct Shura in the same style as it has al ways been conducted in Qadian and later on in Rabwah, so that we have uniformity and universality o f character.Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya develops exactly on the same lines and the same style in every country o f the world.” (Report International Majlis-e-Shura 1988, pp.153-154] V a r i o u s F o r m s o f C o n s u l t a t i o n a n d M a i n O b j e c t i v e o f S h u r a Consultation can take various forms.If a person honestly believes something to be correct, or conceives a good idea, he must present it before Khallfatul Masih, and should not keep it to himself.This form o f consultation goes on round the year.The second form o f consultation is when workers o f the Jama'at seek guidance from Hadrat Khallfatul Masih, or he seeks advice from them.The third form of advice is Majlis-e-Mushawarat, which is held every year.In this forum delegates from the Jama'ats submit their opinions before Hadrat Khalifatul Masih.Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh had the following to say about these three forms of consultation: “The Holy Quran says i.e., consult them all.These consultations are o f two kinds.First, there are the consultations which go on round the year and they can be divided into different categories.A Nazir or an office bearer can seek advice regarding his work, or the Khalifa 332

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya can seek advice from anyone he chooses regarding vari ous matters.The second form, which is really wonderful, is that when a new idea comes into the mind o f a person, he sends it to me.I say it is wonderful because it gives me satisfaction.Everything has various aspects, and some even have thousands o f aspects.A member o f the Jama'at who realizes only two aspects o f a matter advises me accordingly.But all the other aspects, say ninety- eight out o f a hundred, were not known to him or he never thought about them.Likewise, some other member may visualize fifty to fifty-five aspects o f an issue, and yet another may have understood five to ten aspects.Thus I receive communication from various people cov ering almost all aspects o f an issue.And if a member has sent a proposal with only two or four aspects in mind, the proposal has to be rejected when it is considered in all its aspects.But the person who puts forward such a proposal gets the Divine reward for his good deed.I, on my part, am also pleased to see that members o f the Jama'at are taking keen interest in the affairs o f the Jama'at.At times, fifty members o f the Jama'at shed light over a hundred aspects o f an issue, or provide me with a small portion o f some news, and the other portion is provided by other members, and thus, by piecing together all their information, a complete picture o f the issue or the news or the incident emerges.Something positive does emerge from the various suggestions.Therefore, the injunction does not mean that every one’s advice w ill be accepted.If fifty people give contradicting opinions on one issue, how is it possible to accept them all? Out o f the fifty different opinions, I w ill deduce some important points and try to utilize them.So if 333

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya someone is led astray by Satan and says, what is the use o f my giving advice when it is not accepted.He w ill be wrong to think in this way, for everyone must offer his advice to me.Whenever an idea comes to someone’s mind he must send it to me, because some o f these ideas turn out to be very important.For example, a certain important issue may need to be brought to the knowledge o f the Jama'at, o f which only two or three aspects have been brought to my attention.I thus realize how people have been mistaken in this matter.I then study the whole situation and inform the Jama1 at about the true state o f affairs...Hence, the injunction does not only mean that people should come to Majlis-e-Mushawarat and offer their advice.The process o f giving and seeking advice continues throughout the year.I have explained the differ ent forms o f the process.It is almost a daily routine that some consultation is needed or offered on one matter or the other.At times I receive a letter or a report that a cer tain individual has made some hypocritical remarks.At times, the person concerned is not a hypocrite at all, but has said something out o f ignorance.But the one who hears him, being a sincere Ahmad!, writes to me that such and such a person has said such and such thing which was not appropriate.At times we have to make such a person understand that the concerned individual has only spoken out o f ignorance and he is really not a hypocrite.When Hadrat Musleh-e-M au‘udra was assaulted, Khud- damul Ahmadiyya became suspicious about a person who was a hypocrite, but the basis on which he was sus pected was wrong.He was followed and some information was gathered about him which was presented to Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra and he was told that this 3 3 4

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THE SYSTEM OF MUSHAWARAT INJAMA‘AT-E-AHMADIYYA person had been suspected and followed for such and such reasons.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said, what you say is right but the inference you draw is wrong.His real hypocrisy is that he has dubious links with a certain per son and that is why he has acted in this way.The way Khuddamul Ahmadiyya has come to the conclusion that he is a hypocrite, is wrong, although this man is a hypo crite in another sense.When such things keep coming from members on a daily basis, they are very useful.In this way our system o f con sultation remains established.Our Jama'at should, therefore, be in the habit o f conveying to the Markaz every idea, every suggestion, and anything which they consider to be inappropriate and against the norms o f the Jama'at.In this way they w ill have discharged their obligation.The second form o f Mushawarat is the consultation for which we all gather here.By the grace o f God, about five hundred members o f the Jama'at, belonging to all walks o f life, hailing from different districts, and having differ ent levels o f education, gather here for Mushawarat.Some o f them did not have the opportunity to go to schools when they were young, but in the circumstances it was no fault o f theirs.But they are godly people.They may not know how to write or to put down their signa ture, but it does not mean that they are uneducated.These people listen to the lectures and sermons delivered in our mosques, particularly on the occasion o f Jalsa Salana, and for this reason they are considered educated despite being unlettered.Many o f them can talk confidently to a graduate from Government College Lahore, and we see many such instances.Thus people with all sorts o f qualifications and experi- 335

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya ence come together at Mushawarat.It is the duty o f each one o f them to put forward any good idea or suggestion that comes to his mind.By the grace o f Allah, the dele gates are free from the disease o f hypocrisy.(Allah knows best.) So you should speak confidently, but also briefly and to the point.Do not speak about irrelevant things.Some members are fond o f making speeches, and it is not a bad thing, but this is not the place for it.Mem ber who like to make speeches should tell me, I w ill arrange for them to make a speech in the mosque.It is an admirable talent, but is not required on this occasion.Therefore, any proposal which the delegates wish to pre sent must be brief and to the point.Speak freely and sensibly.Presenting your arguments point by point is also very useful.Long speeches confuse many people and irritate others.There is no reason to unnecessarily unnerve and annoy your brothers.So let everyone speak, but briefly.And let everyone give advice, but in a concise manner and after proper thought.This is the main objective o f Majlis-e-Mushawarat.Every idea should be presented in the form o f a proposal, and if something is unclear it should be pointed out.If you do not understand something you are free to ask.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1973, pp.10-14] G u i d i n g P r i n c i p l e f o r T h o s e w h o T a k e P a r t i n t h e D i s c u s s i o n Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh IVrh gave the following advice to those who offer their views upon various issues in the Shura.He said: “I want to advise those who offer advice in the Shura.An AhmadI must have a very clear mind.At this moment a proposal has been presented before us and we have to 3 3 6

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya give our advice as to whether it is practicable or not.We have to focus our attention on whether or not adopting this idea w ill be useful for the Jama'at.The third opinion may be that the proposal is irrelevant, and it does not ad dress the actual problem.Hence the proposals in this connection should be specific, so that our time is not wasted.For instance, you can say that the proposal does not address the actual problem, and, therefore, does not offer the proper solution, and that such and such is the proper solution.Now there is no time to present this new solution as a new proposal and to give it a legal shape, but it w ill serve as a useful advice, and I believe there is no harm in stating this opinion.” (Report Majlis-e-Shura 1983, p.67] T h e O u t c o m e o f C o n s u l t a t i o n When Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra formally established Majlis-e-Mushawarat in 1922, he gave the following guidelines: “Our aim is not to vote and make decisions, but, in ac cordance with Islamic traditions, our aim is to learn the various points o f view and to discern the various aspects o f the proposals, so that what is useful can be adopted.In this age people might say, “Why not base our decisions upon the votes?” But our religion has prescribed for us, jAlJcJfjS* cUyc-lj) i.e., ‘Seek advice, but when you have made a decision, do not worry about what people w ill say.’ This has all along been the practice in Islam.For in stance, when an attack was launched on Persia, the enemy destroyed a bridge and many Muslims were mar tyred.Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas wrote back that if immediate assistance was not forthcoming, the Muslims would be 3 3 7

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya defeated and the enemy would enter Arabia.Hadrat ‘Umar” sought advice in this matter, and everyone said that the Khalifa him self should go into battle.Hadrat ‘A ll” alone remained silent.When Hadrat ‘Umar” no ticed this, he asked him why he was silent and whether he was against this opinion.He said he was.When he was asked the reason, he said that the Khalifa must not be involved in battles.His job is to aid the warriors.A na tion which puts everything at stake, and no one is left behind to help it, is soon destroyed.Thus if the Muslims are defeated despite your presence, they w ill have no where to go and the enemy w ill conquer Arabia.Hadrat ‘Umar” agreed with him and did not go into battle.It, therefore, becomes clear that the purpose o f consulta tion is not to cast votes but to find out really useful ideas.In the end, the opinion o f a few or even a single person might be accepted.This was the system followed by the Companions, and this is what we learn from the Holy Quran, and it should suffice for a man o f insight.But since the opposite thinking is current these days, I w ill speak a little about the advantages o f this system, which certainly are more than those followed by the Anjuman, and the defects that are cited in this system are present in that system as w ell.Majority opinion is, in fact, not the opinion o f the majority; rather there is one man—the leader— who influences the opinions o f others.It is not the majority but only a comparison o f who is able to at tract more votes.This is also what happens in the Parliament, where members vote to save the government.Not everyone is competent enough to form a correct opinion, therefore, most people follow others.Even those who have an opinion o f their own are influenced by those 3 3 8

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T he S ystem of mushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya who are more powerful, and ultimately join them.Thus one party competes with the other and a constant wran gling goes on.But this does not happen in the Shura, for here there is no concept o f group or partisanship.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1922, pp.13-14] T h e D i s c u s s i o n s s h o u l d b e R e s u l t O r i e n t e d To see what role Majlis-e-Shura plays in accomplishing the aims and objectives o f Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya, we have to look at the results that come out o f Shura.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra enlightened the Jama'at about this aspect, and said: “The sign o f a foolish person in this world is that he wastes away his time, while the w ise one uses his time to advantage.We all get together annually for this conven tion, where we have discussions and debates.Some even * get carried away in their speeches, while others stress their opinions as if heavens would fall if they are not ac cepted.What we really need to see is the result that comes out o f these discussions.If our faith and our fel low beings do not benefit from our discussions and debates, then this gathering cannot be the way to attain Allah’s pleasure and His blessings.If we gather here just for fun, and go through the proceedings by force o f habit, and then go back home like an opium-eater who takes his dose o f opium and feels very satisfied, then this gather ing cannot benefit us in any way, and it cannot be the means o f attaining Allah’s approbation.It cannot be o f any good either for our own selves or for the JamaJat.The representative o f every Jama'at can him self realize how far this convention has been useful for the members individually and for the Jama'at as a whole.It is quite 339

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya possible that this convention may be very useful for some Jama'ats and for some individuals, but not at all for other Jama'ats and other individuals.It is very difficult for me to decide how far this participation results in the spiritual progress o f individuals and Jama'ats; they alone can judge it.But there is one thing which each o f us, who is informed enough, can judge; and it is the overall result o f our efforts.But even from this point o f view , the results o f this Majlis-e-Shura have not been as good as they should have been, for we do not see the zeal and the fer vour which the representatives should have inspired in the members o f their Jama'ats when they go back to them.In view o f the overall results, I can say that our Majlis-e-Shura is not fulfilling the objectives which it ought to fulfil.” [Report Majlis-c-Shura 1936, pp.2-3) B u s i n e s s I n s t i t u t i o n s o f t h e J a m a ‘ a t Once a proposal was presented in Shura regarding the opening of branches or agencies of the Book Depot, and members discussed the conditions that should be placed on such contracts.Commenting upon this discussion, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “In my opinion, we cannot allow this proposal to be pre sented before the house, for this w ill mean that the Shura w ill take over even the limited authority that is exercised by the workers o f the Jama'at.The Book Depot is also one o f our Departments.We can instruct them to open new branches and to give books on loan, but to define the conditions for such transactions is not the work o f Mushawarat.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1927, p.25] 340

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya W hen the K halifa E xpresses his O pinion B efore the V ote It is a normal practice that when the recommendations of the sub-committee have been discussed and the matter is yet to be put to vote, Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh sheds light on various aspects o f the issue.On one such occasion, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra expressed his views before the vote, but he also made it clear that this was his view and not his decision.He said, “I have often explained, and it is evident from the sunna o f the Holy Prophetsa, that he would at times express his own opinion before asking the advice o f his Companions.People should not be unduly influenced by this, for a believer gives the opinion which he truly considers to be correct.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1939 p.128] After these preliminary remarks, Hudur expressed his opinion upon the matter.P rocedure for R aising P oints relating to the B udget At times long discussions take place on the budget of Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, and various objections are raised in the process.In this regard, Hadrat Musleh-e- M au‘udra said: “I am sorry to say that the instruction I gave in 1929-30 has again been overlooked.I had directed that objections regarding the budget should be sent to the committee which deliberates upon the budget.But this has not been done and a lot o f time has been wasted.This was not the time to raise such objections.These objections should have been sent to the sub-committee.An additional ad vantage in following my directive was that others would 341

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya also have an opportunity to ponder over the budget.Here only the delegates can deliberate upon it, and the dele gates are not necessarily the only people who can come up with useful suggestions.At times even a child can have a very useful idea.Issues which should be raised here are those which relate to the structure o f the budget, or to things that have not been properly understood, but it has to be directly related to the budget.” [Report Majli$-e-Shura 1939, pp.151-152] A dvantages of D ebating the B udget P roposals Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra viewed the debate upon the budget, and its scrutiny by the members as a positive thing.He said: “The discussion we have just had on the budget con tained a lot o f useful points.I feel that, by the grace o f Allah, the Jama'at has progressed considerably in this di rection.In the beginning, the scrutiny would at times take the complexion o f non-Ahmadis whereby certain ques tions are put to an officer on the basis o f their mutual friendship or antagonism.But this practice has now been reduced and w e feel that the questions are necessary and appropriate.If we continue in the manner, we can re move the flaws in our system and improve it considerably.I have already said that we do not follow the procedure which is adopted by the outside world, and we certainly do not approve o f it, for in that system opin ions go beyond being an expression o f ideas and become solid proposals.On the other hand, in spite o f the fact that the budget proposals are examined and questioned by the delegates every year, and this is proving to be more and more useful, Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya has so 342

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya far failed to benefit from this process.The delegates are offering very healthy criticism, but the question is, how best can we m ate use o f it.I w ill take up this question this year and w ill tell you how these discussions can prove useful.The Private Secretary appoints certain people to record the proceedings o f Majlis-e-Mushawarat.In view o f the arrangements that have been made in this regard, it is the duty o f the Private Secretary to produce a clear text o f the debate upon the budget as soon as possible.Since this part o f the proceedings is not very lengthy, it should be completed within two to three weeks.It is the Private Secretary’s duty to send a copy o f this part o f the pro ceedings to the Investigative Committee, which shall be bound to deliberate upon it and send it to Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya within three months, with recommendations as to which o f the points are acceptable and need atten tion, and which are not acceptable.Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya should then deliberate upon this report dur ing the next three months and issue instructions to the relevant Departments regarding the suggestions which it considers to be workable.A report should then be sub mitted at the next Shura outlining the proposals that were recommended by the Investigative Committee and those which were adopted by the Anjuman, and the form in which they were adopted.The report should also specify which proposals were rejected and the reasons thereof.This report must be submitted in every next Shura.In this way the debate and criticism on the budget w ill not be in vain, and our arguments w ill be translated into practice and the procedure w ill pass through a defined course.The resolution w ill first be presented in the Shura, then it 343

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya w ill be considered by the Investigative Committee, which is the representative body o f the Majlis-e-Shura, and then it w ill be presented before the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, which is the body representing the Majlis ‘Amila.Both the bodies w ill then give practical shape to the recommendations after considering them, and de tailed report w ill be submitted to the next Shura.This shall provide an opportunity for me and the delegates to know how far the recommendations have actually been implemented.If we observe that due attention has not been paid to a certain proposal, we may decide to include it in the future programme.I prescribe this procedure be cause by following it we can derive full advantage from the debate that is held upon the budget.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1943, pp.129-131] F ormation of the S tanding F inance C ommittee Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra set up a Standing Committee comprising ten members to formally consider all the fi nancial aspects o f the proposals related to the budget of Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, and it later came to be known as the Standing Finance Committee.Hudur laid out the following objectives for this committee: “This committee has been set up to consider in detail all the aspects o f the budget, so that we may not do anything that we may later regret.Quarterly meetings o f this com mittee shall be held halfway through the year in Markaz.Its task shall be to thoroughly consider all the aspects which are likely to affect our budget in one way or the other.At the same time, it shall also propose schemes to augment our income.This committee w ill forward its rec ommendations to Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya on all the 34 4

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the S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya different issues, after which they shall be submitted to the Khalifa for final approval.Thus every year the committee w ill fully scrutinize the budget proposals before they are presented to the Shura.During Majlis-e-Shura, the budget w ill also be considered by the sub-committee for Baitul Mai.Requests for supplementary grants received from various Departments w ill also be presented before the Standing Finance Committee so that it should bear that re sponsibility also.Nazir Sahib Baitul Mai w ill preside over this committee.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1950, p.22] P roposing I ncrease in the B udget On one occasion, Hadrat KJaallfatul Maslh IIIrh outlined the objectives o f the Standing Finance Committee, re viewed its performance, and laid out the procedure for proposing increase in the budget.Hudur said: “As I have just said, there are two aspects to the 1978- 1979 budget: the budget and the income.Whenever Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya deliberates upon a scheme, it does so on the basis o f the budget.Some time ago the D e partments o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya would effect increase in the budget without any principle.I therefore issued directives that they may make only ten percent in crease from the budget o f the previous year.Thus the budget would increase by ten percent every year.And this is the method they have follow ed ever since.This time when a detailed proposed budget was presented before the Finance Committee, it recommended a Rs.1,600,000 increase from the previous year, and got their recommendation accepted.But when the budget was pre sented to me, I said that it was wrong to increase the 3 4 5

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya budget by Rs.1,600,000.The increase should have been in keeping with the real income.Each year the income exceeds the budget, and, whatever our budget, the income is sure to exceed it.But we have to adopt some rules for drawing out the budget.It is not right to close our eyes and say that today the budget is one crore, let us make it 4 crores for the next year.This would be wrong.We w ill have to base our budget on some prin ciples and also hope that God w ill grant us even more income.Until a year ago, the practice was to increase the budget estimates by ten percent, irrespective o f the in come.This year the increase in the budget is twenty-two percent, instead o f ten percent, and has been worked out on the basis o f last year’s income, rather than the esti mated income o f the current year.So, if the income increases, it w ill be good and there w ill be nothing to worry about.But if you increase the budget, let us say by Rs.2,000,000, the Departments w ill start demanding vari ous amounts and you w ill spend money according to the pre-determined estimate.So if you make a budget o f the expenditure, but your income falls short o f the exaggerated expenditure, it would cause a great deal o f apprehension.” (Report Majlis-e-Shurii 1980, pp.37-38] S adr A njuman A hmadiyya C annot C ut its B udget without A pproval On one occasion, while the budget o f the Anjuman was being discussed in Shura, certain amendments were pre sented by a Department, which would increase the budget by Rs.40,000.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra asked the dele gates for their opinion.153 supported the view that Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya should be given permission to ac 34 6

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya quire this amount by reducing expenditure, not in specific heads of account, but in miscellaneous expenses.83 dele gates were of the view that the Anjuman should not be allowed this increase, not even through reduction in its miscellaneous expenditure.Two delegates were of the opinion that the Anjuman may be granted permission to increase the budget, whether or not they can reduce other expenditure.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra gave his decision in favour of the majority, and said: “Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya may accommodate this ex penditure by making a reduction in some other heads.” A delegate asked whether Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya can reduce expenditure by itself or it requires permission from Hudur.Hudur said: “Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya cannot cut expenditure on its own.It must obtain permis-.sion from m e.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1950, p.24] T hings to R emember when V oting After general discussion and deliberation in the Shura, the next stage is to put the proposal to vote.At times cer tain amendments are made during the discussion, for which specific procedures and rules have been discussed in the previous chapter.After the general discussion, the delegates are given the right to vote.Shedding light on the importance and purpose of voting, Hadrat Musleh-e- M au‘udra said: “Please cast your votes keeping in view all the facts, and being aware o f all the problems faced by you and your brothers and the whole Jama'at.Do not overlook any as 3 4 7

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya pect.I have noticed that on such occasions the opinion tends to slide one way or the other.Some people think that money is being demanded from them for the Jama'at, and if they refuse it w ill be a sign o f weak faith.The fact is that you w ill not be helping the Jama'at by giving the wrong advice either, and you w ill put it into even greater difficulties.We create problems for the Jama" at when we let ourselves be guided by our emo tions.It is important that delegates should come up with proposals that are free from emotional considerations.If they are against the proposal, they must not be afraid to say so because they think that opposing it might be against the interests o f the Jama'at.On the other hand, if they express their opinion because they consider it to be appropriate and in keeping with current requirements, they w ill surely merit reward in the eyes o f Allah.But if they vote in favour o f a proposal while in their hearts they do not agree with it, they w ill not win Allah’s ap probation, despite their apparent consent.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1945, pp.55-56] T he R ight to V ote M ust be E xercised In the same Shura, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said that the vote, whether for or against the proposal, must be exercised.Hudur said: “The proposals for increasing the income have already been presented, and the copies for the assessment o f in come have been distributed, which the delegates must have read.Now, those who say that the proposed budget ary income should be accepted may rise from their seats.” (283 delegates stood up).“Those who think that assessment o f income has not been correctly made and 348

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya they wish to oppose the proposal, may now stand up.” No delegate stood up.Hudur then announced the deci sion that budget income was approved.Hudur expressed his surprise that 283 delegates had voted in favour o f the proposal, whereas the total number o f delegates was 385, which meant that either 102 members were absent, or some delegates had not cast their votes.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1945, p.57] People o f sound judgement must offer their opinions.In this connection, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih III addressed QadI Muhammad Aslam Sahib and said: “I want to question you as to w hy you preferred to re main silent.Does the proposal contain a definition o f the word ‘ Muhaqqaq’l And does this question not come to one’s mind? If it has not been defined, then why did you remain silent.Why did you not enlist your nam e?...You should have given your name.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1976, pp.37-38] R ecasting of V otes It was once proposed in Majlis-e-Shura that votes should be recast because mistake might have been made in the first voting, but Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra did not ac cept this suggestion.The argument he gave was that, although the possibility o f error in the counting o f votes cannot be ruled out, we cannot set a precedent for recast ing votes.He said: “Since the general discussion on the budget is over, I consider it necessary to say that the delegates who ex press their viewpoints can be divided into two types.349

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya Some o f them only mean to direct the attention o f the house towards a particular issue and do not necessarily want their suggestions to be implemented immediately.But there are others who badly want their proposals to be accepted.In other organizations, if their proposals are not accepted they have the right, under the rules and regula tions, to either reject the budget proposals outright or to propose a reduction as a sign o f their disapproval.This is not acceptable under Islamic principles.When we have decided to undertake something, it is not permissible to adopt an attitude o f resentment which w ill hamper the work.Anyhow, when presenting their proposals, the delegates need not mention whether the budget should be accepted or not, they should instead point out if any changes are required in it.As I have said, members offer their suggestions for several reasons.Some may not want their suggestions to be voted on, and may only want to draw the attention o f the delegates to a particular point.W hile others might want their proposals to be accepted.Therefore, delegates must only raise specific points dur ing the discussion in Shura.As far as vote counting is concerned, there does exist the possibility o f error, for I have noted that every time there would be different peo ple counting the votes.It seems that the people who were given the task this time were not proficient enough.Still we cannot set a precedence for the recasting o f votes on a single proposal.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1941, pp.106-107] P rocedure for the A pproval of S hura ’ s D ecisions The factors which Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra took into account when taking decisions in the Shura, and the ar guments which he presented when he disagreed with the 350

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya majority, and the importance he gave to the decisions o f the Shura, are all very interesting aspects of the Shura.Hadrat Sahibzada Mirza Tahir Ahmad Sahib (Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrl1 ) shed light on these aspects in the second volume o f Sir at Fadl-e- ‘Umar.How the Decisions are Approved: “Before arriving at the final decision, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIra would give full freedom of expression to the delegates.At times he would urge people to express their views who possessed sound judgement but were by nature hesitant to speak before a gathering.He would also ensure that no one was left out when important matters were being dis cussed.Sometimes he would specially call delegates from rural areas to express their views.At times, dele gates from cities or urban areas or from the business community would be invited.Sometimes technocrats, lawyers, doctors or teachers would be called by name and asked to give their opinion.The only restriction im posed by him was that no one should get entangled in personal matters or deviate from the moral norms.He would also exhort the members to save time and not to repeat things that have already been said.If he found a delegate inconsiderate in expressing his views, or exhib iting some egotism, or if he felt that a delegate was motivated by personal bias, he would either softly or firmly remind them that all their opinions should be for the sake o f Allah, and no personal motivation should find its way into their opinions.When a matter was put 351

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THE S ystem of M ush A warat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya to vote in this atmosphere, and the delegates had learnt o f the various aspects of the matter, more often than not they would adopt one view.Yes, at times the opinion would be almost equally divided.In either case, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra would mostly accept the opinion of the majority.The same procedure is in place even today.People who judge this spiritual institution of Jama'at-e- Ahmadiyya from a worldly point o f view, at times won der, ‘What is the use o f consultation when the Khalifa has the final authority to accept or reject our opinions?’ They even tend to see these consultations as a camou flage for dictatorship.A study o f the proceedings of Mushawarat, however, will be an eye-opener for such people.They will be amazed to see that in more than ninety-nine percent o f the cases, the Khalifa approves the opinion o f the majority, and on occasions when he disagrees with them, he produces such incontrovertible arguments in favour o f his opinion, so that not only the majority, but the whole house becomes convinced that his opinion is the best.In other words, this is a forum where either the one in authority accepts the verdict of the majority, or the delegates wholeheartedly and enthu siastically accept his decision.Nowhere in the whole wide world can we find an example o f such unity.Moreover, members o f the Jama'at have been trained in such a way—and this is what actually happens—that when the views o f certain members have been rejected by the majority, they do not attach even as much impor tance to their rejected views as they would to a scrap of 352

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya paper in a wastepaper basket.They disregard their own ability and understanding and join the majority in im plementing the decision which has been sanctioned by Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh.This system, which we see be ing implemented in the institution o f Mushawarat so successfully, owes a great deal to the fifty-two years of tireless work by Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IIra.The legacy he has left behind for the Jama'at in the form o f Majlis- e-Mushawarat is an everlasting favour, which shall compel every generation o f the Jama'at to express its gratitude to this great reformer through heartfelt prayers till the end o f time.To stop the tides of thought from crashing onto rocky beaches, he instilled in people’s mind the great Islamic principle that when you give advice you should do so with the fear of Allah in your heart.Far from being influ enced by the opinions o f the delegates, he taught us that, until the final decision has been reached, we should not change our honest opinion even in consideration for the opinion o f Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh.The advice should be given for the sake of God and it should be in keeping with our own honest opinion.Once, in order to highlight this point, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra presented his own pro posal before the house, and when he felt that some delegates were supporting it only because it had been pre sented by Khallfatul Maslh himself, he remarked: “Let me clarify that it is wrong not to deliberate upon a proposal merely because it has been presented by me, 35 3

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T he S ystem of M ushawabat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya and it is wrong to think that a proposal does not require our thought for it has been presented by the Khalifa and must be a source o f blessing.You should remember that, in your capacity as my advisers, you are duty-bound to give sincere thought to all the proposals under considera tion.If you discover any flaw in any proposal, or if you think that its adoption might be harmful for the Jama'at, and may increase our difficulties, you must boldly say so without any fear...Please do not hesitate to deliberate upon it merely because it has been initiated by me.The voice should come from the core o f your heart, and if a change is required it must not go unexpressed.Express your viewpoints openly and confidently.If I find your proposal unacceptable, I w ill reject it on my own respon sibility.But no dissenting opinion w ill be allowed once the suggestion has been accepted.At the time o f consul tation, however, everyone is free to express his opinion.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1938, pp.9-10) I nstances of H aijrat K hal I fatul M as I h II"* D iffering from the M ajority Here we give a few instances whereby Hadrat Khalifatul MasIh IIra differed from the majority opinion.On every such occasion, Hudur would mention his reasons for do ing so, with the result that the delegates would be fully satisfied with his decision.Any reasonable person who reviews the record o f the Shura even today, and scruti nizes the reasons offered by Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra, will conclude that his rejection of the majority opinion was not only proper, but that the reverse would have had adverse consequences for the Jama'at and its interests.Not in a single instance will the researcher find any 35 4

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the S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya semblance o f arbitrariness.All these facts have been preserved in the record of the Jama'at and have been published in various magazines and newspapers, and in vite everyone interested to deliberate upon them.Here we give a few examples: (1) A proposal was put before the Shura, that if the pro vincial Amir is present at a place where the local Amir is also present, the local Amir will lead the Friday prayer.The provincial Amir may, however, lead the prayers after informing the local Amir.When this resolution was put to vote, it was accepted by the.majority.Commenting on this majority opinion, Hadrat Khallfatul Masih n ra said: “I believe that the majority opinion in this case is not cor rect.The provincial and local offices being separate, we shall have to ensure that wherever the provincial Amir happens to be, he should have an opportunity to express his view s.I, for my part, am able to convey my view s to the people because the newspapers note my speeches and my sermons and convey them to the Jama'at, but the provincial Amirs do not have this privilege and what they say at one particular place is not conveyed to all the Jama'ats o f the province.Therefore, despite the fact that the majority opinion has gone the other way, my decision is that the provincial Amir, wherever he may be in his province, w ill have the right to deliver the Friday ser mon.The local Amir, or anyone else, may lead the prayer only with his permission.But if the provincial Amir is not present, and no Imam has been appointed by the cen tre, then the local Amir w ill have the prior right to deliver the Friday sermon.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1936, p.57] 35 5

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya (2) A proposal was presented in the Shura that one third o f the Chanda should be given as local grant to the Ka rachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi Jama'ats.This proposal was not appropriate considering the financial condition o f the Jama'at, but instead o f exercising his prerogative and rejecting the proposal, Hadrat Khallfatul MasTh IIra gave arguments regarding its unsuitability.He said: “If this proposal is accepted, it would mean a reduction o f Rs.200,000 from our income.Our total budget is Rs.1,299,000 and a deduction o f Rs.200,000 would bring it down to Rs.1,099,000, or even less.It is impossible for any organization to cover the expenditure o f 1,299,000 with just 1,099,000.Anyhow, this issue o f reducing ex penses should have been put before the committee that was constituted to consider the expenditure.This pro posal would mean closing down the college, the women’s college, the guest house, Nazarat Umur ‘Amma, and sending home the staff o f Nazarat Islah-o- Irshad, in order to bring down the expenses to Rs.1,099,000.Reducing the income without curtailing the expenses is wishing for the impossible, just like a child wishing to catch the stars.To meet the expenses o f Rs.1,299,000 with R s.1,099,000 is also like catching the stars; it is simply impossible.Therefore, when you vote on this proposal you should consider properly whether it should be accepted or not, because it w ill be impossible to cover the expenses with reduced income.Some people have said that this money is badly needed (by the Jama'ats), and I agree with them, but in case o f such needs w e should be looking to increase our income.Keep praying, for God has the power to give us every- 3 5 6

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the S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya thing.There was the time when I was elected the Khalifa and the treasury was in arrears, with just 18 annas in it, but now your budget, including that o f Tehrik Jadid, has gone up to Rs.2,900,000.Just try to compare 18 annas with Rs.2,900,000! God indeed is All-Powerful!” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1957, pp.83-91; SIrat Fadl-e-‘Umar, vol.II, pp.198-203] (3) A proposal was put before the Shura that an Ahmadiyya flag should be prepared and hoisted at Jalsa Salana on the occasion o f the jubilee.The majority was o f the view that the Jama'at should have its own flag, and only a few differed with this opinion.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra gave his verdict in favour o f the ma jority, but he also acknowledged the importance of the minority opinion, and said: “Mr.Sahib Din has not been able to present his idea very *clearly.He thinks that the flag has to do with govern ment, and since we do not run a government it would be improper for us to decide that we should have a flag, and it would be much like what the Congress is doing.Any how, he thinks that if w e have a flag without our own government, it would be unrealistic and absurd.This seems to be the idea at the back o f his mind.I do not say that I quite agree with him in this matter, but this is a question which does require consideration.Can we have a flag without a government? Let the scholars tell us.” Responding to this question, some eminent Compan ions™ and scholars expressed their views.They said that the flag serves as a beacon, it is not a religious issue for it only serves as an expression o f human nature.A flag used to be hoisted when the Holy Prophetsa led the Eid 357

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya prayer in Medina.A flag symbolizes a big gathering.The Ahmadiyya flag is neither against the teachings of Islam nor an objectionable innovation.It has been men tioned in some prophecies that there would be flags for the Imam Mahdi.Hence, there is no harm in having an Ahmadiyya flag.When the proposal was put to vote, 376 voted in favour and 9 against.After the voting, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “I give my decision in favour o f the majority which says that we should have a flag, but we must not ignore the op posing opinion either.The idea projected by Shaikh Sahib Din was not one which should have been brushed aside.The point he raised was very subtle and worthy o f consid eration.It is a proven fact that the Holy Prophet5 3 used a flag during the wars.He personally ordered it to be pre pared.Once during a battle the Holy Prophet53 ordered some cloth and a pole to be brought and a flag was made.On the other hand, it is wrong to present the argument that w e used a flag during the Malkana agitation and that Khuddamul Ahmadiyya has a flag, for these decisions were not taken by the Shura.If such precedents are to be quoted as arguments, then instead o f referring the matter to the Shura, we should go to Malkana to seek the solu tion.So any action taken at Malkana or by the Khuddamul Ahmadiyya cannot be quoted as a precedent.Khuddamul Ahmadiyya forms a part o f the Jama'at and this organiza tion comprises the youth.Therefore, any action taken by them, even if legitimate, cannot be cited as a precedent.The Hadith which Mir Muhammad Ishaq Sahib has quoted also helps to solve this question.The Holy Prophet5 3 did not associate a flag with wars in particular.He once deliv 3 5 8

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama 1 at - e -A hmadiyya ered a sermon standing under a flag.He used the flag on another occasion also, and I do not clearly remember whether it was on the occasion o f Hajj or ‘Umra.But it es tablishes the point that the flag was used on occasions other than wars.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1939, pp.57-61] R ole of S hura in I ssues R elating to M arriage Marriage is an issue which has always demanded par ticular attention o f the Jama'at, and it has repeatedly been discussed at Shura.In the beginning, the problems were o f a different na ture.Members o f the JamS‘at were o f the view that marrying non-Ahmadi women without permission from Markaz should be prohibited.A proposal to this effect was first initiated by Nazarat Umur ‘Amma and was put before Majlis-e-Mushawarat in 1927.What prompted this proposal was the fact that non-Ahmadi relatives, impressed as they were by the piety o f Ahmadls and their adherence to Islamic values, preferred Ahmad! bridegrooms for their daughters.As far as Ahmad! girls were concerned, the Promised Messiah (as) himself had bound them to marry Ahmad! men only.But since there was no such restriction upon Ahmad! men, they would marry non-Ahmad! girls and Ahmad! girls would go unmarried.This is what strongly motivated members of the Jama'at to propose that, in order to safeguard the rights o f Ahmad! girls, similar restrictions should be placed upon Ahmad! men also, so that they may marry 359

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya into Ahmadi families.This proposal was accepted by the majority in Majlis-e-Mushawarat and Hadrat KhalTfatul Masih IIra decided in its favour.He said that no one should marry non-Ahmadi girls without permission from Markaz.Hudur said that this restriction would be in place for three years after which the matter would be re considered in Shura.The matter came before Majlis-e-Mushawarat in 1932 and the restriction was extended for another three years with the approval o f Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IIra.It was extended for a further three years in 1935.An extension was again accorded in 1938.On this occasion Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra decided that any Ahmadi who wanted to marry a non-Ahmadl girl would be required to get permission from Nazir TaTIm.But, at the same time, Hudur also instructed the concerned Department not to be niggardly in according permission where it could prove advantageous.[Report Majlis-e-Shura 1938, p.38] The issue was raised at Shura 1941 for the fifth time.Af ter listening to the views o f the delegates, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih Hra observed: “You have listened to the view s o f different people, ex cept those who did not give their names at the proper time and wanted to speak later on.Now , delegates who want the present restrictions to be continued and who believe that Ahmadis should not be allowed to marry non-Ahmadi girls without permission 360

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya for the next three years, may stand up.” (266 delegates stood up.) “Now, those who want this restriction to be withdrawn, and want to leave it to individuals whether or not to marry non-Ahmad! girls, may stand up.” (Only 24 delegates stood up.) “I decide in favour o f the majority.Various members have expressed their view s, both in fa vour o f the proposal and against it, and they have mostly spoken from the point o f view o f the advantages or dis advantages o f marrying a non-Ahmad! girl, which, in my view , was not the question before us.It is obvious that anything which God has not forbidden must have certain advantages in it as w ell.And even where He has forbid den some things, He has done so under the principle [Their sin is greater than their advan tage.—Al-Baqarah, 2:220]...But one point, which was basic to the discussion, has been left out.The fact is that today the number o f males exceeds that o f females.If this is true, it should be per m issible to marry non-Ahmad! girls in certain circumstances.The survey conducted by Nazir Umur ‘Amma, as w ell as the one carried out by the Government, both establish that there are more males in the Punjab than females.For every hundred males there are 96 or 98 females.The fig ure may vary among different people, but these are the overall figures.So it w ill not be surprising if we also have more boys than girls in our Jama'at.At least it is true o f most o f our prominent fam ilies.It is the same in our family: I have 13 boys and 9 girls.The same is true o f Mirza Sharif Ahmad Sahib’s family.Such a difference is also discemable in our grandchildren, but as they have only one or two children so far, we cannot make an accu 361

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya rate assessment.In the country as a whole, however, the number o f males is more than females.From this point o f view , our decision should be to accept girls from outside, otherwise some o f our boys w ill remain unmarried, and their morals w ill be adversely affected.Suppressing the sexual instinct that God has created in man can only be useful in rare circumstances, m ostly it is dangerous and it is not advisable to block this natural flow.So whereas we should consider this issue in the light o f the disparity be tween the number o f boys and girls, w e should also consider what w ill happen if we get girls from outside.If we reach the conclusion that such an action w ill be more harmful than good, then we should not open this door.The figures presented by Nazir Sahib Umur ‘Amma also need to be looked at from another angle.A good number o f boys may not be eligible for marriage, we should keep these figures in mind as w ell.There could be some other factors, such as the morals o f the young men, which could effectively make the ratio irrelevant.Unless we take all these factors into account, the statistics cannot be relied on.But even if we do not take them into account, the question we are discussing is not only whether we should accept girls from outside the Jama'at or not, the issue is that if someone wants to marry a non-Ahmad! girl, he must first seek permission from Markaz.This means that the Department acknowledges the necessity (for such a marriage), but wants to keep the decision in its own hand as to whether a particular AhmadI should be given such permission or not.It acknowledges the neces sity, otherwise the proposal would have been to completely ban marriage with non-Ahmadi girls.This permission is required in order to ascertain whether such a marriage would be good or harmful for the Jama'at.If 362

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T he S ystem of M ushawabat in jam A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya there is an Ahmad! man who is not steadfast and his par ents are likewise weak o f faith, and he marries a non- Ahmad!, the whole family w ill be cut o ff from Ahmadiy- yat, or at least the boy w ill be at risk.On the other hand, if there is a devout Ahmad! whose parents are also sin cere Ahmadis and he marries a non-Ahmad! girl, there is every likelihood that the girl w ill also be converted into Ahmadiyyat.Now the concerned Department desires that it should have the authority to allow or disallow such a marriage taking into consideration the circumstances o f the young man and his family.If it appears, from the Ahmadiyya point o f view , that the marriage to a non- Ahmad! girl w ill adversely affect the young man and his family, then it w ill stop such a marriage.But if it sees no harm, and expects positive results, it may allow them to go ahead.The Department w ill assess whether the com ing o f a non-Ahmad! girl into a certain Ahmad! household w ill be advantageous or not.This is why I de cided in favour o f the majority.The decision accepts the necessity for such a matrimony for the sake o f preserving relationships, opening avenues for the propagation o f Ahmadiyyat, and in view o f the fact that there are fewer girls, but the decision has been entrusted to a Department which w ill decide in the interest o f the Jama'at.It w ill be the Nazarat’s duty to see whether the person who is seek ing such a permission and his family are devout Ahmadis or not, and to advise them accordingly.The Nazarat should also see to it that the permission should be granted in keeping with certain criteria...G iving permis sion does not mean that no restrictions should be placed whatsoever.In the case o f my family, some o f my w ives have non-Ahmad! relatives with whom they enjoy good relations.I, therefore, thought that if w e could bring 363

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e - ahmadiyya some o f their daughters into our family, it would be use ful.But I desisted from doing so when I noticed that Ahmadls had the tendency o f marrying their sons to non- Ahmadl girls.I thought that if I set such an example, oth ers w ill follow suit, and while such a step might produce good results for one family from the Ahmadiyya point o f view , it might do harm to thousands o f others...So if we are allowed to marry non-Ahmadl girls, it is also a test o f our prudence and wisdom, and we have to decide whether accepting non-Ahmadl girls w ill be useful in a particular case or not.I believe that in the prevailing cir cumstances it is necessary to keep the restrictions in place.The fact is that permissions given by Shariah can only prove useful when exercised prudently.There are times when people are inclined to avail themselves o f the permissions, and it becomes necessary to impose restric tions.And there are times when the permissions are disregarded altogether and it becomes necessary to revive them.When a new nation emerges, people have the ten dency to revert to the people they have come from, and it becomes necessary to place restrictions.But as time passes, the gap between them widens, and at such a time it becomes necessary to make use o f the permission that allows them to come closer...The situation prevailing now is that for every single Ahmadi there are ten non-Ahmad!s in a family.If, in these circumstances, w e were to allow everyone to avail o f this permission, there is every danger that the relatives who are in majority w ill together pull back a solitary Ahmadi.Members o f the Jama'at have written to me about many cases where non-Ahmadi girls, when married into Ahmadi fam ilies, converted to Ahmadiyyat.But the 3 6 4

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya advantage o f a girl converting to Ahmadiyyat is nothing as compared to the disadvantage o f an Ahmad! becoming a non-Ahmad!.Let us suppose that one hundred mar riages are solemnized with non-Ahmadls, as a result o f which twenty young men leave Ahmadiyyat while eighty girls embrace it; the conversion o f eighty women would not be as beneficial for us as the loss o f twenty young men.It is wrong to risk even the smallest part o f what God has granted to us on the pretext o f procuring more.Our duty is to protect the faith o f the people who have been given to us by God.It will not be our success if we get 99 people from outside and lose even a single one o f our own.Our enthusiasm for our religion demands that we do not let even one person step out from our ranks, whether or not we get 99 others.Keeping these considerations in mind, I decide this issue in favour o f the majority.” (Report Majlis-e-Shura 1941, pp.29-42] P rinciples G overning the S hura ’ s D ecisions The basic principle on which the decisions of the Shura are based, is as follows; Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya believes that the Holy Quran and sunna are immutable, and all else can change with time, age and circumstances.Hence such decisions of the Shura as are based on the Holy Quran, the sunna, and the instructions o f the Promised Messiah3 S are immutable, but in other subordinate matters, changes are inevitable according to the needs and requirements of the people.Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IV1 1 1 , giving his deci sion about certain Wasiyyat regulations, said: “I hope that these regulations shall remain unchanged for sometime, for the fact is that everything is liable to 365

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya change, except the injunctions o f Allah and the instruc tions o f the Holy Prophet” 3.N o rule or regulation can be considered perfect.But this does not apply to the Holy Quran, which is immune from any change, and it also does not apply to the sunna o f the Holy Prophet” 3, which no one can change.Similarly, the decisions which we have taken in keeping with the instructions o f the Promised Messiah3 ” can also never change.All other decisions which are taken in keeping with the circumstances are liable to change.We have tried our best, and w e pray that Allah may bless these decisions, and people may be able to follow them with greater ease and facility, and the spirit o f W asiyyat may remain intact.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1984, p, 176] F ormal A pproval of the S hura ’ s D ecisions The decisions of Hadrat Khalifatul Masih regarding various proposals discussed in Majlis-e-Shura are first announced in Majlis-e-Shura.Thereafter the decisions are presented to Hadrat Khalifatul Masih in writing for his formal approval, and are recorded for implementa tion by Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya and the other organizations.Commenting on this process, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh said: “It has been repeatedly mentioned in the report o f the sub committee for Islah-o-Irshad that I, too, have approved the decisions.This is because the decisions pass through two stages: The first is when the Khalifa gives his approval at the spot (during the Shura).The other is when all the re ports have been compiled and submitted to the Khalifa for formal approval.But since the previous reports could not pass through this second process and they could not be 3 6 6

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the S ystem of M ush A warat in jama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya submitted before Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh III*, it was necessary that when the decisions have been prepared the current Khalifa should give formal approval.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1983, pp.24-25] I nstances of the D ecisions of S hura being R eserved Two instances whereby Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra re served his decisions are to be found in the unpublished report o f Majlis-e-Mushawarat 1947.Later events showed that this indeed was the best course of action.(1) During the last Shura to be held in Qadian, the ma jority was o f the view thaf a-, substantial sum of money should be taken from the Reserve Fund to buy land for Jam i‘a Ahmadiyya, Madrasa Ahmadiyya and their hos tels.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “304 delegates are in favour o f spending Rs.25,000 from the Reserve Fund for the purchase o f land for Ma drasa Ahmadiyya, Jami‘a Ahmadiyya and their hostels, but I reserve my decision in this matter.” (2) The Shura took up a proposal about the construction of a new building for Dar-ul-Qada, upon which Hudur remarked: “Delegates have expressed their views.Now, those who are in favour of allocating Rs.10,000 for the construction of the Dar-ul-Qada building, according to proposals no.8, may stand up.” 317 delegates stood up in support o f the proposal.Hudur then asked those who were against the proposal to stand up, upon which 18 delegates stood up.Hudur said, “The majority is in favour 36 7

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A4 at - e -A hmadiyya o f sanctioning Rs.10,000 for the construction o f Dar-ul- Qada building, but I reserve my decision in this matter.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1947, pp.19-30] I mportance of S hura ’ s D ecisions (1) While drawing the Jama'at’s attention to the deci sions ofMajlis-e-Shura, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “It is the responsibility o f Nazir ATa to ensure that the representatives o f all the Jama'ats bring their reports re garding the implementation o f the previous year’s decisions o f Shura.These reports w ill be taken up in the Shura.But if we go by the announcement just made, all our time w ill be spent in listening to the reports and no other work w ill be possible.With this in view , I have now suggested to the Nazarat that the reports from out side Jama'ats should be submitted to them by October, and in no case later than December.Nazir ATa shall then pre sent before Mushawarat a brief resume o f those reports which w ill be discussed and evaluated, and it w ill be de termined as to which Jama'at efficiently implemented the decision and which lagged behind.There is also another proposal for this year.I shall draw up a summary o f the actions that were expected from the Jama'ats and I shall take them up one by one and ask representatives o f Jama’ats which have implemented them to stand up.Thus I w ill learn how many Jama’ats did their work.Secondly, I w ill ask the representatives o f Jama’ats which have done half the work to stand up, and thirdly I shall ask those who have done nothing at all to stand up.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1924, p.10] (2) Various Nazarats present their yearly progress report in Shura.Once Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra made the fol- 368

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya lowing remarks about a Nazir Sahib’s report: “I would like to point out a couple o f things in this report that I find objectionable.The first is that Nazir Sahib kept raising objections against other Departments.He could have sat with the officers o f those Departments and talked to them about his rights, but it is not proper to bring up such complaints in another gathering.It is against our norms and practices.Had this been the Budget Committee, he would be entitled to men tion that he has not been given a clerk or a peon, but this meeting has nothing to do with the budget...The second point which I want to make is that this report considers the decisions o f Mushawarat to be o f secondary importance, and gives this as the reason for the failure to implement them.No Nazir has the authority to say such a thing.His duty is to implement every decision that has ' been passed by Majlis-e-Mushawarat.The decision as to whether a matter is o f primary importance or not can only be made by the Shura.The statement o f the concerned Na zir indicates that he had time at his disposal to do the work, but he used his own jurisdiction to turn down the decisions o f the authority whose decisions are binding...The Nazir Sahib complains that some people do not re spond to his enquiries, while, in fact, he him self does not care for the decisions taken by the representatives o f the Jama'at and by the Khalifa.In response to some ques tions, he expressed ignorance, whereas he should have come here up to date with the facts.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1924, pp.15-16] In the same context, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: (3) “The decisions o f Shura should be considered the 369

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J a m a * at - e -A hmadi yya decisions o f the Khalifa, because it is he who takes the final decision after consultation.The decisions should be implemented in full.Unless the officials are imbued with the spirit o f obedience to the authority, they w ill not be respected by others.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1930, pp.36-37] F ailure to I mplement S hura ’ s D ecisions Now we present an example o f accountability in case of failure to implement the decisions of Shura.It was decided in 1930 that, in view o f the ever- increasing burden o f educational scholarships upon the Jama'at, the amount that has been spent on previous scholarships should first be recovered, and it should be used to give scholarships for the next five years, and the Chanda should not be used for this purpose.But some how the decision was not implemented.Hadrat Musleh- e-M au‘udra entrusted the matter to an investigative committee to establish who was responsible for the fail ure, and how the person should be penalized.The commission put the responsibility upon a particular Nazir.Since his mistake had been discovered in the Shura, the committee decided that he should admit his mistake before the Shura and seek forgiveness from Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh.Accordingly, the Nazir apolo gized and requested the members to pray that God may forgive him and his workers for their lapse.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra accepted his apology and remarked: “I have said this before, and I reiterate that the Nazarat 37 0

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in jama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya has not understood the importance o f Majlis-e-Shura.Perhaps they are being motivated by some feeling o f ri valry or they just want people to come here and vent their resentments.The Nazarat has made the same mistake this year as it has done in previous years.A ll the blame has been shifted to Nazir Baitul Mai, but the fact is that noth ing substantial has been done to implement the decisions o f Shura during the past few years, although there has been a lot o f improvement.This year I particularly want to stress that decisions o f Shura must be implemented, and I hope that due attention w ill be given to this matter in future.The fact is that no system can survive unless its rules and regulations are fiillyadhered to.I believe that 95% o f the common people suffer from this fault, as is also evident from my Friday sermons.There are very few indeed who are safe from this malady.I believe that it is wrong to break the law and not to try to modify it.The people o f Hindustan do not seem to understand that they should either follow an injunction or, if they believe that it is not possible to do so, they should have it changed.When they say that a certain thing cannot be done, they are only deceiving themselves, because there is a world o f difference between something being difficult and something being impossible.When a thing is impossible, it implies that it cannot be done under the law o f nature, but what such people actually mean is that they have not been able to discharge an obligation due to some difficul ties.In fact they consider even a little bit o f hard work to be ‘im possible’, whereas a truly impossible thing cannot be done by anyone.I am not sure about the Hindus, but I know about the Muslims— for I often come into contact with them—that they do have the tendency to declare every difficult thing to be impossible, and they tend to 371

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in jama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya put o ff everything, and this is a very dangerous tendency for any nation.Along with the Nazarat, I would like members o f the Jama'at at large to attend to this matter and, as I said in my Friday sermon yesterday, try to free yourselves o f this malady.The tendency to declare even routine work to be impossible is extremely wrong.What they actually mean is that they have some difficulty in doing their work.” [Report Majlis-e~Shura 1939, pp.24-27]

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Chapter X M ajlis - e - M i shaw akat and the C entral D epartments R eview of I mplementation of P revious Y ear ’ s D ecisions The decisions taken in Majlis-e-Shura are implemented during the course o f the year by Sadr Anjuman Ahmadi- yya, Tehrik Jadld Anjuman Ahmadiyya, and W aqf Jadld Anjuman Ahmadiyya.Therefore, every year, before the actual proceedings of Shura begin, reports are presented by concerned Nazarats, Wakalats or Nizamats regarding the implementation of previous year’s decisions.Initially the delegates were permitted to comment on the reports, but on one occasion Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra felt that the comments had assumed an inappropriate tone.He immediately rectified this practice, and said: “Many delegates do not understand what it means to comment on a report...The purpose is to point out any errors it may contain...The concerned Nazir is not an swerable unless a definite decision has been taken...This is not a Parliament where one group has to stand against another.This is Mushawarat, you can ask for clarification if something is unclear, but you cannot criticize someone.Such an impression is at times caused by person’s tone.He may not be intending to speak the way his tone sug gests, but it sometimes happens out o f habit...Therefore, delegates who are in the habit o f speaking aloud should try to tone down their voices.” (Report Majlis-e-Shura 1923, p.26] Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra also bound the Jama'ats to 373

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat m J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya send their reports to Majlis-e-Mushawarat through their representatives.They should specify in these reports what they have done to implement the decision o f the previous year’s Shura, and these reports will be put be fore the Shura for consideration.But it was later realized that a great deal o f time would be spent on analyzing these reports, and no time would be left for anything else.Hence it was decided that the concerned Nazarats would start collecting these reports from October until December.A summary will then be prepared which will be presented in Majlis-e-Shura by the Nazir A ‘la and it will be scrutinized.” [Report MajUs-e-Shura 1924, p.10] S hura and W orkers of the J ama ‘ at The scrutiny of the reports regarding the implementation o f the previous year’s decisions slowly took the form of questions.The delegates were even permitted to raise questions about the working of the Nazarats, which would be answered by the concerned Nazirs.But when some people started raising questions which were against the spirit of Shura, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra remarked: “I am going to put o ff my main speech till later.We w ill now take up the questions which have been raised.But I must say that I am disappointed.Those who have raised questions have not understood the objective o f M ajlis-e- Shura.I w ill speak about this later on and it is one o f the reasons why I am deferring my speech.You must understand that the Shura and the workers o f the Jama'at are two separate entities.The Shura only 374

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyta takes up fundamental issues, and you can only ask ques tions regarding these.But the questions that have been raised now have nothing to do with Shura and they may only cause divisions.I explained this point last year but the questions raised this year are even less desirable.I w ill comment on these questions later.At present I want to explain the rule that the questions raised here should relate to Shura and not to the worker’s committee.I have previously said that the Nazirs also need to be scrutinized.I also said that a committee consisting o f some delegates o f the Shura should be constituted, and it should present a report to the' Khalifa regarding their work.It would have been useful to have an independent committee looking into the work o f the Nazirs and point ing out any shortcomings, and wherever the Khalifa agreed with their assessment, appropriate measures could be taken.So what we should be asking here in the Shura is: What have the Nazirs done in respect o f the decisions made last year?” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1925, p.7] T he P urpose of S crutinizing the W ork of N azarats In Shura 1925, to which reference has been made above, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra explained in detail the functions of the Nazirs in relation to the Shura.He also directed that questions about administrative matters should not be raised in Shura, and the privilege o f com menting on the work o f the various Departments o f the Jama'at should not be misused.The objective o f raising questions should be to understand things and not to de 375

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya fame someone.Questions should only be asked for the purpose o f correction, and they should not give an im pression of partisanship.The Jama'at must in all events be protected from mischief.A few selected portions of Hudur’s speech are reproduced below: The Duties of Nazirs: “I believe that it is very important for the Nazirs to be able to express themselves clearly and beautifully.They should be able to convince others about the importance o f their work.I have said repeat edly that the duty o f a worker is not only to do die work him self, but also to be able to invite the attention and as sistance o f other people.Therefore, one o f the duties o f a Nazir is to be able to speak fluently, and to be able to ex press profound matters in a simple and effective manner.N ow I would like to comment on the questions raised yesterday about different Departments.I think that the questioners crossed the lim its.It was to avoid such mis takes that I named this Majlis ‘Majlis-e-Mushawarat’.Its very name reminds us o f its objective.But it is unfortu nate that some o f the delegates have overlooked this fact and have even forgotten its very name.We must keep in mind that this is Mushawarat (consultation), hence mat ters which are to do with administration should not be raised here.There is an occasion for everything: I do not believe that administrative matters should be entrusted to a particular group o f people and they alone should have a say in these matters, but, at the same time, I do not sanction continu ous interference in these matters.There is a proverb, [There is a time and p la ce fo r every thing.] The sign o f a man o f wisdom and sagacity is that 3 7 6

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya he recognizes the time and occasion.The same thing, if said on the proper occasion, seems wonderful, but it be comes unsavoury when said out o f context.In everything that we do in this world, knowing the proper time and occasion is what w ill lend beauty to it.Interference in the Work of the Jama'at: I believe that everyone has the right to have his say in the work o f the Jama'at, but none has the right to do so in an untimely manner and in a way that causes discord between broth ers and groups.He who does such a thing w ill be considered foolish if he is a believer, otherwise he is an enemy o f the Jama'at and is out to destroy it.If friends who come from other places get an opportunity to work in Markaz, they w ill get a true picture o f things.If they could read the letters I write to the Nazirs and other workers, and could see how I reprimand them, they would admit that they themselves could not work as effi ciently as these people are working.Everyone who checks out the office records w ill see that I have not re ceived any complaint, even from the humblest o f persons, which I have not taken note of, and if the com plaint is justified I have never failed to make a strict reprimand.A student once had a complaint against a Na zir.I fined the Nazir and gave the student his due.So, if somebody notices a flaw or shortcoming, it cannot be rectified by raising such questions in the Shura.The remedy is to inform me o f the matter, and if it is still not corrected...you may have the right to complain.But in such a case it would be advisable for you to think that perhaps you are yourself mistaken.On the other hand, you should also remember that I am not God, and I, too, am liable to make mistakes and to misunderstand things.3 7 7

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya The Aim of Asking Questions: There are two reasons for asking questions.The first is to acquire accurate informa tion about an issue, and the second is to vilify others.It is with these two objectives in mind that questions are raised in Councils and Parliaments.Questions are raised either to gain more information or to humiliate the other party so that one’s own party comes into power.Your questions should not be motivated by the second consideration.It is imperative that the questioner should go to the con cerned Nazir and inform him o f the flaws that he has noticed and ask him to correct them.But if the Nazir still does not pay heed, then the matter may be brought to the notice o f the person who can rectify things.But if you do not follow this procedure and express your objections in public, then you are the one who is guilty.If everyone is entitled to know o f his own shortcomings, I do not know why this right should be taken away from those who are working for the Jama'at.Is it merely because they are serving the Jama'at? If the Nazirs make mistakes— and at times they do make mistakes, and they themselves admit that they are liable to make mistakes, nor do I want peo ple to think that they are above doing so— the person who detects any such shortcoming should first go to the concerned Nazir and ask him to correct the wrong.If the Nazir does not do so, then the questioner should report the matter to me, instead o f speaking about it in public...The real purpose o f our questions should be to reform things and not to divide the Jamatat into groups.If such questions continue people w ill be divided into two groups: the government party and the opposition.This w ill be the first step.The Khalifa w ill o f course have to side with one group, or he w ill sometimes side with one 378

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya group and at sometimes with another.Then a situation may arise where a group might stress that its opinion is the correct one, but the Khalifa may not agree.This situa tion could grow from bad to worse and we might end up even worse than Muslims.The Muslims are far greater in number, and we are nothing in comparison.According to the last census, there are 500,000 menials in the Punjab and only 28,000 Ahmadls.If you do not maintain your strength and do not maintain unity, and let your strength dissipate, and weaken yourself, then remember that the menials w ill enjoy greater respect than you do.Just re flect on the proverb i.e., what strength have you attained that you have already begun squandering it? Today our condition is more precarious than the tongue surrounded by 32 teeth.The tongue can still protect it self, but we cannot.Our condition is like the tongue that has been pulled out o f its root, and is still told to masti cate.It is indeed worse, for the teeth that surround us can move at w ill, and can crush us.Therefore, at this stage, we should close our eyes even to the most serious mis takes o f our friends, and we should become united like the fortified w all mentioned in the Holy Quran.In fact, we need even greater cohesion, otherwise we shall be de stroyed before the very eyes o f our enemies, and no one w ill be left to mourn us.Avoid Causing Mischief: Even if the Khalifa does not pay heed to a complaint, or— God forbid— even if the Khalifa supports the perpetrator o f cruelty, even then I would ad vise you to be patient and not create m ischief.If the Khalifa is really cruel or supports those who are cruel, God w ill remove him.He appoints the Khalifa and He has the power to remove him as w ell.Similarly, if an of 379

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya ficial is cruel, God w ill remove him.Therefore, be right eous and try to rectify any wrong that you notice, not through mischief, but through prayers.And if you happen to be wrong, God w ill guide you and w ill help clarify your misunderstanding and w ill save you from being destroyed.And if you are right, then God w ill either discipline the evil-doers or w ill remove them from their position.According to Islamic principles, the Jama1at is under the Khalifa.He is the highest authority appointed by God and his is the last word.Neither the Anjuman nor Majlis- e-Shura have this privilege.This was the point which was not understood and led to the Jama1at splitting into two groups.Although the election o f the Khalifa is apparently in your hands, and you have the right to make a decision about him, it is in fact all in the hand o f God.He says that it is He Who appoints the Khalifa, and it is He Who shall continue to raise Khulafa from among you as long as you keep improving your lot and do not forget the injunctions which lead you to the right path; and it is He Who shall grant you the purity which is essential for discharging such responsibilities.I do not support the contention that the Khalifa cannot make a mistake, but I am equally convinced that he can not commit a mistake which results in the destruction o f the Jama'at.He may err here and there, but he cannot go wrong in everything.And even if he happens to make a mistake which is liable to lead to the destruction o f the Jama'at, God w ill H im self correct it, and He w ill produce good results from it.Such a degree o f sanctity is not en joyed by any other Jama'at or Majlis.I admit that Khulafa have made mistakes in the past and 380

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya they can do so again.Sometimes I m yself make a deci sion and find out later that it was a wrong decision.But the question is: who is more immune from mistakes? Even Prophets are at times mistaken in understanding things, how then can a Khalifa be immune from it? The H oly Prophet*3 once said: If two people come to me with their quarrel, and I decide in favour o f the one who is better at expressing his view s, while he is in fact wrong, he should not take the right I have given him, for in such a case he w ill only be taking a piece o f fire for him self.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1925, pp.17-24] A nother A spect of the Q uestions R aised during S h C ra In the same Mushawarat, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra al lowed some questions to be answered which were, in fact, against the norms of Mushawarat, and he did so because he did not want people to think that something was being hidden from them and this was the reason why their ques tions were not being answered.Hudur said that he was sorry that the questions had been painful for some people, but at the same time he was not angry with those who had asked these questions, and he would pray for them so that God might guide them and they may not be ensnared by the hypocrites in future.Hudur said: “Although these questions were against the norms o f Mushawarat, I permitted them to be asked so that no one could say that the questions were not allowed or not an swered because there was something genuinely wrong.This is not all, I w ill constitute a sub-committee compris ing o f the same delegates who raised these questions, and shall order all the relevant office record to be put at their 381

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya disposal so that they may look into the matter.But if the allegations do not turn out to be correct, the questioners w ill be considered guilty, and the ones who prompted them to ask such questions shall be expelled from the Jama'at.However, if the objections turn out to be correct, the concerned Nazirs shall be rem oved...In this case the plaintiff shall be the judge and shall him self decide the case.What more can w e do?...This was hardly the occa sion for asking such questions, and what pains me even more is that the questions must have hurt the people con cerned.It was an attempt to humiliate them, and they have been unjustly targeted.I appoint a sub-committee to inves tigate into the matter.The Nazirs shall provide the committee with all the relevant record.The committee should report its findings to me after completing its inves tigation.The list o f the persons who came up with these allegations should also be appended to the final report so that an enquiry should be made about them as w ell...” In the concluding address, Hudur said: “Some friends think that I am displeased with those who raised these questions.But this is not my way.O f course I disliked what they did, and I also have complaints against those who were responsible and did nothing to stop such questions from being asked.But I am not angry with anyone.I have already prayed for them three times, and this shows that I am not angry.I w ill pray for them again.I am sorry that they were deceived by some hypo crites, otherwise they are sincere people.I am not angry with them and not even with the hypocrites, for our aim is to reform them, and we cannot do this if we are angry with them.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura, 1925, pp.36-37,48-49] 382

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T he S ystem of mushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya T he R ationale B ehind the S crutiny of N a ? arats Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra kept a very close eye on the work o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya.While he estab lished an extensive system of Nazarats, he also directed them to present their annual reports to the Shura, so that the members may gain knowledge, and people who ob ject to the establishment o f these Nazarats may be satisfied.In this context Hudur said: “Delegates have listened to the reports o f the Nazirs which must have given them enough information to real ize the importance o f Nazarats, and to see that their work is improving.If you look at the correspondence which the Nazarats have had with the outside Jama'ats, you w ill further realize how necessary they are.When the Nazarats were established, some people objected that it would involve too much expenditure.But I knew that the moral condition o f the members o f the Jama'at would de teriorate further if such organizations as Nazarats were not established.The money being spent on the Nazarats is certainly more than that being spent on the outside Jama'ats, and this is because we have to spend more on the Markaz initially.If w e do not have enough money, we can restrain the branches from growing rapidly, but we cannot let the Markaz suffer, for it serves as the brain.If we do not take care o f the brain, the whole body dete riorates.If you look at a baby, you w ill see that the weight o f its head is proportionately greater than that o f its whole body, whereas the head o f a young man weighs nothing in comparison to his body.This is because the head needs greater protection in childhood, and it evolves into its proper size as the body grows.The same is true in our case.A time w ill come when w e shall have many 383

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama 1 at - e -A hmadiyya missionaries abroad, and many offices and other facili ties.At that time less money w ill be spent on the Nazarats and much more on outside work.But in our present state, it is essential to strengthen the brain, which is the Markaz.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura.1925 pp.70-71] I mportant G uidelines for the D elegates Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra always stressed that the ques tions raised with reference to the reports o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya and their answers should not take the form o f a debate.He instructed the Nazirs not to take the Mushawarat and its decisions lightly, and every deci sion o f the Shura should be fully implemented.It is the work o f those who are responsible to decide whether or not a matter is o f primary importance.Ignoring the deci sions o f the Shura would amount to exercising self assumed powers and rejecting the authority o f the Shura whose decisions are binding.He further said that at times some Nazirs complain that they do not receive re plies to their requests, while they themselves do not care for the decisions which have been taken by the Khalifa and the representatives o f the Jama'at.On the other hand, he also instructed those who ask the questions not to turn it into a debate.The real purpose of raising questions is to gain information, and it is not proper to start a debate.He also directed that the questions should be sent in writing to Markaz at least a fortnight be fore the Shura, so that their answers can be prepared.38 4

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Regarding the decisions taken in Majlis-e-Shura, Hudur stressed that they must be implemented.The responsibil ity for their implementation lies equally upon the Nazirs and the Jama'ats.In fact, the purpose o f addressing questions to the Nazirs and to the representatives of the Jama'ats, is that they should both realize their responsi bilities.The purpose of consultation in the Shura is not only to motivate, but to do the actual work.(Report Majlis-e-Shura, 1924, pp.15-17,25] U nderstanding the J ama ‘ at ’ s C ode of C onduct In the same context, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said that some questions are raised because delegates do not properly understand the code o f conduct.Hudur said: “A ll the questions have been answered, but there was one.question which was raised due to a poor understanding o f our code o f conduct, I w ill, therefore, answer it m yself.The Secretary o f the Shura has already given an answer to this question, but it was not the true answer and was only meant to defer the question.Our code o f conduct is that the Khalifa is responsible for everything, and it is he who entrusts work to some people who form the Nazarats, and are now known as Sadr Anjuman.This is why Majlis-e-Shura is called by the Khalifa’s Private Secretary, and it is not proper for Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya to call the Shura, for it is itself answerable about its work.The purpose o f Mushawarat is to receive suggestions regarding the framing o f rules.Since the Is lamic Shariah holds the Khalifa responsible for all administrative matters, all matters that are placed before the Shura are such as the Khalifa considers important for 38 5

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat tn J ama * at - e -A hmadxyya that particular year.Since w e have only one day to con sider the proposals, and one day for the committees to do their work, therefore only six or seven questions are al lowed.O f all the questions that are received, he chooses those which he considers most important, and no Nazarat has anything to do with it.Since members o f the Jama’at do not have enough experience, they sometimes send questions which are related directly to the Nazirs and have nothing to do with the Shura.Such questions are therefore forwarded to the concerned Nazirs.Questions that relate to the Shura are earmarked for the Shura.It is wrong to urge people to ask questions, and I am strongly against this practice.Even in my correspondence with the Government, I emphasize that it is wrong to act in a manner as to make people impatient about their demands, and such an attitude could trigger agitation.Questions which automatically come up in people’s minds keep coming before m e...S o if someone has a suggestion re lating to a matter o f principle, he should send it to the Khalifa, and if he considers it to be o f substance and thinks that it requires further deliberation, it can be pre sented before the Shura.And if it relates to the Nazirs, they can be instructed accordingly.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1926, Gazette, p.18] T he R ight M ethod of R aising Q uestions Some delegates started attaching conditions with regard to the questions in Shura.This was not only wrong but was in contrast to the established norms.Hadrat Musleh- e-Mau‘udra did not allow such questions, and said: “Now that all the questions have been answered, it is time to constitute sub-committees to consider the various 3 8 6

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama 1 at - e -A hmadiyya proposals contained in the Agenda.But before we pro ceed, I wish to say a few words about the questions.A condition attached to questions: A gentleman sent some questions, but said that these questions should be pre sented as they are, and, secondly, there should be a discussion about them after they have been answered.Otherwise, the questions may not be presented.This request is wrong in principle and also from another point o f view, which I shall explain later.It is wrong in principle, because nowhere in the world are people al lowed to discuss such questions after they have been answered, for this results in an unending debate which can go on till the end o f the'world.So, the normal proce dure is that a question is asked, and if something remains unanswered it can be asked afterwards, but it is wrong to start a series o f questions and answers.Hence this condi tion is contrary to the established norms.Only the Khalifa can allow a Question to be Asked: Since only the Khalifa has the authority to allow a question, it is wrong to lay down the condition that the question should not be asked if delegates cannot discuss it after it has been answered.The gentleman should have presented the ques tion and should have sought permission to discuss it further, and I would have accorded permission if I thought it necessary.Thus he would have been satisfied and we too would have benefited from the question.It was wrong to say that the question should not be presented if it is not go ing to be discussed in detail.We just noticed that a useful point emerged from the questions (concerning the closing o f the financial year), in respect o f which an incorrect pro cedure had so far been adopted.Thus we do benefit from questions, whether or not they are discussed at length.If 38 7

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya there are no restrictions, the discussion would continue endlessly.Therefore, the best procedure is to ask a ques tion, and if something has been left out (in the reply) it can be asked again.Seeking Clarifications from the Departments: The offices are open, you can seek clarifications from them as well.And if they fail to answer you, you have the right to in form me that such and such an office did not answer your query.Then I w ill look into the matter and decide whether or not it is in the interest o f the Jama'at for the question to be answered.If it is, I w ill instruct the office to furnish the reply, but if the reply is likely to lead to m ischief, or putting it in writing might cause us some problems, I w ill write to the person who has raised the question and tell him that I have satisfied m yself upon the matter, and it is only proper for that question not to be answered.What Questions can be Asked: I want to make it clear that only such important questions should be asked which help the interests o f the Jama'at, or give us some new in formation, or bring us some benefit, or remove some mischief.Asking aimless questions w ill only increase the burden upon the already overworked staff o f our offices.They w ill have to look into the records and a lot o f time w ill be wasted.” (Report Majlis-e-Shura 1928, pp.30-32] R estriction on A sking Q uestions : O nly P roposals may be P resented Asking questions in the Shura was a useful exercise, but it took a lot o f patience and forbearance to continue with this process.In practice, neither the questioners nor 3 8 8

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya those who answered them took the process seriously, nor did they try to benefit from it.For many years Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra continued to guide those who asked the questions and those who answered them, and ex plained to them the aim and purpose o f this exercise, but at last when he felt that it was adversely affecting the gravity and solemnity o f the Shura, he decided that ques tions would no longer be allowed.On the other hand he said that there would be no restriction in presenting any thing as a proposal.Hudur said: Two Decisions about the Shura: “I want to inform M ajlis-e- Shura that I have made two "decisions in the light o f our past practice.When I established the institution o f Shura, I said that it would not be advisable to formulate the rules at the very beginning, for they might create problems at * a later stage.Let the process go on as it is and let us keep suggesting rules and regulations as and when required.Experience has shown that this was the right decision.There is one aspect o f the Shura which is adversely af fecting the solemnity and decorum o f Majlis-e-Shura, and it is the aspect o f the questions.Despite my repeated exhortations, many o f the questions that are asked look very much like the questions that are raised in govern ment institutions.The words convey one thing, while the underlying intent is quite different.The purpose o f such questions is not to correct or to rectify something, they are meant to ensnare those to whom the questions are put, and the latter consequently respond in a manner that is intended to ward off the criticism.This causes a rust in the heart o f the questioner and also disheartens the work ers.It also strikes at the root o f honesty and righteousness.389

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in jam A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Anything which adversely affects Taqwa and righteous ness cannot be considered useful.Therefore, from now on I forbid the asking o f questions.The Right Method of Seeking Improvement: It is binding on anyone who notices any defect in the work o f the Jama'at, to inform me about it and to suggest changes.This is the proper method and this I w ill allow.What I can never allow is that someone should say one thing while he means another.Similarly, a worker cannot be allowed to conceal his mistake and concoct an answer to cover it up.In worldly organizations, the purpose o f ask ing such questions is that the one who is being asked should not be able to answer them and should thus be seen as dishonest and incompetent.The intention o f the respondent, on the other hand, is to make the objection appear false, even though it is true.But these things are very harmful as far as religion and Taqwa and righteous ness are concerned.I am therefore doing away with this practice, and I forbid the asking o f questions the way they have been asked till now.But I w ill not do away with the spirit o f asking questions and the benefit that comes with it.Questions are useful, because assistance from other people is very helpful to the workers, and our workers need to be helped in this manner.But we have limited time in the Shura, and it is not possible to give everybody a chance to offer his advice.A method, there fore, has to be evolved which w ill make it easy for those who want to give assistance to do so.At times the words even o f an ordinary man can turn out to be very useful.Some time back when w e were discussing improvements in our finances, a student from Madrasa High School wrote to me that hundreds o f ru 390

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya pees are spent every year in the purchase o f earthen ov ens for Jalsa Salana, but they are not taken care o f and begin to crumble.If we could take steps to preserve these ovens, a lot o f money could be saved.It surprised me to hear such a suggestion from a student, and I thought he might be wrong.But when I sent the pa pers to a building expert and asked for his opinion, he accepted the suggestion and said that it could help to save money.Even if we have to pay a rent o f Rs.12 per year for the land where the ovens are fixed, we could still save hundreds o f rupees.^ So, not only older people but even children can come up with good ideas.In future, therefore, instead o f offering your opinion in the form o f a question, it should be pre sented as a proposal.And this w ill not be limited to the Shura; whenever someone has a useful idea during the.course o f the year he should send it to me.A ll such sug gestions w ill be forwarded to a commission which w ill be set up every year or every second year to evaluate the work o f the Jama'at.When the commission approves o f certain suggestions, I shall give my decision about them, and when it rejects some suggestions, and I also do not find them useful, I shall reject them also; but if I find them useful they w ill be accepted.The present method o f asking questions only means meddling in the affairs o f others, and it does more harm than good.W hile I am permitting the asking o f questions this year, it shall not be allowed in the future.Henceforth, instead o f asking questions, you may offer proposals that a certain De partment is suffering from certain shortcomings and such and such steps should be taken to correct it.Thus, along with the defects, you w ill also be proposing the remedy, 391

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T he system of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya which the commission w ill consider, and I w ill take the final decision.The Right to Allow or Disallow the Presentation of a Proposal: N ow we come to the proposals.This has also become a difficult issue.I cannot think o f a person who does not conceive a good idea, but if we were to consider every such idea, we would have a pile o f them before us every year.And when somebody’s proposal is rejected, he thinks that the whole exercise is in vain.Since the Jama*at has not yet been trained in these matters, anyone who thinks o f a proposal expects it not only to be taken up in Majlis-e-Mushawarat, but to be actually imple mented.The fact is that it is not easy to think o f a scheme which can be implemented, considering all the prevailing circumstances.Even in governments, private bills are rarely presented, and it is mostly government officials who present the bills, because they have a better knowl edge and understanding o f the situation.In our case, it is usually the members o f the outside Jama'ats who come up with proposals, even though many o f these proposals have already come to our own mind, but we could not implement them because o f practical difficulties.For in stance, we may not have the required financial resources, or they may undermine the projects that are already un derway.For these and similar other reasons, such proposals cannot be implemented.Please also remember that Islam gives the Prophet and his Khulafa the right to seek advice.No one can prove that anyone has been given the right to advise a Prophet or Khalifa.There is not a single instance whereby some one advised the Holy Prophetsa and considered it his right.The procedure I had proposed was that proposals 392

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya would first come to me and I would adopt the ones which I considered useful.But what w e see now is that when someone’s proposal is rejected, he thinks that he has been denied his right! I have therefore decided that in future no one w ill be permitted to present his proposals in the Shura.But every Ahmadl can send his proposals to me, and I w ill be thankful to all such people and w ill benefit from their ad vice.But if someone insists that his proposal should be presented before Majlis-e-Shura, I w ill not allow it to be presented in Shura that year, even if it is useful.So no one should send his proposal upon the condition that it must be presented in Majlis-eVShura.It is for me to de cide.I w ill present it to the Shura if I think it necessary, otherwise I w ill not send it and w ill make whatever use o f it I can.It is not necessary to send proposals only at the time o f Shura, they can be sent any time during the course o f the year.If I believe that they need to be brought before Majlis-e-Shura the same year, I w ill do so, and if I believe that they should be postponed till next year, I w ill make a note o f it.Anyway, it must be clear to all that the Khalifa alone has the right to present any pro posal before the Shura.Hence, all the proposals should be sent to me and not sent directly to the Shura.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1930, pp.4-8] S treamlining the W ork of the C entral O rganizations As stated above, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra stopped the procedure of asking o f questions in Majlis-e-Shura in 1930, and allowed the sending o f proposals.In the very next Shura, Hudur further said that if someone notices a flaw in the working o f the central organizations, he 393

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya should report it.Hudur said: “In last year’s Shura, I had stopped delegates from asking questions because some o f them adopted the attitude prevalent in worldly organizations.Their questions were either meant as accusations or they had some other ulterior motive.But since we are a religious and spiritual Jama'at, all our actions should have the element o f spirituality.If we leave this path, we w ill never be able to win the love o f God and His approbation.This is why I stopped the asking o f questions.But now I would like to say that all kinds o f defects are likely to creep into human affairs, and they cannot be rectified unless they are pointed out by those who notice them.Defects tend to become worse if they are not pointed out.I, therefore, announce that whoever no tices any defect in the working o f any organization, should inform me during the course o f the year and especially when the new commission is about to begin its work.Then, if I consider it necessary, I shall order an investiga tion about it.While it is wrong to go about looking for defects, at the same time, it is our duty that to overcome our shortcomings when we learn about them, and thus make progress in everything we do.So, whereas I do not approve of questions that are meant to ridicule someone, I also do not like our defects to go uncorrected.I, therefore, announce that anyone who notices any flaw in the working o f any organization, instead o f closing his eyes to it, should bring it to my notice.If it is important enough, it w ill be referred to the commission.” [Report Majlis-e~Shfira, 1931, pp.3-4] S etting up of an I nvestigative C ommittee During the Question-Answer sessions in the Shura, it became evident that the working o f the Central Depart 394

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THE SYSTEM OF MUSHAWARAT IN JAMA‘AT-E-AHMADIYYA ments was not satisfactory, and was in need o f im provement.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra thought that it was necessary to look into the work o f the Nazarats, to ascertain whether the instructions were being properly followed.For this purpose, a high-level commission was set up which comprised o f three members.It was re quired to inspect the offices o f the Nazirs according to the following terms o f reference: (i) To see whether the amount allocated to the Nazirs is sufficient to enable them to discharge their responsibili tie s...If the money and staff is less than required, the report should recommend an increase.And if the amount of work is less, this too should be mentioned, and the duties o f the Nazirs should be outlined.(ii) The Commission should find out whether or not the Nazarat abides by the guidelines (which have been sanc tioned by the Shura with the approval of Hadrat Khallfatul Masih).Sometimes people do not abide by the laws passed by the state and this encourages people to violate laws.When the workers notice that the Nazarat itself does not abide by the Khalifa’s instruc tions, they do not care for these instructions either.(iii) The Commission should report whether the Nazarats are making serious efforts to implement the decisions of Majlis-e-Shura.(iv) The Commission should also examine if the workers use their authority in a manner that denies other people their rights.395

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ^ at - e -A hmadiyya (v) It should find out whether a Department is over spending.It should inspect the offices and determine which o f them is incurring unnecessary expenses and to what extent.[Report Majlis-e-Shura 1929, pp.68-69] A ppointment of a C ommission to O versee the W ork of the N azarats The Investigative Commission presented its detailed re port to Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra at Mushawarat 1930.Hudur praised the Commission for its hard work and ap proved many o f its recommendations, but took strong note o f one o f its recommendations which was related to Khilafat.We shall discuss this in detail in the next chap ter, for it sheds light on the relationship between Khilafat and Majlis-e-Shura.Hudur did not rely on the recommendations o f this Commission, but constituted another one to examine the matter further and come up with more suggestions.Hudur said: “I hereby appoint another Commission to oversee the work o f the N azarats...I am sorry to say that the Nazirs did not extend to the Commission the cooperation that was expected o f them.Although the Commission has ac knowledged their cooperation and has thanked them, this has been done more as a formality.The fact is that the Nazirs did not cooperate.The reason they have given is that since people had been warned against trying to pres surise the Commission, they did not want to appear before it lest it should be influenced by them.But the members o f the Commission are not infants that they should be pressurised in this way.What the directive 39 6

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in jama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya meant was that members o f the Commission should not be approached personally, and administrative and office matters should not be discussed with them in private.A l though the Commission has graciously acknowledged the Nazirs’ cooperation, they did not, in fact, cooperate.I hope they w ill do so in future.Secondly, I expect them to get rid o f their negligence and try to conform fully to the instructions that have been given to them.I am not satisfied in this regard.The new Commission should particularly see to it that everything is done strictly in accordance with the rules and regulations.I also expect the members o f the Commission to report any departure from the rules oh part o f the Nazirs without fear or favour.The members o f the Commission are my assistants, and they are the Khalifa in a sense.They should courageously and fearlessly report any fault, and , point out anything which needs to be corrected.If some office worker is incompetent and unable to perform his duties, this also should be brought to my notice so that he may be replaced.” [Report MajUs-e-Shura 1930, pp.48-49] R esponsibilities of the O ffice -B earers of the J ama ‘ at A proposal from Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya Benin was pre sented in the International Majlis-e-Shura in 1988, which related to determining the responsibilities o f the Amir, the Missionary In-charge, and the President o f a Jama'at.The sub-committee report strongly recom mended that a book should be produced regarding the rules and regulations which apply to these important o f fices.Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IVrh instructed Tehrik 3 9 7

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Jadld to immediately start preparing this book.He also said that since this was an administrative matter, it should be dealt with at the administrative level.A fe male delegate suggested that the book should be made available to every AhmadI in all countries, and particu larly to new Ahmadls.Hudur said: [English] “I know the background o f this proposal.Benin is justified in expressing some doubts and m isgivings re garding this, but unfortunately, as I told you earlier, they belong to just a small branch o f Ahmadiyyat.What they saw there is not representative o f what is happening elsewhere in the field.So I gave them the opportunity to express this here so that it w ill serve as a warning to Te- hrik Jadld.It is the duty o f the Centre to monitor the activities o f all the missionaries.It is the duty o f every Ahmadi to report such matters as they find contrary to Is lamic traditions, or in some way censurable, to the local Ahmadi authorities.And if they find that no action has been taken they should report directly to me.If you are w ell informed and kept informed in time, then there is no possibility o f the matter developing to a stage where it can cause damage.So the flow o f information should be established, channels should be established, so that peo ple know how to reach whom, in what matter.That also requires to be attended in the booklet which we are going to publish.Quote a few examples.Sometimes grave damage is done to the whole Jama'at and all that is done by the missionaries.So do not think they are above cen sure or beyond committing mistakes.Some missionaries, o f course, have been expelled from the Jama'at.Why? Why were such severe measures taken against them? 398

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the S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya But the unfortunate part o f the story is that it came to be known very late when both the missionaries were de stroyed, and before he was destroyed he had him self destroyed a large chunk o f the Jama'at where he worked.So this should not happen again.We w ill not permit this to happen, Inshaallah.So a very efficient monitoring system, more than that, in fact a very efficient system o f reporting things right at the initial stage o f the offing should be made and established, and this book should enlighten the people on that...The matter is to be dis cussed at administrative level rather than at the level o f Shura.So before somebody strays into this dangerous area, I should prevent that possibility...There is no secret in Ahmadiyyat, absolutely.We are an open book, our budgets are open, everything is open.So this administration book, or our attempt to teach Ahm adis...anyone can have access to it and use it.[Report Majlis-e-Shura 1988, pp.199-202) R ules of S adr A njuman A hmadiyya and M ajlis - e -M ushawarat (1) During Shura 1943, a delegate asked whether the Shura has the authority to propose any changes in the rules o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya.Responding to this question, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “Though this might not be part o f the written regulations, there are effectively two ways o f presenting something before the Shura: First, if a member o f a Jama'at sends a proposal which he considers to be important, it is sent to the concerned De partment.The Nazir o f the Department then consults other Nazirs and recommends that the proposal may be presented in Shura.Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya then 399

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e - ahmadiyya sends the proposal to the Shura with its approval.So, when every proposal is sent to Shura after Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya has approved it, the question does not arise as to whether the Shura has the authority to amend the rules o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, because any such proposal would be presented by Sadr Anjuman Ahmadi yya, and it would mean that the Anjuman itself feels the necessity for amending its rules.In the second scenario, Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya may not agree with the proposal.The Anjuman is an executive body, and bodies that are responsible for implementing decisions at times shy away from certain responsibilities.The second rule, therefore, concerns the proposals that are sent to the Khalifa, and he may order them to be pre sented in the Shura even though they have been rejected by Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya.This happens when the Khalifa considers a proposal to be important.Even if Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya does not adopt it, the Khalifa uses his own authority to bring it before the representatives o f the Jamatat.In this case also the question raised would be invalid, because it is the Khalifa who wants the proposal to be presented in the Shura.The objection that this would mean interference in the work o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadi yya, is also invalid.In short, no proposal can be presented to the Shura, in keeping with our accepted procedures, unless it has been approved by Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, or the Khalifa has ordered it to be presented.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1943, p.21] E lection or N omination of O ffice -B earers (2) In this connection, two amendments came under con sideration.After the Amir has been elected, he may 40 0

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya himself appoint his ‘Amila (executive committee).If the Amir himself has appointed the office-bearers, he has the authority to remove and replace them as well.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra discussed both the positive and negative aspects o f this proposal, enlightened the mem bers about the injunction [Differences among my umma are a blessing\ and finally decided that, instead o f being nominated, office-bearers should be elected by the electoral college.He said: “Though this seems to be a minor issue, it is in essen tially very important, and there are both positive and negative aspects to it.W hile’-there is the need to invest more authority in the Amir and to elect office-bearers who are competent, so that the work can go on smoothly and with mutual cooperation, some members have also raised the question that this could alienate some sections o f the Jama'at and they might be led to think that they are only asked to give Chandas but are not allowed to do any practical service for the Jama'at.Another thing which we cannot ignore is that while this method w ill increase co operation among you, there is also the danger that the spirit o f cooperation despite differences—which distin guishes the Jama'at today— might grow weak.Therefore, the members o f our Jama'at are trained in such a way that while they w ill cooperate in work that they are w ill ing to do, they are also ever ready to do anything which they are asked to do by their superiors even if it is against their own w ill.But if we give an Amir the authority to always choose office-bearers according to his own choice, the spirit o f cooperation in the Jama'at w ill suf fer.We are working to establish Imarats in all the 401

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya Jama'ats, and we have expanded this system, but if we give the Amirs the authority to nominate office-bearers o f their own choice, they are likely to select people who are already willing to work with them.In this way the Amirs may be led to think that people are cooperating with them, while, in fact, they are not cooperating with the Amir and are only working because they want to...“D ifferences among my P eople are a S ource of B lessing ” If we make it a rule that Amirs w ill appoint the office bearers, the inevitable result w ill be that they w ill select people who can get along with them and with whom they feel comfortable.This w ill, o f course, ensure that the Amirs w ill get the cooperation o f the office-bearers, but the spirit to submit to the order o f an office-bearer against one’s own w ill, w ill almost die out in the Jama'at.Secondly, the Amirs w ill be unable to hear con trary opinion.If an Amir gives an order and it is not complied with, he realizes that he has yet to develop the spirit o f obedience among his members, but if he always nominates people o f his own choice, he w ill not have oc casion to listen to contrary opinion.On the one hand, the Holy Prophetsa said: ‘He who obeys my Amir obeys me, and he who disobeys my Amir disobeys m e,’ but, on the other hand, he also said Usi-j <y\ ‘Differences among my people are a source o f blessing.’ He did not say that once an Amir has been appointed, all differences should be removed, rather he said that the presence o f difference, despite the pres ence o f an Amir, is a blessing for the umma.If the differences are completely wiped out, it shall not be a 402

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya blessing but a matter o f concern.Thus the Holy Prophet8 * said that the presence o f differences is a source o f bless ings, and not their absence.This obviously does not mean that quarrelling and infighting is a blessing.Had this been his purpose, he would have said, i.e., differences are a blessing; but what he did say was which means that differences, which re main within the system prescribed by Islam, are a blessing, and that difference and submission must go hand in hand to ensure the success o f a Jama'at.So, I be lieve that we need to modify this regulation o f the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya in a way that caters for both as pects o f the matter.This, I believe, is the proposal that w ill serve us best.I have already expressed my opinion in this matter before the consultation.M embers M ust E xpress their H onest O pinions Some people at times object that there is no point in con sulting the members after the Khalifa has expressed his opinion, because the members feel bound to follow the opinion o f the Khalifa, even if they do not agree with it.But I believe that this is necessary for the proper training o f the Jama'at.I believe that members o f the Jama'at should develop an attitude whereby, despite their resolve to submit to the decision o f the Khalifa, they should ex press their honest opinion without being influenced by anyone, even if it is a Prophet who has asked them for it.It is on record that the Holy Prophetsa would at times express his own opinion before seeking advice from others.This was because he believed that his Companions would not be influenced by anyone and would express their own honest opinion.I too at times express my opinion before asking others for theirs, but I do this to highlight various 403

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya aspects o f the matter under discussion, and I expect mem bers to offer their own considered opinion when asked for it.It is not right to change one’s own opinion just because a Prophet or a Khalifa has expressed his.But if a person’s opinion is truly changed after he has heard the arguments, then no one can compel him to stick to his previous opin ion, for his opinion has been changed by the force o f argument.Thus, if a person honestly changes his opinion, there can be no objection against him.But if he sticks to his previous opinion, he should present it honestly, even though the Khalifa differs with him.Since the matter under discussion was a vital one, I chose to express my opinion about it, but it does not mean that you, too, should express the same opinion.When you are asked for your opinion, you should say what you truly believe.However, if you have changed your opinion, then you have the right to pre sent your altered opinion and discard the previous one.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1943, pp, 20-29] E lecting O ffice -B earers through the E lectoral C ollege (3) The second question raised in this context was that, if the office-bearers are elected through an electoral col lege, people will be deprived o f their right to vote, and this will not be fair.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra clarified the question and then mentioned the advantages o f the proposed regulation.He said: “I believe that this question is very important, but it be comes irrelevant if the Jama’at abides by the instructions which I have been giving them from time to time.There is no doubt that if only a few people are given the right to select office-bearers, the rest o f the members w ill become like useless limbs and their power o f reflection 4 0 4

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya and deliberation and their ability to resolve problems w ill suffer.So, if it is merely upon the few o f us to decide that the rights o f the people should be taken away from them and entrusted to a certain group o f people, and we fail to take into account the overall opinion o f the Jama'at, this would result in some serious flaws, and the standard o f our reflection and deliberation w ill surely suffer.The present practice is that members o f every Jama'at are in timated about the contents o f the Shura’s Agenda.The opinion o f the members are then elicited and are finally conveyed to the Shura through their representatives...Hence if the delegates had sought the opinion o f the members o f their Jama'ats, and-if the consensus had been in favour o f the proposal that office-bearers should be appointed through an electoral college, then the objec tion— that the right o f vote to be exercised by each individual has been taken away—w ill not stand.I am not sure whether the proposals were presented to the Jama'ats or not, but if the majority o f the Jama'at voted for the suggested procedure, then the question o f depriv ing individuals o f their right w ill become invalid.When somebody w illingly entrusts his right to another, we can not say that his right has been taken away.But if the members o f the Jama'ats were not taken into confidence, and the decision was made arbitrarily, then this method would certainly amount to robbing people o f their rights.But if the issue was actually taken up and discussed by the members o f the Jama'at, and the majority voted for entrusting the function (o f appointing the office-bearers) to an electoral college, then this would not be depriving people o f their lawful rights, but would imply that they have voluntarily delegated their right to others.So if all 40 5

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya members o f the Jama'ats were consulted on this issue and the majority supported the proposal, then electing a few persons from the Jama'ats for discharging such a function would not mean that their right has been taken away from them, but if the proposal was not placed be fore them, it would be justifiable to say that the rights o f people have been affected.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1943, pp.22-23] R eports of the C entral D epartments As previously mentioned, reports about the implementa tion o f the previous year’s decisions o f Shura would be read out before the actual proceedings o f Shura.This would be done in two ways.Firstly, reports about the implementation o f the Shura’s decisions would be pre sented by the concerned Nazarats— this practice is ongoing to this day.Secondly, all the Nazarats would present their progress reports, which would be scruti nized and questioned in the Shura.This would take a lot of time and would affect the actual work o f Mushawarat.Little time would be left even for deliberating upon the budget.It was, therefore, decided that instead of being presented in the Shura, the progress reports should be published separately.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra ap proved this proposal and thereafter these reports were appended to the detailed report of Shura.[Report Majlis-e-Shura 1930, p.31] M anagement of M ajlis - e -S hura The Private Secretary to Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh per forms the vital role of organizing Majlis-e-Mushawarat.406

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya ' As Secretary Majlis-e-Mushawarat, he supervises all its organizational and administrative aspects, and works under direct instructions from Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh.The office o f the Private Secretary begins preparations for Shura a few months in advance.First o f all, the Cen tral Departments are consulted regarding the dates on which the Shura should be held.After the dates have been approved by Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh, they are an nounced in Al-Fadl.The Central Departments and the Jama'ats are then requested to send their proposals within a certain period of time, and when these propos als are received they are sent to the relevant Departments for their comments.The three Central Organizations consider the proposals that are relevant to them.They see whether the proposals are in keeping with the rules and whether or not they need to be presented before the Shura.A consolidated report is then presented before Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh.The proposals which are ac cepted by him for consideration in the Shura are then drawn up in the form o f the Agenda and published by the Private Secretary.The Agenda is also sent to the Amirs of outside Jama'ats and to the Central Depart ments with certain important instructions.An announcement is made on behalf of the Private Sec retary that Jama'ats and Central Organizations should elect their representatives in keeping with the rules and should send their names to Markaz.Passes are then is sued in the names o f the elected representatives.Nazarat 40 7

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Umur ‘Amma extends full cooperation to the Private Secretary in this regard.Arrangements have to be made for Majlis-e-Mushawarat every year, and these include making seating arrange ments for the delegates and Z a’irin.In the beginning the delegates used to sit on the floor, but since it was difficult for them to stand up to speak time and again, it was, therefore, decided that chairs should be arranged for.The arrangement of chairs was also not easy, and they had to be hired or procured from the various educational institu tions.Since their procurement and transport would involve a lot o f work and expenditure, Hadrat Musleh-e- Mau‘udra decided that essential items should be purchased and permanently stocked in the Private Secretary’s office.Another important aspect of organizing the Shura is the preparation and publication o f the detailed report.This is also the task of the Private Secretary.He also records the important decisions o f Mushawarat and presents them to Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh for formal approval.The Private Secretary is also responsible for intimating the concerned Departments about the decisions for the purpose of record and implementation.The Central Organizations work all the year round to implement these decision.Miscellane ous instructions given by Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh during the course o f Mushawarat are implemented by the Central Organizations or the outside Jama'ats, as the case may be.40 8

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Chapter XI T he L egal S tatus of M ajlis - e -S hura [And their affairs are decided by mutual consultations ].This injunction o f the Holy Quran can only be understood in the light of j [And con sult them in matters o f importance ] which defines the legal and legislative status o f Majlis-e-Shura.Khulafa have time and again shed light on this.During Majlis-e- Shura 1928, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “With regard to our consultations and deliberations in the Shura, one thing which I have said before, and which I hope the Nazirs and others w ill keep it in mind, is that, according to Islamic Shariah, only the Khalifa has the right to decide.Others can only advise him.M ajlis-e- Mushawarat does not make decisions, it only offers ad vice.It is up to the Khalifa to decide.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1928, p.46] Since the institution o f Majlis-e-Shura in Jama'at-e- Ahmadiyya does, in some ways, resemble the Western system o f democracy, it led some people to think that the status o f a representative in the Shura is the same as that o f a Member o f Parliament or National Assembly.But when we look carefully, we find basic differences be tween the form and temperament o f Majlis-e-Shura and that o f Western democracy.(1) In the case o f Western democracy, a person offers him self for election as a representative of the people, and then his party gives him ticket and nominates him as its candi- 409

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e - ahmadiyya date upon the condition that he will support the party’s policies in every matter when he goes to Parliament.In Majlis-e-Shura, no one can volunteer himself to be a repre sentative, nor can he convince someone else to propose his name.Rather, the members o f the Jama'at choose the most suitable person as their representative, and they do so with sincerity and fear of God in their hearts.(2) No one is allowed to canvass in favour o f a person whose name has been proposed for membership o f Ma- jlis-e-Shura, while this is allowed in Western democracy.(3) Anyone who comes to Majlis-e-Shura as a represen tative o f his Jama'at is free to give his own opinion, and he is not bound by the opinion o f his Jama'at.He offers his own honest opinion when he is asked for it.But, at the same time, he is also bound to mention the opinion o f his Jama'at if it is different from his own.The opinion o f the majority in the Shura is no more than a recommendation, which may or may not be accepted by the Khalifa.God Almighty says in the Holy Quran: jiulJejtjS! i.e., once you have sought advice from the believers and have reached a decision, you are then free to implement it, placing all trust in God.In Ahmadiyyat, the Khulafa have given Majlis-e-Shura the same status as laid down by the Holy Prophetsa and his KhulafaA Hadrat M usleh-e-M au‘udra shed further light on this subject during Mushawarat 1943.A delegate asked 410

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya whether or not the Shura is entitled to amend the rules o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya pertaining to the election o f office-bearers.Hadrat M usleh-e-M au‘udra gave the following explanation: “A delegate has raised a question as to whether the Shura has the authority to effect any change in the rules o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya regarding the appointment o f the office-bearers.This is an important question which needs to be clarified, for it has risen due to lack o f understand ing.If w e are to leave this question unattended it w ill create all kinds o f misunderstandings.The fact is that the Shura never makes any decisions.This is something I have highlighted a number of'tim es.I have repeatedly said that the Shura does not make any decisions, it only gives advice to the Khalifa when he asks for it.Hence the Shura is not the one that decides, rather, in keeping with.the Divine injunction ‘Consult them in mat ters o f importance’, it is the Khalifa who asks for advice and uses it to reach a decision.The Shura does not decide anything by itself.So when you ask whether or not ‘w e’ can change the rules o f the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, it implies that the Shura is a separate and independent body as opposed to Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, and that both affect one another without any intermediary.This is ab solutely wrong.There is no ‘w e’ that can act or react directly.And if by ‘w e’ you mean the Shura, and we take into consideration the fact that the Shura is presided over by the Khalifa, and the Shura can only give advice when the Khalifa asks for it, the question would become: Does the Khalifa have the authority to change a rule o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya? This question is again wrong.Hence both aspects o f this question are wrong.It is not 411

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya correct to say that the Shura is a permanent body which acts or reacts in contrast to Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya.The Shura only gives advice, and that, too, when the Khalifa asks for it in keeping with the Divine command.So, when friends offer any advice they do so in compli ance with the commandment o f God, and they give priority to the requirements o f the Jama'at and do not con sider themselves a permanent body.Therefore, the very question as to whether we can make a decision or not, is wrong.The Shura does not make decisions like other as semblies.If by ‘w e’ you mean the Shura, and we consider the fact that this institution works under the Khalifa and he alone can ask people for advice, and it is he alone who makes the decision, the question would become: Does the Khalifa have the right to reject or modify any rule o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya? It is wrong to raise this question because the Khalifa is the higher authority and he has the authority to amend any rule o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya.So this question should not trouble anyone.” ^Report Majlis-e-Shiira 1943, pp.19-21] Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IIIrh also shed light on this im portant question during Mushawarat 1967.Hudur endorsed an important explanatory note by Maulana ‘Abul ‘Ata Jalandharf3, which accompanied the report o f a sub-committee, and read it out in his concluding ad dress.The note was as follows: “Let it be clear to all individuals and Jama'ats that only a Prophet or Imam has the right to consult the people.The Holy Quran says: According to the Shariah, it is the prerogative o f the Imam to seek advice in whatever manner, and from whomsoever he wishes.412

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in jama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Jama'ats and individuals cannot lay down any conditions on how they want to offer their advice.Majlis-e-Shura is called by the Khalifa and he has the authority to consult the members in whatever numbers and whatever manner he sees fit.We thought it necessary to make this clarifi cation lest some new Ahmadis should confuse the membership o f Shura with the membership o f some W estern-style Parliament.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1967, p.244] Later, on the occasion o f Mushawarat 1970, Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IIIrh delivered a Divinely inspired ser mon upon the institution o f Mushawarat.Hudur explained the meaning of this verse o f Al-e-‘Imran: (js'ySi o J y LljU I(j “So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them, and con sult them in matters o f importance; and when thou art determined, then put thy trust in Allah.” (Al-e-‘Imran, 3:160) and said that forgiveness is only to be exercised when it results in reformation, and the purpose o f ‘seeking for giveness from God’ is so that people are able to seek forgiveness for their own sins and are saved from the ill-consequences o f their misdeeds.Although this in junction is primarily addressed to the Holy Prophetsa, it is also addressed to his deputies.They, too, have been asked to deal with the Jama'at in such a way that they are able to reform themselves, and are spared the ill- consequences o f their misdeeds through repentance and seeking God’s forgiveness.413

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya Further elaborating this point, Hudur said that although a Jama'at of believers consists o f sincere and devoted peo ple, if any of them happens to make a mistake due to some human weakness, we should pray that Allah may forgive them and provide the means for their reformation.Hudur said that when Allah says, ‘Consult them in matters o f importance, ’ it naturally follows that the Jama'at is worthy o f being consulted.Hudur said that the Arabic word ‘Mushawarat’ has its root in which means ‘to collect honey’.Mushawarat can also be likened to the bee which collects nectar from different flowers and then processes it with its own fluids to make honey.In Shura, the Khalifa gathers the opinions of the representatives and, in keeping with the injunction ‘When you are determined...reaches a decision through his God-given wisdom and insight.The opinion o f the members remains incomplete and unsubstantiated until the determination and decision o f the Prophet or his deputy comes into play.The opinion o f the believers is nothing in itself until it is accompanied by Divine guid ance and by the prayers o f Khallfatul Masih, for only then does it become Qawwam and becomes like honey which benefits and cures mankind.Hudur described in detail the process through which a bee makes honey, and then said that Allah desires the Jama'at o f believers to possess sound judgement, and not to be overcome by emotions.Be meek and full of devotion, and when you make a suggestion do not be 4 1 4

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya afraid o f the responsibilities that will fall upon you as a result.Be ready to offer every necessary sacrifice, even to the extent of starving yourselves and your children.When you are motivated by such a spirit o f sacrifice, your opinions will become alive.Just as flowers offer their nectar to the bee, so does God desire the believers to be pure and righteous as flowers, and become a living manifestation o f Islam.Just as a flower presents its nec tar to the bee, in the same way, the believers should present the essence of their thoughts to the Imam.This is the true spirit o f Mushawarat.Concluding the sermon, Hudur said: ' ' “God says, create a Jama'at and seek advice from it, and add your own prayers and determination to their advice; thus you w ill reach the lim it o f human endeavour...God says jjuuljJcJtjSl i.e., your trust should be upon Him and not upon your own schem es...Do not imagine that you w ill succeed even when your opinions have combined with the determination, endeavour and prayers o f the Prophet’s deputy.Remember, you w ill not succeed de spite all this, unless you put your trust in G od...If God comes to your aid, the whole world together cannot de feat your purpose, and if He does not come to your aid, no power on earth can help you succeed...S o, after you have taken your endeavour to the limit, you should not put your trust in what you have done but you should put your faith in G od...If you have faith in Him, after you have carried your endeavour to its limit, and attach no importance whatever to your own efforts, then you are sure to receive God’s help.This is the guidance and the teaching w e have been given regarding Mushawarat.4 1 5

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya Therefore, whenever you are asked for advice, you should offer it selflessly.” [Friday sermon, 27 March 1970] In his inaugural address to Majlis-e-Mushawarat on the same day, Hudur said: “May God enable you and me to offer to Him the quintes sence o f our intelligence, our insight and our devotion!” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1970, p.4] D ifference between M ushawarat and W estern D emocracy Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IVrh also spoke on this subject during Majlis-e-Shura Belgium.Hudur said: “When Majlis-e-Mushawarat was initially introduced in the W est, we were faced with some problems because most Westerners and Africans confused Mushawarat with Western democracy, while, in fact, Western democ racy comes nowhere near Mushawarat.Their aims and their methods and their manner o f speaking is quite dif ferent.They do not even have the concept o f offering opinions purely for the sake o f God.Shura is not a de mocratic institution, rather it is a heavenly institution which comes from above and flow s downwards.It does not flow upwards from the roots as does democracy.” [Address to Majlis-e-Shura Brussels, 9 September 1992, p.2] Hudur further said: “The true Majlis-e-Shura is the one envisaged by Islam, in which you are not allowed to ask for votes, or to form parties.It is for the people to choose as their representa tive one whom they see as righteous and God-fearing in their daily lives.And there is an efficient system o f checks and balances, for which reason it is called Majlis- 4 1 6

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya e-Shura and not Parliament.Representatives are entitled to offer their advice, but the opinion o f the majority w ill not necessarily be accepted.” (ibid, p.7) Hudur also said: “The Islamic system o f Mushawarat has no equivalent in any o f the worldly systems.You w ill not find anything remotely like it anywhere in the world.It is a firmly es tablished system which comes from God and is based on Taqwa.That is why the one who offers an opinion never insists that his opinion should be accepted.He knows that he has done his duty, and has offered the opinion which he honestly thought to be correct.In the same way, the one who receives the advice reaches a decision with the fear o f God in his heart, and God blesses his deci sion.” (ibid, p.8) Although this basic aspect o f has been discussed in various chapters in this book, it is now being discussed separately as a chapter because of its great importance.The Khulafa have repeated it time and again, and have constantly re minded members o f Shura and members o f the Jama'at that Shura does not make any decision, it only offers ad vice, which may or may not be accepted by the Khalifa.The major purpose of this book is to remind the Jama'at o f this vital point, so that they may not be influenced and led astray by the non-Islamic consultative systems, and the representatives may not deviate from the true spirit of Islamic system of Mushawarat, and may strictly follow the system of Mushawarat established in Jama'at-e- Ahmadiyya and reap its blessings.41 7

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya P roposals R elating to H adrat K hal I fatul M ashi This delicate issue first came up for discussion in 1926.The question being discussed was whether the Shura can take up a proposal in which Khallfatul Masih is asked to tour certain Jama'ats for the purpose o f D acwat Ilallah.There was a long discussion in which the majority were in favour o f such proposals being presented, while a few thought that it would amount to restricting the Khalifa and was even contrary to his dignity.Here we reproduce some extracts from Hudur’s decision which he made af ter listening to both points of view: “This is a very unusual proposal both with regard to its nature and the varied reaction it has invited.There are currently 105 votes in favour o f the proposal and 75 against.When the resolution was presented, some dele gates spoke against it and it seemed as if everyone was against it.But when some people started speaking in fa vour o f it, it seemed as if everyone was o f the same view.Thus the balance continued to tilt one way and the other, and it was difficult to say where the people’s emotions would lead them.I believe that, instead o f deliberating upon the matter in a cool and logical manner, as should have been done, members allowed their emotion to dominate them and the discussion that ensued was con sequently based on emotions rather than on thought and reflection.Some objectionable words used by some dele gates also show that they were being led by emotions, and the cool and calm that is peculiar to believers had left them for a time.I hope that in future members w ill con trol their sentiments and w ill not use words that are undesirable and cause rift among people.418

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T he S ystem of mushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e - ahmadiyya Now I come to the point.I w ill take up the original pro posal which could not be presented on legal grounds.The proposal was that the Khalifa should make a tour o f vari ous cities.Chaudhary Zafrullah Sahib said that the wording o f the proposal implied an insult to the Khalifa.He suggested that a vote o f censure should be passed against those who had used such words.But Chaudhary Sahib should remember that those who made the pro posal are sincere people and they never intended an insult to the Khalifa.Nor did Chaudhary Sahib imply that they had meant to insult the Khalifa.He only said that the words used in the proposal were undesirable, and sug gested that a note o f censure be passed against them.But since such a note is used when something has been in tended, therefore, in order to dispel the impression that has been created, I would like to say that the words were undesirable, and since Chaudhary sahib has already clari fied this point, I w ill do no more than to remind you o f his comments.I agree with Chaudhary Sahib that, in the context, the language o f the proposal was derogatory, because it im plied that members o f the Jama'at should knock at the door o f the Khalifa and ask him to go out and preach.Be fore I speak o f how the Holy Prophetsa would go out for preaching and how the Khalifa should do so, let me say that there is a world o f difference between the Prophet or a Khalifa going out somewhere for Tabllgh, and in his followers telling him to do the same.Is there not a lot o f difference between a King going somewhere and him be ing told to go? Is there no logical difference between the King going to the house o f a subject, and his being told to go there? In one instance, he goes o f his own accord, 419

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e - ahmadiyya while in the other instance he is asked to do so.There is a world o f difference between the two, according to the ac cepted norms.An obvious example is that the Promised Messiah3 S went to Delhi, Lahore, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Amritsar and Sialkot, but when he was told that a certain Raja wanted to meet him, he did not say that since he had been to Delhi and other places, he could go and see this Raja as well; instead, he said, “The thirsty come to water, water does not go to them.” This shows the difference between the two situations.It is said that the Promised Messiah“ did go to some places at people’s request, but this was more by way o f accepting an invitation.I too am invited by rich and poor alike to dine with them, and if I can spare time and am in good health I do accept their invitations.Such arguments, therefore, do not hold water.There is a precise difference between accepting an invita tion, and being told to go som ewhere...In response to the objection that such a proposal would amount to restrict ing the Khalifa, it has been said that it was only meant as an advice.I agree that the resolutions presented here are only in the form o f advice and it is wrong to infer that they can be used to restrict the Khalifa.But, on the other hand, w e also have to view the context in which some thing has been said.At times even an apparent request carries an inherent decision.Everyone has experience o f situations whereby something is said in the form o f a re quest while it is in fact a command.I believe that even this kind o f interference is not permissible in matters relating to the person o f the Khalifa.The Khalifa is responsible for all the affairs o f the Jama4at, some o f which he assigns to other people, while others relate to his own person and to no one else.Pre 4 2 0

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama * at - e -A hmadiyya senting these kinds o f proposals in the Shura— though they may not be intended to restrict the Khalifa—might with time encourage people to start placing restrictions upon his activities.And since this proposal relates di rectly to the activities o f the Khalifa, it is admittedly against the accepted norms.The discussion was obvi ously not meant to insult anyone, but if we start discussing the activities o f the Khalifa and this process is allowed to continue, it is quite possible that at one time someone may come up with a proposal that the Khalifa should be requested to reply personally to a certain kind o f letters.The result would be that the same M ajlis-e- Mushawarat, which the Khalifa alone can choose whether to call or not to call, w ill start placing restric tions on him! I do not at all say that this was the intention o f those came up with the proposal, but I agree with what Mr.Zulfiqar ‘A ll Khan Sahib has said, and it is one o f the points I had noted down for my speech.The sincerity o f those who have presented the proposal is beyond ques tion, but if an outsider were to look at this proposal, he would conclude that it is an attempt by a weak power to remind a powerful ruler o f his duties which he appears to have neglected.So the question is: what conclusion peo ple w ill draw from such a proposal? I do not question someone’s sincerity or intention, but anyone who hears o f this proposal w ill think that the Khalifa is being un mindful o f his duties and this is why he is being reminded o f them.Thus it is wrong to say that those who presented the pro posal intended an insult, unless this can be proved from their other actions.As long as they are sincere in every 421

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya thing else, we never believe that they meant an insult.But it is also true that, despite all good intentions and all sin cerity, people sometimes say things which are harmful...Now that friends have vented their emotions, and both sides have proved their sincerity, for how can we say that the people, who believe that if the Khalifa goes to certain places thousands w ill become believers, are in any way lacking in sincerity or intend to insult the Khalifa? On the contrary, it proves their devotion to Khilafat.And those who say that I should not go, for it would demean my status, are also sincere.Now that everyone has ex pressed his feelings, and I, too, have expressed mine, we w ill close this chapter.” [Report Majlis-e-Shuni 1926, pp.26-30J S hura C annot A dvise the K halifa to U ndertake a T our Once, while the budget o f Tehnlc Jadid was being dis cussed in Majlis-e-Shura, a delegate said that the time has come for Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh I l f h to visit all the countries where the Jama'at has been established.Hudur forthwith replied: “It is not for Majlis-e-Mushawarat to tell Khallfatul Maslh whether or not he should visit a country.This issue was raised once before, and it resulted in heated exchanges among the members.On that occasion, Hadrat Musleh-e- Mau‘udra decided that Shura w ill not discuss any proposal relating to the Khalifa.The Shura should not discuss what the Khalifa should do or not do, nor should it recommend anything in this regard.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1966, p, 218] 422

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya T he S hura can only A dvise the K halifa in B asic I ssues As mentioned in the previous chapter, Hadrat Musleh-e- M au‘udra appointed an Investigative Commission to suggest improvements in the working o f the Central De partments.Hudur appreciated the hard work put in by the commission and approved a number o f its recom mendations.But in one o f its recommendations, the commission had failed to pay due regard to the status of Khilafat, and since this gave a wrong perception about the basic precepts o f Islam and Ahmadiyyat, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra rectified it at once.He rejected the idea with forceful arguments.and highlighted the true status of the Khalifa.He said: “It should be remembered that Shura is not the executive body o f the Jamal a t This was the point o f contention be-.tween us and the Ghair Muba.’i ‘in [Lahori Ahmadls], that they were in favour o f giving the Anjuman all the respon sibility for running the Jama'at, while the responsibility in fact rests with the Khalifa.And he has divided it into two parts.The first part is related to administration.The Khalifa appoints the office-bearers, and Majlis-e-Shura has no authority or control over them.This was the prac tice at the time o f the Holy Prophetsa and at the time o f Khulafa Al-Rashidln.The Holy Prophetsa appointed Usama as the Commander o f an army while people were opposed to it, but he did not care for what they thought.And when Hadrat ‘Umar"1 relieved Hadrat Khalidra as Commander o f the Muslim Army, Majlis-e-Shura was against this decision, but he did not even feel obliged to give them his reasons.The second part o f the Khalifa’s responsibilities is related 423

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya to formulating principles, for which he consults the Shura.So, M ajlis-e-M u‘tamadin assists the Khalifa in administrative matters, exactly as Shura assists him in matters o f principle.The two have no link with one an other except through the Khalifa.But the commission has ignored this fact and has made certain suggestions which are, in a way, critical even o f Khilafat.” [Report Majlis-e-Shiira 1930, p.44] While analyzing another recommendation made by the commission, Hudur said: A question which cannot be ignored: “First o f all I thought that since this was the first commission which had done some concrete work, I should not turn down their recommenda tions as far as possible.But I also knew that, as a matter o f responsibility, my expression o f approval might be harm ful, and I also thought that since the members are educated and competent people, they w ill happily accept my criti cism.Once they have pledged Bai‘at to me, it means that they have given me their complete submission.Nonethe less, I leamt that one o f the members was greatly perturbed at my remarks, and this has greatly disturbed me.Anyhow, this was an issue I could not ignore, and had I done so I would be guilty in the eyes o f God.The com mission has made some observations— not intentionally but unintentionally, (for when they owe allegiance to me and accept me as the Khalifa, they are bound to pay due respect to the office o f Khilafat)—which lie beyond their jurisdiction, and even go so far as attacking the status o f Khilafat.This is why I thought that if I were to approve o f their work today— for whatever reason— it might be said in future that this is the status o f Khilafat which had been accepted by the Second Khalifa.424

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya The Status of Khilafat: Before going into further detail, let me explain the status o f Khilafat, for whose sake we had pledged not to fear any opposition.At the demise o f Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh Ira, I met the people who had broken away from the Jama'at and had established their own Anjuman, and told them that there could be no second opinion about the election o f the Khalifa, and I was willing to accept as Khalifa anyone whom they chose.At that time I also assembled the members o f my family and told them that if the other party insisted that the Khalifa should not be from amongst those o f our way o f thinking, we should accept their choice for the Khalifa in order to maintain the unity o f the Jama'at.At this someone said, how can we accept as Khalifa someone who does not conform to our beliefs? I said that if you cannot tolerate this, then how can they tolerate that one o f us should be the Khalifa? If you do not accept the person o f their choice, I w ill leave you and accept him as the Khalifa.Thus it was decided that we should try to elect as a Khalifa someone who has not expressed opposition to our beliefs, and has the confidence o f the other group.The names o f Mir Hamid Shah Sahib and Maulawl Muhammad Ahsan Sahib were proposed, and we agreed that if they chose any one o f them as the Khalifa, w e would readily accept him.But (I said) if they insist that Maulawl Muhammad ‘A ll Sahib should be made the Khalifa, even then we should agree with them, otherwise I w ill part company with you.I took this pledge from everyone and then I said to Maulawl Muhammad ‘A ll Sahib, “If you want anyone from your group to assume the office o f Khalifa, we are ready to accept him, but if you say that there should be no Khalifa, this we w ill never accept, and our ways shall 4 2 5

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya part.” This was the reason why we had to leave them and it did not in the least worry us.This was the issue which caused us to leave the people who were considered the leaders o f the Jama'at.We told them in so many words that we would have nothing to do with them if they did not accept Khilafat.Ignorance about the True Importance of Khilafat: Some friends have told me that people do not understand the reality o f Khilafat, and are becoming more and more ignorant o f its importance.The report o f the commission also shows that people are growing increasingly ignorant o f this is sue.This is why I need to go into more detail.There can be no compromise with those who deny Khilafat: Let me say it in clear words, that w e cannot be one with peo ple who do not agree with us on this issue, even if they are our brothers or sons or relatives.And if any member o f the Jama'at does not agree with us, he should be hon est with him self and should leave us and establish his own system.We w ill not think ill o f him.But if someone remains among us and accepts Khilafat, and still dis agrees with it, this we w ill not tolerate.Our Doctrine of Khilafat: The basis o f our b elief is that the person who has been accepted as the Khalifa and with whom w e have pledged Bai‘at should be obeyed in keep ing with the injunctions o f Shariah.Anyone who thinks that he accepted Khilafat and pledged Bai‘at due to some misunderstanding, is free to leave us.We w ill have noth ing to do with such a person, nor shall we think ill o f him.The reason why we think ill o f the Ghair Muba ’i ‘in is not that they have turned away from Khilafat, but be cause they insult the Promised M essiah3 S.Otherwise we see them as our brothers.426

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T he S ystem of M u s h a w a r a t in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya Khilafat—an Integral Part of Faith: The first thing I want to clarify is that Khilafat is not a political system, rather it is an integral part o f our faith.But at this moment I w ill not produce new arguments to prove this point.Some may not agree, but it is our belief that the Holy Quran has pre scribed Khilafat, and thus it is a religious issue in which I am not prepared to admit any change.I believe it was Khan Sahib Zulfiqar ‘A ll Sahib who once brought a mes sage from the Ghair Muba ’i ‘In that we should sit down and resolve our differences.I told him that if the differ ences relate to worldly matters, I am w illing to give up everything, if they relate to some property, I am willing to forego it, but since Khilafat is a religious issue, how can you expect me to make a sacrifice o f that, when even the slightest change in religion amounts to infidelity.So all I can say is that let them try to convince me and I w ill try to convince them, and whoever turns out to be upon the truth should be accepted.Thus Khilafat is a religious matter.It is an integral part o f our faith that the Khalifa represents the Prophet, who in turn represents God.After giving certain commandments, God authorizes a Prophet to make decisions in consulta tion with the people, and his followers are bound to accept his decision without any hesitation.No one has the right to question his decisions and to turn away.The Khalifa has, similarly, been given the right to make deci sions after consultation.The Status of Majlis-e-Shura: In worldly consultative bodies, every member can say, ‘You should listen to me, whether or not you agree with m e.’ But in Khilafat no one has the right to say even that.It is the Khalifa’s prerogative to ask for advice as and when he sees necessary, and the 42 7

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya Shura has to advise him accordingly.The Shura has no more right than to advise the Khalifa in whatever issue he wants to be advised.The only other right the Shura has is to select a new Khalifa when the previous one has passed away.Hadrat ‘Umar*3 selected six people to elect the Khalifa after him.We have followed the same tradition, and have decided that, after the death o f a Khalifa, Ma- jlis-e-Shura w ill make a decision, in keeping with public opinion and the laws o f Shariah, as to who w ill be the next Khalifa, so that through him Allah’s voice can spread in the world.This is the only prerogative o f Ma- jlis-e-Shura, and apart from this it can never interfere with the work o f the K halifa...Election of MajIis-e-Mu‘tamadIn: The commission has also suggested that members for M ajlis-e-M u‘tamadin should be selected from among the members o f M ajlis-e- Mushawarat.It says that since the members o f M ajlis-e- Mu‘tamadxn are workers o f the Jama'at, they cannot be the true representatives o f the Jama'at.And since Majlis- e-Shura is the true representative o f the Jama'at, the members o f M ajlis-e-M u‘tamadin should be elected from amongst its members.The fact is that it is the Khalifa who is truly responsible for the Jama'at, and he is the final authority in its ad ministration.It is he who appoints M ajlis-e-M u‘tamadIn and it is he who appoints the Shura.Both o f them repre sent the Khalifa in their own right.If M ajlis-e- Mu‘tamadln was to be under Majlis-e-Shura, it would mean that the Khalifa would also be bound by the deci sion o f the Shura and he would have to make do with people who have been appointed by Shura...The recom mendations o f the commission are such that they would 42 8

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya even take away the rights o f the nominal kings in worldly governments, for even they are not subjected to the re striction which the commission has sought to place on the Khalifa.The commission did realize this, and thought that perhaps it would amount to restricting the Khalifa, this is why it has also written that further deliberations are required regarding the procedure for the election o f M ajlis-e-M u‘tamadIn.T he K hal I fa alone can A ppoint the O ffice -B earers I want to make it clear that only the Khalifa has the right to appoint the office-bearers.In the case o f the Holy Prophef3, there is no evidence that he ever consulted people when making such appointments.Nor do we see his Khulafa consulting people in this matter.Almost eve ryone advised Hadrat ‘Umar1 3 not to remove Hadrat Khalidra, but he still went ahead and appointed Abu ‘Ubaidah1 3 in his place.These are the words o f the commission: “In principle, it does not seem right that the Administra tive Council should consist only o f the Nazirs.Since the Administrative Council—which works under the Khalifa— is the owner and caretaker o f all the property o f the Jama'at, it should represent the Jama'at in the true sense.The Nazirs, who are the employees o f the Jama'at, cannot be considered the representatives o f the Jama* at.We believe that the members o f the Administrative Coun cil should be elected by members o f Majlis-e-Shura.” These words are an attack on Khilafat, because they im ply that the choice o f the Khalifa does not truly represent the Jama'at.And this assumption implies the following: 1.M ajlis-e-M u‘tamadIn owns and manages all the prop- 429

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya erty o f the Jama'at, although it is subordinate to the Khalifa.2.It is not right for the Khalifa to appoint Nazirs as members o f M ajlis-e-M u‘tamadIn.3.Members o f M ajlis-e-M u‘tamadIn should not be ap pointed by the Khalifa, but should be elected by the members o f the Jama'at.A ll these conclusions are contrary to our concept o f Khilafat and are also against the constitutions o f the world.There is no Parliament that appoints ministers, but the commission tells us that our M ajlis-e-M u‘tamadIn should be appointed by Majlis-e-Shura.At the same time, the commission says that it cannot go into the de tails o f how the election should be held.The commission is also silent as to the number o f members, and how often the election should be held, and what w ill be the percent age o f nominated and elected members.What exactly is the commission aiming at? A Recommendation contrary to the Status of Khilafat: This rec ommendation is clearly against the status o f Khilafat, and I believe that it is a result o f lack o f understanding.Oth erwise, considering the wholehearted manner in which the President o f the commission and another member have received my comments on their report, there is no reason to think that their suggestions were intended to harm the status o f Khilafat.Since it was a wrong notion, which was presented inadvertently, I have rectified it.I think that the members o f the commission have made this mistake unintentionally.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1930, pp.39-46] 430

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya S tatus of the I nvestigative C ommission Clarifying a misunderstanding which had arisen with re gard to the Investigative Commission referred to above, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra said: “Here I wish to clarify another point.The commission is not a substitute for the Shura.Some people, including some members o f the commission, have been mistaken in this regard.The fact is that Majlis-e-Shura has no inher ent authority.The Shura is only convened when I call it to give its advice.And Shura shall always be convened at the call o f the Khalifa, and only then w ill it advise him.The Shura has no right to advise the Khalifa on its own.The commission was appointed by the Khalifa to assess the work o f the office-bearers, whose supervision is the duty o f the Khalifa.Since the Khalifa is too busy to personally keep an eye on all the office-workers, I • therefore appointed the commission to satisfy m yself that they are doing their work properly.Thus the commission was appointed by the Khalifa.The only difference was that the members were appointed from within the Shura because everyone happens to be present on that occasion.Hence, the report o f the com mission has to be presented to the Khalifa, and he w ill decide what to do about it.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1930, pp.12-151 P roposals P ut before M ajlis - e -S hura by the K hal I fa The Khulafa at times put some proposals before the Shura.Once when Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra presented a proposal before Majlis-e-Shura, the members thought that since it had come from the Khalifa himself, it must 431

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya be a beneficial one, and it should be accepted without any deliberation.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau ‘udra did not ap prove of this attitude.He said that Mushawarat is an advisory body, and it must honestly deliberate upon all such proposals, and must bravely point out any flaws that it may contain.Hudur said that it must always be kept in mind that the decisions o f Majlis-e-Mushawarat serve as a foundation on which the superstructure of our faith is going to be built.He said: “I also wish to make it clear that it is wrong not to deliber ate upon a proposal simply because I have presented it.It is also wrong to presume that since the proposal has been presented by me, it must be blessed and there is no need to reflect over it.Please remember that God has given me the right to make the final decision, but it is your duty, as my advisors, to consider the issues honestly and then give your faithful opinion as to whether the proposal has any defects, or whether it might harm the Jama'at in any way or might create any difficulties for it.The Holy Prophetsa has said: i.e., one who is consulted about a matter is a trustee.Just as it is dishonest to squander someone’s money, it is similarly dishonest not to give one’s honest advice.So please do not hesitate to consider a proposal simply because it has been presented by me.If you, from the bottom o f your hearts, feel that it needs to be amended, you must say so and you must express your opinion boldly and frankly.If I do not agree with the sug gested amendment, I w ill reject it on my own responsibility.When the proposal is implemented, there w ill be no room for dissent, but when advice is being sought, everyone has the right to speak his mind.In view 432

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya o f the sensitivity o f the issue, it has been suggested that though I w ill not personally attend the sub-committee meetings, the committee can meet me to discuss the issues if it thinks it is necessary.The whole committee can meet me if it wishes to, otherwise, it can select some o f its members for the purpose, so that all objections on this scheme can be resolved beforehand.If the committee un derstands my point o f view after the discussion, it can change its opinion, otherwise it can present its proposals to Shura as it sees proper.The advantage o f this process w ill be that we w ill not have to present everything during the main session o f the Shura.Moreover, mutual discussion might also produce some ideas which may not have crossed our minds beforehand.If the sub-committee de cides to hold its session here in the school, they can talk to me by phone.And if it is necessary for me to talk to all the members o f the committee, I can either come down here, or some representatives o f the committee can come to me.Now , let me say to those who are not working on any committee, to keep praying, for these are delicate matters and need a lot o f care.Even a minor mistake made by us today might lead to grave results.I have often related an incident, that it was once raining when Hadrat Imam Abu Hanlfah saw a boy who was about to slip and fall.He called out to him and said: ‘Be careful boy, lest you should fall.’ The boy was small but very intelligent.He turned round, and when he saw that it was Imam Abu Harnfah who was warning him thus, he said: ‘Sir, it is you who should tread carefully.It does not matter if I fall down, for I would only hurt m yself.But if you were to fall, the whole nation would go down with you.’ So, you who are apparently weak and so small in num- 433

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya bers! you are the foundation o f mighty governments o f the future.You are the cornerstone on which shall be erected the superstructure o f Islam.Hence any defect that finds its way in you today w ill leave its mark for a thousand years.So bow down before Allah, and pray and pray, and seek His help so that He might shower His blessings upon you, and you be saved from taking any step which might lead to your destruction.And seek His help lest you should fall on the path that leads away from God!” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1938, pp.9-11J M embers may F reely D eliberate upon the K halifa ’ s P roposal Further elaboration of this point is to be found during Ma- jlis-e-Mushawarat 1984, when Hadrat Khalifatul Maslh t IV made the following remarks about a proposal that he had presented: “This is an absolutely unacceptable practice, and the Jama'at should firmly bear in mind that when a proposal has been presented by the Khalifa for deliberation, no one has the right to stop others from speaking against it just because it reflects the desire o f the Khalifa.The reason why the Khalifa has put the proposal before you is that you should openly express your opinions about it.It was absolutely wrong to stop the committee from speaking against the proposal because it had been presented by the Khalifa.This was absolutely unacceptable, and it renders the recommendation o f the committee unworthy o f con sideration, for it was made under a wrong influence.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1984, pp.69-70] A nother P roposal P resented by the K halifa A proposal presented in Majlis-e-Shura Pakistan held in 43 4

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadtyya 1990, is also worth mentioning in this context.This pro posal was presented under instructions from Hadrat Khallfatol Masih IVrh, and it covered all the issues related to marriages, such as extravagance, eradication of un wanted innovations and traditions, and restrictions upon serving food to the guests by the family of the bride.The delegates freely expressed their views about these issues, but some o f the comments made were deemed improper.Many delegates thought that the proposal was meant to remove some o f the prevalent restrictions, and some even spoke against this proposal and said that the restrictions should continue.A delegate later wrote to Hudur that though members had been free to express their opinions regarding the proposal presented by Hudur, some of them had misused this privilege and had openly or impliedly criticised the proposal to permit the bride’s family to serve food to the guests.Some of the comments were even disrespectful of the Khalifa.Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IVrh examined the recorded meetings o f the Shura and the speeches that had been made on the occasion, and commented on them point by point.Hudur strongly rejected the idea that a reception by the bride’s parents, as a token o f hospitality at the oc casion of marriage, is a bad or irreligious practice.On the other hand, he said that it would have been reason able if members had pointed out that there should be no extravagance on these occasions and people should not spend more than their means.435

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya Hudur also rejected the thinking that the decisions taken by previous Khulafa were more realistic and enduring, and the Khalifa should not even think making any changes in them.Hudur explained the consequences of such thinking, and said that no distinction is to be made between the representatives o f God as far as obedience is concerned.The circumstances, due to which Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra imposed restrictions on receptions given by the bride’s parents, have changed with the pas sage of time.The living standards of the members of the Jama'at has improved considerably, by the grace o f God, and members of the Jama'at are now so well off that they vie with one another in making greater financial contributions for the Jama'at.These increased financial sacrifices are an indication o f their improving financial condition.In keeping with the altered circumstances and the modem requirements, some form o f hospitality by the parents of the bride should not be deemed as viola tion o f the restrictions, and should not be seen as something meriting punitive action.N eed for U nity and U niformity in the J ama ‘ at Hudur said that the proposal was neither meant to permit such hospitality, nor to encourage it.Its aim was to deal with the issues that had come up with changing circum stances, to create uniformity and unity in the Jama'at, to stop the Jama'at from following undesirable traditions, and not to compel them into disobedience.In these times, when people are stopped from certain things, they 43 6

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya tend to adopt others which put even greater burden upon them.Members had been invited to think o f ways to stop such practices, and they were expected to propose a bal anced scheme which could enable the parents o f the bride—whether poor or rich—to serve the guests within their means.During the discussion, some delegates started speaking in terms o f rich and poor and made comments that were calculated to stir the feelings of some sections of society.Hudur took strong exception to this, and said: “I have been shaken by the extremely volatile things that members have been saying again and again.Are these the ideas that are becoming prevalent in our Jama'at? Per haps these ideas were subdued in the past due to the presence o f the Khalifa, and have now come out because the Khalifa does not personally preside over the Shura and it is presided over by his representative.Even some officials o f the Central Organization have spoken as if they were Marx or Lenin speaking about the social di vid e...They have wronged both sections o f society.Instead o f educating the members in the right manner, such attitudes w ill breed socialist tendencies and w ill produce results that are contrary to the teachings o f Islam and the example o f the Holy Prophet5 1 2.We need to in spire our members with a high resolve, which w ill give them satisfaction regardless o f the difference in their fi nancial status, and we need to give them the confidence to look up rather than look down.They should not suffer from any sense o f deprivation when they see that their brothers have been endowed with greater w ealth...Som e delegates have referred to verses o f the Holy Quran, 43 7

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya without even reading them, and have made some griev ous inferences from them.For instance, they have implied that anyone who entertains the idea o f offering a cup o f tea or other refreshment to his guests on the occa sion o f his daughter’s marriage, shall be a brother o f Satan and shall invite God’s displeasure.These wrong in terpretations have nothing to do with the teachings o f the Holy Quran...To say that the affluent person who offers some hospitality to his guests on the occasion o f his daughter’s marriage is a follower o f Satan, is such a fool ish notion that it can never be permitted to take root in the Jama'at.Such things w ill lead the Jama'at to destruc tion.Majlis-e-Shura is not the forum for expressing view s about class differences and prejudices.” [Unpublished Report Majlis-e-Shura Pakistan 1991] A n A pology by M ajlis - e -M ushawarat The above extract has been taken from a detailed mes sage that Hudur sent to the delegates o f Shura 1991.When the audio cassette was played before the members, they were all filled with great remorse, which translated into the following apology addressed by the members to Hadrat Khallfatul Masih: Alii SayyedI! A l i i hj-y 3 f S L s i We, the members o f Majlis-e-Shura, confess our short comings and our sins, and present ourselves before Hudur with bruised and heavy hearts and anguished souls.We are sorry for the wrong we have done, and we beseech our Imam, with feelings o f true remorse for our sins, that 4 3 8

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya you may have mercy on us and forgive us, and pray to the Gracious and Benevolent God to turn to us with mercy and forgive us our sins, and cover us in the mantle o f His for giveness, and enable us to make true repentance.Sayyedi, our beloved Imam! our hearts grieve and our souls bleed with anguish for the pain that our mistakes have caused you, and the grief you have suffered for our mistakes.We make a confession o f our wrongdoings be fore our Gracious and Merciful God, and ask for His forgiveness.We also humbly solicit Him to heal the wounds that we have caused to our Imam, and request Him to alleviate the pain that resulted from our behaviour.May Allah bless us with His kindness and may we never ever cause any pain or sorrow to our Imam.May every thing we say and do be a source o f joy and happiness for our beloved Imam.May we offer him nothing but satisfac tion and get from him nothing but love and kindness.' Our beloved Imam! Even in this hour o f pain and sad ness, our hearts are full o f gratitude to Allah, Who, out o f His sheer kindness, has conferred on us the great blessing o f Khilafat.He has placed us under the benign care o f a mentor who is loving and caring as a mother, and guides us with prudence and wisdom.He corrects our every er ror o f thought and understanding.He warns us against the pitfalls and dangers o f the way and guides us.For our ease and comfort, he works through the days, and spends his nights praying for our good.Our Imam and our Mentor! As an expression o f our grati tude for this lim itless favour, and as a confession o f our sins, we humble servants o f God, and people who have long been separated from Hudur, and have come together for Majlis-e-Mushawarat 1991, once again pledge our al 43 9

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya legiance to you.We humbly implore that Hudur may grant our request and honour us by accepting our pledge o f obe dience.We also solicit Hudur to pray to Allah that He may also confer His blessings on us, may overlook our faults, may forgive us our sins, and cover our faults in the mantle o f His mercy.We offer this heartfelt prayer to God: J H i fa il L UiJh LLj j £ J & ll Uilait d i j ^ B I y i I j u J d J l d b j dhu! llJ j 'd o fe jj JUj V O God, we wronged ourselves, and we confess our sins.We, Your worthless and sinful servants, humbly solicit Your forgiveness and seek Your mercy.O Lord, forgive us our sins, cover our faults, and bestow Your affection on us.Amin Even though we are no good, and not even worthy to look at; We still seek your mercy, fo r we belong to your house.Hudur’s humble servants, Delegates o f Majlis-e-Mushawarat Referring to this letter o f apology in his message to Ma- jlis-e-Mushawarat Pakistan 1993, Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IVrh said: “During the years that I have been separated from you, I have felt that the new generation which is now joining Majlis-e-Shura does not only stand in need o f more train ing, but even deserves to be reprimanded at times.I had to express my displeasure on one such occasion, but, by the grace o f God, the reaction was a very positive one 4 4 0

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya and everyone assured me that I would not hear such pain ful news from the Shura in future.I hope that this w ill be so.I pray to God that He H im self may guide you and protect you, and your advice may always be accompa nied by the Holy Spirit.” [Unpublished Report Majlis-e-Shura Pakistan 1993, pp.3-4] C hairmanship of S hura in the A bsence of the K halifa The question of the chairmanship o f Majlis-e- Mushawarat assumes great importance if the Khalifa is away or is unwell.Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra came for the opening session o f Shura 1954, despite ailing health.After collective prayer, Hudur said that he would leave after delivering a short speech due to his ill health.The sub-committees, he said, would be formed afterwards and would prepare their reports.These reports, along with the views expressed by the delegates would be sent to him continuously, and he would make the final deci sion about them.Hudur then said a few words o f advice to the delegates and left the Shura after appointing M irza ‘Abdul Haq Sahib, Amir o f the Punjab, to preside in his place.[Report Majlis-e-Shura 1954, p.1] During Shura 1955, (the following year), Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra was in Karachi, on his way to Europe under medical advice.He, therefore, formed a panel to preside over the sessions of the Shura, and sent the following instructions from Karachi: “If Chaudhary Sir Muhammad Zafrullah Khan Sahib ar- 441

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J am A' at - e -A hmadiyya rives in Rabwah in time, he w ill preside over the Shura.If he is unable to make it, Chaudhry Muhammad ‘Abdullah Khan Sahib, Amir Jama'at Karachi, w ill preside.If he too is unable to attend, then Mirza ‘Abdul Haq Sahib, Amir o f the Punjab, w ill preside over the Shura.” Since Chaudhiy Sir Muhammad Zafrullah Khan Sahib could not come to Rabwah on this occasion, and Chaudhry Muhammad ‘Abdullah Khan Sahib also in formed through telegram that he would be unable to come to Rabwah on those dates, Secretary Mushawarat requested Mirza ‘Abdul Haq Sahib to preside over the Shura.He presided over all the sessions of the Shura during all the three days.[Report Majlis-e-Shura 1955, p.1] M ajlis - e -M ushawarat in the A bsence of the K hal I fa It was the first occasion in the history of Ahmadiyyat that Mushawarat was being held under a Chairman who had been nominated by Hadrat Khallfatul Masih to rep resent him.In view of the delicacy o f the situation, Hadrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra brought some issues to the attention o f the delegates through a written note.We reproduce this note here, for it relates to the relation ship between the Khalifa and Majlis-e-Shura: “1.Hudur’s illness has placed much more responsibility upon the Jama'at’s shoulders.The Jama'at should realize this, should fear God, and should beware o f any m ischief that might be spread by people, from within or without, and should keep Markaz duly informed.2.The function o f the Chairman in this Shura w ill not be 442

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya to make decisions, but only to maintain order and record the views o f the delegates.3.If the opinion o f the Shura coincides with that o f Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, it w ill be taken as the final deci sion, for it is not proper to burden Hudur with too many issues in his current state o f health.But if the general opinion o f the delegates differs from that o f Sadr Anju man Ahmadiyya, and the Anjuman sticks to its viewpoint, then Hudur w ill be requested to appoint a board to make a decision about such a proposal, or, if Hudur is in a better state o f health, he w ill be requested for a decision.4.The main item in the Agenda this year is the budget.The other proposals are not o f a critical nature.The budget, therefore, needs to be deliberated upon seriously and with the sole intention o f improving the work o f the Jama'at.Since Hudur has already had a look at the - budget o f the Anjuman, we should try not to effect any increase in it, unless it is absolutely necessary.In that event it w ill also be necessary to suggest an proportionate increase in the income.May God protect the Jama'at and the Shura, and may He guide them on the right path.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1955, pp.2-3] On this occasion, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau ‘udra sent the following message, which was read out in the Shura af ter the sub-committees had been formed: “The first thing I want to say is that the Shura is being held in my absence.Last year I could not fully participate in the Shura because o f the wound, and although that should have prepared you, I still feel that members are 44 3

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya not yet capable o f properly discharging their responsibili ties in my absence.May God give you the ability, and grant me complete recovery so that, with your help, I can lay the foundation o f the victory o f Islam...1 advise the delegates to give serious thought to the budget and the other proposals.” I nauguration of S hura with a W ritten M essage Even during the period o f his protracted illness and de spite physical weakness, Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra continued to preside over Majlis-e-Mushawarat.But when he became too weak to attend in person, he asked Hadrat Sahibzada Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra to pre side over it, and sent an inaugural message for the delegates which was read out by Hadrat Mian Sahibra.The sad moment finally came in 1961, when the Great Reformer, who had founded Majlis-e-Mushawarat and had nourished it till it had grown into such an institution, sent his final written message to the Shura from his sick bed.He wrote: I was a young man when I laid the foundation o f Majlis-e- Mushawarat.Now I am ill and weak and cannot sit in Ma- [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1955, pp.8-9] By the Grace and Mercy of God ‘He is the Helper’ Dear Brothers, 4 4 4

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya jlis-e-Shura for a long time, nor can I actively participate in it as I used to.I am unable to participate at a llin this particular Majlis-e-Mushawarat, but, in order to open this Shura with prayers, I am sending this brief message through my dear Mirza Bashir Ahmad, despite my illness.I wish to remind friends that the only truly blessed advice is that which is offered with sincerity and best o f inten tions, and focuses on the interests o f Jama'at, and is in keeping with the w ill o f Allah.If this is the motivation behind the advice you offer, Allah w ill ever bless you and your advice shall produce good results.But if you start giving priority to what someone else thinks over the interest o f the Jama'at, the element o f blessing w ill dis appear, your advice w ill become a mere formality, and you w ill lose Divine support.A great responsibility, therefore, lies on your shoulders.When you come to gether to give advice, you are in fact treading a path which is thin as a hair and sharp as a sword.Offer your advice with thought and care, and pray to Allah that only the truth might flow from your tongues, and you may be able to make decisions that are beneficial for the Jama'at and serve to improve its religious, spiritual, organiza tional and financial condition.I am sorry to say that serious attention has not been given to my continuous exhortations that our budget should be increased up to Rs.2,500,000.The fact is that, let alone 2,500,000, even 250,000,000 is not enough for us to ac complish the stupendous task o f Tabllgh that has been assigned to us.We have been charged with the responsi bility o f winning the whole world over to Islam and Ahmadiyyat, and to spread the message o f the Holy Prophet1 * to all four comers o f the world, and to assemble 445

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya mankind under the banner o f One God.Considering the present numbers o f our Jama'at, however, we should try to raise our budget to Rs.2,500,000 as soon as possible.As I understand it, the people who are to blame for this deficit in the budget are the non-subscribers who, be cause o f their lack o f sincerity and devotion, do not participate in financial sacrifices even though they are a part o f the Jama'at.Then there are those who do not make financial contributions at the prescribed rate, or those who do not try to clear o ff their arrears.These people also adversely affect the interests o f the Jama'at.I also w ish to remind the Presidents and Secretaries o f Jama'ats to concentrate not only on the spiritual and moral development o f their members, but also to dis charge their obligations regarding those who make no financial contributions or do not contribute at the pre scribed rate.They should try to infuse in such people the spirit o f sacrifice so that they too may stand with their brethren in conveying the m essage o f Islam to the four comers o f the world and may becom e deserving o f D ivine reward.With these few words I declare the 42nd M ajlis-e- Mushawarat open, and I pray to Allah that He may bless our work, enable us to discharge our obligations with zeal and sincerity, and help us to make the right deci sions.Amin.Mirza Mahmud Ahmad Khallfatul Maslh II 20/03/61 [Report MajIis-e~Shura 1961, pp.4-5] 446

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya S hura D uring the I llness of H aprat M usleh - e -M au ^ ud ^ During the time when Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra was unable to attend Mushawarat due to his failing health, Hadrat Sahibzada Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib1 3 continued to preside over Majlis-e-Mushawarat according to Hudur’s instructions.At the demise o f Hadrat Sahibzada Sahibra in 1964, Hudur instructed Hadrat Shaikh Muhammad Ahmad Sahib Mazhar, Amir Jama'at Faisalabad, to take over the responsibility.While inaugurating Majlis-e-Mushawarat, Shaikh Sahib made a brief speech in which he reminded the delegates that, in view o f the circumstances, their responsibility had increased manifold.He said that though Hadrat Musleh-e- Mau‘udra was unable to attend the Mushawarat because of his illness, it was the duty o f the delegates to uphold the admirable traditions which Hudur had established, and to offer advice in a cool, calm and dignified manner.Shaikh Sahib said: “This is our 45th Majlis-e-Mushawarat, and there are a few things which I want friends to remember in view of the prevailing circumstances.Hadrat Sahib has been unable to come due to his illness.Last year we had Hadrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib” among us and we benefited from his guidance, his prayers and his experience.But it is Allah’s w ill that both o f them are not with us in this Majlis-e-Mushawarat, and our responsibility is all the greater for it.I hope that eve ryone here w ill appreciate his responsibility fully and w ill not forget it.Whether we are suggesting names for the various sub-committees, or are deliberating upon 447

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya matters in the sub-committees, or are discussing the rec ommendations, we must always remember that there is greater responsibility upon us than ever before.Today we are working in a completely different environment.To day we have to prove that we have not forgotten the lessons we have learnt from Hadrat Sahib for the last 45 years.The proceedings o f the Shura shall have to be con ducted in a calm and dignified manner, and I hope that all the delegates, as w ell as the workers o f the various Departments o f the Jama'at, w ill cooperate in this regard and w ill bear these things in mind.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1964, pp.2-3] F irst S hura in R abwah after the M igration of H ajdrat K haufatul M as I h i v r h After Hadrat Khalifatul MasIh IVrh was forced to migrate in 1984, the first Majlis-e-Mushawarat in his absence was held in 1985.Hudur nominated Hadrat Sahibzada Mirza Mansur Ahmad Sahib to preside over this Shura.In his inaugural address, Hadrat Sahibzada Sahib made the fol lowing remarks regarding the feeling o f deprivation that had overwhelmed Majlis-e-Mushawarat due to the ab sence o f Hadrat Khalifatul MasIh IVrh: “As you can see from the programme, all the sessions w ill be held as usual.We are, no doubt, feeling greatly deprived because we are not going to benefit from our Imam’s direct guidance, but we pray that this period o f deprivation may be a short one.(Amin) There is no way we can make up for the loss, but we can alleviate it somewhat if, as members o f the Shura, we un derstand our responsibilities and fulfil them accordingly.” [Report Majlis-e-Shura 1985, pp.19-20] 448

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya S ome important P oints regarding C onsulting the K halifa During the third year after his migration to London, Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IVrh sent a message to Majlis-e- Mushawarat Rabwah in which he detailed the subject of consulting the Khalifa in the light o f two verses o f the Holy Quran.Hudur said: “The philosophy o f the Quranic injunction [And their affairs are decided by mutual consultation ] is very deep and comprehensive.In fact, it covers all aspects o f human life.We should make it our habit to consult oth ers, and the more you consult before coming to a decision, the better it w ill be for you and for the Jama'at.I came to know o f several letters that were written by people in their individual capacity.Had I been consulted about them, I would have stopped them or would only have allowed them to be sent with some changes.But this does not mean that I have to be consulted in every matter.This is a very interesting subject which I would like to share with you.Consulting the Imam, in fact, means asking his permission.It may apparently be a matter o f consultation, but when the Imam gives an ad vice, it is not a common advice but assumes the status o f a command.The injunction is addressed to the Imam, and it is he who is required to consult the peo ple and not vice versa.This is because this injunction is followed by j d ) l •SJyZlllS Thus when the Imam reaches a conclusion, after having consulted his follow ers, his conclusion becomes the decision, that is to say, the purified form o f the consultation assumes the form o f the final verdict.The Khalifa may be consulted in certain circumstances, but I am personally inclined to believe that when you 449

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T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya consult the Imam and he gives yon his advice, it is not proper to ignore it, unless, instead o f giving a pointed advice, the Imam explains the various pros and cons o f an issue and leaves it to the person to make a decision accordingly.This is what I do most o f the time when I am asked for advice.And I do so because I believe that my advice is not like any other advice; if I were to ex press a pointed opinion and the person chose to ignore it, this would involve an aspect o f disrespect which would adversely affect his spiritual life.Hadrat Khalifatul Masih n ra has repeatedly spoken about this in his sermons and other addresses.He once expressed his displeasure at some people who asked his advice in a certain matter, and when he gave his advice, they chose not to follow it and did what they themselves wanted to do.He expressed his displeasure and said, ‘I am upset, not because I take it as a personal affront, but because such an attitude is harmful for your own selves.’...I do not approve o f the way people are increasingly seek ing the advice o f the Imam even in trivial matters, and their aim is only to gauge his opinion, which they might or might not adopt.This practice should not be encour aged.On the other hand, if you put before the Imam all your affairs in which you are unable to decide on your own, and present him with all the details o f the matter, and are prepared to accept and act upon any decision the Imam makes, this w ill surely be the highest degree o f submission, and you w ill receive Allah’s blessings— not only the blessings which relate to consultation but also those that result from obedience...But, as I have already explained, issues that relate to the Jama'at are far more important, and it is better that I should be left free to ad 45 0

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T he S ystem of mushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya dress those.In your personal matters, you should consult among yourselves and make a decision after consulting people o f sound judgement and members o f the Jama'at, with the exception o f important matters which require the guidance o f the Khalifa.But as I say this, there is another thing that comes to my mind.It has long been the habit o f some people that they do not take any step without seeking guidance from the Khalifa.If now I were to order them to stop doing so, it would hurt their feelings, and it is the last thing I want to do.Some o f them have inherited this habit from their fa thers and forefathers, so I cannot order them to stop, nor would it be proper for me to do so.They have grown up with these habits and have become deeply attached to them.They are, therefore, permitted to refer all important matters to me and obtain guidance from me as before.But, as far as possible, they should try to refer the fewest •cases to me, and should try to make decisions about their routine matters through mutual consultation...” Hudur concluded the message with the following ex pression o f deep love and affection for the members of the Jama'at: “So, pray to Allah and have lull faith in Him and keep marching forward.By the grace and mercy o f Allah, you are destined to be victorious.You have come to Rabwah for consultations under the protection o f God, may you go back to your homes under His protection.Try your best to convey to every Ahmadi the message that I have given you.It is impossible for me to tell you how desirous I am o f your well-being, and how every particle o f my body is 451

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya intermingled with a longing for your welfare.Any sad news that comes from you lies heavy on my heart, and every good news from you infuses a new life into me.May God be with you! May God be with you! May God be with you!” [Unpublished Report Majlis-e~Shura Pakistan 1987 pp.14-18,28] C entenary C elebrations and the D awn of the S econd C entury of A hmadiyyat By the grace o f Allah, the year 1989 came with extraor dinary blessings for the Jama'at, as it celebrated its first centenary.The first Mushawarat o f Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya Pakistan in the second century of Ahmadiyyat took place in Rab- wah in March 1989.Hadrat Khallfatul Maslh IV* sent an important message to the delegates on this occasion, in which he shed light on the status o f the Shura that was being held in Rabwah, which is the Markaz of the Jama'at.Hudur also shed light on the circumstances re sulting from the distance that had come between the physical Markaz and the actual Markaz, and urged the members to pray that the gulf may soon be bridged.With reference to the extraordinary importance o f the Mushawarat being held in Pakistan, Hudur said: “In one aspect, this Shura is o f extraordinary importance, for it is the first Mushawarat o f the second century o f Ahmadiyyat being held in Rabwah— the Markaz o f Ahmadiyyat.This Mushawarat requires that you should participate in it with extraordinary prayers and treading the path o f Taqwa.A whole century lies before you, and 452

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya at the head o f this century you have come together to demonstrate the best example o f Islamic Majlis-e-Shura.But from another aspect, this Shura cannot be rightly called the first Shura o f Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya in the second century, despite the fact that it is being held in Markaz.This is because it does not enjoy the presence and participation o f Khallfatul Masih.Although Rabwah is currently called the Markaz o f Ahmadiyyat, we can never ignore the fact that Qadian is, and shall remain, the eternal Markaz o f Ahmadiyyat.Why is it then that the events which take place in Rabwah are taken to rep resent the world-wide Ahmadiyya Jama'at, rather than those o f Qadian? The reason is that, although Qadian was and continues to be the physical Markaz, the Markaz— for all practical purposes— shifted to Lahore, and then to Rabwah, when Khallfatul Masih migrated from Qadian.So, both in the physical and spiritual sense, the Jalsas or Majalis-e-Shura that are held in Markaz in the absence o f the Khalifa, cannot be consid ered MarkazI Jalsas or Markazi Majalis-e-Shura.So, although this can be considered the first Shura o f the second century from one point o f view , from another point o f view the first Shura w ill be the one in which the Khalifa is able to participate, by the grace o f Allah.I am not saying this to hurt you in any way or to lessen the importance o f this extremely important Majlis, I only want to make you realize that you should always keep your eyes focussed on the essence and spirit o f things and should not get entangled in the mere physical aspects.I also make a strong appeal to you to join me in prayers so that the (physical) distances which have come between the real and the virtual Markaz may be bridged, and may 453

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in jama 1 at - e -A hmadiyya the Khalifa be able to participate in all the important oc casions and Majalis that are held in the formal and physical Markaz o f Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya.It is my heart’s desire that this may only be a temporary w ill o f God, and may there not come a time when we are forced to remove even our formal headquarters from Pakistan and establish them in some other land.From this point o f view , this year seems to be a very im portant one.I see extraordinary events unfolding before this year is out, and these events w ill have consequences reaching far into the new century.The events that are go ing to characterize the next century are going to be defined in the very first year o f the second century o f Ahmadiyyat.You should therefore offer special prayers during these blessed days o f Mushawarat, so that what ever is decreed for us may be good for us both outwardly and inwardly.And may God soon bridge the distances that have come between us and my participation in your meetings may not just be spiritual, but physical as w ell.And may I not see you only through the eyes o f imagina tion but may derive satisfaction by seeing you with my physical eyes also.The extraordinary patience and resolve and determination which has been shown by the Jama'at in Pakistan is go ing to be written in the history o f the Jama'at in golden letters, and with time these letters w ill become even more brilliant and luminous.By the grace o f God, you have earned great honour which has brightened your otherwise obscure future.This period o f hardship is a temporary one, and it is indeed in its last throes.But your time o f contentment and happiness shall be an interminable one, whose dividends you shall reap in this world as w ell as in the hereafter, and whose blessings your children and your 4 5 4

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya future generations shall continue to enjoy.The distinc tion which your Shura enjoys is not shared by any other Majlis-e-Shura in the world.May its spiritual, moral and intellectual distinction remain forever intact.” [Unpublished Report Majlis-e-Shura Pakistan 1989, pp.3-5] A M essage of F elicitation and a R enewal of the P ledge of A llegiance Majlis-e-Mushawarat 1989, which was held in Rabwah in March, unanimously passed a resolution addressed to Hadrat Khallfatul Masih IVrh, consisting o f a message of felicitations and a renewal o f the pledge o f allegiance on the occasion o f the centennial thanksgiving celebrations.Many delegates spoke in support o f the resolution and paid their homage to their Imam and expressed their love for him.Such was their expression o f love and devotion, that neither the speakers nor the listeners could restrain their emotions and their eyes glistened with tears.Dele gates were most saddened by the long separation from their beloved Imam, yet they were prepared to accept what God had destined, and every heart was praying for the early return o f Hudtir.Mujib-ur-Rahman Sahib, Advocate, Amir Jama'at Rawalpindi, made the following preliminary remarks before presenting the resolution before the Shura: “I would like to present a resolution before the house, with the permission o f the Chairman Majlis-e-Mushawarat.The first Mushawarat o f the second century o f Ahmadiy- yat has almost come to a close.Proposals were presented, sub-committees were formed, they deliberated upon the 4 5 5

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya issues, their recommendations were put before the house for discussion, the decisions were finalized, and the Shura was concluded.But a question still remained writ ten on the faces o f the delegates, and it seemed as if they were missing something.Our Imam and our Mentor, to whom w e offer our humble suggestions, is not physically present among us, though is always present in our hearts and minds.Likewise, our hearts are aglow with countless lamps o f gratitude upon the successful completion o f 100 years o f our Jama4at.We do congratulate one another, but the one who most deserves to be congratulated is not among us, and you must all be desiring to convey your felicitations to him.Just as we came together in our respective Jama'ats to reaffirm our oath o f allegiance, so does each o f you desire that we, as a Jama'at, should extend our congratulations to the Imam and re-affirm our oath o f al legiance to him.I w ill read out before you a presentation in this regard and w ill then request the delegates to ex press their own view s about it, so that a collective message can be conveyed to Hudur on behalf o f the whole Jama4at.( _ ?L' J J L We, the servants o f Ahmadiyyat, who are participating in the first Mushawarat o f the second century, (held in Rab- wah, Pakistan, from 31st March to 2n d April, 1989), are grateful to Allah for the innumerable blessings He has showered upon us, and extend our heartfelt felicitations to Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh on this auspicious occasion.As w e thank God for our steadfastness and sacrifices that we have been able to offer during the past 100 years, we 456

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya also pledge that we w ill endeavour to keep the sacrifices o f our forefathers alive and shall try to pass them on to our succeeding generations, and we also pledge that we shall always be ready to offer every sacrifice for Khilafat and shall be ready to shed our very lives for its sake.As a gratitude for the strength and stability which the Jama'at has gained during the past 100 years through the blessings o f the Khilafat, we renew our pledge o f obedi ence to Hudur, and solicit him to pray that passage o f time may not render our objectives any less brilliant.May w e be purged o f our weaknesses and shortcomings, and may w e attain the heights o f faith and righteousness that were destined for those who would first pledge their allegiance to the Promised Messiah3 * 1 — that illustrious son o f the Holy ProphetS 3.Our dear Imam! We, who are so full o f anguish for your absence, wish that we could have offered this gift o f sin cerity, love and devotion to you in person.May the Almighty God fulfil this heartfelt desire o f His servants.May the distances disappear and may our wishes be granted, and may we, who always have you close to our hearts, have the honour o f your physical nearness once more.May our eyes have the satisfaction o f seeing you and may our ears listen directly to your words.O Kind and Merciful Lord! we, Your poor servants, be seech You in these very words o f the Promised Messiah38: Give us prosperity and confer on us Your Blessings! Save us from all troubles and relieve us o f all pain! Come Yourself to my aid.Lord, never put me to test! O Lord, may this be so! O Lord, may this be so! O Lord, may this be so!” 4 5 7

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya A D istinction of the J ama ‘ at In the next Mushawarat, Hudur sent the following reply to the resolution passed by the delegates o f Shura: God be thanked for once again giving you the opportunity to come together in Markaz Rabwah, to deliberate upon is sues that relate to the progress and strengthening o f Islam.A s I have often said before, there is no institution in the whole wide world which can match our Majlis-e-Shura.The Parliaments o f the greatest countries o f the world come nowhere near Majlis-e-Shura in respect o f manners and procedures.The discipline, the decorum, the mutual trust, the dignity and the decency with which consulta tions are held in Majlis-e-Shura o f Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya is a distinction o f our Jama'at which no other Jama'at en jo y s...As I listened to the proceedings o f last year’s Shura, and heard your expressions o f pain and anguish, my feelings were much the same as yours, and I was able to virtually become part o f the same atmosphere and the same prayer...I am sure that even your emotional sacrifices have been so blessed by God, and He has accorded them such ac ceptance, that there can hardly be any room for ingratitude.In fact, you w ill not be able to thank Allah adequately even if you were to thank Him all your lives.On this occasion, I want to give you a good news which shall wipe away your tears, turn your grief into joy, and give you real encouragement.The great tidings is that, by the Grace o f Allah, the year o f centenary celebrations has become a beacon o f light from the point o f view o f Tabligh.This is the first time that, within one year, we have already received 108,000 Bai‘ats and more are still on the way.You may, like last year, fill the Shura hall 458

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya with prayers and heartrending cries, but your tears and cries should be drenched with feelings o f gratitude, rather than o f deprivation.May Allah be with you, and may I always continue to receive good news from you.Amin.I have already informed Nazir A ‘la Sahib through a fax, that I have received some auspicious dreams which lead me to think that things w ill soon turn round and the sea son shall change.Inshaallah.Wassalam (Signed) Mirza Tahir Ahmad KhalifatuI Maslh T he L ast W ord By the grace o f Allah, Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya has been able to demonstrate before the world the Islamic concept of Mushawarat.It is not possible to detail the distinction of the Ahmadiyya system o f Mushawarat as elaborately as Hadrat KhalifatuI Maslh IVrh has done in an extract we have already produced.According to the teachings of the Promised Messiah3 8 and the Khulafa, Ahmadiyya Majlis-e-Mushawarat is the same institution which was established by the Holy Prophetsa and was nurtured by his Khulafa, and was rejuvenated 1400 years later by the Promised Messiah3S.The spirit and essence o f this institution lies in the love for the Imam, which results from true obedience, and brings all kinds o f success to the believers.This motivating spirit o f Islamic Mushawarat is, by the grace o f Allah, to be found in the Ahmadiyya system of 459

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama 4 at - e -A hmadiyya Mushawarat in all its manifestations.Under heavenly directions and the leadership of the Khulafa, this spirit continues to soar to new heights.By the grace o f Allah, this consultative institution o f Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya is growing by the day.In all the countries of the world where Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya has been established, this system o f Mushawarat has also been introduced in keeping with the high Islamic traditions.From this point of view, our Majlis-e-Mushawarat also serves as an unparalleled training institution, and plays the important role o f keeping the Khalifa and the obedi ent servants of Ahmadiyyat united as one body.In no other school o f thought, whether worldly or religious, do we find a consultative institution which keeps the leader and the followers together in such bonds of love and unity.And why should this not be so, when Allah has established this Jama'at through the Promised Messiah (as) to ensure the victory o f Islam, and He Himself has laid down its foundation.And this is the Jama'at which is busy day and night in formulating and implementing new schemes for spreading the word o f Allah, and is ever ready to make sacrifices in this cause.To conclude, we pray that this Islamic system o f consul tation may always remain alive with all its beautiful and high traditions.Generation after generation, Jama'at-e- Ahmadiyya has been able to safeguard the distinction of the Shura.The Jama'at should never forget the instruc tions that have been given to us by our Khulafa— and 46 0

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T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya particularly by Hadrat Musleh-e-Mau‘udra—for running this institution in a wise and sagacious manner.Not only should we not forget them, we should do our very best to raise this institution to the loftiest heights, so that, both in body and spirit, this system o f consultations should remain forever alive in all its grandeur and brilliance.Amin!

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