Abstract
This paper examines the white famous white converts to Islam and their political motives with Muslim populations all over the world. After the famous mutiny of 1857, Sir William Muir wrote a critical exposition of Islam which served as an abstract report to the British Government explaining how their colonial business model was under attack by the biggest demographic of people in the world, Muslims. Alexander Webb, Quilliam, Khalid Sheldrake and eventually Fard (the last white prophet) would be the result of phenomenon of the “white prophet” who was introduced to Muslim populations as authoritative figure in the Islamic Sharia.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
1857-1858
The impetus
The Great Mutiny happened in 1857, when Muslim and Hindu soldiers refused to bite into a grease packet made of pig and beef fat and used as a lubricant in the new Enfield rifle.
In 1858, Sir William Muir published his famous “The Life of Mahomet [Muhammad] and History of Islam to the Era of the Hegira”. Sir William Muir only used “Al-Waqidi”, “Ibn Hisham” and “Tabari” in terms of sources. Sir William Muir said that he was continuing the work of Pfander vs. Islam. In the final chapters of “Life”(See Sir William Muir, Life of Mohamet, p. 521-522, 1923 edition), Sir William Muir concluded that the main legacy of Islam was a negative one, and he subdivided it in “three radical evils”:
-First: Polygamy, Divorce, and Slavery strike at the root of public morals, poison domestic life, and disorganise society; while the Veil removes the female sex from its just position and influence in the world.
-Second: freedom of thought and private judgment are crushed and annihilated. Toleration is unknown, and the possibility of free and liberal institutions foreclosed.
-Third: a barrier has been interposed against the reception of Christianity.
According to Edward Said, although Muir’s Life of Mahomet and The Caliphate “are still considered reliable monuments of scholarship”, his work was characterized by an “impressive antipathy to the Orient, Islam and the Arabs”, and “his attitude towards his subject matter was fairly put by him when he said that ‘the sword of Muhammed, and the Kor’an, are the most stubborn enemies of Civilisation, Liberty, and the Truth which the world has yet known’”.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
1886-1887
The case of Alexander Webb
In 1886, Webb read an announcement in the Theosophist magazine (located in Madras, India and via Henry Stell Olcott) and came across the challenge of MGA about 10,000 rupees if anyone could refute the Barahin-i-Ahmadiyya. Soon thereafter, he seems to have wrote letters to MGA in Qadian and MGA had them published them in his book, (Shahna’-e-Haq, 1887-1888 era). Shortly thereafter, Webb declared himself a Muslim. The original letter that was written by Webb to MGA is totally missing (See “A Muslim in Victorian America” by Abd-Allah).
In 1887, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was selling this “Barahin-i-Ahmadiyya” in the New York Tribune of March-1887 (See “Religious Jottings,” New York Tribune, March 27, 1887, page 11, via Bowen). Per Bowen, it was Alexander Webb who got this published! Furthermore, in this advertisement, MGA is saying that he is under the protection of the British Government!!! MGA is grateful to the colonist, in fact, MGA called them a temporal Khalifa! Moreover, MGA gives a ridiculous challenge of asking people to pay 200 rupees before they come to Qadian and promising them a sign (See Bowen, A History of Conversion to Islam in the United States, Volume 1, White American Muslims before 1975).
In 1887 (Oct) and after his correspondence with MGA, the President of the United States (Grover Cleveland) appointed Alexander B. Webb of Missouri to the US consul at Manila (Philippines)(See the Bethany Democrat of Thu, Oct 06, 1887 ·Page 6).
In 1892, Webb secured funding from Ahmadi’s which would be equivalent to 1.5 million in today’s money.
In 1892, when he visited India (Oct 2nd to Dec-15th 1892), he made it to Lahore and refused to go to Qadian and meet MGA since MGA had made his blasphemous claims (See Muhammad Al-Ahari too)(See Singleton) by then. Robert Dannin argued that Webb never made any public mention of MGA, nor did any part of Ahmadiyya eschatology appear in Webb’s writings (See “Black Pilgrimage” by Dannin). Abd-Allah reported that Webb gave some strange comments to the New York Herald (he doesn’t give dates) about Jesus (as), he even mentioned something about Jesus in India.
After Webb died, in his private journals that Webb was a racist.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
1889-1935
The case of the Woking Mosque
The Shah Jahan Mosque (also known as Woking Mosque) in Oriental Road, Woking, England, is the first purpose-built mosque in the United Kingdom. Built in 1889, it is located 30 miles (50 km) southwest of London. In roughly 1910, a Trust for guardianship of the mosque was then created with a membership made up of three public figures having strong connexions with India the Right Hon. Sayyid Ameer Ali, Sir Mirza Abbas Ali Baig and Sir Thomas Arnold (See also “Islam in Interwar Europe” by Clayer and Germain, it is also on the Ahmadiyyafactcheckblog). This also seems to be connected to the famous London Mosque Fund of 1910.
In 1891 (Apr), the Liverpool Daily Post of Mon, Apr 20, 1891 ·Page 7, reported about the First Moslem Marriage in England. The pseudo-Muslims in Liverpool represent the center of Islam in England. The mosque at Woking is also mentioned and described as simply lodging for college students. Mr. W.H. Quilliam, a well known lawyer is the leader and there seem to be 50 members. All white converts. Maulvi Mohammed Barkatullah was there too. The minister of Education for Armenia was there too, a man named Mohammed Ubeid Ullah. The Ottoman consul general was there too, a man named Mr. D. Mavrogordato. The marriage ceremony was read by Mr. Rafiuddin Ahmad.
In 1912, the Shah Jahan Mosque fell into Ahmadi hands, via Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din (See the details in the below). However, just a year later, during the split of 1914, Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din joined the Lahori-Ahmadi’s and detested all orders and advice coming from Qadian and the 2nd Qadiani Khalifa. Thus, the Shah Jahan Mosque was under Lahori-Ahmadi control in 1914, and the other Ahmadi Maulvi (Maulvi Fateh Muhammad Sayyal) had Qadiani leanings. Thus, from 1912 to roughly 1965, the Shah Jahan Mosque was in Lahori-Ahmadi hands. Khalid Sheldrake and Abdullah Quilliam were also there.
In 1913, the visit of Abdul Baha to Woking on January 1913. The head of the Baha’i Faith announced, on behalf of the heir of Dr. Leitner, that “the mosque would in future be open for Muhammadans to worship at any time they pleased (See also “Islam in Interwar Europe” by Clayer and Germain, it is also on the Ahmadiyyafactcheckblog).
The Islamic Review became the most popular “outwardly Sunni” magazine in the us during the Great Depression. Judging by the correspondence published in the Islamic Review, it seems that, starting in the early 1930s, the Woking mission had instituted a new push to spread information about Islam in the us. Letters began pouring into the magazine from cities and small towns across the country, sent by either librarians, who were happy to receive the Islamic Review and the mission’s other Islamic literature, or readers, who had run across a copy of the magazine and found its contents so interesting that they felt compelled to compliment the editors and request more information about Islam. Through these efforts, the Islamic Review became the century’s first successful English-language Sunni publication in the us, creating the first truly nationwide reader-based community of non-Muslim and convert Americans who were interested in Sunni Islam. However, Woking had no official representatives in the us, so, like the readers of Webb’s newspapers, without face-to-face contact with Muslims, or at least a
feeling that such contact would be possible, many of the Review’s readers who became interested in Islam felt reluctant to convert. The timing was therefore perfect for the aia to come in and capitalize on the religious market the British Muslims had created. Without doubt, this would be the principal reason that Glick’s early efforts were able to eventually spread nationally and have a real historical impact (See Bowen, A History of Conversion to Islam in the United States, Volume 1, White American Muslims before 1975).
In the Islamic Review (Lahori-Ahmadi newspaper) of March-1935, prominent Lahori-Ahmadi’s like Khwaja Nazir Ahmad (Vice President of the “Woking Muslim Mission and Literary Trust”, member of the “Board of Trustees” and member of the “Management Committee of the Trust”) told the world that they were not the “Qadiani’s”, nor were they “Ahmadi’s”, they told the world that they believe Muhammad (saw) to be the Final prophet and consider any new claimant of prophethood as outside of Islam (see page 81). Abdul Majid is listed as the “Imam of the Shah Jehan Mosque, Woking, England”. Aftab-ud-Din is listed as the “Acting Imam of the Shah Jehan Mosque, Woking, England”. Khwaja Abdul Ghani is listed as “Secretary of the “Woking Muslim Mission and Literary Trust”.
In 1935, Sir Hubert Stewart-Rankin, the 36-year-old leader President of the British Muslim Society has resigned. Sir Hubert Stweart-Rankin tried to get a resolution passed wherein Ahmadi’s would be barred from joining this organization. However, this resolution was shot down, since most of the executive committee and secretaries were Ahmadi. After the resolution was shot down, Sir Hubert walked out. Sir Hubert alleged that he would be starting a new organization. This seems to be referring to the Lahori-Ahmadi’s and their leader, Maulvi Muhammad Ali. Khalid Sheldrake is also mentioned, as well as his short lived, “Western Islamic Association”, of which Sheldrake is the President and Sir Hubert the Vice President. The newspaper alleges that there are roughly 10k Muslims in the UK, of which 90%+ are Indian sailors. The Aga Khan is trying to build a mosque at South Shields. The newspaper also acknowledges that there are 2 mosques in London in 1935, the Qadiani’s at Southfields and the Lahori-Ahmadi’s at the Woking.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
1885-1916
The case of Abdullah Quilliam
In 1885, Quilliam, Shaykh Abdullah (1885). “The Mysteries of Moslem Theology,” The Kneph, November 1885: 58-60. The Kneph was a well-known Masonic newspaper.
In 1889, he first published “The Faith of Islam”, which was concerned with dawah to Islam and its key principles. Initially, 2,000 copies were published, but a further 3,000 copies were produced in 1890. The third edition was published in 1892 after 5000 copies had sold out.
In 1889 (Nov), the Moslems of the Liverpool institute allege that women should share mosques with men with no separation. They allege that permission was given by “Shaikh ul Islam” at Constantinople (Ottoman Empire)(See the Daily News of Sat, Nov 02, 1889 ·Page 5).
In 1890 (June), the “Liverpool Moslem Institute” was mentioned (See the Liverpool Mercury, etc. of Mon, Jun 02, 1890 ·Page 6).
In 1891 (Apr), the Liverpool Daily Post of Mon, Apr 20, 1891 ·Page 7, reported about the First Moslem Marriage in England. The pseudo-Muslims in Liverpool represent the center of Islam in England. The mosque at Woking is also mentioned and described as simply lodging for college students. Mr. W.H. Quilliam, a well known lawyer is the leader and there seem to be 50 members. All white converts. Maulvi Mohammed Barkatullah was there too. The minister of Education for Armenia was there too, a man named Mohammed Ubeid Ullah. The Ottoman consul general was there too, a man named Mr. D. Mavrogordato. The marriage ceremony was read by Mr. Rafiuddin Ahmad.
In 1891 (Jun), the Liverpool Echo of Fri, Jun 05, 1891 ·Page 3 reported that Mr. Quilliam had returned from Turkey. Mr. W.H. Quilliam, solicitor, is the leader of the Liverpool Mahomedans. Quiliiam was in Constantinople for 2 months. April-May-June-1891. Quilliams son was made into an honorary Turkish soldier. His son’s new name is R. Ahmad Quilliam Bey, Bimbi Raeehi in the Household cavalry of his Imperial Majesty, the Sultan of Turkey. Bey is a rank. Quilliams son is getting paid too. They both wore the fez.
In 1891 (Dec), The Colonies and India newspaper of Sat, Dec 05, 1891 ·Page 24 reported about Mahomedanism in Liverpool and gave a list of converts, of which W.H. Quilliam is also mentioned. 14 women and 24 men. No woman from the Quilliam family have converted to Islam.
In 1893 (Sep), the St. Louis Globe-Democrat of Sun, Sep 03, 1893 ·Page 30 called Webb as “Islam’s Champion” and gave his conversion to Islam story. The headlines allege that Webb‘s studies in Manila and his reception in India made him convert to Islam. The newspaper also alleges that the origin of Webb as a missionary as a valid idea will also be told and how Webb plans to spread Islam in America via the benefits of polygamy. In the article, Webb is interviewed, Webb alleges to have made more converts in America than any Christian missionary in any foreign country. Webb alleges to have started “study” circles in Colorado, NY and Washington DC. Webb alleges that his converts have converted to Islam on their own, Webb has not seen many of these alleged converts. Webb alleges that as early as 1885, he had secured the job as American consul in Manila. Webb alleges that he studied Islam while in Manila and converted alone. Webb admits to being funded by Indians. Webb alleges to not be the first ex-Christian turned Muslim and mentions Quilliam and his mosque in Liverpool and alleges that they have a membership of 800. Webb says that he met Haji Abullah Arab through Budrudin Abdullah Kur, Webb alleges to have converted to Islam 4 years prior (1889, he would have been in Manila). Budrudin Abdullah Kur is a member of the municipal council in Bombay. Webb says that he had been corresponding with Budrudin Abdullah Kur while in Manila. In March of 1892, Webb says he was visited in Manila by Haji Abdullah Arab and Maulvi Seraj uddin Ahmad. Webb was requested to make a budget of costs for a mission in America. At which point, Haji Abdullah Arab and Maulvi Seraj uddin Ahmad returned to India and collected the monies. They then sent Webb a letter and Webb immediately came to Bombay, India. Thus, a committee was formed with a man named Hajee Nur Jan Mohammed as the President. Webb then alleges to have arrived in Calcutta and was greeted by 5000 Muslim men. Webb alleges that the British government sent spies to watch him. Webb alleges to have went to the Madrassa College in Calcutta and gave a speech. However, the local authorities stopped all of this and Webb found a bungalow from where he spoke and people met him. Webb alleges to have travelled to Hyderabad (Deccan) thereafter and was received well, in fact, Webb alleges that the prince of Hyderabad (Deccan) regularly entertains notable Europeans. Webb says he was in Hyderabad (Deccan) for 3 weeks, however, he never met the prince and commented that the British Government watches him via spies when he eats. Webb says that the prince is totally controlled by the British government. Webb alleges to have lectured in the state pavilion at Hyderabad (Deccan) in the public gardens and got huge ovations. Webb also alleges to have spoke at the Great mosque in Hyderabad (Deccan) and Indians were ready to die for him. Webb alleges that the British Government has totally brainwashed Indians to believe that the Russians will attack at anytime, thus, the British aren’t that bad, even though the taxes are really high. Webb explains how the majority of the population at Hyderabad (Deccan) are Buddhist and Hindu’s and with the British if the Muslims ever revolted. Webb says he doesn’t teach polygamy. Webb argues that in American, women are homeless and living on the streets and thus polygamy would be better. Webb alleges that most Muslims only acknowledge one wife and the others are simply wives. Webb then alleges that his friend and financier, Haji Abdullah Arab was the son of a rich man and gave away all of his money to charity. Haji Abullah Arab was then homeless. However, everything changed recently and he became rich again and has homes in Caclutta, Jeddah and Medina. Webb alleges that Haji Abdullah Arab owns several iron steamers via a Hajj business. Webb says that he expects the arrival of a new helper named Mullah Mirza Khan next week as well as his team, which includes a Hafiz, an English clerk, a Maulvi and a cook. Webb says that this other visitors are Hajee Rahmatullah, Hajee Dawood, Maulvi Hassan Ali. Additionally, Webb alleges that some other people might come, Hajee Mohammed Abdus Salam of Madras (he is a wealthy merchant and his brother is the Turkish council), Jan Mohammed is another potential visitor, and a rich merchant of Calcutta and another person, Hajee Haroon Joffer Yusuf, a wealthy merchant from Poona. Webb alleges that when he arrived in Burma, some Muslims asked him to take the name of Abdullah, however, he arrived in India and ended up taking the name of Muhammad. Webb confirmed that Muhammad (Saw) was the comforter that was described in the Bible by Jesus (as) and would come specifically after the death of Jesus (as).
Somewhat surprisingly, Quilliam’s Institute continued to have a small American presence for a few years, even after the departure of Lant, Nabakoff, and Keep. It seems, judging by the number of appearances of Americans in Quilliam’s journal, the Crescent, by 1895 it had become the main competitor for Webb’s Islamic newspaper. That year, Quilliam’s magazine published
numerous stories and news briefs concerning Nabakoff, Lant, and Keep, as well as several letters from Americans—including converts, Muslim immigrants, and non-Muslim sympathizers—known to be associates of the three Webb dissenters (See Bowen, A History of Conversion to Islam in the United States, Volume 1, White American Muslims before 1975).
In 1903, Abdullah Quilliam was promoting the Ahmadiyya newspaper Review of Religions to his own customers, thus proving that there was collusion between the Ahmadiyya Movement at Qadian and “White Prophets” like Abdullah Quilliam (See “The Crescent” of 16th September 1903).
In 1907, MGA mentioned Quillam and said that he was better than Alexander Webb. (See Malfuzat-9, online English Edition, pages 137-139, via Al-Hakam, vol. 11, no. 8, p. 9, dated 10 March 1907). MGA seems to dislike Alexander Webb, since he quit Ahmadiyya in 1891-1892. After joining Islam, he seems to have disappeared in 1908 and returned to the UK under a fake name. He then allegedly hid out with the Lahori-Ahmadi’s and other liberal Muslim converts. In reality, he seems to be a double agent and was working politically for the British Government and spying on the Ottomans.
In March 1920 Quilliam presided over a meeting at the Woking Mosque addressed by the visiting Indian Khilafat Delegation led by the famous nationalist leader Mohamed Ali Jauhar. See at this link a brief report of the visit.
There is a short, silent newsreel film clip of this occasion available made by British Pathe in which Quilliam (as Prof. Leon) can be seen, which is on YouTube at this link:
- From 13 secs to 17 secs, Quilliam can be seen sitting behind the impassioned speaker, Mohamed Ali Jauhar.
- From 30 secs to 34 secs, Quilliam can be seen coming out of the Mosque, along with other people.
2. There is a similar newsreel film clip of Eid-ul-Fitr at the Woking Mosque in 1924. Correlating this with The Islamic Review for June 1924, this would be the Eid-ul-Fitr on Sunday 4th May 1924. This is on YouTube at this link:
- From 16 secs to 21 secs Quilliam is seen sitting on the ground, wearing hat.
- From 24 secs to 35 secs, in the scene of the prayer, Quilliam is in the front row behind the Imam, three places to the right of the Imam (as you look at picture).
______________________________________________________________________________________________
1912-1933
The case of Khalid Sheldrake
In the early 1920’s, he secretly funded the Qadiani-Ahmadi temple in London, the Fazl Mosque. The Qadiani’s lied about this and alleged that Ahmadi women sold their jewelry. It should also be noted that Bertram William Sheldrake was never a Muslim, he was lying the whole time.
Born to a wealthy pickle manufacturer in 1888, Bertram William Sheldrake suspiciously converted to Islam in London in 1903 (at the age of 15) and soon after took a leading role in a local Muslim organization known as the Pan-Islamic Society (See Dr. Khalid Sheldrake, “The Pioneers of Islam in England, Germany, France, and America,” Genuine Islam (January 1936): 26.)(See Bowen, A History of Conversion to Islam in the United States, Volume 1, White American Muslims before 1975). He founded the Young England Islamic Society in 1906 aged just 18.
In 1912, Khalid Sheldrake got published in the ROR. An article entitled “Islam in England” by Khalid Sheldrake Effendi (honorable Vice President, the Islamic Society of London), a convert to Islam, appears in the Review of Religions for July 1912 (See page 284).
In 1913, he began working with the Lahori-Ahmadi’s at the Woking Mosque. He was fast friends with Abdullah Quilliam (who seems to outwardly be a Lahori-Ahmadi).
In Feb-1914, Khalid Sheldrake was published in an Ahmadiyya newspaper, the Islamic Review (See pages 66-68). He wrote an essay entitled, “Islam and the Occident”. Sheldrake implores white Europeans to quit Christianity and join Islam (the Kufree Ahmadiyya version). Sheldrake write that Buddha, Krishna, Zaiathustra, Moses (as), Jesus (as) and Muhammad (Saw) are all prophets.
In 1914, in WW1 he enlisted and although he had served as a territorial before the war he was not sent overseas as converts were not trusted and were carefully watched. His friend and fellow convert Frank Mohammed Crabtree was accused of being ‘morally and politically undesirable’ and ‘an English Muhammadan crank’.
In 1917, aged 29, Khalid married the 20-year-old Victoria Gilbert. She converted, took the name Ghazia.
In 1921 (See the Al Fazl, of 28 March 1921 and Sir TW Arnold, who is the author of the famous book, The Preaching of Islam)(The Review of Religions [English], April 1921, page 158). In 1921, Qadiani-Ahmadi sources allege that he became an “Ahmadi Muslim” (See the Al-Fazl of March-28-1921).
In 1922, he was mentioned as a ‘Sheikh” in the Moslem Sunrise of Jan-1922 (see page 74)(al-Hakam too). During the week ending on the 17th May [1922], Mr. Bacon spoke at the Mosque on Moslems in Spain, Mr. Khalid Sheldrake occupying the chair. Mr. Bacon generally followed Lane Poole’s Moors in Spain. He dealt with the conquest, rule and fall of the Moslems, and spoke admiringly of the high standard of civilisation attained by the Moslems. Mr. Khalid Sheldrake in his presidential address dwelt at length on the Saracenic Civilisation (The Review of Religions, June, July & August 1922, page 201). Sheldrake was also helping Ahmadi’s organize lectures (See Al Fazl, 9 November 1922).
In 1923, Sheldrake was quoted in The Moslem Sunrise, April & July 1923 (see page 219). Sheldrake promoted the work of Mufti Muhammad Sadiq and the Qadiani-Ahmadi’s in America. Also in 1923, on 15 April [1923], Dr Henri Mustapha Leon’s [Abdullah Quilliam] lecture will be held at the Ahmadiyya Mosque under the auspices of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat on the topic of “The state of the people of Arabia before the advent of the Holy Prophet[sa]”. In the following weeks, Khalid Sheldrake, Muhammad Hill and Dr Salomon will deliver speeches. Invitation cards and handbills have been printed and published. An announcement has also been issued in the local newspaper (See 14 June 1923 issue of Al Fazl). Sheldrake gave a speech after Eid too (See Al Fazl, 28 August 1923).
In 1924, K. Sheldrake helped to organize (was the secretary) the visit to Brighton of the leader of the Qadian Movement, while he was in the UK on his historic trip (See English ROR of Sec-1924, page 446)(Al Fazl, 28 December 1939). On 5 September 1924, the 2nd Qadiani-Ahmadi Khalifa attended a reception held in his honour in Peckham. There, in addition to some new converts, a member of the Dulwich Conservative Association also had the opportunity to meet the 2nd Qadiani-Ahmadi Khalifa. He invited the 2nd Qadiani-Ahmadi Khalifa to deliver a lecture in Dulwich, which the 2nd Qadiani-Ahmadi Khalifa accepted and thereafter delivered a lecture at the Constitutional Hall on East Dulwich Grove (Safar-e-Europe, pp. 195-196). Khalid Sheldrake accompanied the Khalifa to France also wherein they watched nude women at an opera. At the Paris railway station, Mr. Khalid Sheldrake, who had been sent ahead to arrange accommodations, was present along with the imam of the Paris Mosque, and Mr. Durand, a correspondent of the Havas Agency. The Havas Agency, much like Reuters, is a global news dissemination service (See 29 November 1924 issue of Al Fazl, and transcribed from the original English, published in the November & December 1924 issue of The Review of Religions).
Reporting on the reception at the house of Mr Khalid Sheldrake, South London Observer published articles on 10 and 13 September 1924, under the heading “His Holiness the Khalifatul Masih”:
“On Friday His Holiness the Khalifatul Masih was the guest of Dr and Mrs Khalid Sheldrake, of Fennimere, Fenwick Road, Peckham. He was accompanied by twelve learned Indians and his representatives from Berlin, Chicago and Nigeria.
“His Holiness is in London to speak at the Conference of Living Religions Within the Empire on the invitation of the organiser, who include Col. Sir Francis Younghusband of Tibetan fame, Sir E. Dennison Ross, Sir Thomas Arnold and W. Loftus Hare.
“The conference was to have taken place at the British Empire Exhibition, Wembley, but as now arranged for the 22nd instant to October 3 at the Imperial Institute, South Kensington.
In terms of the Qadiani’s, he was allegedly at the 1926 opening of the Fazl Mosque. In the same year, he has an essay in the Islamic Review of March-April 1926 (see page 148).
The Sheldrakes raised their family in East Dulwich in the 1920s. They lived in Tarbert Road and in the 1921 Census they lived in Melbourne Grove before moving to nearby Fenwick Road where they lived until the early 1930s. It was here that they became parents and in 1922, when their son Rashid was born, two Muslim clerics visited Mrs. Sheldrake in East Dulwich, ‘their turbans provided some interest in the neighbourhood’. They whispered the Muslim call to prayer into the baby’s ear after which the proud father was taken off to dinner at the Afghan embassy. Their other son, Kemal, was born in 1926.
By 1928 there were just three mosques in London: in Woking, Southfields and East Dulwich (Sheldrake’s personal mosque) and Sheldrake expressed disappointment at British Islam’s slow progress for which he blamed sectarianism (division to which he himself contributed). Still, he concluded, there were some positives: ‘We do not conduct our campaigns on the lines of the Mormons’.
In 1930, he “allegedly” broke away from Ahmadiyya (Lahori’s and Qadiani’s) and created the WIA (Western Islamic Association). A few years later, he became an open political agent of the British in Western China with the Ughurs Muslim. In 1930 the WIA (Western Islamic Association) had been founded by Dr. Khalid Sheldrake, a prominent British convert to pseudo-Islam. In reality, Sheldrake was a British agent and was pretending to be Muslim as a political strategy (See “Islam in Interwar Europe” by Clayer and Germain, it is also on the Ahmadiyyafactcheckblog).
Khalid Sheldrake was a regular subscriber to “The Light” (top Lahori-Ahmadi English magazine). In 1933, he revealed that his cousin is: Her Highness Khair-un-Nissa, the Dayang Muda of Sarawak aka Gladys Milton Palmer.
Soon thereafter, he became an open agent of the British (1934) and was briefly declared king of the short-lived state of Islamestan in the Xinjiang region of China during the Warlord era. However, he never took power before the state’s defeat.
In 1935, Sir Hubert Stewart-Rankin, the 36-year-old leader President of the British Muslim Society has resigned. Sir Hubert Stweart-Rankin tried to get a resolution passed wherein Ahmadi’s would be barred from joining this organization. However, this resolution was shot down, since most of the executive committee and secretaries were Ahmadi. After the resolution was shot down, Sir Hubert walked out. Sir Hubert alleged that he would be starting a new organization. This seems to be referring to the Lahori-Ahmadi’s and their leader, Maulvi Muhammad Ali. Khalid Sheldrake is also mentioned, as well as his short lived, “Western Islamic Association”, of which Sheldrake is the President and Sir Hubert the Vice President. The newspaper alleges that there are roughly 10k Muslims in the UK, of which 90%+ are Indian sailors. The Aga Khan is trying to build a mosque at South Shields. The newspaper also acknowledges that there are 2 mosques in London in 1935, the Qadiani’s at Southfields and the Lahori-Ahmadi’s at the Woking (See Evening Post of Thu, Dec 12, 1935 ·Page 10).
K. Sheldrake, “The Pioneers of Islam in England, France, Germany and America,” GI, I/1, January 1936, p. 26. The Lahori mission was a direct rival of Abdul Sattar and Abdul Jabbar Khairi’s own mosque project. In 1936, K. Sheldrake blatantly claimed that “the bulk of the 30,000 Muslims of Great Britain, among whom some 5,000 were English by birth, are in the branches of this body,” denying any authority to “the little mosque of the distant county of Surrey.” (See “Islam in Interwar Europe” by Clayer and Germain, it is also on the Ahmadiyyafactcheckblog).
Sheldrake continued to give lectures on Turkestan after his return to Britain but found little interest. He continued to raise funds for new mosques and Muslim charities. He travelled in north Africa and central Europe and served his family business by buying sour pickles in Turkey. In World War II he worked for the British Council in Ankara. He returned to the UK in 1944 and died in 1947.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Lord Headley
1913-1935
Lord Headley converted to Islam through the Lahori-Ahmadi’s, which makes his conversion false and thus, he was never a Muslim. Headley converted on 16 November 1913 and adopted the Muslim name of Shaikh Rahmatullah al-Farooq. In 1914, he established the British Muslim Society. He was the author of several books on Islam, including A Western Awakening to Islam (1914) and Three Great Prophets of the World. He was a widely travelled man and twice performed the Hajj.
In accordance with the announcement, a meeting of the Muslims of Lahore was held on 23rd November 1913 at 3:30 p.m. in Ahmadiyya Buildings, Lahore. Even before the appointed time, Muslim brethren started arriving in crowds, and by the time of the opening of the proceedings the Ahmadiyya mosque and the adjoining marquee were entirely full. Besides Muslims of all sections of society, followers of other religions were also present in large numbers. Khan sahib Shaikh Khair-ud-Din, pensioner, District Traffic Superintendent of the Railways Department, who takes a keen interest in Muslim national affairs, was chosen as President of the meeting. First of all, Dr. Mirza Yaqub Baig (a prominent Lahore Ahmadi and friend of Iqbal) recited the Holy Quran. He was followed by Sufi Ghulam Muhammad who recited the poetry of the Promised Messiah in praise of the Holy Prophet Muhammad. After this, Dr. Sayyid Muhammad Husain Shah (another prominent Lahore Ahmadi and friend of Iqbal) delivered a speech for nearly an hour, which derived its force from his sincerity.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
1932–1934
Wallace Farad and Wali Mohammed
In 1932, while in Detroit, Fard began working with an white Ahmadi convert by the psuedo name of Wali Mohammed. Wali Mohammed helped Fard develop his ideology and business model.
Via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette of Mon, Aug 01, 1932 ·Page 13, it is alleged that a man named Tom White has converted to Ahmadiyya and his new name is Wali Mohammed.
The Cincinnati Post of Thu, Feb 09, 1933 ·Page 2, the Ahmadiyya mission in Cincinatti is explained. They are operating out of a drab tenement house, a bare double room, at 928 W. 7th St. “Nearly” all the converts to Qadianism are negroes, which insinuates that some are not black and could be white. Some of the names of the new Ahmadi’s are interesting. The newspaper alleges that the muezzin used to be named Fox, but now his name is Noor-dad. Another convert is John Smith, who’s new name is Abu Saleh. Tom White has become Wali Mohammed. Jarrel is Ahmad and Jones is Ali. Dr. M. Yusuf Khan is their leader, he alleges to have graduated from the University of Chicago. His brother is also there and helping him and a Qadiani named Hajee Bashir Ahmad Malik (he was also mentioned in the Moslem Sunrise of 1930, see page 13). Some of the Ahmadiyya beliefs are also given, like Jesus (as) died in India and the huge difference in prophethood, how Muslims believe Muhammad (saw) to be the Final prophet appointed and Ahmadi’s don’t. Allegedly, Ahmadi’s don’t believe in polygamy. Most of the negro converts wear the Fez cap. Only 6 converts can read Arabic and most can’t even read English.
In July-2025, Dr. John Morrow argued in his book (“W. D. Fard: The Man, Mystery, and Myth Behind the Nation of Islam“) that a white man named Tom White (William Thomas White)
was a co-conspirator with Wallace Farad (aka Master Fard). Dr. John Morrow presented newspaper references from Aug-1-1932 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) which prove that a man named Tom White had converted to Ahmadiyya and was issued the new name of Wali Mohammed by most likely Ahmadiyya Maulvi Muhammad Yusuf Khan. However, he was never highlighted in any Ahmadiyya publication like the “Review of Religions” or “Moslem Sunrise” as a white convert. In the same newspaper, another conversion is given, John Smith turned into Abu Saleh (See Jameel Hakim), who later became a rouge African-American sheikh, like Wali Akram or Sheikh Ahmad Din (John Muhammad also confirmed that Wali Mohammed was one of his teachers).
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Duse Muhammad and Marcus Garvey
1913–1934
In 1913-1914, Dusé Mohamed Ali was attending the Woking Mosque and was working under the tutelage of Khwaja Kamaluddin. In Feb of 1914, Khwaja Kamaluddin and Dusé Mohamed Ali (of the African Times and Orient) wrote a letter to the “The Times” about Christian missionary activity in East Africa (See “The Times”, newspaper, Feb-20-1914). Marcus Garvey was a student of Dusé Mohamed Ali in this era, 8-9 years later, he worked with Mufti Muhammad Sadiq in Chicago. Even in a recent interview with Qasim Rashid, Fanusie alleged that Khwaja Kamaluddin taught Islam to Dusé Mohamed Ali who then taught Marcus Garvey, this can also be found in her dissertation (see page 238). Fanusie quoted Ian Duffield, “Duse Mohamed Ali and the Development of Pan-Africanism, 1866-1945”, unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Edinburgh, 1971, 420-425. The young Marcus Garvey, then studying in London from Jamaica, frequently visited Ali’s Fleet Street office and was mentored by him David Dabydeen, John Gilmore, Cecily Jones (eds), The Oxford Companion to Black British History, Oxford University Press, 2007, p. 25). Garvey briefly worked for Ali and contributed an article to the journal’s October 1913 issue of the African Times and Orient Review.
In 1921, following the demise of the African and Orient Review, Dusé Mohamed Ali travelled to the United States, never returning to Britain. In Oct-Dec-1921, Dusé Mohamed Ali’s name and photo appeared in over 20 U.S. newspapers. His arrival was announced as-if it were a marketing campaign (See the photo in the below). The newspapers also ran the headline that explained how Dusé Mohamed Ali represented a 25-million-dollar trading company, organized to export vegetable oils and fats from the West Coast of Africa. In the US, he worked with Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) movement. He also contributed articles on African issues to UNIA’s the Negro World. He taught in a department of African affairs.
In 1985, via the “Garvey Papers” by Hill, a man named George Farr was pointed out as a member of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in San Francisco (See the scans in the below). There seems to be a weekly report by J.J. Hanigan (a commandant, 12th Naval District, in a letter to the Director of Naval intelligence)(Dated as 12-3-1921) wherein he reports of one of his informants having met George Farr and described him as a well educated Negro. However, this informant also says that George Farr spoke like an American educated Hindu, he didn’t speak English like the Negroes in the South. This informant also says that George Farr looks like a Hindu, not like a Negro. Interestingly, a letter by Duse’ Mohammed was also mentioned in this report. However, the Ahmadiyya connection is not made at all.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Lawal Basil Agusto
1913-1935
Lawal Basil Agusto was an Islamic cleric and scholar, however, he unknowingly converted to Ahmadiyya in 1916, he had no idea that MGA claimed to be a prophet, he thought MGA was just a Mahdi. Per Fisher, he seems to have become a Lahori-Ahmadi for a short while in London (1920-1924), this is where he found out about MGA’s claims. He returned to Nigeria in 1924 and created a new sect of Ahmadi’s (See Fisher). He was a qualified lawyer, and the first Muslim lawyer in West Africa to be called to bar. See also the ROR of Dec-1989.
Agusto was born in 1885 in a Lagos Muslim family and under British colonialism. After mastering the reading of the Holy Quran through an Arabic school, he commenced at the age of ten, his primary school education. Agusto had his secondary education at the C.M.S. Grammar School and joined the school of pharmacy where he took lectures in sciences at the King’s College in Lagos. After qualifying as a pharmacist his interest waned and he opted to study law when he left Nigeria for the United Kingdom in 1920.
Agusto was a pioneer member of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Nigeria but he renounced membership when he realized that members in Southfield, London believed founder, Ghulam Ahmad was a prophet, against his belief that prophet Muhammed was the seal of all prophets. On his return to Nigeria he founded the Islamic Society of Nigeria after failing to convince friends at the Ahmadiyya Movement. He was however followed by a couple, including H.A. Subar, B.A. Disu, and Booyamin Gbajabiamila. Agusto’s organization changed name in 1964 to Jamat-al-ul Islamiyya of Nigeria. When Alhaji Agusto was Chief Imam of Lagos and a leader of many Muslim organisations, he was also a lawyer to the Catholic Diocese of Lagos under late Archbishop Leo Taylor. He founded Jamat-at-ul Islamiyya, one of the major Islamic associations of the southwest region of Nigeria.
In 1934, he helped the Quranic people get their mosque back from Ahmadiyya control, the Ahmadiyya lawyer was Jibril Martin. Martin and Ahmadi’s and initially won the case, however, they lost on appeal.
Agusto was made a Queen’s Counsel (now called Senior Advocate of Nigeria) in 1959. Around this time, he involved himself in social activism that bordered on girl education, and the extension of educational facilities to Muslim children. Agusto authored the book, Jesus on the advent of Muhammad before he became late on 26 July, 1971.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Conclusions
This paper showed the connection between colonization and the adjustments to Islam that were made by various “White Prophets” from Webb to Fard, in an attempt by colonial powers to control the minorities in their kingdoms as well as acting as consul to Muslim lands like the Ottomans. Data has shown that as part of their foreign policy, governments like the USA and Britain employed Americans as “agents of social change”, similar to Instagram influencers of the 2020’s. These “White Prophets” were disingenuous to the core and used Islam to delve into womanizing and other vices (See the case of Andrew Tate). All the while, Muslims were manipulated all around the world to turn into liberal tools of colonial GDP. This phenomenon was also used in America to control the rising tide of anti-state sentiment, in fact, Elijah Muhammad wouldn’t even let members of the NOI carry a pocket-knife. At the same time, these white prophets, in-concert with the Ahmadiyya Movement worked on Pan-Africanism in their quest to Americanize Liberia. This was done via Marcus Garvey, Duse Mohammed and Agusto.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Links and Related Essay’s
Jameela Hakim, “History of The First Muslim Mosque in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania” (1979)
Who is Mr. Muhammad Yusuf Khan? A crooked Ahmadi Maulvi in the USA, 1921-1976?
https://www.wokingmuslim.org/pers/khilafat.htm
https://books.google.com/books/about/A_History_of_Conversion_to_Islam_in_the.html?id=DYljCgAAQBAJ
Alexander Russel Mohammed Webb was a colonial prophet, a fake Muslim a racist and a triple-agent
Was Abdullah Quilliam a Lahori-Ahmadi when he died? A Triple Agent? – ahmadiyyafactcheckblog
Was Abdullah Quilliam a Lahori-Ahmadi when he died? A Triple Agent?
Khalid Sheldrake and the Ahmadiyya Movement? – ahmadiyyafactcheckblog
Sir William Muir was an enemy of Islam – ahmadiyyafactcheckblog
Marcus Garvey’s connection to the Ahmadiyya Movement (1913-1920) – ahmadiyyafactcheckblog
Marcus Garvey’s connection to the Ahmadiyya Movement (1913-1920)
Dusé Mohamed Ali and Khawaja Kamaluddin – ahmadiyyafactcheckblog
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Tags
#ahmadiyya #ahmadiyyafactcheckblog #messiahhascome #ahmadiyyat #trueislam #mirzaghulamahmad
Leave a Reply