In March 1905, Muhammad Afzal, the editor of the newspaper Al-Badr, died and the publication of the newspaper stopped for a few days. On March 30, 1905, Hazrat Mirza expressed great pleasure that Mufti Muhammad Sadiq had taken over the editorship, and the newspaper had resumed publication.
On the advice of Maulvi Abdul Karim, the newspaper was renamed Badr.
The rationale behind the name change was that Al-Badr is the Arabic term for the full moon but its appearance has a negative connotation in that it heralds the subsequent decline in the size of the visible moon. Badr, on the other hand was the site of the famous battle in which Allah, the Most High, had helped the Holy Prophet. Accordingly, from April 20, 1905, the newspaper began appearing under the name Badr. The deceased Muhammad Afzal was the proprietor and editor of Al-Badr, but after his death, the paper was owned by Mian Miraj-ud-Din of Lahore and Mufti Muhammad Sadiq took over as editor.
From March 1, 1906, a monthly Urdu magazine titled Tashhiz-Al- Azhan started publication with Hazrat Mirza’s eldest son, Mirza Mahmud Ahmad, as its editor.
Publication of the magazine Talim-ul-Islam
From July, 1906, the Madrassah Talim-ul-Islam (Institute for Islamic Education) started publishing its own Urdu monthly magazine titled Talim- ul-Islam.
Mirza Bashir Ahmad, the second son of Hazrat Mirza from his second wife, was betrothed to the daughter of Maulana Ghulam Hasan Khan, sub- registrar Peshawar, and the nikah (legal marriage) had been solemnized in September 1902 though the rukhsati (the departure of the bride from her parent’s home to live with her husband) had not taken place.
On May 10, 1906, a marriage party, comprising of Mirza Bashir Ahmad, the groom, Mir Nasir Nawab, Mirza Mahmud Ahmad, Maulvi Sarwar Shah, Khwaja Kamal-ud- Din, and others, left for Peshawar for the final ceremonies to bring the bride home. The marriage party returned to Qadian on May 16, 1906.
Nikah of Mirza Sharif Ahmad
On November 15, 1906, the nikah of Hazrat Mirza’s third son from his second wife, Mirza Sharif Ahmad, was solemnized with Zainab Begum, the daughter of Nawab Muhammad Ali Khan of Malerkotla. The nikah ceremo- ny was held in Dar-ul-Barakaat, acourtyard atop the new guesthouse. Maulana Nur-ud-Din performed the nikah service. Hazrat Mirza graced the occasion.
Rev. Ahmad Masih, a blind clergyman associated with the SPG Mission in Delhi, was a very interesting character. He was extremely fond of debating, and because previously he had been a Muslim and had memorized the Quran, he could quote Quranic verses at will.
Sensing a weakness among the Muslim clerics of Delhi on the issue of whether Jesus is alive or dead, he began debating them onthis issue. Maulvi Abdul Majeed, a well-known cleric of Delhi took the field against him.
The most remarkable aspect of this debatewas that Rev. Ahmad Masih, a Christian, espoused that Jesus had died while Maulvi Abdul Majeed, a Muslim, took the opposite view that Jesus was alive. The debate continued during the month of February 1905 and Maulvi Abdul Majeed received a crushing defeat. Mirza Herat of Delhi confessed before several people that he had not reported the debate in his newspaper, The Curzon Gazette, because Maulvi Abdul Majeed had been utterly crushed in the debate.
However, Rev. Ahmad Masih did not stop at this. In a public announcement on May 22, 1905, he challenged Maulvi Abdul Majeed to a prayer duel (mubahalah), and demanded that he state onoath the following statement:
I swear by that Omnipotent God Who raised Muhammad as a prophet and Who sent the Quran as His revelation, and state with complete conviction and profound belief that the death of Messiah, son of Mary, is definitely not proven from the Quran andHadith. It is my belief that the Quran and Hadith prove that the Messiah is alive in heaven with his physical earthly mortal body, and the testimony that Ahmad Masih has presented regarding the death of the Messiah is totally incorrect and against the Quran and Hadith. The testimony in fact proves that the Messiah is alive and not dead.
Remarkably, Maulvi Abdul Majeed ran away from the prayer duel (mubahalah) because Rev. Ahmad Masih had presented the exact same testimony from the Quran and Hadith that Hazrat Mirza used to present. Rev. Ahmad Masih had learned those arguments well. Maulvi Abdul Majeed could neither reply to those arguments nor pick up the courage to accept the prayer-duel.
Rev. Ahmad Masih was quite used to debating. In March of 1906, he began debating with an Ahmadi Muslim, Mir Qasim Ali, who was employed in Delhi during those days.
The general topic of the debate was the same as the one in the previous year with MaulviAbdul Majeed but the specific issues were different. The reverend wanted to prove that the Messiah had died on the Cross, while Mir Qasim Ali wanted to show that the Messiah had not died on the Cross, was taken down alive, and later died a natural death.
The residents of Delhi took a keen interest in this debate and partici- pated enthusiastically. The debate continued for several days, and finally on March 28, 1906, the audience gave a unanimous verdict on oath that Rev. Ahmad Masih had lost, and Mir Qasim Ali had won. Rev. Ahmad Masih himself acknowledged his defeat by stating, “It matters not that I lost; my nation did not lose.” Later, in a public gathering on April 4, 1906, Rev. Ahmad Masih acknowledged his defeat openly in the following words:
Gentlemen, I am not agonized at all by your decision against me and in favor of the Ahmadi in the earlier public gathering. Rather, the decision affords me a sort of satisfaction in that you hastily and without thinking gave the decree in favor of Syed Sahib (Mir Qasim Ali) but you did not realize that, in doing so, it has become incumbent upon you to accept the religion and beliefs of Syed Sahib.
So I too confer the accolade of winner to Syed Sahib who has made a large number of people submit to thebeliefs of the Ahmadiyya teachings.1
Thereafter, Mir Qasim Ali invited Rev. Ahmad Masih to a prayer duel (mubahalah), but he declined. Later however, Rev Ahmad Masih put out a public announcement in which he stated: “I am ready to engage in a prayer duel (mubahalah) with Hazrat Mirza, the spiritual mentor of Mir Qasim Ali.” This announcement was forwarded to Hazrat Mirza for his attention.
Request for a prayer duel (mubahalah) is accepted
In response, Hazrat Mirza published an announcement on May 5, 1906, titled “Request for a Prayer Duel (mubahalah) Accepted.” Hazrat Mirza stated in the announcement:
At approximately 10 A.M. on May 2, 1906, I received a postal packet sent from Delhi which contained an announcement fromAhmad Masih, a clergyman with the SPG mission, requesting a prayer duel (mubahalah) with me. A long period has elapsed since the time when, in accordance with Divine revelation and Allah’s suggestion, I used this method to convincingly prove my contention against Christian clergymen and other opponents of Islam; no one came forward to accept my offer of a prayer duel (mubahalah).
The Christian clergy always excused themselves from participating by saying that this was not permissible in their religion. I do not know from where Ahmad Masih has now obtained a religious decree for its legality. In any case, this is not a matter that I need to take issue with.
I have carefully read this request for a prayer duel (mubahalah) that the Christian Ahmad Masih has published on his own volitionwithout any request for the same from me.
Outside of Delhi, people are perhaps not even aware of Ahmad Masih’s existence. I donot understand, therefore, what purpose would be served in having a prayer duel (mubahalah) with an obscure person. He considers the outcome of his debate to be confined to his own person; then how can the result of the prayer duel (mubahalah)have any kind of impact on his coreligionists…
And Ahmad Masih does not state any reason in his request why he will not have aprayer duel with Mir Qasim Ali when Mir Qasim Ali is the person he debated. When our lord and master Imam Muhammad Mustafa (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had invited the Christians of Najran for a prayer duel (mubahalah), the prayer duel (mubahalah) was with a nation which included two bishops as well. Hence engaging in a prayer duel (mubahalah) witha single person is to make a mockery of this heavenly decision.
As stated earlier, I have previously used the prayer duel(mubahalah) to settle matters conclusively with the Christian clergy; see The Fate of Atham (Anjam Atham) (page 34) and AMirror of the Excellence of Islam (Ainah Kamalat Islam) (page 272).
If Ahmad Masih wants to have a prayer duel (mubahalah), he can have it with my disciple Mir Qasim Ali, who has already extended an invitation to him for the same.
However, if it is necessary to have the prayer duel (mubahalah) only with me, I can accept his request provided the bishops of Lahore, Calcutta, Madras and Bombay, who by virtue of their rank, reputation, influence and authority are more deserving of respect, make this request. In that case, the impact of the prayer duel will be on the whole Christian community rather than an individual alone who has no standing within his community.
The prayer duel (mubahalah) should be between equals and when on one side is a per- son who is the leader and spiritual guide of a very large organization then his opponent should be a person of similar standing. So if Ahmad Masih is really zealous about having a prayer duel (mubahalah) with me, as can be inferred from his letter, then it is incumbent on him to send me a request signed by the aforementioned bishops. God willing, I shall not turn down their request.
If the consideration is that the four bishops cannotcongregate in one place, then I would like to clarify that their congregation in one place is not a requirement because the prayer duel (mubahalah) can be conducted in writing.
When I receive their request, the statements of the parties to the prayer duel (mubahalah) shall be published in newspapers, and the result of the prayer duel (mubahalah) shall be conclusive. Out of a consideration to see truth prevail, I also agree that in case all four bishops refuse, I will be willing to conduct a prayer duel with any one of them acting as an attorney on behalf of the rest. But this request must be made from their side. I will allow a sufficient time for a response in this matter, and will wait for three months for their reply.
Following the preceding announcement, Hazrat Mirza published another proclamation on May 11, 1906 in which he agreed to have a prayer duel (mubahalah) with Ahmad Masih subject to certain conditions. Accordingly, Hazrat Mirza stated in theproclamation:
The thought crossed my mind today that the Christian community should be provided further facility in the prayer duel (mubahalah) so that no specious excuse may remain with them in the matter. For this reason, I announce that I am personally ready to engage in a prayer duel (mubahalah) with Ahmad Masih.
If the bishops do not like to present their names as the opponent, they may not do so. Instead, they may only publish a written statement in the newspapers Pioneer or Civil to the effect that if Ahmad Masih is vanquished then it will be considered that the four bishops have been vanquished.
We say this only because Ahmad Masih is an obscure person and unless the bishops make him their representative, there will be no effect on thenation. The matter has now been made very clear and it is hoped that after due deliberation and consideration, the bishops will accept the prayer duel (mubahalah). Finally, if the four bishops do not agree, a statement by the Bishop of Lahore alone would beconsidered sufficient.
In response, not a word was heard from Rev. Ahmad Masih, who con- sidered silence as his salvation. Thus, although a seal was placed on the falsehood of Christianity, Rev. Ahmad Masih escaped with his life.2
Footnotes
Excerpt from the April 17, 1906 issue of the newspaper Al-Hakam
Sometime back, I had an opportunity to meet Rev. Ahmad Masih. He talked about Hazrat Mirza with great reverence. I felt that the truth had permeated his heart and that secretly he had become an Ahmadi Muslim. This is just my opinion, and Allah knows best.
Reasons for writing The Messianic Brook (Chashma-e-Masihi)
Hazrat Mirza published the book The Messianic Brook (Chashma-e- Masihi) on March 9, 1906. It was a response to the book The Fountains of Islam (Yenabeh-al-Islam) published by the Christians.
The motivation for writing the book came from a letter written to Hazrat Mirza by a Muslim from the town of Bans Bareilly in the United Provinces (UP) of India. The writer opined that after reading The Fountains of Islam, he had begun to harbor doubts about the veracity of Islam, and then went on to expound the nature of those doubts.
In response Hazrat Mirza wrote a small book titled The Messianic Brook (Chashma-e-Masihi). While the book is small inlength, in reality it is as if an ocean of knowledge has been encapsulated in a seashell. Hazrat Mirza opened with the following passage:
Assalam alaikum (Peace be upon you.) It is with great sadness that I read your letter written after you had read the book, The Fountains of Islam (Yenabeh-al-Islam) authored by a Christian. I am amazed that the fabricated and distorted representation of Islam by a nation whose god is dead, whose religion is dead, whose scripture is dead, and who are themselves dead due to theabsence of spiritual insight made you waiver. Inna Lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji-un (Surely we are Allah’s and to Him we shall return).
You should remember that these are the same people who not only corrupted the Divine books, but also exceeded every othernation in fabricated and deceitful writings in order to promote their own religion. Because these people are devoid of the spiritual light that descends from heaven to support the truth and which, by providing repeated evidence, grants a clear excellence to a truereligion, these peo- ple had no option but to resort to slander, deceit, fraud, and fabrication of fictitious and artificial statements in order to create disgust in people against the living religion of Islam …
These people have exceeded even the enchanters who madesnakes out of cords in the presence of Prophet Moses, but since Moses was a prophet of God, his staff swallowed all those snakes. In a like manner, the Quran is the staff of Godand is daily swallowing up these serpents of cord. That day is coming, and in fact is near, when no vestige of these snakes will remain behind.
Following the preceding observation, Hazrat Mirza completely demolished the objections raised in The Fountains of Islam (Yenabeh-al-Islam).
He then charged that the teachings of the Gospels were plagiarized from the Jewish Talmud, and the scriptures of Buddhism and other religions. He explained that even these plagiarized teachings are defective in that they emphasize only a singlebranch of morals and neglect the other branches. This in itself is a major flaw.
In contrast, Hazrat Mirza proved the completeness ofIslamic teachings with reasonable and rational arguments, and provided con- vincing evidence of the truth and superiority of Islamic teachings by a comparison of the teachings of Islam, Christianity and the Hindu Arya Samaj. Hazrat Mirza stated that true salvation doesnot merely mean the escape from punishment, but true salvation is in actuality the acquisition of the knowledge and love of God.
He then compared Christianity, Hindu Arya Samaj and Islam, and showed that no religion except Islam is an exponent of the true Unity of Godand presents the complete knowledge and comprehension of the perfect attributes of God. By presenting the real and living God, Islam hasthe unique distinction of showing the straight path to true salvation; by treading it a person can enjoy the fruits and blessings of truesalvation in any era.
Hazrat Mirza stated:
Because the God Who created this world is not miserly but is the granter of eternal blessings, … hence He awards to the later genera- tions, given piety and striving, what he awarded to the former generations. Accordingly, He Himself teaches in the Quran the follow- ing prayer: “Guide us on the right path. The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favors” (1:5,6). Thesupplication in this verse is to bestow on us the same blessings and rewards that were bestowed pre- viously on prophets and the righteous, and not to deprive us of any of those blessings. This verse provides tremendous hope to the Muslim community, but followers of previous prophets do not have a share in it because different prophets had different areas of excellence and weredifferently rewarded and blessed. Now the Muslim nation has been taught to seek all these disparate excellences from God. It is obvious that when all these disparate excellences are gathered together in one place, their sum will be greater than any one of theparts. This was the basis for the statement: “You are the best nation raised up for men;” (3:110). That is, you are better than all other nations by virtue of your comprehensive excellences.
It is worth finding out why the Muslim nation was given the promise that the formerly disparate and dispersed excellences would be gathered together in it. The key here is that our Holy Prophet was the perfect amalgam of all excellences. As Allah the Most High states in the Quran: “… so follow their guidance” (6:90); that is, follow the guidance given to all previous prophets. So it is apparent that he who gathers in his person all of the disparate scattered guidance would become a complete being who would besuperior to all previous prophets. It must follow then that the person who follows this Prophet of comprehensive excellences would himself become a reflection of those comprehensive excellences. The secret in teaching this prayer in Surah Fatihah (Chapter The Opening) is that the entire nation who is the follower of the Prophet of comprehensive excellences should alsobecome comprehensively excellent. So woe to those who think that this nation is a dead nation; God teaches them (Muslims) to pray for comprehensive excellence but they want to remain dead…
It is amazing that these people (Muslims) at least accept that God, the Most High, listens even now like He used to in the past, but they do not accept that he speaks now as He used to speak in the past. Although if He does not speak now, then there is no proof that He hears now either. Though the book Chashma-e-Masihi is small, it is nevertheless a worthy contribution and a powerful weapon in the fight to crush falsehood.
Hazrat Mirza departed from Ludhiana on the morning of November 8, 1905 and reached Amritsar in the afternoon. He spent oneand a half days in Amritsar on the request of the Amritsar chapter of the Ahmadiyya Organization.
The Ahmadiyya Organization inAmritsar had distributed flyers announcing that Hazrat Mirza would deliver a public lecture at 8 A.M. on November 9, 1905, at Mandwa Kanhaiyalal Hall.
The flyer stated that the lecture would elucidate the virtues of Islam and support the claim of Islam as theone true religion by furnishing rational arguments and highlighting the rewards of an Islamic life and the blessings and enlightenmentthat follow. It also stated that Hazrat Mirza would provide arguments to verify his claims.
Since Amritsar was the hotbed of oppositionand there was a real danger that the opposing clerics may try to disrupt the proceedings by hooliganism, an oath was included in bold letters at the beginning of the flyer. The oath stated: “We administer an oath in the name of Allah (the tres- pass of which is a grave sin) to every Muslim andfollowers of other religions not to raise any objection or ask a question either before, during or after the speech.” This statement was necessary because the objective of the lecture was merely the propagation of Islam. It was not intended to be a forum for argumentation or debate.
However, such an oath cannot stop determined opponents who are bent on creating mayhem and causing dissensions. Thisconcern was borne out by the events that followed.
On the morning of the lecture, Hazrat Mirza narrated that he had seen a field of sugarcane in his dream. According to the interpretative science of dreams, a sugarcane field is indicative of riots and tumult. By the appointed time of the lecture, the Mandwa Kanhaiyalal Hall was completely packed with people.
Hazrat Mirza was not feeling especially well that day, but despite his indisposition, he began his lecture at the appointed time of 8 A.M. Hazrat Mirza made the following statement at the outset:
About fourteen years ago when I came here, there were only a few individuals with me. The clerics had passed a decree excommunicating me from Islam and Abdul Haq Ghaznavi entered into a prayer duel with me.
In this prayer duel, both of us took an oath in the name of Allah, but I merely swore against myself to the effect that if I were a liar and falsifier with respect to myclaims, then may God disgrace and ruin me. Far from disgracing and ruining me, God has assisted me tremendously by His grace since the prayer duel. Today, thousands of people are among my disciples, and devotees surround me in large numbers. And despite the vehement efforts and machinations of my opponents, God has exonerated me in litigations.
Hazrat Mirza had spoken for approximately forty five minutes when one of his disciples, possibly thinking that his throat must be dry, presented him with a cup of tea without his asking.
Because of his indisposition and the fact that he was traveling, Hazrat Mirza was not fasting, but he did not want to needlessly give his opponents an opportunity to object. During the Ludhiana lecture, Hazrat Mirza had not asked for tea or anything else and similarly, he had not asked for tea here in Amritsar. The disciple who present- ed the cup of tea did so out of a spirit of excessive enthusiasm to serve and acted entirely on his own volition.
Hazrat Mirza detested hypocrisy and ostentation. Now that tea had been offered to him, he did not want to give the false impression to the audience that he was fasting. So he took a sip of tea.
This was just the kind of opportunity that the opponents werewaiting for. A clamor went up immediately: “This is the month of Ramadan! Why are you not fasting?” Hazrat Mirza responded: “I am a traveler and also I am indisposed. God says in the Quran: ‘And whoever is sick or on a journey, he shall fast a like number ofother days.’ (2:185)
Further, the Hadith puts so much emphasis on taking advantage of this allowance that the Holy Prophet calledone of his Companions ‘disobedient’ who had not broken his fast during the journey.” But Maulvi Sanaullah’s party and the Ghaznaviclan who had come solely for the purpose of creating a commotion were not dissuaded. They kept on shouting and jeering and finally stood up and started clapping, whistling and uttering offensive abuses.
The gentry of Amritsar repeatedly asked thehooligans to desist from such actions, and the police attempted to quell the disturbance, but all their efforts were in vain. Because ofthe din in the hall, the lecture had to be discontinued. The police tried to disperse the crowd but without much success. Under thecircumstances, it was deemed appropriate that Hazrat Mirza should return to his lodgings. Hazrat Mirza was escorted to a closedcarriage and no sooner had he boarded it when a shower of bricks and stones hurled by the ruffians hit the carriage.
Given the situation, the probability of serious injury or death was very high but it was entirely God’s protection through his angels that saved Hazrat Mirza and his disciples that day. If a stone had hit and shattered any of the glass windows of the carriage, the flying shards could have been dangerous for the passengers inside.
Praise be to God that no stone hit Hazrat Mirza and that his disciples too escaped, albeit narrowly. On the way back, Hazrat Mirza remarked, “It was necessary that this tradition should also be fulfilled.” It has forever been the custom of evil people to stone the God-sent people. The people of Taif had followed the Holy Prophet, pelting him with stones for many miles when he had visited their town for propagation.
The Amritsar chapter of the Ahmadiyya Organization spared no effort to serve Hazrat Mirza and his many disciples who had gathered in Amritsar. Their hospitality was commendable.
Hazrat Mirza along with his family and disciples departed from Amritsar and reached Qadian safely at noontime on Friday, November 10, 1905, where the congregational Friday prayer was offered.
Given the compelling reasons why Hazrat Mirza was not fasting, the drinking of tea during the lecture was certainly not an action against Islamic law.
It is in fact an injunction of God and His Prophet that travelers and patients should not fast. A worldly, fame-seeking person would never have had the moral courage to drink tea before the public when not fasting. Even if a disciple had mistakenly offered a cup of tea, he would have said: “Take it away, I am fasting.” Such people are seekers of fame and of building afalse reputation and would never act in a manner that is objectionable in the eyes of the uninformed general public.
A common malady these days is that people who are meticulous in abiding by one injunction of God i.e., to fast during Ramadan are inattentive of another injunction i.e., not to fast when sick or on a journey.
Some people have stipulated such strict conditionsregarding the circumstances of sickness and journey before the allowance of not fasting can be availed, that for all practical purposes, the conditions can never be satisfied and neither can the allowance be availed. Some people say that it is very burdensome to fast after the month of Ramadan, and so somehow or other they should just keep fasting during Ramadan.
In short, people do not pay serious attention to the fact that just as God has commanded that healthy and stationed people should fast during the month of Ramadan, there is another parallel injunction that exempts travelers and sick people from fasting. It could only be the work of a reformer to draw attention, without regard to the popular opinion, to God’s injunction of not fasting when sick or on a journey, and to strive to remove this weakness from the minds of the Muslims that it is difficult to fast after Ramadan.
After all when it is God’sinjunction to fast, then just as it is oblig- atory to fast in Ramadan, it is similarly obligatory for patients and travelers during the month of Ramadan to make up the fasts in other months. If there is any regard for the orders of God, then people who consider it necessary tofast during the month of Ramadan should consider it equally necessary to fast out of Ramadan.
Otherwise, there is no excellence incustomarily fasting during Ramadan but being lazy about the expiatory fasts after Ramadan. In fact, it is disobedience.Although Hazrat Mirza himself had not wished to drink tea during that lecture, lest there should be scope for dissension or tribulation, it appears as if God had wished to bring this matter to light and created the appropriate cir- cumstances for this to happen.
Hazrat Mirza’s action was entirely justifiable under Islamic law, and had a reformative message for the laziness andremissness of the populace, but it nevertheless provided the opponents with an excuse to create mischief and mayhem.
But God has a keen sense of honor and His sense of Honor finally manifested itself. During the month of Ramadan in 1909, there was such a severe outbreak of malaria in Amritsar that almost the entire Muslim population of Amritsar was laid up in bed with fever and could not fast.
Public booths were set up throughout the city for free distribution of beverages and indigenous medicines to the poorer sections of the society. People were seen publicly taking their medicines and drinks during the hours of fasting, and Ramadan ceased to be the month of fasting and instead became a month of eating and drinking for the Muslims of Amritsar.
They did exactly what they had used as an excuse to hurl stones at a pious man of God. Such is God’s keen sense of honor and the consequences of opposing the friends of God, that God deprives the opponents of the opportunity of doing good.
Maulvi Abdul Qadir had especially traveled to Delhi from Ludhiana to invite Hazrat Mirza to visit the Ludhiana chapter of the Ahmadiyya Organization and Hazrat Mirza had accepted the invitation. Hazrat Mirza, along with his family and disciples, departed from Delhi by train around 8:30 P.M. on November 4, 1905. A few disciples joined the traveling party at Sirhind when the train made a scheduled stop en route.
The train arrived in Ludhiana at 8:30 A.M. on the following day. Approximately one thousand people had gathered at the railway station to see and greet Hazrat Mirza. Apart from the locals of Ludhiana, members of the Ahmadiyya Organization and well-wishers from surrounding towns and villages such as Patiala, Rahaul, Kapurthala, Bunga Hajipura, Bassi, Malerkotla, etc., had also converged on Ludhiana to be among the receiving group when Hazrat Mirza arrived.
The Organization’s branch in Ludhiana had secured a spacious house for lodging the guests and had furnished it with all kinds of amenities. They had also made excellent arrangements for dining.
Visitors by the hundreds flocked to see Hazrat Mirza and there was a constant stream of people arriving and departing from his lodgings. Maulana Nur-ud-Din delivered a noteworthy lecture on the evening of November 4, 1905. Hazrat Mirza delivered a speech the following morning.
Announcements by Saadullah Ludhianvi:
Maulvi Saadullah Ludhianvi and other clerics published several extremely vile announcements on the arrival of Hazrat Mirza in Ludhiana. In particular, the two-page announcement of Maulvi Saadullah, a new convert to Islam, titled “Saadullah’s Hospitality” was especially replete with vile and abusive language.
Sheikh Yaqub Ali Torab, the editor of Al-Hakam, responded with an announcement on November 6, 1905, in which he ignored the vile language of his antagonist but repudiated forcefully the substantive points raised by the cleric. He also challenged Saadullah to a debate. It should be borne in mind that, as for those people that can only fall back upon absurdities, they do not respond to such challenges. Sheikh Yaqub Ali Torab also published a reply to the announcement of another cleric.
Hazrat Mirza’s Lecture in Ludhiana:
The Ludhiana chapter of the Ahmadiyya Organization had publicized well ahead of time that Hazrat Mirza would deliver a lecture at 8:00 A.M. on November 6, 1905 in the Committee Park adjoining the Arya School.
The promotional fliers stated that Hazrat Mirza would discuss the veracity of Islam, its current status, and the resources available for its reformation. He would also demonstrate how true salvation can be achieved and would dispel false notions regarding the Unity of God that had crept into the Muslim community. Further, Hazrat Mirza would adduce arguments to support his claims. The promotional fliers finally stated that the objective of the lecture was the propagation of Islam and speeches and argumentation from members of the audience would not be allowed.
At the appointed time, thousands of people showed up at the venue of the lecture. Starting at 8:30 A.M. and concluding at 11:30 A.M., Hazrat Mirza spoke for almost three hours on the merits of Islam and the truth of this religion. The lecture is available in published form in the files of the September-October 1906 issue of Al-Hakam and is worth reading.
The portion of the lecture that deals with Hazrat Mirza’s claims is presented below:
“I have maintained from the beginning that I consider straying even slightly from the obedience of the Quran and the Holy Prophet as an act of faithlessness. I believe that anyone who deviates even an iota from their obedience is bound for hell.
“I have expounded this belief not only in my speeches, but have also explained it with great clarity in over sixty of my books, and I reflect and worry about fulfilling this, day and night … If my opponents were God-fearing people and considered that a particular matter was outside the bounds of Islam, then was it not their obligation to ask me why I subscribed to it or what was my explanation? But they treated the matter perfunctorily and declared me a disbeliever on hearsay.
“I view this act of theirs with great amazement. First, the issue of whether Jesus is alive or dead is not an issue that is a precondition for inclusion in Islam. Hindus and Christians convert to Islam here as well. Are they also asked for such an undertaking?
“The essential ingredients of belief are given in: ‘I believe in Allah and in His angels, and in His Books, and in His Messengers, and that the decree of good and evil are from Allah, the Most High, and in the raising after death.’
“This issue (belief in the life or death of Jesus) is not an essential component of Islam. Then why was I the target of so much oppression when I announced that Jesus had died? It was alleged: ‘They are disbelievers and Antichrists; they should not be buried in Muslim cemeteries; it is permissible to loot their wealth and keep their women in their houses without marrying them; to kill them is a virtuous deed,’ etc.
“There was a time when these same clerics used to clamor that if there are ninety-nine reasons for considering a person a disbeliever and only one reason to consider him a Muslim, a verdict of disbelief should not be given and he should be called a Muslim.
“What has happened now? Am I even worse than such a person? Do my followers and I not recite, ‘I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger’? Do I not perform my prayers, and do my disciples not perform their prayers? Do we not fast during Ramadan? Do we not adhere to all the Islamic articles of faith that the Holy Prophet has urged us to follow?
“I speak the truth and state on oath with God, the Most High, as witness that my followers and I are Muslims and we believe in the Quran and the Holy Prophet just as a true Muslim should.
“I consider stepping even the width of an atom outside the boundaries of Islam as a sure means of damnation. It is my firm belief that all the bounties and blessings that a person can achieve, and the maximum nearness to God that one can attain, can only occur through true obedience and unblemished love of the Holy Prophet and in no other way. There is no path to virtue now except the path of the Holy Prophet.
“Yes, it is also true that I absolutely do not believe that Jesus ascended to the heaven with his physical body and is still bodily alive because such a belief is extremely insulting and disrespectful of the Holy Prophet.
“I cannot bear such mockery even for a moment … If the Holy Prophet had lived till now, there would be no harm in it because he brought such a magnificent guidance the like of which cannot be found anywhere in the world. His conduct in multifarious situations has set an example the like of which no one can present starting right from the time of Adam till now.
“I tell you in all honesty that the need for the existence of the Holy Prophet for the Muslims and the world is far greater than the need for the existence of Jesus … I speak the truth when I say that if the Holy Prophet had been alive, there would not have been a single unbeliever in the world today. What was the outcome from the life of Jesus besides that there are now four hundred million Trinity worshipping Christians?”
Further in the speech, Hazrat Mirza noted:
“The Holy Prophet is the Seal of the prophets and the Quran is the final book. There can now be no other creed or form of worship. The Holy Prophet showed with his practice what he preached. There is now no deliverance outside of what is given in the Quran and whoever forsakes its guidance is bound for hell. This is our faith and creed.
“But along with this, it should be remembered that the door of Divine communion and conversation is still open, and this door is an everlasting testimony to the truth of the Quran and the Holy Prophet.
“God, the Most High, has taught in Surah Fatihah a prayer for this: ‘Guide us on the right path, the path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favors.’ (The Holy Quran, 1:5-6). The indication in the words, ‘upon whom Thou hast bestowed favors,’ is to achieving the excellence of prophets. It is obvious that the excellence granted to the prophets was the knowledge of God. This knowledge was granted to them through communion and dialogue and you should be desirous of the same.”
Hazrat Mirza then stated:
“Islam is now the only perfect and living religion. The time has arrived for the greatness and magnificence of Islam to be manifested again, and that is the objective with which I have come.
“Muslims should appreciate the spiritual light and blessings that are descending from the heavens in this era and should give thanks that Allah has assisted them in a timely manner in accordance with His promise to help them in this time of tribulation. But if they do not value this blessing, then God shall not care for them. His work shall be done, and only lamentations will remain for the ungrateful. I state with all the force at my command and with complete conviction and insight that Allah intends to obliterate other religions and to give Islam dominance and strength.
“No hand or power can now alter this decision of God. He is the ‘Doer of what He intends’ (The Holy Quran, 11:107).
“O Muslims! Remember this! Allah has given this news to you through me, and I have delivered my message to you. Now it is up to you whether you listen to it or not. That Jesus has died is the truth. And I swear by God, the Most High, that I am the one who was promised to come. It is also an unequivocal fact that the life of Islam lies in the death of Jesus.”
Later in the speech, Hazrat Mirza observed:
“Remember that there are two reasons for my appointment.
Islam has been rendered like a weak orphan child by the domination of other religions that are in a manner of speaking devouring it. So God has sent me at this time so that I may defend Islam from the attacks of false religions by presenting proofs of the strong arguments evidencing its truth. These proofs are in the form of enlightened, scholarly arguments and heavenly blessings that have forever been manifested in support of Islam. If you read the reports of the Christian clergymen these days, you would know the kind of material they are publishing to malign Islam and the quantities in which each one of their papers is distributed. In this situation, it was necessary that the superiority of Islam be re-established. It is for this very purpose that God has sent me, and I state with full conviction that the domination of Islam will take place and its signs have appeared already. It is true however that no sword or gun is required for this domination and neither has God sent me with such armament. Any person who considers such force necessary is a foolish friend of Islam. The purpose of religion is to conquer the heart and this objective cannot be achieved with the sword. As I have shown many times, the only reason why the Holy Prophet had to lift the sword was for self-defense and for safeguarding self-determination. And that too, he did at a time when the torments and cruelties of the opponents and disbelievers had exceeded all limits, and the earth had been stained red with the blood of helpless Muslims. In short, the purpose of my coming is to bring about the domination of Islam over all other religions.
The second purpose is to reform those people who say that they perform their prayers and that they do this and that — these are mere lip-professions. So it is necessary to produce that spiritual state of mind that is the essence of Islam.”
This lecture was highly effective and insightful, and the audience listened to it with rapt attention for three hours. Following the lecture, Maulvi Abdus Samad of Patiala recited a poem in affirmation of Hazrat Mirza. After that, Misri Shah, a resident of Nawashehr in Jalandhar district, related his dream under oath, according to which he saw the Holy Prophet narrate and verify the status of Hazrat Mirza. On the morning of November 7, 1905, Hazrat Mirza delivered another sermon and the following morning, he departed from Ludhiana.
It is a well-known fact that members of the Shiite sect of Muslims curse and malign certain Islamic personalities (including the first three Caliphs of Islam).
One day, a Shia (member of the Shiite sect) took issue with a disciple of Hazrat Mirza, and while arguing that Hazrat Mirza had called himself superior to Hazrat Imam Husain [Imam Hussain], he cursed Hazrat Mirza profusely.
Angered by these remarks, Hazrat Mirza’s disciple retorted:
“What great service did Hazrat Imam Husain perform for the faith? Yazeed was the reigning Caliph; Hazrat Imam Husain revolted against the Caliph; his revolt was unsuccessful and he was killed. This is not jihad for the sake of religion. You people have elevated him quite undeservedly.”
When Hazrat Mirza learned about these statements, he at once set about rectifying the ignorance displayed by his disciple by publishing an announcement titled Tabligh-ul-Haq. It was published on October 8, 1905.
Some excerpts from that announcement are reproduced below so as to dispel some misunderstandings:
“May it be known that I have been informed via a postcard about certain statements made by some people who claim to be members of my Organization. They spoke words in respect of Hazrat Imam Husain, may Allah be pleased with him, to the effect that, God forbid, Hazrat Husain by virtue of not having pledged allegiance to the ruling Caliph was a rebel, and Yazeed was within his right (to take the action he took). May the curse of Allah be upon the liars.
“I had not hoped that any righteous person in my organization would ever utter such vile words. Then, the thought crosses my mind that many Shias have included me in the list of people that they curse and malign. Hence, it is not surprising that some ill-mannered, ignorant person may have responded to a foolish statement with an equally foolish statement of his own. This is akin to the disparagement of Jesus (peace be upon him) by ignorant Muslims in response to the Christians that malign Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
“In any case, I would like to inform the members of my Organization through this announcement that we believe Yazeed to be a person of impure nature, a vile insect of this world, and a tyrant. He did not possess any of the qualities that are the hallmark of a believer… However, Yazeed was not fortunate enough to have these qualities. The love of this world had blinded him.
“But Husain, may Allah be pleased with him, was pious and pure. And without a doubt, he was from those pious men who are cleansed by God with His own hand, and then filled with His love. And without a doubt, he is among the chiefs of Heaven. And anyone who harbors even an iota of malice towards him effectively renders void his own faith.
“And this Imam’s righteousness, love of God, patience, steadfastness, piety and devotion is a worthy example for us. We are the followers of the guidance that was vouchsafed to this innocent person. Ruined is the person who harbors enmity to him.
“Successful is he who shows his love for him in practical ways by instilling within himself his (Hazrat Imam Husain’s) faith, morals, bravery, piety, steadfastness and love of God, and then reflecting these qualities like a clean mirror reflects the image of a beautiful person. Such people (like Hazrat Imam Husain) are hidden from the eyes of the world. None knows the measure of their worth except those who are like them. The eyes of the world cannot recognize them because they are far removed from the temporal world. This was the reason for Hazrat Husain’s martyrdom because (his real worth) was not recognized.
“Which pure and pious person has been loved by the world in his lifetime so that Hazrat Husain should have been loved? So it is the height of villainy and faithlessness to disparage Hazrat Husain, may Allah be pleased with him.
“And whoever disparages Hazrat Husain or any other pious and pure religious leader or utters any remark slighting them destroys his own faith. This is so because Allah, all Glory is His, becomes the enemy of the person who is an enemy of His beloved and chosen ones.
“Even if somebody disparages or curses me, it is still very sinful to retaliate by uttering anything disrespectful of the beloved and chosen ones of Allah. In such a situation, it is better to exercise forbearance, and to pray for the ignorant opponents because if they only knew Who has sent me, they would never have disparaged me…
“O my Dears! Be patient. The affair that is secret will ultimately be revealed. God knows that I am from Him and have come at an appropriate time. But what cure can I prescribe for hearts that have hardened and eyes that have become closed… Be kind, and remain engaged in supplications. Let sincere repentance be your intercessor.
“Tread softly on this earth. God is not bound to any nation by ties of kinship. If you call yourself God’s party but do not inculcate righteousness and piety, and the fear and dread of God finds no place in your hearts, then know for sure that you shall be destroyed before your opponents because you were awakened and still you went back to sleep. And do not think that God stands in need of you.
“If you do not follow His injunctions, and if you do not respect His limits, then He will destroy you and bring in your place another nation who will follow His commandments.
“The purpose of my advent is not merely to show that Jesus (peace be upon him) has died. This would (certainly) remove a barrier from the hearts of the Muslims and make them aware of a true event. But the real reason for my coming is to make the Muslims stand firm for the real Unity of God; to enable them to develop a connection with God; to make their prayers and worship manifest pleasure and gratitude and to enable them to cleanse themselves of all internal impurities.
“If only my opponents understood, there is really no big difference between their beliefs and mine. For example, they say that Jesus (peace be upon him) was bodily raised to the heavens.
“I too concede that Jesus was bodily raised to the heavens following his death, as is the purport of the verse:
اِنِّیۡ مُتَوَفِّیۡکَ وَ رَافِعُکَ اِلَیَّ
‘I will cause thee to die, and exalt thee in My presence,’ (3:55).
“The only difference is that that body was not physical but a spiritual one that was granted to him by God in the same manner that it was granted to Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, John, and our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and other prophets.
“Similarly, it is our belief that he (Jesus) was to return to this world, and that he has come. The only difference is that in accordance with the ancient tradition of God, his coming is only in the sense of a manifestation (burooz), just as Prophet Elias’ return to this world was only in the form of a manifestation (burooz).
“One should reflect how far removed it is from the path of piety to make such a fuss over such minor differences that were bound to occur.
“After all, the person who has come from God as a hakam (arbitrator) must necessarily identify, as is implicit in the meaning of the word hakam, the misguided notions of the nation to whom he has been sent. Otherwise, it would be a misnomer to call him a hakam.
“There is no need to expand any further. I only say the following to my opponents and close my announcement:
‘Act according to your ability, I too am acting. You will come to know soon.’ (11:93).
“And peace to him who follows the guidance.”
The Results
This announcement removes many misunderstandings.
First, it shows the great reverence in which Hazrat Mirza held Hazrat Imam Husain (peace be upon him).
Second, it reveals the real purpose of Hazrat Mirza’s advent, and shows that Hazrat Mirza’s beliefs did not differ from those of the Ahle-Sunnat-Wal-Jamaat sect of Muslims except in the interpretation of one or two issues.
Third, it shows that opposition to a Caliph is not necessarily an act of rebellion. If a Caliph has not been appointed according to the Islamic rules of appointment but has usurped the Caliphate through trickery or propaganda, or if the person who has become the Caliph subscribes to wrong beliefs or commits wrong actions or if he has an immoral character, then it is incumbent on pious people to oppose him, to declare his Caliphate null and void and to try to depose him. Such an action would then be considered as righteous and a service to the nation and Islam. If a person is killed while striving for this objective, he will be considered a martyr.
So those who have eyes should see for themselves, and those who have ears should hear for themselves — this is the judgment of the hakam who was appointed by God for the reformation and guidance of mankind in this era.
In the July 27, 1905 issue of the newspaper Badr, Mufti Muhammad Sadiq narrated a conversation with Hazrat Mirza which reveals the heartfelt concern Hazrat Mirza had for the service of Islam. This was the same concern that Hazrat Mirza wanted to imbue in the hearts of his disciples. Mufti Sadiq narrated:
“Day before yesterday, I mentioned (to Hazrat Mirza) about a friend that his chances of being beset by certain problems had increased and there was real fear that he might be overwhelmed with worry and grief.
“Hazrat Mirza replied: ‘I have supplicated a lot for him and have done it as my duty, but I am concerned that everyone is so tied up with worries of this world that when will they find the time to worry about their religion? It is inevitable that one would be beset with problems in this world. In the limited span of man’s life, one is ever and anon the target of accidents or grief. So if man’s soul is in a constant state of agitation and turmoil by the unraveled affairs of the world, when will he find time free from his own worries to devote himself exclusively to worrying about the affairs of religion? If the hearts of members of a party who have pledged to give preference to matters of religion over affairs of the world also remain embroiled day and night in this quicksand, when will they turn their attention to fulfilling this critical element of the pledge?’
“Hazrat Mirza said: ‘I can say it on oath that from my earliest recollection, I have never fretted over the affairs of the world. When I was probably about fifteen years old, I asked a Hindu who was sitting in the company of my revered father and lamenting bitterly about his failures and misfortunes: ‘Why do people carry such an onerous burden in their lives, and why do they remain so enmeshed in its troubles?’’
“The Hindu replied: ‘You are still a child. When you begin to run your own household then you will know about these matters.’ After the lapse of a considerable period, when I was about forty years old, I had the opportunity to converse with the same Hindu at some event. I said: ‘Do tell me now; I run my own household.’ The Hindu replied, ‘You are indeed the same as before!’
“Hazrat Mirza stated: ‘Every person should peer into his heart and see which is more dominant — concern for the world, or concern for religion. If he finds that his heart is persistently inclined towards worrying about matters of this world, then he should be seriously concerned for himself, because it appears from the Word of God that even the prayers of such a person are not accepted. If only people would understand that, as for the person who devotes himself entirely to the concerns and welfare of Islam, then God takes care of that person’s worldly concerns and worries. I have never heard, nor is there any evidence from any Book to suggest, that some prophet died of starvation or that his children went begging from door to door. However, it has frequently been heard of worldly kings, nobles and wealthy individuals that they were reduced to such dire straits that their children had to go door to door asking for pittances. It is a permanent tradition of God that no really pious person has fallen from a state of ease to one of indigence or that his children have fallen on hard times. If people develop a firm belief in this and rely truly and purely on God, then they would find freedom from all kinds of spiritual suicide and heartache.’
“Hazrat Mirza also said: ‘Most people desire to have children so that they have an inheritor of their worldly wealth. These people do not understand that if their children turn out to be immoral and wicked, then their hard-earned money and savings will become an accomplice in their children’s sinfulness and impiety. The evil deeds of their offspring would then affix their impression on the parents’ record of deeds as well. The desire for children should stem from a heart like that of Prophet Zacharias (peace be upon him). Allah the Most High has mentioned the prayer of Hazrat Zacharias for a pious son in the Quran because it sets the standard for a similar prayer for all pious people.’
“Hazrat Mirza stated: ‘Life is unreliable; there is very little time for leisure. People should seriously concern themselves with religion. There is no better prescription for longevity and blessings.’”
A period of about twenty-three years had elapsed from the publication of the fourth volume of Barahin Ahmadiyya before Hazrat Mirza turned his attention to writing the fifth volume of the book in early 1905.
In this interim period of approximately twenty-three years, he had written about eighty other books. He gave a dual title to his new venture — Barahin Ahmadiyya Volume 5 and Nusrat-ul-Haq (The Triumph of Truth). During the period Hazrat Mirza sojourned in the park as a result of his prophecy regarding an earthquake (Chapter 45), Hazrat Mirza continued writing the book and stayed busy with its composition for several months. He stated the objectives of the book as:
“A major argument in favor of Islam’s claim to being the true religion is that the teachings of Islam emerge victorious over all other religions. From the standpoint of being comprehensive, no other religion can contend with Islam.
“Another way in which Islam is unique and triumphs over other religions is the presence of the living blessings and miracles that are completely absent from all other religions, and this feature puts a definitive seal of authentication on the truth of Islam. These are such decisive signs that through them Islam not only triumphs over other religions but also attracts the hearts of people to its perfect light.”
Further on, Hazrat Mirza expressed his intention to focus in this book on the second kind of triumph, Islam’s living blessings and miracles. Hazrat Mirza had made several prophecies in the third and fourth volumes of Barahin Ahmadiyya. In the long period of 23 years that had elapsed since he had written these volumes, many of these prophecies had been fulfilled, and thus achieved the status of heavenly signs. A benefit of the long hiatus between the fifth volume and its predecessors was that it made it possible for Hazrat Mirza to catalogue these heavenly signs in the fifth volume.
The Fifth Volume of Barahin Ahmadiyya:
Hazrat Mirza opened this book with the following statement:
“All thanks are due to that Gracious God who has granted us a religion that is such a wonderful means of finding God and of devoting oneself to Him, that the like of it has not been found anywhere in history.
“May thousands of blessings be upon Prophet Muhammad because of whom we entered this pure religion, and may thousands of blessings be upon the companions of Prophet Muhammad who nurtured this orchard with their blood. Islam is a blessed religion that manifests God. If anyone truly submits to it and follows the injunctions and advice that are given in the holy word of God — the gracious Quran — then such a person shall see God in this world itself.
“There is no other means of identifying God, Who from the perspective of worldly sight is cloaked in thousands of curtains, except through the teachings of the Quran.”
Discussion on Miracles:
In Nusrat-ul-Haq, Hazrat Mirza first discussed the true nature of miracles and the need for miracles. This discussion is worth reading because it is very rational and unencumbered by any sort of immoderation. In this context, he shed light on the miracles of Jesus, and clarified their real nature. After this discussion, Hazrat Mirza detailed those signs that had manifested themselves as a result of the fulfillment of prophecies that had been written down and published approximately twenty-three years ago, in Barahin Ahmadiyya.
Following this, Hazrat Mirza answered all the objections raised by a reader in the newspaper Paisa Akhbar concerning his prophecy about the earthquake. In responding to these objections, Hazrat Mirza provided a commentary on the beginning verses of chapter 23 of the Holy Quran titled Al-Muminun. He compared the physical birth with spiritual birth and showed that just as there are six stages in the process of physical birth from its beginning as a life germ, there are similarly six stages in the process of spiritual birth and development. The discussion is profound and a veritable ocean of knowledge whose waves crest to great heights.
In the context of replying to the objection of the reader in Paisa Akhbar, the discussion moved on to the death of the Israelite Messiah and Hazrat Mirza’s claim of being the Promised Messiah. Hazrat Mirza provided powerful and cogent arguments in support of the death of the Israelite Messiah and of his own claim. A eulogy in Arabic along with its Urdu translation is also included in this book.
Unfortunately, Hazrat Mirza did not get a chance to complete this book. While Hazrat Mirza was engaged in its composition, a serious contention arose with Dr. Abdul Hakim Khan that diverted Hazrat Mirza’s attention and he had to undertake the writing of the book Haqiqat-ul-Wahy to dispel the misgivings arising from this controversy.
Soon afterwards, the Hindu Arya sect went on the offensive, details of which follow in a later chapter. This compelled Hazrat Mirza to write the book Chashma Marifat to refute the charges of the Arya Hindus. Hazrat Mirza left this earthly abode shortly after the completion of Chashma Marifat. The fifth volume of Barahin Ahmadiyya, also titled Nusrat-ul-Haq, was published posthumously in its partially-completed form on October 15, 1908.
In March 1905, Muhammad Afzal, the editor of the newspaper Al- Badar, died and the publication of the newspaper stopped for afew days. On March 30, 1905, Hazrat Mirza expressed great pleasure that Mufti Muhammad Sadiq had taken over the editorship, and the newspaper had resumed publication.
On the advice of Maulvi Abdul Karim, the newspaper was renamed Badar.
The rationale behind the name change was that Al- Badar is the Arabic term for the full moon but its appearance has a negative connotation in that it heralds the subsequent decline in the size of the visible moon. Badar, on the other hand was the site of the famous battle in which Allah, the Most High, had helped the Holy Prophet. Accordingly, from April 20, 1905, the newspaper began appearing under the name Badar. The deceased Muhammad Afzal was the proprietor and editor of Al-Badar, but after his death, the paper was owned by Mian Miraj-ud-Din of Lahore and Mufti Muhammad Sadiq took over as editor.
The Great Reformer 