First Grain of Sand — Page 11
Foreword Just as Islam, in its earliest days, began to spread beyond the borders of Arabia through the transformative power of its mes- sage, so too-through its divinely guided revival in the form of Ahmadiyyat-did Islam once again extend its reach across the world. The early companions of the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, journeyed into the heart- lands of powerful empires, not to conquer land, but to win hearts with the light of faith. In our time, the revival of that same spirit inspired the missionaries of Ahmadiyyat to venture into unfamiliar and often hostile political territories, armed only with prayers, the word of God, and the banner of peace. Their only means of protection were the humble and heartfelt prayers uttered to their Lord by their Khalifah, their brethren in faith, and their own selves and a mighty shield did they prove to be! Their brave ordeals are now sealed in history as the inspi- rational building blocks of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community-a spiritual empire spread so vast that the sun can no longer set upon it. First Grain of Sand is the story of one such valiant Ahmadi missionary, Maulawi Zahoor Hussain, written in Urdu as his own memoir of the ordeal he suffered through. With a meagre amount of means and no protection outside of his Lord, he was the first Ahmadi Muslim missionary to venture into the Soviet Union. As