Journey—1976

On September 1, 1976, Doctor Saeed Ahmad undertook a journey to London, England. In addition to visiting England, included in his itinerary were visits to other European countries, the West Indies, as well as the United States of America. It was on August 21, 1976 that he traveled from Quetta to Karachi, and then on September 1, 1976, from Karachi to London. He encountered a few challenges right away, during the initial part of the journey: Due to some mechanical problem in the airplane, the departure kept getting progressively delayed, and in this way, a journey of nine hours ended up taking 19 hours. What follows is an excerpt from his diary:

We reached London safely. Since the beginning of the journey—its beginning was marked by our departure from the residence of Naseer Ahmad Faruqui—20 hours had passed. The problem at the London Airport, which ought to be called the sixth problem along the journey, was a rather trying one. Despite the maximum swiftness that I could muster [to get there], the queue had already lengthened considerably. With my weakened health in mind, with the sensation of being packed in a crowded queue, and anticipating the conduct of the officers checking the passports, all these factors could have been a source of worry. But this situation of being in the queue on the one hand, on the other hand was the thought that this trial was from Allah. His power and strength were the sole sources that bolstered my strength.

اََلَّھُمَّ لَا سَہْلَ اِلَّا مَا جَعَلْتَہٗ سَہْلًا وَّ اَنْتَ تَجْعَلُ الْحُزْنَ سَھْلًا اِذَا شِہْ

Oh Allah, nothing is easy except what You have made easy, and You make sadness easy when You wish.

I lost track of how many times I had looked up to see if it was my turn, but eventually my turn came. The visa that had been granted to me was from Islamabad to the United Kingdom, and was to be validated in London. Nonetheless, my heart was in the grip of misgivings. The officer asked me a couple of questions, which I answered with truthfulness. On receiving my forthright answers, the officer calmly stamped my passport with a visa stamp with a duration of six months. Standing in the queue, as I looked up at the clock, it was 11:45 PM, according to London time. The process of going through customs and the search through the baggage was completed without any problem. It was 1:00 AM when I emerged from the airport. In other words, the morning of September 2, 1976 had begun. Present outside to greet me, on the other side of the guard rail, was Razia Faruqui in the forefront. Her son Ross Mahmood, along with Munira, Hamid, Ersalan, Pasha, Sabiha, Mujahid—all of them waiting for me since 4:00 PM of the previous day, September 1, 1976—had by now been awaiting me for eight or nine hours.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad then went in the company of his son, Abdul Karim Saeed, to his residence, where he was to stay during his visit to England.

Eid Congregational Prayer in Ahmadiyya House

On September 5, 1976, a meeting of the members of the London chapter of the Ahmadiyya Movement was convened, one in which Doctor Saeed Ahmad participated. The program of the congregational Eid prayer was finalized during that meeting.

A few members expressed their negativity and hopelessness, and the opinion was voiced that scant few people would attend the Eid prayer. Doctor Saeed Ahmad was greatly distressed on hearing this. However, keeping his conviction strong, he resolved to do everything in his power to make the attendance numbers exceed expectations. He personally went to many Ahmadi household‘s, seeking to erase mutual opposition and grievances, and seeking to have the members participate in the Eid prayers. In a few households, others had also been invited, in addition to the household members, ones who sought to meet Doctor Saeed Ahmad. So he got the opportunity to elaborate on the importance of remaining associated with the Ahmadiyya Movement. In a certain meeting, it was brought up that the headquarters of the Movement was neglecting its chapters abroad.

He reminded everyone about the political situation in Pakistan, which was not only significantly elevating the importance of the Ahmadiyya Movement chapters abroad, the headquarters in Pakistan had tied its future to these very chapters abroad: Among the foremost objectives of the headquarters was to reestablish its connections with those chapters. On that occasion, he showed them excerpts from the writing of Abdul Hayee Saeed entitled The New Horizon, which had a considerable impact on them.

September 26, 1976 was the day of Eid. About 100 people, men and women, participated in the Eid prayer held at the Ahmadiyya House. Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s sermon was replete with sound reasoning, and proved to be effective. Such a lively gathering had never before been seen by the members in London. It was in that exceptionally pleasant atmosphere that the Zuhr congregational prayer was performed, following which that blessed gathering drew to a close.

Meeting of the Trustees

October 13, 1976 was designated for convening a meeting of the trustees. Prior to that, the Executive Committee of the Ahmadiyya Movement headquarters had appointed Doctor Saeed Ahmad as the trustee of the Ahmadiyya Movement chapter in the United Kingdom. Attending this meeting was his objective. But he had not been given the agenda for that meeting, even though its organizers were aware that he had arrived in London. In this way, a cold shoulder was extended to Doctor Saeed Ahmad by the organizers, and their lack of care demonstrated. In other words, the agenda of the meeting was kept secret, as a result of which he would be forced to join the meeting without the benefit of making the necessary preparations, enabling the other members of the trust to ignore the wishes and guidance of the headquarters, and for those trustees to carry out their whims. When he inquired, he was told that the agenda had been sent to the Ahmadiyya Movement headquarters in Lahore. He was told that it was considered unnecessary to separately provide him with the agenda here in London. In the meeting itself, Doctor Saeed Ahmad found that not even a single member present was like minded. As a result, and naturally enough, he was feeling isolated. But he was confident that, given the assistance of Allah, he would never allow for the seal of approval to be affixed to any wrong decision. Therefore, not even a single decision could be ratified that would have been against the provisions and well-being of the Ahmadiyya Movement headquarters.

Prior to the trustees meeting, the meeting of the local Executive Committee had been convened, one, in which, through the efforts of Doctor Saeed Ahmad, the establishment of a new local Executive Committee became possible, one whose members were faithful to the Ahmadiyya Movement headquarters, and were active and reliable aside. He emphatically told those members that the Ahmadiyya Movement is a religious organization; that the thinking and actions of the members must not be tainted in any way by political considerations; and that the members must help with maintaining an atmosphere of cooperation between the headquarters and the chapters in the Western hemisphere.

Now, there was a gap of a considerable number of days between that meeting of the trustees and the next major, scheduled meeting. So Doctor Saeed Ahmad considered it appropriate to utilize those intervening days by visiting the chapters of the Ahmadiyya Movement in the Netherlands, and in Germany, respectively.

Trip to Germany and the Netherlands—October 2-6, 1976

The agenda for the weeklong trip to Germany and the Netherlands was an exacting, one, and considerably testing of one’s patience. A source of worry for Doctor Saeed Ahmad was the situation of the chapters in the two aforementioned countries, the constant traveling, the long functions, and the speeches that he gave to audiences. What follows is an excerpt from a writing by him, prior to that departure:

O Allah, it is only through Your patronage and Your Assistance through the angel Gabriel, and Your Assistance and Protection, that I undertake this task. O Allah, you know that there is no involvement of my personal wishes in this matter. It is purely for Your jamaat, to serve Your religion, and relying wholly on You that I have dared to take on this burden. O Allah, do not let this inconsequential, meager, and humble man go to waste. Accept these efforts, which I make despite my limited abilities, and bless them with consequential outcomes and results. O Allah, other than You, I do not have anyone else to lean on.

Berlin, Germany

On arriving in Berlin, Germany, on October 6, 1976, Doctor Saeed Ahmad went to the famous Berlin Mosque that had been built by the Ahmadiyya Movement in 1924. He found the mosque grand and impressive to witness. Repairs were taking place, so it was not possible to perform prayers inside the mosque. The general condition of the mosque was not so good. And the religious literature and other things on site were in a disorganized state. Scores of unopened bundles of religious magazines and pamphlets lay disorganized in the basement. And in the warehouse was present a reasonable stock of copies of the book The Religion of Islam, and copies of the Holy Quran with translation. But because of neglect, they, too, were not in a good condition. He remained busy meeting with the imam of the Ahmadiyya Movement chapter in Berlin, Yahya Butt, and comprehensively surveyed various matters and inventories.

The next day was a Friday. Other than the imam, and, including Doctor Saeed Ahmad, there were three individuals in the Friday congregation. That same day, a small crew from the local television channel had come to the Mosque to meet with Yahya Butt and discuss the Mosque. The crew members got information about the Mosque, and the entire proceedings were captured on video.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad found the circumstances of the German chapter to be considerably unsupportive and made every effort to resolve them as best as he could. It was the opinion of the imam that until and unless people from Pakistan migrated to Germany and settled there, a chapter of the Ahmadiyya Movement could not be formed there. Now, Yahya Butt viewed with skepticism the Ahmadiyya Movement headquarters in many matters. And he expressed the same sentiment. He, in turn, sought to satisfy those concerns by giving sensible answers.

The Netherlands

A large number of men and women of the Ahmadiyya Movement chapter were present to greet Doctor Saeed Ahmad when he arrived in Amsterdam on October 9, 1976. He was honored with garlands of flowers. After his visit to Amsterdam, he then traveled to the Hague. He found the majority of the members of the Ahmadiyya Movement chapter to be sincere and active despite internal differences between them. Ideas were exchanged during several meetings, following which the members pledged their full cooperation with the Ahmadiyya Movement headquarters based in Lahore, Pakistan. In his place, he pledged to keep all channels of communication open with them.

A convention took place on October 10, 1976. About 150 people had gathered in the convention venue. The speech by Doctor Saeed Ahmad proved to be immensely effective. The members of the Ahmadiyya Movement in the Hague were infused with enthusiasm for the ideals of the Movement. But at that time, there was no agreement on the name—Ahmadiyya Movement—and behind the scenes  were swirling undercurrents that underscored a lack of unity. His ongoing efforts were aimed at fostering unity and cooperation among them in his presence. Through his speeches, he effectively put emphasis on being openly associated with the Ahmadiyya Movement. And working together in a united way was another important aspect of his appeal to them. He also emphasized the need for becoming allied with the Ahmadiyya Movement headquarters, making monthly, charitable donations, and the need for reforming one’s life in areas requiring one to do so. He also elaborated and clarified the need for taking the religious pledge toward the goal of affiliation with the Ahmadiyya Movement. Doctor Saeed Ahmad pledged that the Ahmadiyya Movement headquarters would supply religious literature to them as well as other sources of study and training. All members pledged to work on eliminating internal differences. Many individuals from Utrecht had participated in that convention. Of those, 12 immediately took the religious pledge, and expressed their intention to form a chapter of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Utrecht. 

Toward the end of the convention, the moral resolve and enthusiasm of the attendees had created an extraordinary spiritual atmosphere, one which afforded him an opportunity to bow down in thankfulness once again before Allah. He makes mention of it as follows:

Once doubts had been removed, the atmosphere that immediately emerged was one suffused by the sentiments of unity, mutual support; a very pleasant atmosphere, indeed. Maulvi Jumman stood up and approached me, saying that he wanted to be the first one from whom I should take the religious pledge. After that, everyone surged forward with zeal. I took the religious pledge from everyone, following which I gave a speech to the best of my abilities. An extraordinary atmosphere emerged, and expressions of a new resolve and vigor could be witnessed everywhere. I said: “Today, an unusual thought was felt by my heart in that the goals of the Promised Messiah were being achieved in many ways. The cross has been broken. Today, churches of those who believe in the Mosaic Messiah are being shuttered down, and they lie vacant. And right here in this church building, followers of the Promised Messiah are convening their meetings, and religious pledges are being taken in the name of the Promised Messiah. If this is not a miracle, what else is it? A state of spiritual rapture enveloped us all. We thanked Allah the Most High, and this blessed gathering came to a close at 11:30 PM with a prayer.

An impression had been given regarding the Ahmadiyya Movement’s Dutch language translation of the Holy Quran that, since a transformation in the Dutch language itself had taken place, the existing translation of the Holy Quran was no longer correct. The Dutch translation was shown to a linguistic expert in the presence of Doctor Saeed Ahmad. In his opinion, it was not really a change in the language that had taken place; rather, it was merely the spellings of the alphabet had been simplified. And if appropriate corrections were made to the existing Dutch translation of the Holy Quran, the same translation would be sound, and suitable for publication.

Meeting of the Executive Committee in London

According to a previously planned program, Doctor Saeed Ahmad returned from the Netherlands on October 13, 1976 to participate in a meeting of the executive council of the Ahmadiyya Movement chapter in London. During the meeting, discussions and back-and-forth took place on various opinions, on suggested programs, and on organizational matters. Participants expressed the observation that the Ahmadiyya Movement headquarters up to that time as well as the personality of Doctor Saeed Ahmad were being made the target of criticism and false propaganda in certain circles. And this phenomenon had escalated to the extent that an allegation was being made by those circles that it was he who was the root of the discord and dissension. Referring to the discussions that took place in that meeting—and in summarizing them—he writes:

That which was discussed between them and I, they know it well, as do I, and as does He Who knows more than everyone that I am not much aggrieved by having been made the target of disrepute, but the Ahmadiyya Movement being made the target of disrepute over a period of time—especially over the past one year—I am aggrieved by that. Allah the Most High wipes out falsehood and deceit, and truth eventually comes to the foreground. You folks alone can remedy this by creating solidarity and unity within the Ahmadiyya Movement instead of engaging in internal disputes. The work of our organization—distributing the literature of Islam the world over, inviting others toward the Ahmadiyya Movement, and promoting righteousness and religiosity—this work, if you do it in a unified way, then good people will automatically come to your assistance. And bad people will just as naturally be suppressed. You will gain the cooperation of those who live in the West.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad intended to travel to the West Indies and then on to the city of Chicago in the United States. After the meeting, Ross Mahmood presented to him a gold fountain pen, one which had engraved on it the words, “Islam is Gold.” This was a gift that he was asked to present to Wallace D Mohammad in Chicago on behalf of the Ahmadiyya Movement’s London chapter.

Trip to West Indies

Prior to his departure from Pakistan, and then again during his stay in England, an invitation was extended to Doctor Saeed Ahmad by all chapters of the Ahmadiyya Movement in the West Indies, emphatically requesting him to visit the West Indies. Certain members insisted on the request in their personal capacity. Because of time constraints, he had not been able to acquire a visa to the West Indies. Therefore, after his arrival in England, he promptly submitted the necessary paperwork in the relevant consular department. In this matter, members of the Ahmadiyya Movement’s London chapter—in particular the enthusiastic young members Ross Mahmood, Hamid Rahman, and Ahmad Tariq—worked diligently, overcoming all obstacles, and secured his visa and reservations for air travel.

Trinidad

When Doctor Saeed Ahmad embarked on his journey on October 16, 1976, his first destination was Trinidad. Many men and women were present at the airport to receive him. This time, their aloofness and the cold shoulder treatment of the previous year had been transformed into zeal and devotion. He stayed at the residence of Aziz Ahmad.

A large gathering was hosted on October 17, 1976. Doctor Saeed Ahmad went to participate in the gathering at the time of the Zuhr prayer. The mosque was filled with attendees. After the prayer, a gathering was convened in a large, open auditorium. Approximately 300 attendees were present, and at the conclusion of his effective speech, a few individuals took the religious pledge.

Guyana

Doctor Saeed Ahmad arrived in Guyana on October 19, 1976. His stay there of five days was packed with activities. Because of his physical weakness, he had expressed the wish for a reduction in those activities, but that wish did not become a reality. Immediately after the Fajr prayer the next morning, the series of programs began with the recording of his speech for transmission over the radio. After that came a new program each day, new locations to travel to, new activities, making speeches, delivering sermons, and meetings with people. Aided by the grace of Allah, the visit to Guyana was completed successfully.

Suriname

At the conclusion of the Guyana trip, Doctor Saeed Ahmad traveled to Suriname on October 24, 1976. At the airport, approximately 150 men and women were standing in rows to welcome him with garlands of flowers in their hands. Witnessing their love, zeal, and enthusiasm was a source of satisfaction for him.

Now, Suriname is a part of the Amazon Basin, and the entire land region is interlaced with an extensive network of rivers. To reach the populated land regions, people sometimes travel by ferry, and sometimes by small aircraft that are specially customized for such travel. As a result of constant travel using the aforementioned modes of transport—alongside the burden of preparing and delivering talks—Doctor Saeed Ahmad was considerably fatigued. In fact, he participated in one gathering in a state of feverishness. And that, too, while seated on a small wooden chair that was not in the least comfortable, one on which he had to continuously sit for many hours. And when evening fell, he traveled to his next destination, which was approximately 16 miles.

All these challenges and difficulties on the one hand, on the other hand was the joy of witnessing the zeal and spirit of devotion evident in the Ahmadiyya Movement members, and this would invariably transform every hardship into a sense of satisfaction. At the conclusion of his visit to Suriname, and as he was traveling back, his heart was at ease, put at rest by the grand future of the Ahmadiyya Movement.

Trinidad

Doctor Saeed Ahmad arrived in Trinidad on November 1, 1976. He spent the next few days carrying out essential organizational matters of the Ahmadiyya Movement as well as attending meetings. He advised the members of the local chapter of the Movement that whenever and whatever information about the Movement’s headquarters they received—with the potential to ensnare them into misgivings—they ought to avoid giving in immediately to misgivings, and to instead investigate the matter fully, learn the facts surrounding the situation, and thereby enable the Movement’s chapters to move forward on a unified basis.

On November 6, 1976, he bid farewell to all the eminently friendly members of the Movement’s chapter in the West Indies in cordial circumstances, and then traveled on to his next destination.

Chicago, Illinois (United States of America)

On November 6, 1976, Doctor Saeed Ahmad departed from the West Indies, bound for Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. The purpose of his visit was to meet with the leader of the African-American Muslims, Wallace D Mohammad, and to address one of their large gatherings. Wallace D Mohammad himself had, in fact, invited him through the facilitation of Maulvi Abdullah.

Accompanying Doctor Saeed Ahmad on his journey from Trinidad to Chicago was an Ahmadi friend, named Ismail Ali. After arriving at the airport in New York City, he lugged along not only his own baggage, but also that of his fellow traveler, Ismail Ali. And then, going through all the stages of Immigration, they eventually arrived at the gate for the flight that was to take them to Chicago. During the flight, Doctor Saeed Ahmad sought—moment by moment—the assistance of his Creator. When they arrived at the airport in Chicago, Maulvi Abdullah and another friend were present to receive them. Seated in the grand car belonging to Wallace D Mohammad, they arrived at a palace-like building, the one where Doctor Saeed Ahmad was to stay. This was the National House of the Nation of Islam, the African-American Muslims.

Address to a Gathering in Chicago

The African-American Muslims had convened a large gathering on November 7, 1976 in honor of their leader Wallace D Mohammad on his return from a lengthy trip, and Doctor Saeed Ahmad had been invited to address the gathering.

After the initial proceedings, Wallace D Mohammad addressed the attendees for approximately two hours. Following that, Doctor Saeed Ahmad was introduced as the Vice President of the Ahmadiyya Movement, headquartered in Lahore Pakistan. He was then invited to address the gathering. What follow are his impressions of and sentiments regarding those proceedings:

This was the biggest test of my trip abroad. And my heart was greatly burdened by it. The speech that Naseer Ahmad Faruqui had given to me was striking me as somewhat inappropriate for this occasion. My mind kept going to another speech that I had made once in Trinidad:

وَلَوْ أَنَّ قُرْءَانًۭا سُيِّرَتْ بِهِ ٱلْجِبَالُ أَوْ قُطِّعَتْ بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضُ أَوْ كُلِّمَ بِهِ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ ۗ بَل لِّلَّهِ ٱلْأَمْرُ جَمِيعًا ۗ أَفَلَمْ يَا۟يْـَٔسِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَن لَّوْ يَشَآءُ ٱللَّهُ لَهَدَى ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًۭا ۗ وَلَا يَزَالُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ تُصِيبُهُم بِمَا صَنَعُوا۟ قَارِعَةٌ أَوْ تَحُلُّ قَرِيبًۭا مِّن دَارِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِىَ وَعْدُ ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُخْلِفُ ٱلْمِيعَادَ

And if there could be a Qur’an with which the mountains were made to pass away, or the earth were cloven asunder, or the dead were made to speak—nay, the commandment is wholly Allah’s. Do not those who believe know that, if Allah please, He would certainly guide all the people? And as for those who disbelieve, disaster will not cease to afflict them because of what they do, or it will alight close by their abodes, until the promise of Allah comes to pass. Surely Allah will not fail in (His) promise.

My mind was feeling vacant. I performed two rakahs of prayer and beseeched Allah. However, even the act of beseeching did not create the focus that I sought. Once again, the speech [the one which Naseer Ahmad Faruqui had provided] did not seem appropriate. I again looked up my earlier speech. The designated time for my speech was 12:30 PM, and now only half an hour remained [before my speech.] I grew even more perturbed. However, the thought that was going through my mind—over and over—was that this was going to be perhaps the final speech that I would give on this trip. I reminded myself to not give up trusting in the All-Powerful Being Who had been aiding me right up till that moment. With that, I resolved to make the topic of 

وَلَوْ أَنَّ قُرْءَانًۭا 

as the subject of my address [that being the other speech which I had made once in Trinidad.] And with that, I put the needed documents in my pocket, and went on my way. At first, we were made to sit in the office of the Secretary. The proceedings of the gathering started at that time. All of the proceedings were being telecast on the television in that office. O Allah, these African-American youth are decidedly fiery speakers. After each phrase, a resounding wave of sound emerges from the audience. People are clapping. Loud chants were being made. This is a strange sense of feeling. This is America. These African-American are the possessors of remarkable intellect and powers of expression. After approximately an hour, Wallace D Mohammad entered the office. Beforehand, many preparations were being made, and people of his nation would come and go. When he came, he took us along on his way to the gathering. Inside the mosque hall—chairs were decked out in the galleries, in the direction of the stage, and on the floor of the mosque itself—large numbers of attendees were seated. Three chairs had been set out on the stage for us. The remaining people were seated on the carpeted floor. I felt averse to sitting on the chair, so I seated myself on the carpeted floor [of the mosque.] On seeing this, Ismail Ali—he had arrived before me and had seated himself on one of the chairs—came down from his chair, while Maulvi Abdullah remained seated in his chair. The speech by Wallace D Mohammad began at 2:00 PM and continued for two hours. After every sentence, loud pronouncements of “Yes, sir! Yes, sir!” could be heard. It felt as if the entire gathering was charged with live electric current. The speech ended on a note of much loud sounds of approval, with the hall echoing with clapping. It was 4:00 PM.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad writes as follows about his own talk:

I was introduced and invited to give my speech. I was able to make suitable introductory remarks about my gladness and gratitude for being invited. The preamble of my speech consisted of making mention of the mutual relationship between the Ahmadiyya Movement and their movement, telling them about the visit of Wallace D Mohammad to Pakistan. Following that, I recited the Quranic verse

وَلَوْ أَنَّ قُرْءَانًۭا 

and delivered a speech based on it. Clapping and other sounds of approval were sounded with profuseness by the attendees. And during certain points in my speech, notable zeal was also expressed, with phrases such as

 اﷲ اکبر

Allah is Great

At the conclusion of my speech, I made some extemporaneous points about the power of the Holy Quran. I remarked that it is its blessedness whereby the light of the Holy Quran has reached them. It is essential to hold firmly onto it, and to move forward in that way. And propagating it to this place is the work of our [Ahmadiyya] Movement. I also briefly mentioned the distinguished position of the translation of the Holy Quran by Maulana Muhammad Ali. After the conclusion of my speech, I presented the gift of approximately 150 copies of the English translation of the Holy Quran, adding that Doctor Salam, the publisher, would present to the Chief Minister from the inventory of publications. Following that, and before presenting the gift of a fountain pen on behalf of the United Kingdom chapter of the Ahmadiyya Movement, I recited the very first revelation received by the Holy Prophet Muhammad

ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ

Read in the name of thy Lord who creates —

خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ

Creates man from a clot,

ٱقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْأَكْرَمُ

Read and thy Lord is most Generous,

ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ

Who taught by the pen,

عَلَّمَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ

Taught man what he knew not.

(Holy Quran—96:1-5)

and spoke on the power of the pen, especially [its relevance] in the present era. Then, on the basis of the suitability of the subject matter, I took out of my pocket that pen—engraved with the phrase “Islam is Gold”—and presented it. Wallace D Muhammad himself had gone back to the office and was viewing the proceedings from the television monitor. When this series ended, everyone stood up on their feet and clapped loudly for an extended period of time.

Other Engagements

Doctor Saeed Ahmad went to inspect a school that was allied with the mosque. He was immensely impressed by the organization of the school, the diligence of the students, as well as by the educational facilities. He then went to a classroom for small children where a five year old child sounded the azan (i.e. call to prayer), after which he recited Surah Al-Fatiha with great sweetness.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad was also taken on a tour of the printing press as well as a few other locations. Wherever he went and whosoever he met, he was accompanied by his granddaughter Farida Ahmad who was in the United States at that time, receiving education, and had specially come to meet her grandfather. Wallace D Mohammad arrived at the National House, and also met Farida Ahmad.

Special Meeting with Wallace D Mohammad

On the evening of November 9, 1976, Doctor Saeed Ahmad was informed that on the following morning, the African-American leader would specially meet him in his office, and that he should make arrangements for arriving there by 10:30 AM. So he promptly arrived there, but on account of Wallace D Mohammad’s multiple commitments, he had to wait for an extended period of time, which he did with great forbearance.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s Interview with the Bilalian News

Doctor Saeed Ahmad was still waiting for Wallace D Mohammad when 3:00 PM—the very time when Doctor Saeed Ahmad was scheduled to give an interview to the news organization, Bilalian News—rolled along. So the representatives of the news organization came right over, He was interviewed and photos taken. In that interview, he thoroughly elaborated the position of the Ahmadiyya Movement, the services rendered by Hazrat Mirza Sahib, the Promised Messiah, to Islam, and the appointment by Allah of Hazrat Mirza Sahib as the mujaddid (i.e. reformer) of the age, and as the promised Messiah. During the conversation, mention was made of the religious imprecatory contest of Chicago resident John Dowie with the Promised Messiah. The newspaper representatives were completely unaware of that episode, and were utterly amazed on learning about it. By the time the interview was finished, the time of the Maghrib prayer was slipping away. So he engrossed himself in the Maghrib and Ishaa prayers, at which time word came that Wallace D Mohammad was ready to meet him. On completing his prayers, Doctor Saeed Ahmad went to meet him in his office.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad writes as follows about the conversation between the two of them:

After the interview, I again went upstairs. Wallace D Mohammad was in a meeting with his senior leadership. Evidently, they were grappling with a vexing issue. When it grew dark, I began my prayers. It was now 4:45 PM. While I was performing my second rakah of the obligatory Ishaa prayer, a man named Nafees came and said that the Chief Minister wanted to meet me now. After I had finished my prayers, I went to meet him. I narrated to him the thoughts in my mind. I thanked him. And to the appropriate extent that I felt was warranted, I praised their work as well as their intentions. I described my opportunity to come as a blessing in that I had got the opportunity. I described his unexpected visit to Pakistan as the fulfillment—pleasantly so—of a dream that I had seen. I expressed my expectations, more to the end of giving than to receiving. I also made mention of the precaution regarding the phrase “No Publicity.” We did not even mention it in our newspapers. We understand your difficulties and needs, and we remain mindful of them. But we also believe that you are with us in your hearts. He said that this is all correct, that we are like brothers, and going forward, our respective movements will cooperate with each other. In other words, this is only a temporary precaution. I also told him that Allah is the Source of all Power. It is essential to keep that in mind. And we are on the path of righteousness. He [the Chief Minister] expressed the sentiment that our hearts are close to one another, that they value our work, and he also expressed his thoughts on related matters. When I began making mention of the topic of the translation of the Holy Quran, he immediately said that it is the very translation from which they had received guidance; that they had not rejected it in any way; and that he advises and recommends to his imams that they study it. I replied that this was not enough: On every occasion, you cite the translation [of the Holy Quran] by Yusuf Ali, which creates a certain impression in the mind of the public. How can the translation of Yusuf Ali compare to the one by Maulana Muhammad Ali? The latter sprang forth from the God-given [spiritual] pen. I made mention of the dream of Hazrat Mirza Sahib and his prophecy regarding the translation of the Holy Quran. He listened to this with great amazement as well as concern. Then I made mention of the literature produced by Hazrat Mirza Sahib as well as that of Maulana Muhammad Ali, and that not everyone has the good fortune to produce such literature. Then, regarding a speech that he [the Chief Minister] had given in some prison—one which had been shown to us—in that speech, I made mention of the word “friends”, as in

لَا تَتَّخِذُوا الْیَهُوْدَ وَ النَّصٰرٰۤی اَوْلِیَآء

Do not take the Jews and Christians as friends.

and the words

زرقاء

Blue eyed

and noted his criticism in that regard. I had brought with me references that I had written down, with citations from the notes from the commentary of the English translation of the Holy Quran by Maulana Muhammad Ali. I gave him that paperwork. He [the Chief Minister] was acutely embarrassed. He said that it was a mistake. He said that there was a mistake in the tape recording, and that he had instructed Shakir in that regard. That they would review it again. He then made some other lame excuses. He remarked that the right thing had not taken place. Nonetheless, I said that I was relieved that the burden on my heart had been lifted. His misrepresentation did not remain unchallenged. May Allah make it so that its correction takes place. I also told Wallace D Mohammad that their nation was being damaged by not accepting and making use of the English translation of the Holy Quran that is used by the Ahmadiyya Movement.

The next day, Wallace D Mohammad met Doctor Saeed Ahmad with great enthusiasm. He expressed his inability to accompany him to the airport because of a commitment to participate in an essential meeting. Instead of him, his nephew Sultan would accompany him.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad Return to London

Doctor Saeed Ahmad writes as follows about his travel back from Chicago to London:

When I surveyed the [situation of the] seating inside the airplane cabin, the three seats adjacent to my designated seat remained empty throughout the flight. The situation of the passenger immediately seated in front of me was exactly the same. The remaining area of the cabin was completely occupied. Once the aircraft was airborne, and had attained a suitable altitude, then, after some essential preparation and a small meal, I fell asleep. When I woke up, it was 8:15 AM, and breakfast was being served. How can I possibly thank all the blessings of Allah the Most High. No difficulty whatsoever was experienced at the  airport in London. Pasha, Sabiha, and Mujahid were there to receive me, as was my newly arrived grandson—Owais—who was in Sabiha’s arms. And so it was that the fatigue and hassle of the journey were further reduced.

Participation in the Meeting of the London Chapter 

On November 15, 1976, a meeting of the local chapter of the Ahmadiyya Movement was convened in the Ahmadiyya House in London, one in which Doctor Saeed Ahmad participated. Important matters of the Ahmadiyya Movement as well as local problems were discussed and decisions were made. At the request of the participants, he related the impressions of his visit to the West Indies as well as to America, and he presented Wallace D Muhammad’s letter addressed to Jamila Khan, which the African-American Chief Minister of the Nation of Islam had written in response to the gift which they had received—of the [gold] pen—from the Ahmadiyya Movement’s London chapter. He also played the recording of the last segment of his talk at the Chicago convention in which mention was made of the Holy Quran and the gift of the pen.

What follows is an excerpt from his impressions of that meeting of the Ahmadiyya Movement’s London chapter:

During the meeting, and at the conclusion of my own narrative, Jamila [Khan] gave an impromptu talk, one in which she thanked me and expressed confidence in me on behalf of the London chapter. She said that during the proceedings of the meeting, things were said that would have caused me grief, but she wanted to make sure that I knew that the London chapter valued my services and that they had placed their full trust in me. Hafeez Aziz said that those would have been things at an individual level, and that the chapter had indeed placed their full trust in me. At any rate, she must have felt the need [to clarify] and therefore made such mention as such.

Following that, Doctor Saeed Ahmad took the opportunity of the gathering, and gave a short talk, one which he himself summarizes as follows:

We are a religious organization, and not in the least a mere social or political one. I have no personal agendas. After the Woking Mission [of the Ahmadiyya Movement in England] slipped away from our hands, it was the earnest wish of the Movement headquarters that a similar mission be established. Great expectations of the headquarters [in Lahore, Pakistan] are associated with this [London] chapter. Now a chapter has been formed here [in London.] I have strived hard after coming here, and from there [in the headquarters in Lahore], and then, after coming back, to cultivate the spirit of unity and for collaboration to be established amongst you all; that you all unite in serving the religion of God. In addition to witnesses being present of the striving of mine, the bag that lies in front of me, moreover, contains written proof. Therefore, you all should take up the work of God and shun mutual distrust. And whenever anyone tries to spread misunderstandings amongst you, you ought to first investigate, and only then accept or reject what is before you. Many things were said, and eventually were proved incorrect. I do not have personal enmity toward anyone. The only thing is that the wrongful thing cannot be embraced. The honor of the Ahmadiyya Movement headquarters is dear to my heart. That is so because it is thanks to its agency that we have received the light and it is through it that the world has received light. And it is still alive. It is confronted by heavy problems. The big problem is that many people have severed their ties with it [the headquarters] because of the prevailing torment and the [negative] opinion of the public or [in pursuit of] other worldly gains and such. A few devoted people, though, are steadfastly adhering to their [religious] pledge, and making all kinds of financial and personal sacrifices. Some people who lack even financial means are steadfastly adhering to their pledge. Some relatives of mine themselves are making sacrifices in the midst of every tribulation. If God forbid some greater tribulation befalls them [in Pakistan], then we can hope for the sapling of the Ahmadiyya Movement to grow and be nurtured [at least] in countries abroad. And my extensive travel was informed by such goals in that the [Ahmadiyya Movement] chapters abroad might thereby gain strength. So it is that I understand that success has been achieved. In particular in Suriname. It is excellent territory in this regard. And during my nine days visit through the length and breadth of that country, people have sensed they are gaining immense strength. Thousands of Ahmadis live in that country. They are in acute need of education and guidance.

Other Engagements

Doctor Saeed Ahmad sensed that his speech made a profound impact on the audience. And a few individuals who had in the beginning appear to be reluctant and standoffish, now met him with great enthusiasm and sincerity and also conversed with him.

His stay in London was scheduled till November 20, 1976. He had been able to meet many of the members of the local chapter during the meeting. Nonetheless, he also wanted to individually meet several other members, and for this he personally traveled to meet them, on certain occasions even undertaking considerably challenging journeys.

At the insistence of a sincere and dedicated Ahmadi, Sayyed Mahmood Hussain Shah, he went to his residence which was located in a remote area to meet him. He was the son of Sayyed Abdul Jabbar Shah—a former chieftain of Swat—who was commonly known as “Badshah Sahib.” Badshah Sahib was held in high regard within the Ahmadiyya Movement as one of the leading scholars and luminaries of the first order. He was one of the five leaders of the Ahmadiyya Movement who had been entrusted with the authority to take the religious pledge following the death of Maulana Muhammad Ali.

Long-standing friendly relations existed between the families of Doctor Saeed Ahmad and Badshah Sahib, which were now being carried forward by Sayyed Mahmood Hussain Shah. He steadfastly held on to the principles of the Ahmadiyya Movement. On his mother’s side, he belonged to the royal family of Bokhara in Iran. The former Prince of Bokhara—he was spending his life in exile in Abbottabad (Pakistan) during the British era—was his uncle.

The wife of Syed Mahmood Husain Shah, along with her daughter, personally came to the house of Abdul Karim Saeed in Dartford to take Doctor Saeed Ahmad along with them to their residence. He spent a night with their family at their residence. He was to travel alone on the following morning, and the journey was not easy in any way whatsoever. In this regard, he writes:

I undertook the journey back alone. Allah was with me. From home, I went by bus to the station on Port Talbot, and from there, via fast rail, to Paddington (London), and from there via underground train to Trafalgar Square. And from there, I crossed the street on foot and then onto Charing Cross Mainline station, and from there via rail to Dartford to their house located on 33 Sanctuary Close.

Alhumdulillah. I am not feeling too well, and it is 4:45 PM as I write these words.

Plan to Travel to Manchester, United Kingdom

It was Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s intention to travel to Manchester. And for this, Ross Mahmood promised to accompany him, and the program was formed to travel on the morning of November 20, 1976 by train. But Doctor Saeed Ahmad was not feeling well, so that program had to be canceled. He writes about it as follows:

Razia Khala [Razia Faruqui] is traveling to Pakistan on November 20. We made the plan that Ross Mahmood would take me to Manchester via train that day. On the morning of November 17, at the time of the morning prayer, I thought of the challenges of traveling to Manchester, what with my being under the weather, and the incomplete tasks still at hand, and the return journey [to Pakistan] coming up quickly. And with those thoughts weighing heavily on my heart, it was with considerable regret that I decided to cancel this plan: Some affairs of the world remain incomplete. I [thought that I] would speak with certain people over the telephone. When I informed Razia Khala about the cancellation of the plan, she agreed with the wisdom of the decision.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s return to the Homeland (Pakistan)

When Doctor Saeed Ahmad returned to his homeland after his extended travel abroad, a current of happiness surged through the Ahmadiyya community. Everyone sensed that the prayers of the humble servants had been accepted, and he had returned home after achieving success. Everyone was eager, in fact restless, to meet him and to learn the details of his travels. Sensing this need, the local Ahmadiyya Movement chapter in Lahore organized two receptions in his honor—one following the Friday congregational prayers on December 10, 1976 in Dar-us-Salam and the other following the Friday congregational prayers on December 17, 1976 in the mosque in the Ahmadiyya Buildings—in both of which expressions of heartfelt sincerity were made by the attendees, his spiritual connection with them, gratitude and joy on his safe return home. He related to them the details of his travels abroad. He relayed to them the good news that active chapters of the Ahmadiyya Movement had been established in England and in the Netherlands, which would be known with the name “Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat Islam, Lahore”.