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Martyrdoms in Pakistan

Excerpt from the Friday Sermon delivered by Ahmadiyya Supreme Head on last Friday the 12th September, 2008

Given below is an excerpt from the Friday Sermon of Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Supreme Head of the world-wide Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaath in Islam, delivered on 12th September, 2008 at ‘Baithul Futhuh’, London, U.K., cited verse 154 to 157 of Surah Al Baqarah (2: 154 – 157) and gave a discourse on the recent martyrdoms in Pakistan.

The translation reads:

“O ye who believe, seek help with patience and Prayer; surely, Allah is with the steadfast. And say not of those who are killed in the cause of Allah that they are dead; nay they are living, only you perceive not. And We will try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives, and fruits; but give glad tidings to the patient, Who, when a misfortune overtakes them, say, 'Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.”

Ameer-ul-Mumineen said he cited the above verses with reference to the recent martyrdoms. Indeed, these verses speak of prayer and patience, the station of the martyrs, the reason for trials and tribulations, focus on being content with Allah’s will and being a recipient of His blessings. These are the aspects that signify a true believer. In the first verse Allah states that the sign of a believer is that he/she is not perturbed when difficulties befall. At each difficult time their attention is turned to God and the initial reaction of a believer is to be patient and pray and seek help from Allah. He said Allah has alerted the believers that there will be difficult times but the demonstration of the strength of faith is in bearing up with patience, not showing any anxiety, not complaining to Allah and not to turn to people to redress the situation rather only turn to Allah and seek His help and stay resolutely firm on the task that has been entrusted to believers. That is, establish Unity of God, take the message of the Prophet of God (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and also the message of the Imam of the age. For this, it may be that the believers have to sacrifice their wealth and lives and endure spiritual persecution; that is, restriction on saying the Shahadah, restriction on saying Salat, abusive remarks about the person of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) etc. Having alerted the believers Allah states that once they go through the trials and tribulations of persecution with prayer and patience He will always be with them. As for those who give their lives for the cause of faith Allah says they hold a high station in Allah’s sight. The enemy tries to eliminate them so that he may weaken the Community but it should be remembered that Allah is with us. He is the Lord of the cosmos and the killing of one person or a few persons in the cause of faith does not bring about decline on communities. Attaining Allah’s pleasure in fact results in infusing life in many more believers. It injects life in faith and rather than be scared many more rise determined. If the opponents deem they have weakened us then they better listen that one person’s death has infused that spirit in us, has granted us that insight of sacrifice that we are ready with renewed vigor and passion.

Following the martyrdom of Dr. Abdul Mannan Siddiqi His Holiness said many have verbally as well as in writing expressed to him that wherever there is need, wherever Ahmadi blood is required; give them the opportunity to offer their blood. This has come to pass, Huzur said, because those who turn to Allah and are content whatever the circumstances, have no fear of death. A martyr becomes a source of faith-inspiring legacy for such believers while his own status in Paradise continues to be elevated. Allah has clearly declared that one who gives life in the way of Allah is not dead. He instantly acquires a high station in Paradise. He said the elevated station is not attained immediately after death by all, a deceased person has to go through an intermediary state, but martyrs attain the high station at once.

A Hadith (sayings of Holy Prophet) relates that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said that for Allah a martyr has six distinctions: he is forgiven the moment the first drop of his blood spills, he sees his station in Paradise, he is given refuge from the torment of the grave, he is brought in peace from restlessness, he wears a crown of dignity on his head with jewels that put any worldly gems to shame and he is given the right of mediation for seventy relations.

Commenting on the word ‘living’ (Ahyaa) in verse 155 His Holiness said it also means for which reprisal is taken. Allah states that if people imagine that by taking a life they have earned great reward they should remember that the one who lost his life has attained Divine nearness because of the martyrdom and the martyrdom does not go unrequited. God Himself takes revenge of every single drop of blood spilled by a martyr.

Citing (4:94) the Caliph said despite reading Allah’s Book, despite claiming to be Muslim they [our opponents] are courting Allah’s displeasure. he related the Hadith (sayings of Holy Prophet) where the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was censorious of a companion who had killed a disbeliever despite his verbal assertion of Shahdah saying that the companion had not looked into the heart of the man and therefore had no right to judge his faith. Indeed the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said ‘whoever declares that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and rejects all that is worshiped except Allah, his life and property become worthy of esteem. The rest of his accountability is with Allah’ Caliph said the so-called religious leaders incite Muslims and allege that we [Ahmadis] assert the first half of the Kalima, that there is none worthy of worship except Allah but we (God forbid) deny the latter half that Muhammad is Allah’s Prophet therefore it is obligatory to kill us. He remarked, have they looked into our hearts? Huzur said the mullah does not even have a fraction of the insight and perception of the status of Khatam unNabiyeen (Seal of all the prophets) that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) had and yet they say that it is obligatory to kill us.

His Holiness read a few excerpts from the noble writings of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad - the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) exalting the lofty station of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and said that even so these mischievous people say that we do not accept him as the last law-bearing Prophet. They broadcast in the media what neither Allah allows nor His Prophet; yet they carry out the oppression in their name. Addressing these people Khalifa said there is still time, they should desist from their mischief-making and persecution of Ahmadi Muslims. Otherwise they should remember that just as the sign of ‘I give them the rein; surely, My plan is mighty’ (7:184) manifested yesterday it can also manifest today and it will. Do not consider Allah’s respite as your triumph. The Imam of the age, who has been sent in complete subservience of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and has been given the status of a prophet in subordination of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). We are being patient until Allah’s decree comes. Allah has indeed declared that He shall try with fear, hunger, loss of life and loss of wealth. Those who face these trials with steadfastness join the ranks of those who have Allah’s glad-tidings. These trials become a source of spiritual development as well as communal advancement. Huzur said they oppose us because of our acceptance of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). The pain they inflict on us, the loss of property, the dear martyrs giving their lives, all this is for accepting the Promised Messiah. If we show resolute steadfastness we will be the recipients of the Divine promise repeatedly made to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) through revelation ‘Verily We have granted thee a clear victory,’ (48:2).

Ameer-ul-Mumineen said trials come in the lives of nations to exhibit Allah’s Power and His Signs. These martyrdoms and persecution that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is going through in parts of the world have a resonance of the sound of ‘clear victory’. The joy of the enemy is but temporary. Martyrdom of all Ahmadis has borne fruits and will InshaAllah continue to do so. We have witnessed the spectacle of the chastisement of the enemy in the past, similarly today Allah’s words reassure us; ‘…But Allah seized them for their sins, and they had no protector against Allah.’ (40:22). Today, it is the very same Living God Who shall bring them to their end, God of true promises Who will fulfill the promises to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) just as He has been fulfilling them in the past. Our task is to stay firm on faith and never let the excellences of those brothers die out who sacrificed their lives.

Khalifa said he would briefly speak about the two recent martyrs. One of them was our very dear brother Dr. Abdul Mannan Siddiqi. He was the first martyr after 27th May 2008 and the great martyr gave his life as a testimony that our faith is just as resolute in the second century of the Ahmadiyya Khilafat as it was in the first century and beyond and we are just as ready and willing to sacrifice our loves. This martyr was only 46 years old and with his young martyrdom he has generated a spirit in the youth as if giving them a message that loss of life notwithstanding, no dishonor should be brought on the bai’at of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and one should be ever prepared for every sacrifice for the Khilafat e Ahmadiyya. His Holiness said he had a charming temperament. Huzur knew him personally from earlier on. His father, Abdul Rahman Siddiqi sahib, was an acquaintance of Huzur’s father and would come and visit. He served as Ameer of Mirpurkhas region for forty years. After the partition of India when he arrived in Pakistan the second Caliph of Ahmadiyya Community Hadhrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) instructed him to settle in the Mirpurkhas region which he promptly followed. Abdul Mannan was born after eleven years of marriage. In 1988 he went to USA for further/post graduate medical studies and later started work there. However, his father wrote him to return to Pakistan saying the purpose of his education was to serve the poor and the needy of the area. He immediately returned to Pakistan and started serving there.

Dr. Abdul Mannan Siddiqi’s maternal grandfather was Hashmat Ullah Khan Sahib, a companion of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). He is survived by his mother who is a very pious and affectionate lady and had served Lajna for many years. Despite her old age and illness she has accepted the martyrdom of her son with great steadfastness. Khalifa said prayers should be made that she is constantly granted steadfastness.

Dr. Abdul Mannan served the Community in several capacities and was currently the Ameer (President) of Mirpurkhas region. He took of the hospital after his father passed away. He would personally organize a medical camp in the [remote] Tharparker region where he would personally visit and heal thousands of people. At his martyrdom people came from far and wide to pay respects. Allah had granted this servant of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) the power of healing. He was known in the entire province of Sindh. He was a very popular person who was most keen on Tabligh (Preaching). Huzur said in the last five years Huzur observed the frequency with which he would request Huzur’s prayers for preaching work. One reason of people harboring enmity for him was his Tabligh (preaching) work. He would fearlessly do Tabligh to feudal lords. By taking his life the enemy imagines he has taken away a source of Tabligh, but the foolish do not realize that by sacrificing his life Dr. Abdul Mannan will generate several more Abdul Mannans to rise. He was married in his family to Amtul Shafi Sahiba who is an American citizen. They have two children, a daughter 18 and a son 13. Amtul Sahafi Sahiba is the Sadr Lajna of Mirpurkhas region.

Ahmadiyya Caliph said as he mentioned earlier, he had an old connection with him, as did his father with Huzur’s father. His maternal grandfather Dr. Hashmat Ullah Khan was the physician of Ahmadiyya Second Caliph Hadhrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him), it was thus an old family connection. Dr. Mannan was one of those people who do not ever appear perturbed no matter what. There was great enmity around but he organized the region’s affairs superbly. He did not ever use his personal connection to further any personal matter, rather he used it to further the cause of the Community. Huzur said what greatly endeared him to Huzur was his ever smiling face. Huzur added it is not just his opinion, everyone has expressed this feeling. He was utterly humble with no presumptions about his high education, ownership of a hospital, presidency of the region etc. Huzur said not only did he treat his needy patients free of charge; he also gave them some financial help. While feudal lords and land owners came to pay their respects on his passing away so did poor men and women paying emotional tributes to Dr. sahib. He had a very strong and sincere connection with Khilafat. Huzur said in his opinion Dr. sahib was an embodiment of a devotee of Khilafat and was among the best of Huzur’s partners. Huzur said he had great confidence in him in terms of executing any Jama’at work. He had received threats for some time now but he kept doing his task, he was one of the finest workers of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, may Allah elevate his station in Paradise. May Allah also grant steadfastness to his wife, she has demonstrated exemplary steadfastness and has been supportive to her mother-in-law as well as her children. Despite being born and bred in the USA she supported her husband with complete sincerity. May Allah grant her a long life and may she experience the delights of her children.

Next Ahmadiyya Khalifa read out some tributes paid by people outside the Community. These included the MQM leader Altaf Hussein, the President of the Pakistan Medical Association Mirpurkhas and a few other organizations. Huzur said the so-called religious leaders would not understand the tributes paid to Dr. Sahib.

The other recent martyr was Saith Muhammad Yusuf sahib. He was the Ameer of Nawabshah region. He served the Ahmadiyya Community most sincerely and has been the Ameer (President) of the region since 1993. He was a sociable, compassionate person who was very popular and always preceded in saying Salaam. He took great care and attention to all the needs of Waaqfeen e Zindagi (life devotees), he was a Moosi and had a large mosque built in Nawabshah. He was a heart patient and lived on the first floor. As there is no arrangements like lifts or chairlifts etc. in Pakistan he had improvised a pulley system that enabled him to go up and down the stairs so that he could accomplish his Jama’at work. He was seventy years old and is survived by his wife and four children, three sons and a daughter. May Allah elevate his station in Paradise.

In addition Huzur said he also wanted to appeal for prayers for two people who have been injured. One of them is Sheikh Saeed Ahmad Sahib who was shot and severely injured at his shop in Karachi on the eve of Ramadan. The other is Arif sahib, an Ahmadi guard who was with Dr. Abdul Mannan Siddiqi. He too is severely injured. Both of these patients are in a critical condition. May Allah grant them healing with His grace.

These so-called Muslims tend to become very swift in Ramadan in order to earn rewards. They do not know what ending Allah cites for people like them. May Allah keep us and the nation protected from such enemies of humanity. Pray abundantly during these days, may Allah keep everyone in His protection.

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