Intro
Watch my video on this herein. Modern day Netherlands is the home of the old Dutch Empire, which had many colonies all over the world, most notably in Indonesia, Africa and Suriname (South America). Although the Dutch Empire had allowed Ahmadi’s to come to Indonesia and Suriname in the 1920’s, they had not authorized Ahmadi’s to come to the Netherlands. It was after WW-2 and most likely via pressure from the British and the USA that Ahmadi missionaries were allowed into the Netherlands.

In relation to the early history of Ahmadiyyat in the Netherlands, we find the mention of Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dard’s visit to this country. The year commonly mentioned is 1926. For instance, it is stated in Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat (Vol. 11, p. 149) that the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat reached the Netherlands “after the inauguration of the Fazl Mosque London” in 1926, through Dard Sahib’s lectures in various societies there. Moreover, Hafiz Qudratullah Sahib – missionary to the Netherlands who established the Ahmadiyya mission there in 1947 – mentions the same year in his autobiography (Dastan-e-Hafiz Bazuban-e-Hafiz, p. 66).

Per Ahmadiyya sources, the jamaat was established in 1947 (See Mosques Around the World, 1994). Hafiz Qudratullah was the first formal missionary sent to Holland in 1947. However, Ahmadi missionaries had went to Holland and given lectures prior to this.

In 1955, the first Ahmadiyya temple/mosque was opened (the Mubarak Mosque). Zafrullah Khan was there and did the ceremony.

By 1979, the Ahmadiyya Movement was claiming to have 1 mission house and 1 mosque in the country. By 2021, there are only 2-3 Ahmadiyya places of worship and one mission house.

Also, read my report on the history of Ahmadiyya in Indonesia and Suriname (old Dutch colonies).

In 2025, a man from Holland arrived in the UK on an all expenses paid trip to the UK for the 2025 UK Jalsa and even met with the Khalifa. He didn’t speak in this clip. Also in 2025, via an episode of this week with hujoor, it was stated by the National Mohtamin Atfal for Holland reported that there were 198 Ahmadi’s boys under the age of 15 in the entire country.

In what seems to be July of 1946, in London, 14 Qadiani-Ahmadi Maulvi’s took a picture together (see Rashid Ahmad’s, “Perseverance”, page 44). The Al-Hakam alleges that 9 of them were sent from Qadian.

Standing (Right to Left)
Chaudhry Allah Ditta (Ataullah), Syed Safirud Din (stayed in London), Muhammad Usman Siddique (Sierra Leone), Maulvi Karim ilahi, Maulvi Ghulam Ahmad Bashir (first he went to Switzerland, then the Netherlands), Chaudhary Abdul Latif (first he went to Switzerland, then the Netherlands, then Germany), Hafiz Qudratullah (Netherlands), Chaudhry Zahoor Ahmad Bajwa, M. Ihsaq Saqi (Spain and then Trinidad and Tobago).

Sitting (Right to Left)
Master Muhammad Ibrahim Khalil (Italy and later Sierra Leone), Malik Abdur Rahman, Maulana Jalal ud Din Shams (London), Mushtaq A. Bajwa and Sh. Nasir Ahmad (Zurich, Switzerland).


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How many Ahmadi’s are there in the Netherlands as of 2021?

We estimate that there are barely 500 Ahmadi’s in the Netherlands, this is based on the amount of places-of-worship, twitter accounts, photos, and other historical data. Ahmadiyya sources claim 1500, that is a lie.

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Ahmadiyya places of worship in the Netherlands?

—the famous Mubarak Mosque was built in The Hague, Holland. OOSTDUINLAAN 79,
2596 JJ DEN HAAG, NETHERLANDS. Capacity is 500.

—Bait un Noor, in Nunspeet, Holland. Opened in 1985. Capacity is 500. GROENELAANTJE 20,
8072 NUNSPEET NETHERLANDS.

—Baitul Mahmood Mission house inaugurated in 2008.

—Baitul Afiyat Mosque in Almere inaugurated in 2019.
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Ahmadiyya missionaries in the Netherlands

—1947, Hafiz Qudratullah was sent to the Netherlands
—1947, Chaudhry Abdul Latif was also sent but left for Germany
—1956, Hafiz Qudratullah
—1957, Abdul Hakim Akmal was the missionary in-charge
—1961, M. Masud Ahmad Jhelumi (see page 16)
—1964–1994, Abdul Hakim Akmal was the missionary in-charge
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When did Jalsa Salana start in the Netherlands? 

The first ever Jalsa Salana was held in 1980.

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1920’s

The Dutch Empire invited Ahmadiyya missionaries to work on converting Muslims to Ahmadiyya in Indonesia and Suriname. The July-1920 edition of the ROR reports that a resident of the Hague in Holland converted to Ahmadiyya.
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1925
Ahmadiyya Archive & Research on X: “Historic First: Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dard’s (ra) 1925 Visit to the Netherlands 🇳🇱✨ In 1925, Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dard (ra) made history as the first Ahmadi missionary to visit the Netherlands! 📜 His arrival in Amsterdam, photographed in front of the C.S., marked a https://t.co/TeH6U8ZXje” / X
Maulana Abdur Raheem Dard aka M. Rahim Bakhsh – ahmadiyyafactcheckblog

Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dard’s 1925 visit to the Netherlands. In 1925, Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dard made history as the first Ahmadi missionary to visit the Netherlands! His arrival in Amsterdam, photographed in front of the C.S., marked a significant moment for the Ahmadiyya Community.
Invited by: A society called “De Vrij-Religieuse Tempel” (The Free Religious Temple), established in Amsterdam, invited Dard to deliver a series of lectures. His talks sparked great interest and gained extensive press coverage, spreading the message of MGA across the country.  This visit was a powerful step in sharing the true teachings of Islam and Ahmadiyyat with a new audience.

#IslamicHistory #Ahmadiyya #Netherlands

 

Early schedule of lectures: February 1925

Initially, Dard Sahibra was to visit the Netherlands in February 1925. De Tempel published an announcement about Dard Sahib’sra proposed lectures in the Netherlands under the heading “Vrij Religieuse Tempel, Valeriusplein 20, Amsterdam—Sunday Morning Meetings”. It stated that he will deliver a lecture, titled “Islam is the only living religion” on 15 February, and “Ahmad, the Promised Messiah” on 22 February. (De Tempel, 1 February 1925, Vol. 2, No. 21, p. 395)

An announcement was published in the 15 February issue as well.

On 16 February, Algemeen Handelsblad announced under the heading “A Mohammedan clergyman in Amsterdam”:

“Thursday, 19 February, in the evening at 8 o’clock, in a public meeting in the building of ‘De Vrij-Religieuse Tempel’ in Amsterdam, Valeriusplein 20, Mr Abdur Rahim Dard M. A., Mohammedan clergyman, will be the speaker. Subject: ‘Islam is the only living religion.’ The speech will be translated directly from English into Dutch.”

Vlissingse Courant of 17 February 1925 published a similar announcement.

Dard Sahib Lectures
Left: Early schedule of lectures | Right: Revised schedule of lectures

Postponement of lectures

Unfortunately, these lectures were postponed due to unforeseen circumstances, as later explained by the Dutch press.

This postponement was announced by Algemeen Handelsblad in its 19 February issue, wherein it was mentioned that Dard Sahibra had to stay in London due to the martyrdom of two Ahmadis in Afghanistan: Maulvi Abdul Haleem Sahib and Maulvi Qari Noor Ali Sahib.

The same periodical mentioned this postponement in its 24 February 1925 issue, along with an introduction to Ahmadiyyat and the claims of the Promised Messiahas:

“The following details were recently published in the Vrij-Religieuse weekly magazine ‘De Tempel’, about the reformist Mohammedan movement, a follower of which was to give a lecture in Amsterdam last week but was prevented from doing so at the last moment:

“‘The Ahmadiyya movement, which is now gaining more and more followers in Western Europe and America as well, is a purely religious movement in Islam of only a recent date. Founded in the year 1890 [sic., 1889] by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad[as], when the number of his followers was only 40, the movement already had several hundred thousand followers at the time of the Founder’s demise in May 1908. At present, in 1921, the number of Ahmadi Muslims amounted to almost a million. The centre of the movement is located in the town of Qadian, situated in the Punjab, at the foot of the Himalayas. Main branches are located in England, Germany, North America, West Africa, the Gold Coast, Mauritius, Egypt, Persia, Bukhara and Australia. The intention of Ahmad[as] of Qadian was to purify Islam from all the evils, superstitions and abuses which had crept in during the later centuries.’”

Dard Sahib 5A 2

Revised schedule for lectures: May 1925

In May 1925, De Tempel published a photograph of Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra, and provided a lengthy introduction of him and Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya. The article stated under the heading “A Muslim Teacher in Our Country”:

“Thursday evening, 7 May, and Sunday morning, 10 May, Mr Abdur Rahim Dard (Rahim Bakhsh) M.A. will speak for the Vrij Religieuse Tempel in the main building of De Vrij Religieuse Tempel, Valeriusplein 20, Amsterdam.

“As our readers will remember, Mr Dard was initially supposed to have given two lectures in Amsterdam in March [sic., February], but the murder in Afghanistan of two prominent Ahmadiyya followers forced him to stay in England. As this message arrived by telegram at the last moment, it was a great disappointment to many.

“On Wednesday, May 6, Mr Dard will arrive at the [Amsterdam] Centraal Station at 9:16 and will give two lectures on the dates mentioned above, for which, we have no doubt, there will be considerable interest.

Dard Sahib
Announcement about the upcoming lectures of Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra

“We believe this is the first time an Indian Mohammedan teacher will speak in public in our country, and it is certainly the first time that this will be an Ahmadiyya teacher. The Ahmadiyya movement in Islam is a reformist movement, about which a series of articles [by Miss Hidayat Budd] have been published in De Tempel.

“Mr Dard occupies a very important position in this movement that has more than a million followers. He has been in Europe for several months and has previously spent many years in Qadian under the leadership of Khalifatul Masih. […]

“So, one will soon have the privilege of being able to hear one of the most gifted and prominent leaders of this movement in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The Vrij Religieuse Tempel seized this opportunity to invite Mr Abdur Rahim Dard to cross over to Holland, since it strives so much to help spread distinct insight of all directions in the spiritual domain of ​​life and thereby also to bring to light the unity that is perhaps often deeply hidden – synthetic and connecting – between all that is apparently far apart. […]

“May Mr Abdur Rahim Dard be given a pleasant welcome and witness a shown interest in a great mind and broad views.”

Towards the end, the article mentioned that “Mr Dard is the head of the Ahmadiyya mosque in London and regularly leads the services there.” (De Tempel, 1 May 1925, Vol. 3, No. 3, p. 48)

Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant also announced the revised schedule of his lectures in its 1 May 1925 issue, stating that Dard Sahibra “is the head of the Ahmadiyya mosque in London and regularly leads the services there.”

Dard Sahib’sra arrival in the Netherlands

On 6 May 1925, Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra arrived in the Netherlands. Upon his arrival, De Courant Het nieuws van den dag and De Telegraaf published his photograph with the following caption:

“Abdur Rahim Dard will speak tomorrow evening and Sunday morning at the Vrij Religieuse Tempel in Amsterdam.”

On the same day, Het volk: Dagblad voor de arbeiderspartij wrote:

“Vrij Religieuse Tempel, Valeriusplein 20. Thursday at 8 pm Mr Abdur Rahim Dard, a Mohammedan teacher, will speak.”

On 7 May 1925, De Telegraaf once again announced his arrival and also gave a detailed introduction of the Promised Messiahas.

Algemeen Handelsblad published a photograph of Dard Sahibra in its 7 May 1925 issue.

The lectures

De Tempel, in its 15 May 1925 issue, published a detailed article about Dard Sahib’sra lectures, along with two photographs.

Dard Sahib DE Tempel

The first caption read: “I. Mr Abdur Rahim Dard M. A, photographed in front of the C.S. upon his arrival in Amsterdam. II. The Leader of the Vrij Religieuse Tempel.”

The second caption said: “Mr Dard, after the Sunday morning meeting, in the midst of a group of leading Temple members.”

The article began:

“At the invitation of De Vrij Religieuse Tempel, Mr Abdur Rahim Dard M.A. stayed in Amsterdam from 6 to 10 May and gave two lectures there. In a small press conference, arranged by us for this purpose, where representatives of various major groups showed their interest, we found Mr Dard willing to provide us with some information about the remarkable movement in Islam, of which he is a representative, and also about some issues of the East, seen from the standpoint of the Ahmadiyya.”

The article then mentioned Dard Sahib’sra message to the people of the Netherlands, wherein he stated that he has brought “the news that God has raised a Prophet in India. His name is Ahmad[as]. He says that he has been sent by God. He comes from the East as the Gospel of Matthew says: ‘For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. [Matthew, 24:28].’ The prophecy of the world has been fulfilled in the person of Ahmad[as]. The people of Holland may believe in him, and that the keys that open heaven have been given to him. This is my message to your people. I am the first Indian who comes to you with this feeling of gratitude and brotherhood.” (De Tempel, 15 May 1925, Vol. 3, No. 4, p. 64)

The article gave a detailed introduction of the Promised Messiahas and Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya in light of Dard Sahib’sra lectures. It wrote: “The world of Islam is divided and can only become one, said Mr Dard, if it unites in our Community.”

It further stated that “another important distinction” between the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and other religious movements is that it believe that “God still speaks in words.” (Ibid., p. 65)

Several other Dutch periodicals covered his visit and published his photographs as well.

De Tempel, on 1 August 1925, published an article titled “Dr. Rudolf Steiner’s Departure and the Spiritual Status of Europe”, by Marcel van de Velde, which mentioned:

“We had so recently such row of representatives of the East: Krishnamurti, Rabindranath Tagore, Sadhu Sundar Singh, Jinarajadasa, Murshid Inayat Khan, Abdur Rahim Dard, and those who will follow.”

More lectures: October 1925

De Tempel of 1 September 1925 announced additional lectures in October by Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra, under the heading “Lectures on Islam”:

“Mr Abdur Rahim Dard M. A. of London will give two lectures in the Vrij Religieuse Tempel, namely on Thursday evening 8 and Sunday morning 11 October. It will certainly be pleasant for many to meet this sympathetic Indian teacher again and those who were unable to attend last time will now have the opportunity to listen to his lecture. The interest in his previous lectures was great and will certainly not be less now.”

Announcing the lecture dated 11 October, Algemeen Handelsblad wrote on 10 October:

“The Vrij Religieuse Tempel, 10:30, Valeriusplein 20. Abdur Rahim Dard M. A., Mohammedan cleric of the Ahmadiyya Mosque in London. Subject: Life and Teachings of Mohammed[sa].”

On 15 October 1925, De Tempel published the lecture of Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra, titled “Islam and civilization”. Mentioning this, Nieuwe Vlaardingsche Courant of 23 October 1925 wrote under the heading “The Temple”:

“The contents of the issue of October 15 of ‘De Tempel’, a magazine dedicated to Vrij Religieuse [Tempel], published by Mij. de Vrij Rel. Tempel, in Amsterdam, are as follows: […] Islam and Civilization, by Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dard. […]”

Delftsche Courant of 23 October 1925 also referred to the same under the heading “De Tempel (Valeriusplein 20, Amsterdam)”:

“The Imam of the first mosque in London, Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dard, writes about Islam and civilization.”

The second lecture was then published in the 1 November 1925 issue of De Tempel, titled “Life and Teachings of Muhammad”.

Dard Sahib Lectures 1925

In his autobiography, Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra mentions a letter highlighting the significance of these lectures. He writes:

“On 5 September 1948, Hafiz Qudratullah wrote me from The Hague:

“‘The Holland Mission is indebted to you. You had delivered lectures in Amsterdam at some time, which were later compiled in a book form as well. We are utilising that [book] now. Once in London, while re-organising the old papers, I found around 60 copies of your book. I brought them here. Since we had no literature in Dutch yet, we have been utilising this very book. […] May Allah the Almighty reward you for this good work. Amin.’” (File)

Dard Sahibra also quotes a South African newspaper that mentions his lectures, stating:

“‘Islam and Civilisation’ is the title of the first of the three pamphlets. It is a lecture of Mr A.R. Dard (of London) delivered in Amsterdam last year. It treats of the various scientific discoveries made by Muslims.

“This London gentleman also delivered another address while he was residing in Amsterdam, ‘Life and Teachings of Muhammad’ follows the same plan as that outlined in ‘Islam and Civilisation’ which is suitable for distribution on a mass scale.” (The Moslem Outlook, 11 December 1926). (File)

In 1926, mentioning the upcoming inauguration of the Fazl Mosque, Tilburgsche Courant wrote under the heading “The Mosque in London”, and stated:

“The Imam (leader) of this first Mosque will be Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dard M. A. (this gentleman also appeared several times in Amsterdam as a speaker, as a guest of the Vrij Religieuse Tempel).” (Tilburgsche Courant, 30 September 1926)

Dard Sahib London Mosque Netherlands 1925

In one of her articles for The Review of Religions, Miss Hidayat Budd mentioned the foundation laying ceremony for the first Free-Religious Temple in Holland, and wrote:

“In the annals of Ahmadiyyat in Holland the name of the Vrij Religieuse Tempel will ever be mentioned with gratitude: By the Grace of Allah, several times already Maulvi Abdur Rahiem Dard[ra] has been a guest of this Society, delivering from its platform the Message of Ahmad[as] to the Dutch public; and the bi-monthly paper of this Society, ‘De Tempel,’ is also always open to Islam.” (The Review of Religions, Vol. 25, July 1926, pp. 1-2).
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1926

In the March-1926 edition of the ROR, it is explained how the Dutch empire allowed Ahmadi’s into Indonesia.

In relation to the early history of Ahmadiyyat in the Netherlands, we find the mention of Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dard’s visit to this country. The year commonly mentioned is 1926. For instance, it is stated in Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat (Vol. 11, p. 149) that the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat reached the Netherlands “after the inauguration of the Fazl Mosque London” in 1926, through Dard Sahib’s lectures in various societies there. Moreover, Hafiz Qudratullah Sahib – missionary to the Netherlands who established the Ahmadiyya mission there in 1947 – mentions the same year in his autobiography (Dastan-e-Hafiz Bazuban-e-Hafiz, p. 66).
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1926

Abdur Rahim Dard travelled from London to Holland and delivered a number of lectures in Amsterdam. He started a fortnightly magazine in Dutch and also published a few pamphlets introducing the teachings of Ahmadiyyat.
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1927

Mufti Muhammad Sadiq seems to have married a Dutch lady, named Hidayat Budd. This must be around 1927. The lady went with him to Qadian and I remember her residing at Mufti Sahib’s house. The photo of Hidayat Budd was published in the May-1929 edition of the ROR.

Hidayat Budd

In the December-1927 edition of the ROR, a convert named Bronkhorst is alleged.

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1934

The ROR of June-1934 alleges that the Qadiani-Ahmadi missionary Maulana Abdur Raheem Dard had 2000 letters published and sent to Holland (Netherlands). 
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1946

On October 13, 1946 the three Ahmadi missionaries, Sheikh Nasir Ahmad, Abdul Latif and Ghulam Ahmad Bashir met in Zurich, Switzerland, intending to establish a mission in Germany. However, due to the recent conclusion of the war, they were unable to enter the country. As a result, a mission was established in Zurich instead. Soon after, Abdul Latif and Ghulam Ahmad Bashir left the country for the Netherlands, whilst Sheikh Nasir Ahmad continued to serve Switzerland for the following 16 years, until 1962. During this period a German translation of the Quran was published and an Islamic journal Der Islam was founded. (Ahmadiyya Muslim Mosques Around The World – A Pictorical Presentation. Ahmadiyya Muslim Community; Khilafat Centenary Edition. 2008. ISBN 978-1882494514).

In what seems to be July of 1946, in London, 14 Qadiani-Ahmadi Maulvi’s took a picture together (see Rashid Ahmad’s, “Perseverance”, page 44). The Al-Hakam alleges that 9 of them were sent from Qadian.

Standing (Right to Left)
Chaudhry Allah Ditta (Ataullah), Syed Safirud Din (stayed in London), Muhammad Usman Siddique (Sierra Leone), Maulvi Karim ilahi, Maulvi Ghulam Ahmad Bashir (first he went to Switzerland, then the Netherlands), Chaudhary Abdul Latif (first he went to Switzerland, then the Netherlands, then Germany), Hafiz Qudratullah (Netherlands), Chaudhry Zahoor Ahmad Bajwa, M. Ihsaq Saqi (Spain and then Trinidad and Tobago).

Sitting (Right to Left)
Master Muhammad Ibrahim Khalil (Italy and later Sierra Leone), Malik Abdur Rahman, Maulana Jalal ud Din Shams (London), Mushtaq A. Bajwa and Sh. Nasir Ahmad (Zurich, Switzerland).

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1947
Maulana Abdul Hakim Akmal: One of the pioneer missionaries of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Netherlands (alhakam.org)

The first missionary to be officially posted to the Netherlands was Hafiz Qudratullah Sahib, who reached the Netherlands on 2 July 1947 (History of Jamaat Netherlands, pp. 27-40).

The Khalifa seems to have sent Hafiz Qudratullah (1917-1994) to Holland (Netherlands) as the first Ahmadiyya missionary in the country. Mirza Sharif Ahmad, the youngest surviving son of MGA was also present.


Mirza Sharif Ahmad in Holland (1947). To his right is Hafiz Qudratullah Sahi

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1948—1949

______________________________________________________________________________________________1950

After having served the Jamaat for three years, Hafiz Qudratullah was called back to Pakistan in 1950. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, p. 183) At the time, there were two other missionaries in the Netherlands, one being Maulana Ghulam Ahmad Bashir, who was posted in 1947, and Maulana Abu Bakr Ayub, who was posted in 1950.

Via the Muslim Sunrise of the 4th Quarter-1951, Khalil Ahmad Nasir is the editor of the Moslem Sunrise, as well as the new missionary-in-charge of the USA. Khalil Ahmad Nasir gave 2141 Leroy Place, N.W., Washington D.C., 2532 Center Ave, Pittsburgh, 613 Locust Street, St. Louis, MO and at 115 W. 116th St. Suite-2, NY, NY. It is reported how 7 Qadiani-Ahmadi’s maulvi’s met up in Zurich, Switzerland, in July of 1951. The 7 are Maulana Karam ilahi Zafar (Spain), Bashir Ahmad Orchard (Scotland), Ghulam Ahmad Bashir (Netherlands), Abdul Latif (Germany), Nasir Ahmad (Switzerland), Zahur Ahmad Bajwa (England), Ataur Rahman Malik (France). Bashir Ahmad Orchard has an essay vs. Christianity. Zafrullah Khan has an essay on “Islam and World Affairs”. It is announced that there will be an American edition of “Ahmadiyyat and the True Islam”, the book can be bought via the Ahmadiyya headquarters at 2141 Leroy Place, N.W., Washington D.C. Sufi M.R. Bengalee’s “The Tomb of Jesus” is available for purchase, as well as 3 books by Zafrullah Khan, 1 book by MGA: “The Teachings of Islam” aka “The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam”. 9 books by the 2nd Khalifa and 2 books by J.D. Shams.

The 3rd photo (seems to be from the 1950’s) you can see Hafiz Qudratullah, (Qadiani missionary in Holland) and Zafrullah Khan in what looks like the 1950’s, they are giving something (Ahmadiyya literature) to Prince Fahd Al-Faisal (unknown person).

The Ahmadiyya Gazette (June-1950) reports that Ahmadi’s are working on building a temple in the Hague, Netherlands. The 2nd Qadiani-Ahmadi Khalifa says that he wants Ahmadi women to pay for the new temple in Holland (Netherlands).
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
1953
See Ahmadiyya Muslim Mosques Around The World – A Pictorical Presentation. Ahmadiyya Muslim Community; Khilafat Centenary Edition. 2008. ISBN 978-1882494514

Ahmadiyya sources allege that a Dutch translation of the Quran was published. Zafrullah Khan lays the foundation stones for the new mosque/temple that is set to be constructed.

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1955
https://ahmadiyyafactcheckblog.com/2019/02/10/who-is-maulvi-sher-ali-1875-1947/
AHMADIYYA MOSQUE: Netherlands

The 2nd Qadiani-Ahmadi Khalifa arrives on June-18-1955 (See Ahmadiyya Muslim Mosques Around The World – A Pictorical Presentation. Ahmadiyya Muslim Community; Khilafat Centenary Edition. 2008. ISBN 978-1882494514) and offers prayers, this was part of his famous tour of Europe in 1955.

The first edition of the english translation of the Quran by Maulvi Sher Ali was published from Holland in 1955. By 1979, it was up to its 12th edition.

In 1955-56, Zafrullah Khan married a teenage palestinian refugee (Bushra Rabbani), who was already married, had hella sex with her, then let her go). He had brought her to the Netherlands and they slept together at the Ahmadiyya Mission House.

Mobarak Mosque – The Hague, Netherlands

The Mobarak Mosque in The Hague is the first purpose-built mosque in the Netherlands.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community came to the Netherlands in 1947 and Qudrat-Ullah Hafiz was the first missionary. The mosque designed by Frits Beck was opened by Sir Muhammad Zafarullah Khan on 9th of December 1955. On 3 June 2006 Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands had visited the Mobarak Mosque to commemorate the building’s 50th anniversary


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1956

In 1955-56, Zafrullah Khan married a teenage palestinian refugee (Bushra Rabbani), who was already married, had hella sex with her, then let her go). 

Mirza Tahir Ahmad visited the Netherlands.


Mirza Tahir Ahmad at the Ahmadiyya mission in Holland (1956)

Zafrullah Khan had his final marriage was in 1955-1956, a short lived and haraam marriage, with a Lebanese (Palestinian refugee) girl named Bushra Rabbani (18 years old), who was living in Syria at the time. Zafrullah Khan stopped in during his trip to London (we don’t know if it was coming or going)(see “Ahmadiyya Movement: British-Jewish Connections” by Bashir Ahmad [1995], pages 325-326). It’s unclear how and when he met up with the Khalifa.

Evening star 18 May 1956, Fri ·Page 1

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1957

Maulana Abdul Hakim Akmal reached the Netherlands on 6 December 1957. He served the Jamaat for various periods in the Netherlands. First from 1957 to 1961, then from 1964 to 1970, then from 1972 to 1977, and at last, from 1981 to 1994 (Ibid., p. 108). 

Via the Muslim Sunrise of the 3rd Quarter-1957, Khalil Ahmad Nasir is the editor of the Moslem Sunrise, as well as the missionary-in-charge of the USA. Khalil Ahmad Nasir gave 2141 Leroy Place, N.W., Washington D.C., 4448 S. Wabash Ave, Chicago, 2532 Center Ave, Pittsburgh, at 118 W. 87th St., NY, NY and a new location at 1440 N. Curson St. Los Angeles, Ca. This edition has 1 book by MGA: “The Teachings of Islam” aka “The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam”. 11 books by the Qadiani 2nd Khalifa, 2 by Mirza Bashir Ahmad, 4 by Zafrullah Khan, 1 book by Sufi M.R. Bengalee, 1 book by J.D. Shams, 2 books by Shaikh Nasir Ahmad, a book by Zahoor Ahmad Bajwa (missionary-in-charge in England), 2 books from A.R. Dard and 3 books by Khalil Ahmad Nasir. A Qadiani-Ahmadi German/Dutch/English translation of the Quran is also available for sale as well as an english commentary of the Quran (this was very short and never went past Chapter 4 of the Quran) by the 2nd Khalifa and his team, this was started back in 1914 and never fully completed, instead, people in American used the Lahori-Ahmadi’s version of the Quran by Maulvi Muhammad Ali. A new Ahmadiyya mission in the Netherlands is announced, they seem to have bought a residential property and began calling it the Mubarak Mosque. A speech by Zafrullah Khan (from March 26-1957), the speech is entitled, “Toward Understanding the Middle East”. The 2nd Qadiani-Ahmadi Khalifa has an essay wherein he tries to refute a book by Christians (Constance E. Padwick and E. M. Mitchell), however, these books were supported by the British Government and even circulated in Africa.


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1961

Click to access NY-Souvenir-1989.pdf

M. Masud Ahmad Jhelumi (see page 16) arrives as a missionary.
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1962
(Ahmadiyya Muslim Mosques Around The World – A Pictorical Presentation. Ahmadiyya Muslim Community; Khilafat Centenary Edition. 2008. ISBN 978-1882494514).

Hafiz Qudratullah is still the missionary-in-charge.
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1964

From 1964 to 1994, Maulana Abdul Hakim Akmal served as the missionary in-charge of the Netherlands. He also served the Jamaat in Belgium in 1987 and had the honour of establishing the Jamaat in Luxembourg in 1989. In total, he served the Community for a period of approximately 32 years. (In Memory of Abdul Hakim Akmal, a biography by Shoaib Akmal, 9 December 2005)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1967

In 1967, Khalifatul Masih III travelled to Europe, leaving Rabwah on 6 July and returning home on 24 August, 1967. On July 28th, he gave a short lecture at Wandworth Town Hall, London. He also visited Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Denmark and England. During his visit to England, he took a break in the Lake District and staggered tourists and the local people with his flawless Oxford accent. In Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, Khalifatul-Masih III inaugurated the first mosque built entirely by the financial contributions of Ahmadi women.
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1971

Via the Muslim Sunrise of June-July-1971, Mirza Nasir Ahmad’s tour of West Africa is mentioned. He toured, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia and the Gambia. On May-8, while in Sierra Leone, he opened a new temple-mosque in honor of Maulvi Nazir Ahmad Ali, who had died therein. On May-14-1970, Mirza Nasir Ahmad left Sierra Leone for Holland (modern day Netherlands). Zafrullah Khan received him at the airport in Holland. It is alleged that Ahmadi’s from Switzerland, Denmark and Germany. The same lecture by Mirza Mubarak Ahmad is continued, he talks about “The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam” and “Khutbah ilhamia”.  The speech by Zafrullah Khan at the World Conference of Religion and Peace that was held in Kyoto, Japan on Oct. 15-22, 1970 is given. The 24th Annual Jalsa Salana is announced, the dates are Sep. 3-5th, 1971, it will be held at the Ambassador Hotel in Washington D.C., Ahmadi’s from Canada will also attend. Maulvi A.R. Khan Bengali is the editor and his headquarters is at the Dayton Mosque-temple at 637 Randolph St, Dayton, Ohio.
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1973

Via the Muslim Sunrise of July-1973, the Ahmadiyya Movement has 5 locations in America, 2141 Leroy Place, Washington D.C. 20008, 637 Randolph St, Dayton, OH, 185 North Wabash Ave, Chicago, iL, 60601 (this seems to be down the street from the Ahmadiyya temple-residence at 4448 S. Wabash Ave), 604 Wandless St, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, 2519 Arch St, Philadelphia, 19139, 4385 N. Greenbay Ave, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53209, 147-20 Archer Ave, Jamaica-Queens, 11435. It also gives out its global mailing addresses in Nairobi-Kenya, Tabora-Tanzania, Accra-Ghana, Kumasi-Ghana, Lagos-Nigeria, Freetown-Sierra Leone, Monrovia-Liberia, Bathurst-Gambia, Rangoon-Burma and Toronto,-Canada. A Friday sermon by Mirza Nasir Ahmad from May-4-1973 is given, this is the speech wherein he discusses the fact that Ahmadi’s were declared as Non-Muslim in Azad Kashmir. The next issue of the Muslim Sunrise (September-October issue) will be most probably distributed at the annual convention of the
Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, to be held during August-31-September 2, 1973, at Forest College, Lake Forest, Illinois. Meanwhile, the subscribers are requested to send their subscriptions ($3.00 per year) to the Missionary-in-Charge, 2141 Leroy Place, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20008. Please send your complete mailing address to the Manager, Sister Rehana Salam, c/o the Dayton Mosque, 637 Randolph Street, Dayton, Ohio, 45408. Thank you. It has an essay by Muhammad Ali Chaudhri, who is the Principal, T. l College, Rabwah, Pakistan. It also has an essay from Dr. Qazi Muhammad Barkatullah. Ahmadiyya global missions are mentioned, in the UK, Denmark, Germany (Hamburg and Frankfurt), Holland (Netherlands), B.A. Orchard in Ireland, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland, Japan, Indonesia (Suva), Fiji, Guyana, Trinidad, Mauritius, Borneo, Sri Lanka, Syria and Singapore.

The EDITORIAL BOARD is as follows:
Editor— Mian Muhammad Ibrahim
Advisory Editor— Imam Sharif Ahmad Bajwa
Contributing Editors— Hasan Hakeem, Dr. Basharat Ahmad Munir, Dr. Qazi Muhammad Barkatulla.
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1974

Per the Muslim Sunrise of Summer-1974, only 4 locations are given for Ahmadiyya in the USA, and nothing in Chicago. The Ahmadiyya headquarters at 2141 Leroy Place, N.W., Washington D.C., 637 Randolph St, Dayton, Ohio (Ahmadiyya temple). A mission house at 1064 Union Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11225 and a mission house at Pomeroy Road , R.D. 5, Athens, Ohio 45701. It also gives global locations of Ahmadiyya missions, in countries like Canada, Guyana, Trinidad, Denmark, England, Germany, Holland (aka Netherlands), Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ghana, The Gambia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Ceylon (aka Sri Lanka), Fiji, Indonesia, Phillipines and Singapore. Mirza Muzaffar Ahmad gave the inaugural speech at the 1974 USA Jalsa (27th USA Jalsa), held at Wheelock College on Sep-1-1974. It also has an essay by Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir (Professor of Political Science, Long Island University). Muhammad Siddique Shahid Gurdaspuri also gave a speech at the at the 1974 USA Jalsa (27th USA Jalsa), another speech from the same Jalsa by Muhammad Ahmad Sadiq (from Boston) is also given. The Editor of the Muslim Sunrise is Maulvi Mian Muhammad Ibrahim. The Advisory-editor is, Imam M.S. Shahid (aka Muhammad Siddique Shahid Gurdaspuri). Contributing editors are Hasan Hakeem, Dr. Basharat Ahmad Munir, Dr. Qazi Muhammad Barkatullah, Rab Nawaz Malik and Dr. M.M. Abbas. This magazine was published from the Dayton Mosque, 637 Randolph Street, Dayton, Ohio, 45408.
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1975

The Muslim Sunrise of April-1975 was published from Dayton, Ohio, via the Ahmadiyya Temple at 637 Randolph Street, Dayton, Ohio, 45408. The Editor of the Muslim Sunrise is Maulvi Mian Muhammad Ibrahim. The Consulting-editor is Imam M.S. Shahid (aka Muhammad Siddique Shahid Gurdaspuri). Contributing editors are Hasan Hakeem, M.M. Abbas PhD, Q. M. Barkatullah PhD, Rab Nawaz Malik PhD, Basharat Ahmad Munir PhD and Khalil Ahmad Nasir PhD. The headquarters of Ahmadiyya in North America is given as 2141 Leroy Place, Washington D.C. 20008. There is speech by Imam M.S. Shahid (Missionary-in-Charge, USA)(aka Muhammad Siddique Shahid Gurdaspuri) which was given on March-30-1975 at “University Campus” in Detroit (not sure where this might be), on Seerat un Nabi Day. There is also an essay by Qazi Muhammad Barkatullah (aka Q. M. Barkatullah) and Professor Khalil Ahmad Nasir PhD (Director International Studies, C.W. Post Center, New York). A speech by Yusuf Amin from the USA-Sep-1974 Jalsa is also given. Ahmadi’s in the UK also held a “Prophet’s Day” at the Al-Fazl Mosque in London on Sunday, April-13-1975, it is alleged that there more than 500 guests. Zafrullah Khan was there and gave a short speech. The Imam of the London Mosque (aka the Fazl Mosque) (B.A. Rafiq) was also there and also gave a short speech. Allegedly, the High Commissioner of the Gambia was also there. The Muslim Sunrise then gives locations of the Ahmadiyya Movement all around the world, starting with P.O. Box 39, Salt Pond, Ghana, P.O. Box 6, Banjul, the Gambia, P.O. Box 3416, Adjame, Abidjan, Ivory Coast, P.O. Box 40554, Nairobi, Kenya, P.O. Box 618, Monrovia, Liberia, P.O. Box 6, Rose Hill, Mauritius, P.O. Box 418, Lagos, Nigeria, P.O. Box 11, Bo and P.O. Box 353, Freetown, Sierra Leone, Mr. M.G. Ibrahim, P.O. Box 4195, Capetown, South Africa, P.O. Box 376, Darresalam, Tanzania, P.O. Box 343, Kampala, Uganda, 99 Driebergs Avenue, Colombo 10, Ceylon, P.O. Box 3758, Samabula, Suva, Fiji, Qadian, District Gurdaspur, Punjab, India, Djl, Balikpapan 1/10, Djakarta 1/13, Indonesia, Haji Muhammad Ebbah, Simunal, Bongao, Sulu, Philippines, 111 Onan Rd, Singapore 15, Eriksminde Alle 2, Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark, 16 Gressenhall Road, London, S.W. 18 and 152 Nithsdale Road, Glasgow S1, United Kingdom, Die Moschee, Wiekstrasse, 24 Hamburg, Stellingen and Die Moschee, Babenhouser, Landstrasse 25, Frankfurt, Germany, De Moschee, Oostduinlaan 79, Den Haag, Holland, Mission Ahmadia del Islam, Colonja San Nicolas 19, Madrid 21, Spain, Islams Ahmadiyya Mission, All Manna Vagen 21, 41460, Goteborg, Sverige, Sweden, 323 Forchstrasse, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland. They also give 5 Ahmadiyya locations in the USA, 2141 Leroy PL, N.W. Washington D.C., 637 Randolph Street, Dayton, Ohio, 45408, 1064 Union Street, Brooklyn, N.Y., 112225, Pomeroy Road, P.O. Box 338, Athens, Ohio, 45701, 2522 Webster Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219 and 4448, S. Wabash Avenue, Chicago, ill, 60615.
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1976

The Muslim Sunrise of July-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 arrival of Mirza Nasir Ahmad is announced, he seems to have already arrived (he landed on July-20-1976) before the publishing of this edition. It is claimed that there are 10 million Ahmadi’s in the world. It is alleged that the attendance at the 1975 Jalsa Salana at Rabwah was the highest ever. Imam M.S. Shahid (Missionary-in-Charge, USA) has an essay. The Ahmadiyya Movement alleges to have 10 million members worldwide and alleges to be an International Organization. They allege to be operating in Ghana, the Gambia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Canada, Guyana, Trinidad, the USA, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Syria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Holland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Yemen, Argentina, Australia, Burma, Bukhara (Uzbekistan), Egypt, Borneo (Brunei?), France, Gulf states (maybe Qatar or the U.A.E.), Hong Kong (China), Iran, Italy, Thailand, Lebanon, Muscat (Oman), Yugoslavia, Iraq, Turkey and Malaysia. It is alleged that in the USA there are 26 jamaats, 300 mosques in Ghana and over 100 mosques in Indonesia. A new mosque in Sweden is mentioned, the Fazl mosque in London is declared as the oldest mosque in Europe (a lie, the Woking is the oldest), 1 mosque in Holland (Netherlands) and 1 mosque in Switzerland, and 2 in West Germany (Frankfurt and Hamburg). The Ahmadiyya Movement then shows its 5 temple-mosques in the USA, St. Louis, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Ny and Dayton. The Dowie prophecy is mentioned. Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir has an essay on world peace. There is also a photo of all of the Jamaat Presidents from Feb-1976. A list of 27 jamaats in the USA are mentioned, my uncle Sharif Ahmad Shah is mentioned at 2001 Newton Way, Concord, Ca 94518, 415-687-0133.


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1978

The Jan-June-1978 issue of the Muslim Sunrise was edited by Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir with Maulana Ata-Ullah Kaleem (who is the missionary-in-charge, USA) as the consulting editor. Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir’s home address is given for private letters. Mian Muhammad Ibrahim’s departure back to Rabwah is announced. An essay by Zafrullah Khan is given. An essay by Maulana Ata-Ullah Kaleem is also given. An essay by Maulvi Shaikh Nasir Ahmad (Maulvi in Switzerland) is also given, he discusses the Yuz Asaf theory and the Shroud of Turin. Ahmadiyya locations around the world are given: Ghana, the Gambia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Canada, Guyana, Trinidad, Sri Lanka, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Denmark, Great Britain (2 locations), Germany, Holland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and they also give 5 Ahmadiyya locations in the USA, 2141 Leroy PL, N.W. Washington D.C., 637 Randolph Street, Dayton, Ohio, 45408, 1064 Union Street, Brooklyn, N.Y., 112225, Pomeroy Road, P.O. Box 338, Athens, Ohio, 45701, 2522 Webster Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219 and 4448, S. Wabash Avenue, Chicago, ill, 60615.
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1979

By 1979, the Ahmadiyya Movement was claiming to have 1 mission house and 1 mosque in the country.

The March-June-1979 edition of the Muslim Sunrise was edited by Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir only. It’s unclear as to who was the missionary-in-charge in the USA. Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir’s private addres is given out for those who have questions about the subject matter, all questions about the business affairs of the Muslim Sunrise are addressed at 2141 Leroy Place, N.W., Washington D.C., at the American Fazl Mosque (which was the headquarters of the USA jamaat). It has essay’s by B.A. Munir on the Dead Sea Scrolls, Sheikh Abdul Qadir, Dr. Qazi Muhammad Barkatullah. It also discusses the “Yuz Asaf” theory and even mentions how it was published in “The Japan Times” of July 14, 1978. It also alleged that Prof. Yasin, head of the post-graduate department of history at Kashmir University, who they allege is a Sunni Muslim, admits that this is the tomb of Eisa (as). The book by German philosopher Andreas Faber-Kaiser whose book “Jesus died in Kashmir” is also mentioned. The Chief Kadhi of Kenya, Sheikh Abdalla Saleh Farsy is mentioned and his opinion on 3:144 is twisted. Ahmadiyya locations around the world are given: the Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Canada, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad, Burma, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. They also give 5 Ahmadiyya locations in the USA, 2141 Leroy PL, N.W. Washington D.C., 637 Randolph Street, Dayton, Ohio, 45408, 1064 Union Street, Brooklyn, N.Y., 112225 and 3336 Maybelle Way, Oakland, CA 94619.
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1980
(Ahmadiyya Muslim Mosques Around The World – A Pictorical Presentation. Ahmadiyya Muslim Community; Khilafat Centenary Edition. 2008. ISBN 978-1882494514)

The Jan-Apr-1980 edition of the Muslim Sunrise was edited by Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir only. It’s unclear as to who was the missionary-in-charge in the USA. Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir’s private address is given out for those who have questions about the subject matter, all questions about the business affairs of the Muslim Sunrise are addressed at 2141 Leroy Place, N.W., Washington D.C., at the American Fazl Mosque (which was the headquarters of the USA jamaat). In this editorial, Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir writes about the visit of the Pope to the USA in 1979 as well as Dr. Abdus Salam winning the Nobel Prize in 1979. A speech by Zafrullah Khan which was given in Oct-1979 at the University of Calgary (department of religious studies) is reproduced. Zafrullah Khan quotes 62:3 and alleges that Muhammad (Saw) was destined to come back into this world. There is also an essay by Abdullah A. Odeh (on Jihad)(from the Odeh family of Kababir, Haifa, Israel). An essay about the Shroud of Turin is also given. Ahmadiyya locations around the world are given: the Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Canada, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad, Burma, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. They also give 5 Ahmadiyya locations in the USA, 2141 Leroy PL, N.W. Washington D.C., 637 Randolph Street, Dayton, Ohio, 45408, 1064 Union Street, Brooklyn, N.Y., 112225 and 3336 Maybelle Way, Oakland, CA 94619.

Mirza Nasir Ahmad (3rd Qadiani-Ahmadi Khalifa) visits from Aug. 4-7th. 
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1981
(Ahmadiyya Muslim Mosques Around The World – A Pictorical Presentation. Ahmadiyya Muslim Community; Khilafat Centenary Edition. 2008. ISBN 978-1882494514)

Mirza Tahir Ahmad visits before his Khilafat.
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1982

The Jan-1982 edition of the Muslim Sunrise was edited by Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir (named as the Editor in Chief), Mubasher Ahmad (M.A., L.L.B.) is named as the managing editor and there are 3 associate editors, Dr. Muhammad Abbas, Dr. M.H. Sajid and Dr. Bashir uddin Usama. Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir’s private address is given out for those who have questions about the subject matter, all questions about the business affairs of the Muslim Sunrise are addressed at 2141 Leroy Place, N.W., Washington D.C., at the American Fazl Mosque (which was the headquarters of the USA jamaat). A book by Zafrullah Khan is quoted, as well as an entire essay entitled, “The Concept of the Second Coming in World Religions”. A speech by Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir which was given at the Ahmadi USA-Jalsa of 1981 is reproduced (held on Sep-5-6-1981 in Washington D.C.), the essay was on the shroud of Turin. A quote is given from Tohfa Golarhviyyah, however, the page number is not given, this is about Ahmadiyya taking over the world. 7 locations of the Ahmadiyya Movement in the USA are given, 2141 Leroy PL, N.W. Washington D.C., 1064 Union Street, Brooklyn, N.Y., 112225, 637 Randolph Street, Dayton, Ohio, 45408, 4448 South Wabash Ave, Chicago, Ill, 60653, 4401 Oakwood St, St. Louis, MO, 63121, 8218 Wyoming, Detroit, MI, 48204 and 3401 Sitrus Ave, Walnut Creek, Ca 94598. Ahmadiyya locations around the world are given: Benin, the Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Canada, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad, Burma, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

The July-1982 edition of the Muslim Sunrise was edited by Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir (named as the Editor in Chief), Mubasher Ahmad (M.A., L.L.B.) is named as the managing editor and there are 3 associate editors, Dr. Muhammad Abbas, Dr. M.H. Sajid and Dr. Bashir uddin Usama. Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir’s private address is given out for those who have questions about the subject matter, all questions about the business affairs of the Muslim Sunrise are addressed at 2141 Leroy Place, N.W., Washington D.C., at the American Fazl Mosque (which was the headquarters of the USA jamaat). Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir wrote about USA President Ronald Reagan and abhorred how he spoke about Jihad. The 2nd Qadiani-Ahmadi Khalifa’s speech at the Annual Jalsa of 1925 at Qadian is reproduced. An essay by Abdullah Nasir, who works as a Director of a Special Training College in Winneba, Ghana is given. Mubarak A. Malik has an essay wherein he alleges that there was a prophecy about Ahmadi’s moving out of Qadian in 1947, he quotes the Al-Fazl of August-16-1947, and July-20-1947. Mubarak A. Malik alleged (via Al-Fazl of July-20-1947), that a group of Sikhs attacked a train full of Qadiani’s. On Aug-21, allegedly, 50 men were killed in Qadian. The family of MGA left Qadian on Aug-25, allegedly, Mirza Nasir Ahmad stayed in Qadian. On Aug-29, the 2nd Qadiani-Ahmadi Khalifa gave his final sermon in Qadian (See Al-Fazl, Sep-1-1947). It was also alleged that 2000 Muslims from the surrounding areas are in Qadian and seeking refuge. 6 locations of the Ahmadiyya Movement in the USA are given, 2141 Leroy PL, N.W. Washington D.C., 637 Randolph Street, Dayton, Ohio, 45408, 4448 South Wabash Ave, Chicago, Ill, 60653, 4401 Oakwood St, St. Louis, MO, 63121 ,8218 Wyoming, Detroit, MI, 48204 and G.P.O. Box 1828 New York, NY,  10116 and 11584 Circle Way, Dublin, Ca 95466. Ahmadiyya locations around the world are given: Benin, the Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Canada, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad, Burma, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
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1983

The Sep-Dec-1983 edition of the Muslim Sunrise was edited by Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir (named as the Editor in Chief), Mubasher Ahmad (M.A., L.L.B.) is named as the managing editor and there are 2 circulation managers, Nazir A. Ayaz and Saeeda Lateef. Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir’s private address is given out for those who have questions about the subject matter, all questions about the business affairs of the Muslim Sunrise are addressed at 2141 Leroy Place, N.W., Washington D.C., at the American Fazl Mosque (which was the headquarters of the USA jamaat). Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir wrote an editorial on “Current Trends in Islamic Thought”. The 1925 Jalsa speech by the 2nd Qadiani-Ahmadi Khalifa is given. An essay by Zafar Ahmad Chaudhry? (Air Marshall of the Pakistani Air Force) on “Ahmadiyya Beliefs: Some Allegations Corrected” is given, in this article he talks about Ahmadiyya Takfir, the Ahmadiyya violation of the Kalima, the Ahmadiyya violation on Jihad, the split in Ahmadiyya and etc. In the next essay, the Munir Inquiry of 1953-54 is mentioned, Zafrullah Khan is mentioned, this is an essay by Dr. Syed Barakat Ahmad. Jihad is also discussed via a newspaper from Ghana named “The Guardian” of Dec-1982. 5 locations of the Ahmadiyya Movement in the USA are given, 2141 Leroy PL, N.W. Washington D.C., 637 Randolph Street, Dayton, Ohio, 45408, 4448 South Wabash Ave, Chicago, Ill, 60653, 4401 Oakwood St, St. Louis, MO, 63121, G. P. O. Box 1828, New York, NY 10116. Ahmadiyya locations around the world are given; Benin, the Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Canada, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Australia, Burma, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
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1984

The March-1984 edition of the Muslim Sunrise was edited by Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir (named as the Editor in Chief), Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir’s private address is given out for those who have questions about the subject matter, all questions about the business affairs of the Muslim Sunrise are addressed at 2141 Leroy Place, N.W., Washington D.C., at the American Fazl Mosque (which was the headquarters of the USA jamaat). Dr. Khalil Ahmad Nasir wrote an editorial vs. William Safire. Sheikh Mubarak Ahmad is announced as the Missionary-in-Charge for the USA, he also has a short essay wherein he mentions Zafrullah Khan. An essay by Zafrullah Khan is given thereafter, Sheikh Mubarak Ahmad wrote the forward. In this essay, the review by Batalvi is mentioned, Sufi Ahmad Jan is also mentioned, it is also alleged that there are 10 million Ahmadi’s in the world. Ahmadiyya locations around the world are given; Benin, the Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Canada, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Australia, Burma, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
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1985
AHMADIYYA MOSQUE: Baitun Nur – Nunspeet Netherlands

Bait un Noor, in Nunspeet, Holland. Opened in 1985. Allegedly Chaudhary Hameedullah was involved in the buying and building of this temple.

 

 

 

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1987

Mirza Tahir Ahmad visited in June. In August of 1987, an attempt was made to arson Noor Mosque, Holland.
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1994

Who is Maulana Abdul Hakim Akmal?

Akmal’s tenure as missionary-in-charge ended.
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2004

The Khalifa visits the Netherlands and gives many speeches at the Jalsa.
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2019

The Khalifa, Mirza Masroor Ahmad seems to have attended the 39th Jalsa Salana of the Netherlands.
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2024
Hamza Sidhu on X: “Alhamdulillah, by Allah Ta’ala’s grace, we welcomed a new Baiat today. Our new convert brought her supportive family and friends, and we shared with them the beautiful message of Islam Ahmadiyyat. Please pray for our new Ahmadi sister, her family, and friends. JazakAllah. https://t.co/kJlMbdNL9X” / X

Maulvi Hamza Sidhu barely has any converts.


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2025

In 2025, a man from Holland arrived in the UK on an all expenses paid trip to the UK for the 2025 UK Jalsa and even met with the Khalifa. He didn’t speak in this clip.

Also in 2025, via an episode of this week with hujoor, it was stated by the National Mohtamin Atfal for Holland reported that there were 198 Ahmadi’s boys under the age of 15 in the entire country.
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Early days of the Holland mission (alhakam.org)

Early days of the Holland mission

Translation of an article written by Hafiz Qudratullah Sahib (1917-1994) who was the first missionary to Holland

Hafiz Qudratullah (1917-1994)

Screenshot 2019 09 26 at 22.36.55
Hazrat Mirza Sharif Ahmadra in Holland (1947). To his right is Hafiz Qudratullah Sahib

The Ahmadiyya mission in Holland was formally established in 1947 when Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IIra appointed me as missionary to the Netherlands. This was just before the formation of Pakistan.

It was a very blessed opportunity, but not knowing the language and my inexperience remained a worry for me; however, I had full trust in Allah and his chosen Khalifa’s prayers. The only hope I had was that I was not going there on a personal business, but was taking there the message of Islam. It was part of the plan that Allah had delegated to the Promised Messiahas and I was going to become a small instrument in the great machinery.

About 15 years before the formal establishment of this mission, the Jamaat had had the opportunity to carry out some pioneering work in Holland. The first ever contact the Jamaat made with this country was through a companion, Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra, who married a Dutch lady, named Hidayat Budd. This must be around 1927. The lady went with him to Qadian and I remember her residing at Mufti Sahib’s house.

The second contact of the Jamaat with Holland was around 1926 when Abdur Rahim Dard Sahibra travelled from London to Holland and delivered a number of lectures in Amsterdam. He started a fortnightly magazine in Dutch and also published a few pamphlets introducing the teachings of Islam Ahmadiyyat.

The third connection with Holland occurred when Jalaluddin Shams Sahibra was able to convert a Dutch gentleman to Islam Ahmadiyyat in London. In the wake of World War II, this young man had moved from Holland and settled in England. He was still around when our mission was founded in Holland in 1947.

I was serving in the London mission when I received a directive of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra that I should travel to Holland and establish a mission there. I departed from England on 1 July 1947 by sea and arrived in Holland the next day.

Screenshot 2019 09 26 at 22.37.04
Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmadrh at the Ahmadiyya mission in Holland (1956)

The first thing I did was to get in touch with the press to publicise my arrival in the country as an Ahmadi missionary. The news also had my address, which was at Columbus Street. I lived there as a lodger with an Indonesian gentleman and his Dutch wife. As the area was not too suitable for missionary activity, I soon moved to the Ruychrocklaan area in The Hague. This rented property remained our mission house until we were able to establish a mosque in the same area in 1955. The mission was moved to the mosque in 1956.

The early days of our mission in Holland were not very easy. I had no knowledge of the Dutch language at all. I had only been able to learn a few day-to-day sentences that could help me make my way through shopping and finding my way around town. This would also lead to humorous situations at times.

On the first day of moving in as a lodger, I asked the landlady where the “toilet” was but she couldn’t understand my question. I thought of another word and asked for the “latrine”. She remained equally confused. Thinking that WC should be a universally known symbol of toilets, I asked to be directed to the “WC”. She still didn’t seem to have a clue of what I was asking for. I then grabbed a piece of paper and wrote the letters W and C. Relieved, she said “Oh, ‘way say’” and then guided me to the toilet. So it took a long and windy route to get to the toilet.

But the blessings of Allah were abundantly showered upon the early efforts of missionising in Holland. I had only spent one night in Holland, when the next morning, a Dutch gentleman knocked at the door and, pronouncing my name with difficulty, asked if I was in. I went to the door and invited him in. Introducing himself, the gentleman said that his name was D Conning and that he had been a Christian missionary in Indonesia. He told me that he had read the news of my arrival in the newspaper that morning and had come to see me and offer help of any kind. He told me that while in Indonesia, he had known two Ahmadi gentlemen who had helped him a great deal, for which he was extremely thankful. He said that he understood how it felt like to be a stranger in a strange land and it was this realisation that had brought him to offer me help. He lived along the same street and was always happy to be of any assistance whenever I required it. I owe him my knowledge of the Dutch language as it was he who gave me the first lessons of Dutch language.

The first Bai‘at

Holland was a completely new place for me and as I have mentioned above, not knowing the language added to the feeling of being estranged. Although one would prioritise learning the language and then making plans for tabligh, yet I felt a deep desire in my heart that something for tabligh should be started straight away. With this desire, I started praying profusely that Allah bless the Jamaat with an Ahmadi of Dutch origin within 40 days of my arrival in Holland.

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Begum Ra‘na Liaqat Ali (wife of Liaqat Ali Khan) was Pakistan’s ambassador to Holland. She maintained good terms with the Ahmadiyya mission

The brief news of my arrival as an Ahmadiyya Muslim missionary that had gone out in the papers played a great role in fulfilling this desire. A Dutch lady, who lived hundreds of miles to the north of The Hague, had been seeing in her dreams the word “Islam” written in green. She had been in search of a Muslim who could guide her to accepting Islam when she saw the news in the national newspapers. She got in touch with me and, after a couple of weeks, travelled to The Hague to see me in person. She was a widow and in her middle ages who now worked as a maid in a rich household to earn her living. She expressed to me her ardent desire to accept Islam, but I advised that she should not make a hasty decision and should find out more about the teachings of Islam. I sent her back with literature about Islam. Having read the books, she came back after another couple of weeks with a great number of questions that she wanted answered. I answered her questions and made her aware of what Islam demands from its followers. I emphasised that accepting Islam came with a lot of responsibility and that she would have to sacrifice a lot to be able to remain a Muslim. I wanted her to make a firm decision and not merely an emotional one, and so I wanted her to have an idea that to be Muslim required a complete transformation in life and lifestyle.

I sent her back to contemplate and pray before she made any decision. She came back in a few days’ time and accepted Islam Ahmadiyyat; it had not been 40 days to my arrival when this happened. All praise be to Allah!

Razia DeBoer, as she was named after accepting Islam, proved to be a devout Ahmadi Muslim and offered great services for the early Ahmadiyya Dutch mission.

A faith-inspiring incident

I had arrived in Holland when Pakistan was in the making. The Jamaat was going through a very challenging period; the Jamaat had migrated to Lahore in Pakistan and was almost disconnected from Qadian. This situation led to a financial strain on the Jamaat and we, the Ahmadi missionaries serving abroad, had decided to make all possible efforts to make ends meet.

Even the London mission was not self-sufficient by then and the headquarters back home was not in a position to offer much in terms of financial support.

It was in these circumstances that a strange incident happened. When Razia came to pledge allegiance to Islam, she handed me 1,000 guilders (then currency in Holland) in an envelope and said that she wanted to offer it for the service of Islam. Aware of her own destitute financial state, I was reluctant to accept her offer. I told her that I was not comfortable in accepting the savings of a widow who struggles to earn her living. I also told her that Islam does not ask for sacrifices that put one under such burden that they end up begging for their own livelihood. She broke down to tears and said:

“Hafiz, I have lived in complete neglect of my God. I am sinful and have wronged myself. Starting my new life as a Muslim, I want to offer this amount in the way of God. I sold a rug for 1,300 guilders and this is what is left. I donate this in the way of Islam.”

I told that her that the most I could do was to write to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih and then do as instructed. So, I wrote to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra, explaining the whole situation. Huzoorra replied that if she was offering this amount out of her sincere religious sentiment, then it may be accepted. When I told her about Huzoor’sra reply, her happiness knew no bounds.

This donation was accepted and later used for publishing a pamphlet titled Good News for the Dutch People. We distributed this pamphlet free of charge outside railway stations during busy hours in the morning. People would take it with them in trains and our message would automatically get to other parts of the country.

Such were the humble beginnings of the Ahmadiyya Muslim mission in Holland.
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Maulana Abdul Hakim Akmal: One of the pioneer missionaries of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Netherlands (alhakam.org)

Maulana Abdul Hakim Akmal: One of the pioneer missionaries of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Netherlands

The author of this essay is the grandson of Maulana Abdul Hakim Akmal Sahib. This article is based mainly on the author’s personal research, and much of the information presented here has been gleaned from personal memories rather than Jamaat’s literature. –The Editor

Suhaib Akmal, The Netherlands
Hakim Akmal Sahib
Maulana Abdul Hakim Akmal

Early contact of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya with the Netherlands

One of the early contacts of the Jamaat with the Netherlands was when Hazrat Chaudhry Zafrulla Khanra visited the Netherlands in 1914 in a personal capacity. Another contact recorded in literature is when a Dutch lady named Mrs Budd, who was inspired by reading an article by Hazrat Maulvi Muhammad-ud-Dinra, performed written bai‘at in 1924. More recent research indicates that there were possibly even earlier contacts and converts before Mrs Budd. Nevertheless, the first missionary to be officially posted to the Netherlands was Hafiz Qudratullah Sahib, who reached the Netherlands on 2 July 1947. (History of Jamaat Netherlands, pp. 27-40)

After having served the Jamaat for three years, Hafiz Qudratullah Sahib was called back to Pakistan in 1950. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, p. 183) At the time, there were two other missionaries in the Netherlands, one being Maulana Ghulam Ahmad Bashir, who was posted in 1947, and Maulana Abu Bakr Ayub, who was posted in 1950.

Maulana Abdul Hakim Akmal Sahib, together with Maulana Hafiz Qudratullah Sahib, Maulana Ghulam Ahmad Bashir Sahib, and Abu Bakr Ayub Sahib, was one of the pioneer missionaries in the Netherlands. Akmal Sahib reached the Netherlands on 6 December 1957. He served the Jamaat for various periods in the Netherlands. First from 1957 to 1961, then from 1964 to 1970, then from 1972 to 1977, and at last, from 1981 to 1994. (Ibid., p. 108)

From 1964 to 1994, he had the honour of serving as the missionary in-charge of the Netherlands. He also served the Jamaat in Belgium in 1987 and had the honour of establishing the Jamaat in Luxembourg in 1989. In total, he served the Community for a period of approximately 32 years. (In Memory of Abdul Hakim Akmal, a biography by Shoaib Akmal, 9 December 2005)

Early life and education

Maulana Abdul Hakim Akmal was born on 4 December 1931 in Qadian. He was the eldest child of Mian Abdur Rahim Sahib and Khadija Begum Sahiba. His ancestors originated in Kashmir. Akmal Sahib’s family was fortunate to have his grandfather, Mian Khair Din Sahib, work in the service of Hazrat Mir Muhammad Ishaqra and it played a significant role in his family’s spiritual upbringing.

He successfully completed his intermediate education and did Maulvi Fazil at the Punjab University in Lahore. In 1947, the family migrated from India to Pakistan. Through Lahore and Chiniot, they eventually arrived in Rabwah. On 8 November 1950, Akmal Sahib decided to dedicate his life to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. He completed his studies at Jamia Ahmadiyya Rabwah in 1956.

On 10 January 1957, Akmal Sahib married Masooda Begum Sahiba. They had six children together, two of whom passed away in infancy. (Ibid.)

Posting to the Netherlands

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra decided to send Akmal Sahib as a missionary to the Netherlands in 1957. Once Akmal Sahib was informed about his posting, he was quite worried because he could not speak a word of Dutch and thought to himself how he would ever be able to spread the message of the Promised Messiahas without knowing the language of its citizens. When Akmal Sahib met Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, he expressed his concerns. When Huzoorra heard of this, he said, “You will learn the language; I shall pray for you.” (Ibid.)

After hearing these words, Akmal Sahib’s worries instantly vanished. Akmal Sahib had, during his time in the Netherlands, never studied the Dutch language at a university. However, because of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’sra special prayers, he became fluent in the language.

Akmal Sahib left Pakistan by ship in September 1957 and arrived in Italy after a couple of days’ journey. From there, he took a train, which took him through France and Belgium to the Netherlands. When he arrived in the Netherlands, he was welcomed at the Mobarak Mosque in The Hague by Hafiz Qudratullah Sahib and his family.

A great difficulty Akmal Sahib endured was that he had to live away from his family for a very long period of time. His wife and children had to stay back in Pakistan, as it was not affordable to bring them along. Although there were occasional visits in between, Akmal Sahib had to live away from his family for more than fifteen years. He would always be fervent in his prayers and had put all his trust in Allah, who eventually instilled in him a strong feeling of comfort and relief from his worries through a dream.

Some of his tabligh efforts

Most of his time was spent in the Netherlands. Hibbatun-Nur Verhagen Sahib, who is currently serving as Amir Jamaat, mentions that Akmal Sahib was one of the first people to do tabligh to him and that on one occasion they sat down in the mosque and he preached to him for two hours. He also used to go for walks in the park near the Mobarak Mosque. Sometimes during his walks, when he used to sit down on a bench, he would preach to the person sitting next to him on the same bench. He used to avail himself of every possibility to do tabligh. (Interview, Hibattun-Nur Verhagen, Life of Abdul Hakim Akmal, 12 May 2019)

Another interesting incident where Akmal Sahib had the opportunity to do tabligh was in a church in Amersfoort. Some priests were gathering and holding an event in a church in Amersfoort. They also wanted to invite someone from the Muslim community who could share his views from an Islamic perspective. The priests were certain that it was highly unlikely for someone to show up from among the Muslims who might be capable enough, and their intention was, in fact, to defame Islam. They knew that many people would come, including Muslims, so they thought that this was a good opportunity for them. The invitation reached a non-Ahmadi imam in Utrecht. He was concerned about the situation and did not know what to do. However, he was informed by someone that there is an imam in The Hague who is very knowledgeable. The imam contacted Akmal Sahib, who was prepared to come to the event and present Islamic teachings. He delivered a very powerful speech on Islam, and afterwards, he also answered the questions people had raised about Islam. Because of Akmal Sahib’s efforts, the priests miserably failed in their objective, and Islam won their hearts. After the session concluded, the Muslims who were present at the church were full of joy and happiness – so much so that they grabbed Akmal Sahib and lifted him into the air! (Audio recording, Shoaib Akmal, Life of Abdul Hakim Akmal, 18 April 2019) Many natives in the Netherlands were converted to Islam through him.

Character and personality

Akmal Sahib used to live a very simple life. It was his routine to go to the market at 4 pm, as this was near the closing time of the market. The sellers used to reduce their prices, and this way he used to save money. However, he was also keen on having nice food and loved to have omelettes for breakfast. Once Abdul Ghany Jahangir Khan Sahib said to Akmal Sahib: “Maulana Sahib, your doctor has forbidden eggs; you shouldn’t eat them.” He replied: “I know, but I can’t help it; I like eggs too much!”. Jahangir Khan Sahib also mentioned that “Akmal Sahib was a gentle, kind, and soft-spoken man. He was very loving towards me. May Allah rest his soul in the highest stations in Paradise.” (Interview, Abdul Ghany Jahangir Khan, Life of Abdul Hakim Akmal, 16 April 2019)

Akmal Sahib was also a poet and wrote a number of poems in Urdu.

Abdul Basit Shahid Sahib wrote that Akmal Sahib was simple in personality and was a contented man in all situations. He had a special character that gave the impression of a serious personality, but his sense of humour was so striking that people were left laughing for a long time afterwards.

Publications

He was humble in character and was able to convincingly pursue the defence of Islam by presenting irrefutable arguments. He made a major contribution to the defence of Islam against the attacks of various Christian groups in the Netherlands. Akmal Sahib also played an important role in the publication of the monthly magazine Al Islam and the translation of several books. In addition, he also published a lot of articles in various newspapers and magazines and wrote a book titled What is Islam?.

In the 1970s, Akmal Sahib was blessed to spend a lot of time in the company of Hazrat Chaudhry Muhammad Zafrulla Khanra, who used to visit the Jamaat during his tenure as the president of the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Special bond with Khilafat

Aslam Javaid Sahib relates that “If there is one thing that I saw in Akmal Sahib’s life, it is that he had much love for Khilafat.” (Interview, Aslam Javaid, Life of Abdul Hakim Akmal, 28 April 2019)

Akmal Sahib was blessed that Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh and Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh visited the Netherlands during his service there. Akmal Sahib had the honour of being the private secretary of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh from 1971 to 1972. (History of Jamaat Netherlands, p. 108)

One incident is that when the Jamaat was informed about the migration of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh from Pakistan to the United Kingdom, Ataul Mujeeb Rashed Sahib telephoned Akmal Sahib, then missionary in-charge, Holland, and gave detailed instructions as to how Huzoorrh was to be received in the Netherlands and that the information of his arrival was to be communicated immediately to London. (The Review of Religions, Migration of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh, May 2007, p. 33)

Akmal Sahib had the blessed opportunity to be the first person to receive Huzoorrh for his temporary stay at the airport and spend some time with him. Later, when Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh visited the Netherlands, he always showed his love to Akmal Sahib. Huzoorrh would also often have informal sessions with the Jamaat members, whereby they would go for bicycle rides and share stories in a very friendly manner, sitting in a park, like family members.

Demise

Akmal Sahib passed away on 10 May 2000. When Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh was informed of the demise of Akmal Sahib, he wrote the following to Masooda Begum Sahiba, the wife of Akmal Sahib:

“The news regarding the demise of dear Abdul Hakim Akmal is very sorrowful, inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji‘un.  May Allah descend His mercy upon him and grant him a place among the most esteemed people. The deceased was very just and a sincere life-devotee. He has served for a long time in the Jamaat Netherlands. He has also brought up his children in a just manner. On this occasion, I would like to convey my condolences to the children. It is my prayer that they may be able to keep alive the work of their father, and may Allah grant them patience.” (In the memory of Abdul Hakim Akmal, a biography by Shoaib Akmal, 9 December 2005)

On 12 May, his funeral prayer was offered at the Mobarak Mosque in The Hague, where many Jamaat members expressed their love for Akmal Sahib. Then, on 13 May, his funeral prayer was led by Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa, who later was elected as Khalifatul Masih Vaa. On 16 June 2000, his funeral prayer in absentia was also led by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh in London. The body of Akmal Sahib was transported to Rabwah, Pakistan, where he was buried in Bahishti Maqbarah. (In the memory of Abdul Hakim Akmal, a biography by Shoaib Akmal, 9 December 2005).
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My nanajan – Chaudhry Hameedullah Sahib (alhakam.org)

My nanajan – Chaudhry Hameedullah Sahib

Sumaira Ahmed, Nunspeet, the Netherlands

Abu Abdur Rahman Auf ibn Malikra relates, “The Holy Prophetsa led the funeral prayer of a deceased person and I preserved his prayer in my memory. He supplicated, ‘Allah, do forgive him and have mercy on him and make him secure, and overlook his shortcomings, and bestow upon him an honoured place in Paradise, and make his place of entry spacious, and wash him clean with water and snow and ice, and cleanse him of all wrong as Thou dost cleanse a piece of white cloth of dirt, and bestow upon him a home better than his home … and admit him into Paradise, and shield him from the torment of the grave and the torment of the Fire”. (Sahih Muslim)

On 7 February 2021, in the early hours of the new day, it started to snow and a wintery day opened up upon us here in the Netherlands. It was a night in which I couldn’t sleep very well, tossing and turning in bed for quite a while before I dozed off.

I then woke up in the morning to the news. The world didn’t know it, but a beautiful being had left the Earth this day. It was as if, in his honour, God Almighty had opened up the Heavens and covered the land of the living with a pillow of snow as beautiful, soft and pure as this individual was.

My nanajan [maternal grandfather] had passed away.

اِنَّا‭ ‬لِلّٰهِ‭ ‬وَ‭ ‬اِنَّا‭ ‬اِلَيْهِ‭ ‬رَاجِعُوْن

“Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.” (Ch.2: V.157)

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A young Chaudhry Hameedullah Sahib

I would like to write and share a few memories in honour of my dear nanajan, the late Chaudhry Hameedullah Sahib, so that others may also benefit from these observations and experiences.

Chaudhry Hameedullah Sahib was born in our Jamaat’s blessed homeland, Qadian.

The water, grains, plants and fruits of that holy land coursed through his blood right from birth and so it was no doubt that after being touched by such blessed seeds planted by the Promised Messiahas, he would only grow up to be a magnificent and noble tree of the Jamaat, extending his branches and roots to people from all walks of life and from all over the world.

There are many people who worked and served alongside him who can better tell events pertaining to Jamaat activities and how he was in the field (and have done so greatly, because of which even I have learnt many new things), some of which Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa graciously narrated in his Friday Sermon on 12 February 2021, but I would like to share some personal memories and feelings of my nanajan.

I adored him and always loved to be in his company. He loved his family deeply and although I had heard that people in his offices would be scared of him, I could never believe this because all I ever saw and experienced was his big, soft heart.

I saw his kind eyes and cheerful smile, felt his warm hugs and listened to his witty sense of humour as well as his wise and deeply inspiring words full of wisdom. He spoke with purpose and only spoke good words and would say something along the lines of, “Acha bas kardo” (Okay, no more); “Rehney do” (forget it) and “Koi baat nahi” (never mind) if he heard any gossip or form of complaining.

He spoke humbly, yet confidently and even respectfully to us children. He was never loud or rude, but always pleasant to listen to and you would want to do anything he asked you to because he was so kind-hearted. He never spoke in a belittling way or showed off that he knew more than you or was above you because he was older, but would always speak humbly and listen attentively and respectfully even with us children, which inadvertently built our confidence.

He had the honour of being not only able to live and see, but also serve four Khulafa-e-Ahmadiyyat. I recall especially that any time he would talk about Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra, he would get particularly emotional and his eyes would well up.

I never asked why exactly this was, but I assumed that that was his first experience with a Khalifa who, in turn, treated him with great love and affection and so, the thought and memories of receiving such love and serving such a prominent figure in our Jamaat’s history from such a young age must have filled his body with a wave of emotion and inspiration. I only got the chance to visit Pakistan a few times as a child and went once to Qadian with nanajan and nanijan when I was around two years old, but because of the blessings of Ahmadiyyat, he would travel often with nanijan all over the world and for many years, came to the UK for Jalsa and also visited us when we lived in Abu Dhabi.

I remember that for Jalsa Salana UK, nanajan and nanijan would stay in the guest house behind the offices opposite the Fazl Mosque. I would be excited to visit them and over the years, had the opportunity to spend many days in their company, sitting for many hours a day in their room.

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Chaudhry Hameedullah Sahib outside the Fazl Mosque, London

As a child, I was very quiet and shy, but they never expected me to talk; they were just happy for me to be there and never told me that I should leave or shouldn’t come. When it would be time for me to go back home, if my mum wasn’t with me (even when I was older and in my late teens and lived just round the corner to the Fazl Mosque) nanajan wouldn’t want me to go on my own and would walk with me to the gate even, though being the younger and physically healthier one, I felt that I should be walking him back home in case he was to trip or stumble.

I remember on days that weren’t particularly busy, I would be in the room at the guest house and would get to see more of nanajan. I would respond when spoken to or asked to do something (such as iron nanajan’s clothes or take their medicines or something else out of their suitcase then put it back when they were done, etc.) but would otherwise mostly sit and listen quietly as my grandparents talked amongst themselves or with my mother or aunt or any other family member or guest who had come to visit them in those Jalsa days.

Then in the afternoons, they would take a nap and would say to me that I could sleep with them and would let me lie on the bed in between them. We would then wake up and have doodh-patti chai (tea cooked in milk on the stove) and biscuits together. This is where I developed my love for doodh-patti.

In a relaxed mood, nanajan would also tell us children stories; sometimes it was about two birds and sometimes, as we got older, about his experiences in different places of the world and with different khulafa.

The story about the birds, my mother tells me, is one he would often narrate for the benefit of children’s tarbiyat. Some people may have heard of this before, but a summary of it is as follows:

Two birds were sitting on a tree, going about their day, when they saw a traveller come by and sit under their tree. They watched as he lit a fire and looked hungrily around for food. The two birds thought, “How can we be of some service to this man and help him?” They decided that they would drop themselves in front of him and he could cook their meat and eat them. So they both fell into the fire and the man, thinking that they had died and fallen as a result, took them and ate them. In this way, the two birds fulfilled their rights of hospitality to their guest.

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Chaudhry Sahib with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh

Another fond memory of their visits was that although they were waqifeen-e-zindagi, they would always bring us gifts and would always present some tea or food or something, even if it was just some fruit they had in their room, to any guests or family members who came to visit them. They were the hands that always gave.

Both nanajan and nanijan were always generous and respectful towards people and they taught me that we should always give gifts to others as it promoted love and affection between people. These weren’t just words, but actions both of my grandparents truly believed and sincerely and earnestly performed.

My husband had the chance to visit Rabwah after graduating Jamia in 2019, which was a very special opportunity given by Huzooraa, made extra special because of the immense love he felt from nanajan, who treated him as if he had always been a part of the family. Nanajan invited him many times to his house during the month he stayed in Rabwah and although there were other people there to help, nanajan’s hospitality was unprecedented and he kept asking if he needed anything and even went up and down from the kitchen, at times, to bring more food. Such was his humble and kind nature and attention to detail.

Even as a waqif-e-zindagi who started out with very little to his name, who had lived in straitened conditions, his generosity knew no bounds and nanajan would happily make, as well as advocate making financial sacrifices. He never thought that because he didn’t earn a lot, he should keep more to himself. In fact, he would put the full care of the household necessities and finances in my nanijan’s hands.

Whilst he was busy serving the Jamaat, he let nanijan take complete ownership and care of their home and made her the queen of her home, never interfering with how she wanted to run things, but rather placed his trust in her and gave her his full support.

A few years back, nanajan and nanijan even paid for a mosque to be built in Africa. The building was completed around the time of my marriage and my husband, who is a murabbi and had graduated just after our marriage, had the opportunity to visit Sierra Leone (where the mosque is) as part of his service after graduation and by the grace of Allah, was able to go and visit their mosque, perform dua and lead Namaz there, as well as speak to the locals and take pictures for my grandparents to see. I think his generosity and kindness and early sacrifices without complaint are the reasons he was so blessed with rizq [provisions] of all forms as well as being able to travel the world and never having any lack of anything in their homes.

I recall that often, nanijan would be at home and would desire something, e.g. kheer and a few moments later, someone would knock on their door and what she desired would be in front of her. This is when I knew that they were truly pious people. If a lot of food came to their doorstep in one day, they would then share it with their neighbours.

Nanijan also grew some fruits and vegetables in her garden and would often ask nanajan or the helper in the house to share these also with neighbours and others as it would be too much for the two of them. I always saw that as waqifeen-e-zindagi, Allah had blessed them with many blessings which only opened their hearts more.

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Often times, whilst in the UK guest house, I would also see that they would receive tabarruk from the Khalifa of the time, sometimes mithai [traditional sweets of South East Asia] or mangoes or some other fruit or food and they would share this with us too, thus enabling us to also be recipients of these blessings of God. They would not hesitate to share the blessings and bounties of Allah and nothing would be on their lips but praise and gratitude for His favours. They would say, “Always be grateful to God and keep thanking and praising Him as He always gives more to those people who are grateful”.

Because of these early years of sacrifice, Allah blessed my grandparents abundantly later in life, when all their children were married and in their own homes, scattered across the globe (with no mobile phones or video calling or emailing at the time to stay regularly in touch, only letter writing or landline phone calls that were expensive and so were kept short and infrequent). They were alone, but willingly sent their children far away from themselves. They accepted the circumstances and put their complete trust in Allah. In turn, Allah gave them immense respect in this world, though they themselves had no desire for fame or name in the world.

Nanajan particularly preferred to spend his time working in his office or being occupied in some form of service to the Jamaat. When invited to people’s homes, they accepted these invitations as an expression of gratitude to Allah again for His favours. On busier days, I wouldn’t see much of nanajan in the guesthouse, mostly him popping in and out at times and returning in the evenings. Sometimes it would so happen that he would come into the room to rest and as he had laid down on the bed for just a minute or so, someone would knock on the door and he would get up quickly, see who it was then grab his topi and go out of the room with that person, disappearing for a number of hours. Even if he was in the middle of eating and a phone call would come for him, he would prefer to leave the food and attend the call no matter how long it would take. Such was his dedication to his Jamaat duties.

For a man of humble beginnings, I also felt and experienced that he was extremely knowledgeable and I was always in awe of how much he knew, not only about his own field of study, which was mathematics, but many other fields too.

Whenever I would talk to him on the phone, he would ask me questions and advise me to read books and ways to strengthen my memory. One particular method he advised me to follow in my school days was to read one line of a book, then write it down from memory; then read two lines and write them down without looking back; then keep increasing how much I read and then write it down.

I remember also that he would ask me questions to assess what I had learned in school and later about my field in university as well as current affairs. If he wasn’t satisfied with my answer, he would tell me to read more books on the subject. If he was satisfied, I would hear it in his voice as he would say, “Acha, theek hai” (Okay, that’s fine).

I would be surprised sometimes with the kinds of questions he would think to ask me. Once, while in sixth form (last two years of secondary school in the British education system), he told me that human beings, if they trained their minds enough, had the power and ability to literally move objects without physically touching them! This is termed telekinesis.

I went and told my physics teacher in school about this, who looked at me as if I was crazy, to which I replied that my grandfather had told me (as if he was supposed to know my nanajan as well as me) and he still looked at me as if I was crazy; I just wished he knew how intelligent and wise and noble a man was saying this.

I recently came across Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh talking about this subject also (www.alislam.org/askislam/question/531/) which reminded me of this time where my nanajan possibly created that initial spark of curiosity within me for science.

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Another surprising time was when I was in university studying physics and he would ask me such high degree-level questions that a normal person usually wouldn’t know anything about. Every time I spoke to him, I could tell that he had a great thirst for knowledge and he inspired me to want to learn more and expand my own levels of knowledge.

He greatly valued knowledge and respected the pursuit of education, so much so that he even ensured his daughters were taught well and went to school and university and had an equal level of opportunities to education as his son did. He loved and cared for his children equally without any discrimination.

He was a loving and caring husband and I never saw or heard him be rude or speak harshly or loudly to his wife nor ever admonished her. He always listened to nanijan with great respect and patience and tried to fulfil all her wishes as best he could (though she too never asked anything unreasonable of him).

I remember that he never fussed over what kind of food he wanted to eat or what kind of clothes he wanted to wear. Whatever he received, he accepted lovingly. He dressed simply but he liked to dress well, in clean and well-cared-for clothes and my husband told me that he always used to advise missionaries that would visit him to not wear old, dirty and ripped clothes, but they should dress smartly and take pride in how they present themselves to the world as representatives of the Promised Messiahas.

I always saw both my grandparents as the embodiment of the verses of the Quran that says to “remember Allah while standing, sitting and lying on their sides” (Ch.3: V.192) and learnt from him how to spend the whole day in worship. Aside from seeing both my grandparents perform their five daily prayers and nawafil diligently, read the Quran with great care and reflection, see their lips moving as they sat quietly reciting tasbih and various prayers and zikr-e-Ilahi, their service to mankind and the Jamaat was also a great form of worship.

Nanajan was honest and straightforward whenever he spoke and everything he did, he did with great honesty and integrity. He never feared any opposition the Jamaat faced and wished to stay in Rabwah forever. He was ready to face anything the opponents would bring, with cheerfulness. About a month ago, I asked him how conditions were in Pakistan after Huzooraa had mentioned in a sermon that opposition was intensifying again. He replied in a calm way, saying that things were bad, but from his unspoken words, I could sense that he wasn’t scared and would stand to defend the Jamaat no matter what they did.

6

Nanajan also showed great love and sympathy to animals. When I was a child, I remember them bringing rabbits into their home for us to play with but they took responsibility for all of the cleaning and feeding. In more recent times, they had cats in their house. Now they only have one but in their previous home there were 2 cats that would come to them and my mum told me my grandparents named them after me and one of my other cousins out of love. Seeing pictures of their cat today, I can see how well cared and loved it must have been.

I grew up seeing nanajan with great adoration and both my grandparents as role models as the way they talked and walked on this Earth was inspiring. The results of making God their closest Friend made me want the same. He lived his life for God and the Jamaat and as a result, saw endless blessings.

Nanajan advised his children, who in turn advised us, to always seek guidance from Huzooraa through mulaqats or writing letters as this blessed the task as well as us as recipients of the Khalifa’s prayers.

It has always been my observation that writing to Huzooraa eases decision-making as well as the tasks themselves and this also has the added effect of strengthening our bond with Khilafat.

I remember I even had the blessed opportunity of attending a mulaqat with my nanajan and nanijan who suddenly said I could go with them to meet Huzooraa – I have a photo with them as a beautiful memory of the occasion.

It is a result of my nanajan and nanijan’s exemplary characters, loving relationship and the many blessings I saw bestowed upon them throughout their lives as waqifeen-e-zindagi that I realised how peaceful a life with a life-devotee can be. Thus I always used to say that I wanted a partner devoted to the Jamaat like my nanajan. The fact is that he was a unique soul on this Earth and I am eternally grateful to Allah the Almighty that I was blessed to be his granddaughter, being able to spend so much time with him, receive his prayers and learn so much from him, both directly and indirectly.

I am also grateful to God that I was the first of his grandchildren to get married and was blessed with a daughter in his lifetime, giving him his first great-granddaughter, who he used to love watching videos of and speak to through video calls. I feel lucky that the blessing of technology that God has enabled man to develop allowed me to see more of my nanajan in these last few years, where neither he, nor we could travel to see each other in person. But I know his love extended to many other people across the globe and wasn’t just for me; he had this wonderful way of making you feel as if all of his love and attention was on you at that time.

Another blessed coincidence or plan of Allah was that my husband happened to be posted in a mosque that my nanajan had a hand in securing for the Jamaat at the time of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh – Bait-un-Noor Mosque in Nunspeet.

87
Chaudhry Sahib seated with Hazrat Sahibzada Mirza Tahir Ahmadrh

I am sure that history has been preserved in this regard, but from what my mother tells me, nanajan said that there was a lady who lived in Nunspeet many years back named Amatul Hameed who wrote a letter to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh that there is this place which is very big and is up for sale. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh then told nanajan – Chaudhry Hameedullah Sahib – to hold a meeting about this, which he would head and decide if the Jamaat should buy this building or not.

Nanajan held that meeting, discussed everything with the related party and finally suggested to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh that they should buy this place, which Huzoorrh approved.

Nanajan also mentioned to us when he found out that Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa had appointed my husband to Holland and that we were moving here, that he had visited Holland before and enquired about places such as Keukenhoff and the Court of Justice where Hazrat Sir Chaudhry Zafrulla Khanra worked and then proceeded to tell us how nice a place it was, reassuring us. It was fascinating to hear that he knew so much about Holland and had walked these very roads we now tread.

There is so much to learn from his life, but these are just a few things I wished to write down as an expression of my love and admiration for him.

He lived for nearly nine decades, yet it feels as though he just came yesterday and has gone today. He returned to Allah, in otherwise good physical health for his age, still going to the office and offering his services to the Jamaat – in other words, chaltey phirtey (walking and active) and not dependent on anyone, just as he wanted.

May God Almighty bless him with the highest status, the most beautiful gardens beneath which streams flow, as mentioned in the Holy Quran, and eternal peace in Jannat-ul-Firdous where the most beloved of Allah are given sanctuary. Amin.

As Huzooraa said in this heart-warming and truly inspirational Friday Sermon, no one is merely entitled to the bounties and blessings earned by someone else just because they are their progeny. May Allah enable us to follow in his great footsteps in our loyalty, love, dedication and services to the community of the Imam of this age and the propagation of the true Islam.

With such people as pioneers of the Jamaat, I truly believe that we will ultimately see its triumph over the world.

May our children and future progeny also be such role models for the Jamaat and the world in their time and may we all become true and sincere servants of Allah as was my nanajanAmin.

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Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dard’s historic visit to the Netherlands – 1926 or 1925?

Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dard’s historic visit to the Netherlands – 1926 or 1925?

Ataul-Haye Nasir, Ahmadiyya Archive and Research Centre

Did you know that Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra, a Companion of the Promised Messiahas, visited the Netherlands in 1925 and delivered lectures in Amsterdam?

20241011 093952
Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra in the Netherlands, May 1925

In relation to the early history of Islam Ahmadiyyat in the Netherlands, we find the mention of Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dard’sra visit to this country. The year commonly mentioned is 1926. For instance, it is stated in Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat (Vol. 11, p. 149) that the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat reached the Netherlands “after the inauguration of the Fazl Mosque London” in 1926, through Dard Sahib’sra lectures in various societies there. Moreover, Hafiz Qudratullah Sahib – missionary to the Netherlands who established the Ahmadiyya mission there in 1947 – mentions the same year in his autobiography (Dastan-e-Hafiz Bazuban-e-Hafiz, p. 66).

However, dozens of Dutch periodicals reveal that Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra actually first visited the Netherlands a year prior, i.e., in 1925. This marked the first-ever visit to this country by an Ahmadi missionary.

The Ahmadiyya Archive and Research Centre has uncovered details of Dard Sahib’sra visit, during which he delivered multiple lectures. His visit attracted extensive press coverage, serving as a great means for spreading the message of the Promised Messiahas.

Before proceeding with the details of this visit, it is important to mention that further research into the Dutch press reveals the fact that the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat had reached the Dutch people even before 1925.

1885: Hazrat Ahmad’sas message reaches the Dutch people

Dard Sahib 1

The message of the Promised Messiah, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas of Qadian, had already reached the Dutch people during his lifetime.

For instance, Geïllustreerd Zendingsblad voor het Huisgezin – a Christian missionary magazine published in Amsterdam – in its September-October 1885 issue, described him as “A notable Mohammedan” and mentioned his challenge, which was issued in the form of registered letters to the clergymen and leaders of Asia, Europe and America, informing them of his claims and inviting them to come and witness the truthfulness of Islam at Qadian. The same news was given by Soerabaijasch Handelsblad on 26 February 1886 as well.

Moreover, De Locomotief – a newspaper of Dutch East Indies – mentioned on 12 July 1900 that some Indian Muslims have asked the Bishop of Lahore – George Alfred Lefroy – to conduct “a theological duel with the best representative of Islam in their eyes, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad[as] Qadiani, the chief of Qadian, who calls himself the Messiah promised by God.”

Miss Hidayat Budd

Fast forward to 1924 – a year of great significance in the history of Islam, as it manifested the fulfilment of various prophecies in relation to the Promised Messiahas. During the same year, a Dutch lady named Miss Budd accepted Islam Ahmadiyyat and was given the Muslim name “Hidayat”.

Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra states that while reading the Dutch translation of the Holy Quran, Miss Budd desired to learn more about Islam. Hence, she came in contact with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat through articles by an Ahmadi missionary in America, Hazrat Maulvi Muhammad Dinra, which were published in The Moslem World – a quarterly Christian magazine. Thereafter, she had written correspondence with Din Sahibra and Mufti Sahibra. Eventually, she had the opportunity to pledge allegiance (bai‘at) to Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, through a letter. (Al Fazl, 11 December 1924)

Regarding Din Sahib’sra articles, we find that they were published in the January and October 1924 issues of The Moslem World, titled “The Crucifixion in the Quran” and “Islam: The Religion of Peace”.

MW 1924

Another indication of Miss Budd’s acceptance of Ahmadiyyat can be found in Hazrat Bhai Abdur Rahman Sahib Qadiani’sra diary. Under the entry for 12 October 1924, he mentions a letter of Bai‘at from Belgium and states, “God has planted the seed of the Jamaat in both Holland and Belgium.” (Safar-e-Europe, p. 396)

Thereafter, Miss Hidayat Budd wrote a series of articles for a Dutch periodical De Tempel, relating to the beliefs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat. These articles were attributed to “An Ahmadi Muslima”. The first article was published on 1 February 1925, under the heading “The Ahmadiyya Movement”. In this article, a detailed introduction was given about the Promised Messiahas, Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya and beliefs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat. This was followed by her article on “Islam”, published in parts in various issues of 1925 and 1926. Some of her articles were reproduced in English in The Review of Religions as well.

Miss Budd
An article by Miss Hidayat Budd published in De Tempel

The Fazl Mosque: A seed for the future progress

In July 1924, Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra departed from India as part of the entourage that accompanied Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra on his historic journey to England. While announcing his decision to embark on this journey, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra had declared that “it is possible that the seeds [of great victories] will be sown during the journey, with the fruits to be reaped later.” (Al Fazl, 24 June 1924)

During this visit, in October 1924, Huzoorra laid the foundation of the Fazl Mosque, which was in fact the foundation of a glorious era for Islam in the West. Huzoorra instructed Dard Sahibra to stay in London and appointed him as the Incharge of the London Mission.

Invitation from De Vrij-Religieuse Tempel

As the head of the London Mission, Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra attracted notable attention from the press and religious circles, not only in England but in other European countries as well. Hence, in 1925, he was invited to deliver lectures in the Netherlands by a society called “De Vrij-Religieuse Tempel” (The Free Religious Temple), founded in Amsterdam by Karel Hendrik Noest jr. (1890-1968).

This society aimed to promote Free-Religionist interests and ran a journal, De Tempel, founded by Mr Noest in 1922. This magazine was devoted to the free religious movements: Eastern and Western religion, occultism, spiritualism, theosophy, astrology, Kabbalah, freemasonry, anthroposophy, Rosicrucianism, mysticism, psychical research, science, architecture, art and philosophy. (“De droom van Karel Noest. Alle religies onder één dak op het Daniël Willinkplein”, Koen Kleijn, https://onsamsterdam.nl, 1 September 2021)

As for the timeframe of the invitation’s receipt, it seems to be between October 1924 and January 1925.

A Dutch research scholar, Eric R. Roose has mentioned in one of his works that in 1924, Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra began sending missionaries to the Netherlands for lectures and discussions on Islam. (“50 years of mosque architecture in the Netherlands”, p. 9; Electronic Journal of Oriental Studies, 2005, pp. 1-46)

It is important to note that while announcing Dard Sahib’sra engagements in the Netherlands, multiple Dutch periodicals introduced him as “the Imam of the first mosque in London” and “head of the Ahmadiyya mosque in London.”

De Vrij Religieuse Tempel
An article about De Vrij-Religieuse Tempel with a model of the proposed building of this Society

Early schedule of lectures: February 1925

Initially, Dard Sahibra was to visit the Netherlands in February 1925. De Tempel published an announcement about Dard Sahib’sra proposed lectures in the Netherlands under the heading “Vrij Religieuse Tempel, Valeriusplein 20, Amsterdam—Sunday Morning Meetings”. It stated that he will deliver a lecture, titled “Islam is the only living religion” on 15 February, and “Ahmad, the Promised Messiah” on 22 February. (De Tempel, 1 February 1925, Vol. 2, No. 21, p. 395)

An announcement was published in the 15 February issue as well.

On 16 February, Algemeen Handelsblad announced under the heading “A Mohammedan clergyman in Amsterdam”:

“Thursday, 19 February, in the evening at 8 o’clock, in a public meeting in the building of ‘De Vrij-Religieuse Tempel’ in Amsterdam, Valeriusplein 20, Mr Abdur Rahim Dard M. A., Mohammedan clergyman, will be the speaker. Subject: ‘Islam is the only living religion.’ The speech will be translated directly from English into Dutch.”

Vlissingse Courant of 17 February 1925 published a similar announcement.

Dard Sahib Lectures
Left: Early schedule of lectures | Right: Revised schedule of lectures

Postponement of lectures

Unfortunately, these lectures were postponed due to unforeseen circumstances, as later explained by the Dutch press.

This postponement was announced by Algemeen Handelsblad in its 19 February issue, wherein it was mentioned that Dard Sahibra had to stay in London due to the martyrdom of two Ahmadis in Afghanistan: Maulvi Abdul Haleem Sahib and Maulvi Qari Noor Ali Sahib.

The same periodical mentioned this postponement in its 24 February 1925 issue, along with an introduction to Ahmadiyyat and the claims of the Promised Messiahas:

“The following details were recently published in the Vrij-Religieuse weekly magazine ‘De Tempel’, about the reformist Mohammedan movement, a follower of which was to give a lecture in Amsterdam last week but was prevented from doing so at the last moment:

“‘The Ahmadiyya movement, which is now gaining more and more followers in Western Europe and America as well, is a purely religious movement in Islam of only a recent date. Founded in the year 1890 [sic., 1889] by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad[as], when the number of his followers was only 40, the movement already had several hundred thousand followers at the time of the Founder’s demise in May 1908. At present, in 1921, the number of Ahmadi Muslims amounted to almost a million. The centre of the movement is located in the town of Qadian, situated in the Punjab, at the foot of the Himalayas. Main branches are located in England, Germany, North America, West Africa, the Gold Coast, Mauritius, Egypt, Persia, Bukhara and Australia. The intention of Ahmad[as] of Qadian was to purify Islam from all the evils, superstitions and abuses which had crept in during the later centuries.’”

Dard Sahib 5A 2

Revised schedule for lectures: May 1925

In May 1925, De Tempel published a photograph of Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra, and provided a lengthy introduction of him and Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya. The article stated under the heading “A Muslim Teacher in Our Country”:

“Thursday evening, 7 May, and Sunday morning, 10 May, Mr Abdur Rahim Dard (Rahim Bakhsh) M.A. will speak for the Vrij Religieuse Tempel in the main building of De Vrij Religieuse Tempel, Valeriusplein 20, Amsterdam.

“As our readers will remember, Mr Dard was initially supposed to have given two lectures in Amsterdam in March [sic., February], but the murder in Afghanistan of two prominent Ahmadiyya followers forced him to stay in England. As this message arrived by telegram at the last moment, it was a great disappointment to many.

“On Wednesday, May 6, Mr Dard will arrive at the [Amsterdam] Centraal Station at 9:16 and will give two lectures on the dates mentioned above, for which, we have no doubt, there will be considerable interest.

Dard Sahib
Announcement about the upcoming lectures of Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra

“We believe this is the first time an Indian Mohammedan teacher will speak in public in our country, and it is certainly the first time that this will be an Ahmadiyya teacher. The Ahmadiyya movement in Islam is a reformist movement, about which a series of articles [by Miss Hidayat Budd] have been published in De Tempel.

“Mr Dard occupies a very important position in this movement that has more than a million followers. He has been in Europe for several months and has previously spent many years in Qadian under the leadership of Khalifatul Masih. […]

“So, one will soon have the privilege of being able to hear one of the most gifted and prominent leaders of this movement in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The Vrij Religieuse Tempel seized this opportunity to invite Mr Abdur Rahim Dard to cross over to Holland, since it strives so much to help spread distinct insight of all directions in the spiritual domain of ​​life and thereby also to bring to light the unity that is perhaps often deeply hidden – synthetic and connecting – between all that is apparently far apart. […]

“May Mr Abdur Rahim Dard be given a pleasant welcome and witness a shown interest in a great mind and broad views.”

Towards the end, the article mentioned that “Mr Dard is the head of the Ahmadiyya mosque in London and regularly leads the services there.” (De Tempel, 1 May 1925, Vol. 3, No. 3, p. 48)

Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant also announced the revised schedule of his lectures in its 1 May 1925 issue, stating that Dard Sahibra “is the head of the Ahmadiyya mosque in London and regularly leads the services there.”

Dard Sahib’sra arrival in the Netherlands

On 6 May 1925, Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra arrived in the Netherlands. Upon his arrival, De Courant Het nieuws van den dag and De Telegraaf published his photograph with the following caption:

“Abdur Rahim Dard will speak tomorrow evening and Sunday morning at the Vrij Religieuse Tempel in Amsterdam.”

On the same day, Het volk: Dagblad voor de arbeiderspartij wrote:

“Vrij Religieuse Tempel, Valeriusplein 20. Thursday at 8 pm Mr Abdur Rahim Dard, a Mohammedan teacher, will speak.”

On 7 May 1925, De Telegraaf once again announced his arrival and also gave a detailed introduction of the Promised Messiahas.

Algemeen Handelsblad published a photograph of Dard Sahibra in its 7 May 1925 issue.

The lectures

De Tempel, in its 15 May 1925 issue, published a detailed article about Dard Sahib’sra lectures, along with two photographs.

Dard Sahib DE Tempel

The first caption read: “I. Mr Abdur Rahim Dard M. A, photographed in front of the C.S. upon his arrival in Amsterdam. II. The Leader of the Vrij Religieuse Tempel.”

The second caption said: “Mr Dard, after the Sunday morning meeting, in the midst of a group of leading Temple members.”

The article began:

“At the invitation of De Vrij Religieuse Tempel, Mr Abdur Rahim Dard M.A. stayed in Amsterdam from 6 to 10 May and gave two lectures there. In a small press conference, arranged by us for this purpose, where representatives of various major groups showed their interest, we found Mr Dard willing to provide us with some information about the remarkable movement in Islam, of which he is a representative, and also about some issues of the East, seen from the standpoint of the Ahmadiyya.”

The article then mentioned Dard Sahib’sra message to the people of the Netherlands, wherein he stated that he has brought “the news that God has raised a Prophet in India. His name is Ahmad[as]. He says that he has been sent by God. He comes from the East as the Gospel of Matthew says: ‘For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. [Matthew, 24:28].’ The prophecy of the world has been fulfilled in the person of Ahmad[as]. The people of Holland may believe in him, and that the keys that open heaven have been given to him. This is my message to your people. I am the first Indian who comes to you with this feeling of gratitude and brotherhood.” (De Tempel, 15 May 1925, Vol. 3, No. 4, p. 64)

The article gave a detailed introduction of the Promised Messiahas and Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya in light of Dard Sahib’sra lectures. It wrote: “The world of Islam is divided and can only become one, said Mr Dard, if it unites in our Community.”

It further stated that “another important distinction” between the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and other religious movements is that it believe that “God still speaks in words.” (Ibid., p. 65)

Several other Dutch periodicals covered his visit and published his photographs as well.

De Tempel, on 1 August 1925, published an article titled “Dr. Rudolf Steiner’s Departure and the Spiritual Status of Europe”, by Marcel van de Velde, which mentioned:

“We had so recently such row of representatives of the East: Krishnamurti, Rabindranath Tagore, Sadhu Sundar Singh, Jinarajadasa, Murshid Inayat Khan, Abdur Rahim Dard, and those who will follow.”

More lectures: October 1925

De Tempel of 1 September 1925 announced additional lectures in October by Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra, under the heading “Lectures on Islam”:

“Mr Abdur Rahim Dard M. A. of London will give two lectures in the Vrij Religieuse Tempel, namely on Thursday evening 8 and Sunday morning 11 October. It will certainly be pleasant for many to meet this sympathetic Indian teacher again and those who were unable to attend last time will now have the opportunity to listen to his lecture. The interest in his previous lectures was great and will certainly not be less now.”

Announcing the lecture dated 11 October, Algemeen Handelsblad wrote on 10 October:

“The Vrij Religieuse Tempel, 10:30, Valeriusplein 20. Abdur Rahim Dard M. A., Mohammedan cleric of the Ahmadiyya Mosque in London. Subject: Life and Teachings of Mohammed[sa].”

On 15 October 1925, De Tempel published the lecture of Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra, titled “Islam and civilization”. Mentioning this, Nieuwe Vlaardingsche Courant of 23 October 1925 wrote under the heading “The Temple”:

“The contents of the issue of October 15 of ‘De Tempel’, a magazine dedicated to Vrij Religieuse [Tempel], published by Mij. de Vrij Rel. Tempel, in Amsterdam, are as follows: […] Islam and Civilization, by Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dard. […]”

Delftsche Courant of 23 October 1925 also referred to the same under the heading “De Tempel (Valeriusplein 20, Amsterdam)”:

“The Imam of the first mosque in London, Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dard, writes about Islam and civilization.”

The second lecture was then published in the 1 November 1925 issue of De Tempel, titled “Life and Teachings of Muhammad”.

Dard Sahib Lectures 1925

In his autobiography, Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dardra mentions a letter highlighting the significance of these lectures. He writes:

“On 5 September 1948, Hafiz Qudratullah wrote me from The Hague:

“‘The Holland Mission is indebted to you. You had delivered lectures in Amsterdam at some time, which were later compiled in a book form as well. We are utilising that [book] now. Once in London, while re-organising the old papers, I found around 60 copies of your book. I brought them here. Since we had no literature in Dutch yet, we have been utilising this very book. […] May Allah the Almighty reward you for this good work. Amin.’” (File)

Dard Sahibra also quotes a South African newspaper that mentions his lectures, stating:

“‘Islam and Civilisation’ is the title of the first of the three pamphlets. It is a lecture of Mr A.R. Dard (of London) delivered in Amsterdam last year. It treats of the various scientific discoveries made by Muslims.

“This London gentleman also delivered another address while he was residing in Amsterdam, ‘Life and Teachings of Muhammad’ follows the same plan as that outlined in ‘Islam and Civilisation’ which is suitable for distribution on a mass scale.” (The Moslem Outlook, 11 December 1926). (File)

In 1926, mentioning the upcoming inauguration of the Fazl Mosque, Tilburgsche Courant wrote under the heading “The Mosque in London”, and stated:

“The Imam (leader) of this first Mosque will be Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dard M. A. (this gentleman also appeared several times in Amsterdam as a speaker, as a guest of the Vrij Religieuse Tempel).” (Tilburgsche Courant, 30 September 1926)

Dard Sahib London Mosque Netherlands 1925

In one of her articles for The Review of Religions, Miss Hidayat Budd mentioned the foundation laying ceremony for the first Free-Religious Temple in Holland, and wrote:

“In the annals of Ahmadiyyat in Holland the name of the Vrij Religieuse Tempel will ever be mentioned with gratitude: By the Grace of Allah, several times already Maulvi Abdur Rahiem Dard[ra] has been a guest of this Society, delivering from its platform the Message of Ahmad[as] to the Dutch public; and the bi-monthly paper of this Society, ‘De Tempel,’ is also always open to Islam.” (The Review of Religions, Vol. 25, July 1926, pp. 1-2)

Conclusion

This was just a glimpse of the coverage that was given to Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Dard’sra historic visit to the Netherlands in 1925. It undoubtedly served as a significant means for propagating the beautiful and peaceful message of Islam to the Dutch people.

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Links and Related Essay’s

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands

Maulana Abdul Hakim Akmal: One of the pioneer missionaries of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Netherlands (alhakam.org)

http://thepersecution.org/facts/h81-90.html

Early days of the Holland mission (alhakam.org)

Who is Chaudhry Abdul Latif?

The history of Ahmadiyya in Indonesia

The history of Ahmadiyya in Suriname

The history of Ahmadiyya in Indonesia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobarak_Mosque,_The_Hague

Ahmad Najib Burhani (2014). “Conversion to Ahmadiyya in Indonesia: Winning Hearts through Ethical and Spiritual Appeals”. Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia. Sojourn. 29 (3): 660–663.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukarno#Removal_from_power_and_death

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmadiyya_in_Indonesia#cite_note-75years-7

Early days of the Holland mission

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosque_Keizerstraathttps://ahmadiyyafactcheckblog.com/2018/01/29/qadiani-ahmadis-vs-lahori-ahmadis-sectarianism-within-ahmadiyya-2018-version/

https://aaiil.org/suriname/http://www.sivsr.org/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Suriname#cite_note-3

Chaudhary Hameedullah was the inside man who made sure that Mirza Masroor Ahmad was elected in 2003 – ahmadiyyafactcheckblog

https://aaiil.org/text/biog/biog/abdurrahimjaggoe1.shtml

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Treating-minorities-with-fatwas%3A-a-study-of-the-in-Burhani/364d5c63ef8c4f336f4449d6666a50e6909aeaa8

  1. 75 Tahun Jemaat Ahmadiyah Indonesia” (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  2. Jump up to:a b Philip Shishkin (February 13, 2011). “The Persecution of Indonesia’s Ahmadi Muslims”. Retrieved March 29, 2015.

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