Dr. Mehdi Ali Qamar
    (1963 - 2014)




Dr. Mehdi Ali Bashiruddin Qamar of Columbus Majlis was martyred in Rabwah, Pakistan on May 26, 2014, at the age of 50, Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji‘un. Dr. Mehdi was gunned down in front of his wife and two-year old son at the gate of Bahishti Maqbarah around Fajr time. He had arrived in Pakistan with his family a couple of days earlier to volunteer at Tahir Heart Institute in Rabwah.

The funeral Prayer of our dear brother Dr. Mehdi Ali Qamar Shaheed was offered on June 3 and June 4, 2014 at Baitul Islam Mosque in Maple, Ontario, Canada and was attended by thousands of members. Friends and family had come to pay their final respects to the Shaheed from North America, Europe, and Pakistan. The burial took place on June 4th at Maple United Cemetery in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada.

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (may Allah be his helper) talked about this endeared and great martyr of Ahmadiyyat at length in his Friday sermon of May 30, 2014, and offered his funeral Prayer in absentia. Funeral Prayers were also offered in Jama’ats across the country. May Allah elevate his status in the highest echelons of paradise (Jannatul Firdaus) and may He be the protector of his family and his generations to come. Amin.



Click on the pictures below for funereal picture gallery.

Jama‘at's Response to the Martyrdom

Articles, Letters, Resolutions, Tributes

Twitter Handles

Videos

Lamentations - Poems Written by Friends in Memory of Dr. Mehdi Qamar

Poems and Calligraphy by Dr. Mehdi Qamar

Funeral and Burial News in the Media

Martyrdom News in the Media

Comments

Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji‘un. I had just spoken to Dr. Mehdi on the phone a few hours before his martyrdom to ask him if he would be attending our regional ijtima; he said that he was in Pakistan until after the Ijtima. If I would like to mention one thing about him it would be that I always saw him smiling. He served as Za'im of Columbus Majlis in 2006-2007. May Allah elevate his status in the paradise and be the protector of his family. Amin.

I have known Dr. Mahdi Ali Qamar Shaheed for many years in Columbus Jama'at. He was a very kind person. He was very soft spoken. He was very caring. He was very jovial. He always had a smile on his face. He was indeed a beautiful person, both on the inside and the outside. He was very talented. He was an artist. He was a poet. God blessed him with so many skills. God blessed him with immense love for humanity. He was a rare gem of the Community. On top of everything that God had blessed him with, in the end, God blessed him with martyrdom. This shows how much God loved him. I feel honored to have met a person of such a spiritual stature. May God bless his family and grant them immense patience and tranquility, AMEEN!

Dr. Mahdi Qamar was a Shining Star living among us, and indeed will remain a Shining Star forever, being a Shaheed - a Martyr. May Allah grant his family a bright future, and tranquility. Amin.

I have received a few condolence messages from our non Muslim or non Members of our community:
1: This message is from JoAnne, the Religion section Reporter of Columbus Dispatch:
Mirza,

I wanted to write to express my sadness and condolences to you and your congregation in the death of Dr. Qamar. Please give my best to all.

I will keep you in my prayers.

JoAnne Viviano
2: This meggage is from the Lahore Ahmadiyya Islamis Sosiety of Columbus Ohio:
Dear Mirza Sahib, I am writing this note on behalf of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Islamic Society Columbus Ohio. Please convey our sincere condolences to the family of Dr. Qamar and all your Jamaat members. Inna lilahi wa inna ilaihi rajioon. May Allah have mercy on his soul and give sabr to his family.
Sincerely,
Mohammad Ahmad
On behalf of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Islamic Society Columbus Ohio
3: Mr. Fazeel Khan, another member of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Islamis Society of Columbus, Ohio also called via telphone to express his condolence to all our members.

May Allah reward all those who have shown their any kind of concern for Dr. Mahdi Qamar, the Shining Star.

Another friend of our Jama'at Mr. Nick Patler sent the following message of condolence:
"Dear Mirza,

My heart just goes out to Dr. Qamar's family, loved ones and community. I am so sorry, so sorry. If there is anything I can do, please let me know. I am holding him, his family, and the AMC in my heart and prayers.

In Sympathy,
Nick

إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ

i will really miss him,

Dr. Qamar's sad death was a painful pill to swallow. I didn't know him in person, however the more I know and read about him I can not do anything but envy him. His life as a doctor was beneficial for hundreds if not thousands of people. I pray that may Allah help me to lead the same life that he did and help the humanity once I become a doctor. He will always be missed and will always be living as Allah has said about all Shuhada. Inna lillahe wa inna ilayhe rajeoon.

Dear Imam Mubasher and my dear friend Saleem,

I send our condolences to all members of the Ahmadi Community for the despicable murder of a servant of God, Dr. Mehdi Ali Qamar, an Ohio MD, who was killed May 26 in Chanab Nagar, Pakistan while continuing his volunteer work as a heart specialist.

As people of God, we stand with the Ahmadi Community in deploring such cruelty and tragic murder of the innocent for any reason.

Dr. Quamar is surely a martyr in the eyes of God. Dr. Qamar was fulfilling the Ahmadi mission you preach of helping others and of being tolerant of the intolerant.

It is so sad that this type of senseless hatred remains in our world.

May God be with the Qamar family, with you each, and with the Ahmadi Community at this time of sadness.

We will remember you in our prayers

Michael Moore

and your many friends at the Congregational Church of Almaden Valley, United Church of Christ

Its true that he was a rising star of our jamaat ... We have lost a gem of a person may allah grant him space in jannah

May Allah help his family bear this great loss. He has served his patients with dignity and compassion. I knew him as a colleague Physician. He was second to none and now after attaining the status of Sahaheed, he left all of us way behind.
They can take our lives but our spirit to help humanity and our fellow human beings will not be taken. His service will not be forgotten Inshallah. Rest in Peace. My friend. Rest in Peace.

It is beyond human understanding that how low the soul and morality of this so called nation of Pakistan has fallen. Pakistan today can best be described as a nation of beasts. There is a pin drop silence from the power holders. One wonders if they have any conscious. Hypocrites.
Little they realize that for an every fallen Dr. Mehdi Ali Qamar, Allah will raise 1000 Dr. Qamars. InshaAllah.
He sat next to me at his niece Naila's wedding. We chatted about family, work etc,. He was a delightful, dignified. Man of few words, yet had a great sense of humor.
We will NEVER waiver from our faith. It is my firm believe that Allah Tala will punish the culprits responsible for the brutal murder of our brother, Dr. Mehdi Ali Qamar. InshaAllah.

Look at the difference. Dr. Qamar is shining and being remembered with respect and love all over the world, whereas the coward killers are hiding their ugly faces in some place in Punjab. Persons like Qamar do not die. Allah said so. But he who kills innocent person is doomed for ever and is under Allah's curse.
I am sure this and other sacrifices of Ahmadis are being blessed by the almighty, Allah (swt) and Ahmadis under their beloved Khalifa are showing the same patience and dignified reaction as has been taught to them by the Prophet Hadhrat Mohammad (saw) and his true servant, the Promised Messiah (alaihissalam). The family has shown great befitting reaction. May Allah take care of them and reward them with His blessings.

JazakAllah Pir Tayyanb sahib for very eloquent thoughts. Today we are more united despite our loss. All the world can see true Islam only represented by Ahmadiyya community by its actions in a time of tragedy like this.

My personal experience with Dr. Mehdi sahib Shaheed was built in Sept. 2003 ,when he finished his cardiology fellowship and waited to join the cardiology practice in Ohio, I did not know Doctor sahib and never heard his name before , the only thing common was we both believe in Promised Messiah (alaihissalam), Doctor sahib graciously opened his home for me to stay and provide me with such hospitality , comfort and guidance that I cannot express in words. truly impressive -
One day Doctor sahib took me to his hospital Maimonides Medical Center Brooklyn, NY where he was trained. While we were in the hall way, his program director came across and greeted Dr. sahib. Dr. Mehdi introduced me to the program director that I am from his community and looking for a residency, Program director looked at me and said "you know, Qamar saved one of our patient who came to the hospital multiple times with shortness of breath and no one could diagnose him. One day Qamar was on call and within few hours, he diagnosed that gentleman with chronic constrictive pericarditis (inflammation around the heart ) and later that gentleman was surgically cured, We are proud of him " Indeed, we are proud of Dr. Mehdi Ali Qamar Shaheed !
May Allah lessen the sorrow and become a source of comfort to the family (Ameen)

I have been reading about the doctor. Truly a great loss. His martyrdom should be used to prove to the killers and the their supporters that they wont succeed.

               ڈاکٹر مھدی علی 

مارا گیا وہ یوں کے رنگ الگ تھا اسکا

کہتے ھیں کے اس شخص کا اتنا قصور تھا

بولی الگ تھی اسکی اور سوچ بھی جدا

تھا منفرد وہ سب سے اتنا قصور تھا

تعلیم کے زیور آراستہ وہ شخص

لڑتا تھاجھالت سے اتنا قصور تھا

عقائد کی پاداشت میں ماراگیا وہ شخص

الفت بھرا انسان سے اتنا قصور تھا

برداشت کا فقدان اتنا بڑھا ھے فاطمی

پیدا ھوا اس دور میں اتنا قصور تھا

We lost a beautiful, intelligent, compassionate, and witty person...

بلانے والا ہے سب سے پیارا اسی پہ اے دل تو جاں فدا کر۔۔

اے جوان مرد و حبیبِ کردگار۔ جوہرِ خود کرد آخر آشکار۔
نقدِ جان، از بہرِ جانان باختہ۔ دل ازین فانی سرا پرداختہ۔

کربلائیست سیرِ ہر آنم۔صد حسین است در گریبانم
کلام حضرت مسیح موعود علیہ السلام۔

I have seen him while on my visit to Columbus,Ohio. He was organizing visitors from different states to meet their Beloved Imam and Khaliftul Masih V (ABA). Dr.Mehdi Sahib was a devoted and humble Ahmadi Muslim.It's a great loss for us obviously. May GOD Almighty elevate his states in Paradise,Amin!

I have spent my childhood with Mehdi. He was my next door neighbor. How I can forget a thorough gentleman, a very dear friend... Always smiling. Caring and a very refined person. His whole family was an exemplary family in Rabwah. I know personally that from childhood his heart was filled with love of humanity and he chose that as his profession. He gave his life for the same purpose... He is surely alive as God Almighty promised... He will be alive in our hearts.. Let us pray that may Allah raise his status in Paradise. Ameen.

Bismillah hirah ma niraheem. AA I am around the same age as his eldest son and have known him for a long time, as his mom and my are very close. This whole situation has made me very sad and sympathetic towards his eldest son. Let us all pray for his whole family!
Ameen

Dr. Mehdi Ali Qamar Shaheed was an Angel walking on earth. He was a very Humble and down to earth person despite his numerous outstanding Spritual and worldly achievements. He always wore a smile on his face. He was always in the forefront in any sacrifice for Jama'at be it financial or Sacrifice of time. May Allah grant him a lofty station in Paradise and always be a guardian over his Family. May He enable us all to follow in his noble footsteps. Ameen

Dr Mehdi shaheed. Ahmadiyya Muslim community was not over Khalil Ahmad shaheed yet, heard the news of brutal killing of Dr Mehdi. Dr Mehdi was a great soul. When I was doing my residency in NY and was very interested in cardiology, he helped me get a month long internship at his Maimonides hospital. I found him a person of action, less words, and always smiling and great work ethics. I saw him doing cath after cath without rest at cath lab. The hospital staff was so happy working with him and they all knew his style and his routine. After that short interval whenever I met him, he always remembered me and met with graciousness and hope he still remembers me when he has such an elevated status among prophets, truthful, shaheeds and saliheen. May Allah elevate his status and grant him a high place. May Allah give his family patience and strength to go through this time of difficulty, Amen. We are all with them. The whole USA Jamaat kept voluntary fast on Thursday for Ahmadis in Pakistan on call of Ameer sahib.

Dr. Mehdi Ali, quiet but always smiling face is engraved forever in my memories. Known him for quite some time. He was a great poet and an artist. He was a regular participant in our annual MAALA poetry reading (Mushaira) events at Jalsa USA. He was the one who wrote from heart. His deep love for Allah (swt), the Holy Prophet (saw) the Promised Messiah (alaihissalam), and the Khulafa-e-Ahmadiyyat inspired him to pen down some of the great poems that had been published. We were looking forward to seeing his book but instead we heard about his supreme sacrifice! May Allah (swt) accepts his Shahadat and reward him with His nearness which was his wish that he aptly expressed in one of his poem which was published in Almanar USA about a year ago. May Allah shower His Blessings on his soul and be the Guardian of his family and beautiful children. Amin.

سب سے الگ سب سے جدا بولتا ہے
چُپ رہیں گر ہم تو خدا بولتا ہے
صبر کرو تھوڑا کوئی دیر نہیں
جب بھی وہ بولے، وہ سدا بولتا ہے

(ناصر جمیل)

What a beautiful person? Shahadat made him more beautiful. Dr. Mahdi was man of faith, remembering Allah with tears in his eyes and serving humanity with smiley face were the two goal of his life. That is why he received the rank of Shahadat. Now he is Shaheed sitting with Shohadaye Ahmadiyyat. What a beautiful person? Shahadat made him more beautiful.

Our hearts are aching.
The news was a shock. Still it is hard to accept, how such a decent person, who went to serve humanity with love and compassion, can have this end. Dear Dr. Mehdi Ali sahib is with Allah,and as he mentioned in his poetry,enjoying the love of Allah. May Allah shower His blessings of Mercy and Himself console his family for this great loss. It is a great loss for all humanity.

إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ

It is very sad news- We pray for this soul, for his family, for his children, his wife, his parents, and for his relatives. Venom against Ahamdi Muslims is growing w/o any interference from the state of Pakistan what we can do about it? expect asking Allah protection and shelter.

A great loss,
A very sad news

First, let me say: Innalillah-e-Wa-Inna Aleh-e-Rajaoon

I knew Dr. Sahib from our childhood (though he was a few years younger to me) as we lived in the same 'Mohallah' (Darul Rehmat Gharbi) in Rabwah. We said our Namaz together in Masjid Nasir and participated in many Jama'at activities. What I remember the most about him were his easy-going personality and broad smiles. I remember how focused he was even then.

Allah will bless him in the Hereafter, as He has promised it. May Allah console his family to bear this great loss. Indeed, it is a great loss for all of us.

Ina lillahi waina ilihe rajion

Truly So sad, and really disappointed. May Allah rest his soul in Peace. ( Ammin)

Muneeb from Frankfurt, Germany

i can not believe it. its too painful for the entire world.not to mention the family pain.

Tere muhabbat main Maray payaray jo pees bhi daalay Jaa'en gay hum
To is ko Samjhain gay Aein Raahat na dill main kuch khayal laa'en gay hum.

Have known Dr. Mehdi since childhood and lived in the neighbourhood. After decades I met him again and at least all the following traits were evident to me....humble, hardworking, dedicated, dutiful, educated, friendly, compassionate, courageous, courteous, creative, gentle, helpful, healthy, genuine, fun-loving, humorous, charismatic, honest, caring, intelligent, kind, impressive, leaderly, moderate, modest, passionate, patient, peaceful, warm, witty, personable, scholarly, sane, sociable, and sophisticated.

Dr. Mehdi visited me with his family about one year ago. He told us that he was going to Rabwah for Waqf ‘Arzi in Tahir Heart Institute. He asked, “Do you need anything from Pakistan? Please let us know and we will be delighted to bring it for you.” I asked if he could bring me Fifty Yassarnal Qur’an and Fifty Tarteelul Qur’an. He said, “That’s it? This is nothing; please let us know what else you want and we will bring it.” I said, “Jazakumullah. This is all I need.”

After that, one day as I opened the main door of my house and I saw a big box of FedEx sitting outside, bearing my name and address. I was astonished to see 100 books in the package for my students. I prayed from the bottom of my heart for Dr. Mehdi and his family. I sent the books to Nasirat of Austin, Dallas, and Houston. I gave these books to a lot of people.

The mothers of these students were praying for the person who sent these books for them. May Allah bless the soul of Dr. Mehdi. Amin.

Dr. Mehdi and family came to visit us in Louisiana from Ohio. They stayed for few days with us. The next day, after breakfast I asked them to excuse me as I taught online from 11 to 12. Dr. Mehdi was very exited and asked what I taught. I told him that I taught the Holy Qur’an for Al-Furqan. He asked me how I learned the holy Qur’an. I said that I learned it from Rabwah. He was surprised that I was from Chasadda, my origin was from Afghanistan, then how could I learn the Holy Qur’an from Rabwah.

I told him that I learned the Holy Qur’an from Rabwah online. He asked me who my teacher was. When I mentioned that it was Sir Burhan Mohammad Sahib, he said that he was his teacher too. While we were talking about the Holy Qur’an, my aunt who was also Dr. Mehdi’s mother-in-law, asked me if I could recite a few verses. I brought the Holy Qur’an and asked Dr. Mehdi which verses to recite. He said to recite whichever ones I liked. I recited Surah Takweer.

Everyone enjoyed it. Dr. Mehdi said that he wished that all the Lajna instead of watching Dramas on Pakistani TV learned the Holy Qur’an and taught it to others. I could see the love for the Holy Qur’an in him. Dr. Mehdi’s wife, Wajeeha Mehdi, enrolled in my class right away.

I told him that I was studying grammar of the Holy Qur’an. He was very happy and said that it was quite difficult. I told him that my teacher from Rabwah Sir Aminurrahman Sahib had already taught me for one year and that I was learning from Corpus Holy Qur’an and other website. Dr. Mehdi was astonished when I showed him the website. He took a picture of the website address with his iPad so that he can look at the website later.

He then showed me his beautiful calligraphy work on the dome of the mosque in Columbus.

I was shocked when my father told me about his martyrdom. It was too painful for the whole Jama'at. He had such a great personality as told by my sister (Wajiha Mehdi is my sister's sister-in-law). Now he is Shaheed and got a good status in heaven. May Allah grant patience and steadfastness to his family and be the guidance to his children(Amin).

For an Umma where the first word in our Qur'an is Iqra": Recite/read, ignorance that leads to crime is becoming rampant. Who are we to judge who is Muslim and who is not? Dr. Mahdi Ali, a father, son, husband. A good human being in the human family; A writer, poet, cardiologist, and the list goes on. To have a blind hearted man ending such a rich life is a disgrace for all of us! As I pay my heart felt condolence to the family and friends of Mahdi, I pray to Allah SWT to grant him a graceful place with the prophets and martyrs. I also ask Allah SWT to have mercy on Ummat Muhammad and bestow wisdom, truth, compassion, and understanding of real Islam.
Inna Lillah Wa Inna Ilayhi Raje'oun

Samira al-Khatib
Hambuarg, NY

-
The true heroes are those who beg of no reward, except from their Lord.
Quietly, faithfully, humbly they serve. Attaining Allah's pleasure they so genuinely deserve
-

The courageous servants of Ahmadiyyat, they gave up their lives, without so much as a flinch of their eyes.
Their life bore witness, they death bore witness, they stood upon the pedestal of greatness.
-

Muzaffar, Munir, Abdul Lateef, you are the true heroes, you strengthen our belief.
Doctor Mehdi Qamar, you are not dead, but living amongst illustrious stars.
-

The world too will realize this, they will so very soon.
بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ وَلَٰكِنْ لَا تَشْعُرُونَ

(Chapter 2: Verse 155. "Nay, they are living; only you perceive not")

بقول كسي
كب آئگابراهيم كا زمانه
بتا نمر ود كى يه آگ كب گلزار هو گى ؟

Woh tum ko hussain bunatay hain aur app yazidi buntay hain / yeh kya hi susta soda hai dushman ko teer chalanay do

salam salam or rahmat Mahdi ali qamar hamaesha ki zindgai pa gaiy who aik misali wajood thay kahatay hain kuch wajood sadiun ma paida hotay hain Mahdi ali qamar ka shumar bhi un ma sa aik ha

SALAM SALAM BA SUMAR RAHATAIN OR BARKATAIN ZINDA O JAVED MAHDI ALI QAMAR APP INSANIYAT K LIAY AIK NAMOONA THAY APP KA WAJOOD INSANYAT KI KHIDMAT K LIAY WAQAF THA APP IK DARS KHIDMAT KA HAMAIN DE GAIY AP SA LOAG SADIUN MA PAIDA HOTAY HAIN ALLAH APPNI QURBAT MA AP KO RAKHAY AMMIN

Did not have to know him personally to feel the loss of such a good person in so many ways when I saw the different news accounts of his left. I was saddened for him and his entire family (especially his wife and young child), friends, and coworkers. It's very hard to understand and accept why tragedies such as this happen to really good people. His life was shortened much, much too soon but he has left a legacy none the less.

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