Renowned Muslim Missionary sent to Fiji by Ahmadiyya Anjuman Lahore
Biography
Mirza Muzaffar Baig Sateh was a highly educated missionary sent by the Lahore Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat-i-Islam (AAIIL) to Fiji in 1933, in response to pleas from Fiji Muslims facing pressure and ostracism by Hindu and Christian groups. Fluent in Hindi, Sanskrit, Urdu, Arabic, and English, Sateh dominated religious debates, defending Islam and its principles while promoting unity and resilience amongst Fiji’s Muslim community. Soon after, the Fiji Muslim League discovered his AAIIL affiliation and banned Lahori Ahmadis from their main mosque, resulting in Sateh—on instructions from Maulana Muhammad Ali—registering the AAIIL Fiji as a separate legal entity on October 3, 1934. He advocated modern education for girls and boys, fundraising and sending local youth to India for schooling, and emphasized orthodox Islamic beliefs, especially finality of prophethood. Sateh’s leadership earned him the title "Victor of Fiji" for establishing AAIIL and safeguarding the Muslim community’s rights and identity, leaving a lasting legacy even after his departure in 1935.