Hayat-e-Saeed

The Trip Abroad in 1979

Background

Doctor Saeed Ahmad writes:

Since my travels abroad in 1978, and leading up to the beginning of December 1979 when I had arrived home, I felt as if there would no longer be any need for me to travel abroad again. Some of it had to do with the fact that I had grown somewhat [physically] tired, and also the year 1979 had been filled up with [attending to the] internal challenges of the Ahmadiyya Movement. Only this much remained consistently in my thoughts that—regarding the expectations associated with celebrating the Jubilee in Suriname and the telephone call that I had received in Dartford (England) from Basharat Ahmad Ali in that connection from the Netherlands and my having been unable to accept the invitation to visit Suriname—I had, moreover, received a notification from them that they would again invite me in 1979. Later, in May, when Tayyab Ahmad Ali came to Lahore, he confirmed that it would be essential for us to travel from Lahore in that regard. And so there remained this slight dread in my heart that I might have to travel after all; whether I would be travel worthy or not.

Before Ramadan, I went to Abbottabad and spent about a month and a half there in the summertime. During that period, letters began to arrive from Suriname, addressed to the Ahmadiyya Movement headquarters, including a letter from Professor Karamat Ali (President) that was personally addressed to me. In the interim, Nazir-ul-Islam’s successful visit to the West Indies took place, and he, too, brought good reports. The headquarters entrusted me with the formation of a delegation, etc. Therefore, I carried out my duty. One member of the delegation—Razia Madad Ali—has already embarked on September 30, and arrived in England. And placing my trust in Allah, I began my journey on October 6, 1979, with some vacillation, though.

Departure for England

Departing from Lahore on October 2, 1979, Doctor Saeed Ahmad began the journey from Islamabad to London on October 7, 1979. He found his nephew—Mubarak Abdullah’s son Abdulaziz—waiting for him at the airport. His presence there was unexpected. He did not know that Abdulaziz had been appointed there as a security officer. Meanwhile, Abdulaziz had learned from some source that Doctor Saeed Ahmad would be traveling by air to England, so even though it was not part of his duty to be at the airport, at that time, he especially came to bid him farewell. Thanks to his presence, attending to the formalities—that would easily have taken an hour—was taken care of in minutes. Abdulaziz personally accompanied him to the stairs leading up to the departure lounge. This unexpected development, one which facilitated the journey, was from Allah. Abdulaziz garnered countless prayers for his commendable service.

Waiting to greet him at the airport in London was Abdul Karim Saeed, accompanied by his family and his mother, who had arrived in London a few months ago.

Series of Meetings in London and Other Locations

Meetings with the members of the Ahmadiyya Movement chapter in England and exchange of ideas began immediately after Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s arrival. He learned about the details of the chapter from the imam, Nazir-ul-Islam, the president of the chapter, Jamila Khan, the secretary, Shahid Aziz, as well as from Razia Faruqui, and numerous other members. In addition to that, he especially went to meet the members of the Qazi family. There, in addition to the members of the household, he also got the opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with a few individuals not belonging to the Movement.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad went to the Ahmadiyya House for the Friday congregational prayer. That same evening he went to participate in a dinner reception hosted by Aziz Ahmad and Shahid Aziz. There, conversations on the matters of the Movement took place in a pleasant household atmosphere, made all the more pleasant by the excellence of hosting by Akhtar Aziz and Riffat Aziz.

He got the opportunity to travel on a long journey in the comfortable car of his son, Abdul Karim Saeed, and in his company. They traveled to Nottingham where Fauqia Aziz and Zahid Aziz were their hosts. Beneficial and detailed conversations regarding the affairs of the Movement took place with Zahid Aziz. The meeting was certainly a source of guidance and strengthening of faith for Zahid Aziz.

In Bradford, Doctor Saeed Ahmad met with the granddaughter of Sheikh Niaz Ahmad of Wazirabad and other members of the Movement. In Manchester, he met in particular the members of the Butt family. And he went to inquire into the health of Shuja Uddin Butt at the hospital, where he had been under medical care for a while. During those meetings, the subject of conversations was mainly the importance of remaining affiliated with the Movement. Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s efforts in this regard as well as his maintaining relations with the diverse members of the Movement continued to bear fruit.

The Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Movement’s British chapter

The convening of the Executive Committee on October 21, 1979 was for the explicit purpose of meeting with Doctor Saeed Ahmad and discussions of the Ahmadiyya Movement chapter and local affairs, many of which had already been decided in the previous meeting: Among them were the search for and the purchase of a local center by the Movement headquarters, the registration of the Movement, and the leasing of a house as temporary lodging for the Movement’s imam in London. The desire was expressed that the house would be leased or be financed by the Movement headquarters. Doctor Saeed Ahmad writes in this regard:

The answers that I can give at this time will be on the basis of my recollections. I have not been notified earlier, and this was not an official meeting. Some individuals brought up the matter of renting, one which was not later approved because neither did the Movement headquarters have the ability to make payments in Pound Sterling nor did it have such extensive wherewithal.

At the end of the meeting, Doctor Saeed Ahmad was asked to address the attendees. Referring to it, he writes:

It was entirely through Allah’s assistance that I gave a talk. I recited these three verses of Surah At-Tawbah:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَكُونُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ

O you who believe, keep your duty to Allah and be with the truthful.

مَا كَانَ لِأَهْلِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ أَن يَتَخَلَّفُوا۟ عَن رَّسُولِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَرْغَبُوا۟ بِأَنفُسِهِمْ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ لَا يُصِيبُهُمْ ظَمَأٌۭ وَلَا نَصَبٌۭ وَلَا مَخْمَصَةٌۭ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَطَـُٔونَ مَوْطِئًۭا يَغِيظُ ٱلْكُفَّارَ وَلَا يَنَالُونَ مِنْ عَدُوٍّۢ نَّيْلًا إِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُم بِهِۦ عَمَلٌۭ صَـٰلِحٌ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

It was not proper for the people of Madinah and those around them of the desert Arabs to remain behind the Messenger of Allah, nor to prefer their own lives to his life. That is because there afflicts them neither thirst nor fatigue nor hunger in Allah’s way, nor tread they a path which enrages the disbelievers, nor cause they any harm to an enemy, but a good work is written down for them on account of it. Surely Allah wastes not the reward of the doers of good.

وَلَا يُنفِقُونَ نَفَقَةًۭ صَغِيرَةًۭ وَلَا كَبِيرَةًۭ وَلَا يَقْطَعُونَ وَادِيًا إِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُمْ لِيَجْزِيَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ أَحْسَنَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ

Nor do they spend anything, small or great, nor do they traverse a valley but it is written down for them, that Allah may reward them for the best of what they did. (Holy Quran—9:119-121)

After translating these verses, along with their commentary, I told them that their efforts in the way of God would not be wasted. The audience appeared to be moved by those words. I presented an analysis of the difficulties which the Movement headquarters is currently facing at a national level. Then I explained how further efforts in the pursuit of progress as well as the practice of patience were warranted by the circumstances. I also clarified that having extraordinary expectations of the Movement headquarters was incorrect. Finally, I ended my speech on an encouraging note. A significant degree of impact could be seen in the attendees.

In praising the services of Nazir-ul-Islam, Jamila Khan declared his visit to the West Indies as a significant accomplishment. With that, she presented a valuable wrist watch to him on behalf of the Movement chapter, which he accepted.

Day of Eid—October 31, 1979

A few days before the Eid ul-Adha, Doctor Saeed Ahmad had to walk for a considerable distance in bitterly cold weather, which adversely affected his health; he developed severe pain in the back the next day. Nevertheless, he traveled to the Ahmadiyya House to take part in the congregational prayer; in fact, he led the prayers. The sermon, though, was delivered by Nazir-ul-Islam. Approximately 60 worshippers had gathered to participate in the prayer. Despite personal invitations, a few members of the Ahmadiyya Movement did not participate. The funds for the mosque were gathered through various sources. A few days earlier, Nazir-ul-Islam had donated toward the mosque fund, the valuable wrist watch that had been gifted to him by the Movement’s chapter. Abdul Karim Saeed gathered some funds by way of a raffle in the Joyce Green Hospital. The raffle was won by a female patient. The funds collected came out to be £265, which were considerably greater than those during previous years. They included the £60 that were obtained by the sale of the valuable watch.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad in Mexico

Abdulla Saeed had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Doctor Saeed Ahmad the previous year, too, but Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s travel to Mexico was not possible because of his cancellation of the program to travel to Suriname. That year, it was not possible for him to participate in the Jubilee convention in Suriname. Therefore, a few days prior to the Jubilee in Suriname in 1979, he traveled to Mexico. When the letter from Abdulla Saeed was shown in the Embassy of Mexico in London, the visa was swiftly granted.

When Doctor Saeed Ahmad departed from London to Mexico on November 3, 1979, he had not gotten any relief from his backache. But he did not postpone his intention to travel, and relying on Allah the Most High, he set forth on the journey. And by way of Boston (United States), he arrived in Mexico. In this regard, he writes:

Boston airport. According to my wrist watch, it is 10:30 AM in New York, and 4:30 PM in London.

Approximately 17 hours have passed since I left home. My flight is about to take off, and its destination is Mexico. Airport procedures took about an hour and a half. Allah made all things easy. As much apprehension as I had, that much Allah gave me ease. At every step, I sensed His help; and did not sense any fatigue. I had taken 600 milligrams of aspirin before departing from the house, and taken half a milligram of Ativan when boarding my flight in London. The entire day was spent in the passenger seat. It did not become possible to lie down. Nonetheless. I did not experience pain, and neither any significant fatigue. Often, after intervals, I also became drowsy. It is difficult to write all the details. O Allah, I thank You. Do please bless me with Your Mercy in the future as well.

Welcome at the Mexico Airport

Doctor Saeed Ahmad writes:

My flight landed at the Mexico airport on Monday at 1:30 in the morning, according to the local time in Mexico. Disembarking took about 20 minutes. We passengers reached the hall through the disembarkation enclosure, which was not too far away. Standing in front were Abdulla Saeed and his friend Sam, also Pasha (Iranian) and Abdul Rauf (Personal Assistant.) Standing behind them were Anjam [Saeed] and the children. It seemed like a dream. We met, my passport was taken, and Abdul Rauf and one other member of the staff speedily took care of the necessary [airport] procedures. Then we went downstairs to claim my baggage, which consisted of just one suitcase. It took quite some time. Sam had taken charge and was attending to all affairs. I was standing nearby for identification. Once this stage was also accomplished, the officer in Customs met us with great respect, and bid us farewell. The house was quite some distance from the airport. It was 3:00 PM when we arrived.

Stay in Mexico

Doctor Saeed Ahmad stayed in Mexico till November 11, 1979. A particular source of pleasure and satisfaction for him was seeing and meeting his children, staying with them in their home, and watching them happily go about their lives. Then there were the personal services rendered by his son Abdulla Saeed, massaging his back with a Chinese balm. Abdulla Saeed provided his father with a special waist belt, which proved to be a source of physical comfort for him. Doctor Saeed Ahmad felt proud of the respect and honor with which his son was regarded, as well as the recognition by everyone of his high moral character. Seeing the environment of the home gave him deep satisfaction. He writes:

I continued to learn details from Anjam [Saeed.] I walked around a bit in the house. Saw the rooms, etc. Saw an example of the abundance and blessings of Allah. Surely Allah wastes not the reward of the doers of good:

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

Surely Allah wastes not the reward of the doers of good (Holy Quran—9:120)

When Abdulla [Saeed] and I were alone, he related many things to me. My soul felt satisfied on hearing his meeting in Havana [Cuba] with President Zia [General Zia-ul-Haq of Pakistan], the conversation that those two had during which he displayed faith-inspired courage as well as the lofty quality of reliance on Allah. All praise to Allah. I found myself reminded of the days in Kakul. I also had conversations with Anjam [Saeed] that were a source of inspiring one’s faith. Masha’Allah, the children are enviable in every way. May Allah make them His servants and the servants of the faith [of Islam.]

Friday Congregational Prayer

In addition to their household members, Abdulla Saeed’s Iranian friend Pasha especially came to participate in the Friday congregational prayer. Doctor Saeed Ahmad gave the sermon in English on the subject of Surah Asr, which, despite his coping with physical pain at the time, was excellent as well as a source of enhancing not only his children’s faith, but the guest’s, too.

A Meeting with Ambassadors and Other Dignitaries

The professional peers of Abdulla Saeed—Pakistan’s ambassador for Mexico—were eager to meet his father. The ambassadors of other countries personally invited him to their respective residences, and had the honor of meeting him. Doctor Saeed Ahmad wrote regarding the ambassador from Yugoslavia that his parents were Muslims. The ambassador made mention of the mosques in Yugoslavia and the worship practices of his parents. But he himself had fallen prey to the specter of communism. During the conversation, Doctor Saeed Ahmad elaborated superbly on the subject of Islamic worship practices and their profound impact on elevating morality. The Indonesian ambassador was a Christian by faith, but was familiar with the Ahmadiyya Movement chapter in Indonesia as well as its missionary activities. In fact, he knew a few Ahmadis. He, too, was considerably impressed. An Egyptian lady—she was affiliated with the consulate and was working on reviewing and making corrections to books that had been translated into the Spanish language—was present as well. Doctor Saeed Ahmad himself went to meet her family and discussed the work of translation with her.

Abdulla Saeed hosted an elaborate and formal reception at his residence, the goal of which was to enable his coworkers to meet his father. Moreover, one of his friends at work was about to return to Pakistan after completing his professional services. And this reception was serving as his farewell function, too.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad writes:

Approximately 40 individuals came. My meeting with everyone was interesting. A lot of mention was made of my age and my physical appearance. My condition, too, is a big sign of the Power and Mercy of Allah:

سبحان اللہ و بحمدہٖ۔ سبحان اللہ العظیم

Glory and praise be to Allah—Glory be to Allah the Great

Trip to Suriname

From Mexico, Doctor Saeed Ahmad departed for Suriname on November 12, 1979. His flight from Mexico to Miami (Florida) in the United States was a direct one. Now the matter of his reservation on the flight from Miami to Carasado was still uncertain. But at the Miami airport, Allah assisted him, and he was given the very last seat on the flight. The next flight—from Carasado via Port of Spain—then took him to the city of Paramaribo in Suriname. He was able to find a comfortable seat on that flight. In this way, after many hours of discomfort, he was able to find rest and was feeling well rested on his arrival.

At the Paramaribo airport, many members of the Ahmadiyya Movement chapter were standing in a row, eager to greet him. Doctor Saeed Ahmad writes in this regard:

Haji Ali Baksh was standing in the forefront and was the first one to come and greet me. Tayyab, Professor Khurram Karamat Ali, Yaqub Ayyub, as well as many other Ahmadis, men as well as women, were present. Their usual customs—giving garlands of flowers, taking photographs with attendees—were finally completed. Holding flags and pendants in their hands were Roshan Sahib and a few other youths. Glory be to Allah, [here I am] a meek, aged, and humble servant of Allah; but lo and behold, all this honor. What can I say? Merely this, that my heart compels me to say

الحمدﷲ

All praise is for Allah.

over and over, forever. Overwhelmed.

From the airport, Doctor Saeed Ahmad went to the residence of Haji Ali Baksh, and stayed there. Of the expected participants in the golden jubilee, the first one to arrive was Doctor Saeed Ahmad. And then, one after another, participants from Pakistan, Europe, and the United States arrived. With their traditional style, the enthusiastic members of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Suriname were present at the airport to welcome every participant with garlands of flowers. This would help put the arriving guests immediately at ease.

Meeting with the President of Suriname

The President of the Government of Suriname graciously met the representatives of the delegation from the Ahmadiyya Movement headquarters in the presidential palace. The guests were served coffee. After that, the president delivered a brief talk in the English language, and welcomed the guests. Naseer Ahmad Faruqui represented the Ahmadiyya delegation. In thanking the president, he clarified the beliefs and position of the Ahmadiyya Movement, and requested that the Ahmadiyya Movement in Suriname, their religious freedom should be safeguarded, much the same as was the freedom of the adherents of other religions and sects. The president, in his place, vigorously nodded his head in affirmation.

Golden Jubilee Celebrations

All participants had arrived in Suriname by November 15, 1979. That same day, following the Asr prayer, all members of the Ahmadiyya Movement performed two rakahs of voluntary prayers. A few speeches were also delivered.

On the blessed day of Friday, Doctor Saeed Ahmad delivered a scholarly and soul inspiring sermon on Surah Asr, following which he led the congregational prayer. That same day, following the Isha prayer, he performed the ceremonial opening of the Golden Jubilee. Naseer Ahmad Faruqui, in his speech, made special note of the auspicious and heartwarming gathering as well as the convergence of so many men and women from all corners of the world—thousands of miles away on the other side of the world from the Ahmadiyya Movement headquarters in Lahore, Pakistan—as well as the convergence of men and women from across the length and breadth of Suriname. In reality, this is the fulfillment of the glad tiding which Allah the Most High had given to the Promised Messiah 80 years ago:

میں تیری تبلیغ کو دُنیا کے کناروں تک پہنچائوں گا

I will make your missionary work reach the corners of the world.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad congratulated the Ahmadiyya Movement chapter in Suriname on their Golden Jubilee, and gave them a gift of a set of the prominent volumes of the Movement’s literature. He also proposed that if the Movement’s chapter in Suriname were to nominate at least five men and women to come to Lahore (Pakistan) for their religious education, their education would be fully taken care of by the headquarters. In this way, they would be preparing local religious missionaries who would be able to carry out the duties of missionary work, and the enterprise of religious education would be carried out on a better foundation. He further said that this, then, is the most excellent approach because the Holy Quran itself has recommended it. Next, some other participants also gave talks. The entire proceedings of the gathering were broadcast live over the radio station.

A Memorable Convention

A memorable function was convened in the main center of the Ahmadiyya Movement chapter in Suriname on November 17, 1979. The president of Suriname as well as his wife had been especially invited. In addition, men and women not belonging to the Movement participated, as did adherents of other religions. In addition to the President, a representative of the Sanatam Dharam also gave a talk. Doctor Saeed Ahmad represented the Movement headquarters, giving a talk in which he clarified in particular that Islam is a religion of international peace and solidarity; that it is a flag bearer of equality, unity, and mutual strength for the human race.

A Soul-uplifting Spectacle

November 18, 1979 proved to be a historic day for the Ahmadiyya Movement’s chapter in Suriname. The mosque under construction there had remained incomplete for a while, and eventually the work had to be halted. The reason for the delay in its completion was a lack of funds and resources. And the goal of the function convened on November 18, 1979 was to make an appeal to the members of the Movement to contribute funds toward it. Doctor Saeed Ahmad gave the opening speech in which he made an appeal with great strength, plaintiveness, and power. Following that, one after the other, Naseer Ahmad Faruqui and Hafiz Sher Mohammad gave moving talks on the topic of Spending in the Way of Allah.

At the conclusion of the speeches, Rasheed Peirkhan came on the stage. With an especially dynamic appeal, he motivated the attendees to donate generously. The attendees, in turn, gave generously, and a substantial amount of funds was donated. Within the span of the meeting, by the grace of Allah the Most High, the contributions coming in were like the abundance of rainfall; the target amount of funds was actually exceeded. In this regard, what follows is an excerpt from the writings of Naseer Ahmad Faruqui:

My host Rasheed Peirkhan took the responsibility of making the appeal for funds. Starting at approximately 11:00 AM or 11:30 AM, he remained standing on the stage nonstop, making appeals for funds till 3:30 PM. In the beginning, the contributions came in slowly, and it appeared as if the required funds would never be gathered. The members of the Movement headquarters consulted among themselves and announced a donation of US $550, which would effectively be 5,500 Pakistani rupees, the major portion of that donation came from our accomplished young man, Noman Illahi Malik in the United States. The remaining sum came from the travel expenditures of all the travelers. Later on, [Zakia Abdullah] the wife of Zafar Abdullah donated US$100, which is approximately 1,000 Pakistani rupees. And Razia Madad Ali had an announcement made—I do not remember exactly whether it was 100 Surinamese guilders or dollars. At any rate, approximately 6,000 Pakistani rupees were contributed by the delegation from the Movement headquarters.

The men, women, and children of the local chapter of the Movement announced their contributions, which gradually kept growing and eventually seemed to stop at 100,000 and 600 Surinamese guilders—that being the total amount collected thus far—which included the contributions made by the delegation from Lahore. And many of us began to think that the requisite amount of 275,000 guilders would be impossible to collect. But Allah the Most High attended with Mercy and the local attendees began to double their contributions. Eventually, the contributions of funds came to a stop at 245,000 guilders. At that time, a local businessman announced that he would contribute whatever amount remained to help meet the target of the funds appeal. That announcement greatly motivated everyone: Some youth hoisted that businessman aloft on their shoulders. To cut a long story short, the announcement was made that the total amount gathered by the blessings of Allah the Most High had greatly exceeded the amount sought, reaching 410,000 guilders. That is to say, there was a surplus of 235,000 guilders.

الحمدﷲ ثم الحمدﷲ

All praise is for Allah; again, all praise is for Allah

A soul uplifting spectacle was witnessed on that occasion in that a highly noteworthy religious elder of the organization—one who had severed his ties with the Movement chapter in Suriname because of some differences—now reunited with the Movement as a result of the efforts of Doctor Saeed Ahmad. He later announced that he would pay off the loan of 27,000 Surinamese guilders which was owed on the structure and scaffolding of the mosque.

سُبْحَانَ اﷲِ وَ بِحَمْدِہٖٖٖ سُبْحَانَ اللہِ الْعَظیْمِ

Glory be to Allah and all praise and glory is for Allah the Great

This is an example of what comes about in an individual as a result of the surge of spiritual current, as it were, which comes about as a result of coming in contact with the Movement founded by the spiritual leader of the era [Hazrat Mirza Sahib.]

— “The Travel to Suriname“, Paigham-e-Sulah, November 28, December 5, 1979.

Administrative Matters

A special meeting was convened on the morning of November 20, 1979 in which representatives of the Movement’s chapter in Suriname as well as delegates from other countries participated. A special goal of this meeting was the exchange of ideas on the mutual relationship and communication between the Suriname chapter and the Movement headquarters. In particular, clarity was sought on the viewpoint of the Promised Messiah’s objective regarding the founding of chapters outside of his homeland (the country which was then pre-partition India) and also on what principles should administrative matters be best formulated. So it was clarified that every chapter outside the headquarters would be affiliated with the headquarters; that no autonomous organization would be created under any other name; and neither would a competing or alternative organization be founded. Naseer Ahmad Faruqui writes:

Ideas were exchanged starting at 10:00 AM on November 20, regarding the relationships and communication between the Movement chapter in Suriname and the movement headquarters. Participating in the discussion were Maulana Jaggoe (from the Netherlands), Hafiz Sher Mohammad (the president of the Movement chapter in Fiji), and later on Maulana Rashid (the imam from Guyana) joined the discussion. The delegates from Lahore emphasized that the headquarters in Lahore, Pakistan is the successor according to the final will of the Promised Messiah—Al-Wasyiat—and who has written in it that there would be branches (i.e. chapters) of the Ahmadiyya Movement in countries abroad and also how the relationship between the headquarters and chapters would be conducted. It is according to those directions that the headquarters in Lahore—specifically the Foreign Missions Committee—had drafted a constitution and sent it to the chapters abroad for review. It was later, given final shape and sent to all chapters abroad. And it was according to it and on that sound foundation that the Movement chapter in Fiji was conducting its affairs. All attendees of the meeting emphasized that the position of the headquarters was a privileged one; its obedience and loyalty was imperative, and without which the unity and sound performance of the overall Ahmadiyya Movement was simply not possible; and any attempt to create a competing or alternative, council, or organization would be utterly contrary to it. In the evening, a meeting was convened in the center of the Suriname chapter in which delegates from abroad gave talks on various topics of Islam and the Ahmadiyya Movement. The talks were brief yet exceptionally valuable.

— “The Travel to Suriname“, Paigham-e-Sulah, November 28, December 5, 1979.

Women’s Convention

A function of the women and youth was convened on November 21, 1979. Men were also invited to the function. A portion of that function was broadcast live over the radio station. The talk by Razia Madad Ali was especially comprehensive, effective, and moving. At the tip of everyone’s tongue was praise for several unique qualities of Razia Madad Ali’s talk: her style of delivery, her superb command of the English and Urdu languages, and her spontaneous style. This phenomenon of her praise was observed for several days.

Ahmadiyya Movement Conference

The Ahmadiyya Movement conference consisted of two sessions. Doctor Saeed Ahmad gave the opening speech during the first session, and also gave a speech in the English language during the second session. Razia Madad Ali presented the Urdu translation of that speech. Among other speakers were the president of the local chapter, Naseer Ahmad Faruqui, Razia Madad Ali, and Hafiz Sher Mohammad.

Opening of the Mosque in Nickerie (Suriname)

Nickerie is a town located at a distance of 300 km from Paramaribo in Suriname. A populous chapter of the Movement is situated there. The opening of the mosque in Nickerie was carried out by the blessed hand of Doctor Saeed Ahmad. This mosque is beautiful to behold and is indeed a magnificent one. Despite severe rainfall, people came and attended in large numbers. A few members took the religious pledge at his hands during that opening ceremony gathering.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad remained in Suriname for a few more days and during which he visited far-flung areas and took many valuable and constructive steps for consolidating the Movement there.

Summary of the Trip to Suriname

Naseer Ahmad Faruqui writes:

Memories of the Golden Jubilee of the Ahmadiyya Movement chapter in Suriname will remain with us for a long time. Our hearts are immensely gladdened by witnessing the truthfulness of the Promised Messiah’s righteousness, his being divinely appointed as the Promised Messiah, when he was divinely promised that “I will make the propagation of your message to reach the corners of the Earth.” The sincerity, affection, and hospitality of the men and women of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Suriname is enviable, and worthy of emulation. The way in which guests are welcomed and their boarding needs looked after is exceptionally well done. In the center—a few guests, especially from Guyana, have stayed there and were invited to dine nearly every night—the local Movement’s men and women remained visibly engaged, day and night, attending to their responsibilities as the hosts. Seeing the men peeling potatoes and cooking vegetables and in general attending to numerous other cooking duties—plus a large contingent of women remaining quietly engaged day and night with cooking duties—one can only wish for such a spirit of social service to imbue our own people here [in Pakistan.] Most of all, I would look in amazement at the financial sacrifices made by those Ahmadi men and women and reflect on how it is that on the one hand here is Suriname and on the other hand there lies the far-flung, obscure village of Qadian where—at the beginning of the century—the spiritual leader of this age was raised by Allah and where, at the end of the century, is this Ahmadi Movement, that these people, these men and women, who simply would not rest after having made just one donation following the appeal for funds, but—leaving it unstated and without even being asked—would of their own choice make yet another donation, double the amount of the previous one, and so on. Their hearts would spontaneously testify and proclaim, as it were, that the sapling of the Ahmadiyya Movement is truly the one [which was] planted by Allah the Most High with His own Hand, and that it would surely continue to grow and flourish.

اٰمِیْن اَللَّہُمَّ اٰمِیْن

Amen, O Allah, amen again

— “The Travel to Suriname“, Paigham-e-Sulah, November 28, December 5, 1979.

After participating in the Golden Jubilee celebration of the Ahmadi chapter in Suriname, Doctor Saeed Ahmad traveled to several other locations in the West Indies and moreover made brief visits to Guyana and Trinidad, ones which he in his own writings declared as miracles, ones replete with signs of Allah the Most High and which were made possible by His Assistance. It was during those days that he laid the foundation stone for the mosque in a town in Guyana, participated in other functions, and gave several talks.

On December 8, 1979, Doctor Saeed Ahmad returned to England and then traveled to the Netherlands. In those days, his son Zahid Saeed was living in Malta, and Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s wife—the mother of Zahid Saeed—was visiting her son at that time. So Doctor Saeed Ahmad traveled to Malta and stayed there for a few days, following which he and his wife traveled to England, and then onward to Pakistan.

The journey which Doctor Saeed Ahmad had begun on October 7, 1979 (from Islamabad, Pakistan), came to a conclusion on his arrival on December 22, 1979 (in Lahore, Pakistan.)