Khilafat Centenary Souvenir 1908-2008 — Page 169
Dr. Muzaffar Ahmad (Shaheed) ------------------- Mirza Muhammad Afzal, Muballigh, Canada It seems like only yesterday that I was having dinner with Dr. Muzaffar Ahmad. After dinner, we were sitting in his living room discussing the promotion of Jalsa Salana (annual convention) in the media. That very instant, something of such great magnitude happened that the impact of it can still be felt today. It was 1982, whenjalsa Salana USA was going to be held in Detroit, Michigan. I had the honor of serving as the Missio nary for the Great Lakes Region. I had just arrived from Chicago to discuss the best methods of pro rn o tingjalsa Salana and how to contact the me dia for coverage. As we were sitting in Dr. Ahmad 's ozy iving room awaiti ng tea , somebody knocked at his kitchen door. He excused himself to ansv· r the door ,then came back to pick up a baseb :. . . hat to give to the visitor at the door , saying, "I will be right bac k. " So me time had elapsed from when Dr. Ahmad went to answer the door, and I could hear the sound of a few firecrackers and what smelt like gunpowder. I thought it was Dr. Ahmad's son pla ying with firecrackers. While I was waiting for him to come back, I heard Dr. Ahmad's wife screaming for help and immediately my heart sank in anticipation of an unexpected tragedy. I hurried towards the kitchen and saw Dr. Ahmad laying in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor, gasping to take his last breath. I could see him looking towards the heavens and handing over his great spirit to his Lord, Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihay rajeoon (to Allah do we belong and to Him shall be our return). It was later confirmed that three men committed this heinous crime. A neighbor had dialed 911 and an ambulance came immediately, but Dr. Ahmad had long gone to heaven. At the time, law enforcement authorities provided us with security, but nonetheless it was a terrifying moment for all Jama ' at (local chapter) members. After the tragedy at Dr. Ahmad 's home these same men (who were later identified to be Sunni Muslims) went to the home of the Finance Secretary of the Jama' at to set it on fire, but they failed in their evil plan. The gasoline bomb which they threw on the house, did not explode. The house and many of its guests, including children, were all saved by Allah's mercy. The perpetrators then proceeded to break into the Jama'at's mission house located in Dearborn, MI. They went upstairs and doused the carpeted floors with gasoline. After they completed the soaking process, one of them lit the fire; immediately the entire building turned into a fireball. Allah burnt them in the same fire because they were trapped inside the blaze. Only Allah knows what their intentions after that were, but Allah did not give them respite to do more harm. Dr. Ahmad's wife showed great endurance and steadfastness as the entire Jama' at was pulled together by these tragic events. Following these acts of evil,thejama'at was contacted by all kinds of media. Mr. Na si r Malik, who was thejama'at President at the time, did a tremendous job of incorporating propagation of the true meaning of Islam in relation to the brutal events being experienced by local Ahmadis through interviews and statements. While we had been making plans for promotion of thejama'at and its annual convention, Almighty Allah had shown us that He is the best of planners. Sadly, Dr. Ahmad's shahadat (martyrdom) gave the Jama' at exposure at a local, national and international level. What we had perceived could be accomplished with money and effort, he did through the sacrifice of his life. May Allah elevate his status in paradise and bless his family in this life and in the hereafter, Ameen. 169