Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih V also toured various countries in the Far East and South East Asia – these included Singapore, Fiji, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
Australia
One of the first countries Hudhur visited in this part of the world was Australia. The Australians had the privilege of the presence of Hudhur at their Jalsa which took place on the 14th, 15th and 16th April during which Hudhur gave a Friday Sermon, an address to the Lajna and the concluding address on the final day. Hudhur spoke with reference to the pioneer Ahmadi of Australia; Hadhrat Sufi Musa Khan Sahib(ra), who brought Ahmadiyyat to the continent of Australia in 1903, during the lifetime of the Promised Messiah(as).
Expounding the contents of a letter sent to Hadhrat Sufi Sahib(ra) on behalf of the Promised Messiah(as) that are a guiding light for each Ahmadi to this day, Hudhur counselled the ways and means to attain love and nearness to God.
Hudhur explained that the Promised Messiah(as) has left us the institution of Khilafat, through which we may take the message of God and His Prophet(saw) to the corners of the earth and through which we may discipline ourselves in terms of obedience and compliance. For service of troubled humanity he initiated and left us the institution of Wasiyyat ‘The Will’, which was in accordance to Divine commandment.
Hudhur said Hadhrat Sufi Sahib(ra) was the first ever Musi (subscriber to the institution of Wasiyyat) outside of the Indian subcontinent. With his subscription of March 1906, a centenary of the fruit of Wasiyyat in Australia has been reached. Hudhur said it was not just a coincidence that he should be visiting Australia at the time of the completion of exactly one hundred years of the first Musi of Australia. Hudhur said he did not have any knowledge of this particular fact.
Hudhur said the letter to Hadhrat Sufi Sahib also drew attention to taking the message of Ahmadiyyat to others; certainly the current world situation demands that people are shown the way; we need to benefit others from the water of spirituality that has been granted to us.
Fiji
Hudhur also delivered the Friday sermon in Fiji on the occasion of its 39th Jalsa and the concluding speech the following day. More than 500 people attended this session. In his address Hudhur expressed the need for people to speak the truth. He stated that if one was able to leave the vice of lying then one would eventually leave all vices, because one would not be able to hide his misdoings. He gave inspiring examples from the life of the Holy Prophet(saw).
New Zealand
Hudhur attended the Jalsa in New Zealand convened on the 5th and 6th of May. Hudhur said Ahmadiyyat came to Fiji forty to fifty years ago and the few elders brought about pure changes in themselves and made many sacrifices and succeeded in taking the message of Ahmadiyyat, the true Islam to others. Today, as the people were greater in number and the resources were better, endeavours needed to be made to demonstrate good practical models of the teachings of Islam and the message taken to the people of the country.
Hudhur said when divine chastisement is impending everyone cries out for help; a true believer is one who prays beforehand. He said that the geology of the area was such that there was always the danger of earthquakes and tsunamis there; indeed that there had been such a [tsunami] warning the day before which had been averted by Allah. While in New Zealand, he met a descendant of Mr. Clement Lindley Wragge, a famous Australian meteorologist, who met the Promised Messiah(as) but joined the community later.
Japan
Hudhur also graced the 26th Jalsa Salana in Japan on the Friday 12th and Saturday 13th of May. In his Friday Sermon from Nagoya which opened the Jalsa Salana, Hudhur referred to taking the message of the Promised Messiah(as), which is indeed the teaching of the Holy Prophet(saw) to the people of Japan and said that it was the wish of the Promised Messiah(as) to arrange for books and literature to be published for the Japanese people whom he considered to be searching for a good religion.
It was in 1935 that Hadhrat Musleh Mau’od(ra) sent mission-aries to this country – these people worked with great dedication and devotion.
However, after the Second World War the situation changed and there were obstacles. The country suffered a great loss in the War; nevertheless, being a courageous nation they have made great post-war progress especially in the field of technology. This has inclined them to worldly things, yet they remain interested in religion and have a desire to learn about Islam.
Hudhur said many in the congregation were from the families of the companions of the Promised Messiah(as) and they should be mindful that they are representative of Islam in the land. It was the Promised Messiah’s(as) desire to spread Islam in this country as its inhabitants are good-natured people. Hudhur said this task should not be simply left for the missionaries; indeed members of the Community should self-reflect and analyse themselves, reform their ways and mould their lives in accordance to Islam. In doing so, it is their practices that will attract people to the Islamic teaching. Hudhur urged that this should be sought via prayers.
Add Comment