Last Updated on 12th November 2021

On 24 July [1921], Elahi Bakhsh Sahib Bhunno Ahmadi, a respected landlord from Mauritius, arrived in Dar-ul-Aman [Qadian]. The next day, a correspondent of Al Fazl met him and enquired about some details, which are listed below:

A long time ago, the family of Elahi Bakhsh Sahib Bhunno [family name] left India and settled in Mauritius. They own a large plot of land there. He alone owns 500 bighas [one bigha roughly equals to 1/5^th of an acre] of land in which sugarcane is cultivated. His son, Ghulam Hussain Sahib Bhunno, who has been living in India for four years, passed the entrance exam in Qadian and this year passed the FSc exam from Islamia College, Lahore. Now, he is going abroad for medical studies.

Elahi Bakhsh Sahib is around 45 years old and signs of wisdom and piety are visible on his face. He is of good height and can express his thoughts in the Urdu language.

The Al Fazl correspondent asked him how he came to Qadian. In response, he said:

“I left home with the intention of performing Hajj of the ‘Baitullah’[House of Allah – the Holy Ka‘bah], but I reached Bombay [now Mumbai] when the last ship to Jeddah had left. Therefore, with much regret, I had to postpone my plan of Hajj this year.

“Then, I thought it appropriate to come to the land of Qadian as coming here was also a good deed. Anyway, after Hajj, my intention was to visit Qadian.”

Question: How many Ahmadis are there in Mauritius?

Answer: I cannot tell the exact figure, but there are about 500 or more women, men, children and the elderly.

Question: How much chanda does that Jamaat contribute?

Answer: I cannot estimate the exact amount of chanda because I have never calculated it. However, I can say this much, that all the expenses there are borne by the Jamaat [members] themselves. Thousands of rupees were spent by the Mauritius Jamaat in the court case of the mosque.

Question: Is there any particular predicament in the tabligh of Ahmadiyyat over there. Pray tell if there is any?

Answer: There is no predicament as far as the government is concerned. Due to some insurrection on the part of the common mullahs, the people had grown in opposition. Owing to this, they used to avoid meeting Ahmadis, but now this hatred and opposition is waning. Due to the illness of Sufi (Ghulam Muhammad) Sahib, tabligh has slowed down a bit.

Question: What kind of suffering do Ahmadis have to endure from their opponents?

Answer: In the early days [of the Jamaat], the opponents also used to beat Ahmadis, but for some time now, they have lost their vigour. Ahmadis are firmly established in two places: Rose Hill and Saint Pierre. Although their numbers are smaller than those of their opponents, still they are sufficient, and since most of the Ahmadis are generally prosperous with the grace of God, they are beyond the reach of their opponents and in fact, have an influence on them.

Question: How have Ahmadis treated their opponents from the beginning up till now in comparison to this mistreatment by their opponents?

Answer: Ahmadis have always treated non-Ahmadis in the best possible way. A notable example is the days of influenza, when people were dying in large numbers. At that time, Ahmadis did their best to help non-Ahmadis there in providing for their treatment, medicine, shrouds and burials.

Question: How is the Jamaat there in terms of sincerity and love for Ahmadiyyat?

Answer: The Mauritius Jamaat, by the grace of God, is exceptional in their sincerity with their faith and Ahmadiyyat. When they were attacked by their opponents, they endured it with great patience and perseverance. Then, in the court case of the mosque, the Ahmadis there presented money in abundance. All this was because they have full faith in Ahmadiyyat. Otherwise, it was not possible for a person to sacrifice themselves for such a belief without having absolute faith in it. They are so firm and steadfast in their faith, by the grace of God, that they are not at all ready to deviate from their belief and they will not care to sacrifice their lives for this.

Question: When did the last person join the Jamaat while you were there [in Mauritius]?

Answer: I know about [converts of] Saint Pierre. It has probably been two or three months, i.e. since the decision on the mosque case, when four people have joined the Ahmadiyya Jamaat.

Question: (After presenting Ahl-e-Hadith newspaper of 3 June 1921) You may not have heard the name of this newspaper. It is the newspaper of Maulvi Sanaullah Amritsari, the archenemy of the Jamaat. A letter has been published in it on behalf of a person named Muhammad Hussain who is probably a buyer of the Ahl-e-Hadith newspaper, by an anonymous person who says that he is a well-wisher of Islam. I would like to hear your response on it, particularly about certain information that has been presented in it. This person states:

“Mirzais [Ahmadis] missionaries have been coming here [to Mauritius] for the last six years and around 40 or 50 people have converted to Qadianism [Ahmadiyyat].” Is this figure of Ahmadis correct?

Answer: I have already told you that there are at least 500 Ahmadis there. This person who says the total number of Ahmadis is 40 or 50 is absolutely wrong. By the grace of God, the number of Ahmadis in our own family alone amounts to this figure.

(Elahi Bakhsh Sahib has two male siblings as well and they both have many more children, all of whom are Ahmadis.)

Question: The correspondent of Ahl-e-Hadith has written that the Ahmadis, like their master, had declared their success in the mosque case as a sign of their truthfulness. What do you say about this? Is he true in his claim? Did the Ahmadis declare their success in the mosque trial as the standard for the truthfulness of the Promised Messiah^as?

Answer: This is completely wrong. The Ahmadis have never laid down any condition to their opponents in this regard.

Question: Thirdly, the correspondent of Ahl-e-Hadith has written, “Now they [Ahmadis] are strictly forbidden to enter any mosque. [These people] cannot deliver sermons or preach. The whole Mirzai ummah is dead and an absolute silence has overtaken them.” What is the reality behind this?

Answer: You can never silence a liar. This is also totally erroneous because the government has recognised the right of Ahmadis to offer prayers in every mosque and there is no restriction for them. However, it was not allowed to offer congregational prayers in other mosques just to curb the mischief of non-Ahmadis. By the blessings of God, our tabligh continues in every place.

Question: The last thing Ahl-e-Hadith’s correspondent wrote is, “Around 12 Mirzais [Ahmadis] repented from false beliefs after the imam’s sermon.” Is this true?

Answer: (Upon hearing this, Elahi Bakhsh Sahib got impassioned and said in a slightly louder voice than usual): Is it possible that around 12 Ahmadis felt inspired by such an imam to leave Ahmadiyyat who carried out the nikah of a married woman, while she was still married to another man?

If the correspondent, with whom we are not acquainted, is truthful, he should produce the names and addresses of those 12 persons who, inspired by the sermon of the imam, have repented from Ahmadiyyat at his hands. Due to the said actions of the imam, such misfortune has struck him that many people, having the same belief and faith like his, do not offer prayers behind him, let alone an Ahmadi getting influenced by his sermon and renounce his faith at his hands.

(Translated by Al Hakam from the original in the 1 August 1921 issue of Al Fazl)

Al-Haj Hakim Fazl-ur-Rahman Sahib (1901-1955)

Al-Haj Hakim Fazl-ur-Rahman Sahib was born in Faizullah Chak, India in 1901 to Hazrat Hafiz Nabi Bakhsh Sahib^ra who was a companion of the Promised Messiah^as. On the instructions of Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad^ra, Khalifatul Masih II, Hakim Fazl-ur-Rahman Sahib went to Africa in 1922 to spread the message of the Promised Messiah^as. He returned to Qadian in October 1929 and left for Nigeria in February 1933 under the direction of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II^ra. His parents died in India during his stay in Africa. In October 1947, when he returned to his country, he served as the Afsar Langar Khana for a few years. On 28 August 1955, after being ill for some time, he passed away and was buried in the Bahishti Maqbarah. He carried out tabligh and served Islam Ahmadiyyat in Africa for around 21 years.

Departure from Qadian

On 23 January 1922, I [Al-Haj Hakim Fazl-ur-Rahman Sahib] left Qadian at nine o’clock in the morning and after reaching Bombay [now Mumbai], I had to stay for a month waiting for the ship.

Finally, I boarded the ship on 22 February [1922]. Hazrat Maulvi Sher Ali Sahib, who had come to Bombay for the printing [of the book], A Present to the Prince of Wales, Syed Basharat Ahmad Sahib, Ibrahim Bhai Sahib Hyderabadi, Chaudhry Sarwar Ali Sahib, and Master Fazal Ilahi Sahib, came along to bid me farewell on the ship. Hazrat Maulvi Sher Ali Sahib stood on the ship with other friends and prayed for me. He recited the prayer:

بِسۡمِ اللّٰهِ مَ‍‍جۡرٖهَا وَمُرۡسٰهَا ؕ اِنَّ رَبِّيۡ لَغَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ

[“In the name of Allah be its course and its mooring. My Lord is assuredly Most Forgiving, Merciful.”]

Then, all the friends returned after saying, “May God be your protector.”

On 9 March [1922], I reached Marseilles. I got sick while crossing the Mediterranean Sea, but as Marseilles is a very cold place, I could not follow the doctor’s advice to rest there for three days. Moreover, one of the main reasons for not staying [in Marseilles] was that I was not familiar with their language. Owing to this [language issue], I particularly faced difficulties in Paris.

I reached London on 11 March [1922]. Maulvi Mubarak Ali Sahib and Ali Muhammad Abdullah Sahib welcomed me at the railway station.

On Wednesday, 22 March [1922], I left Liverpool for Lagos, [Africa], on the ship named “SS Appam.” [When I left London for Liverpool], all the friends came along to the railway station to say goodbye.

I left Liverpool at around four o’clock in the morning, and on account of the extreme cold in the Bay of Biscay, for five days I sat in my cabin, wearing warm clothes and covering myself with quilts. Although the rooms were heated, the blankets on the ship were not enough for me.

On Friday, 17 April [1922], I finally reached Lagos at four o’clock in the evening. Many friends welcomed me along with Maulvi Abdur Rahmin Sahib Nayyar and my photograph was also taken on the ship. On reaching the city, I met and preached to some officials and prominent Muslims. I had the opportunity to stay in Lagos for 32 days. All the friends, one after the other, expressed great affection towards me. Especially among the youth, there was a strong passion and enthusiasm. Mr Martin, the General Secretary, in whose house I used to stay, was very affectionate towards me.

During that time, apart from answering numerous questions of the friends, I gave four lectures and most of them comprised the translated extracts of the books of the Promised Messiah^as.

On Tuesday, 9 May [1922], I embarked the ship named “Sir George” for Saltpond, which is our markaz [centre] for that colony. I reached there in the evening of Saturday, 13 May [1922]. Apparently, I was now 1000 miles closer to India. Here, I have to do everything myself and the time has come to stand on my own feet. In Lagos, Maulvi Abdur Rahim Sahib Nayyar looked after me like his own child and his kindness continues here as well. He is concerned about me more than I am about myself. May Allah bless him and his children with His special blessings in this world and [increase their] faith. The Jamaat here is spread across villages and far-off places. I have seen some places but travelling in these countries [of Africa] is not easy.

On the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, five people joined the Jamaat. Moreover, 117 people converted to Islam Ahmadiyyat in a certain place in the first week of July, alhamdulillah. Friends are requested to pray for them.

Pressing need

The Review of Religions used to publish an English translation of the Promised Messiah’s book, Masih Hindustan Mein (Jesus in India), which was also printed separately. I desperately need this book. If any friend has it and wants to get the reward by participating in preaching work, please send it to me through registry. I can even pay for it. If there is no separate book, then send those issues of The Review of Religions [English] in which it was published.

Fazl-ur-Rahman Al-Hakim.

Ahmadia Movement, Commercial Road, Saltpond (Gold Coast), West Africa.

Mauritius

Maulvi Ubaidullah Sahib

Maulvi Ubaidullah, the missionary to Mauritius, writes to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II^[ra]:

“I am engaged in the edification and moral training of Ahmadi children. Apart from this, dars of the Holy Quran is delivered at night after Maghrib prayer, and every Thursday, the sayings of the Promised Messiah^as and the first Khalifa or Huzoor’s sermons and some important writings are presented. In the same way, after two or four months, when Al Fazl arrives, some of its extracts are presented [to members of the Jamaat].

“During the month of Ramadan, women were given dars of a quarter of the Holy Quran every day. Ever since Huzoor^[ra] entrusted the women with the donation of the London Mission, it has been regularly collected here by the grace and blessings of God Almighty.

“From this month, I have made a new request to the children that each child should contribute some amount from their pocket money every week. Consequently, most of the children have promised about one anna [a unit of currency formerly used in the subcontinent, equal to 1/16 of a rupee] per week, while others have promised 1/2 anna and 1/4 anna weekly without any demand. For the future, I have nominated a child who will collect the contributions from them on a weekly basis. Some children asked me what those donations were for. I requested some of their peers to answer that question. Thus, they replied, “We will publish books and spread our religion to those who are not Muslims.” On this answer, some other children, who had not yet heard about the aforementioned donation, said: “Alright, then we will also contribute.” Consequently, some of them immediately presented their donation. I am hopeful from God Almighty and with the prayers of Huzoor^[ra], I firmly believe these plants will soon become great trees of Ahmadiyyat in this country.

In the month of May [1922], I had a discussion with three Christians on the divinity of Christ, the trinity and the second coming of the Messiah, and also on the issue of atonement. My wife and I discussed divinity and atonement with two Christian women as well.

The English book, A Present to the Prince of Wales, will open doors for preaching in France, because upon its arrival here [in Mauritius], efforts will be made to translate it into clear French language, insha-Allah, and God willing, it will serve as a complete source of tabligh to the Bourbon, the people of Madagascar. A detailed sketch of Ahmadiyyat will be present before them.

Now, by God’s grace, the Bhunnoo family has bought a huge house which has been converted into an auditorium. Insha-Allah, a series of regular lectures will now be started in it from this week, because previously we did not have any public place in Saint Pierre where we could hold lectures freely.

On the day of Eid, by the grace of God, two men took bai‘at. May God grant them perseverance.

(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu published in the 14 September 1922 issue of Al Fazl)