2003 Summer In Darus-Salaam
by Fatima Zainab Rahman (USA)
Basharaat-e-Ahmadiyya, December 2003 Issue (Vol. 7, No. 1, p. 19)
The 2003 summer was filled with great enthusiasm and religious spirit in Darus-Salaam, Lahore. By the grace of Allah, not only were the annual Tarbiati [Tarbiyyati / Training] classes held in July, but proceeding the two-week enlightening Course, the 100th martyrdom anniversary of our beloved Sahibzada Abdul Latif Sahib Shaheed was commemorated by a Jalsa. By Allah’s grace, over a hundred members of our Jamaat attended the memorial, many of whom endured difficult journeys in the sweltering summer heat of Lahore. The eager willingness of these members made the Memorial all the more special as they illustrated their zeal to also sacrifice for the love and cause of Allah. The day long Jalsa was filled with emotions as various respected speakers remembered the sacrifices and pious life of one of our most endearing saints. Not only were the most respected elders of our Jamaat present, but the enthusiastic spirit of young children and teens filled the atmosphere with a refreshing spirit. Many of the youngest members of our Ahmadiyya Jamaat spoke a few words regarding the life of Sahibzada Sahib, memorializing his sacred existence.
Many of the Jalsa attendees stayed on for the Tarbiati Course, in order to better themselves spiritually and increase their religious knowledge. Personally, I found it incredibly enlightening that so many young persons were willing to suppress their desires of this world to fulfill their more important soul which is all too often neglected. Most of the attendees stayed in the guest house in Darus-Salaam. And although there was a cash prize and a stunningly designed shield for the highest scoring student, the students had a greater motivation which was participating in a spiritually enlightening two weeks and serving Allah. The students were scored on punctuality and attendance of the five daily prayers and classes, homework, how well they did in the quiz, and the final written exam. The lectures were given on a variety of enlightening topics and practical issues by a group of highly respected instructors. The daily topics and lecturers included Mujaddid-e-Azam by Professor Ejaz Ahmad, Differences between the Ahmadis and Qadianis by Professor Amir Aziz, the Religion of Islam by Professor Safia Saeed, the Death of Jesus by Brigadier Muhammad Saeed, the Ahmadiyya Case by Mrs. Sabiha Saeed, the correct Recitation and Pronunciation of the Quran by Qari Ghulam Rasul Sahib, along with a number of other topics and respected guest speakers. The Tarbiati Course was held under the blessed presence of Hazrat Ameer Dr. Abdul Kareem Saeed, our saintly elder Malik Saeed Sahib, and our respected elders Qazi Abdul Ahad Sahib, and Chaudry Mansur Ahmad. Their regular presence was the foundation for the Course. A daily day in the life of the students began with Fajr prayers which was followed by a morning Dars. Breakfast was then served. The classes began at 9am sharp and a tea break was given around 10:30am. During the break, tea and snacks were provided and students were able to freshen their minds for more engaging and highly fascinating talks. The class session ended with Zuhr prayers and lunch was served afterwards. Although the classes would end in the early afternoon, the students were still marked for their punctuality and attendance during the rest of the day’s prayers, which of course were held at our beautiful mosque. After Maghrib Prayers, there would be a daily evening Dars which was given by a variety of people, who were all eloquently spoken and knowledgeable. Isha prayers were followed by dinner, which was served at the guest house.
There were separate classes held for the youngest students. They would attend some of the general classes but would then obediently line up to walk to an adjacent room in the mosque to undergo their religious education. The youngest of the students were equally excited about the Course as their older counterparts. And it was very inspiring to see the youngest of our Jamaat so interested in the true aspects of life such as Islam and Ahmadiyyat.
The most inspiring aspect of the Tarbiati Course was the persistent enthusiasm and motivated spirit of the students to re-organize and modernize the library. For more than two weeks, the students literally spent each free second they had between classes and prayers fervidly working in the way of Allah. The process was long as the students recorded each and every book in the library, organized them, re-shelved, and computerized them. The students constantly kept a smile on their faces as they worked, and their cheeriness was reflective of their passion to serve the Jamaat. The project was led by two incredibly motivated and spirited Ahmadis Miss Faiza Aziz and Mr. Usman Aziz. Both sacrificed countless hours in the library, and were the guiding force behind the work done by the students. The Mubalagheen [Preachers], under training, played a crucial part in the modernization of the library, as they not only worked the duration of the Course in the library, but also continued for months afterward despite their busy training. Our respected Qazi Abdul Ahaad Sahib was a constant source of unimaginable wisdom throughout the project, and he greeted the students daily with his loving personality.
The summer 2003 in Dars-Salam was one of religious awakening, enthusiasm, and inspiration. We remembered our past saints who have built the foundation for our Jamaat and faith. We experienced the present with our respected elders and knowledgeable instructors. And we saw into the future of our Jamaat through the enthusiasm and interest of our young members who because of their motivation to serve Allah will Inshallah be the guiding lights for the future of our Jamaat.