In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
We glorify Him and pray for His Holy Messenger

Minutes of the First Meeting of
the Majlis Mu‘tamadin
Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya
Held on January 29, 1906 A.D.

IN ATTENDANCE WERE:

Since it was most urgent and essential to issue some important instructions and grant certain permissions, and since there was not enough time to inform members living outside Qadian, this meeting was held with the permission of Hadrat Imam(as) [The Promised Messiah(as)], after his approval of the by-laws.

The following decisions were taken.

1. It was resolved that the proposed draft of Wasiyyat be approved.

2. It was resolved that for the time being eight hundred copies of the draft of Wasiyyat should be printed. Moreover, it should also be published in Al-Hakm and Badr.

3. It was resolved that the following instructions be sent to the testators for compliance. Moreover, the said instructions should also be printed below the Wasiyyat Form.

a. If need be, the testator may ask for the draft form of the Wasiyyat, copy it on a plain paper and where there are blanks in the form, fill them in as required by his/her personal circumstances. Strong and durable paper should be used for the purpose of writing the will.

b. Wherever possible, the Wasiyyat should be registered and heirs or, where applicable, those who have jointly made the Will,1 should put their signatures on the Will as witnesses, and along with them two respectable persons of the town/city or village should also be made witnesses to the Will.

c. The Musi2, as also the witnesses, literate or illiterate, besides signing or affixing their seals, must also append their thumbprints [on the Will]. Those who are literate should also sign the Will. Men should append their left thumbprint and women should append their right thumbprint.

d. If the testator can write, he should write the will in his/her own hand.

e. The Will does not require Stamp.

f. In case there are exceptional circumstances requiring legal advice, the testator should write to the legal advisor of the Anjuman for advice.

4. In the Punjab, if the land-owners face any difficulties in making Wasiyyat, it would be appropriate for them to gift [to the Anjuman] the portion of land they would like to bequeath in their lifetime. The Gift Deed should also be signed by their reversionary heirs (if any) showing their consent. It is obligatory that the Gift Deed be registered and the gifted property be mutated in the name of Majlis Mu‘tamadin Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya. In case they acquire additional property, they will have to follow the same procedure as and when required.

5. Should there be any difficulty in executing the Gift Deed mentioned in Resolution No. 4, the market value of the property they wish to bequeath should be assessed, or the said property be sold and the cash amounting to the value of the assessed property or the amount received after the sale of the [bequeathed] property should be deposited with Majlis-e-Karpardaz Masaleh Qabristan, responsible for running the affairs of the graveyard. Whenever such Musis acquire additional property, they shall have to follow the same procedure as and when required.

6. Those who do not own any property but have other means of income should contribute each month at least 1/10th of their income to the Anjuman. They have the option to include or not to include in this 1/10th in the contributions they are already making towards the cause of the Jama‘at. If they want to consider their current contributions as part of this 1/10th, they should continue sending their payments as before, and after subtracting this amount from the 1/10th, the balance should be sent to the Financial Secretary of the Majlis Karpardaz Masaleh Qabristan. Further correspondence should be addressed to the Secretary of the Majlis. However, they shall have to make a Will that after their death, the Anjuman shall be the [rightful] owner of 1/10th of the property they leave behind.

a. Note: Those who would like further legal information about Wasiyyat or Deed of Gift in favour of Majlis-e-Karpardaz Masaleh Qabristan, may write to before actually signing Wasiyyat or Deed of Gift.

b. Note: Under special circumstances, things may be settled with Majlis-e-Mu‘tamadin through correspondence.

7. All monetary contributions, pertaining to the Cemetery and those made under the aforesaid conditions laid down in the announcement of Wasiyyat should be sent only to The Financial Secretary, Majlis Karpardaz Masaleh Qabristan. It should not be sent to anyone by name or at any other address.

Muhammad ‘Ali, Secretary. January 29, 1906 C.E.
Nuruddin. July 01, 1906 C.E.
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

1 In the beginning it was permissible for several individuals (such as members of a family) to make a joint Will. Later this practice was dropped. [Translators]

2 The one who makes the Will. [Publisher]