USA Souvenir 1989 — Page 53
SUFI MUTIUR RAHMAN BENGALI Ahmadiyya Muslim Missionary lncharge, USA Maulana Sufi Mutiur Rahman Bengali arrived in the United States as the Missionary of Ahmadiyyat the True Islam in 1925. He opened the missions of the Jamaat at Indianapolis, Dayton , Pittsburgh , Youngstown , Cleveland, Saint Louis and Kansas City. He maintained an office on State Street in downtown Chicago from where he established contacts with many famous people. "The Moslem call to prayer echoed through the vast Cathedral as Sufi Mutiur Rahman Bengali ascended the pulpit. "Obedience to commandments and sincere praying give the Moslems help, courage and confidence with which to combat fear," he s aid. "The Holy Quran, Moslem scripture, say s he who makes complete resignation in God is rewarded and knows no fear," he said. "Equality of man is a doctrine of Muhammad. King and slave, rich and poor, stand side by side, shoulder to shoulder. " Sufi Bengali continued the work of editing the Ahmadiyya magazine The Muslim 53 Sunrise which was started by Dr. Mufti Muhammad Sadiq, may Allah be pleased with him. His other famous publications are The Tomb of Jesus and The Life of Muhammad which he published after ardous research. Sufi Benga 1 i was often quoted by national newspapers on issues of international significance particularly those relating to India and England. His strong views on the indep~ndence of India from British were widely read in the US. His emphatic belief that the minorities should be given constitutional protection were especially recognized. Indeed he was acknowledged as the Islamic spiritual leader in the US. Describing the Movement as a revival or regeneration of Islam. Ahmadi Muslims were reported to number between 5,000 and l 0,000 in the US during' Sufi Sahib's time according to journalistic documentation. Sufi Sahib's tenure of historical missionary work ended successfully in 1948.