Intro
He was a homeless man in 1946-1947 in Chicago, he lived in a park (see his book, “Perseverance”, just down the street from the famous Ahmadiyya mission house/temple on Wabash Ave.
Sheikh Ahmad Din was the first ever African-American to become an Ahmadi missionary (Sheikh)(however, without going to Jamia) in like 1922. There were many others who were grandfathered in and made Sheikh‘s by Mufti Muhammad Sadiq, they are Ashiq Ahmad, Ahmad Omar of Braddock, Abdullah Malik of Columbus, Ahmad Rasool of Dayton, and Shareef Ali of Cincinnati. Rev. BD Sutton, who became the enthusiastic Ahmadiyya preacher Sheikh Abdus Salam, had been one of at least 40 pan-Africanist Garveyites that joined the movement following Sadiq’s five lectures to the Universal Negro Improvement Association in Detroit.
In the early 1950’s, Rashid Ahmad (aka Rudolph Thomas) was also made a semi-sheikh by the Ahmadiyya Movement, he didn’t graduate from Jamia either. In fact, it was Azhar Haneef who became the first ever African-American Ahmadi who went through Jamia and in the 1980’s.
Maulvi Muhammad Yusuf Khan was expelled from the Ahmadiyya Movement in 1934 (see Bowen). In fact, in 1950, Rashid Ahmad (African-American pseudo-missionary) asked the 2nd Khalifa (while in Pakistan) if Ahmadi’s were allowed to pray behind Maulvi Muhammad Yusuf Khan. The 2nd Khalifa called him a fraud and said that if he considers himself an Ahmadi, he is free to do so, but don’t waste time with him, he is a fraud type of person. Rashid Ahmad and his editors seem to have written a footnote wherein they confirmed that Muhammad Yusuf Khan was selling “lucky numbers” and “sacred incense,” and charging money for teaching the Qur’an from roughly 1923-1934. Thus, it seems that Muhammad Yusuf Khan was kicked out of Ahmadiyya formally in 1934 and remained as a teacher of Arabic and seller of Muslims fragrances, garments and other Islamic things. However, he stayed in the purview and even attended prayers/and other events at the Ahmadiyya temple in Chicago on Wabash Ave as late as 1946-1948.
The Mirza family aka Ahmadiyya INC normally hire a local in any country once they wish to open up a business center (masjid, hospital or school). First, they send a murrabi in the hopes that he can convert at least one native person to Ahmadiyya. He then searches for a local, someone who is down and out on his luck and in some financial problems. Once this person converts, they begin to prepare him to be an Imam and thus establish validity in any said country. This is exactly what they did in Africa, but remember, the Pakistani’s will always remain in-charge. The second and final African-American Ahmadi imam is Azhar Haneef, he went on Hajj with Rashid Ahmad and many other African-American-Ahmadi’s. Nevertheless, in the story of Rashid Ahmad, you will find a criminal who found an easy job and thus took advantage. He lived a life of luxury after he became an Ahmadi. He was given women, and job security. It seems that he may not been a Murrabi, instead a trusted employee, since he is never mentioned in any jamaat publication as a Murrabi. He also sheds light on some other famous Ahmadi converts turned imams.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________Where did they find Rashid Ahmad?
The details of his life were obscure until Ahmadiyya INC published a book about this man’s life. Rashid Ahmad was born as Rudolph Thomas in East St. Louis on March 26, 1923. He grew up around shootings, killings, alcohol abuse and widespread gambling. His father was fond of woman-chasing and ran illegal loads of alcohol through many states and etc. He would even lie to the police regularly. His parents never married each other and barely spent time with each other. As soon as his mother got some money, she left her children and worked in bars and etc all over the southern states all the way up to New York.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
His Qadiani-Ahmadi wives and children
After about 10-12 months in Rabwah, the Khalifa marries Rashid Ahmad to Sara Qudsia (she died in 2003 in rabwah), the daughter of an Ahmadi murrabi-teachers, Muhammad Ibrahim Khalil, and the niece of Maulvi Ghulam Yaseen. They married on November 14, 1950. The Khalifa came to the wedding ceremony on crutches, he seems to have been unable to walk in those days. The Khalifa also complained of suffering from heat stroke (See Aaqa ka Ghulam, at the 1:06:40 mark). The Khalifa also admitted to having asaal (diarrhea).
He married Aziza Ahmad and she is the daughter of two pioneers of Ahmadiyyat in St. Louis, Usman and Amina Khalid, they had 4 children, have four children, Mojahida, Munir, Wadud, and Ghaniyya. This is an example of an Ahmadi murrabi in the past 60 years participating in a polygamous relationship. They had their first child in September of 1963. The rest of the children were born in 67, 69 and 74. His grandson is Rizwan Ahmad.
His son in America is Wadud Ahmad, his wife is Asifa Ahmad. The white lady in this photo is Sharon Ahmad, she is the wife of the late Mubarik Ahmad of Milwaukee.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________He graduated highschool in 1942 and voluntarily lived on the streets and did crime
He was a petty thief for 3 years.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1945, he moves to Chicago
He wore flashy clothes in an attempt to get women’s attention, he would then turn those girls into prostitutes and then act like their manager.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
1946
After running the streets for 1 year, he meets Ahmadi muslims close to their Chicago mosque, Al-Sadiq Mosque, on Wabash Ave, which was the headquarters of Ahmadiyya in the USA for a long time.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ In 1946, the Ahmadi imams smoked cigarettes afghani-style
Rashid Ahmad says:
“””I also noticed some Punjabi Pakistanis who inhaled their cigarettes in an unusual fist formation with the cigarette sticking out the other end of the fist – a kind of hand-hookah method I surmised was unique for smoking opium. They would hold their fist to their mouths and inhale the smoke from the cigarette, which would stick out from between their ring finger and pinky at a 45 degree angle. I was determined to get to the bottom of this moneymaking
scam, so I kept coming back at all the times for prayers (page 18)”””
_______________________________________________________________________________________________1947
He formally joins Ahmadiyya. He was previously sleeping on benches. Now, he is allowed to sleep in the mosque and to use Ahmadiyya facilities. He went on a preaching mission to Zion this year too.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1948
He writes to the Khalifa asking to become a missionary.
In this photo, 2 daughters of Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali can be seen (1948), his wife and son are missing. The Desi man to his immediate right is unknown too. Jalal Malik is the maternal grandson of Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali. This seems to be in Chicago, at the Ahmadiyya temple on Wabash Ave. Rashid Ahmad can be seen too (3rd row from the bottom, 4th from the left).
_____________________________________________________________________________________________December 1949
He begins his travel towards Rabwah, Pakistan and is considered an israeli spy. He eventually arrives in Karachi and reaches Rabwah a few days later, on Dec 24, 1949, as few days before the 1949 Rabwah-Jalsa, the first ever in Rabwah. The Khalifa admires his beard and tells other young Ahmadi’s to grow a similar beard.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1950
After spending some time in Rabwah, most likely in religious classes, on June 4th, Rashid Ahmad travels with the Khalifa on a tour of Quetta, Sindh and Karachi. He related how the Khalifa could barely walk as a result of gout and had terrible health. He also tells how the Khalifa was on a Pakistani military destroyer ship. This was the first time any Khalifa was given this honor. Apparently, an Ahmadi naval officer arranged for it. Later on, we would see how Ahmadi officers in the Pakistani military have preferential treatment to Ahmadi’s and the Mirza family. He also mentions how the Khalifa was always meeting people in terms of his private business endeavors.
The Ahmadiyya Gazette (June-1950) has some of the diary of Rashid Ahmad from March 4th to April 8th-1950 from Rabwah. Rashid Ahmad talks about all the water that is available in Rabwah. Om March-12, Rashid Ahmad gave a speech (he talked about American Ahmadi’s) at an Ahmadiyya event in Sarghoda. Rashid Ahmad explains how he rubbed shoulders with Sheikh Mubarak Ahmad and he told Rashid Ahmad about how clean Qadian used to be, it seems that Qadian was extremely dirty and had sewage in the streets in the early 1950’s. Mufti Muhammad Sadiq gave a Friday Sermon while the 2nd Qadiani Khalifa was in Lahore. Rashid Ahmad met Dr. Mirza Munawar Ahmad (son of the 2nd Qadiani Khalifa). Rashid Ahmad mentions how an Ahmadi Maulvi from Holland had just returned to the headquarters. Rashid Ahmad alleges that there was an Ahmadi from Sudan who was in Rabwah. Rashid Ahmad mentions how Maulvi F. R. Hakeem gave a speech at the school that Rashid Ahmad at on “Islam in West Africa”. Rashid Ahmad alleges that Maulvi Abdul Khaliq was sent to Iran as a Qadiani-Ahmadi Maulvi. Rashid Ahmad alleges that Saud Ahmad was sent to West Africa (either Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ghana or Nigeria). Rashid Ahmad alleges that money was collected in Rabwah for the American Fazl Mosque (which was a private residence). Rashid Ahmad explains how Ahmadi’s regularly did tabligh/dawah in their locale (a 15 miles radius around Rabwah). In April of 1950, Maulvi Muhammad Ibrahim returned from serving 3 years in Italy and 2 years in West Africa, he is the brother-in-law of Maulvi Ghulam Yaseen (who was working in the USA). The wife of Maulvi Muhammad Ibrahim had died in Rabwah and left 9 children to be raised by their father only, in these circumstances, Rashid Ahmad was allowed to marry one of his daughters. The 2nd Qadiani-Ahmadi Khalifa had severe gout in those days. Rashid Ahmad alleges that the 2nd Qadiani-Ahmadi Khalifa was sitting with his doctor in a Majlis-e-Shura and was constantly taking medicine. Mufti Muhammad Sadiq told Rashid Ahmad that he spoke 7 languages, including Esperanto (a total lie). Maulvi Nur Ahmad Munir (allegedly a Qadiani-Ahmadi Maulvi working in Syria) gave a speech at the school that Rashid Ahmad was attending. Rashid Ahmad alleges that Mufti Muhammad Sadiq led many Friday prayers in 1950 since the 2nd Qadiani-Ahmadi Khalifa was sick. Rashid Ahmad alleges that a German Ahmadi named Mr. Abdul Karim Duncker was in Rabwah. Rashid Ahmad alleges that Zafrullah Khan was in Rabwah in April of 1950.
The Ahmadiyya Gazette (June-1950) alleges that they plan to send at least one American to Rabwah every year for training to become an Ahmadi mullah. Thus, Rashid Ahmad is in Rabwah. A man named Ahmad Shaheed signs off as the secretary.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________September 1950
Rabwah was flooded out. Instead of returning to Rabwah, the Khalifa and his family went to Lahore and stayed there for a few weeks.
October 1950
After 4 months on the road and living with the Khalifa, Rashid Ahmad and the Khalifa finally returned to Rabwah.
On Oct. 25th, 1950
Rashid Ahmad failed his arabic exam at Jamia. In fact, almost all Ahmadi missionaries from abroad were never taught proper arabic, and the pakistani’s barely know it as well. Maulvi Muhammad Yusuf Khan was expelled from the Ahmadiyya Movement in 1934 (see Bowen). In fact, in 1950, Rashid Ahmad (African-American pseudo-missionary) asked the 2nd Khalifa (while in Pakistan) if Ahmadi’s were allowed to pray behind Maulvi Muhammad Yusuf Khan. The 2nd Khalifa called him a fraud and said that if he considers himself an Ahmadi, he is free to do so, but don’t waste time with him, he is a fraud type of person. Rashid Ahmad and his editors seem to have written a footnote wherein they confirmed that Muhammad Yusuf Khan was selling “lucky numbers” and “sacred incense,” and charging money for teaching the Qur’an from roughly 1923-1934. Thus, it seems that Muhammad Yusuf Khan was kicked out of Ahmadiyya formally in 1934 and remained as a teacher of Arabic and seller of Muslims fragrances, garments and other Islamic things. However, he stayed in the purview and even attended prayers/and other events at the Ahmadiyya temple in Chicago on Wabash Ave as late as 1946-1948.
November 1950
After about 10-12 months in Rabwah, the Khalifa marries Rashid Ahmad to Sara Qudsia (she died in 2003 in rabwah), the daughter of an Ahmadi murrabi-teachers, Muhammad Ibrahim Khalil, and the niece of Maulvi Ghulam Yaseen. They married on November 14, 1950. The Khalifa came to the wedding ceremony on crutches, he seems to have been unable to walk in those days. The Khalifa also complained of suffering from heat stroke (See Aaqa ka Ghulam, at the 1:06:40 mark). The Khalifa also admitted to having asaal (diarrhea).
Rashid Ahmad accompanied the Khalifa almost everywhere that he’s went in this era. Their first child was born in 1952, the second in 1953 and the third in 1954. These were all back-to-back pregnancies, no breaks.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________November 1952
Rashid Ahmad gets into a dispute with the Khalifa about another missionary of the Ahmadiyya movement. It is unclear what this is all about. Nevertheless, the Khalifa stops speaking to Rashid Ahmad, they eventually reconciled.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________March–May 1953
This entire section is left blank. This is unbelievable, since even 2 sons of the Khalifa were arrested and subsequently released.
June 1953
He goes on tour with the Khalifa again, towards Sindh yet again.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________January 1954
15th of January 1954, Rashid Ahmad travels to Lahore with the Khalifa. The Khalifa was being questioned as part of the 1953 riots on Ahmadiyya via the Munir Enquiry. The Ahmadi women of various jamaat’s asked the Khalifa if they could see the German Ahmadi missionary (Kunze) in training as well as the american, and the Khalifa allowed it.
March 10th, 1954
Rashid Ahmad stood directly behind the Khalifa during prayers. However, on this day he was absent, since his wife was in delivery of their 3rd child. A young boy stood in his place and stabbed the Khalifa in the back. By 2018, the whereabouts of the boy are unknown.
December 1954
He returns to the USA, he arrives into NY with his wife and 3 children, 3 Ahmadi imams meet him and receive him. The very next day he is sent to St. Louis, his wife and and children stay in NY. As he finished his studies, he admitted that he barely learned Islam, in fact, he said that most foreign ahmadi missionaries in this era didn’t fully complete their study programs, which means that they failed, but were passed nevertheless.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1955
While in St. Louis, one of the imams (Maulvi Ghulam Yasin) who had received Rashid Ahmad in NY, he was also the uncle of Rashid Ahmad’s wife, he immediately took her back to Pakistan and forbade Rashid Ahmad from communicating with her. This condition lasted for 12 years.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1956
He secures tax-exemption status for the Ahmadiyya movement, thus eliminating the need to pay property tax. He also tells how there were lots of Ahmadi’s living in the mission house in St. Louis.
In the Ahmadiyya Gazette of the First Quarter-1956, the 2nd Qadiani-Ahmadi Khalifa appointed Rashid Ahmad (spelled as Rasheed Ahmad) as an honorary missionary in St. Louis. Rashid Ahmad will be working under Mr. A. Shukoor Kunze.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________July 1960
He appears in an african-american newspaper as a convert to Islam. He also demonstrates Wudhu.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1962
He marries again, while still married to the girl in Pakistan. He married Aziza Ahmad and she is the daughter of two pioneers of Ahmadiyyat in St. Louis, Usman and Amina Khalid, they had 4 children, have four children, Mojahida, Munir, Wadud, and Ghaniyya. This is an example of an Ahmadi murrabi in the past 60 years participating in a polygamous relationship. They had their first child in September of 1963. The rest of the children were born in 67, 69 and 74.
She is the daughter of Usman Khalid of St. Louis and the wife of Al-Haj Rashid Ahmad, American
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1966
Rashid Ahmad returns to Rabwah, he hadn’t seen his wife and kids for almost 12 years. He goes to his wife’s house and is immediately asked to leave by another uncle of Rashid Ahmad’s wife. This uncle tells Rashid Ahmad that he is divorced and has no rights to this woman. The jamaat then sets up an inquiry into this matter.
____________________________________________________________________________________________ 1969
Allegedly, the USA Jalsa was held on August 30 & 31 at Dayton Ohio at the Ahmadiyya temple therein. Missionary-in-Charge, Maqbool A. Qureshi organized and chaired the event. The Jalsa consisted of 5 Sessions. including Speeches, Mission Reports, Auxilliary Meetings and Panel Discussions.
The main speakers were, Br. Maqbool A. Qureshi (Missionary in Charge), Muhammad Qasim (Dayton) Munir Ahmad (St. Louis,). Syed Jawad Ali, Bashir Afzal (New York), Dr. Bashiruddin Usama (Cleveland), Ahmad Shaheed (Pittsburg), Abul Kalam (Pittsburg), Yahya Abdullah (Baltimore). Abdul Karim (Chicago), Abid Hanif (Boston), Dr. Khalil A. Nasir (New York), Munir Hamid, (Philadelphia), Ahmad Wasim (Cleveland), Hanif Ahmad (Milwaukee), Muhammad Sadiq (New York.). Rashid Ahmad (St. Louis), Abdur Rahman (Balti more) and Fazl Omar (Waukegan).
His eldest son dies in Pakistan, he was only 17 years old. Rashid Ahmad was not allowed by Ahmadiyya INC to go to Rabwah for mourning.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
1972
Via the Muslim Sunrise of 1972 (there is only one edition), Maulvi Shukar ilahi Hussain is the editor, it has essay from Bushra Saeeda, she is also the managing editor, Rashid Ahmad is the business manager, Hasan Hakeem is the production coordinator and Ahmad Saeed is the circulation manager.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
1973
Per the Moslem Sunrise of Jan-Feb-1974, there was a 7-man delegation to Rabwah from the USA, this was the first time something like this had ever happened. Members of the 7-man delegation were Rashid Ahmad (leader), Abid Haneef (Boston), Abdur-Raqib Wali (Boston), Abdul Kareem of Boston, Fazal Omar of Waukegan, Hasan Hakeem of Waukegan, Ill and Alhaji Abdur Rahim Zafar of Dayton later joined the delegation in Rabwah.
Via the Muslim Sunrise of the Fall-1973, the Editor is Maulvi Mian Muhammad Ibrahim. The Co-editors are, Imam Sharif Ahmad Bajwa, Hasan Hakeem, Dr. Basharat Ahmad Munir, Dr. Qazi Muhammad Barkatullah and Dr. M.M. Abbas. This magazine was published from the Dayton Mosque, 637 Randolph Street, Dayton, Ohio, 45408. The magazine reports on the 1973, USA-Jalsa, which was held on August-31-September 2, 1973, at Forest College, Lake Forest, Illinois. The missionary-in-charge of the USA Imam Sharif Ahmad Bajwa gave a speech. MGA’s famous grandson (Mirza Muzzafar Ahmad) was also there, he seems to have recently moved to the USA, he gave the inaugural address. Dr. Qazi Muhammad Barkatullah also gave a speech. A speech by Imam Sharif Ahmad Bajwa is given. A speech by Hasan Hakeem is also given, it seems that he visited West Africa and stayed at Ahmadiyya houses. Hasan Hakeem converted to Ahmadiyya in 1968 and by 1971, he travelled to Lagos, Nigeria with no money (first he went to Morocco, then Nigeria, then Ghana and finally Senegal. Hasan Hakeem lived at the Ahmadiyya mission on Idumagbo Ave in Lagos, Nigeria with his wife and didn’t have to pay rent. Maulvi Mian Muhammad Ibrahim (Missionary, Midwest circle) has an essay on the financial schemes of Mirza Nasir Ahmad, his tour of West Africa in 1970 is mentioned. Mirza Nasir Ahmad introduced the “Nusrat Jehan Reserve Fund” and began to extort large amounts of from Ahmadi’s in the West. It is mentioned that Mirza Nasir Ahmad toured the UK in July/September of 1973. Al-Haj Abdur Rahim Zafar has an essay (From Dayton, OH) has an essay. A speech by Yusuf Iman Ali from the 1973-USA Jalsa is presented. MGA’s grandson (Mirza Muzzafar Ahmad) was also there, he seems to have recently moved to the USA, he gave the inaugural address. Dr. Qazi Muhammad Barkatullah also gave a speech. A speech by Imam Sharif Ahmad Bajwa is given. A speech by Hasan Hakeem is also given, it seems that he visited West Africa and stayed at Ahmadiyya houses. Hasan Hakeem converted to Ahmadiyya in 1968 and by 1971, he travelled to Lagos, Nigeria with no money (first he went to Morocco, then Nigeria, then Ghana and finally Senegal. Hasan Hakeem lived at the Ahmadiyya mission on Idumagbo Ave in Lagos, Nigeria with his wife and didn’t have to pay rent. Maulvi Mian Muhammad Ibrahim (Missionary, Midwest circle) has an essay on the financial schemes of Mirza Nasir Ahmad, his tour of West Africa in 1970 is mentioned. Mirza Nasir Ahmad introduced the “Nusrat Jehan Reserve Fund” and began to extort large amounts of from Ahmadi’s in the West. It is mentioned that Mirza Nasir Ahmad toured the UK in July/September of 1973. Al-Haj Abdur Rahim Zafar has an essay (From Dayton, OH) has an essay. A speech by Yusuf Iman Ali from the 1973-USA Jalsa is presented. The magazine announces that there will be an International Jalsa held at Rabwah in Dec-1973 and the USA jamaat is sending 9 members and 2 from Canada. The names are as follows: Rashid Ahmad (leader), Hasan Hakeem of Waukegan, Alhaji Abdur Rahim Zafar of Dayton, Abdur-Raqib Wali (Boston)(and his mother, Mubaraka Sadiq), Abid Haneef (Boston), Abdul Kareem of Boston, Dr. Malik Rab Nawaz (from Wisconsin)(and his wife Naeema Dard) and from Canada: A.M. Mirza (Brantfort) and M.M. Siddiq (Toronto). Mirza Nasir Ahmad demanded 790k from Tahrik-i-Jadeed on Nov-9-1973, with a deadline of Dec-31-1973. The magazine also reports on news from Rabwah, MKA-Pakistan held its annual convention (Nov 2-4-1973) wherein only 2200 Ahmadi’s attended. Maulvi Ataul Mujeeb Rashid was there and was appointed as the President of MKA-Pakistan. The “Nusrat Jehan Reserve Fund” is mentioned again. Maulvi Sharif Ahmad Bajwa is in the UK and getting new teeth, Imam Siddique is working in the USA in his absence. Maulvi Mian Muhammad Ibrahim is reported to have toured St. Louis on Nov-4-1973, Brother Munir Ahmad was the local Qadani Ameer, Rashid Ahmad was there too. Imam Siddique’s tabligh work was also mentioned. Dr. M. Yusuf Khan is mentioned. The office bearers of the Dayton jamaat of Qadiani’s are mentioned, Alhaji Abdur Rahim Zafar of Dayton was elected as the new Amir. The magazine reports that Eid was held on Oct-28-1973 and Maulvi Sharif Ahmad Bajwa gave the Eid Khutbah, it also reports on Eid in NY, how Maulvi Mian Muhammad Ibrahim held Eid in Dayton, and other centers of Qadiani activity also alleged to have held a celebration, i.e., Milwaukee, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Detroit.
Photo’s
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1974
Rashid Ahmad was an Ahmadiyya missionary and the Jamaat President for the USA. In the below, he can be seen with Abdul Raqib Wali (I love him and his family). This photo is from Sep-1974, and the Ahmadiyya Jalsa was attended by 350 American’s and Canadian’s at Wheelock College in Boston.
Per the Moslem Sunrise of Jan-Feb-1974, the impressions of Rabwah are given by a Qadiani-African-American convert, Hasan Hakeem of Waukegan. He mentions how the brother of Zafrullah Khan received them in Lahore (Asadullah Khan), they had flown in from Karachi. From Lahore they travelled in a mini-bus to Rabwah where they were received by Mirza Mubarak Ahmad and Maulvi Abdul Qadar Zaighum. Muzaffar Ahmad Zafar has an essay in this edition wherein he also talks about his trip to Rabwah. It is mentioned how Chaudry Sharif Ahmad Bajwah is back in the USA (on Dec-20-1973) after spending time in London. Maulvi Mian Muhammad Ibrahim is also mentioned and how on December 14, 1973, he gave a speech at the Trinity Evangelic Divinity College, Deerfield, Ill. On December 20, 1973, the missionary Imam Ibrahim, assisted by Bro. Rafiq Salam and Aminullah, delivered lectures in Dunbar High School, Dayton, Ohio, and the trio removed several misunderstandings about Islam during the question and answer session. EIDUL AZHA was solemnly celebrated at the Dayton Mosque on January 4, 1973, and the event received a prominent coverage in the Daily News. The Dayton Jamaat gave a befitting reception to Alhaj Abdur Rahim Zafar (now named Muzaffar by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih) on Sunday, January 13, 1974. On his return from Rabwah as a member of the American delegation Bro. Muzaffar who came back highly inspired made a stirring speech covering all that had impressed him besides the dynamic personality of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih. (The text of his speech appears elsewhere). Our congratulations to Bro Yaqub and Aminullah of Dayton who have been gifted with the blessings of Hajj this year. Bro. Yusof Latiff and his wife from Boston also had the honor of performing the Hajj. Muhammad Siddique Shahid Gurdaspuri is mentioned as well as his work in NY. Abdul Raqib Wali (of the Boston Jamaat), President, on the meeting Sunday, December 16, 1973, at Phillip Brooks House, Harvard University, at 2 p.m., Abid Hanif was also mentioned. The Editor of the Muslim Sunrise is Maulvi Mian Muhammad Ibrahim. The Advisory-editor is, Imam Sharif Ahmad Bajwa. Contributing editors are Hasan Hakeem, Dr. Basharat Ahmad Munir, Dr. Qazi Muhammad Barkatullah and Dr. M.M. Abbas. This magazine was published from the Dayton Mosque, 637 Randolph Street, Dayton, Ohio, 45408.
Per the Moslem Sunrise of Jan-Feb-1974, there was a 7-man delegation to Rabwah from the USA, this was the first time something like this had ever happened. Members of the 7-man delegation were Rashid Ahmad (leader), Abid Haneef (Boston), Abdur-Raqib Wali (Boston), Abdul Kareem of Boston, Fazal Omar of Waukegan, Hasan Hakeem of Waukegan, Ill and Alhaji Abdur Rahim Zafar of Dayton later joined the delegation in Rabwah. It also mentions the newly found Shroud of Turin. The Speech of Mirza Nasir Ahmad at the Jalsa at Rabwah on Dec-28-1973 (the 3rd day) is given. Mirza Nasir Ahmad announces that there will be a 100-year jubilee in 1989 to commemorate 100 years of Qadianism.
1. To give an impetus to our Missionary work, the following New Missionary Centres be opened:
a; Three local centres in West Africa.
b. Three local centres in East Africa.
c. Centres in Italy, France, spain, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
d. The Mission in England should be staffed with 3 to 5 additional Missionaries.
e. The Mission in North and South America should also be reinforced with 3 to 5 additional Missionaries.
f. Mission to be opened in Canada.
g. All these Centres should have a Mosque, Mission House and Office buildings.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1975
In 1975, the Ahmadiyya Movement in Pakistan called their employee in America (Rashid Ahmad) and ordered him (via Mirza Nasir Ahmad) to immediately call the Pakistani-Embassy (in America) and aggressively demand to speak to Bhutto. The FBI were soon dispatched to investigate. However, Ahmadis had political sway over the Ambassador of Pakistan and he eventually convinced Bhutto to meet with the Ahmadi delegation (see pages 184–186).
Moslem Sunrise, 1975 edition, see page 13
Rashid Ahmad is mentioned as a missionary, as well as Kunze. Rashid Ahmad seems to be the Nationa Ameer. He isn’t listed as a current missionary.
The Muslim Sunrise from Dec-1975 was edited/published by Mian Muhammad Ibrahim (a Qadiani-Ahmadi Maulvi) and from Dayton, Ohio. Khalil Ahmad Nasir has an essay wherein he discusses the “Fifth Spiritual Summit in NY in 1975″ and how Zafrullah Khan was invited to speak. An essay by Zafrullah Khan is also given. A speech by Bashir Ahmad Rafiq (head Maulvi on the Qadiani London temple, the Fazl mosque) is given which he gave in Copenhagen, Denmark (at the Ahmadiyya temple therein via an annual Ijtema). In this speech, he alleges that the first 3 Qadiani-Ahmadi Khalifa’s were predicted/prophesied, he quotes the famous speech at the 1956 Jalsa at Rabwah (Khilafat-i-Haqqa). The travels of Mirza Nasir Ahmad are presented, they also discuss the Nusrat Jehan Scheme Fraud. It is alleged that Mirza Nasir Ahmad laid the foundation stone of an Ahmadiyya temple mosque in Gottenburg, Sweden as part of the “Centenary Fund” on 9-27-1975. This “Centenary Fund” was launched at the 1973 Jalsa Salana at Rabwah. This was the first Ahmadiyya temple-mosque built (started) under the “Centenary Fund”. The history of Ahmadiyya in the USA is then given by various authors, Rashid Ahmad, Sheikh Nazeer Elahi, the wife of Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali, Dr. M. Yusuf Khan and Zakria Virk (his son is the famous Adnan Virk of ESPN)(in Canada). The history of Ahmadiyya in Canada is also given. It is mentioned how Mirza Mubarak Ahmad came to Canada on tour in July-1975, Maulvi Mian Muhammad Ibrahim and Imam M.S. Shahid (Missionary-in-Charge, USA also accompanied him. The 1975 USA-Jalsa is also mentioned, which was held at the Dayton Mosque-temple, a speech by Yahya Sharif Abdullah wherein he mentions the famous book by the 2nd Qadiani Khalifa, “New World Order”.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
1976
In 1976, during his USA tour and at the USA Jalsa, Mirza Nasir Ahmad claimed 10 million Ahmadi’s – ahmadiyyafactcheckblog
In 1976, Mirza Nasir Ahmad visited the USA, this was part of a bigger tour. He started touring on July 20, 1976 from Rabwah and returned to Rabwah on October 20, 1976 (see page 76). His son Mirza Luqman Ahmad was him his also. He stayed for the Jalsa Salana-USA also, which was a historic event for the brainwashed Qadiani’s. In this era, there were delegations of African-American-Ahmadi’s travelling from the USA to Rabwah and Qadian. Mirza Nasir Ahmad also visited Dayton, Ohio where their seems to have been a thriving jamaat of African-American-Ahmadi’s. The 29th annual USA-Jalsa Salana was held at Drew University, which was in Madison, New Jersey. Abid Haneef dined with Mirza Nasir Ahmad (see the photo in the below), Rashid Ahmad too. No photo’s of Azhar Haneef at all. M. M. Ahmad was also there and Mirza Nasir Ahmad also gave a speech at the World Bank. Rashid Ahmad was there too. Mian Muhammad Ibrahim (1973-1981) who mainly served in Dayton can also be seen in the photo’s.
Photo’s
The Muslim Sunrise of Nov-1976 was edited/published by Mian Muhammad Ibrahim (a Qadiani-Ahmadi Maulvi) and from Dayton, Ohio. Imam M.S. Shahid (Missionary-in-Charge, USA) is the consulting editor and Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir is the contributing editor. The historic visit of Mirza Nasir Ahmad is covered via newspaper reports. Ahmadiyya editors advise that the population of Ahmadi’s in the USA exceeds 3000, this is in opposition to all the newspaper reports. It should be noted that Mirza Nasir Ahmad and other Ahmadi’s lied to press and alleged 10 million Ahmadi’s around the world. The Washington Star is quoted, the Journal Herald of Dayton, the Dayton Daily News, the Toronto Sun, the Daily Record, the Hudson Dispatch, the Record, the Hudson Dispatch, the New Jersey Afro American, the News, the Teaneck News, the Washington Post, the New York Amsterdam News, the New York Post and the Bilalian News. Muzaffar Ahmad Zafar, Hassan Hakeem and others gave their personal impressions of the Khalifa’s visit. A letter to the Khalifa is presented as written by Rashid Ahmad (USA Ameer). The Ameer from Canada (Abdul Aziz Khalifa) also wrote a letter.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
After 1976
He seems to have been relieved of all of his duties as a missionary or as a President, he isn’t mentioned in any jamaat publications either.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1986
Rashid Ahmad relates the murder of a young african-american-ahmadi:
“””In 1986 an Ahmadi youth was murdered in Zion, Illinois. His name was Fahim Ahmad and he was the son of an Ahmadi couple, Mr. and Mrs. Hanif and Nafia Ahmad (Laeeqa Ahmad was Fahim’s stepmother). The murderer was a Caucasian man, Joey Isbell, who was harassing young black boys in Shiloh Park. He was shaking the bikes as the boys were riding them and flashing a gun at them. Fahim said that he was not afraid of him nor his gun. The murderer then shot him at point blank range with a .357 caliber gun. Fahim died on the spot. Inna Lillahi wa inna Ilayhi raji‘un. He was 16 years old.”””
_______________________________________________________________________________________________1992
The Ahmadiyya Jamaat publishes, ‘Ahmadiyya in America“, Rashid Ahmad is not mentioned as a “currently-working” murrabi, in fact, he is not mentioned at all whatsoever.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1994
The Ahmadiyya Jamaat publishes, “Mosques around the World”. In this book, only 6 current imams are mentioned as working in the USA, Rashid Ahmad is not mentioned.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1998, he performs Hajj
Rashid Ahmad says:
“””The following seven Ahmadi brethren accompanied me: Al-Haj Nasirullah Ahmad (who is currently the president of the Milwaukee Jama‘ah), Maulana al-Haj Azhar Haneef and his dear father al-Haj Abid Haneef, al-Haj Jalal Nuruddin, al-Haj Mustafa Abdullah, al-Haj Khalid Walid and al- Haj Rafiq Lake. I was the eldest of the group being 76 years old at the time. It is only by the sheer Grace of Allah that I was able to complete the Hajj without any issues.”””
_______________________________________________________________________________________________98–2013
These are quiet years for him, its unclear what he is doing.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________2015
He passes away, 90+ years of age.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________Kunze is mentioned in 2015, “A History of Conversion to Islam in the United States, Volume 1: White American Muslims Before 1975” Book by Patrick D. Bowen
See pages 302-303, Rashid Ahmad is also mentioned.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
The untold story of Black Muslims: The Mufti and the Sheikhs (alhakam.org)
The untold story of Black Muslims: The Mufti and the Sheikhs
This series of articles focuses on the African-Americans who Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra brought under the banner of the true Islam during his time in America between 1920 and 1923. The converts all came from varying backgrounds. Ultimately, they became zealous preachers of Islam Ahmadiyyat in America.
Dr Talha Sami, UK
Sheikh Ahmad Din – The first African-American Ahmadi missionary
“There is no color line in Islam; we all are brothers in the sight of Allah. Our requirements are few. We keep in communion with God, hold one month’s fast during the year – during this time we eat at night instead of in the day – join the Holy Annual Assembly at Mecca at least once in our lifetime, and say five prayers a day – the Fajr in the morning, the Zuhr in the afternoon, the Asr later in the afternoon, the Maghrib at sunset and the Isha at bedtime. When we get well established here, the meetings will be held on Friday, then we’ll go through the regular Salat” (Sheikh Ahmad Din, “Negroes Taught Arabic by Olive Street Sheikh”, The Post Dispatch, 16 July 1923, p. 21)
P Nathaniel Johnson was a stalwart and early pioneer of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the USA. He was born in Hempstead County, Arkansas on 10 June 1888 (other reports have mentioned 29 May). Johnson attended and graduated from Philander-Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas. It has been suggested that he was from African or Arab ancestry and converted to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community taking the name, Ahmad Din. He has been characterised in history as a religious seeker who experimented with many religions before coming to Islam (The Columbia Sourcebook of Muslims in the United States, pp. 54-58).
Ahmad Din’s conversion to Islam Ahmadiyyat was most likely between April 1922 and July 1922. (Correspondence & Assorted Files, DW, January 2012, Milwaukee)
Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra writes that Ahmad Din “had been busy in bringing others to the fold of Islam”. (The Moslem Sunrise, Issue 2-3, 1923, p. 190)
Ahmad Din is accepted as the first African-American “sheikh” and was the first African-American missionary. In 1922, a picture of him appeared in The Moslem Sunrise declaring Ahmad Din as a newly appointed missionary.
Implementing Mufti Sadiq’s manner of propagation
Sheikh Ahmed Din took on the mantle of Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahibra by implementing many of the same techniques for tabligh (propagation of Islam) that Mufti Sahibra had advised and used himself.
Firstly, he worked hard to dismantle Christian doctrine that was rife in America.
Sheikh Ahmad told the St Louis Dispatch, “We must worship God alone. Christ is worshipped by many as the Son of God. He is but a prophet. He did not die on the cross. He was taken down from it, revived and carried to Srinagar.” (The Post Dispatch, “Negroes Taught Arabic By Olive Street Sheikh”, 16 July 1923, p. 21)
Secondly, Sheikh Din was able to attract a multi-racial congregation. Naturally, as an African-American, he attracted African-Americans to the fold of Islam Ahmadiyyat. Brother Hakim is a case and point of this. Sheikh Din left a chapter consisting of African-Americans and whites in St Louis, Missouri. (The Ahmadiyya Gazette, “Ahmadiyya Movement In Islam”, April 1977, pp. 47-48)
In 1922 he led a group of Muslims that included African-Americans, Turks and even Caucasians. Newspapers had reported on the followings Sheikh Din had established and said that he had a multiracial group of “negroes”, “Turks” and “sprinkling of whites” at his 2658 Olive Street mission. Sheikh Din famously said, “Islam has no colour line”. (The Moslem Sunrise, April & July 1922, p. 270).
The St Louis Post Dispatch reported in an article called “Negroes Taught Arabic by Olive Street Sheikh” published on 16 July 1923, that Sheikh Din had acquired 100 converts in the first six months of the mission in St Louis. The newspaper also reported:
“In the language of a writer of popular songs, Ahmad Din is the kind of Sheik [sic] who does his sheiking [sic] once a week. Not before a movie camera, but before a devout group of Negroes, Turks and a sprinkling of whites, who gather at Sheik Ahmad Din’s Moslem Mission at 2658 Olive Street on Sunday nights to hear him preach the doctrine of ‘Alhamdolilah rabbilal amen’ [sic] or ‘All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the Worlds’ …
“I cannot claim to have done any great work, but I do hope by the grace of God that in clearing the way for future missionaries of Islam, I have done some pioneer work in sowing the seed of truth throughout the land which will grow up in time and going to big, tall, strong trees to feed and shelter thousand and send out healthy vibrations to millions.”
The third manner of tabligh was the way he engaged with his audience; he pursued intellectual discourse. Sheikh Din would personally tutor students himself and would formalise the process by handing out pledge forms. (Black Pilgrimage to Islam, pp. 93-94)
Sheikh Din was also concerned about the future. He had converted 100 people in six months. The meetings were on Sundays, but he said he aimed to bring them in line to Fridays as per Islamic customs. He also said he wanted to create proper wuzu [ablution] facilities for people before Salat. Sheikh Din incorporated women into participating in preaching.
At one prayer function, Sister Noor was said to have led a song; possibly a Quranic recitation. He also facilitated marriage (Black Pilgrimage to Islam, p. 93-94), presumably by conducting nikah ceremonies.
A sixth point is that he did indeed have an ecumenical approach. He told the St Louis Dispatch that Zoroaster, Confucius, Jesus and Muhammad were all prophets in line with Ahmadi teachings. His affection for Islam was apparent, as he stated “… the Holy Quran is the healthiest plant with the hardest stalk, produces the sweetest bloom and yields the most wholesome fruit”.
He also took on the mantle of comparative religions – later in the same article, he says that after studying the Vedas, it was “found to be a plant faded, green stands and a few green leaves from tree vines”. He made similar remarks about the Torah. (The Moslem Sunrise, “Living Flora and Dead”, 1924, p. 14)
The final point is that Sheikh Din instituted the second pillar of Islam with zeal in his teachings. An entire article in the St Louis Dispatch explains the complete wuzu process and positions of prayer, with Islamic terminology. Sheikh Ahmad Din converted 200 people to Islam and had a small entourage he would follow and preach with them. One member later became known as Brother Hakim (Black Pilgrimage to Islam, p. 93).
Sheikh Din’s residence became the mosque. His congregation would bring their own prayer rugs and he would teach them Islamic fundamentals which included the prayer, the manner of ablution and various prayers. It has also been noted that segregation between men and women was occurring with a curtain. (Black Pilgrimage to Islam, pp. 93-94)
Brother Omar
Another sheikh was Brother Omar who owned a lamasery shop where he sold religious garments, prayer rugs, roots, herbs, incense etc. (Black Pilgrimage to Islam, pp. 93-94).
It is interesting to note that decades later, the Nation of Islam became renowned for businesses, bakeries and land ownership. This was a trend amongst Muslims in America, started initially by Ahmadi missionaries such as Brother Omar and later missionary Dr Yusef Khan who would sell Islamic merchandise. Brother Omar took on the mantle of the Mufti; he said “the Bible is not for the Negro because it does not belong to him.” (Black Pilgrimage to Islam, p. 280)
Brother Hakim
“He possesses great spiritual powers and is a magnetic healer of extraordinary ability. He has been successful in converting many to Islam in Ahmadia Movement, and let us pray that he may long continue in the good work, and more fully develop the powers with which Allah has blessed him. He says that he has now been elevated to that plane of spiritual knowledge which Christianity was intended to lift him, but failed. There are many who say that they have been benefited by him both spiritually and physically.” (Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra)
JH Humphries was originally from Ladysmith, Congo. He converted between April 1922 and July 1922. Humphries was a devout Christian and was actively involved in preaching it. He later migrated to the United States and at the age of 17, entered the Tuskegee Institute to study in a Christian ministry for five years. Humphries then met Sheikh Ahmad Din of St Louis who introduced him to Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra. After listening to a convincing lecture on Islam by Mufti Sadiqra, Humphries was completely disillusioned by Christianity and accepted Islam Ahmadiyyat. He then adopted the name Hakim. (The Ahmadiyya Gazette, “Ahmadiyya Movement In Islam”, April 1997, p. 48)
After accepting Islam, Brother Omar re-directed his missionary efforts toward spreading Islam. (The Moslem Sunrise, Issue 2-3, 1923, p. 190)
Sheikh Abdus Salam
Sheikh Abdus Salam was originally Reverend BD Sutton. He converted between October 1922 and January 1923. Hazrat Mufti Sadiqra delivered five lectures in Detroit at the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) meetings; out of the 40 converts, one of them, Mufti Sahib said, was an enthusiastic young man with the name Rev Sutton. After his conversion, he took the Muslim name, Sheikh Abdus Salam and was appointed the leader of that congregation. (The Moslem Sunrise, Issue I, 1923, p. 167)
Mufti Sadiq Sahibra cites Sheikh Abdus Salam and Sheikh Ahmad Din as prolific proselytisers (The Moslem Sunrise, Issue 2-3, 1923, p. 190).
Sheikh Salam went on to become one of the principal preachers in Detroit. He was described as “busy bringing others to the fold of Islam”. (The Moslem Sunrise, Issue 2-3, 1923, p. 190).
Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad
Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad was another convert ordained by the Mufti and possessed better knowledge of Arabic in the Holy Quran than others. Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad travelled between Cincinnati and Dayton tending to several thousand contacts. He helped formulate an itinerary that aimed to spread Islam in America and also wrote letters and flyers that were sent from St Louis, Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Accrington and Cleveland. Sheikh Ashiq also turned towards the Garveyites [supporters of Marcus Garvey] to preach; Mufti Sadiqra had fostered amicable relations with Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), so much so that the latter would even rent meeting halls to Ahmadi Muslim missionaries for a nominal fee. Both organisations were working towards a similar goal of racial equality. (Black Pilgrimage to Islam, p. 96)
Sheikh Muhammad Ibrahim
AES Mondezie was born in Princetown, Trinidad and later migrated to the United States. He came into contact with the Ahmadiyya movement and joined Islam in January 1923. He studied Islam for two years, most of which was likely under Mufti Sadiq Sahibra. It was Maulvi Muhammad Din who wrote of him when he was appointed as a Muslim missionary at Princes Town, Trinidad. He took the Muslim name Muhammad Ibrahim. There were around 15,000 scattered Muslims over the island, which he was working to bring together. Din wrote that he was successful in converting several individuals to the movement. Sheikh Ibrahim also continued to use the ecumenical approach to bring together Muslim delegates from the island for cooperation. (The Moslem Sunrise, Issue 4, 1923, p. 270) (Mahmood Kauser, Early Ahmadi Converts of North America, Jamia thesis, pp. 81-82)
Conclusion
“Rev Bd D Sutton (Sheik Abdus Salaam) of Detroit; Sheikh Ahmad Din of St Louis, MO; Brother Yousaf (Mr Joseph) Sister Saeeda in Gary, Ind and Sister Amina (Mrs Anne Brooks) of Chicago Heights have been busy in their places convincing the people of the truth of Islam and have been successful in converting many to the blessed fold.” (Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahibra, The Moslem Sunrise, Issue I, 1923, p. 167)
Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahibra left no stone unturned or no avenue unchecked in terms of spreading Islam in America; he appealed to the common man and also the academic. He empowered those who he came into contact with him and helped them preach Islam themselves. To him, race and gender were not discriminatory factors in Islam. These “Sheikhs” became active and zealous preachers of Islam under the Mufti’s tenure and beyond.
(The next article will focus on the pious Muslim women who converted during the tenure of Hazrat Mufti Sadiqra but also went on to be zealous preachers of Islam Ahmadiyyat)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________Links and Related Essays
Click to access 1975_iss_4.pdf
Ahmadiyya leadership refused to get the Samdani Commission report released
http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00islamlinks/txt_munirreport_1954/
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Azhar+haneef
The untold story of Black Muslims: The Mufti and the Sheikhs (alhakam.org)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4JizV-5Fp0
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Sadiq_Mosque
Who is Maulvi Ghulam Yasin? A qadiani-Ahmadi mullah stationed in the USA in the 1950’s and 60’s – ahmadiyyafactcheckblog
https://ahmadiyyafactcheckblog.com/?s=implantation
https://ahmadiyyafactcheckblog.com/?s=panama
Click to access Perseverance.pdf
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Tags
#ahmadiyya #ahmadiyyatrueislam #ahmadiapartheid #Ahmadiyyat #rabwah #qadian #meetthekhalifa #muslimsforpeace #ahmadiyyafactcheckblog #nolifewithoutkhalifa #AhmadiMosqueattack #AhmadiyyaPersecution #Mosqueattack #trueislam #atifmian
2 Pingback