The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement Blog

Archive for the ‘100th anniversary of death’ Category

In Badr, 26th September 1907, a letter written by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad inviting a person to accept him is published, under the caption An old letter of Hazrat Aqdas. The date of the letter is 1317 A.H., and as the date on this issue of Badr is 1325 A.H., it means that the letter is from 1899. Its publication is one of many examples of pre-1901 writings of the Promised Messiah being published long after 1901. The letter is translated below. After the formal greetings, he writes:

 ”I am appointed (mamur) in order to inform every right-minded, noble person of my mission, namely, that God the Most High has sent me at the head of this 14th century for renewal work (tajdid) to defeat through me the two troubles: the mischief of Christianity whose attacks from the outside have greatly weakened Islam, and the internal mischief that the condition of the Muslim themselves, in terms of faith, deeds and belief, has greatly declined.  Accordingly, corresponding to the external reform work relating to breaking the cross, the Wise One has given me the name Promised Messiah, and corresponding to removing the internal trouble and establishing Muslims on true guidance He has given me the name Mahdi.

For, the man by whose hand the mischief of the cross is removed, and the distorted form of Christianity meets its fall, he is that Mujaddid whose name in heaven is Messiah. And the man who appears at a time when most Muslims have lost the true substance and essence of Islam, and he is sent to breathe into them again the spirit of true guidance and faith, he is that Mujaddid whose name is Mahdi, as the hadith says: ‘There is no Mahdi except Jesus’. …

It is the condition of the present time that demanded that the Mujaddid of this century be called by the names Promised Messiah and Mahdi. … Is it not true that the heaven is calling out and the earth is pleading that, according to the prevailing circumstances and the internal and external troubles that are being witnessed, the name of the Mujaddid of this century should be Messiah and Mahdi?

If the prevailing circumstances themselves do not by their nature bestow upon me these two titles then I am a liar. But if they do, then it is obligatory and essential for every God-fearing person to join my helpers. On this basis, I write this letter to you, as I entertain a favourable view about you, and wish that you, having fear of the day when any deviation and laxity in the way of God will nullify one’s deeds, should become my helper…

Ask God to show you light in my affair, so that you do not join those who, having found the Messiah sent by God, did not pay the least attention to him.”

This is a very clear explanation of his claim written some eight years after first making it. And it is republished in Badr a further eight years later. Thus the Promised Messiah is the title of the Mujaddid of the fourteenth century.

In Badr, 19 September 1907, a letter is printed entitled Why I became an Ahmadi by one Baqa Muhammad. He writes in the article that after he became an Ahmadi he received a letter from a Maulvi friend expressing surprise at this. After quoting the letter from his Maulvi friend, he then quotes the reply that he sent him. We translate below just some extracts from his lengthy reply:

“Since the beginning of time, when a prophet died and his book was altered and there was a denial of the signs of God, then God appointed another prophet to spread the doctrine of His oneness who verified the earlier prophets. It is obvious that the prophets before the Holy Prophet Muhammad came for only their own nations, while our Holy Prophet came for the whole world. No prophet will come after him who will be commanded to follow laws other than the commandments of the Holy Quran. Certainly not. Instead, for the propagation of the same Islam, which attained completion with the Holy Prophet Muhammad, mujaddids or imams have been coming, as there has always been a mujaddid at the turn of every century. Because there was a need these days for an imam and mujaddid, God out of His grace and mercy appointed the Imam of the time who had been promised. He came with clear arguments and signs because this is an age in which Muslims have become divided into many sects, each considering itself to be destined for heaven and the others for hell. …

Jesus can only come holding one of two positions: (1) as a rasul, (2) having been removed from risalat as an ummati. In the first case the Holy Prophet Muhammad would not remain khatam-un-nabiyyin, but one would have to accept Jesus as the khatam. In the second case, to consider a rasul as an ummati is very much against the basics of faith, and is heresy because we believe in the prophethood of all prophets.”

1. After the Holy Prophet Muhammad, those who are sent by God among Muslims are mujaddids and imams.
2. Khatam-un-nabiyyin means Last of the Prophets because if Jesus came after the Holy Prophet Muhammad he would become Khatam-un-nabiyyin. Note that if khatam here meant ‘best’ or ‘greatest’ then even in the event of Jesus coming back as prophet, the Holy Prophet could still remain Khatam-un-nabiyyin.
3. If it applies to Jesus that a prophet cannot be an ummati, then in case of Hazrat Mirza sahib too he being an ummati cannot be a prophet.

In Al-Hakam of 17 September 1907, the importance of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya is again highlighted by the editor. We quote from it below:

“The time of the coming of the appointed ones of God (mamooreen) is the time for the making and unmaking of communities. At this time too God has sent an appointed one (maamoor) and, as he has himself made known, it is in a state of the utmost powerlessness and humility that he is working for the reform of people. He wants to create a community. It will certainly be created, and blessed will be those who join it. …

To create a living structure for the community the holy Hazrat has laid the foundation of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya. Now the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya is anxious to create branches of Ahmadi anjumans subordinate to it in different places. Announcements have been published, articles written, letters sent, and much has been done and much still needs to be done. By the grace of God, good results are being obtained by all these plans and efforts. Ahmadi anjumans are being set up. Now that this process has started, it is my duty to make my brethren aware of the problem and tribulation that arises when such anjumans are established. May God safeguard our anjumans from these.

That tribulation and disaster is self interest and selfishness. The creation of the Ahmadi anjumans is not for the sake of any one individual, but is for the benefit of the entire community. So if a person, merely because his proposal or opinion at some meeting is not followed or is opposed, is offended and obstructs the work, then remember that he is guilty of a severe sin in the eyes of God. He wishes to damage the whole community.

What are we individuals worth, and what worth are our opinions? In our work we should show sincerity and seek the pleasure of God. Whoever is made the president or secretary of the assembly should realise that he carries an immense responsibility. In discharging his duties he must bear in mind the principle that the leader of a people is their servant. Those who have elected him president or secretary must make it their rule to obey him in good matters. There must be no dispute among us as to why someone was not given a certain office. Such disputes divide the community, and the community in which these happen deviates far from its real object.” (The bold text here is in bold in the original.)

Again, this shows that the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya was created as the supreme executive in the Ahmadiyya Movement. No article such as the above mention anything about a khilafat to rule the Movement.

In Al-Hakam of 10th September 1907 there is an article on the front page which shows the important position held by the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya as created by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. It is written by the Editor, Shaikh Yaqub Ali Turab, later a staunch supporter of Mirza Mahmud Ahmad. I quote most of it below:

“Today, not for the first time, but for several years I have been urging that the organised Ahmadi community, just as it is bound in a spiritual relationship, should also be united in a physical sense. It was not me who felt this need but it was felt by the Promised Messiah the very day he announced the arrangements of taking the bai`at by the order of Allah. For the attainment of the benefits that God intends should come through the founding of this Movement, it is necessary to have an organised system.  Many a time, moves were proposed for this, and they had some effect. Ultimately, this tree was planted in the form of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya by order of the Promised Messiah.

By its nature, the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya requires that there should be associated with it other Anjumans as its subordinates. For this the Secretary of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya [Note:  This was Maulana Muhammad Ali] has made regular proposals, and done so several times. To fulfil the needs of the community, and to attain the aims and objectives which God has connected with the establishment of this community, it is essential that there must be Ahmadiyya Anjumans in various places and a proper register of members of the Movement. The Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya has prepared and printed the necessary rules and regulations for Ahmadiyya Anjumans, and sent copies of these to various places. Those who need more of them should apply to the office of the Secretary, Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, and obtain them, and very soon inform that they have created Anjumans under these rules.

When organised Anjumans are established, those problems and difficulties that arise daily will not arise again because the community as a whole will be aware of those problems and will have the opportunity to devise and act on proposals to meet the arising needs.”

As the Promised Messiah’s book Haqiqat-ul-Wahy was published in May 1907, mention of it is found in the Ahmadiyya newspapers around that date. In Badr, 8 August 1907, a letter by Dr Basharat Ahmad to Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is printed under the title Haqiqat-ul-Wahy. The letters runs as follows:

“Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu-hu!

This servant has been busy in reading Haqiqat-ul-Wahy in recent days and finished it in 15 to 20 days, reading it very carefully by the grace of God. I read the most wonderful secrets of knowledge and my faith was refreshed by ever newer signs. You, sir, have conclusively proved the arguments to the opponents to the highest degree. If they don’t accept them even now, then they are like the bat which does not see the sun on a bright day. You, sir, have made the sun of clear evidences and irrefutable arguments to rise. Now the opponent Maulvis have nothing left but obduracy and prejudice. Signs are pouring down like rain. If a man has the least spiritual taste and faith, he will find an ocean of Divine signs flowing by your hand, sir. But the fact is that the inner nature of these opponent Maulvis has become distorted due to their vehemence, prejudice and ignorance. Otherwise, for men of spiritual taste and faith there are more than enough signs.”

In a talk reported in Badr, 8th August 1907, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad answered an objection of the opponent Ulama that he had not gone to perform the Hajj. He said:

“It is with evil intent that these people raise this objection. The Holy Prophet Muhammad, may peace and the blessings of Allah be upon him, lived in Madina for ten years. It was only a couple of days’ journey from Makka, but he did not perform the Hajj in those years. He was in a position to make arrangements for transport etc. However, the condition for performing the Hajj is not only that you should have enough resources. It is also necessary that there should be no danger of any trouble and there should exist the means for reaching there and performing the Hajj in security.

Considering that the savage-minded Ulama are even in this country issuing verdicts that I deserved to be killed, and showing no fear of the authorities, there is nothing they would not do there. But why are they concerned that I have not performed the Hajj? If I were to perform the Hajj, will they consider me a Muslim? Will they join my Movement? If all these Ulama give a sworn affirmation that if I perform the Hajj they will all repent on my hand and join my Movement and be my followers, then I will go and perform the Hajj. God the Most High will create the means for us which facilitate it, so that the mischief of the Maulvis is removed.

It is not good to raise objections unjustly with evil intent. This objection of theirs applies even to the Holy Prophet because he only performed the Hajj in his last year.”

In Al-Hakam, 17 July 1907, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is reported as saying:

” It is very hard to give precedence to religion [i.e. one’s religious duties] over the world [i.e. worldly calls and interests]. A man can say this in words and even pledge to do it. But not everyone can fulfil it. Holding religion above the world can be recognised by comparing the pain a man feels at worldly loss with the pain he feels when suffering some religious loss. A man should make his own heart as the judge to determine this: how restless he becomes and how much he wails and woes over worldly loss, and in contrast how he feels at some religious loss?

Bad is the man who deceives another, but worse is the man who deceives himself. He does not give precedence to religion over the world but believes that he does so. He does not truly obey God but considers that he is a Muslim. He who is unjust to another can escape after his misdeed and save himself thus. But he who is unjust to himself has nowhere to run and cannot escape this injustice.

Blessed is the one who gives precedence to religion and God over everything else because God will give him precedence.“

According to an item in Al-Hakam (17 July 1907) under the heading Kufr, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad made the following comments:

How can anyone escape after disobeying God the Most High? Those who don’t accept the man sent by God in this age are disobeying God. In the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, the Jews and Christians followed the religious law, said their prayers, fasted, and believed in all the prophets. But due to not accepting the Holy Prophet Muhammad they were deemed to be unbelievers (kafir). In this age, those people who are not only our opponents but declare us as kafir themselves become kafir on the basis of the hadith of the Holy Prophet because they declared a believer as kafir. They cannot escape the grip of Allah.

It is to be noted here that Hazrat Mirza sahib has not declared those as kafir who don’t accept him, on the grounds that they don’t believe in his claims. He clearly says that by calling him, who is a Muslim, as kafir they are condemned by the hadith reports of the Holy Prophet Muhammad which say that he who calls another Muslim as kafir gets that same epithet reflected back on him.

In Al-Hakam of 30th June 1907 a circular letter is published under the title An Important Letter. It is written by Maulana Muhammad Ali as Secretary of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya. The Editor of Al-Hakam introduces it as follows:

The Secretary of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya has sent the following circular letter to Ahmadis. Due to its importance it deserves much attention, and is published so that people can attend to it immediately.

The letter, dated 23rd June 1907, begins as follows. (I have put in bold some word for emphasis.)

“From the Office of the Secretary, Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Qadian.

Assalamu alaikum

In the beginning of 1906, by order of the Promised Messiah, an Anjuman of his followers was established whose name the Holy Hazrat himself suggested as Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya. The purpose of creating this Anjuman was that, except for the langar (food hospitality), all the work done by the Ahmadiyya Movement should come under an organisation. Accordingly, the first three clauses of the rules of the Anjuman, which have been published several times before, are as follows:

1. The objectives of the Anjuman shall be as follows: Propagation of Islam, education both religious and secular, arrangements of the cemetery, distribution of Zakat, and other matters in connection with the Ahmadiyya Movement.

2. Every person belonging to the Ahmadiyya Movement who in any way supports the Movement shall be a member of this Anjuman.

3. Every Ahmadiyya Anjuman that members of the Ahmadiyya Movement establish anywhere shall be a branch of this Anjuman.

Thus in that very year 1906 this Anjuman was legally registered and at present it has under its charge: Taleem-ul-Islam High School and religious school, the magazine Review of Religions and Talim-ul-Islam, the Maqbara-i Bahishti, a library, and support for many poor and orphans.

To carry out these functions is not the work of a few men, but is the duty of the whole of the Ahmadiyya Movement and the responsibility equally of everyone. A person who enters into the bai’at, until he is our helper in these objectives, does not benefit the Movement in any way. Secondly, those who enter into the bai’at and are then not informed of the work and activities of the Movement, and the fresh signs sent by God, do not benefit by being within the Movement. Thirdly, difficulties are always being encountered in carrying out those works which are the important aims of this Movement because not everyone is participating. …

Realising these needs, the central council (majlis-i mu’timideen) of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya has proposed that wherever there is a reasonable number of Ahmadis a local Anjuman should be established there which would be a branch of this Anjuman. To organise this work better, it has been considered necessary that in every district, in whichever place within it there is a Jamaat of a sufficient size, a major branch of the Anjuman should be set up which should organise all the Anjumans in its district.”

The letter then goes on to ask some questions from the existing Anjuman branches to assess their working, and requires them to provide answers as soon as possible. Some of these are: How many members do you have? What are the names of your officers? What are the conditions of membership? What are the rules and regulations of the Anjuman? At the end, having mentioned various functions of these Anjumans, the letter says:

“To sum up, by creating district Anjumans and establishing mutual relations between them, all members will from time to time be informed of the important works and instructions of the Movement.”

This letter clearly shows that the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya was created by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as the supreme executive to govern the affairs of the Ahmadiyya Movement and it was carrying out this function during the life of Hazrat Mirza sahib.

I quote below from Badr, 27 June 1907.

Service of the faith

14th May 1907. A man advised Hazrat (Mirza sahib):

“As you, sir, have laboured very hard in writing the book Haqiqat-ul-Wahy and proof-reading it again and again, this is why you are falling ill again and again. You should have complete rest now for a few days and avoid any reading or writing work altogether.”

Hazrat Mirza sahib said in reply:

“My labour is nothing. I feel ashamed when I look at the labours of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, as to how they cheerfully gave even their lives in the cause of God.”

So highly did Hazrat Mirza regard the work of the Companions for the cause of Islam, that he considered his exertions as nothing in comparison.

Below is an image of this item from Badr.