Intro
Ahmadiyya in Egypt started during the life of MGA, since Egypt was a British colony, MGA’s writings had reached there and were responded to by the famous Rashid Rida. Specifically, MGA’s book, I‘jāz al-masīḥ (Miracle of the Messiah) was reviewed in several Egyptian periodicals. One such review which was critical of the work was reproduced and amplified in an Indian magazine by his detractors in response to which Ghulam Ahmad wrote the book Al-hudā wa al-tabṣiratu limań yarā (Guidance for Perceiving Minds). When, in 1902, Ghulam Ahmad instructed his followers to abstain from inoculating themselves against the plague, the move was criticised by the Egyptian nationalist and journalist Mustafa Kamil Pasha, editor of the newspaper al-Liwā (The Standard), in response to which Ghulam Ahmad authored the book Mawāhib al-raḥmān (Gifts of the Gracious [God]).
Despite their adamant rejection of Ghulam Ahmad’s theology, Salafi writers associated with Rashid Rida and his journal al-Manār (The Lighthouse) wrote appreciatively of the role of the Ahmadiyya movement in Europe and the conversion of many Europeans to Islam.[8] These writers were aware of the split within the movement and that most of the Ahmadi activity in Europe at this time aligned itself with the splinter group Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement. This group’s affirmation of Ghulam Ahmad merely as a reformer and its attempts to downplay sectarian differences made it less controversial among some Salafi groups than the main branch under the Caliph at Qadian.[9] Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din, the leader of the Lahore group at the Woking mosque in England, was considered by Rida a “moderate” follower of the Ahmadiyya and he generally agreed with his supporters in Egypt.[10]
In 1923, Kamal-ud-Din; Abdul Mohye, the Mufti of the Woking mosque; and Baron Lord Headley, a prominent British convert to Islam also associated with the Woking mosque, visited Egypt on their way to the Hajj pilgrimage and were welcomed with much fanfare. Reception committees were organised in Port Said, Cairo and Alexandria, large gatherings appeared at train stations to receive them and prayers and speeches were made after Friday prayer at the Al-Hussein Mosque in honour of the “British Muslims”.[10] The visit was also favourably covered in the Islamic press in Egypt, including al-Manār, although Rida, its editor, was unable to meet the group himself.[10] On the whole, Rida’s attitude towards the Ahmadiyya movement was inconsistent between its creed and its religious work in India and Europe. Although he concluded that Ahmadis of both branches were “followers of falsehood”, he eulogised Kamal-ud-Din upon his death and considered him “the greatest missionary to Islam” at that time.[11]
The ROR of Jan-1947 reports that when Ahmadiyya spread to Egypt, the first convert was a man named Brother Abdul Hamid Khurshid, the second was Ahmad Hilmi, both had visited Qadian.
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1902
Ahmadiyya in Egypt started during the life of MGA, since Egypt was a British colony, MGA’s writings had reached there and were responded to by the famous Rashid Rida. Specifically, MGA’s book, I’jāz al-masīḥ (Miracle of the Messiah) was reviewed in several Egyptian periodicals. One such review which was critical of the work was reproduced and amplified in an Indian magazine by his detractors in response to which Ghulam Ahmad wrote the book Al-hudā wa al-tabṣiratu limań yarā (Guidance for Perceiving Minds). When, in 1902, Ghulam Ahmad instructed his followers to abstain from inoculating themselves against the plague, the move was criticised by the Egyptian nationalist and journalist Mustafa Kamil Pasha, editor of the newspaper al-Liwā (The Standard), in response to which Ghulam Ahmad authored the book Mawāhib al-raḥmān (Gifts of the Gracious [God]).
Despite their adamant rejection of Ghulam Ahmad’s theology, Salafi writers associated with Rashid Rida and his journal al-Manār (The Lighthouse) wrote appreciatively of the role of the Ahmadiyya movement in Europe and the conversion of many Europeans to Islam.[8] These writers were aware of the split within the movement and that most of the Ahmadi activity in Europe at this time aligned itself with the splinter group Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement. This group’s affirmation of Ghulam Ahmad merely as a reformer and its attempts to downplay sectarian differences made it less controversial among some Salafi groups than the main branch under the Caliph at Qadian.
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1907
In the Review of Religions, January–1907 edition, page 22, in an essay about MGA entitled “The Messenger of the latter days”. They claim nearly 300,000 Ahmadi’s.
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadyani Lied about his number of followers in Egypt and received (self made-fake) congratulations on his number of followers growth in 1907 through a letter. In this book MGA gived the impression that his followed have expanded so much as are (more than) just like particulars and stones found in desert in 1907 – ( Reference :Roohani Khazyian 20-page 422 – Qadian Kay Aryiaa aur hum ) on foot notes by Quoting letter received on 23-January 1907 from (Egyptian) Ahmad Zahri Badaruudin. Mirza also got Quoted him (Egyptian) saying that “Hardly any Non follower of him (mirza) can be found “.
Scan
An explanation
He is saying in this letter it’s sent by Egyptian ahmadi but this isn’t written by Egyptian nor someone is an arab also in this letter he is saying his follower are many like the sands and rocks in Egypt.
First mistake is instead of writing the panjabi البنجابي-al-banjabi in Arabic he wrote الفنجابي-alfanjabi, in Arabic the region is البنجاب-albanjab not الفنجاب-alfanjab.
Second message we don’t say al-raqm for the sender in Arabic it’s used only in Urdu for the sender but in Arabic it’s المرسل al-mursel the sender.
Last one in Arabic the month is December-ديسمبر not دسمبر like in Urdu.
Scans
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1908-1913
Not much is known.
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1914
The ROR of Jan-1914 alleges that there are Ahmadi’s in East Africa.
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1915
The ROR Of April-1915 alleges that Shaikh Abdur Rahman (not sure who this is) and Syed Wali-Ullah Shah were sent to Egypt by the Anjuman Tarraqi Islam at Qadian. They admit to having lost contact with Sayyid Zayn al’Abidin Waliullah Shah, since he moved to Syria and the war broke out.
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1917
The ROR of Oct-Nov-1917 also reports that Maulvi Abul Hasham Khan (M.A.) wrote an essay in english entitled, “A Word to Every English Man and Woman”, and this was translated into arabic and distributed in Egypt.
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1918
https://www.reviewofreligions.org/21441/review-of-religions-january-1918-edition/
The Jan-1918 edition of the ROR reports that Ahmadi’s in Egypt are working on translating, “The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam” into Arabic.
The Aug-Sep-1918 edition of the ROR reports that Brother Abdul Karim is doing work and several newspapers are publishing his reports.
The ROR of Nov-Dec-1918 reports that Brother Abdul Karim is in Syria and distributing Ahmadiyya literature.
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1919
https://www.reviewofreligions.org/21489/review-of-religions-august-september-1919-edition/
The Jan-Feb-1919 edition of the ROR reports that M. Abdul Karim is working in the country, another man named Muhammad Wasfi is working with him. The Mar-Apr-1919 edition of the ROR reports that Brother Abdul Karim Ahmadi has left for India. The ROR of Aug-Sep-1919 reports that an Ahmadi named Abdul Karim Khan is working in the country and trying to spread Ahmadiyya beliefs. The ROR of Oct-Nov-1919 reports that an egyptian man living in the UK named Hasan Gauhar, however, this a lie.
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1920’s
Organised activity within the country, however, did not begin until the early 1920s when several Ahmadi missionaries such as Sayyid Zayn al-῾Abidin Waliullah Shah, Jalal al-Din Shams and Abu᾽l-῾Ata Jalandhari were dispatched to the Middle East by Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad, the second Caliph within the movement. These missionaries travelled to major towns and cities throughout the region, including Cairo, to spread Ahmadi teachings.[2] A missionary arrived in Cairo in 1922 from where he reported a number of conversions some time later.[1]
Relative to Rida’s intellectual Salafism, by the late 1920s, the al-Fath (The Opening) magazine, under its editor Muhib al-Din al-Khatib, began to represent a more populist strand of Salafism and adopted a more decidedly anti-Ahmadi stance.
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1922
https://www.reviewofreligions.org/21972/review-of-religions-october-november-1922-edition/
Via the ROR, the Ahmadiyya Movement lies about its growth in Egypt. Sheikh Mahmud Ahmad is mentioned as arriving in the country about 4 months prior. Abdul Karim Ahmadi is also mentioned as well as Mohamad Wasfi. The ROR of September also mentions Shaikh Mahmud Ahmad and calls him a volunteer missionary in Egypt. They also reveal that he is the son of the famous Sheikh Yacub Ali Irfani.
The Al Fazl of 2 October 1922 reports that the Ahmadiyya mission has spread to Egypt.
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1923
Via the ROR of May-June-1923, Sheikh Mahmud Ahmad is a Qadiani missionary working in Egypt and seems to have converted 24+ people to Ahmadiyya (this is a lie). The Moslem Sunrise of January-1923 reports that a man named Abdul Karim Ahmadi is working to establish Ahmadiyya in Alexandria.
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1924
The ROR of Dec-1924 reports an Ahmadiyya location at Sharka Khalij AlMasri 505, Cairo, Egypt.
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1925
The ROR of March-1925 reports an Ahmadiyya location at 141 Sharea, Mohammad Ali, Cairo, Egypt.
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1930’s
As part of an effort to combat Ahmadi proselytising among Muslims, heated articles against the Ahmadiyya began to appear in al-Fath and ceremonies were held in Cairo in 1932 celebrating former Ahmadis who wished to publicly renounce their affiliation to the movement. In 1933, the official organ of Al-Azhar University published a few articles in refutation of Ahmadi beliefs, and in the late 1930s two Albanian students belonging to the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement were expulsed from Al-Azhar because of their Ahmadi affiliation.
The ROR of Jan-1947 mentions Maulana Abul Ata and how he took over for Jalal ud Din Shams in 1931. He works in Egypt and Syria and has does lots of work with Syed Muneer Al-Husni (the Qadiani-Ahmadi Ameer of Syria). The ROR also alleges that the biggest accomplishment of Maulana Abul Ata was the launching of an arabic only magazine, Al-Bashir. Which is published from Kababir, Haifa, Palestine (modern day Israel). The ROR also names his successor, Maulvi M. Saleem, who seems to have stayed in the Palestine area for 5-10 years, then worked in South India. After Maulvi M. Saleem tenure was over, the Qadiani’s sent a man named Maulvi Muhammad Sharif (In 1947, is working as the missionary in-charge of Palestine). The ROR then discusses how Maulvi Sayyid Zayn al-῾Abidin Waliullah Shah was sent, then how Jalal-ud-Din Shams was sent. Followed by 4 additional missionaries, Maulana Abul Ata, Shaikh Mahmud Irfani, Maulvi M. Saleem and Maulvi Muhammad Sharif, nevertheless, we have posted the ones that we know. The ROR of Jan-1947 also claims that Jalal-ud-Din Shams wrote a book entitled, “The Life or Death of Christ”. The ROR alleges that great thinkers like Ahmad Zaki Pasha (of Egypt) appreciated the work of Ahmadi’s (a lie), there was a also a parliamentarian of Syria (Wazir of the Syrian government) named Mohsin Bek Al-Barazi who was impressed (another lie). The ROR also alleges that Jalal-ud-Din Shams wrote 5+ books in Arabic while in the middle east, the stabbing of Jalal-ud-Din Shams is also mentioned. The ROR mentions many controversies in Palestine and Jalal-ud-Din Shams verbally attacked the ulema of Palestine for believing that Eisa (as) hadn’t died yet. It is also noted how Maulana Abul Ata, Shaikh Mahmud Irfani held controversies with many professors at the Al-Azhar university. All of these Qadiani-Ahmadi’s debated the Bahai’s also.
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1932
In the ROR of Jan-1932, the Ahmadi missionary (Jalal ud Din Shams), who has just returned to Qadian after serving 6 years in Syria, Palestine and Eygpt gives a report of state of Muslims and other religions in these lands.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1933
As evidenced by Abu᾽l-῾Ata Jalandhari’s foreword to his 1933 tract The Cairo Debate, Ahmadi activity in the Arab world during this period was primarily concerned with counteracting Christian missionary efforts against Islam and regenerating what the movement believed was the true Islamic spirit among Muslims. In this context, Ahmadi teachings, specifically regarding the death of Jesus and his status within Islam, concurred, in principle, with the views of key Salafi (or proto-Salafi) figures such as Muhammad Abduh and Rashid Rida, both of whom rejected the bodily ascension of Jesus and accepted the view that he escaped crucifixion, died a natural death and will not be coming again. These views were expressed in a comprehensive Qur’anic commentary published serially in al-Manār, although in contrast to the Ahmadi view which maintained that Jesus survived crucifixion, they held that he was not crucified at all. Rida also discussed the Ahmadi theory of Jesus’ burial in Kashmir in a positive tone—as did the Egyptian literary figure ‘Abbas Mahmud al-‘Aqqad. Similarly, Mustafa al-Maraghi, the rector of Al-Azhar University, too believed that Jesus had died a natural death and interpreted his ascension and return metaphorically.
Maulana Abul Ata has a photo with 13 people in Cairo, this was on the cover of the ROR of June-1933. The ROR of Nov-1933 reports that 2 Ahmadi missionaries (Dard and F.R. Hakeem) stopped in Cairo and were greeted by Maulvi Abu᾽l-῾Ata Jalandhari and his small group of Ahmadi converts, Sheikh Mahmud Ahmad Irfani is mentioned by name.
Maulvi Abul Ata Allah Ditta’s missionary work in Egypt, Syria and Palestine (and modern day Lebanon) is mentioned in the ROR of Dec-1933. He alleges that 7 men have converted to Ahmadiyya, 4 of which who are from Cairo, Egypt. 2 from Lebanon and 1 from what seems like Palestine. Maulvi Abul Ata Allah Ditta claims to have had 3 more controversies with the local Muslims. Maulvi Abul Ata Allah Ditta claims that Muslims are afraid to debate Ahmadi’s. He claims to have confronted a Muslim named Shaikh Muhammad Al-Hafiz on the “Finality of the Holy Prophet’s Prophethood”. Maulvi Abul Ata Allah Ditta claims that Syrian Muslims from the USA have written to him about Ahmadiyya and the arabic Ahmadiyya newspaper, Almobashirat.
Maulvi Abul Ata Allah Ditta claims that a man named Sheikh Abdur Rahman Berja (modern day Lebanon) has sent him a report on his tabligh activities therein. An Ahmadi from Syria also mailed a report to Maulvi Abul Ata Allah Ditta, who is working out of the Ahmadiyya temple at Kababir, Haifa, Palestine (modern day Israel). Maulvi Abul Ata Allah Ditta reports that Ahmadi’s were beat up in Cairo. Maulvi Abul Ata Allah Ditta also reports how 3 newspapers have mentioned Ahmadiyya after these fights, they are, “As-Siyyasat”, ‘Al-Ehram” and “Almanar”.
He also mentions how the mosque in Kababir hasn’t been opened yet.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1934
In an official document presented to the Governor General of India, the Ahmadiyya Movement and the 2nd Khalifa claim to have many local converts to Ahmadiyya (See ROR of April-1934).
The ROR of May-1934 mentions how the Ahmadi missionary Maulana Abul Ata is working in the country and has secured converts.
The ROR of Dec-1934 spells his name as follows, Maulvi Abul Ata Allah Ditta, and gives his letter/report which was written on Sep-10, 1934. Maulvi Abul Ata claims to have converted a man named Sayyad Ahmad Effendi Zehri and then engaging in debates with his wife, who is Christian. He also claims to have some Ahmadiyya literature published in Hebrew and he reports that he had a debate with a Jewish man in this connection. He seems to travel to Egypt as needed for tabligh work. He claims to have had a controversy with a man named Reverend Serjuis and challenged him through local newspapers like alkashkol. In another letter, he tells about an Ahmadiyya Press that has been setup as well as many other administrative offices. He also claims that the Ahmadiyya newspaper, “Albushra” will publish its first edition in January of 1935, it is an arabic only newspaper and will have circulation in Egypt, Syria and Palestine.
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1935
The ROR of Jan-1936 alleges that Ahmadiyya has centers in many countries of the world, these were all represented at the 1935 Jalsa at Qadian. They are as follows: England, America, Japan, China, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Java and Sumatra, Nigeria, Nairobi (Modern day Kenya), Afghanistan and Persia.
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1936
The ROR of Jan-1936 alleges that Ahmadiyya has centers in many countries of the world, these were all represented at the 1935 Jalsa at Qadian. They are as follows: England, America, Japan, China, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Java and Sumatra, Nigeria, Nairobi (Modern day Kenya), Afghanistan and Persia.
A photo of Maulvi Abul Ata Allah Ditta appeared in the ROR of Sep-1936, as well as that of his successor, Maulvi M. Saleem. Maulvi M. Saleem is set to relieve Maulvi Abul Ata Allah Ditta in Egypt, Syria and Palestine.
The photo
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1939
The ROR of Dec-1939 claims that the 2nd Khalifa is known from Kobe to Cairo.
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1940’s
The anti-Ahmadi campaign was continued by Hassan al-Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, when he took the editorship of al-Manār in 1940. Though by 1939 an Ahmadi source had placed the number of Ahmadis in Egypt at 100.
In response to a question put forward by an Indian Ahmadi to Mahmud Shaltut, a teacher (later shaykh) of Al-Azhar, as to whether, according to the Quran and sunnah, Jesus was alive or dead, and whether or not he will return at the end of time, Shaltut issued a fatwa in 1942 stating that according to the Quran, Jesus had died and that it contained no indication that he lives on in heaven. As to the hadith material concerning his return, Shaltut questioned their soundness and concluded that a good Muslim did not have to believe in Jesus’ return. Although the fatwa—and the ensuing discussion surrounding it—has been seen, in the Egyptian context, as indicating that Ahmadi interpretations were not necessarily ruled out as heretical during this period, scholarly opinion on this issue was far from consensual and the fatwa met with immediate resistance from other teachers at Al-Azhar such as Siddiq al-Ghumari who issued a statement strongly upholding the traditional Muslim belief in Jesus’ physical ascension, arguing for the soundness of hadith literature concerning his return and declaring it among the fundamentals of Islam. Other scholars at Al-Azhar took a neutral position and declared that both views were “thoroughly Islamic”.
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1945
The ROR of March-1945 announces that Ahmadiyya can be found in Egypt.
The ROR of Nov-1945 alleges that there is an active Qadiani-Ahmadi mission in Egypt.
The ROR of Dec-1945 report that Maulvi M. Saleem. Maulvi M. Saleem is working out of India.
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1946
Via the ROR of Nov-1946, Ahmadiyya had spread to Egypt and was successfully established.
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1947
The ROR of Jan-1947 reports that when Ahmadiyya spread to Egypt, the first convert was a man named Brother Abdul Hamid Khurshid, the second was Ahmad Hilmi, both had visited Qadian.
Per the ROR of Jan-1947, Maulvi Jalal ud Din Shams had a written debate with an american Baptist missionary in Syria, Alfred Nelson, this was arranged by Syed Muneer Al-Husni (this happened in the 1930’s).
The ROR of Jan-1947 mentions Maulana Abul Ata and how he took over for Jalal ud Din Shams in 1931. He works in Egypt and Syria and has does lots of work with Syed Muneer Al-Husni (the Qadiani-Ahmadi Ameer of Syria). The ROR also alleges that the biggest accomplishment of Maulana Abul Ata was the launching of an arabic only magazine, Al-Bashir. Which is published from Kababir, Haifa, Palestine (modern day Israel). The ROR also names his successor, Maulvi M. Saleem, who seems to have stayed in the Palestine area for 5-10 years, then worked in South India. After Maulvi M. Saleem tenure was over, the Qadiani’s sent a man named Maulvi Muhammad Sharif (In 1947, is working as the missionary in-charge of Palestine). The ROR then discusses how Maulvi Sayyid Zayn al-῾Abidin Waliullah Shah was sent, then how Jalal-ud-Din Shams was sent. Followed by 4 additional missionaries, Maulana Abul Ata, Shaikh Mahmud Irfani, Maulvi M. Saleem and Maulvi Muhammad Sharif, nevertheless, we have posted the ones that we know. The ROR of Jan-1947 also claims that Jalal-ud-Din Shams wrote a book entitled, “The Life or Death of Christ”. The ROR alleges that great thinkers like Ahmad Zaki Pasha (of Egypt) appreciated the work of Ahmadi’s (a lie), there was a also a parliamentarian of Syria (Wazir of the Syrian government) named Mohsin Bek Al-Barazi who was impressed (another lie). The ROR also alleges that Jalal-ud-Din Shams wrote 5+ books in Arabic while in the middle east, the stabbing of Jalal-ud-Din Shams is also mentioned. The ROR mentions many controversies in Palestine and Jalal-ud-Din Shams verbally attacked the ulema of Palestine for believing that Eisa (as) hadn’t died yet. It is also noted how Maulana Abul Ata, Shaikh Mahmud Irfani held controversies with many professors at the Al-Azhar university. All of these Qadiani-Ahmadi’s debated the Bahai’s also.
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1962
In 1962 Al-Azhar released a fatwa declaring that Ahmadis had deviated from Islam excepting the separatist Lahore group. However, beyond the sphere of purely scholarly disputes, more public opposition to the Ahmadiyya movement has historically been championed by the Muslim Brotherhood who placed the Ahmadis with denominations they believed “posed a threat to Islam”, actively deterring other Muslims from joining them and refusing them burial in Muslim cemeteries.
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2008
In 2008, the Ahmadiyya satellite television channel MTA 3 Al Arabiya, which had been transmitting to the Arab regions for almost a year via the Egyptian-owned company Nilesat, was shut down by the government without prior notice. The channel now runs via the European-based Eutelsat – Atlantic Bird 4 with coverage across the Middle East and North Africa. Ahmadis, along with other Muslim groups deemed to be deviant have been hounded by police under Egypt’s defamation laws and governments that seek to outdo the Muslim Brotherhood in championing Sunni orthodoxy.
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2010
Eleven Ahmadis were arrested in Egypt on 15 March 2010 and nine detained under Egypt’s emergency law—a law ostensibly restricted to addressing crimes involving terrorism or drug trafficking—on charges of ‘contempt of religions’ and ‘undermining national stability’.[33][34][35] These Ahmadis were held by the State Security Investigation in Cairo, Qalyubia, Minya and Sohag governates and interrogated specifically about their religious beliefs for two months without being brought to court or indicted. According to the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), the arrests and interrogations were in violation of both Egypt’s constitution, which protected the freedom of belief and expression, as well as its international obligations.
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2020
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2021
Mass expulsions happened in the Ahmadiyya jamaat.
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Links and Related Essay’s
“Qadian Kei Aryah Aur Hamm” (1907), quotes and background information
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