Khilafat Centenary Souvenir 1908-2008 — Page 85
recalls, Huzur rt a was in his usual good spirits, answering questions cheerfully as he always did. The next morning , this bles sed saint of Almighty Allah, who served Islam and Ahmadi yyat tirelessly during a Khilafat that s panned 21 triumphant years, breathed his last. Personal memories of Huzur rta from those who were blessed to live close to him and associate with him regularly ha ve been beautifully recorded in the commemorative Sy edna Tahir Souvenir from the Ahmadi yya Muslim Association U. K. Perusing through these anecdotes and stories, one can get a true glimpse into the unique personality of Mirza Tahir Ahmad r ta. Despite his lofty status, Huzur na wa s meek and humble in his presentation. But w hen his religion was being attacked, he w ould defend the name of Islam with the utmost of pride and conviction. Huzur r ta had a dynamic personality, and would punctuate serious discours es with light- hearted jokes. Indeed his glowing smile, s harp wit and candid humor have left an indelible imprint in our memor y. Huzur rta was fond of sports (particularly squash, hockey and cricket) , cooking (he was able to identify the main ingredients of an y dish that he ate) and brisk walks, maintaining excellent health during the prime of his Khilafat. He had a unique relationship with children and served as both a teacher and father figure to millions of bo ys and girls around the world through MTA telecasts of children's classes and personal dialogue. tllQF WISDOM. ""' "I give you the gl ad tidings that God willing, no danger 1. . . 1 will confront the Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya. The Jama' at has ~ matured in the eyes of Allah an~ n? enemy eye, ~o enemy heart, no enemy will be able to inflict event the slightest 0 harm upon thisjama'at. The Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya will, God willing, grow and flourish with. the grandeur that was promised by Allah to the Promised Messiah. This Jama' at will live for at least one thousand years. Pray, therefor~, sing songs of praise to Allah, and renew your pledges of faith. ,, again. Ha dhra t Kh al if a tul Masih I~ a Al-Fazl, June 28, 1982 In the annals of histor y, Huzur rta will be described as the triumphant leader of a global religious movement that under w ent unprecedented growth and achiev ement in a relatively short period of time. But ultimatel y, w hen we reflect on the personality that was Mirza Tahir Ahmad na, what stands out most was Huzur 's rta unfathomable love for Allah and His Hol y Prophet' aw and his un wavering conviction in the po w er of pra y er. During the final stop in his journe y to the United States in 1998, Huzur rta deliv ered a Frida y Sermon from Baitul Base er in San Jose , California. In that memorable Khu t ba , Huzur rta pointed out specific areas of co ncern he had tow ard s th e Americanjama 'at. He admonished parents to look after their children as they grow up in the harsh social climate that surrounded them. H e also addressed issues of financial sacrifice and emphasized the need to place spiritual matters ov er worldly affairs. Unbeknownst to those in the audience at the time, this would be the final sermon Huzur r ta ever Am · ·1 H rta gave on encan soi. uzur ended his sermon, thus: "Within a da y or two I will be heading off from America, back to England. I request that you remember me in y our pra yers, and the objectives for which I had undertaken this journe y. Ma y Allah fulfill those objectives, and ev en after my departure , my talks and discourses ma y remain here. Ma y they have a grip over y our hearts, so it would not make an y difference if I am living or not. Ma y Allah be with y ou. Ma y He always guard y ou. After this I take leave of you. " 0 dear Huzur r 1 a, the words y ou left us with are forev er etched in our minds, and indeed y our presence in America has had an eternal grip on our hearts. Ma y Allah the Merciful shower Huzur rta with His choicest blessings, Ameen.