The Everlasting Khadim
Qasim Rashid
August 28, 2008 - Another Ijtema come and gone, another Sun grows dim. But all along what shines so bright, is the Everlasting Khadim… You may be asking, what exactly is the Everlasting Khadim?  How do you identify him?  Well, we’ll come back to that question in just a moment.  For now, let us take a quick step into last year.
2007 was a momentous year for MKA USA.  A new bar was set, a new watermark made, a new summit conquered.  Collectively, we achieved the largest MKA USA Ijtema in US History with 1008 attendees, a feat never accomplished before.  We held numerous successful tournaments and surpassed our chanda promises.  Indeed, this was a year to be remembered in many, many ways.

Accordingly, expectations for 2008 were higher than ever before.  This was the “Khilafat Year.”  Much was to be achieved.  But 2008 hadn’t been an easy road full of glory and glitter.  Rising travel costs, unexpected injuries, and a lagging economy pinched every Khadim in some or in many ways.

Looking back at 2007 however, we realize that it wasn’t any one person’s wallet that set a new standard.  It wasn’t any one person’s talent that achieved any victories.  Most certainly it wasn’t any one person’s time off that conquered any important objective.

It was with this attitude that the obstacles thrown at MKA USA in 2008 were collectively smashed with the strength of at least 1114 Lions of Allah!  MKA USA set yet a higher precedent by winning the International Khilafat Basketball tournament in February!  MKA USA continued and seized the opportunity to serve our beloved Khalifa (aba) upon his first visit to the United States!  Unrelenting, MKA USA dominated in London by winning UK’s International Khilafat Basketball Tournament!  So why is it any surprise that by the sheer Grace of Allah, MKA USA engulfed its goal of Ijtema participation with 1114 attendees?  Indeed, can there be any doubts that we will once again surpass our chanda promises? 

What can explain such resiliency in the face of unrelenting obstacles?

The answer to that question, my friends, is the Everlasting Khadim.  You may call him Respected Sadr Dr. Faheem Younus Qureshi, the loving big brother who won’t rest until each of us is taken care of.  Or you may call him the honorary Khadim Yusef Latif Sr., whose wisdom is an ever guiding light.  You may most certainly call him the young Muizz Tahir Sosna, son of Brother Abdur Rahim; a Tifl who was more worried about his Jalsa Duty than his own physical well being after his foot was run over by a van.

By whichever name you call him, the Everlasting Khadim cannot be known by just one name.  Indeed, the Everlasting Khadim is the one who holds fast to the rope of Islam Ahmadiyyat.    He is the one who throws himself before his Lord in the late hours of the night, beseeching Him for His help.  He is the one who is ready to sacrifice his life, wealth, time and honor, for safeguarding the institution of Khilafat e Ahmadiyya.

The 2008 MKA USA National Ijtema is without question further evidence that the Everlasting Khadim is alive within all of us.  But our success at the 2008 Ijtema did not come from surpassing our goal with 1114 attendees.  Rather, our success came from the Grace of Allah that has allowed us to unite as brothers under His Khalifa. 

If we hold fast to that rope of Khilafat, the victories of tomorrow will Insha’Allah continue to exceed the victories of today; just as the victories of today Alhamdulillah exceed the victories of yesterday.

Indeed with Khilafat will the Everlasting Khadim always stay as such…Everlasting…