Khilafat Centenary Souvenir 1908-2008 — Page 148
Khilafat Centenary Alhaj Dr. Muza ff ar A. Zafr Former Amir of USA Jama' at ----------------- Zafar Ahmad Sarwar, Muballigh, Dayton, USA Alhaj Dr. Muzaffar A. Zafr accepted Ahmadiyyat in 1955 and played a very active role in serving the Jama'at in various capacities from that time. He was the Amir (National President), USAJama'at, for about 10 years and served as Na'ib Amir (Vice- President) for more than a decade. His devotion to Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih nrra and Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih rvrta was exemplary. Dr. Muzaffar obtained a Ph. D. in Public Administration. He was the founder and executive director of Project I used to think back on my childhood with some discontent. I thought about all the times I wanted my father to see some event that was taking place in my life, but he was nowhere to be found. He was in Qadian or Pakistan or DC or St. Louis or London, anywhere except where I wanted him, it seemed to me. He missed every single performance I had in the school choir, every talent show, my first pee -wee football practice, some parent- teacher conferences, and he did the ultimate and missed my senior graduation. CURE in the city of Dayton, Ohio and received He was with you. He was doing something in the cause prestigious awards for public services. On Friday, of Allah. He made countless sacrifices for Allah. I had November 15, 1996, he passed ------------------ Abba during the week and away at the age 60, after a all of you had him on the short illness. His son, Mureed weekends. Many Fridays we Nur Allah Zafr, wrote about would help him pack his his father: bags and pack his car and Surprisingly, my father started out like some of the people of the time of the Holy Prophef aw. In the 1950's when the Ahmadi community was just beginning to build a mosque in Dayton , he and my uncle would throw rocks at the Ahmadi brothers and sisters. They did this a few times until the brothers grew tired of being hit with projectiles. One day the brothers chased my father and my uncle and caught them. The brothers asked my father, "Wiry do you throw rocks at us?" My uncle explained that he and my Abba did not like those funny hats the Muslims wore. "Plus your women wear those funny clothes,", shouted my father. After a brief lecture on the significance of having a mosque, one of the brothers told my uncle and my Abba that one day that would be their mosque; then he fed them and showed them kindness. From time to time, my Abba would go over to the mosque and help the Muslims in their work. He could not help but find himself in admiration of their cause and in love with his Creator. He chose the "right" path. He became an Ahmadi. off he went to do good work. He never complained. It was a sacrifice - an act of submission. He was truly of those who loved his Allah. The first prayer I learned f ram my Abba were verses 163 and 164 of Sura Al-Anaam. Those of you familiar with this chapter know the significance of it. I've spent the last 15 years of my life saying this prayer in Arabic and never knew the meaning. I learned the words in English after my father passed away. Imagine my surprise when I learned the English: Say: my prayer and my sacrifice, my living and my dying are all for Allah, Lord of all the worlds. He has no partners, and so I am commanded, and I am the first of those who submit to the will of Allah. This was a prayer he recited often, a prayer he loved and a prayer he lived by. He was truly of those who loved his Allah. This was my father! His prayer and sacrifice, his