Djamila Koopman – Khadidja Ahmad

Djamila Koopmann – Khadidja Ahmad

I first met Khadidja in Copenhagen, Denmark, at the occasion of the inauguration of Nusrat Djahan Mosque, the first Ahmadiyya Mosque in Scandinavia. Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih III, had come from Pakistan to perform the inauguration ceremony in 1967, and Khadidja was cooking for him during his stay.

I met her again in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, at the time when Fazl Ilahi Anweri sb was the Missionary in Charge there. I do not remember this meeting, but Khadidja wrote me a letter later on, reminding me about it. This was the first letter I received from her, and from there and on we developed a close friendship in spite of the difference in age, and wrote a great number of letters to each other.

Before embracing Ahmadiyyat, her name was Juliane Koopmann. She was born in 1922 in East Germany and her family had a big estate there. It was later sold by her brother, who she tried her best to convert to Ahmadiyyat, though she did not succeed.

She signed her Bai’at and joined the Ahmadiyyat at the time of hadhrat Mirza Bashir-un-Din Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul II, and got the Muslim name Djamila. For a long time she was known as Djamila Koopmann, but when she married Dr. Sardar Nazir Ahmad, he gave her the name Khadidja, and after that she called herself Khadidja Nazir.

She lived in London with her husband, but followed him when he served the Ahmadiyya Jama’at under the Nusrat Jahan Scheme in Joro, Sierra Leone 1976-1977, Rokoper. Sierra Leone 1977-1988 and in Tachiman, Ghana 1972-1974.

After coming back to London, she, among other things, served in PS office (Private Secretary of Hadhur), on voluntary basis and was responsible for registration of all Bai’ats and compiling international statistics and presented a written report to Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IV on monthly basis. I remember her love for good order and strict punctuality.
She was a Musi as well, since she had signed her Will, Wasiyyat. Her Wasiyyat number was 27627.

I am told that she, in early days, used to proof-read and suggest corrections for some of Hadayatullah Hübsch’s manuscripts. She also translated some books to the German Language, some on the request of Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IV. The last one I heard of was Tadhkirah, one of the Promised Messiah’s books on revelations.

I visited her several times in London, first in the apartment where she had lived with her husband during his life time (he died in 1987), later on in the smaller flat where she moved later on. Her love for Africa was evident, since her home contained African furniture and various artifacts which she had brought from Africa and now kept as dear memories. In her high age she had walking difficulties and thus also transports difficulties.
Once when I visited her, I learned that she had not had any audience with Hadhur, Mulakat, for a long time. On an impulse I took her along for my Mulakat to let her share my time. I had not asked for any permission in advance to do so, but on arrival, Hadhur, hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, Khalifatul Msih IV, who knew both of us well, graciously and kindly accepted us and both I and Khadidja had our Mulakat together.

She was most keen on propagation, Tabligh, and serving Ahmadiyyat to her best capacity and she was actively preaching to many women and families. She was only four years younger than my mother in Sweden, and in spite of the difference in age, we were close friends. I could entrust many of my problems and difficulties to her and get good advice, support and encouragement from her.