VISIT TO NETHERLAND AND SURINAME MAY 2014

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1 August 2014 Editor: Nasir Ahmad B.A. LL.B. Vol. No. 7, Issue No. 23 IN MEMORY OF JALAL-UD-DIN AKBAR IBN-I ABDULLAH, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA VISIT TO NETHERLAND AND SURINAME MAY 2014 REPORT BY DR ZAHID AZIZ A visit to Suriname by Mr Shahid Aziz, myself (Zahid Aziz) and my wife Mrs Fauqia Aziz was arranged for May 2014 by Sjaikh Kasiem of Almere, Netherland. The plan was similar to the visit arranged earlier by Mr Kasiem for May-June 2013, when Hazrat Ameer Dr A.K. Saeed, Mr Shahid Aziz and Dr Zahid Aziz went to Suriname to deliver training courses for imams of our mosques and to give talks and speeches at general meetings of the Jamaa ts. Holland, Friday 9th to Sunday 11th May Some functions had been arranged at the Hague by Jama ats in Holland for the three days prior to our flight from Amsterdam to Paramaribo, Suriname. On 9th and 10th May the Stichting Ahmadiyya Anjuman arranged to hold its 25th anniversary. On 11th May, 7 Lahore Ahmadiyya organizations in Holland arranged a large meeting to mark the centenary of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement s founding in Lahore at the Tropical Hall, Hague. Besides the three of us from U.K., Azhar Ahmad and Mustaq Ali with his family also participated in these functions. Hospitality was provided for all of the U.K. Jama at participants at the Hague by our members in Holland, for which we are deeply grateful to all involved. They welcomed us into their homes and made our stay very comfortable. On Friday, Mr. Shahid Aziz and I led the Friday prayer in different cities in our Jama at mosques. On Saturday morning, there was a meeting with imams, board members and officials, at which we, along with Dr Noman Malik of USA, answered a number of questions relating to Islam and the Ahmadiyya Movement. In the evening session, Mr. Shahid Aziz gave a speech on the mission of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement, and Mrs. Fauqia Aziz spoke about the role of women in Islam.

2 On Sunday, from afternoon to late evening, was held the large meeting to mark the centenary of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement. Here I spoke under the title A Message of Peace and Harmony Founding of the Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha at Islam Lahore in It was largely an English translation of the speech I had delivered at Lahore in December last at the Salana Dua iyya. The text of the speech had already been translated into Dutch by the organisers of the meeting and printed copies of this translation were available to the audience. Below are some photographs from the meeting on 11 th May, showing the audience: 2 Page

3 SURINAME, 12TH TO 29TH MAY From left: Dr Robbert Bipat, President of SIV, with Mrs Fauqia Aziz, Mr Shahid Aziz and Dr Zahid Aziz Bro. Sjaikh Kasiem, who arranged our visits in 2013 and 2014 As at the previous visit, accommodation was provided for us in the guest rooms adjacent to the offices of the SIV in the Cultural Centre building which is next to the mosque in Keizerstraat. See photographs of these buildings on the next page. Page 3

4 The photograph above shows the Keizerstraat Mosque from its side towards its car park The photograph above shows the Cultural Centre building from the same car park The guest rooms are located on the upper storey just behind the sign Cultureel Centrum S.I.V. These photographs were taken by me during our 2013 visit. Activities The pattern of this visit was much like that of the previous year s visit. Mr. Shahid Aziz and I presented training courses in a class room in the Cultural Centre on the floor on which we were staying. The lecture room is equipped with a large screen television which can be connected to a computer for presentations. The training sessions were generally in the morning, while a few were in the evening when there was no other evening function or visit to go to. Opening sections from the book Masih Mau ud (The Promised Messiah) by Maulana Muhammad Ali and the final sections from the book Mujaddid-I Azam, vol. 2 by Dr Basharat Ahmad, which I used as course material were printed by the organisers in the form of copies of for those attending the course. On the day after our arrival, a senior s day had been arranged in the Cultural Centre. This was a cultural and social programme. See the photographs below, showing the audience and myself giving a talk: 4 Page

5 Courses In the courses the following topics, among others, were covered by Mr Shahid Aziz: 1. History of how British rule was established in India: In a slide presentation, he showed that British rule expanded in India because at all stages there would be some Muslim leader or group who sided with the British to defeat other Muslims. This all took place long before the Ahmadiyya Movement came into existence. Therefore the common charge is patently false which alleges that Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was on the side of the British against other Muslims. 2. Original beliefs of the Qadiani Jamaat which caused the Split in 1914: Present day members of that Jamaat are not aware that their leadership declared all other Muslims as kafir, which caused the Split. 3. Misconceived beliefs held by Muslims generally: To stress the need for the Ahmadiyya Movement, he went through certain common beliefs propagated by religious leaders, especially relating to the marriages of the Holy Prophet, which provide Western critics with material with which to attack him. One example of such Muslim literature that we showed in the course was the book Muhammad by Martin Lings (who was a Muslim), which repeats the false story about how the Holy Prophet came to marry Zainab. This book is highly praised by Muslims and won an award from the Pakistan government when first published in The story of Zainab in it is quoted and exploited by the critics of Islam (for example, the Answering Islam website). I covered the topics occurring at the beginning of the book Masih Mau ud, which are: (1) Creating the Ahmadiyya Movement does not amount to the setting up of a new divisive sect in Islam, (2) what is actually sectarianism and sectarian division, (3)how the cause of Islam benefits from the issues raised by the Ahmadiyya Movement and the claims to be Promised Messiah and Mahdi, (4) the Quran as the final authority between Muslims on all issues of disagreement. I showed how the Ahmadiyya interpretations, especially about the descent of Jesus, are based on placing the Quran as supreme over all other sources including Hadith. To add variety to the topics, I also went through some of the inspiring injunctions of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad to his followers on the moral teachings of Islam which he emphasised that they must follow. These were quoted from Izala Auham (p. 825 to 835) and Kishti-I Nuh (section entitled Page 5

6 Teaching or Ta lim). I also presented briefly a slide presentation on the claims of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. A course session begins with prayers led by an imam. Presenters Zahid & Shahid Aziz are sitting. Another sessions begins, showing participants saying prayer. Zahid Aziz goes through a writing of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Mosque speeches The second key feature of our visit, apart from the training course, was the meetings held at various SIV mosques. Generally, these were held in the evenings, and began with Maghrib and Isha combined prayers led by myself (Zahid Aziz). At every meeting, all three of us made speeches. Afterwards dinner was served. 6 Page

7 The first meeting held on Thursday 15 th May was in the main Jam iah Mosque located on the road called Keizerstraat. I spoke on the topic of what Islam teaches as to how Muslims should respond to verbal abuse against Islam and the Holy Prophet (sas). Mr. Shahid Aziz spoke on the necessity of creating the Ahmadiyya Jama at and importance of financial contributions. Mrs Fauqia Aziz spoke on how members of the Jama at should treat each other to create a brotherhood. On Friday 16th May, Mr. Shahid Aziz delivered the khutba at Friday prayers at the Keizerstraat Mosque. The other mosques where meetings were held during our stay are the following in chronological order : 1. Mufidul Islam mosque, where three jamaats were joining together (Qamarul Islam, Azmat-i Islam and Mufidul Islam) to celebrate 100 years of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement. 2. Shane Islam mosque 3. Taqviatul Islam mosque 4. Shamsul Islam 5. Haqiqatul Islam 6. Mosque Sadr Tartiboel in Nickerie 7. Imdadia Mosque 8. Mosque Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat Islam Meerzorg All these mosques are Lahore Ahmadiyya Jama at mosques. All of them except number 6 are located in the Paramaribo area. After the meetings at mosques (1) to (5) in this list, we travelled to Nickerie on Thursday 22nd May, where a meeting had been organised at the Sadr Tartiboel Mosque in the evening. Nickerie is about 240 km or 150 miles road distance from Paramaribo. On Friday 23rd May, the khutbas at this mosque was delivered by Shahid Aziz, who went through chapters 108 to 110 of the Quran (Al- Kauthar, Al-Kafirun and Al-Fath) and explained the connection between them as regards the start, end, and complete success of the mission of the Holy Prophet Muhammad. Topics covered The three of us spoke on several topics at the mosque meetings. These included the following: The interpretation of Islam as presented by the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement. The role of women as it should be, according to Islam. Why we belong to this Jama at, and the necessity of its work. Damage done to the cause of Islam by wrong interpretations of the general Ulama. Need to give Zakat and make financial contributions to the work of the Jama at. Status and supreme importance of the Quran according to Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. Love of Allah and love of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) as expressed by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. The system of administering the Ahmadiyya Movement as laid down by its Founder. Maulana Muhammad Ali s instructions to the officials elected and appointed to manage the Jama at affairs. Beliefs and practices of the Qadiani/Rabwah Jama at which violate the teachings of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. Definition of a Muslim according to Quran and Hadith. Page 7

8 Dr Zahid Aziz giving dars after Fajr in the main mosque. Mr Shahid Aziz delivering khutba in the main mosque. SCENES OF THE AUDIENCE AT VARIOUS MOSQUE MEETINGS 8 Page

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11 WE SPOKE AT VARIOUS MOSQUE VENUES, AS BELOW Page 11

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13 The full moon can be seen to the right of the top of the minaret The main SIV mosque at Nickerie, on Friday 23rd May 2014 Other activities The Youth Commission of SIV organized an information session with us on 18th May. I was asked to speak on the social life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, and Shahid Aziz on the impact of social electronic media on Islam and what can be done to make Islam interesting to the youth. On 20th May we were taken to meet the mayor (Districtscommissaris) of Wanica district, Mrs Roline Samsoedien, who is a member of our Jama at. At the moment she is the head of all the mayors. We had a long talk with her about her work and the area she serves. Shown below are a couple of photographs we took in her office. She was also present at the function, mentioned further below, where the ladies of SIV board members hosted a brunch for us. We were taken to two radio stations, where each of the three of us recorded a talk of length about 10 minutes. At one of the stations, the audio recording was made as a video, which was to be broadcast both on radio and television. These were to be broadcast after our return. Page 13

14 Brunch hosted by SIV Ladies On Sunday 25th May the ladies of SIV hosted a brunch for us at a restaurant in the centre of Paramaribo. Throughout our visit we were invited by various members to their homes for lunch or dinner. We wish to express our thanks to all of them for their generous hospitality. The late Dr Khaliel Ghafoerkhan In memoriam We were invited for lunch by Dr Khaliel Ghafoerkhan and his wife Mary at their home on 19th May. They both also came to visit us a number of times and attended some of the mosque meetings despite Dr Ghafoerkhan s ill health. Sadly, just over a month after our return home to the UK, Dr Ghafoerkhan passed away inna lillahi wa inna ilia-hi raji un. May Allah admit him to His mercy and grant him forgiveness and protection, Ameen. SOME MORE PHOTOGRAPHS WITH LATE DR. KHALIEL GHAFOERKHAN Photographs of Dr Khaliel Ghafoerkhan marhoom, taken in May 2014, with the visiting team of Br. Shahid Aziz, Dr. Zahid Aziz and Mrs Fauqia Aziz from UK Dr Khaliel Ghafoerkhan is on the right. His wife Mary is second from left. Photo taken at the main Lahore Ahmadiyya Mosque in Paramaribo. 14 Page

15 Photo at lunch on 19 May From left: Dr Ghafoerkhan, Mr. Shahid Aziz, Dr. Zahid Aziz, and Br. Sjaikh Kasiem (who arranged the visit to Suriname) Dr Khaliel and Mrs Mary Ghafoerkhan attending evening meeting at one of Lahore Ahmadiyya mosques, where our visiting team made speeches. At another of the mosque meetings: Dr Ghafoerkhan with Mrs Fauqia Aziz and Dr Zahid Aziz On 16 May 2014 we were taken to visit one of our Jama at cemeteries, in particular the grave of the parents of Dr Ghafoerkhan. His brother Ikbaal (pointing with his finger) is standing to his left and his brother Lal is to his right, followed by Mr. Shahid Aziz and Dr. Zahid Aziz. Page 15

16 And from the past: Dr Khaliel Ghafoerkhan s father Fateh Khan with Maulana Abdul Haq Vidyarthi in Suriname at the airport, 24 June 1959 At the cemetery, from left: Mr. Ikbaal, Dr. Khaliel Ghafoerkhan, Mr Shahid Aziz and Mr Abdus Santoe Photo of parents of Dr Khaliel Ghafoerkhan on their grave Photographs : Dr. Zahid Aziz Design & Formatting : Erwan Hamdani, Jakarta, Indonesia CONTACT INFORMATION The HOPE Bulletin address: thehopebulletin@hotmail.com ISLAM stands for: I SHALL LOVE ALL MANKIND 16 Page