Basics of Religious Education — Page 274
274 274 274 274 274 B ASICS OF R ELIGIOUS E DUCATION - F IFTH E DITION National Assembly of Pakistan passed an amendment to the Constitu- tion, which declared the Ahmadis in Pakistan to be non-Muslims. This was undoubtedly an act of grave defiance in the sight of Allah. Consequently, prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto met with a humiliating end when he was later removed from office, imprisoned and then hanged on April 4, 1979. On May 21, 1982, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih III rh delivered his last Friday sermon. On May 23, he left Rabwah for Islamabad, where, on May 26, he was taken ill and passed away on June 9, 1982 at 12. 45 p. m. On June 10, 1982, Hadrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, the newly elected Khalifatul Masih IV (May Allah help him), led his Janazah prayer in Rabwah with nearly 100,000 participants. He was buried in Bahishti Maqbarah , Rabwah, Pakistan. During the seventeen years of his Khilafat, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih III rh , with his unique administrative ability and his distinctive plans of far-reach- ing benefits, was certainly able to strengthen and expand the Jama`at re- markably. His Illness and Demise (June 9, 1982) P P P P P R O M I S E D R O M I S E D R O M I S E D R O M I S E D R O M I S E D M M M M M E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H AS AS AS AS AS A N D A N D A N D A N D A N D S S S S S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S — K — K — K — K — K H A L I F H A L I F H A L I F H A L I F H A L I FA A A A AT U L T U L T U L T U L T U L M M M M M A S I H A S I H A S I H A S I H A S I H III III III III III 7. 5 7. 5 7. 5 7. 5 7. 5 Hadrat Khalifatul Masih III rh ’s First Address after Bai`at “This is a covenant, which I have made knowing that God is One and is Omnipotent and Omnipresent and He knows the Unseen, and cursed is he who behaves fraudulently at this hour. I promise before you all that I shall try my best to convey the divine message of Islam in the whole world, and treat everyone of you with love and sympathy. As you have put heavy burden of responsibility on my shoulders, I expect that you will assist me with prayers and sincere advice that Allah may take such work from me, which is essential for the propogation of Islam and Ahmadiyyat. . . ” Ahmadiyya Gazette Canada (May-June 2003, page 22)