Jalsa Salana/Annual Conventions Prophecies

Letters

The Review of Religions’
NOVEMBER 2013 EDITION:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Promised Messiah’sas Prophecy “Calamity of Damascus”
In His Holiness, Mirza Masroor Ahmad’saba historic Friday Sermon delivered on September 13th, 2013, he made key mention of a prophecy of the Promised Messiahas , Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas of Qadian, in which he was revealed the words “Calamity of Damascus”. The English translation of this sermon was published in The Review of Religions edition of November 2013. His Holiness spoke of the fulfillment of this prophecy in light of the recent and continuing Syrian Crisis and stated that some revelations are repeatedly fulfilled, this specific one already having been fulfilled once in the time of Hazrat Mirza Bashir- Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra (the second Khalifah of the Promised Messiahas) through the aerial bombardment of Damascus by France in 1925-1926. I find it interesting that the wording of this prophecy holds a resemblance to a prophecy of the Old Testament found in Isaiah 17, which reads as, “The Burden
of Damascus” (King James Version). Isaiah 17 elaborates upon a time when Damascus would cease to exist as a city. Whatever the interpretation of the verses may be is an entirely different discussion; but, as His Holiness stated numerous times throughout his sermons, the root cause of the conflict is clear—lack of righteousness and the resulting cycle of injustice. And as Isaiah 17 would state, “In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough… Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation.”

AIZAZ AHMAD KHAN
STUDENT, JAMIA AHMADIYYA CANADA

By the Grace of the Almighty Allah, I was one of the attendees of the Jalsa Salana (Annual Convention) Qadian, in India, the mother of all Jalsas that was held on 27th, 28th and 29th of December 2013. The outpouring number of devotees made this Jalsa one of the largest gatherings consisting of various nationals jam packed in Qadian, defying the severe cold weather and wind. As the Promised Messiahas said in one of his Jalsa speeches, on the way of Allah, we must ignore the diminutive difficulties in attending the Jalsa. The spiritual benefits we get from attending these gatherings cannot be described in tangible terms since a believer is only looking for the pleasure of Allah by any means possible. The concluding address by His Holiness made this Jalsa a spiritual journey for all the attendees, Alhamdulillah (all praise belongs to Allah).

T. AHMED,
U.A.E